I love Marion. Being part of this community has been a blessing. With a philharmonic, a theatre, and so many community events and organizations, I’ve rarely found myself needing to drive to a larger city for entertainment. That’s why I’m so looking forward to this coming up Friday, as me and the kids will be enjoying the Go Arts Go Karts race that CSA puts on every year.

 

In case you’ve never been, the Go Arts Go Karts race is like the Indy 500, except for you won’t get as sunburnt and you can enjoy the whole thing for under $20. The event is a fun and successful fundraiser for Marion’s Community School of the Arts, so that they are then able to award scholarships to deserving students in our area and continue to promote the arts here in Marion. It’s also a chance for local businesses and organizations to have a little fun competition, drum up some support from their fans, and send a driver out to represent them on the track. For me and my crew, it’s a chance to enjoy activities for the kids, hit up the tenderloin truck, and cheer for our favorite driver. This year, Steve from Afena will be driving in Heat 6, and we’ll be right there in the stands to root for him. Not only is he from our favorite credit union, he also happens to be a really great guy. So if you’re looking for some entertainment Friday night, throw on a blue shirt and head over to the Go Kart track on Highway 18. You’re guaranteed a good time.

And while I’ll be enjoying the race on Friday, I’ll also take that time to reflect on the race my family has been running towards financial freedom from debt over the past few years. Of course, in this case, it’s more of a marathon than a race, and we’ve tried to remember to keep our pace and goals steady and achievable, instead of expecting to achieve all of our financial dreams right away. We’ve been making some home improvements this spring, and while we have the funds available thanks to a Home Equity Line of Credit at Afena, we’ve decided to make these decisions one project at a time. The temptation to have everything we want done right away is strong, and I think it’s because of that “win the race” mentality that so many of us have. We live in a competitive culture, and while that can be turned towards wonderful goals, such as raising money for our local arts, I know it can also leave us with a burning desire to “keep up with the Jones’s”.

So this Friday, come out and enjoy this wonderful local event, but let the racing happen on the race track. When it comes to winning the race towards financial freedom, slow and steady really does win the day. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.