THIS SMALL TOWN LIFESTYLE
It's a badge of honor that comes with responsibilities. BY ANN HARRISON
PHOTO BY JENNI FRANKLIN
was trapped inside. The access we all enjoy every day became a hot There’s something addictive about life in these small towns of the Wood River Valley. And while I love the buzz and hustle of big commodity for folks from all across the country. cities, this place has been calling me home since the early NineFriendliness and stewardship are a way of life here and we come ties. Or, should I say, I’ve been calling it home. This past year has together to take care of our community. Locals (new and old) take brought us all back to a simpler life and there has never been a time the responsibility of protecting the places we love when living in the Wood River Valley has felt more and we welcome you to move or visit here, we just like the best decision I’ve ever made. But living in a ask you to do the same. community like this comes with commitments and Friendliness responsibilities. Mindfulness in the mountains is a commuand stewardship nity effort to teach, and sometimes remind, people The Wood River Valley is home to all walks of how to safely and respectfully enjoy this ginorare a way of life and being a true “local” is a badge of honor. So mous playground. Make sure you are doing your what does it take to become a local in a valley filled life here and we part to keep our playground clean and never forget with transplants? It takes kindness, mindfulness, come together to that this place is as dangerous as it is breathtaking. grit and some good ol’ fashioned hard work. Whether you’re here for your first visit, returning take care of our Riding out quarantine while living in a small for the 100th time or a new local, please make sure town brought to light many of the reasons we all community. you’re up on what it means to be mindful in the choose to live here. It also brought a lot of folks that mountains. don’t quite understand what it means to be a part of a tight-knit community. Honestly, you have to really want to live here to During quarantine most of us were still able to enjoy all the reasons we moved here. We all kept on hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing or whatever our passion was while most of the world
make it work. And that’s the thing—nearly everyone who lives here has had to make sacrifices and hustle, really hustle, to make a life here. But the rewards are worth it. THE CHAMBER GUIDE 2021
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