Celebrate!

It's celebration season!

It was Clyde's turn last year, Busby's was over the weekend, while Westlock's is next year - never has there been a better time to revel in the amazing achievements of our community.

Busby's three-day 100th birthday party showcased everything that's great about Canada, Alberta and the greater Westlock area.

We mean that both figurative and literally. The parade, the events and displays included pretty much everything that made us great and keeps us going.

Farming, education, community service, local industry, family, cultural heritage and sports. All just a tiny of sample of activities and lifestyles that made Busby what it is today and all were on show over the weekend.

But even more important, and more ephemeral, and also front and centre over the weekend, was the warm and loving embrace of the people of Busby. Sadly, you can't encapsulate the sense of giving, welcome and acceptance that is the community's biggest asset in a parade float, or a ball game, or a quilt made from cake.

You can come very close, very, very close and last weekend is clear evidence of that. But to really appreciate what the people of Busby have created you have to chat with them.

Over the last few weeks, everyone we spoke to while preparing and covering the event has been amazing. Sure, we speak to people who know it's in their best interests to be nice to us, but we also move about the community and engage with people who had no idea we're putting together a newspaper.

Simply put, everyone was fantastic.

It didn't matter that weather was nasty and plans were reworked on the fly, attendees and organizers alike took it on the chin and made the event better.

The attitude just doesn't happen. It has to be fostered and cultivated over, well, centuries.

And it's something people want to be part of. Life in Busby is good at the movement and it's thanks to the people past and the people present. It's because of those who have come before, that future generations will be raised in a place of respect and understanding. It will set an example, not just for Busby, but for all of us, of how people can live and achieve together.