2017 November PASO Magazine

Wrapping my head around the
enormity of goings on at the moment,
it led me to surrender that
some things are greater than myself
— Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day,
Paderewski, and other performing
arts going on in Paso Robles — it
just simply boggles the mind.
I have so much to be grateful for,
and also like a cornucopia, have so
much to give. Doing our part to
keep the good things going is just
a part of what it means to live on
the Central Coast, and it is a part
of being an American.
Nothing makes me prouder to be
a part of this community than sitting
in a room full of people raising
paddles to outbid each other for a
prize that was donated to support
healthy community activities.
That kind of thanks-giving is
priceless, but we have no guarantee
it will change a life. All we know is
that it will provide an opportunity
and the freedom for someone to
SOMETHING WORTH READING
By Nic
Mattson
A Good Thing Going
“Either write something worth reading or do
something worth writing.” Benjamin Franklin
change their own life through the
hard work and dedication it takes
to make that kind of change.
Whether it is a donation of $250
as a scholarship to Paso Robles
Youth Arts Foundation for one
of their students to attend for the
year, or if it is the sacrifices made
by our veterans overseas. Doing our
part to keep the good things going
doesn’t come with any guarantees.
We simply do our part, and hope
that those on the receiving end will
take advantage of the opportunities
we tried to provide.
For all those veterans who have
done their part to keep this good
American thing going, I try to remain
grateful, humble, and present
to take advantage of the beautiful
life I am provided as an American,
and do something every day to
make my community better.
It was truly humbling to put together
a November issue filled with
stories of Paso Roblans breaking
bread with each other, thanking Bob
for his service through the PASO
Magazine, reading the stories of
human beings who returned from
Vietnam in silent shame and grow
through the pain of their struggles
to embrace the hero they truly are.
Not everyone had that opportunity.
Sitting at the “Spencer Tracy” table
at the PRYAF fundraiser on Saturday,
my wife and I were blessed to
sit between two veterans who shared
their similar and different stories of
loss and redemption, and there we
were, entertained by a hundred kids
taking the freedom they were given
through the support of those who
came before us, and showing us
what it was worth — asking us to
keep their good thing going. It was
not hard to sell.
There are many ways to help others
this fall, and you can find out
more in our “Neighbors in Need”
article on page 28, or you can go to
pryaf.org/support-pryaf and donate
$250 to give one local child a year’s
worth of opportunity at Paso Robles
Youth Arts Foundation. If you have
not been to PRYAF, take a tour. Visit
3201 Spring St., or call 238-5825
for more information.
THIRD ANNUAL HOLIDAY
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Location: Paso Robles First United
Methodist Church, 915 Creston Road
(across the street from Lewis Middle
School)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
Time: 9 a.m. to noon
Cost: Free
Individuals, couples, and families can
get a beautiful portrait-style photo in
a Christmas setting they can use for
framing or adding to Christmas cards
or letters.
A series of photos will be taken for
each person or family, and a wellprocessed
copy will be emailed to the
recipient. The photos will be taken by an
experienced photographer inside the
church as a service to the community.
"We hope many people will take
advantage of the opportunity."
10 PASO Magazine, November 2017