The Vision, The Dream

by R.E. Darby

It is so easy these days to miss the small things, everything seems to be so big and unimaginable and everything seems to conspire to produce a sense of helplessness in the individual citizens that make up our communities.

Pictured: two vacant parcels behind the thrift store annex on first and central st.

Also it seems that one of the trade offs for so called progress has been the disappearance of meaningful values that are normally used to rely on to help guide our decisions and behavior toward positive and constructive goals that are built around the best interests of quality of life and not some vague idea of a social, economic or political system.

Those values in fact are how we avoid missing the small but important things like empathy and compassion, that ability of our hearts to know where and when we need to focus our concern for others and to perceive a measure of what they might be experiencing under a given set of circumstances. So many of us have been so comfortable for so long that we tend to take our blessings for granted and also assume that everyone is equally as fortunate as we may be.

                                                Right: The same two parcels from the other side.

These days however, many of us who never thought we would have to deal with tough times are wondering what hit us. Yet still we do not consider those who are hit the hardest when things go bad. Funny how there are always those who are in worst shape than we and there is always something for us to be thankful for. Perspectives can deliver the good, bad or the ugly depending on how we manipulate the point from which we view our reality.

But the Santa Ynez Valley Senior Citizens Foundation is all about addressing the special needs and concerns of elderly people and especially those who for whatever reason have not been as fortunate as most and are likely to fall through the cracks of our systems. We at the Foundation believe that the character of any community is defined by the level of personal responsibility achieved and maintained by each individual citizen. If the citizens of a community are aware, concerned and thoughtful, the community as a whole will reflect this in a multitude of ways, from the planning of the structural development to the quality of its services and infrastructure.

But the most important characteristic is manifested on the Human level and this characteristic is almost exclusively about the spiritual side of our existence, the place where empathy, compassion, love and understanding are the dominant values, the landscape of the heart. We as a society have made so many trade offs in the name of progress and many of those trade offs were made without much thought given to consequences. In South America the cultural tradition of the siesta was sacrificed to the all mighty dollar, and even in China where the elderly were always highly venerated, such Human based traditions and values are going down in the flames of our single minded (and almost desperate) obsession with the possession and control of the material world at the cost of our spiritual health.

Taking Deliberate Action

Here in Buellton California we as a community have an opportunity to take deliberate action that will result in the creation of a reality that will make a clear statement as to the character and values that we as a community would like our children and other communities to take notice of and learn from. A clear statement that in the midst of the madness of our times, we can come together and exercise intelligent, thoughtful and compassionate concern for those in our community who need us.

The project to build affordable senior rental housing on the property at First and Central streets is not one that will hit the top ten most popular developments list. It isn't likely to further any political careers and it won't draw crowds from all over the world, but it will be one clear statement by one small community that we will not go silently down in the flames of neglect, indifference and the mindless pursuit of shallow superficial values defined by a civilization seemingly hypnotized by materialistic concerns as apposed to those of our fellow Humans.

The Santa Ynez Valley Senior Citizens Foundation is making every effort to acquire the funds to pay off the property so the development can go forward, a development that the entire community can be very proud of. We have ask Congressman Gallegly to help in getting a grant or at least his support, we are trying to come up with fundraising events that will give the community an opportunity to show their support, but ultimately we need donations. You can send your donation in by mail or stop by the Buellton Senior Center behind the Buellton Library and say hi and if you want a receipt for tax purposes don't be afraid to ask for one. You can also click on the donate button on this website which has the ability to leave a comment with your donation, this enables donors to specify what they want their donation to go for, the Meals on Wheels Program or the Affordable Senior Housing project.