Well, we got exactly what we had hoped for at the 2017 Best of East County Awards party on Thursday night. It was a night of laughter, dancing, friends and peers all together to celebrate the winners. I was blown away by the turnout and it was wonderful seeing people from Lakeside to Lemon Grove and every community in between together in one place It was a crack-a-lackin time for all with all of the smiles from all the winners, many who brought co-workers, employees, friends and family with them.
Well, we got exactly what we had hoped for at the 2017 Best of East County Awards party on Thursday night. It was a night of laughter, dancing, friends and peers all together to celebrate the winners. I was blown away by the turnout and it was wonderful seeing people from Lakeside to Lemon Grove and every community in between together in one place It was a crack-a-lackin time for all with all of the smiles from all the winners, many who brought co-workers, employees, friends and family with them.
If that weren’t enough, members of the community that joined us in celebrating the winners showed how tight knit and intertwined the people in East County are. There were many there that deserved awards for what they do, and how their businesses and non-profits serve their local community and beyond. It is a testament to the winners that even those that were not recognized in the reader’s poll were there to support and congratulate the ones that did. This is what it is all about. There might be some healthy competition in any arena of categories, but you would not have noticed any of that on Thursday.
It took a very small army to put the event together, but the camaraderie between everyone in the house, or the Elks Lodge patio, is the heart of what East County stands for. And in the middle all of the fun, talking, laughing and dancing it was a joy to watch. There were no rules, no long ceremonies and speeches, just a bunch of people grinning like a possum eating a sweet tater at a neighborhood shindig. People also got to meet new people, and you know the ole saying, “Come in as a stranger, leave as a friend,” well that happened too.
There are too many people to thank for making this bash a roaring hit. But if that weren’t enough, getting to meet many of the winners, I think there will be some tales in the future. I heard some amazing things about people and places I did not know that are worth telling.
I remember the first time that my professor told me that if you talked to anyone long enough, you would find a story to write. I thought he was pulling my leg, but now it is almost a creed in my life and work. Can’t help it, I love to watch and listen and I am never disappointed.
Listening is a powerful tool to have useful in your pocket at all times. You’ll be amazed at how often it comes handy. So if you are listening, this is a great big thank ya’ll kindly for coming out and partying with us on a grand scale.
