Protect the Urge to Build

Rich Harwood of THE HARWOOD INSTITUTE has a very interesting Podcast for the holidays. His advice in this short discussion is to people who have the urge to build their communities. His advice in this short discussion is motivating to those who want to make changes to better their communities. His words in this discussion are an admonition to not let the forces of negativity overcome the urge to join with others to make real differences in our communities. I listened to this podcast twice and hope that readers will listen to it at least once -- because all of use need to remember that building community and building our communities is important for our present and our future. Not everyone wishes for community yet nearly all of us do realize we get more done together than we can ever accomplish divided.

Walter Edgar interviews Greenville Mayor

The interview that is currently airing between Walter Edgar and Knox White is inspiring from a community building perspective. The major lesson remains, nothing happens overnight but nothing happens if people do not join together to make things happen. That is a lesson we learn over and over again in Hartsville but it is also lesson we have to keep teaching ourselves. Hartsville is good but right now - not great. Hartsville can be great -- if we want to be great. We are a small city. We will not be for everyone but we can be much more enticing and attracting that we are right. We have to keep working. (Hartsville was just mentioned in a sentence with a number of other progressive cities -- it is the company we want to be in. We have to keep ourselves in this company.

This week I was speaking with a high school student from Long Island. His father had been in Greenville many times on business. The prospective Coker student and Coker lacrosse player, described the downtown as "cute." Not a bad description coming from a teenager. His father also mentioned that Hartsville did remind him of Greenville, even if on a smaller basis. We have the basics but we need to work much harder, doing much more to become a totally attractive place to live and visit. We have lots of people working on this. We have lots of ideas percolating. We need to find ways to continue working together from all our areas (divided any way you might want to think about it) if we are going to survive the set of challenges that are now facing us.

Knox White just said the first time he saw someone taking pictures of downtown Greenville was in 1999.Today cameras and tourists swarm downtown Greenville every weekend and often during the week.

Walter Edgar's Journal will air again on Sunday evening and I hope others will listen. Mayor White had a short paragraph about the need for inclusion and the difference inclusion makes. He said when you do not include you run into lots of problems. I think his quote was, "You pay for it dearly."

Monday, we welcome a new city manager, Natalie Zigler. She will be walking into some amazing challenges as she moves into her office on the first day. I hope those of us who have been living and growing in Hartsville continue to rally and help her and our current City Council become those people we look back on in five, ten or fifteen years with a pride for the positive changes they were able to help us develop as a community.

List some challenges --

We have some beauty spots -- Coker College for example but one look at our entire city and you know we need real emphasis on beautification.

We have high-achieving schools -- but try to prove any of our schools are high achieving to a first-time visitor who (with the exception of the Middle School) sees buildings that have been and look like they have been around for five or seven or ten decades. You want to know what difference a nice looking school makes -- talk to the people who work and learn at the middle school or to the people who teach and learn at GSSM or to the Coker College students who inhabit the new library and information center.

We have some unique retail experiences -- but if we are going to be a mecca for shoppers, we need a lot more unique retail experiences.

We have a cosmopolitan atmosphere -- that we often keep hidden from outsiders. In the arts -- you won't find many communities of our size with our offerings -- but many who live in Hartsville are not aware of a portion of what is offered.

One person for whom I used to work had a saying that I have used in many group discussions having to do with community building. His admonition was "When you stop getting better, you stop being good." We have lots of room to get better.

GSSM to the Max

The Hartsville based South Carolina Governors School for Science and Mathematics unveiled their newly constructed, newly named buildings during a ceremony this afternoon inside their new gymnasium.

IMPRESSIVE

This high school is one of the top high schools in the nation and the vision, drive and energy that is powering this institution is moving it toward the next level of being one of the most forward-thinking, high-achieving high schools in the world.

They joked a little during the presentation that maybe it is time to think of renaming Hartsville --- SMARTSville for smart people that represent so many of the areas that make our community so unique as a small city in the U.S.

Of course, part of the SMARTS is represented by the junior and senior students from around South Carolina who do the final two years of their high school work at GSSM. I was talking to one proud parent of an alumn whose son is finishing UGA in three years. His son's girl friend, also a Govvie, is finishing Vanderbilt undergrad in three years. Both are getting ready for graduate school.

The new name they are giving the Governor's School is E=MCsquared. The new name symbolizes Roger Milliken -- as the M. He donated the land on which the GSSM campus is situated. The C-squared = Campbell, former Governor Carroll Campbell, and Coker, Charlie Coker, former chairman, president and leader of Sonoco who joined forces to make the idea of this two-year accelerated, residential high school a reality in South Carolina and Hartsville.

The other major "Champions" of the school who were recognized with parts of the Campus in their name are Senator Gerald Malloy who worked hard to get funds from the state appropriations for the growth of the school; Representative Jay Lucas who provided that same type of leadership in the House of Representatives. The Activities building is named for Senator Malloy and the Academic wing is named for Representative Lucas. The female student living quarters are named for Representative Dennie Nielsen, a Darlington County representative who also worked for this funding. The male residential wing is named for Dr. James Daniels, former president of Coker College, where the Governor's School resided during its first few years.

It was an invigorating afternoon at the GSSM celebration and those of us who play host to this great school in our Hartsville community need to be proud they are with us and understand how this institution brings distinction of a cutting-edge variety to our cosmopolitan small city.

Community Thinking: Veterans Memorial Dedication a Great Event

Community Thinking: Veterans Memorial Dedication a Great Event

Veterans Memorial Dedication a Great Event

Warner DeHart, an Air Force veteran and former director of the Darlington County Veterans Department, was one of the primary movers to get a Veterans Memorial in Hartsville. As he spoke at the dedication on November 11, 2011 he talked about how pleased he was that his efforts and the efforts of others have materialized after 14 years into the tremendous place for Veterans in the heart of Hartsville -- Burry Park.

The story of this memorial is a story of making things happen in a community and that story includes frustration as well as celebration. The key lessons from the Hartsville Veteran Memorial in regard to community building is that almost nothing happens if there is no vision and nothing happens without PERSISTENCE. For all those who worked over the years to make Burry Park happen, THANK YOU. There is no question that today's celebration of Veterans and the families who support them. showed why your hard work and persistence were worth it.

