Nearly every day a first impression is made by someone we come in contact with. The past couple of weeks have provided several of those experiences with me. After participating in a professional development conference in Big Sky, Mont., my husband John, and I, began a tour of the great Northwest. Of course, we took our tandem bike along with a goal of riding it in every state we would pass through. The river trail in Lewiston, Idaho, provided breathtaking scenery. Other beautiful spots gave me photo ops as we followed a western route down the coast, and into the Redwood forest. As we headed back across northern California mountains, we found ourselves in Chico, Calif.
I spotted a paved trail we could ride to from our motel the next morning for our California ride. Everything was going beautifully until we were exiting the bike trail to return to our motel for breakfast. We were hit hard by a fellow bicyclist who passed us unannounced on our left as we were turning off the trail. Down we went and in a split second our world changed. A kind lady offered to call 911 which was wonderful since we really didn’t know how to describe our location. My first ride in an ambulance and x-rays confirmed what I already knew – I had a broken arm.
The nurses who cared for me those first 24 hours were angels in my opinion. With my left arm immobilized and pain meds prescribed we headed toward our original destination of a college friend in Sacramento. Instead of sightseeing in this area rich with history, orchards, and wineries, our goal was to keep me comfortable until our son Matt could fly out to Sacramento, and drive us home.
We made it home and have had surgery to stabilize my broken arm. I am so thankful for the health care I have received locally and have gained a new appreciation for the wonderful community we live in. Along the way, a countless number of people made a first, and lasting impression, which gives me great hope for future healing.
Communities make 1st impressions too. That is where I am really going with this column. Nancy Daniels, who is a Community Vitality Specialist, with K-State Research and Extension, has been instrumental into seeing this project through from start to finish. A visit to the Ellinwood City Council meeting in July by Nancy, me, and one our Executive Board members, explained that Cimarron, a similar sized city, had invited Ellinwood to participate in 1st Impressions. Our visiting team was trained in late July, and our unannounced, (kind of like a secret shopper visit) occurred in August. It is now time for the report to be shared with community residents. Circle your calendar for Oct. 20, and join us at 5:30 p.m. at the Ellinwood High School commons area. Nancy Daniels will be on hand from K-State Research and Extension to help community leaders with future plans. I hope to see you there!
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Barton County. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu