"Winning the Lottery" with Albert Cuddy
The following blog is written by writer Albert Cuddy, who recently moved to Appleton, WI. Thank you for your kind words, Albert!
In October of 2016, we came to Appleton to visit some friends. They took us to Door County, Chilton, and around Appleton. The big eye opener was driving on the country roads. The houses and farms were so well kept, a sense of caring and pride was evident and the people we met were very nice. It made a very positive impression. We had been wanting to leave Atlanta for a long time because we were tired of hot humid summers and warm winters and it didn’t feel like home to either of us, so we decided to move here.
While my wife was organizing all our moving and packing, I read more about Appleton. It felt like opening a box full of gems; they have a farmers market year round, (something we did all the time in Atlanta), all kinds of events, mile of music (I was a musician before joining the army and I am a writer, I write short stories and poetry), museums, a theater, pottery classes (which my wife has been wanting to do for so long), art classes, knitting stores, bike trails, cross country skiing, even 7 Alpaca farms near by… (I have had a silly affection for Alpacas for years).
To say we couldn’t wait to get here was an understatement! So on January 7 th we arrived and we feel as if we “won” the lottery; everything we had been wishing for is here! Appleton is a city that is alive; there is always something to do. We enjoy going to the farmers market every Saturday, and can’t wait for the outdoor one since we’ve heard so much about it! We’ve seen a show at the Performing Arts Center and participated in Death by Chocolate! We enjoy walking downtown, shopping in the little shops, driving the country roads, visiting High Cliff Park, etc. Another jewel of Appleton is the lack of traffic compared to Atlanta where there are constant traffic jams. The convenience of a small airport was very useful when we had to leave for Barcelona a couple of months ago. We made it from our house to the airport, checked-in and went through security in half an hour! That would never have happened, ever, in Atlanta.
Appleton is a definitely a modern city with a small town feel; where people are genuine, engaging and friendly. I have worked with a number of city community developments in Alabama and Georgia, so was awed with the effectiveness and positive attitude of the crew at Downtown Appleton; Appletonnians here probably don’t know what thoroughbreds they have working for this town, but I was genuinely impressed.
We feel as if Appleton was quietly waiting to welcome us with open arms. Our secret desire was to be someplace we could thrive; some place we could call home. We love it here!!