As the leaves begin to change colors and the temperatures drop, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement for fall festivities around the county.

Maybe I’m biased, because fall is my favorite time of the year and I just so happen to love Charlotte County. However, the community does an excellent job of embracing the season.

As a student at Randolph-Henry, I attended many football games and fall always meant homecoming was just around the corner. Randolph-Henry’s homecoming parade, and the spirit week festivities surrounding the occasion, continue to be unique experiences that bond together the Statesmen community.

In addition to the school spirit within the county, fall is also symbolic of Halloween. Several local churches and organizations sponsor trunk or treat events to provide a safe atmosphere for local children to celebrate the holiday. Some organizations even sponsor haunted houses, hayrides or trails for the thrillseekers out there.

Although fall in the county is an excellent time to come together, fall can be seen as a symbolic time of the year. A famous poem by Robert Frost said:

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

When I think of fall in Charlotte County, I often reminisce about the mild mornings and ripened leaves that Frost speaks of. We are fortunate enough to live in an area where we can experience all four seasons.

With the start of each season, there is the opportunity to “turn over a new leaf.”

After the long hot days of summer have passed, fall arrives to bring comfort and peace.

This fall, let’s take the time to appreciate the valuable sentiments our community has to offer.