November 10 - Birthday of the Marine Corps

Once a Marine, always a Marine. There is no such thing as an ex Marine, only former Marines. God be with those Marines still in harms way today - November 10, 2010. Hoo-Rah and Semper Fi.

2010 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message
11 min - Nov 2, 2010
Uploaded by OurMarines
youtube.com

I am a believer that you can hate the war but love the Corps.

Hartsville -- The Art of Good Living

And it certainly does help that Hartsville is also a College Town.

Dr. Graham Wood distributed the following email on the Coker campus this morning and I think it pays for Hartsvillians to take note of all that is happening:

This kind of schedule is not happening in lots of small cities!!

Attention performing arts fans, the fall season of shows is only just beginning. Starting Friday 12th and ending Friday 26th November there will be five (count them, five!) performances by visiting dancers, actors and musicians in Hartsville.

Dance:
Doug Varone Dancers
Friday 12th @ 7.30pm in Black Creek Arts Center
Includes post-performance discussion with the company
Free

Doug Varone Dancers (hosted by the Coker Dance Program)
Saturday 13th @ 7.30pm in Watson Theater
Free with Coker ID
http://www.coker.edu/featured-links/4-features/1230-award-winning-choreographer-and-director-comes-to-coker.html
http://www.dougvaroneanddancers.org/comp_about.php


Theater:
National Touring Company Aquila Theatre present’s Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(hosted by Hartsville-Coker Concert Association)
Tuesday 16th @ 7.30pm November in Watson Theater
6.30pm pre-show lecture by Dr. Ronda Knight, Associate Professor of English, Coker College
12.30pm physical theater workshop (sign up on musical theater notice board)
Free with Coker ID ($7 non-Coker students; $25 non-Coker adults)
http://aquilatheatre.com/


Music:
Barry Salwen, guest pianist from UNC Wilmington will play music by Beethoven, Gershwin, Sessions and Debussy
(hosted by the Coker Music Program)
Thursday 18th @ 7.30 in Watson Theater
Free
http://www.uncw.edu/music/salwenb/index.html

Jacquelyn Culpepper (soprano) and Philip Bush (piano) present a guest vocal recital
Friday 19th @ 7.30pm in Watson Theater
Free
http://www.jacquelynculpepper.com/?pagename=About%20the%20artist


Graham Wood
Associate Professor of Music
Coker College
Hartsville, SC

Darlington County Habitat accelerates buiding

With a great deal of assistance, cooperation and energy the Darlington County Habitat for Humanity has become one of the more prolific home-builidng operations in the State.

There is recent newsletter talking about the how the Welsh Neck Baptist Church Association is going to take on the responsibility of finishing three homes that were begun this summer with a large team down from Maryland the a team from the Hartsville First Presbyterian Church, which has been one of the major church builders in HABITAT.

Have lost the graphics, but here is the copy of the Habitat newsletter:


Welsh Neck Baptist Assoc.
to Complete
Three Habitat Homes

The Darlington County Habitat for Humanity is pleased to announce the adoption of 3 Habitat homes by the Welsh Neck Baptist Association, Hartsville. Church members from the 36 church association have agreed to complete the construction of all three Habitat homes on Heatley St. Completion of the homes will bring Darlington County Habitat’s total to 25 homes. Volunteers plan to work Thursdays and some Saturdays until all the homes are completed.

Mark Haenchen, Habitat Executive Director stated, “We are very excited about joining with the local Baptist Churches and having their help with these homes.”

Construction coordinator, Ray Graham, will be leading the project. “We have lots of excitement about working together to build a home. We plan on doing all the landscaping on a Saturday so all our youth can volunteer.” Over 50 volunteers are expected to participate during the construction.

Home Dedication Scheduled
DC Habitat will dedicate the next 3 homes to to the families of Sheila Bell, Larry DuBose, and Ronald and Betty Coe. The dedication service will be this Sunday, Nov. 7th @ 3PM. Follow this link for more details. This will bring our total to 21 Families served in Darlington County.
Meet Larry DuBose,
One of Habitat's Newest Homeowners.
For several years, Larry DuBose of Hartsville has been seeking indpendence and stability in his life. He believes he has found both in the Darlington Co. HFH Homeowners program.
DuBose, a retired welder, who was badly injured in an auto accident, was accepted into the program last July. His home will be dedicated this Sunday.
" I would like to become independent and not have to depend on anyone but Jesus." said DuBose. He plans to continue working with Habitat after he moves into his new home.
Walmart awards
$1,000 grant
DC Habitat is very grateful to the Hartsville Wal-Mart for awarding them a grant of $1,000. Did you know that one of our homeowners is an associate at Wal-Mart?
You Can Support Habitat Online

Talking about community building in Kenya

The health of our children is perhaps one of the most crucial areas of community development. That is one of the areas on which Eve Puffer, my daughter, is working in her third year as a Post Doctoral Fellow at the Duke Global Health Initiative. There is an article in the Duke Global Health newsletter talking about some of this work. I think you will find it of interest and may even find some relevance to other community building work needed right here in Hartsville, South Carolina and the U.S.

Coordinating Council Coordinating in Darlington County

"Stronger together" is the them of the Darlington County Services Forum 2010 being held at the Lakeview Baptist Church in Hartsville on October 14.

The event, which was kicked off by Senator Gerald Malloy and Representative Jay Lucas, had nearly 40 agencies meeting together and giving very short blurbs about their mission and service opportunities. The Forum is a chance for the various groups, whose primary mission is serving people, to learn how all might work together even better to improve services, get a bigger return on funds invested and make even more of a difference in building community. The Darlington County Coordinating Council meetings on a monthly basis to ensure more frequent contact but they hold an annual forum to help each other get a strong feel for the bigger picture.

One of the key events at this forum will be a presentation about the state budget and state funding estimates for the next fiscal year. That is probably not going to be an optimistic picture as predictions are that the state budget may be even tighter next year than it is right now. That is one more reason the coordinating council is playing such an important role. While some people aren't keen on government, I wondered as I sat listening to presentations, what the people served by these agencies would do if these agencies did not exist. For me, that was a scary thought!

