By: Sophia Hall
Hey guys, Sophia here. In Amarillo, the 3 Commonwealth Assets that stand out the most to me are Foodshed, Leisure, & History. In the Texas Panhandle, there are tons of farmers & ranchers that produce the food we eat. Their produce then goes on to feedlots or packing plants to be prepared for distribution. We as consumers then get the food from our grocery stores or farmers’ markets during the summer. Another asset I notice in my community is history. Texas (not just the panhandle) is full of the history of expansion to the West, Native American life, War, and so much more. This history is what makes a place special. It binds people with a shared experience of our ancestors.
The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in Canyon shows our pioneer past with real artifacts and accurate recreations of life on the Plains as both cowboys and Native Americans, as well as life before. In Amarillo, there are many places to o hang out with friends and family. These places help the community have shared experiences as a whole. With Hodgetown, the city comes together in order to cheer on the baseball team. You will find many of us at Cinergy watching movies, bowling, playing arcade games, or battling in laser tag. You will also find a lot of us hanging out at someone’s house (usually the same person’s house which eventually becomes a second home) sharing memories or having nerf wars in the living room with epic forts. These places and times are what bind people together through experience, and they give you a sense of place and understanding. These 3 assets of history, leisure, and foodshed are what I notice in my community that stand out.