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Kansas Conference Provides Fresh Ideas, Motivation Survival Community A person may not commonly see these two words brought together. However, community survival is exactly what 10 communities from across Kansas came to discuss at the Kansas Communities Conference in Hutchinson on Nov. 17-18. Six Fort Scott representatives attended the conference facilitated by Terry Woodbury, President, Kansas Communities, LLC., to share our first year progress in the Community Visioning process and to learn what other community building initiatives communities across the state were establishing. What ensued was two exhausting, but invigorating days of brainstorming, sharing, listening and trying to think “outside the box.” The universal theme quickly became “What do we, as a Kansas community, need to do to survive?” I came away from the KCC understanding that where the Fort Scott community is today is better than where we were a year ago, but that we still have a long way to go to improve the quality of life. In the two days of the KCC, we were divided into break-out sessions to learn more about what the other communities were doing to improve themselves. It soon became obvious to me that Fort Scott’s obstacles and issues are not unique. That nine other communities across Kansas are also dealing with improving the quality of life, increasing economic development and invoking a sense of ownership in its citizens. Each community left the conference with the same messages and the same determination to apply them to their own situations. It came down to the basic questions, “What do you need in your community to survive?” and “How do you get it?” The answers were presented to us by keynote speakers and a process of give and take of ideas. I drove the three and a half hours home from Hutchinson Saturday dwelling on the three areas that I think affect Fort Scott the most; leadership, ownership and sweat equity. At the beginning of KCC, keynote speaker, Christine Downey, Kansas Board of Regents, Vice Chair State Senator (1993-2004), told attendees, “Leadership comes from unexpected places.” She explained that people with titles and badges are not necessarily leaders. She went on to describe a leader as someone who is a good listener, understands him or herself and understands the people they are working with. This led me to question, “Who are our leaders in Fort Scott?” Are they self-acclaimed leaders, have they risen to the challenge or been denoted such by the community? Are those in leadership roles practicing good leadership abilities? Do they understand the community and their own strengths and weaknesses? Are they listening? I encourage you to ask yourself the same questions. Because if those who are leading us are not in tune with what Fort Scott citizens want for the best of the community, why are they leading us? I believe that leaders in Fort Scott come from many different walks of life. From the community volunteer to the city commissioner. And I believe that no matter the leader, they should be held to the above standards. Downey also stated that “Leaders bloom from where they are planted. Lead where you are.” I can’t think of a truer statement. To be perfectly honest, I never wanted to move home to Fort Scott. I truly believed there was nothing here for me. I was miserable when I first returned. But within the two years I’ve lived here, I have become extremely active in the community and I love it. I am fulfilled knowing that I am making a difference in the community I live in. I never flinch at the opportunity to lead. In fact, I welcome it. This concept led me to look around to see who else was stepping up to this level of community responsibility. In my experience, it seems that the same dedicated people are taking on a little bit of every project and initiative. Fort Scott is lucky to have these people who make such a significant difference in our community. They have established themselves as such amazing examples to our upcoming generation. Now is the time to start integrating the next generations who have the best interest of the community into leadership roles. There are many people in Fort Scott who already step up and take the initiative of improvement. Then there are others in Fort Scott who want to complain, criticize and point fingers, but never lift a finger to make a change. Who do you think has a deeper sense of ownership in our community? At the KCC I listened to representatives from towns much smaller than Fort Scott speak about the initiatives and changes that are taking place in their communities and the energy that invokes their citizens. I wished I could have bottled that energy and enthusiasm and put it in our drinking water. How do you invoke such as sense of ownership in your community? The communities I listened to knew they needed to change. Enough people felt the same way that they started a movement. Although it takes a lot of time and work to change a community, I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment and connectivity to my community when I contribute. I can step back and say, “I helped do that!” What an amazing contribution. And all I did was try! Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be a huge initiative to make a difference. Ask yourself how you can affect your neighbors, your co-workers or your kid’s school in a positive way. Invite your neighbor over for coffee, write encouraging notes to everyone at work complimenting them on a job well done or be a greeter at a local grade school. You will be so surprised at what a positive gesture will generate. It’s contagious. So I challenge everyone in Fort Scott to turn off your TV, get off your couches and find an area of interest in which you can contribute. The Community Visioning process has a Steering Committee and five action teams that would love your involvement. There are masses of civic organizations, schools, churches and grassroots projects that could use your efforts as well. This leads to the last area in which I believe that Fort Scott could improve; sweat equity. It disappoints me to hear people say, “Well, I pay taxes. I contribute enough.” Excuses get us no where. It should be no surprise to anyone that a thriving Fort Scott needs its citizens to go above and beyond the call of duty. See something that needs to change? Get up and do something about it! It’s called sweat equity, as in we need everyone’s blood, sweat and tears to improve our quality of life in Fort Scott. Everyone has something to contribute in some way. I challenge you to find your special contribution to your community. One of our last orders of business at KCC was to explore what we as 10 Kansas Communities across the state could to together that we can not do ourselves. I believe that it suddenly dawned on us that we have a whole network of other resources that reach across the state at our fingertips. It’s not just Fort Scott. It’s not just southeast Kansas. It’s our overall Kansas Community. The only way our communities will survive is to work together, reaching out within our own communities and reaching out across the state. It’s time to start working together as a community, as a group with a common interest to make this small rural Kansas community not only survive, but thrive.
Tabatha is Special Projects Manager for the Fort Scott Tribune/Nevada Daily Mail |
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