We are Number One!

We all feel better when now and then we achieve something, when we come out first. This goes for the athlete, the artist, the parent, the CEO of a corporation, the elected official, the hair stylist, the carpenter, the pastor, the teacher, the rancher, the quilter, the bridge player, etc., etc. The list includes anyone from the leader of a country to the gardener next door striving for the best rose. It can also include a community or a group working for the betterment of that community.

Last week our little town of Hot Springs was told it was first. It is the only small town in the Black Hills that is recycling. Not only is it recycling, but, in the few years since a couple of local enthusiasts began the "Keep Hot Springs Beautiful" program, it has achieved a high mark in its efforts to have citizen participation. Our locals must separate their recyclables, then drive to a central place at our local Pamida store to dump their bags. They do not have the convenience as some of our neighbors, like those in Minneapolis, who are furnished with different containers for storing the items and have them picked up on delivery day.

This recycling program continues and grows because of a small group of dedicated individuals from this community who sponsor programs throughout the year, such as rummage sales, in order to keep the program running. It also includes the many citizens of Hot Springs who participate in the program.

We have been a community struggling with our issues such as the VA downsizing and the Evan's Plunge mineral waters health club closing for the winter, but we can say proudly to one another and to the rest of the world, that we are now number one in the Black Hills in recycling and that is an undertaking that will affect our environment and future generations for years to come.