Cured
Weekly update #331 5/24/2026 to 5/30/2026
Congratulations, Class of 2026! Before I reminisce on school days, let me share some of the last week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
Week one of the School Resource Officer Camp is in the books for 2026. Area youth had a chance to learn about many topics related to public safety. They had opportunities to learn about equipment like the stat flight helicopter, police cars, and firetrucks. Educational sessions covered safety items across the board, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. To the SRO officers who requested hosting this camp several years ago now and to all those who came together to make this year's camp happen, thank you!
Congratulations to Kim Roach on her retirement from the Seymour Fire Department. Kim spent 16 years working alongside a few different chiefs, and I am sure they would say she was the glue that kept the office side of things together. I know she is looking forward to spending time with her recently retired husband, but I am sure the crew at SFD will miss her. Kim, thank you for your service.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026. As my wife and I were discussing our graduation, we couldn’t remember who or even if we had a guest commencement speaker. She recalled we had three valedictorians and between the two of us we were able to name them all. We both, however, have many fond memories from our school years. They involve friends and classmates, but more than anything shared experiences. Back then cruising town on weekend nights was a big piece of what we did. Those nights created shared memories for groups of people. Some, like riding out in front of my wife on a unicycle, led to decades of marriage. Still to this day, I occasionally hear someone talk about the car so and so drove or hanging out in whichever parking lot. Enough about my days though, let's talk about the Class of 2026. Based on the 2020 census, you are part of the third largest age group and make up just over eight percent of Seymour’s population. The two groups ahead of you both happen to be younger than you are. When you add in the next group older that jumps to about 14% of our community. I tell you this because of a quote I recently read from Kurt Vonnegut, “What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” As you commence to life beyond high school, I hope you will take his words with you. I hope as you look back you will realize, as I have, that you don’t remember what grade you got on a test or that time you arrived late. I hope you realize that connections you made with others fill the memories you have from your years in the hallways. I hope you will also take a chance to be daring and create opportunities to build new memories with members of your community. Get involved and encourage your friends to do the same because you have the numbers to help shape the future of our community. Some of you are headed off to college, some of you are headed off to work, and some of you are headed off to the military. All of these and so much more will help shape who you are for the future. When you are home, take chances and start conversations, join service organizations, and help shape what services they do for our area. Loneliness can be cured, and I doubt it is via social media.