Growing Young Leaders

Dr. Tim Elmore is on a quest to grow young leaders and I have some of his materials and think he has some very interesting ideas about leadership growth among the younger generation. His newest book is GENERATION IY, OUR LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THEIR FUTURE. This morning he has a blog post from one of his student interns. I really like the idea of having young people talk to each other about things they have found important and think that is a good way of communicating. I hope to use a few of his ideas in the First Year experience I am teaching at Coker College. Since leadership is so important to Growing Community, I thought I would share the 10-2-10 blog post they distributed. Here is is:

Tim Elmore - Guest blog post by Growing Leaders Intern, Tess Harper


________________________________________
Guest blog post by Growing Leaders Intern, Tess Harper
Posted: 01 Oct 2010 04:00 AM PDT
For the past few months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to serve as an intern at a non-profit organization called Growing Leaders. Created in 2003 by Dr. Tim Elmore, the mission of the company is to reach out to students by providing them with resources on how to be successful leaders. The most captivating part is that their definition of “leader” is not necessarily someone of success or wealth, but rather someone of great values and immense character. This concept of leadership has enabled me to discover my own capabilities as a person of influence.
I graduated in 2009 with a degree in Journalism and Media Studies. As a freshman, I was very intent on one day becoming a broadcast journalist, and being a platform for the unheard voices of my generation. However, with the inundation of technology in the classroom during my college career, my journalistic dream had to transition into one that embraced social media and online blogging as a way to stay “connected.” My internship at Growing Leaders has allowed me to do just that; connect with children and young people, as well as older adults who have an interest in transforming society.
Upon my arrival at Growing Leaders, Dr. Elmore was in the process of promoting his book, Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future. This was a great time for me to join the team, because I felt that the book highlighted all of the frustrations I had felt with not only my generation during college, but also the hampering side effects technology had on our society. Before, I felt as if I saw my peers becoming less and less engaging and personable as they were immersed in the culture of social media and its isolating effects. The best part though was that the book, as well as the organization itself, offered authentic solutions to the apathetic ethos young people had created and how everyone involved, whether it be students, parents or teachers, could help.
If I were asked to choose one word for my internship experience thus far, I would choose “growth.” There have been a few challenges to my internship, which have caused me to recognize my weaknesses and find ways to improve them. The experience has also highlighted my strengths and showed me how to use these skills to become a successful leader. I have been given the opportunity to interact with Generation iYers and provide ways, as Tim likes to say, “influence the influencers,” which is an invaluable experience.
Tess
——-
For more info about internship opportunities with us at Growing Leaders, check out our website here. We are currently looking for a spring intern to begin in January 2011. We’d love for you to join us!
If you would like to speak with someone here at our office with any questions or need more info, please contact us at 770.495.3332. Thanks!
Tim

Asking, reflecting, pulse taking all help in building

The past two days I have spent a couple of hours at the Downtown Development Offices in Hartsville. On Monday, I had the opportunity of facilitating a debriefing of the ROCK THE BLOCK event that was held a few weeks ago in Burry Park in downtown Hartsville. This is the second such debriefing I have had the opportunity to take part in. It is really great to be with people who have done so much to help make this community an even better place to live, work, play and raise a family. The debrief is to get a view of what people think worked, what they think might be redone and what concerns they might have going forward. The debriefs seem to me to be a crucial part of the community building process and HDDA seems to have them programmed into their process.

On Tuesday, Todd Shifflette of Care South South Carolina held a small focus group to assist with information gathering for the strategic plan his organization is undertaking. Care South serves the health care needs of under insured and others and they are a significant medical service provider in this area of the Pee Dee. Again, it was interesting to watch an organization gathering input and also to watch relationships continue to build. Often times, in a small community, people think relationships are just natural. There is nothing natural about working relationships and they need to be sown, watered, fostered for the good of the individuals, the organizations and ultimately the community.

In communities, good things don't just happen, good people work to make them happen.

Boundary-spanning organization

I am not sure how much most people think of an arts group as a boundary-spanning organization but there is little question in my mind that for Hartsville, SC, and the surrounding area Black Creek Arts Council is such and entity.

This past Thursday evening they had the monthly gallery opening and this one features three artists. If you are in the area you should really stop by to see this work -- both upstairs and downstairs. There was a large group of people attending the opening on Thursday, which was sponsored by Segars Prudential Realty. There were members of artitst's families, there were people who really like the arts, there were students and professors from Coker College, there were people from around Hartsville of a wide variety of backgrounds. Black Creek Arts works to attract people from these backgrounds and they are one of the organizations who are very successful at spanning the artificial boundaries that often keep people in both small and large communities.

'Philanthropy is not a solo act'

The title of this blog is borrowed from an article on the web site of the CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY that is about the Giving Pledge that garnered a great deal of news coverage on Wednesday. This article discusses how much the idea of philanthropy has evolved since 1899 when Andrew Carnegie attempted to persuade some of his rich friends to give away some of their money.

While the article catches my interest because of my involvement with The Byerly Foundation, it is also of most interest because I serve as a board member from Darlington County on the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation. The ECCF is the first community foundation to be established to serve the Pee Dee of South Carolina. The Eastern Carolina Community Foundation, which was founded in 2006, joins at least seven other community foundations in South Carolina. Those Foundation in total have assets of more than $350 million in philanthropic funds. The largest community foundation in the State is the Coastal Community Foundation, which is located in Charleston, SC with assets around the $110 million mark.

The purpose of community foundations is to make philanthropy efficient, effective and energizing for both the donors and the communities and projects they serve. Donors can set up dedicated funds that are managed by the Foundation, allowing them to let the paperwork and the worries rest with the Foundation while the donors get a say in helping direct the monies to those areas they most want to serve.

There is a lot more to the story of community foundations in general and the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation in particular. Anyone wishing to know more about the ECCF, which is headquartered in Florence, should call Susan Bankston, executive director, at 843-667-1131. A major advantage of the community foundation concept is that the funds develop much more power working together than they can ever have alone.

