A couple of weeks ago, I was standing in Root River State Bank in Chatfield, preparing for a meeting with soon-to-be-retired Diane Meeker and recently hired Teresa Narveson.
President and CEO Chuck Johnson, Jr., had requested my help with recognizing both of these individuals in upcoming issues of the Fillmore County Journal.
As with most community banks, while you stand in the lobby, you’ll observe people coming and going, conducting business as usual.
There was one banking customer who caught my attention. Many Chatfield residents know Steve Rowland, president and owner of Rowland Well Co.
As Steve was walking from his vehicle to the front entrance of the bank, he stopped for a second to pick up a styrofoam coffee cup that was crushed and laying on the sidewalk. Without hesitation, he picked up the litter and found a nearby garbage receptacle.
It made me pause for a moment and think about a commentary I wrote about the Adopt-a-Highway program and cleaning up our sponsored section of Highway 52 between Preston and Harmony.
The Adopt-a-Highway program, with signs appearing every couple miles on many stretches of highways throughout the entire United States of America, becomes a constant reminder to motorists to refrain from littering upon the shoulders of Mother Nature.
But, who is responsible in our cities? There are no signs to remind us to keep our communities clean.
As far as I could see, Steve Rowland wasn’t in charge of picking up debris that particular day, but he did it anyways.
That’s because I’m guessing Steve takes pride in keeping his community clean. I’ve chatted with Steve on numerous occasions, and he is a tremendous advocate for the City of Chatfield. He helps out with the Western Days events on many levels. You might say that Steve Rowland is “Mr. Chatfield.” It’s his community, and he supports it any way he can.
I know I’ve been guilty of walking by debris on the sidewalk and not picking it up. I’m sure I’m not alone. I think the majority of people look at that debris and think that since they didn’t toss it on the ground then they shouldn’t have to pick it up. And, that’s a pretty natural thought process. But, if all of us take ownership in the presentation of our community, then think of how refreshingly neat and clean our surroundings may appear to ourselves and our guests. As my wife says when we are cleaning our house from top to bottom, “a clean house is a happy house.” Maybe a clean community is a happy community. I’d like to think so.
The alternative is that nobody cares, and we leave garbage wherever we see it. I don’t think we want to live that way. I’ve visited filthy communities over the years — communities where nobody cares. And, what happens is that the accumulation of debris grants permission for more of the same. The streets begin to look like emptied dumpsters.
And, the beauty of Steve Rowland’s actions is that he encourages others to think about doing their part without necessarily saying a single word about it. As you are picking up some litter to keep the streets clean, others are watching.
What will you do the next time you see some litter on the sidewalk? Will you keep walking and assume the next person will pick it up?
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