B
eing that this Outlook is on the stands early in the leadup to Christmas due to the holidays and a change in our press deadline, we thought it a good opportunity to offer up a wish list to the big guy.
First and foremost, Santa, during this time of general hope and giving, could you and yours try to ensure that we and ours have a safe and happy holiday? We journalists would rather not have to report on crashes, fires and crimes during the holiday season.
Further to the above items, and we at the Outlook are not being greedy here, we’d also like to pass on our own wish list.
For the Bow Valley Victim Services Association – a holiday when everyone, absolutely everyone, will appreciate a quiet holiday season and your volunteers can stay home with their loved ones, rather than have to respond to calls requiring their particular expertise. Crashes, fires and other tragedies do happen, but we all need peace and goodwill among those closest to us.
For our municipal governments – ongoing fiscal responsibility as many people in our valley are already squeezing the last quarters out of their paycheques. And let’s keep in mind that, while our towns are tourism hotbeds, it is our citizens who make them communities. Let’s put as much thought into embracing our communities as we do in the creation of special events that are geared for everyone else.
And sadly, Santa, if possible, if there’s anything you can do to comfort the six-year-old girl who was assaulted and left for dead on the Paul Band First Nation, as well as her family, that’d be great. Her family as well will need some comforting over the holiday season, and moving forward with their lives.
We’ll also throw in this rapid-fire wish list – more affordable valley housing; lighter lead feet for drivers in the area; bike lights for cyclists; bear spray for everyone heading out; fewer critter deaths; wins for valley sports teams; good grades for our students; a stay on avalanches and fewer appearances of the NIMBY monster.
Finally, the Outlook wishes everyone in the Bow Valley the very best during the holiday season and a safe, prosperous and joy-filled new year.
It’s not a frivolous list ...
Hopefully our readers won’t mind, but we’d like to point out that these wish lists are not without purpose. Last year, the Outlook printed a similar list and one of the items on it read ... For valley and other Canadian Olympians – continued efforts toward peaking for the Sochi Olympics in February. Then, hardware … hardware of any colour or, at the very least, and let’s be realistic here, personal bests all around. As a hub for Olympians, we hope some of you come back with luggage heavily laden with gold, silver or bronze.
Needless to say, medals positively rained down on our athletes, with Canada finishing fourth in the medal count at 25, with the third most golds at 10.
Thanks for that, Santa.