Community Building requires Community Storytellers

In a recent email from THE NONPROFIT QUARTERLY magazine they had an archived article about the need for story telling when it comes to building momentum. Seems to me one of the things lacking today in the discourse that is disguised as dialog is a context. Stories help us provide context.

We are in meetings a lot as people around Hartsville work to find ways to make this community even better. Sometimes we hear great stories, most of the time we hear opinions. The article in NPQ does provide some real food for builing a story-telling skill. Susan Nall Bliss wrote the article and she built a case for why stories are important and also provided examples from some master journalistic story tellers. Here is a paragraph sort of setting up the need for story telling: In the opening pages of Tropic of Capricorn, Henry Miller famously intones, “I will give you Horatio Alger as he looks the day after the Apocalypse.” Miller was castigating the inability of the myth of the Rugged Individual or the Self-Making Person to capture the reality of life for many Americans in the 1930s. A contemporary update might read, “I will give you the Ownership Society as it looks the day after the levees broke.” That story, still in the making, would focus our attention on the things we must do together, because they cannot be done individually: from building roads and a reliable healthcare infrastructure to improving schools and repairing the ladder of opportunity in our society.

I recommend this article and then I recommend HartsvilleToday as a place to put some of these stories that can be told for our community and some of the stories that you might imagine if we don't continue to pay attention to positive growth in our community.

Economic Development Meeting is about survival

There is a task force that is working on the question of Economic Development for the city of Hartsville. This is a fairly large task force and we just had a meeting on Monday, which was a good way to start August.

It is always a bit exciting to discuss the things that might come to be with a focused effort. Always, the students at Coker, the students at GSSM, the students at HHS when asked what we need in Hartsville say CHICK FIL A and we spent a good bit of discussion time wondering how to gain some attention from those who establish new Chick-Fil-A operations around the Southeast.

And, we also spent some time reminding ourselves that Hartsville has a strong base from which to work on these questions. When you compare the Hartsville downtown to other small-city downtowns around the state you can see there is a foundation. And, as a foundation you can then notice that people will and do invest their money in their dreams for prosperity in Hartsville. Frogmores, for example, just opened a fine-dinging establishment. A few weeks ago a new jewelry store opened its doors in our downtown. The weekend brings activities, like Hartsville Idol, which will have a rare two-night event this Friday and Saturday.

These new businesses and activities add to the businesses and activities that have made Hartsville different from other towns our size. And, as the Mayor mentioned during this meeting, a quick drive through other small towns will quickly show you why we see such potential in Hartsville. But, without those who have dreams of what can prosper Hartsville can quickly become those small, getting-smaller towns that dot the landscape all over the South and all over America. Economic development is an activity that needs our constant attention as community builders. Taking advantage of the uniqueness that is our small city is also something that will help keep those dreamers coming and keep the dreamers who have invested thinking about expanding in this city. So, if you ever think, "I wonder how I can help?" a great way is to visit and buy at a Hartsville business and then find those who are working on ideas and add some of your own input. Enhancing quality of life in small communities is a daily chore.

What are some metrics to great places to live?

As we talk about finding ways to make Hartsville, South Carolina, one of the best places in the world in which to live we try to keep up with the 'competition' that is identified through things like 100 Best Places articles. This article in MONEY lists some of the best small cities. Okay, so if you read the article, you find out that this is not the ballpark that a Small city the size of Hartsville can compete in but it seems that if you are going to make a livable city list and be competitive, you have to know what they have.



http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/100-best-places-to-live-in-america-2010-edition

Dan Edelman’s 10 Principles for Success

Dan Edelman’s 10 Principles for Success

One of the courses I really enjoy teaching is Public Relations and we have a couple of ways we teach that. One of the significant portions of the Marketing Communication course that I teach includes public relations. And, occasionally I get to teach the Principles of Public Relations Course and regularly we teach Public Relations Writing.

Dan Edelman is one of the PR professionals I looked up to in my formative public relations years. His agency was once one of the most resptected independent Public Relations firms in the business. I believe we should learn from some of these guiding lights and the 10 success principles that were released as part of the celebration of his 90th birthday are, I believe, valuable ideas for thinking about key behaviors in business and life. Were I teaching the class now, I would be sharing this article with students. Since we are on the summer break it is nice to be able to share via the blog.

Is the US the only nation with a birthday?

July 4th is almost upon us.

We celebrate the birth of this country we call the United States of America. I do love living here and have an almost impossible time conceiving of living in any other country. And, one of the things I have noticed in my limited travels in other parts of the world is that many people have that same feeling for the place they view as their homeland. Apparently, for many in our race of humans, we are hardwired with an attachment for home.

That could be one major reason why those who founded this country back in the 1770s faced so much dissension as they tried to persuade people independence was THE solution. It was, after all, a minority who wanted their total independence from the motherland of England. South Carolina did have Francis Marion but we also had one of the most vocal population of loyalists in the colonial land.

The celebration of the birth of our nation is a time for celebrating and, as Americans we have a special form of nationalism and patriotism -- reminding ourselves with eye-popping fireworks, patriotic, martial music how much we love our country. Maybe, as a friend said, we are a bit more demonstrative in the "love" of country than others (at least until World Cup) because our country is so relatively young. It seems to me good to remember that while other peoples don't always make the same display many also love their homelands. In 1969, on July 3 at a place called Go Noi Island in the Republic of Viet Nam I was reminded of that fact. It was there where a booby trap (IED in today's parlance) provided me and several others of my Marine platoon with our own personal fire work. I know that today, somewhere in Afghanistan and maybe Iraq, the same thing has happened to other Marines and soldiers.

As we celebrate our Nation's independence on July 4, 2010, we have Americans and allied fighting forces in places like Iraq, and in villages, towns and provinces of a place we call Afghanistan, on the border between North and South Korea and so many many other locations around the globe facing people who are also willing to die for their beliefs,their ways of life, their homelands.War is a complex endeavor and should never, ever be an easy choice.

