The work of community doesn’t stop in the summer months

Originally appeared in the Orléans Star

The dog days of summer have a certain rhythm to them.

Queen’s Park is quieter. Families are taking holidays. People are trying to squeeze in time at the cottage, a trip to the park, a barbecue with friends, or a few slower evenings on the back deck before the busy fall season returns.

But even in these quieter weeks, the work of community does not stop.

Across Orléans, students are heading off to summer jobs. For many, it is their first real experience in the workforce. They are working in restaurants, summer camps, stores, landscaping, recreation programs, and local businesses across our community.

Those first jobs matter. They teach responsibility, time management, teamwork, customer service, and the value of earning a paycheque. They help young people save for college, university, trades training, or whatever adventures still lie ahead. Just as importantly, they give them confidence and a sense of independence that can last long after the summer is over.

Construction workers are also hard at work finishing two new schools for our growing community. Long before the first bell rings, crews are on site through the summer heat, making sure these important projects are ready for the children, families, and staff who will soon fill them with life.

At the same time, our local service clubs and community groups are doing what they always do. The Lions Club is out in the community with its barbecue. Community associations are hosting events, bringing neighbours together, and creating the moments that make Orléans feel like home. These gatherings may look simple from the outside — a grill, a few tables, some volunteers — but they are part of the fabric that holds a community together.

Summer is also a time for those of us in public life to step back from the daily rush and think more deeply about the work ahead. For me, that means researching policy, listening, reading, and thinking about the improvements I can bring forward when the Legislature returns. The quieter weeks can be an important time to ask what is working, what is not, and how we can do better.

And yes, summer should also be a time to rest.

Spending time with family, getting away from the phone for a few hours, and recharging the batteries is not a luxury. It is necessary. We all need time to reconnect with the people we love, enjoy the community around us, and come back to our work with renewed energy and perspective.

That is one of the things I appreciate most about summer in Orléans. It reminds us that community is built in many ways. It is built by the students starting their first jobs, the people finishing our schools, the volunteers organizing a neighbourhood barbecue, the coaches leading a team, and the neighbours checking in on one another.

The pace may feel slower, but the work continues. And because of that steady, often unseen work, Orléans will be ready for the busy season ahead.