A lot to be thankful for

Yorba Lindans are pretty passionate about their city and often get caught up in correcting every last fault, so it’s worthwhile to pause today and reflect on the community’s positive features, especially those nourished by residents’ attentive efforts:

--A school system that continues to meet and exceed expectations in academic and extracurricular arenas, one reason so many parents give for moving to Yorba Linda.

--A City Council newly responsive to citizen requests for more transparency and fewer closed-door meetings, thanks to initiatives from the three most recently seated members.

--City commissioners who work for little pay (Planning) or no pay (Parks and Recreation, Traffic and Library) to handle the nitty-gritty details important to a still-growing community, and, significantly, so many residents applying to serve in these posts.

--New-found historical respectability and a more diverse guest speaker schedule at the Nixon library under executive director Tim Naftali and National Archives sponsorship.

--The city’s longest-serving officials ever: Paul Armstrong, 25 years on the water board plus 14 on the old elementary school board, and Hank Wedaa, 29 years on City Council.

--Yorba Linda Arts Alliance groups, which, despite few resources and fewer venues, bring an astonishing variety of entertaining events to residents throughout the year.

--The longstanding, successful arrangement with Brea for police services, pioneered by an early ‘70s City Council to replace a contract with the county Sheriff’s Department.

--Equestrian leaders who often remind residents of the city’s historic roots and work to preserve an environment that’s also appreciated by homeowners without horses.

--The recent success of City Council candidates who use local volunteers in campaigns rather than paid professional consultants who also work for outside-the-city developers.

--A Town Center Blue Ribbon Committee that worked 18 months to deliver a cogent set of guiding principles and recommendations for future Old Town development.

--The men and women of the several service organizations who work countless hours planning and manning the events that raise money for local classrooms and charities.

--A committed group of volunteers who’ve united the community through efforts to raise funds for and otherwise publicize the armed services memorial at Veterans’ Park, and the community-spirited donor groups who share the vision, including Shapell Industries, $25,000; Shinnyo-en Foundation, $10,000; and Sunrise Rotary, $10,000.

A FINAL NOTE

And let’s not forget the Yorba Lindans who volunteer time and talents in religious, sports, 4-H, Scout and other organizations providing programs for city youth.

These farsighted individuals are Yorba Linda’s real strength in nurturing the environment responsible for the city’s success as a family-oriented community.