Below the fold is a feel-good story from the great state of Ohio.
It seemed inevitable that Big Walnut School District was going to lose most if not all of its arts programs. The district has about 3,000 students in all its schools and none of the were supposed to have any arts this year due to massive cuts in the budget.
For an area and a town that loves its parades and its music, this was going to be devastating. Big Walnut is located just north-east of Columbus in a suburb called Sunbury. Small town characteristics define Sunbury as the whole town will gather for sporting events and homecoming parades. While the games would have still been played, the parades, and the band were to be canceled.
Then, a few weeks ago, a modern day miracle took place as an anonymous donor sent a check through the Columbus Foundation in the amount of $400,000. $313,000 of that monies is earmarked for teachers and staff salaries, with the rest going towards equipment.
Music was saved!!!
No-one knows for sure who sent the money to the Columbus Foundation. There is speculation that a resident of Sunbury recently won the Powerball lotto, and that person who has not been identified, could be the hero in this story. For now though the gift remains a blessing, given by goodness that lives in each of us.
While this story raises so many questions about the status of our state and our priorities as a people. Perhaps a follow up can address them, this diary is here to remind us all that there is goodness in this world and goodness in peoples hearts.