Small-town America provides a base for what makes up the rest of the country. No matter what part of the country those towns are in, they are alike in many ways and have a character that is lost upon those residing amongst the steel and concrete of large cities. The character of a small town largely comes from the citizens knowing each other, understanding each other, and caring about each other’s prospects for the future. Not everyone participates to the same degree, of course, but in small towns that kind of caring becomes a glue bonding people together. Small-town folk commonly belong to civic organizations or churches committed to doing good things for the community, they often support local businesses merely because they are local, and they celebrate when a child or adult of the community makes a special success of themselves. In big cities a successful athlete, business person, entertainer, or academic can deserve accolade but have their accomplishment lost in the noise and bustle of the metropolis; not so in small-town America.

My own hometown, Moultrie, Georgia, is deep in the southwestern part of the state. Agriculture is our economic mainstay and even among the people not farming, hardly anyone is more than one or two generations away from a hoe handle. Like all farming communities, we know well the difficulties that can stand in the way of success and we understand the determination it takes to overcome repeated obstacles. We appreciate hard work and know it’s persistence that makes success possible.

The celebration of an individual’s success is, of course, also a celebration of the town for being the environment in which the individual was incubated. Businesspeople succeed when the town or county’s government provides a proper business environment, athletes succeed when coaches are there to develop them, and students go on to succeed in life when the local schools have provided a solid, nurturing education. Young adults can venture out to the broader world and find success because, in large part, their family and community provided a foundation for their steps forward. That’s why it’s a point of pride for the entire community when one of our own makes good.

In my home small-town, concerned citizens long ago establish an Athletes Hall of Fame for those who have gone on to athletic success after beginning their sports life here on native soil. There is also a county-wide Career Achievement Award given annually to a person who was educated locally then has gone on to a career of national or international success in the arts, business, government, medicine, or academia. Local success is also noted by the Chamber of Commerce annually celebrating a Man of the Year and Woman of the Year.

And small towns love a parade. When Christmas comes, there’s a parade; when there’s a Homecoming football game, there’s a parade; when an athletic team wins a championship game, there’s a parade. We recently had a parade celebrating the success of one of our young people for having become an Olympian and for having performed well in the Olympic diving competitions in Paris, France. The parade had a warm, hometown feel with firetrucks and police cars taking the lead, their colored lights flashing. Flags waved, crowds cheered, and the high school marching band made joyful sound. A car carried the celebrated young diver by and on to a ceremony where he was given a key to the city. All of it was a reflection of the spirit of our small town. We take pride in the successes of our own; it’s in our character.