St. Louisans enjoy the traditional St. Patrick’s Day parade downtown. Photo by Lisa Kelly. Learn about the parade at www.irishparade.org.

St. Patrick’s Day arrives soon, and many St. Louisans are gearing up for exciting neighborhood celebrations and Irish-inspired cuisine.

Our region certainly enjoys its share of good fortune. From beautiful parks to thriving businesses to tasty treats, the Gateway City seems to have found a number of local four-leaf clovers.

Here are just a few of the things I think St. Louis is especially lucky to have:

Pride: We St. Louisans are fiercely passionate about our city, and with good reason! We find innovative ways to create and support local businesses. We’ve got nationally ranked colleges and universities. St. Louis continually is named America’s Best Sports City because of our enthusiasm for pucks, mitts and shoulder pads. Our collection of museums, music venues, writing workshops, film events and other cultural institutions rivals those of larger, costlier cities. And there’s a true spirit of community found throughout the region — between strangers, within neighborhoods and among businesses. We know we’ve got a good thing here, and we’re proud to share it with the world.

Diversity: St. Louis is a city where you can have a multitude of experiences within minutes. In a single block, you might chat with your Bosnian neighbors, meet with your financial advisor, pick up some locally grown vegetables and stumble upon a networking event. From our people to our neighborhoods to our businesses, we’ve got something for everyone.

Philanthropy: No matter if it’s through time, supplies or funds, St. Louis citizens and businesses are first in line when it comes to helping those in need. We’re non-profit board members, Little League coaches, scholarship benefactors and business mentors. We do things for the benefit of individuals and organizations, which in turn helps to strengthen our region itself.

St. Louis may not be the Emerald Isle, but I think what we’ve got is something even better than a pot of gold.

Kathy