Sonoco announces major investment

News was exciting to read yesterday as Sonoco announced its intention to invest more than $100 million in new infrastructure (biomass-fed boiler) at the Hartsville plant site.

We have to be in the Future Business

Am currently reading a new book by former President Clinton and the one line that is the theme of the book is the need for us to be in the future business.

Almost every day in Hartsville I am talking with someone about how we can grow our small city of Hartsville and why we need to grow our small city of Hartsville. The answer is that We have to be in the future business. A couple of days ago I met the Mayor who was having a late lunch and we talked about this idea of being in the future business by reflecting on some of what we are seeing today --

In Hartsville we need to be in the future business and we are fortunate that there are those within our area who are working to help Hartsville move to that future. We need more of those efforts and people behind those efforts. There are businesses and people who are not in our community who often tell those who are seeking to build that we are too old, too small, too isolated. But, much like our small, private college that has been home in this community for more than 100 years (we find if they visit they often catch the vision.) Word is there is a developer who is working aggressively to find a way to make a new hotel a reality. Word is that the Winn Dixie store will not be vacant for much longer. Eyesight tells you that First Citizens sees the future of Hartsville with their new bank, which is right across from Heritage Community Bank, which is just about right across from a modern office building that is soon to become the home of the Malloy Law Firm. Senator Malloy and his staff are looking forward to taking possession of this state-of-the-art office.

Those offices show proof that people in Hartsville are in the future business. And, when speaking of financial institutions in that business we should not forget that Wachovia is now Wells Fargo with an enlivened presence in downtown Hartsville and during a resurgence of downtown a few years back SPC Credit Union set the standard in future thinking. Mutual Savings is not exactly downtown but their thoroughly remodeled building was a forerunner of some of the current growth.

There is real proof that Hartsville is in the future business and word is that some additional formal announcements coming this week from the big company in town will underline some of this discussion.

And, when you really want to look at being in the Future Business the Governor's School for Science and Math could be the new Standard Bearer. How great was it to see an ad in the Sunday paper looking for new, high-quality faculty members to fill NEW positions at the expanding school. GSSM is creating jobs in Hartsville whose main goal is teaching some of the best and brightest high-school age students that South Carolina has to offer-- our FUTURE.

Just up Second Avenue from GSSM, Coker College is continuing on planned growth path that is adding new programs, (the recently announced Masters Degree in College-Sports Management for example); new students, new faculty and a growing commitment of partnership with its host community. This is being in the future business.

Being in the future business is hard work that requires nerve, energy, investment, vision, leadership and collaboration. Being in the future business means pulling together, creating a team ready and willing to build. Being in the future business means listening and then MAYBE, responding with something like -- How could we make that happen -- rather than, No, no way that can work.

Look at the resources we have in this community. As we move close to this new year let's all work to remind ourselves that if we are going to have the tomorrows we want, we have to be in the future business today.


(author's musing -- Hope some of that makes sense. I am going to look at it as sort of a first draft because there are lots of things I have left out and probably many things that still need saying. Guess it goes without saying that I would love to have some of your thoughts and comments as we all work to make Hartsville one of the best places in the world in which to live, work, study and play.)

STATE Newspaper has excellent story on Charlie Coker

Charlie Coker is one of the business legends in South Carolina. Here The State newspaper provides an interesting overview of a long career building a company and a community. Charlie's efforts continue today. I think you will enjoy reading this story from The State newspaper on the influence Charles W. Coker has had on the State of South Carolina, Sonoco and Hartsville.

How does a small community create jobs?

One of the major questions that some people in Hartsville have been discussing over the past several months is "How does a smaller community like Hartsville engage in economic development and create needed jobs."

One idea that is being discussed is finding a way to infuse more new and niche businesses into the Hartsville retail community, taking advantage of the amazing downtown ambiance that many of us seem to take so much for granted. But, as this idea is being discussed, we also hear of some of those same nice, niche, new businesses that we have considering closing their doors because business is just not good enough to pay the bills.

In fact, one of our major communication businesses is moving from their home and for a number of weeks they had problems finding a location in the rental-price range they were needing to pay.

So, as this question of how to create jobs is being discussed, one idea is that we find a large retail space in downtown that could be subdivided into smaller stores that could give a new business enough space to create their "SPACE" while keeping rent low enough to be affordable for a start-up enterprise. If you were going to give a name to such a business, it would probably be incubator -- at least that is what Mayor Pennington calls this space when he is thinking about what might work. A retail incubator could be an idea with merit. There are certainly some major questions. How would a building owner recoup investment? Would it be possible to add to the downtown-loft apartments that have been built the past couple of years and get enough rent from those to make some money on the building, which might now even be able to get enough retail floor rent to pay bills. Would a public passage from the parking lots on College Avenue to the store fronts on Carolina Avenue be a incentive for more shopping in the downtown. Would such a building area be available at price that could make the dream a possibility.

