Have you ever watched geese flying
along in the sky in a “V” formation? They fly like that
because as each bird in front flaps its wings it creates an
updraft for the bird immediately following. By flying together
in a “V” formation, it has been estimated that the whole
flock adds over 70% to its flying range than if each bird flew
on its own. This means that the flock can cover their journey
much more quickly and with much less of an effort by working
together.
Geese work together so that the entire
flock achieves a higher degree of success. You would think that
people would be able to discover this strategy as well. It is a
known fact that the City of Greater Sudbury is in trouble.
Unemployment is up! Businesses are closing! The hospital
construction has stopped! We are losing our youth to the south!
Many small businesses which are still operating are barely
surviving! The jobs that we are losing are high paying jobs in
big industry, but the jobs that we replace them with are
low-paying entry-level jobs. There is no need to go on.
Yet, in spite of this, we all share a
common direction. Everyone living in the City of Greater Sudbury
really wants to do
something to improve the situation. We want to help stimulate
the economy and create new jobs so that our children can
establish a future in their home town. It is precisely this
sense of community and common direction which we must harness
and use if we have any chance of rising out of our current state
and creating a brighter future for everyone in the area.
In order to see how we can do this, we
must once again take a lesson from the geese. The situation in
Sudbury is bleak, and we must take action soon in order to
correct the situation. Since we are all moving in the same
direction, we can travel on the thrust of one another and thrive
on the encouragement and support.
What the Greater Sudbury Area needs now
is leadership. Valley East is more than capable of providing
that leadership. Together, we can use Valley East Today to
create the leverage we need to make our own community stronger
and then move out to the front of the pack to help bring the
rest of the flock - the other municipalities in the City of
Greater Sudbury - in the right direction.
We ask that every resident of Valley
East make a sincere effort to do their part to help make this
community stronger. Valley East once held enviable position of
being the fastest growing municipality in the region. We still
are and we can still hold our heads up high.
Amalgamation may have taken away our
right to call ourselves the City of Valley East, but that was
just a name. We haven't changed as a people. We haven't changed
as a community. It is time to move forward, and take a lesson
from the geese. It is our turn to move to the front of the
formation and lead the flock. Let's prepare for the journey. It
is going to take every bit of strength we can muster.
Until the next time...