There is so much I love about our Town – the miles of parkland to explore, walking the Rail Trail in the fall under a canopy of changing leaves, our public school teachers who consistently deliver a high caliber academic experience in a supportive and nurturing classroom environment even during a pandemic, the charming and historic downtown unique to only here and the decades-long friendships I’ve sustained with neighbors. Over this past year, I’ve been able to add to this list and joyfully, share it with many of you. A role that I had not fully comprehended when I ran for mayor is how often I would serve as an ambassador for our community. On a regular basis, I’ll hear from people who want to visit Zionsville for the first time and ask what they should include on their itinerary. It’s become such a fun adventure learning more about their interests and working to craft a day trip that showcases our retail, dining and recreation options. Often, they will write back to tell me how much they enjoyed their visit. And the best part of this story is that you and I get to live here every day.
My new year’s resolution for 2021 is to live here like I’m a tourist. I want to buy postcards that feature our beautiful town and send it to family and friends out of state writing “Wish You Were Here.” I want to spend more time in our parks and on our trails throughout every season. My budget-conscious tendencies generally fly out the window when I’m on vacation so I want to loosen the purse strings and spend out of my “vacation budget” here locally. But most of all, I want to keep connecting with you personally. Each time we have interacted, I’ve heard a great idea, a good story and a deep commitment to preserving our cherished sense of place, which is defined as much by its community as it is by its territory.
Peace and Good Tidings to you and yours.
Mayor Emily