Notes from Town Square: Things to be thankful for

This time of year reminds us to take a step back and reflect on the things we are thankful for.

I assume the thing that’s most important to the majority of us is our family and that certainly is the case for me. I have been blessed with a beautiful wife for nearly 30 years and she has given us two incredible sons that give me the motivation and inspiration for all I do in life. My happiest moments in life are those that I have shared with my family and for that I am truly thankful!

Another major aspect of my life that I am grateful for is my community. I moved to our beautiful city 36 years ago and I could not have made a better choice for a place to grow and raise a family.

We are fortunate to have an incredible natural environment in and around Green River and I am thankful that I have the opportunity to enjoy it each and every day.

We have the Green River, Flaming Gorge and our unique rock outcroppings. In close proximity, we have four of the highest and most fantastic mountain ranges in North America: Grand Tetons, the Rockies and even closer, the Uinta and Wind River ranges, which all give us many recreational opportunities. A couple miles out of town and occasionally in town you can see moose wandering along the river, elk in the mountains and deer, antelope, badgers, golden and bald eagles and dozens more unique species that dot our landscape.

The man made environment in our area is equally impressive. Green River has an incredible array of parks, the greenbelt walking path, the bike park, the state’s top-rated single track Wilkins Peak Trail System, developed wetlands with dozens of bird species, and a fantastic recreation center. I am thankful that we have such great facilities.

I am also extremely thankful for the outstanding school system we have in our community. Sweetwater County School District No. 2 is among the best in the region with a high school graduation rate in excess of 90 percent with an excellent administration and teachers who care about our children and their education.

We could not be luckier to have such an array of dedicated professionals and their exceptional support staff.

I believe that we have a wonderful city staff, committed to doing what is needed to make our city safe and to provide the services necessary for our everyday needs and I am thankful to have such a great bunch of workers. I also am personally thankful for my opportunity as mayor to help our council and staff make Green River a great place to live and raise our families.

Finally, I am thankful for my good health, both mental and physical. An important key to our mental health we have in this country which many throughout the world do not have, are our freedoms.

We have just celebrated Veteran’s Day and I am thankful to the many veterans in our community and throughout our great nation, particularly our combat veterans, who have sacrificed so much to make our country free.

This community truly is a great place to live, work and play. We are all a part of what makes Green River our home so thank you for all you do. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.