[Editor's Note] What I'm Grateful For (2024)

Here are 10 things I’m grateful for after the first year of providing Southpoint Access to readers in and around South Durham:

• Our community spirit: We’ve got a thriving, supportive community that values connection and inclusiveness.
• Our beautiful outdoor spaces: From the American Tobacco Trail to Herndon Park, we’ve got quite a few places where we can still enjoy nature.
• Local makers and farmers: During the Jordan High School FFA Fall Market and Plant Sale, I was privileged to meet some of my craftier neighbors who make local goods or bring food to our tables.
• Dynamic small business ecosystem: We’ve got a lot of interesting small businesses, many of which have grown in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic – and like Southpoint Access, many of them don’t have a storefront.
• The culinary scene: We’ve got a wonderfully diverse array of local restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops.
• Convenient access: Sitting at the hub of Interstate 40 and Fayetteville Road, South Durham’s in easy reach of Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill.
• Quality education options: We’ve got some great schools, dedicated teachers, and extracurricular activities that can enrich young minds.
• Committed neighbors and volunteers: Local residents in organizations like school PTAs, the Southwest Durham Rotary Club, Keep Durham Beautiful, and Parktown Food Hub are giving their time to keep roadsides clean, help school classrooms stay stocked with snacks, and give to those in need.
• Health and wellness opportunities: We’ve got top-tier healthcare providers here in the City of Medicine, along with a strong assortment of fitness studios and wellness programs.
• My family: I’d be nothing – and this neighborhood news project wouldn’t exist – without the support of my wife Catherine and our two wonderful children, John Michael and Athena. And even though they’re hundreds of miles away in Florida, my mother and brother are always there when I need advice – or a geeky meme.

Of course, I’m especially grateful to you – a reader and supporter of Southpoint Access. You keep me focused on my mission as a neighborhood news guy to provide information about South Durham that you find valuable.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Wes

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