There are many people I have spoken with who say they would like to open a business but looking at space costs of more than $800 a month give them a great deal of pause. But, they would love to be in a downtown area that looks like Hartsville's downtown -- if they could afford it.

So, this might be one idea for creating opportunities for people to open new businesses in Hartsville. And, new businesses can create jobs. What other ideas are there for creating jobs in a community like Hartsville?

"Old Geezer" is nearly a month into eight year of not missing a day of running

He’s one of the fastest old geezers you are ever going to know

For the past 2,570+ days Robbie McLendon has been pounding the pavement for at least three miles and in the past three days he has logged 47 miles, including a marathon distance of 26.2 miles. For those who are not much into math, or even basic arithmetic, that is seven years without missing a day as of August 29, 2011. The 56-year-old self-proclaimed “old Geezer” is on a streak of every day running that puts him in some rare company. Robbie is not only consistent, he is fast. He is fast not just for a 56-year-old, he is fast. This past March, at the 2011 Myrtle Beach Marathon he finished in 3:11:4, placing 65th among more than 3000 runners.

Is there a reason for all this running?
So, what is it that will make someone keep running and running and running. “Welllllll,” said Robbie who was trying to come up with a reason, “If I do it every day, I don’t have to worry about starting back.” In our current era when obesity is a major health concern in the American population and chronic illness like diabetes sidelines hosts of people from active living, Robbie knows he does not want to there…again.
Exercise as a life style
In this age when we have a culture fighting against obesity, chronic illness and disease and a sedentary, sit-in-front-of-the-screen lifestyle, Robbie McLendon shows there are other ways to live.
Daily running streak began in 2004
The running streak began August 29, 2004 about three days after he got out of the hospital with a high blood sugar count that almost put him in a coma. He has always been active and at another time in his life, in his 30s, he was a runner. Back in 1986 he ran a 2:40:05 marathon and finished the famous Charleston “Bridge Run” in 34:45 for the 10-K (6.2 mile) event. He knew what it was like to be in shape. He knew what it was like to be super healthy but then things like work began to take the toll on working out. He was employed with Wellman Industries outside of Darlington. “It was a good job, paid well and was challenging. But, it was not unusual to work 12 and 13 hour days and not get home until midnight or after.” The running and exercising became something he used to do, not something he did.

Eye-opening hospital stay
That day in August 2004 it caught up to him. At the time he was hospitalized, Robbie says he was about 240 pounds and he was carrying most of it in stomach. “I have a small frame, so that was a lot of weight in the middle,” he said. He decided a change was needed and went out for a run and that first run went three miles. He did not record the time but he remembers it being 10 or 11 minutes a mile. He jotted the time and the distance down in a journal and that journal is still where he keeps the daily running record.

One day, then another, then another
The August 29 run led to the August 30 run to the August 31 run and before he knew it, Robbie had a year of running without missing a day. “I started back running to lose the weight, to get back being healthy and it worked,” reflected Robbie as he thought back to that first year. “Then it became a competition and I did not want to stop.”

Running for health
Today, Robbie weighs in at about 160 pounds. He has been off insulin for years and his blood-sugar chemistry is where both he and his doctors like it to be. Once he beat the illness he found he had developed a new drive. Turns out that Robbie is not only a runner, he is one of the most active physical fitness gurus around. His daily workouts at the Hartsville Family YMCA include heavy weight training, usually 30 to 45-minutes ab work, and even occasional classes in P90-X or some of the other programs that are popular. In 2008 it became a little easier for him to expand his workouts as he lost his job with the closing of Wellman. There were not a lot of other jobs available at the time. He didn’t sit around; he got into even better shape. Several months ago he did land a part-time job at the Hartsville Y as a building manager. That is afternoon and night hours and it doesn’t get in the way of his runs his lifting or one of his new-found enjoyments – Yoga. “I started yoga in P-90 X and it not only helps me stretch better, I find it relaxing.”
"Have to run faster..."
And, relaxing is not an adjective that you often hear associated with the old Geezer, who this past week recorded 77 running miles in the journal as he gets ready for the Savannah Rock and Roll Marathon that will be run in November. And, relaxing is not something you associate with someone whose September 22 Facebook post described a workout day that included three (3) mile repeats, 4-200 meter repeats, 10-100 meter repeats…all with a resistance parachute strapped to his back. He uses that type of resistance and repeat training to build up other muscle groups that he hopes will aid him in his continuing quest to win, not just place, in the race.
He loves the thrill of the chase
The old Geezer competes just about every weekend. If he hears there is a starting line and a finish line he is on his way. “Lately, a 52-year old from Sumter has been beating me and I want to get him. I really do love the competition.” His major goal now is to run the Savannah Marathon in 3:05 or less. “I think I can do it,” he says with jaw-set determination. He will continue his 70+ miles a week training for another couple of weeks before he begins his tapering down process where he will reduce those miles to 50 or 60 as the race gets closer.

