Voting for the county’s best reminds us of our local
blessings
On Page C10 of this week’s issue is the annual Pinnacle Awards
ballot, which asks readers to vote for what makes San Benito County
special
– from best landmark to best ob-gyn (I have no opinion on that
one).
More than 100 categories are included, which showcases the
diversity of our community’s people and businesses. Love it or
loathe it, we all have our opinions about the place we call
home.
There’s the negative:
”
There’s nothing to do here;
”
”
We need restaurants that serve something other than Mexican
food, Chinese food or pizza;
”
”
Our downtown closes down too early.
”
Voting for the county’s best reminds us of our local blessings
On Page C10 of this week’s issue is the annual Pinnacle Awards ballot, which asks readers to vote for what makes San Benito County special – from best landmark to best ob-gyn (I have no opinion on that one).
More than 100 categories are included, which showcases the diversity of our community’s people and businesses. Love it or loathe it, we all have our opinions about the place we call home.
There’s the negative: “There’s nothing to do here;” “We need restaurants that serve something other than Mexican food, Chinese food or pizza;” “Our downtown closes down too early.”
And there are plenty of positives: The temperate climate, the natural beauty, the proximity to the coast, the small-town feel.
I don’t vote in The Pinnacle Awards, not because I’m specifically prohibited from doing so, but I somehow feel that I should abstain be because I work for the company. I am not, however, prohibited from writing about it or sharing my opinions with my wife, who does submit a ballot.
I like to use the ballot as a guide for how much living I’ve done in this county. I scroll through the dozens of categories and figure out which ones I couldn’t or shouldn’t vote on, for lack of experience.
Best golf course? I can pick that. Best horse trainer? Not so much.
I’ve been to landmarks and taken day trips, so those are easy votes. I’ve had bar food and Chinese food and Mexican food and eaten a donut, sometimes all in the same day. I’ve been helped by a nurse, rescued by a plumber, fixed up by a dentist and served by a waitress.
Best bartender and best pastor are listed one after the other and I’m sure some people have relied on both at various times in their lives.
I use the awards list as a guide for living. The more categories that I can comment on because I’ve experienced them, the more living I’ve done.
Auto repair? Used it. Sporting goods? Frequently. Flower shop? Not enough, according to my wife.
The list reminds me that we still have a number of small, family-owned businesses that are doing their best to survive in this harsh economy. Our family goal is to buy local whenever possible, though that is a bit of a challenge after 6 p.m. or on Sundays.
Still, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. We may have too many Mexican food places, but that’s better than having too few.
We have thrill-seeking businesses (that’s a category) and theater companies (so is that). We have great, homegrown produce and plenty of parades and events and activities that are corny to some and endearing to others. Whatever your viewpoint, those events are ours.
These are tough times, to be sure, for San Benito County. Our unemployment rate and school class sizes are high and our retail vacancy rates are low. Still, there is much for which we can be thankful and of which we should be proud.
Whether you have visited a pet supply store or can honestly comment on where to find the best free WiFi, check out the ballot and be reminded about the people and places that make San Benito County a wonderful place to be.
Check out Adam’s blog at http://thebreenblog.blogspot.com. Adam teaches newspaper and yearbook classes at San Benito High School and is a reporter for The Pinnacle. He is former editor of The Free Lance.
