A HOMETOWN TO NEWCOMERS

Ithappened during one of the most unlikely of assignments: I was standing outside Main Street Coffee in Austin, talking to folks and taking photographs of people watching the lunar eclipse of the sun.

I was on assignment as a then-reporter for the Austin Daily Herald. After speaking with several citizens, I approached two women. One was a photographer on assignment for the Washington Post, one of the country’s largest newspapers, and was in town on a political story having to do with those who had voted for Donald Trump the year before.

After exchanging a few pleasantries and answering a few questions about Austin, I headed back to the Herald to file the eclipse story.

A few hours later, the photographer showed up at the Herald office. She wanted to know a bit more about the community. It didn’t take long for me to fill her in.

I say it didn’t take long because since my arrival at the paper the year before, I was continually impressed by Austin. I grew up in Rochester and my early impression of Austin was pretty superficial. A meat-packing town, right? Ho hum. I was from Rochester, the home of the Mayo Clinic. My nose was stuck resolutely in the air.

When a job came open at the Herald back in 2016, I recall coming into Austin and being immediately struck by its beautiful parks and unique Main Street. Still, once I started working here, I realized that Austin had tons more going for it than just parks and a nice downtown.

Austin is vibrant in ways that aren’t just reflected in population numbers. A growing visual arts community, a talented music and theater community, a new recreation center, a hockey team, a truly fun and funky bookstore – and a Spam Museum – are certainly part of its charm. And a symphony – are you kidding? How many towns of Austin’s size have a symphony, for goodness’ sake!

The impact of Hormel Foods – and the Hormel Foundation and the Hormel Institute – can be felt everywhere, but in the best of ways. Hormel not only provides jobs, its heart is smack dab in the middle of Austin. Austin’s allegiance to the Institute and determination to fight cancer is truly awe-inspiring when Paint the Town Pink comes around. Without a healthy core of volunteers, none of that would happen. What great role models!

Austin has excellent schools; perhaps the best I’ve witnessed in my 35-plus years of covering education. The district plays an instrumental role in Austin’s embrace of its diverse people. I have been staggered, over and over again, by the foresight of the whole community with its new citizens, whose mission is to help prepare for new lives rather than just tolerate faces that do not look like theirs. It is a testament to caring and intelligent leadership on many collaborative fronts. Trust me, Austin; you are very, very lucky.

I watched the photographer’s eyes widen when I told her how many languages were spoken in Austin public schools – I think the number was about 47 then, but now is probably a higher number – and she said, taking out a notebook and quickly scribbling some notes: “Do you think we’re missing a story here in Austin?”

Yes, I told her, I certainly do. Yes indeed.

I found that Austin is not only home to many; it is a hometown, even to newcomers. What elevates this wonderful city is that when someone decides to call it home, Austin makes sure the lights are on, the table is set and the smiles are welcoming.

Deb Nicklay is a former reporter and current freelance writer for the austin daily herald and lives in osage, iowa – another wonderful town, she tells us).