Mark’s Musings – May 23, 2012

| May 23, 2012
Mark Fortune

Mark Fortune

As is typical this time of the year in Coshocton County, there are numerous events, functions and organizations that we can “muse” about. Before I proceed down that path, I would like to draw your attention to the front page of this week’s Beacon – and specifically the “In Memory Of.” Shon Connors was a young man that, although I did not know him extremely well, I consider myself lucky to be among those that did know him. Because of his circumstances, there are many in our community who perhaps did not know of Shon at all. But rest assured, his impact went well beyond the walls of Hopewell Industries where he worked. Shon always said “hello” to me and typically had a smile on his face. He was a strong advocate for the rights of the developmentally disabled community and was not afraid to speak to – or write – our legislators. Good for you, Shon.

Shon Connors was not dealt a healthy hand in the card game of life – but he overcame that with passion and zeal and became something even greater – someone that had a greater purpose, a higher calling. Shon did more than his part in helping those with challenges, and he certainly will be missed by anyone that had the opportunity to know him. Although he was confined to a wheelchair, he did not let those constraints confine his contribution in life. His story is an inspiration and gives hope to those that face challenges on a daily basis, to those that face life’s hardships with a smile and a positive attitude. Shon Connors – you were something special.

The Coshocton County Relay for Life – the 17th annual here – wrapped up on Saturday evening with the traditional closing ceremony, final lap of 2012 and the first lap of 2013. In unofficial results, over 30 teams brought in $130,000 in the fight to help researchers find a cure for cancer. Several new teams joined in the fun and fight against cancer; Clow Water Systems, Coshocton City Schools and Team Jean Anne. Event co-chairs Mike Farley and Emily McBurney poured their hearts into this year’s Relay and the results were nothing short of spectacular. The weather cooperated nicely, committee members gave it their all, and this year’s Relay brought forth another outpouring of community support and emotion. Chelsea Edwards, of the ACS office in Zanesville, who gave her own very emotional talk at the opening ceremony, said, “This Relay was fantastic from top to bottom.” We couldn’t agree more.

The Airport Amphitheater committee has announced the schedule for the 2012 season, and the lineup includes the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Christian band, Decemberadio. You can read more about the programs and updates on page 12 and 13 of this week’s Beacon. This group of volunteers has put in many, many hours to arrange a quality summer program for our community. Please support their efforts by attending. The Airport Amphitheater is another quality venue for Coshocton County. Nice job.

We would ask that somewhere between graduation ceremonies, parties, barbecuing or enjoying the lake, please take a moment to remember our veterans this Memorial Day.

 

Category: Mark's Musings

About the Author ()

I live with my beautiful wife Nancy on a small farm just outside Coshocton. We have been married for thirty two years and have two grown children, Jessica and Jacob. Jessica is married to Aaron Mencer and they are employed with Coshocton City Schools. Jacob is a sophomore at Kent State University. I graduated from River View High School, have a Bachelor’s Degree from North Carolina Wesleyan University and am actively involved with the Roscoe United Methodist Church, serve on several local committees and am a member of the Coshocton Kiwanis Club, having served as Past-President. I love reading, especially military thrillers, the Civil War and history in general. My goal is to write a novel. My wife and I are also AdvoCare distributors and encourage anyone wanting to lose weight, gain energy and better health to explore AdvoCare at our website; www.fortunes4advocare.com. I love the media field, innovative technology and have worked in newspapers for over 30 years – in fact, my first job was delivering newspapers. The Beacon is a dream made possible by the support of this community and a great team. I hope to continue serving Coshocton County for many years.

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