I see by the headlines in today's paper more troops are leaving South Carolina for war. The past few days I have walked by my neighbor who is just home from his second recent war tour. I hope we all continue to not only thank them for their service but ask those who make the plans and the policy to ensure there is reason for them there and that we have the resources and will to support for decades after they return.Sometimes wars end, but memories of war go to the grave.

Our Youth are such a strong asset in this country

All the time I am hearing stories about the youth of America that emphasize things not good. And, being the Pollyanna I am, I wonder where these people who tell those stories so incessantly live. I generally see Youth doing fantastic things and this week and next in Hartsville we have concrete evidence.

Today is Friday, June 25, 2010. The temperature is hovering between 94 and 101 as I write these words from an air-conditioned office. And, as I write 118 high school students and about 40 advisors are over on Heatly Drive in Hartsville erecting three (3) Habitat for Humanity homes. I tell you when you watch two young girls helped by two young guys lift a wall and put it in place you have a perspective on youth that burns into your gut. That happened just a few minutes ago and will happen all afternoon. The kids are leading the effort. The kids are doing they work. They are supervised, but the leadership is obviously student centered. Amy, whom I had the chance to meet is 17 a co-chair this year. "I can't wait until next year, when I can be the chair of the project," she said. She is a rising senior at her high school.

Here is the note Mark Haenchen, executive director of the Darlington County Habitat for Humanity sent out earlier this week about the project:

Hartsville is about to be invaded by Severna Park, Maryland's WoodsWork. A group of 120 youth and 42 advisors are coming to build 3 Habitat homes and finish a 4th home started by UUCC last week. They will be here one week, then their college age allumni will be here (32 of them) to put siding and sheetrock on the homes.
To imagine the size of this group, they would fill our movie theater. It takes half a semi truck load of food to feed them, and they are ordering 80 large pizza's for dinner the evening they arrive.
Construction of the homes will begin Friday at 1211 Myrtle St. and all along Heatley Dr. between Arbor Dr. and Security Dr. Come out and watch this crew in action. It is amazing what these high school students can do in a week.

Habitat a magnet for volunteers

Habitat for Humanity of Darlington County has one of the most active building programs in South Carolina and maybe in the country. Mark Hanechen, executive director, reports that this week Hartsville is going to be invaded by a force of more than 120 high school students from Maryland helping to build three more houses and finish a fourth that was begun last week by students from the Unitarian United Church of Charlotte. Here is part of Mark's note about this group coming to Hartsville:

Hartsville is about to be invaded by Severna Park, Maryland's WoodsWork. A group of 120 youth and 42 advisors are coming to build 3 Habitat homes and finish a 4th home started by UUCC last week. They will be here one week, then their college-age alumni will be here (32 of them) to put siding and sheetrock on the homes.
To imagine the size of this group, they would fill our movie theater. It takes half a semi truck load of food to feed them, and they are ordering 80 large pizza's for dinner the evening they arrive


The Hartsville First Presbyterian has also committed to building a Habitat house and this group, which provides homes for people who will put in the time to help in the building and some funds to buy the home makes homeowners of people who otherwise might not have been able to BUY.

Check out Darlington County Habitat for Humanity, their resale store, and all of the projects they have ongoing.

Community Garden

In an earlier post I commented on the Hartsville Community Garden that has been started as the brain child of Nancy Myers and moved forward with her energy and the assistance of a significant number of people. This photo link will take you to a web show of how this miracle is producing

Going the Distance with Kendyl Seawright / CokerCobras.com

Going the Distance with Kendyl Seawright / CokerCobras.com

this is a blog posting from Kendyl, one of Coker's cross country runners and a very familiar runner around Hartsville because she is on the road so much at many different times of the day that lots of people who drive by really do feel like they know her. Kendyl, who is from New Jersey, is staying in Hartsville this summer and this is an interesting story of one workout.

Primary election day and most say, "What?"

...and those who are not saying what are often saying, "what's the use," and that leaves often a minority of us voting. In his weekly blog today, Rich Hardwood discusses some of the antipathy of voters. In addition, he gives an idea or two about how to start reversing this antipathy. It is his idea that sparked the thought of this post.

Harwood says we need to do something disruptive to the the business as usual. He then says we need to take that narrative and get people to hear it, to discuss it and to think how they can become part of the positive disruption.

I am a bit of a polyanna but I was thinking that Hartsville has a variety of narratives that are disruptive to the 'business as usual' types of activities that are angering voters here and around the country. We have some narratives that need to get more of a hearing.

Narratives like the Team Foxes Learning Academy -- an effort by the Hartsville Middle School partially funded by a grant from The Byerly Foundation to help turn around students who have a history of not succeeding in school.

Or, in another vein it could be the individual and team effort that is going into the production of the Hartsville Idol event on summer Saturday evenings in downtown Hartsville. A few thousand enjoyed the event this past Saturday.

The narrative could be a combination of stories of people in the Hartsville community like Nancy Myers and Teresa Mack, who make things happen like the Hartsville Community Market and the growing Community Garden or the South Hartsville Community Association.

And, the narrative might be the amazing work being done in the Darlington County community with very active of building Habitat for Humanity for homes. Now we have multiple homes going up regularly when only a couple of years ago it was one or so a year.The idea for narratives can go on but you can begin to see there are disruptions to the status quo and these "disruptions" can give us something to continue building on as we start setting forth a vision to put Hartsville at the top of the list of small cities that people want to live in.

Terrance Herrington Track Dedicated

And, the dedication ceremony was a tribute to Terrance Herrington, one of the most skilled and successful athletes to come from Hartsville. And, the dedication was a tribute to Hartsville. I find it a bit difficult to put into words but the feelings of pride in their home town from those who spoke this morning were a testament or testimony to how people make things happen for people.

The roster of speakers says something about the event. Mayor Mel Pennington kicked off the event, which was a tribute to the City for honoring one of the most successful athletes to come from Hartsville. (Look at the photo of the plaque for some of the reasons why.) Anthony James -- in many memories one of the most successful running backs and track stars of Hartsville fame; Danny Nicholson, another fast moving trackster, now VP of Development at Carson Newman College; Dr. Jimmy Bell, one of the most successful quarterbacks to guide Hartsville, Jay Lucas, another successful Hartsville athlete and hard working S.C. Representative and Gerald Malloy, Senator from Hartsville, who had the initial idea of naming the track at Byerly Park for the runner who was once the fastest in the state, fastest in the country and competing for fastest in the world. Also speaking, though he was out of the country, was Paul Rogers, who coached and trained Terrance in his formative years, and who was a Hartsville and Duke University track star.

