February is a month centered around love — and here in Independence, we have plenty of reasons to celebrate.
February 14th is not just Valentine’s Day; we also get to celebrate Oregon’s birthday. It’s a good reminder of the history and pioneering spirit that shaped not only our state, but our own community.
That spirit is especially visible right now in our downtown with the Independence Downtown Association’s Walk of Hearts. I love reading the messages on my walks through town – some are sweet, some are funny, and some clearly have a story behind them! If you haven’t taken a stroll to read them yet, I encourage you to do so.
February is also a great time to show love to our local businesses. Through the Love Local program, shoppers can receive a scratch-it card from participating businesses, where every card is a winner and prizes can be used toward your next purchase. The program runs through the end of the month and it’s a fun way to support our small businesses and maybe discovering something new along the way.
I hope you’ll take time this month to celebrate how special our community is and to share what you love about it. There is a lot to celebrate in our community and I’m grateful I have so many people to share it with!
In service to our community,
Mayor Kate
