C.R.’s determination evident during visit

I am a businessman from Boston visiting Cedar Rapids for the first time. Driving through downtown was a sobering experience – seeing the closed-up businesses and emptiness still evident from the floods of 2008. I must say, though, that I was incredibly impressed by the spirit and determination I saw in the faces of every person I met.

No one I encountered was wasting time in self-pity or expecting outsiders to fix their problems. I had dinner at a downtown restaurant, Daniel Arthur's, and it was one of the most pleasant dining experiences I have had in recent memory. The food was good, there was live music and the owner of the restaurant talked to me at length about the area and about hopes for the future. My hotel staff at the Marriott couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming.

The editorials I read in your newspaper were reasoned and levelheaded – supporting the “buy local” strategy and working hard from within the community to rebuild.

Your city is a model in keeping a stiff upper lip when dealing with adversity. You embody the best parts of the American spirit. I look forward to my next visit.

Ian Hobkirk

CEO

Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors

Boston