There was a great story in the MESSENGER that announced this event and I hope many read it. And, there were inspirational elements in each of the short talks this morning but the message of accepting your blessing and making the most of the gift came through loud and clear -- for all of us in the audience. Dream, hope,and then work to make the hope real and the dreams come alive was one of my takeaways from this impressive event. (Thanks to all who made the morning's tribute such a success.)

Team Foxes Learning Academy Honors Achievements

It was a bit emotional to view. A seventh grade student called up to present flowers to a homeroom teacher calmly took the microphone. Then, he turned to face the seventh grade teaching team. 'I want to thank you for the way you helped me deal with my problems and learn to deal with people.' You can see a single quote mark, because I wasn't taking notes. His message was one of appreciation and was most impressive because seventh grade boys don't regularly make demonstrations of appreciation. His gesture was heart felt and it was a gesture of someone who had felt true support in his school life. he quickly went back to his script and presented the homeroom teacher the flowers but that was a powerful moment.

The Team FOXES Learning Academy is a program that began with eighth graders in 2008 and has been expanded to sixth, seventh and eight graders with support of the Darlington County School Board and a significant grant from the Byerly Foundation. The story referenced above appears to be representative of some of the major strides this program is making in helping students get back on track for school success in these Middle School Years. The hope of the Byerly Foundation when the Board approved the three-year grant for about $1.5 million was that this would be a program that could help students turn around their feeling for school. The honors program on Thursday night made it feel like that is happening.

How do you protect the "Urge within?"

One of the things on my mind much of the time when thinking about community building is how to continue my own personal motivation for making a difference and how to spark and sustain that motivation in others.

Today, the Harwood Institute put out a small video slice from Rich Harwood about the importance of this "urge within" and I did want to share that through this blog.

Just the other day there was a meeting of a economic task force, sub group, interest group -- for the city. I put down all the names someone might call it. As I sat listening to the people involved I was again amazed at all of the people adding their talents to help make Hartsville an even greater place. There were many other places most of them could have been but they were around the table using their talents and creativity to think about how to make Hartsville better. We are fortunate in Hartsville that we still have a great many people who will work to help make a difference. If a community is going to grown -- you all are needed to make it happen.

How to promote your town using real-life stories | Article | Homepage articles

About two years ago we built some of the "Selling Hartsville" program around stories that were told by people who moved to and/or lived in our great Hartsville city. Stacie Fields was working as an intern at the Byerly Foundation and wrote several of these stories. I figure there are lots of stories out there that can give credence to the story we tell about Hartsville as a place for pleasant surprises. This article is a case history from the a larger city in Canada that used this strategy:


How to promote your town using real-life stories | Article | Homepage articles

Community building is about consensus building and consensus is in generally short supply in the current environment at nearly every level of government. On Sunday THE STATE newspaper of Columbia had two articles that I noticed discussing the need for coming together. The first was an editorial by Cindy Ross Scoppe about the candidacy of Vincent Sheheen for governor of South Carolina. The other article was by David Gergen,called HOW MUCH GOVERNMENT. The article was a back-page column in PARADE magazine. He discussed the metaphorical daggers that everyone seems to be bringing to political and problem-solving discussions. He made a good point about not being able to solve problems when facing daggers. While I am on the other side when it comes to government, Gergen had important things to say about the discussion process. Just thought it would be good to note some of this very important food for thought.

http://www.thestate.com/2010/05/09/1277538/scoppe-tackling-big-issues-seeking.html#RSS=Cindi%20Scoppe

Community Foundation Sparks Disaster Relief Fund

The tornadoes from a week or so ago in Darlington County were the spark for a new fund at the Eastern Carolinas Community Foundation, which serves the Pee Dee. The fund and a way to expand the fund was developed after former Mayor Frank Willis of Florence talked with Susan Bankston of the ECCF to see if the Community Foundation could help with relief efforts in Darlington County. I am attaching an email that announced to the ECCF board that the fund had been established and that the Darlington Raceway had agreed to allow the fund raising:

It’s official, race fans!! We have established the Disaster Relief Fund and put $2,500 in it. Thanks for your voting responses.

Hats off to Paul DeMarco for giving us 5 hours today to make money collection at the race tomorrow a reality. Not only did he go to bat for us by cold calling raceway officials yesterday, but he received permission for volunteers to stand with buckets just inside the entry gates for collection purposes. THIS IS AN EXCEPTION they are making for us!!

So this morning, Paul and I have been to Darlington and Lowe’s and have put together the buckets w/ our identification. We are in the process of finding volunteers to man the buckets/gates and are hopeful that Boy Scout troops in Florence and Darlington counties will help us tomorrow. I have had three conversations already today regarding scout availability, and Paul is taking it from here. He is even returning early from a family trip tomorrow in order to be at the raceway and coordinate the volunteer effort. Thank you, thank you, Paul!

Please help us spread the word. If you have friends or relatives attending tomorrow, remind them that the ECCF will have tornado relief buckets inside most of the gates and would appreciate donations of any amount. Who knows………………we are probably setting ourselves apart as the first community foundation ever to have a collection process in place at a NASCAR race!

Gentlemen (and ladies), start your engines,
Susan

Susan B. Bankson
Executive Director
Eastern Carolina Community Foundation
234 West Cheves Street
Florence, SC 29501
843-667-1131
Susan@easterncarolinacf.org
For Good. For Ever.

