The Wearing of the Green

As a human services agency, one of Target’s responsibilities is to give back to the community.  Most often this occurs as we support the lives of those who engage in the services we provide and, also, in the development of our Target colleagues. Target improves the local communities by facilitating greater access to society for our clients and by developing the capacity of those of us who contribute to the workforce.

This weekend, volunteers from Target gave back in another way through the direct support of a Westminster tradition, the Celtic Canter. The event takes place in historic downtown Westminster on the second Saturday of March, each year. I remember the 2022 event well as it was the week I traveled to Westminster for the first time to interview for this job! My daughter and I drove together from Kansas. We intended to sleep in on Saturday morning before beginning the trek home but woke up to heavy snowfall. Our path out of town was complicated by the 5k run.

This year, I joined twenty volunteers from Target to help with the event. We arrived early on Saturday morning and were greeted by the enthusiastic, Abby who managed the volunteer aspect of the day. In green vests and armed with radios, we were posted around the city to block traffic to protect the runners. I was assigned the parking garage on Green Street. This turned out to be a straightforward post and I mostly watched the race from the comfort of my car. As the runners completed their course, the festivities ramped up on Main Street and Westminster’s annual Irish fest came to life.

Being a part of a local community means contributing to the local community. I was proud of the Target folks who gave freely of their time early on a Saturday morning. I am proud to be a part of a community that supports a healthy lifestyle and is committed to offering entertainment to our neighbors.

Next year I hope some of the Target residents will get in on the fun and pair up as volunteers guarding the streets of Westminster.