The Republican

Garrett county citizens are for the most part friendly. They have shown this friendliness in many ways over the years. But each summer adds new responsibilities in maintaining this spirit of friendliness and each individual could make it a personal matter with himself to keep such an atmosphere alive.

Garrett county is becoming more and more a resort area, particularly around the state forest areas and Deep Creek Lake. More and more strangers appear every summer. One year-round resident at the lake remarked this week that from all indications the Lake was really coming into its own this year. Thousands of people are visiting this section, spending a few days, a week-end or perhaps several weeks.

They are in our stores every day, they are on our streets, they are in our churches and restaurants. Many of them at our golf course, and seem more than casually interested in the welfare of our various communities. Very much in the minority are the condescending kind of vacationist who looks over 'the natives' with such a superior feeling. They are so much in the minority that they should not even be considered.

Most of those coming to these resort areas are home-loving people, people with families, people who would be friendly if they were given half a chance.

That is our responsibility here—to radiate a friendly attitude with our visitors. It will pay big dividends to us as individuals, and to us as a community.