Editorial:

Amid the darkness of 2021, don’t overlook the light

Posted 1/4/22

When we collectively closed the book on 2020 and began 2021, there was plenty of optimism that it would be a dramatically improved year. But things didn’t go as we’d hoped. In a recent …

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Editorial:

Amid the darkness of 2021, don’t overlook the light

Posted

When we collectively closed the book on 2020 and began 2021, there was plenty of optimism that it would be a dramatically improved year. But things didn’t go as we’d hoped. In a recent survey of 1,000 Americans, conducted by One Poll, just over half of the respondents rated 2021 as the “worst year of their lives so far.”

While everyone’s year was different, we had to face multiple challenges together. For instance, the year started with a gut-churning riot at our nation’s Capitol. And rather than fading away, COVID-19 continued to sicken friends and family members, all while the politics surrounding the disease continued to divide the country.

There’s plenty of other bad news that could be added to the list in what was a difficult year for many. But amid it all, it’s important to remember that things weren’t — and aren’t — all bad.

Look no further than some of the incredible examples in Park County over just the past month.

In early December, Latter-day Saint Charities delivered tens of thousands of pounds of food and other items to residents in Powell, Cody and beyond — teaming up with other local organizations to deliver a truly massive boost to area residents in need.

“It was so many good people, so many people that care about other people,” said Deirdre Cozzens, who helped organize the delivery, “and it just spreads and it’s just a beautiful thing.”

Thanks to the outpouring of aid, local residents will be benefiting from the gift for some time to come.

Another example of extraordinary generosity came later in December, when it was announced that a Cody couple had donated a whopping $3 million to the Northwest College Foundation. It was the largest gift the foundation has ever received and it will create two endowed chairs in science and education.

“This lasting gift is truly a landmark moment for NWC, one that ensures our ability to support academic opportunities for years to come and reflects the amazing support for our institution,” said NWC Interim President Lisa Watson.

It certainly will be a gift for all of Park County and beyond.

Other generosity came in connection with the Christmas season. Cowboys took to wagons to deliver Christmas trees and other goods and volunteers and businesses teamed up to once again gather up and deliver Christmas baskets and Toys for Tots, all to offer a pick-me-up to local residents in need. The Kringle House also returned, constructing an impressive holiday wonderland to raise support for Powell Valley Loaves and Fishes. Others, meanwhile, worked to make the holiday special for elderly residents at the Rocky Mountain Manor — then there were Powell police and a veterinarian teaming up to help save a resident’s dog on a Saturday night. It’s not like this is a comprehensive list of good news, either, as these are just the things that bubbled into public view and reached the pages of the Tribune.

Certainly, it’s not like each piece of good news cancels out a bad one; many people suffered painful losses or setbacks in 2021, whether that was losing a loved one, a job or something else. But as we assess the darkness of the past year, we must not overlook the many points of light.

As we head into 2022, let’s keep looking for the goodness around us — and let’s do our part to make our hopes for a better year a reality.

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