Clayton Richardson -- Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award Winner

This past Saturday, Coker College presented Clayton Richardson of Hartsville with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for service to community. I have known Clayton for many years and have been impressed by his zeal to help make Hartsville one of the best places to liven anywhere - for ANYONE. Clayton was one of the founders of a group that still meets in Hartsville called PEOPLE TO PEOPLE. The purpose of this group was to provide a place where people could discuss issues within the community across all the artificial barriers from race to position that are part of a community. The fact that People to People has continued meeting is a testament to the persistence that Clayton brings to helping solve problems and face issues in our community. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and came back to live in Hartsville after his Air Force years were complete. While Mr. Richardson does go to meetings, his primary purpose is helping to get things done. A week or so ago when the Great American Clean Up was happening -- he was there -- picking up litter (bags of it). Clayton is a doer. He is a believer that working together communities can accomplish great things. He is one of the persons I consistently look toward as example for what it means to be a community builder. Coker's recognition of Clayton Richardson with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award brings as much honor to Coker as it does to Clayton.
(Photo caption: Dr. Joe Rubenstein, education professor, looks over the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award being held by Clayton Richardson (left).

Hartsville, S.C. Cosmopolitan and Eclectic

From barbecue on the grill to gospel in the park, to canoes and kayaks on the lake to love letters on the stage, to a marketplace along the way, to graduation in front of Davidson, to Old Timers frolicking, to scene-setting blue jeans this last day of April and first days of May have something for just about everyone in Hartsville, SC.

Check Hartsville Downtown Development
Check Hartsville Chamber of Commerce
Check City of Hartsville
Check Coker College of Hartsville
Check Facebook OUR HARTSVILLE
Check Hartsville Community Players
Check Good Living Marketplace
Check Darlington County Tourism

Where do you find this much happening in cities even twice or four times Hartsville's size? And it all takes people who are committed to making their home the best possible place to live!

Good Living Marketplace in Hartsville

The Good Living Marketplace is going strong in Hartsville, South Carolina, where we like to say we celebrate "The Art of Good Living." The Good Living Marketplace, which has been growing for more than a year in the city's downtown, shows how people can come together when they find the "sweet spot" of concern or delight and make things happen. Nancy Myers got with Judy Elvington of the Hartsville Downtown Development Association and made the Good Living Marketplace happen and it keeps happening, bringing 'Pleasant Surprises' for all who attend every month.

It was beautiful out there today. The booths were a mix of vendors and non profits, the weather could not have been more beautiful, the HHS Jazz Band was adding the music and it was another great event in a town that is maybe too used to great events.

Also in town this week was the Southeastern Baseball Classic. This tournament has been going on for 14 years in Hartsville and this year there were teams four or five states along with two South Carolina teams. Jim Money, who has been working with the classic for longer than he has been director of Darlington County Tourism, said that he estimates conservatively that the teams and fans accounted for somewhere between $75,000 and $100,000 economic impact.

Often I have the opportunity of being in meetings to discuss the economic development of our area and there are many who believe we could become a tourist destination. We have a downtown unique in that it still has a cohesiveness that has been lost in cities and towns across this nation. And, Hartsville gets more than its share of visitors because of the efforts of the volunteers who put on events like the Southeastern Baseball Classic and Hartsville Idol, and Jazz Carolina and RenoFest and this list could go on and on. But, there is something missing. i think it would be interesting to have some further community discussions about what it is that might be missing.

Community building through community gardening

Several weeks ago Nancy Myers told me of an exciting idea that she not only had percolating but that she had already started executing. That idea is the construction of a community garden for the Hartsville area that will assist people in growing their own vegetables and maybe even enough produce to also sell at the Hartsville Good Living Marketplace. It is one of those ideas that makes so much sense you wonder why such an place has not been in Hartsville forever. Well, it is now coming.

There is a great story about the garden on SC Now.com that talks about a variety of groups, including Nancy and her grand children, who cleaned up the garden spot this past Sunday.

From a community building perspective this is one of those projects on which so much comes together. You have a person with an idea who is not afraid to ask others about helping to implement. You have "others" who understand the benefits and say Yes. And, then, because you have a "sweet spot" things move. Many people in Hartsville will be enjoying produce from this garden spot this year.

Country Driving talks about community, page after page, after page

Might observe that the last thing I expected when I downloaded COUNTRY DRIVING, A JOURNEY THROUGH CHINA FROM FARM TO FACTORY was a book about community building. And, I am not sure what Peter Hessler would think of my describing his new book this way but it is full of observations about community and particularly communities in change. You will find that link taking you to a book review by a professional book reviewer (Jonathan Taylor) and you may want to take that route. Hessler writes for THE NEW YORKER.

My thought as I picked out this read/listen was that I would learn a little about some Chinese geography that I could never have found in other ways. I did, but this book is so much more. Hessler use country driving as the vehicle for discussing the profound changes that have taken place and are taking place in China. At times as I listened I was thinking, this is how it must have been in the USA in the late 1800s and early twentieth century but it really is not. The millions of people that Hessler describes as moving from village to city are not immigrants -- they are Chinese. The millions of people he describes as having cities built right around their small little village are all Chinese -- though he notes they don't exactly see themselves that way. I found this book fascinating because Hessler, like Thomas Friedman, has a knack for telling a big story through individual persons and when you hear the story of the person, you feel the story of a people.

This is one of those books that can open discussions along many tracks. For example, did you know that 2009 was the first year that automobile sales in China exceeded automobile sales in the USA. And, as you read Hessler's book you will begin to notice that that isn't a useless factoid. And, do you have any idea where your recyclables are ending up? Hessler will tell you where, who and how. And, did you know ever really understand that the number of children you have is not up to you -- unless you decide it is up to you -- and are willing to pay the fine.

China change now seems to be almost the norm but after driving with Hessler for a couple of years you have to wonder how the Chinese psyche is adapting to the cataclysmic shift of culture that the Great Wall was erected to protect against.

This may not be a review that gives you great insight into the book but I think you will find the book giving you a thrist for more insight into how China is not only coping but is apparently succeeding in creating a new society with guanjo (favors) and a far too many cigarettes.

This really is a book about community building.

Hartsville Community Building in fun ways

Nancy Myers started the Good Living Marketplace a little more than a year ago and this Saturday there will be another gathering of people in downtown Hartsville (rain or shine). This Marketplace, coming in February, is at the mercy of the weather but we have been pretty fortunate with weather. The Satuday (2-6-10) them is "Souper Bowl Saturday" Cook-off? Cook-off participants will be local restaurants.

