Like a lot of folks, I spent the last Friday in August at Milton High School watching the home opener between the Milton Eagles and Alpharetta Raiders football teams.Cambridge had an away game, but when they open at home against Pope I’m sure I’ll see a lot of you there as well.
This was the second year for the “Mayors’ Challenge” between myself and Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle, and I’m happy to report our Eagles came out on top once again after a real nail-biter. The score was 31-24 in overtime, and it was a heck of a game (great job, Treyvon Paulk, on those three touchdowns). So, make sure to stop by Milton High when Belle Isle does his time serving lunch for the second year in a row.
I want to congratulate all the players on both teams. Belle Isle and I talk frequently about how we’re both torn in these types of games because the attendance zones of the high schools don’t exactly match our city limits, so we’ve got residents going to both schools.
The good thing is, it doesn’t really matter which school you go to — Cambridge, Milton, Alpharetta, Kings Ridge, or Saint Francis — the atmosphere at big games is fantastic. There are always throngs of happy, excited people thrilled to carry on the great traditions we’ve established in the community.
Small-town, Friday night football games are the types of things we take with us in our travels — the formative experiences of growing up in America. Whether it’s the fun of sporting events, fall festivals (make sure to check out the expanded Crabapple Fest October 5), or the parks where we played, as we go forward in life we bring with us the cheer and camaraderie we learned from these experiences.
That’s probably the best thing about being mayor — being a part of these experiences as they come to fruition and watching the result of everyone’s hard work. Getting to know the people that make them happen — from the coaches, educators and organizers who plan and execute the events, to the business owners who sponsor the fun, to the volunteers who make sure everyone has a good time — that’s the best part, hands down.
At the end of the day, all these things happen simply because a group of people will them to be. In Milton, we enjoy an abundance of community activities and events because we’ve got caring people who put in hours before work, after work, even sometimes during work (just don’t tell the boss) to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. And that’s a beautiful thing.
It means the rest of us can forget about deadlines, contracts and all the rest of daily life and just spend a few hours with friends, watching the first football game of the season. That, my friends, is what life is all about.
Agree? Then let me know what you think. I’m always available through phone calls, e-mail or at City Hall. Drop me a line sometime and we can talk Milton.
to your business!