In the summer of 2011 my family went on a vacation to Idaho. It had been over twenty years since I last saw the great Rocky Mountains. As we left Iowa and Nebraska the elevation began to rise and the terrain became more void of the lush green grass that we plentifully have here. It was a trip long overdue for me.
I remember the joy I felt this summer once I spotted the mountains and announced it to my family whom never beheld the Rockies. It was a memory that needed to be embedded into their minds as it did to mine so many years ago. There is a magic and an awe about the grandeur of the mountains. Of course it may not be as much of an occasion to those who live there. Yet for anyone who dares to step outside of their normal routine new adventures and memories can have lasting impressions.
We visited several spots in Idaho and Wyoming. We saw the Grand Tetons with all their splendor. We drove up the side of the mountain until our ears needed “popped.” We marveled how we were enjoying 80 degrees when only a few hundred feet up there was still abundant snow. Then the steep descent gave way to wondrous and spacious beauty all around.
We visited the “R” mountain of Rexburg. This iconic mountain has a huge “R” painted on the side as to commemorate the nearby community. Many such mountains out west have letters painted on them in relation to nearby cities and universities. R mountain is special because it is an inactive volcano. On the north end of Rexburg the geography is so drawn that it is quite unbelievable. As you hit a certain point there is a couple miles of desert-like vegetation. Then, all of the sudden there are sand dunes of the finest sand you've ever seen. After a few short miles of that it's back to potato fields.
Potatoes are the main crop out there. Potatoes like most vegetables are sensitive to the climate. Madison county is perfect for growing massive amounts of potatoes. So much so that in October the schools shut down for a week so that the students can go out and help harvest the bounty. Yet, the county to the north is not so hospitable to the famed Idaho potato. Instead it is perfect for growing seed potatoes.
We followed the character of the Snake River and viewed the refreshing Palisades reservoir. Many wonders exist and are discovered when we take the time to step outside our routine. For me the most sublime fulfillment took place by a strong channel of water.
At the bottoms of the foothills of the Grand Tetons are vast acres of fields, log houses and “old west” types of tourist towns. On a small dirt road we stopped at a channeled current of snow melt water from the Tetons. As I did from memory so many years ago I reached down and cupped the water with my hand and drank thereof. So cool, clear, refreshing and pure! There are relatively few things in life that are truly unique to the individual that has such an impact on an individual as this occasion did for me. It changed my attitude and outlook. Why? Because I reached out and partook of an opportunity unfamiliar from my day-to-day routine.
OK. What does all this have to do with my run for the Shenandoah Councilman At Large? Everything! A leader must have conviction and a stalwart nature. He must know how to lead and to represent. Most of all he must know how to serve those whom he represents. Note that I do mean he or she. Now all these attributes I do not claim. For these attributes are to be judged by those who elect their representatives.
Yet, my main purpose of this “mountain” trip excursion I'm taking you on is that a leader cannot afford to be remiss of new ideas and experiences. To willfully, even though sometimes unknowingly, be blind of new possibilities and prosperity is dangerous to the community as a whole. Regardless of our own opinions there are other opinions out there to consider. It is our duty to learn these opinions in order to be well informed and to stand as a good representative of the will of the whole.
It is my position to take the time to listen to opinions and views of the people. Without this duty true representation would be for naught. It took me a thousand mile trip to gain a much needed new perspective on the world and the possibilities for the area in which I live. Though not everyone can take a vacation I exhort the people of Shenandoah to keep their minds open to the vast potential of this area. If we are true, tolerant and caring of our neighbor we will realize these potentials.
I humbly ask for your endorsement for the position of Shenandoah Councilman At Large.
Aaron M. Green
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