The Past -- without there is no future

This morning I was reading Rich Harwood's blog, which always has in-depth insights to community building coming from a personal perspective. He is writing about Yom Kippur, a time to look back and reflect on how you are doing in your individual quest.

Rich linked his thoughts about the individual's look back with a community looking back. He was talking about the importance of forgiving yourself and not wallowing in the misery of memory of things gone wrong and on being blinded by the notion that things were always better -- then. His message is an important one because it is to make choices and make judgments about the past and use those choices and judgments to move forward into the future.

When I think of community building from a neighborhood, from a city, from a company or a college, I know that if we all can learn from but then let go of our past, we can more efficiently and quickly build our future.

Major New York Clinton conference talks about communities

Eric Green a community psychologist has been at a global initiative conference in New York sponsored by the Clinton Foundation. He is blogging from this conference and his most recent blog is "getting to the HOW business." Apparently, even on a global basis, it is often much easier to describe the challenges and problems within communities than it is to come up with solutions that work. If you read his blog you will see how this is working among those who are looking for solutions to many of the world's tough problems. Making me think at the same time of work that Eve Puffer, a community psychologist, who works with the Duke Global Health Initiative has been doing in Kenya. She spent the summer implementing a research project to see if there is way to bring the strength of the social sciences to helping solve the HIV/Aids problem among young girls in one village. Getting to the How is a difficult challenge.

I was just reading the daily summary from the CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY and came across a story of a many engaged in a friendly rivalry to see how much blood he can donate. We talk here about community building and it takes people contributing in all sorts of ways to build our communities. Here is an example of someone literally bleeding for the betterment of his neighbors. This really is sort of a fun story and should, I hope, make others think about doing their share in the fight for an adequate blood supply. Lots of surgery cannot happen without blood being on hand:



September 08, 2009
Long Island Man Moves Toward Blood-Donation Record

Every year since 1951, a Long Island man has donated blood — and today he’s scheduled to do it again, bringing his lifetime total donation to 40 gallons, reports Newsday.

Al Fischer, a 75-year-old printer in Massapequa, N.Y., has given 319 pints of blood. Mr. Fischer’s total puts him second in line behind the American who has given more blood, Maurice Wood, 83, a St. Louis retiree, according to the New York Blood Center. “He’s about six or seven pints ahead of me,” said Mr. Fischer, who adds that the pair are engaged in a friendly rivalry.

Mr. Fischer racked up his total by giving blood every eight weeks, notes Harvey Schaffler, executive director of Long Island Blood Services. “He’s a one-man army, who has helped almost a thousand people,” he says.

Small Town Events provide big city experience

Often I get accused of being a cheerleader for this great small town. It is an accusation I take as a praise. Hartsville is a small city but as I so often say, how many small Southern cities have thing to offer like you find here. Cases in point:

This past Sunday in Hartsville --

Triathlons sponsored and hosted by the Hartsville YMCA -- two at once so that both those who do them for real competition and those who do them for an experience can enjoy. Learn more on hartsvilletoday.com or at the Hartsville YMCA. Jana Longfellow, a REAL cheerleader for Hartsville has photos from the event.

Gospel in the Park on Sunday afternoon with lots of gospel groups. There are photos on Facebook from this event, which is another way for Hartsvillians and others to have a great time.

Coming up in Hartsville

Tuesday, September 8 -- Jack Riggs - novelist -- speaking and signing books with a free performance at 7 p.m. in Davidson Hall on the Coker College campus.

Piano Concert featuring Las Vegas Pianist David Osborne to benefit the Coker College Scholarship Fund and the Prestwood County Club Renovation Fund at the Watson Theater on the Coker College campus on Wednesday, September 16.

Hartsville Good Living Marketplace and Hartsville Idol on Saturday September 12 in downtown Hartsville.

College Soccer, Hartsville men on September 12 as they try to extend their undefeated streak against Mt. Olive College.

The Johnson Family Art Exhibition at Black Creek Arts Council, which also has a vareity of classes being scheduled throughout the Fall.

This is only a short list of the multiple events reaching multiple interests taking place in the city that likes to be billed as The Art of Good Living where you can always "Expect Pleasant Surprises."

Looking outward often key to growth

This blog often talks about work being accomplished by THE HARWOOD INSTITUTE in formulating models and discussions of community building. One of the tools the Institute is now making available to community organizations is an ebook about how important it is to look outward toward your community rather than spending so much looking inward at your own organization. In these economic times many non-profit organizations spend significant time and resources looking at their own internal programs, systems and culture as a strategy for continuing to serve. There is a good chance that all this inward looking is causing many organizations to take their eyes off the mission of how to serve the mission, which is generally aimed toward making the major difference outside the organization. Rich Harwood studies this material and he has compiled it into a booklet with the funding of the Kettering Foundation. Those who are looking for strategies of how to maintain and even expand their organization in these tight financial times might be well served to download this report. This report was recently reviewed in Nigeria and that is part of a message distributed today by The Harwood Institute. Here is a section of that message:

"Org First " Around the Globe
REVIEW OF ORGANIZATION-FIRST APPROACH REPORT IN MAJOR NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER

Recently, the Nigerian Tribune - the nation's oldest newspaper - ran Folorunsho Moshood's review of The Organization-First Approach Report.

In the review, Moshood writes, "The book, which is an evidence-based research work that exposes the reader to why and how CSOs (civil society organizations) turn inward toward themselves instead of turning outward toward the communities they are meant to serve."

Moshood's review explores each of the chapters of the report and argues that leaders must be willing to face the truth of their actions.