Commentary: Diversity, tradition separate Lawrence from other cities

A few weeks ago, I was in the Kansas Union and saw a T-shirt that read: “Keep Lawrence Weird.” I really did have to laugh out loud because I am sure that in many minds, Lawrence is a weird place. I prefer to call it a special place.

Lawrence has been my home for more than 35 years, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. We are so fortunate to have a history that we can be proud of, an atmosphere of acceptance that we can cherish, and two excellent universities that we can brag about.

Lawrence is indeed special. Where else could one go to a Farmers Market for fresh produce in the early hours of a Saturday morning, have breakfast at an award winning bakery, watch the Earth Day Parade along Massachusetts Street, take a walk along the banks of the Kansas River, take the dogs to their very own park by Clinton Lake, visit the Cultural Museum at Haskell Indian Nations University, and top it off with a night of classical music at the Lied Center on KU’s Campus. If an individual has a special interest, there will undoubtedly be some activity in Lawrence that is centered around it.

In addition to diverse activities that honor our rich heritage, we in Lawrence also have a tradition of standing up for what we believe in and of caring for people in our community. Lawrence was born of tolerance in the fight against slavery. It was not easy to leave the comforts of a New England home to settle on the prairie, but that is what people did who came here to settle this Free State territory. Our recent sesquicentennial celebration showed or constant pride in our history and our diversity.

The residents of Lawrence can never be accused of just sitting back and letting things happen. We are an engaged community and we must always be. What continues to amaze and gratify me is the number of volunteers in this community who are committed to helping others. This help ranges from simply sitting with someone in a time of need, all the way up to organizing the Hearts of Gold Ball for Lawrence Memorial Hospital and everything in between. Without all of these committed volunteers, Lawrence would not be the place that we want it to be. How lucky we are that people care about this community so much that they want to give back to it in so many ways.

We are truly fortunate to be here as we watch this wonderful city grow and change. Maybe we are a little weird, maybe we are a little different from other towns, but that is what makes us so special.