Mayor Jensen's message 

As I write this, our country has once again witnessed tragedies that are difficult to comprehend. We’ve seen another school shooting in Colorado, the killing of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman who had made a home here, and the death of political activist Charlie Kirk. Even closer to home, we mourn the loss of Lorain City Police Officer Philip Wagner, who was killed while serving his community. These heartbreaking events weigh heavily on us all, regardless of where we stand politically or personally.

Recently, I attended the Hope for B.E.S.T. event (Be the End to Silent Thoughts), which was very well attended. This organization reminds us of the importance of talking openly about mental health. As their website so powerfully states, “We need to not only listen but learn and be more receptive to understanding another’s struggle(s); it may not be the same as yours, but we ALL have one. Often, it can be that one conversation that begins the change and hope in someone’s life.” This is a message worth remembering and practicing every day

This reminds us: we cannot take each other for granted. Too often, anger, blame, or division shape our view of others. Instead, we need to work harder to see the best in one another. We must find ways to respectfully “agree to disagree,” to lift up—not tear down—our neighbors, and to remember that every person we meet is carrying struggles we may not see. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I do believe this: if we in Avon commit ourselves to practicing gratitude and empathy each day, our perspective will begin to shift. Gratitude leads to understanding and understanding leads to compassion. Together, we can build a community that chooses faith, kindness, respect, and care for one another—even when the world around us feels so divided and uncertain.

That is how Avon grows stronger—not only through what we build, but through how we treat one another.