Independence Day has come and gone! The holiday marks the mid-point of summer and all its glory before the sweltering dog days hit. Speaking of dogs, the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest shocks us each Fourth of July when contestants consume obscene numbers (63 in 10 minutes is the current record!). The Fourth is the holiday for swimming pools, ice cream, and fireworks (back to those dogs, they’d rather skip the explosions).
My favorite part of Independence Day has always been the neighborhood parades. Since the time our kids were little, we decorated their wagons and bikes and joined our neighbors celebrating the day. As they got older, they marched with the Cub Scouts. There’s always the fire truck, the ragtag group of musicians playing marching band music, sometimes even someone playing bagpipes. Often there’s more folks in the parade than watching it. The sun beats down, the candy, the smiles. Everyone comes out of their houses. Neighbors coming together. Community. To me, it represents everything that the Fourth can and should be.
Our slogan at Kansas Housing is that we Unlock Home. It’s critical to the individuals and families we serve. But it goes beyond the walls and fence. By investing in homes, we create new neighbors, we foster new community, we embrace our common bonds that hold us together.
As we celebrate our nation’s independence, we reflect that our nation starts with each of us, together, united and indivisible. Home is the building block of it all. So whether you celebrate in a neighborhood parade or lighting that sparkler, we wish you and yours a wonderful summer.
– Ryan Vincent, Executive Director
Breaking Ground is a quarterly newsletter from Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the state’s housing finance agency. We hope you’ll follow along to keep up on the latest Kansas housing news! Update your subscription preferences anytime. |