As a Composition instructor, I always encouraged my students to avoid the word “Good.” Like “great,” “nice,” and “stuff,” I believed that “good,” just wasn’t descriptive enough. It was too vague. It didn’t carry enough meaning.
And then I met Chris Mahlmann and the Ideas In Motion crew. Now I take it back. Use the word “Good” and use it with pride.
Use it to describe the Second Annual Good LIFE Awards last week. Use it to describe how beautifully it recognized Northwest Indiana citizens who go above and beyond for the Good of the community. Use it to describe developing Good relationships. T
he ceremony demonstrated and celebrated everything that is Good about our area, and there is no better word for it.
Industrial Revolution filled with smiling people in our Sunday best, each of us committed to Chris Mahlmann’s bright vision of recognizing and focusing on what is Good in our community. We left our egos at the door, grabbed our plastic souvenir glasses, filled ‘em up, and started talking. There was no tension. No grandstanding. Just happy faces and excited anticipation. We were all there for a Good purpose: to smile and applaud the dedication and hard work of six people dedicated to improving life in The Region. No one questioned the choice of honorees, because each one of them is unquestionably a force of Good for Northwest Indiana.
There may have been some self-conscious giggling when LaPorte Mayor Blair Milo had us open the ceremony with a little light exercise, fancy dress or no, but no one complained. We wiggled our arms cheerfully. We teared up when Chris Mahlmann teared up, describing how hard it was to choose just six awardees, when he described their contributions to the community. We clapped and hugged and shook hands with the winners, and it was Good. We ate Good food, we laughed, and we enjoyed Wade Bretzke’s DJ talents. It was one of the warmest community events I’ve ever been to, and I can’t wait until next year, when we get to do it all again. It was a Good time, and it affirmed, for me, that we live in a place where the whole community can be “in it together” to make Northwest Indiana a Good place.
Thank you, Chris, and thanks to the whole “Life” team, for showing us every day how meaningful a Good Life can be. If it were up to me, I’d give the award to you.
If you’d like to read more coverage of the event, you can find NWIndianaLife’s official account {valpo}here. {/valpo}{portage}here. {/portage}{laporte}here. {/laporte}{nwindiana}here. {/nwindiana}