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The Granville Historical Society Oral History Project 2001 - 2002
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2) A Sense of Community
People Have a Sense of Community (Candi Moore) What describes Granville for me is it’s just a sense of community. You just feel like you’re part of it. It’s more of a feeling. I suppose the appearance of the town has something to do with that feeling. You have tree-lined streets and a very idyllic setting – a Norman Rockwell kind of painting. But that’s only part of it. It’s really the neighbors. Other places we’ve lived, you didn’t know the other people around you. And here we do. Caring Friends and Neighbors (John Klauder) One of the things that’s nice about Granville (and it’s probably true of any small community) is that neighbors care and friends care about you. There are so many people that my family could call in times of need and get immediate assistance. And you just can’t place a value on something like that. To feel that people are out there ready to help goes a long way in making you feel comfortable and safe in a community. I love that about Granville. It’s a safe place for kids and we can feel comfortable if they’re down town at dark. Looking Out for One Another (Anne Ormond) I feel very, very fortunate to have been able to grow up and raise my family here. I love the idea that in this community, we look out for each other. One of the real turning points in our life was when Jim left the Penney Company and we had to figure out what to do, if we should move, etc. Just about that time is when Norm Drake died and we went into his funeral and the place was packed. And it was such a feeling that when something happens, everybody comes out and offers their assistance or offers their condolences. People really care here.
Connectivity Makes Things Happen (Robert Kent) I really enjoy the connectivity of the community. People know each other and they’re there to help out when people need help. The connectivity also means that anything that you have a concern about in Granville, you don’t have to talk to too many people before you can get to the person that can get something accomplished.
Shopping at IGA Without a Checkbook (Debbie Farrar) I can remember one of the first times that I went shopping at IGA – it could have been the first time. You know, you move in and you do the big shopping for everything. I had two carts full, and I forgot my checkbook. So I pleaded, "Please don’t put these groceries back. I just spent two hours here. Could I just go and get the checkbook?" After they found out that we had just moved to town, Mr. Ross [ the owner of IGA ] said, "Oh it’s all right -- just take your groceries. A Special Fifth-Grade Birthday (Monica Graffeo) Granville just has such a great sense of community. Like when Tara Parsley lost her nephew in the World Trade Center bombing. And everybody asked "What can we do?" And Caitlin Cliff had a birthday party at Granville elementary but instead of bringing presents for her, she asked her fifth grade classmates to bring money for this. And they didn’t know the Parsley’s, she didn’t know Tara, but they just read about it. I thought that was just a great example of what Granville is. It’s like when one person in this community is affected, everybody else is.
The Fire Siren Reflects a Sense of Community (Lyn Robertson) I think what epitomizes Granville for me is the sense of community that is here. The way we know each other and look out for and take care of each other. But, having said that, that’s also my real concern -- that we’re losing that sense of community. As pressures come from the outside and as life’s pace changes out beyond Granville, it’s awfully hard to keep that. Something as simple as no longer having the fire siren call the volunteers. That was always important to me because you knew that one of your neighbors needed help when you heard the siren. And it kind of reminded me that we’re all part of a community. There’s something about having an occurrence that is regular that calls to people collectively that is very important to the life of a group of people. |
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