They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one would
take more than ten thousand words to explain, so I won’t even try. Suffice it
to say, its meaning is inscribed permanently on my heart, and these people hold
a special place there.
The photo was taken at the La Marque Community Oriented
Policing Recognition Luncheon in April, 2013. Shown (left to right) are Bo
Hunter, Maggie Manuel, me, and Police Chief Randall Aragon. Bo, Maggie and I
had our names engraved on the plaque in the photo, in recognition of our
volunteer service to the city.
Bo and Maggie are longtime residents of La Marque, Texas.
They, along with a few other hardworking, community-oriented citizens, form the
backbone of this tiny, rural town. The Chief and I were newcomers, but were welcomed with open
arms and willing spirits.
We all had a common goal after the Chief introduced
Community Oriented Policing to the city—make it work by forming a partnership
between the police and the citizens to help prevent crime. And that we did. Bo
is Chairperson of his Watch Group area, and Maggie is a Block Captain in her
section. I was also the Chairperson for my neighborhood, and after learning
about the newsletter I wrote for my subdivision, the Chief asked me to start
one for all the watch groups in the city, to spread the word about our efforts
to watch out for our neighbors. (See the post: Spread Your Wings and Fly) And
that’s how I came to form a close bond with these people.
After living all my adult life in large cities (San Antonio
and Houston), my late husband dragged me, kicking and screaming, to La Marque,
when he decided we needed to move “to the country”. Since he spent seventy
percent of his time traveling between the east and west coasts for his work, he
dropped me off, then got on a plane!! What???
But, in spite of the fact that I felt I’d left civilization,
I gained much more than I lost. The value was in the friendships I made after
getting to know the people in that small town. For the newsletter, I
interviewed them and photographed them. I attended their committee meetings,
city council meetings and community events. Each article revealed how much they
cared about their city and their need to make a difference. They inspired me to
contribute my own time and talents to the cause, and, for my efforts, I got
back much more than I gave.
After my husband passed away, I felt the need to downsize to
a smaller house, and moved to a larger city not far away. But I miss my La
Marque family and still keep in touch with my close friends there—including Bo,
Maggie, and the Chief.
Thank you all for your kindness and many special memories of
sharing and caring!
