Grayling Strong and Viking Tough

Persevere through all things. This was something my Grandmother taught me early on in life and it is something that has followed me into adulthood. In both my personal and my business life, I’ve learned the lesson of powering through, being tough, and staying strong.

I learned the value of being Grayling Strong and Viking Tough.

In the spring of 2013 my Facebook feed was filled with heartbreaking comments about my hometown’s golf team. That fateful day, my small hometown lost a golf coach and a team member in a fatal car crash. This occurred while the team was on their way to a golf tournament.

Now if you come from a large metropolitan area you might not understand the significance of this event. But this occurred in a small town where there are only a few stoplights. It happened in a place where literally everyone knows your name.

Losing a coach and a high school student had an impact. Having a number of other students in the hospital in critical condition made an even larger impact. My little town was hurting and I watched it from afar on Facebook.

As time past, I was also able to watch the town rebuild itself emotionally. Facebook and Twitter allowed me to see the students speak out and view pictures of the community dealing with the loss. They united locally and they shared it for all to see on social media.

Today I was reminded of this tragedy, because the Golf Channel released a story about my hometown and this tragedy. The video takes you through the loss and the rebuilding of a team. It shows my hometown for the community it is and it is a fine example of the village that raised me.

This video makes me proud of the town I grew up in and the town it is today.

Each year Web Savvy Marketing provides a scholarship to Grayling’s high school. I spend hours going through applications from seniors and I eventually narrow in on one individual who I feel would benefit most from the scholarship.

While they have to be college bound, I always look for something more than grades and performance. I look for someone who stands out. I look for someone who is different.

This last year I picked a fighter, someone who had persevere through a difficult childhood, someone who was making the best of their life, and someone who was working towards a better tomorrow.

Here is what I didn’t realize – I was picking someone who was Grayling Strong and Viking Tough. These two phrases were used after the accident and they were mentioned again in the video.

I didn’t realize how closely I carried those phrases along with me as I aged and matured. Today I see it and I embrace it.

No matter what life hands you or how difficult you believe your tomorrow is, you can be Grayling Tough and Viking Strong. I am and I know I’m not alone. It lives in all of us and it is just waiting to come out.

If you want to see the power of a small town and a tight community, take a moment and watch the Golf Channel’s story. You’ll be glad you did.