I recently moved to the small town of Mattawa, Ontario. It is my wife’s hometown and our decision was driven by the desire to be closer to family. Over the years, I have visited this beautiful town that was built around the junction of the Mattawa and Ottawa rivers. The scenery is fantastic, especially in the fall, but I never really understood the pride of so many of the people who live in Mattawa. That is until I moved here!

As with many small towns, there are always the few who step up and lead the pack. But what amazes me more is the community spirit that Mattawa exudes all the time. Yes, there are challenges, but that never seems to stop this community from rallying together.

In 2019, there was the flood. The banks of the Mattawa River overflowed and caused tremendous damage to the town. The locals banded together and filled sand bags for weeks to help their neighbour save their houses and the downtown sector. It really was inspiring to watch.

Then COVID 19 rears its ugly head. We are still fighting (as most of the world is) to keep this disease out of our town. It is an ongoing battle that everyone faces. However, the leaders of this small community (many of which are not elected) continue to rally the town and keep the fighting spirit alive.

Through a continuous ‘never give up’ attitude, two local ladies put together this amazing video to boost the spirits of front line workers who selflessly go to work every day to keep our community safe! This video is a tribute to their community spirit and we are all grateful for their sacrifice. Take a look:

Every night at 7:30 pm, the Town comes out and makes noise to show support for all the workers of our little town. It has been going on for a few weeks and will continue until the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Additionally, many of the personal messages in the video were for the elderly members of the local nursing home. Their safety is in our thoughts and prayers daily.

So you can see, there are many people showing amazing community spirit. It has been a tough two years, but this little community never stops believing! #MATTAWASTRONG

I realize today’s article was not about golf, but it definitely is about being grateful! Stay safe everyone and positive thoughts are heading your way!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!