Roger Varley has been in the news business almost 40 years with The Canadian Press/Broadcast News, Uxbnridge Times-Journal, Richmond Hill Liberal and Uxbridge Cosmos. Co-winner with two others of CCNA national feature writing award. In Scout movement over 30 years, almost 25 as a leader. Took Uxbridge youths to World Jamboree in Holland. Involved in community theatre for 20 years as actor, director, playwright, stage manager etc. Born in England, came to Canada at 16, lived most of life north and east of Toronto with a five-year period in B.C.
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What I love about this community
?On Tuesday, I took my old car in for a winter tune-up in preparation for the dreaded clean air test.
Being such a beautiful day, I took a leisurely stroll back home through the downtown.
I stopped at one of the downtown restaurants for coffee and pie and chatted with a half-a-dozen friends while I was there. Then I moved on to the Cosmos office to talk with my editor, Conrad, and within a couple of minutes was engaged in a pleasant chat with Lisha Cassibo, Yvonne Carroll and Brian Evans.
Leaving the office, I waved to John Pagidas, owner of the Texas Burger, and received a friendly smile and wave in return. From there, I ambled up to the pet shop and spent a few amiable minutes with owner Bev Leslie. We went outside and chatted about the new trees and shrubs that have been planted along Brock Street and soon were joined by Ed Evans. Then Barb Blower of Stadam Design passed by and exchanged pleasantries.
Kim and Chien of JB Variety were also outside, smiling and waving. Then I saw Denise Richards, better known as Bellybutton the Clown, pull into the Shell station, so I had to go over and have a few words with her and her husband.
All of which is not overly exciting, but it did - once again - remind me of what I love about this community. It really is easy to make friends here and such a stroll downtown can make one forget, for a while, all the day-to-day trials and tribulations that each of us face to some degree.
Some would argue that I have something of an advantage, because working for the other newspaper in town back in the late '90s - and writing for the Cosmos now - put me in contact with a wide range of people.
That argument has some merit, but I would counter that a lot of friends have been made through my connection with the local community theatre crowd and my time with the Scouting movement in Uxbridge.
Before becoming involved with theatre and Scouting, I was extraordinarily shy. That will come as a huge surprise to many who know me, but it is true. Those two organizations forced me to come out of my shell, to the point where I will now engage in conversation with just about anybody.
I also found it helped to attend as many different functions in town as possible, where I would meet the same people time and again until we eventually got to know each other.
When I go into stores around town, more often than not I engage the store owners or sales people in conversation. It doesn't have to be about anything important: it's just about being friendly and passing the time. And it is surprising how often that can lead to improved customer service.
But beyond that, it makes me feel so much a part of the community in which I live. I went to the 20th anniversary celebration at Blue Heron Books last weekend and was surprised at how many people I knew there. When I lived in Toronto and Pickering and Vancouver, I might have known a few neighbours - or not - but basically they were places where I was just another anonymous face in the crowd.
It has been said that many newcomers to Uxbridge close their doors behind them when they get home and don't become involved in the town in which they have chosen to live. If that is true, I feel sad for them. They are missing out on all kinds of opportunities and limiting their enjoyment of their community.
It seems to me they would be surprised by the number of interesting, engaging people they would run into if they just volunteered a little of their time, attended even a couple of local events or just stopped to have a chat with someone while doing their downtown shopping.
Tell me, am I wrong?
