Kelsey’s Corner:
This Town Is What You Make of It
If you know me, you know I’m an absolute sucker for a farmers market.
And this past Saturday at the Warrensburg Farmers Market reminded me exactly why.
I love waking up early and getting there right when it opens because—as every farmers market regular knows—if you snooze, you lose out on the best selection.
By the end of our stroll, the boys had berry-stained faces, sticky fingers, and huge smiles.
Honestly, they look forward to this time of year just as much as I do.
And standing there this weekend watching vendors unload, families gather, kids run around, and the downtown streets slowly wake up for the morning brought back memories I hadn’t thought about in years.
Before we had kids, while our house was being built, Brett and I rented a loft apartment downtown Warrensburg right above a coffee shop.
We were young, newly married, and trying to figure life out.
We’d take downtown walks at night, grab dinner at Fitters, occasionally stop into Heroes for a famous Unknown or two, browse Those Were the Days and honestly… that was pretty much our entertainment.
But I think that’s when I really fell in love with downtown events and local community life.
Living downtown gave me a completely different perspective.
I’d watch people setting up before sunrise.
Cleaning streets.
Hauling tables.
Tearing down long after everyone else went home.
I started realizing these events don’t just magically happen.
People pour themselves into them.
And for many local businesses, vendors, and organizers—it’s not just a hobby.
It’s their livelihood.
That’s why I always encourage people:
If you can support local events, please do.
Attend.
Volunteer.
Share their posts.
Bring your kids.
Because those things matter more than people realize.
When I was in the military and arrived at my first duty station, I remember hearing people constantly complain about the area.
Some loved it.
Others absolutely hated it.
And one person said something to me that stuck forever:
“This place is whatever you make of it.”
And honestly?
That applies to life just as much as it applies to towns.
If you choose to pour into where you live…
If you choose to build community…
If you choose to participate instead of just observe…
You start to feel pride in it too.
So just like Warrensburg—
and honestly life itself—
It really is what you make of it.
You choose.
