Ghost of Midnight

Best of FPF: Umbrella and a Wave

Al, a City Councilor, shared a reflection about “Walk to School Day” in the Winooski Forum. We thought it was well worth a share:

“This morning, in the rain, something beautiful happened. Volunteers and parents showed up across our city, at intersections, on the sidewalks, at the WSD school entrance, to walk alongside our kids and make sure they felt safe, seen, and supported. They didn’t have to do that. They chose to. And that choice matters more than I can say.

“I want to name something I believe deeply: children and adults learn what safety feels like by experiencing it. When a neighbor shows up at the end of their street with an umbrella and a wave, when a familiar face walks with them through the rain, when a whole community decides that getting to school safely is worth their time on a Wednesday morning — kids feel that. They carry it. It tells them that they belong here, that this community is paying attention, and that they are worth showing up for.

“You are what Winooski looks like at its best.”