Community building is a daily activity

And you cannot always know what effect your small, or large, contribution might be toward community building. Ed Guest provided some agreement to a comment on a recent blog about the volunteers who make a difference for Hartsville. He did note that maybe such a blog was preaching to the choir and I think he is right. Probably those who don't find Hartsville an active community also have no reason to read a blog like this. But, I got to thinking that one of the things that does make us difference in this small city is the size of that "choir" that volunteers for so many different activities in Hartsville. Because we have so many things happening and, in truth, so many different things we can find some "sweet spots" for lots of people. Rich Harwood, when talking about public innovation, stresses the need for sweet spots -- those places where the needs in a community overlap with the interests of people (leaders) who can help meet those needs or overcome those challenges.

This past weekend was one of those great examples:
a canoe and kayak festival/competition
a community marketplace
an arts fund raiser that lent itself to food and frivolity
a softball conference tournament at Byerly Park
a Community Players production of "Deathtrap."
Hartsville High Prom
Coker College graduation
Church singing programs
an AAU/YMCA multiple team and multiple gym basketball tournament
a downtown sidewalk sale
Master Gardeners' Plant Sale (master volunteers)
And I know there is more that is missing from this list

Sometimes people wonder what it is they can do. Lots of people found a sweet spot in some of the above activities.

And, this week Rich Harwood had an interesting example of citizenship that he calls The School Bus incident.

The whole point is that we get better when we build and when lots of people get together to build together. This ethos is one of the things making Hartsville a special community.