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Editorial: Langley’s do-something example
Op-Ed · March 31, 2016


Irish author and political theorist Edmund Burke wrote that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”


He died more than 200 years ago. What would he say today ranks among the primary distractions for “good men,” and, of course, good women?

Evil isn’t just crimes and injustices against our neighbors, it’s also things like apathy, laziness, greed, etc. To combat such things, we need people who care, who feel compelled to get involved and sacrifice for others.

That’s why we need volunteers like Tara Langley, Main Street West Branch’s Volunteer of the Year.

Langley was singled out this year for the enormous amount of time, talent and personal treasure she gave to the community group. In her case, she came to town and saw some of the promotional items put out by MSWB and knew she could improve on them with her combined skills in marketing and design, and some personal resources, like money, and business resources, like a color printer at Cotton Creek Mill, which she co-owns with her mother, Tami Urmie.

Langley is not the only example. We have many citizens who coach and organize fundraisers and drive neighbors to doctor appointments and run for the school board.

All these people have, over those who don’t, are an awareness of their own skills, knowledge and resources and a willingness to use them to the benefit of the community.

It’s not hard to find fault, see problems and identify mistakes and needs. Social media is jam-packed with people pointing these things out. Langley did something about it, which makes her different.

So now she’s part of a larger pool of volunteers in this community. No, none of them are perfect. And all of them get burned out from time to time. But they want to see this great little city become even greater in their own unique ways to make it so.

It is interesting to note that when MSWB Director Kevin Rogers and volunteer Erin Morrison-Vincent walked into Cotton Creek to tell Langley the news of her honor, Langley said her initial thought was that “I was in trouble.” We like the humility behind that confession, because the best volunteers are humble, too.

So kudos to Langley for her contributions, and may the rest of us follow such an example in our own ways, and do something.