Planning your work and working your plan provides a pathway to completion – whatever the goal.
When work is by committee, a flexible plan helps. Expect some twists and turns along the way. Invariably, there will be differences of opinion, and everything takes longer than expected. Adjustments and revisions will become a part of the plan. Be willing to give a little, to move forward. Forget about who gets the credit. Imagine what could happen if Congress would remember that working toward common goals and refusing to quit is what enables marriages, businesses and community projects to succeed.
July 26 marks two years since the Discovery Junction bid was awarded.
Fundraising took place for two years prior to that. And two years prior to the beginning of fundraising, the “vacant-lot committee” envis- ioned a project that has added value to our community.
The fact that it was not easy is worth remembering.
It happened because we did not quit. Finishing touches will be a work in progress for another year. But it is here, and we are using it.
Don’t quit.
An occupant for the Edray Industrial Building and other improvements can happen the same way.
At a Region 4 meeting last week, the featured speaker was Chelsea Ruby, Secretary of the West Virginia Tourism Department. Ruby said, for the first time, the Tourism Department of Tourism is having to reprint West Virginia Travel Brochures because of increased demand.
Ruby said all tourism indicators are up by as much as 250 percent.
In June, more than three million visitors came to a state with a population of 1.8 million. Also, having just spent the weekend in Pocahontas County, Ruby mentioned the World Cup events at Snowshoe, which will be held in September. The designation of the New River Gorge as a National Park Reserve will bring more and more visitors to the state.
As a follow-up, I asked about the issue of highway signage in our state. People don’t know what they don’t know, and they do not know about West Virginia. Because of archaic regulation, we cannot direct visitors to points of interest in our county and region without proper signage. Signage placement should not have to be so hard, and Secretary Ruby agreed.
On a positive note, when State and Regional Representatives look at our area and say, “Whatever you are doing – keep doing it” – that is encouraging.
A few short years ago, the city of Lewisburg was deemed “Coolest Small Town in America.” Now, it has been selected as one of the state’s first three host cities to participate in the Ascend West Virginia program.
Within 36 hours of the program’s April announcement, 2,000 people from 38 states had filled out an application to move to West Virginia. This invitation come through The Ascend West Virginia program, and is aimed at an incentive designed to encourage remote workers to move to Lewisburg. As a result, Greenbrier Tourism promoters are extending invitations to come enjoy every nook and cranny of the surrounding mountains. That’s us, Marlinton and Pocahontas County. This program and others like it are making a difference for our state.
Hopefully, these cooperative efforts will end the state’s population loss in the next census.
