Travel season has arrived. Maybe you managed to get out of town for Spring Break. Or you might be planning a big trip for summer vacation. Everybody needs to get away sometimes just to relax and recharge. Crossing over the Lincoln Bridge from Louisville on my way home from a recent trip, I was greeted by the familiar sight of Jeffersonville’s riverfront. Riverside Drive, the Big Four Bridge and the lights of the city twinkling in the distance ... It’s always nice to come home after being away. Exciting things continue to happen in our hometown. 

Every time you go away from Jeffersonville these days, something has changed by the time you return. Work on new projects continues to keep our landscape busy and new ideas and plans are born nearly every day. So, while it’s fun to explore new places — beaches and shores, or the mountains or desert — it’s pretty exciting to explore Jeffersonville, too. Chances are, there is a lot you haven’t seen. So, this summer, I have a challenge for you: Don’t just be a resident of Jeffersonville, live in Jeffersonville.

Take a page from the life of Josh Rodriquez. Josh loved his neighborhood and he recognized the important role strong neighborhoods play in the success of a city and its residents. He was a founding member of the Jeffersonville Neighborhood Leadership Alliance, co-founder of Ladybug Landing Community Garden and founder of the Terrace of Park Place Neighborhood Association — to name a few. By all accounts, his deep-rooted commitment to his community is what led him to seek an at-large seat on the Jeffersonville City Council in 2015. Sadly, Josh died unexpectedly in March, cutting short not only his time on the City Council, but also cutting short his time with his wife, Meredith, and his three children. He was just 42 years old. Most of us who take on a role of public service are passionate about making our communities better. It was no different with Josh. As neighbors, we are all in this together. Each of us has a role to play in telling Jeffersonville’s story.

Get out and enjoy all the fun things our city has to offer. If you haven’t done it yet, go walk across the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge. Spend a day on the river or an afternoon in a park. Head down to the RiverStage for a movie or a show and stop for dinner, dessert, coffee or ice cream on the way. Find something you love about Jeffersonville and share it with your friends and family. Find something you care about and be part of it. Find something great and celebrate it. Find something good and help make it better. While it might be nice to get away sometimes, it’s always better to come back home. Take advantage of the blessings we’ve been given and the good fortune we have to live in a city so full of opportunities and just beginning to meet its potential.