When I talk with Nancy Myers I always get charged up about the difference one person can make. She was discussing a new project that will be allied with the Marketplace. It turns out that in our area we do not have that many "produce" farmers. Now, there are some notable produce producers and they did exhibit at the marketplace but we are not overwhelmed. She has found a potential site for a community garden spot that will allow people in Hartsville to get some small plots on which they will be able to plant produce that they will then be able to sell. She has even found some volunteers who will help prepare the entire garden. This is going to be interesting as it unfolds.

We have to believe that there are lots more projects like this one that can be realized one upon the other so that we are able to build a critical mass of hope as we work to make Hartsville into one of the best communities to live.

Connecting or reconnecting with People

Rich Harwood just published his regular weekly blog and he is talking about four ideas for President Obama's State of of the Union speech that will be Wednesday night. Rich talks about the importance of real people in real communities who are right now are wanting to feel authentic Hope. He is talking about how the President might be able to ignite some of that hope.

Right here in Hartsville, SC, we are looking for that same Hope that Rich refers to when he references places like Detroit and Lansing, places he has held recent Public Innovator workshops. There are many community builders in Hartsville who know how important hope is to our community. One thing we have been able to preserve in our community is some authentic hope.
1) We have had a recent city election and a new, young Mayor has been elected and he has a goal of pulling Hartsville together. When you talk to Mayor Pennington he will tell you that his campaign changed him. When he announced his candidacy it was because he wanted to be mayor of this small city. While running for office he learned on a daily basis how much people in this small community both need help and need focus for their community concerns. He is working to connect the people to the way things are done so that things will get accomplished.
2) Early last week the Chamber of Commerce held a meeting with a great many real estate agents in Hartsville as part of their effort for carrying forward the Selling Hartsville campaign. To have that many people taking time to learn even more about the community than they already know shows the resources we have available for change.
3) Last Thursday the Chamber held their annual dinner and again it was evident the support in this small city for moving forward. The banquet was well attended. Gordon McBride, a person who has been working for decades to help make Hartsville an ever better city, was named Rotary Citizen of the Year. Gordon has worked with all areas to continue improving the community and he is an outstanding example of why we can and do have hope for continuing to make Hartsville an even greater place to live.

People are working with people in Hartsville. Is there more that we can do? Is there more that we must do to bring this community together? The answer there is a resounding YES. Can we bring about the changes needed? We have people who know about the importance of planning and putting forth stretch goals. We have people who have worked the plans they have developed who have experience in making good things happen. We can make positive change come alive. We also understand that this will only happen with people connecting with people.

Muhuru Bay, Kenya Collaboration in action

My daughter, a community psychologist, is currently working on a specific community building project in Muruhu Bay, Kenya. Last summer she set up a research project to identify some of the key issues and she is now working with community groups, especially churches, to come up with programs that may lead to some ways of stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS among young girls. This post includes her most recent blog about this effort. She is working with the Duke Global Health Initiative in the WISER program, which just opened a school for girls in Muhuru Bay.

Community Building Resources in unlikely places

Mitch Albom is on fire as an author and his newest best seller is titled have a little faith - a true story(sic). Honestly, this was the last place I thought I would be getting thoughts on community building. But, I encountered a pleasant and interesting surprise as I read this book about the rekindling of faith, much of it about the author's meetings over the past eight years with his "Reb."p

Toward the end of the book (a quick read of less than a day) there is a discussion about a special reunion-honor service for Rabbi Albert Lewis, who had led his congregation for six decades. The Rabbi and the author, whom the Rabbi had asked to do the eulogy at his funeral, were discussing the turnout and celebration. I am going to quote part of what he wrote so you read what I mean about community-building thinking; This quote begins on page 223: " "I tell you," the Reb said, shaking his head as if in disbelief, there were people who hadn't seen one another in years. "And when I saw them hugging and kissing like such long lost friends -- I cried, I cried. To see what we had created together. It is something incredible."
"Incredible? My old Temple? That small place of Sabbath mornings and funny holidays and kids hopping out of cars and running into religious school? Incredible? The word seemed too lofty. But when the Reb pushed his hands together, almost prayer-like, and whispered, "Mitch, don't you see? We have made a community," and I considered his aging face, his slumped shoulders, the sixty years he had devoted tirelessly to teaching, listening, trying to make us better people, well, given the way the world is going, maybe incredible is the right description." (223-224)

Rabbi Al stayed with his Temple for more than sixty years. Rabbi Al was a leader with a vision and energy, and caring and compassion and knowledge and more -- portraying many of those traits and characteristics we need if we are going to build effective communities.

Even for those who have a problem with "faith" this is a good read. In fact, it might be those of us with that problem who will get the most from what feels to me like a very practical book for today's world.

Judi Elvington -- Imagination, Execution & Service

Judi Elvington officially retired from her position as Executive Director of the Hartsville Downtown Development Association as we began this new year. She served in her job for 19 years and during her time we saw some great things happen to downtown Hartsville. She was in her job as the downtown was totally revisioned. She worked hard to make many of those things happen and was an active member of the team that helped Hartsville win the All America City designation in 1996. Judi provided years of service that were filled with really good ideas and strong execution and to this day we talk about the importance of downtown to the GROWTH of this community. Here is a blurb about the retirement party that was held for Judi on Thursday evening from the "Our Hartsville" (Jana Longfellow) write up:

Our Hartsville
Hartsville Downtown Development Association honored Judi Elvington tonight(Thursday, January 14) at BCAC for her 19 years of service to the downtown businesses, and the community at large.

Several presentations were made, including the South Carolina Downtown Development Association, The City of Hartsville, and the HDDA Board of Directors.

The following article published in November highlights her career and the awards she helped to win in Hartsville.

http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/article/elvington_to_retire_in_december/87985/
Location: Black Creek Arts Center 116 W. College Avenue, Hartsville



Judi is one of many people who the community has called on to lead our community. One of the strengths of this city is the willingness of many people to step out and accept the challenges of change and growth for our small, cosmopolitan city. We need these leaders.