“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” — Albert Einstein
Congratulations to William (Bill) Beyer on his recent retirement. Bill began his employment with the City on June 13, 1977. He officially retired on July 1 of this year. He worked in the Department of Public Works as a truck driver. His many years of dedicated service are appreciated.
The task force appointed to make recommendations regarding the re-purposing of our existing hospital (Shawano Medical Center) will be touring the facility on Aug. 12. The task force will meet in City Hall’s community room on Aug. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.
Qualified candidates have until Aug. 10 to apply for the position of assistant city administrator/public works coordinator. Interviews will be scheduled for late August or early September. We are pleased to have Mary Nordin filling in as an interim public works director until the position can be filled.
The city’s Building Department has been busy. During July the department issued 38 permits. The largest one was issued to the Shawano School District for a $900,000 project, which includes a 2,100-square-foot addition, a 4,600-square-foot addition and light remodeling. During June, 32 permits were issued. Included were a $40,000 remodeling project at the Erickson Mall (Plaza 212 LLC), and a $64,000 electrical project at Buss Automotive.
Serving as mayor has given me the opportunity to get to know many of our community’s youth. They have often expressed a desire to have a place where they can go to spend time socializing with their friends outside of school. We have a senior citizen center, but we do not have a youth center. I am excited because I think there may be a building available. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but I think it is a good possibility. I’ll keep you updated.
I would like to share a story with you. There was a woman who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was given three months to live. As she began getting her things in order, she called her pastor because she wanted to discuss her final wishes. She told him what songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what dress she wanted to be buried in. She requested that she be buried with her favorite Bible in her left hand. She also told him, “I want to be buried holding a fork in my right hand.”
I might say the pastor was at a loss for words. “That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the woman asked. The pastor replied, “Well, to be quite honest, I am puzzled by the request.”
The woman explained, “You see, pastor, in all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I remember when the dishes were being cleared after the main course, someone would inevitably lean over and say ‘Keep your fork.’ … It was my favorite part of the meal because I knew that something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie; something wonderful to end the meal.”
The pastor listened intently and a smile came upon his face. The woman continued, “So, I just want people to see me there with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ‘What’s with the fork?’. Then I want you to tell them, “She kept her fork because the best is yet to come.”
The pastor’s eyes welled with tears of joy as he hugged the woman goodbye. He knew the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.
At the funeral, everyone who walked by the woman’s casket saw her wearing a beautiful dress with her favorite Bible in her left hand and a fork in her right hand. During his message the pastor explained what the fork symbolized to her. The pastor told everyone how he could not stop thinking about the fork and how he hoped that they would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
So the next time you reach for your fork, let it remind you, oh so gently, that the best is yet to come.
To my friend who was recently diagnosed with an advanced terminal illness, perhaps there is a miracle of healing in your future. But if there is not, remember the fork. “The best is yet to come.”
The answer to last week’s question — What year did WTCH go on the air? — is 1948.
This week’s question is: What local Native American girl in the early 1950s won the acclaim as one of the nation’s prettiest Indian girls and a movie contract?
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