Easier to run than to stop
On those long runs he does often wonder why he is doing it. He says even today, with all these miles behind and so many yet to go, “It is a love hate type of relationship. I do like the way it makes me feel but it is always hard getting started but then I hate to stop.”

Writer note: I included this story in the Community Building blog because I think people who are doing notable things in our community are examples of how we continue building community. A community of runners and exercisers has been established in our Hartsville area and Robbie McLendon is right in the center of that community. Would love to have you post some of your "Robbie" snippets to this blog.

Hartsville in the news

The Oakdale Neighborhood has long been an important part of the city of Hartsville. For decades the majority of the residents worked at the Milliken textile mill and the Mill Village moniker was part of the lore of Oakdale. The mill went the way of of the American textile industry -- away.

In the mill's place is one of the testaments to South Carolina's creativity, ingenuity and cooperation -- the South Carolina residential Governor's School for Science, Mathematics and Technology. The school is home to some of South Carolina' brightest high school students, who spend their junior and senior years in Hartsville preparing to become tomorrow's leaders. Next to the GSSM is Oakdale, again in the shadow of a crucial Hartsville institution.

Oakdale is currently the focus of some redevelopment and some of that is noted this evening in a story on WMBF's web site and television station. And, the city has put in a grant that would give an even bigger lift to this neighborhood if it is awarded. These are things that bring communities back to life and that we call home. This is another and the city is fortunate that one of America's Marine Corps warriors,who worked civil affairs in tours of Iraq and Afghanistan is leading the effort.

Rebuilding a sense of community is priority

This past weekend Coker College joined in the Service Day that was part of the commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001. Nearly 300 students and a few faculty and staff headed off to work on a variety of service oriented programs from cleaning up school yards to painting at a Boys and Girls' Club. Coker College is working hard on a goal of building even stronger community with Hartsville, the host community of the college for these past 100-plus years.

And, at lunch this noon in a conversation with Hartsville's City Manager the question of some particular projects needing assistance in our community was one of the discussion items. She mentioned an old cemetery in the South Hartsville area that has again become overrun with weeds and bushes and stuff. She mentioned renovations that are taking place at a park that could use additional volunteer assistance to make happen more quickly. My guess is these projechttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifts can and will happen once people are made aware of the need. One former Hartsville mayor is fond of saying that in Hartsville there are a lot of people who will complain that the trees need watering and then will go and get buckets and water those trees. Some things need government assistance and some things need people assistance and most of the team we get a great deal accomplished when it all works together.

But, as Rich Harwood notes in his recent blog , much of what is going on in areas of our country is not allowing solutions. He calls the politics of today "toxic." The Harwood Institute is working with communities around the country in community building efforts and Rich is a recognized authority in this area. What follows are two paragraphs from his current blog that I think speak to how we can begin chipping away at the problems and finding some solutions:

Harwood says: "Instead, it is everyday citizens – you, me, and others – who ultimately will place the nation on a better trajectory. The task before us is to “rebuild” the nation – but not solely by constructing new memorials and buildings at Ground Zero and elsewhere. For bricks and mortar are not the most important building blocks for this rebuilding.

The first and most fundamental need is to “signal” each other that we are ready to step forward and join together. To achieve this, we must embrace and spread small public acts and rituals that get people out of their homes and demonstrate a sense of connection and compassion for one another – acts such as helping a neighbor, painting a local school, singing public-spirited songs together, and displaying the flag, among others. I am not advocating make-work volunteer efforts, or superficial initiatives, but small acts grounded in a sense of common purpose and accomplishment and the greater good."

Last night People to People in Hartsville held a "Meet the Chief" gathering to further the conversation about law enforcement in our city. I heard that one person stood up and discussed the importance of neighbors joining neighbors and taking back control of their neighborhoods - now -- not later. There is a will that is emerging in cities like Hartsville that we must hope flows across communities and becomes a tipping point of community building before it really feels too late to make a difference.

Masterful 9-11 Commemoration at Coker College

A 9-11 college and community event called "9-11-2001 A Community Remembers" could be a textbook case history for how to build and execute a meaningful, memorable gathering of forces to honor both memory and community. Will Carswell, who had the idea and chaired the planning, demonstrated a leadership that we need much more of throughout this country of ours.

The focus of this 9-11 remembrance was how the performing arts can translate, transmit and transform emotions. The mix of artistry was, by itself, awesome from targeted choral selections, to modern chance choreography,, to poetry, to readings, to a Brass Quartet, to piano and horn to a short story ending in a solemn Tolling of the Bells.

In addition, this was a combined Coker College and community event with the Hartsville Middle School Magnet Chorus under the direction of Kim Roberts and the Hartsville Chamber Ensemble under the direction of Anna White Hill.

Short comments from Dr. Carswell, Dr. Robert Wyatt, Coker's president, Mel Pennington, mayor of Hartsville and the Reverend Phil Thrailkill, who led the totally filled auditorium in the "OUR FATHER" began the program.

The memory of 9-11-2001 will remain and now we can put "adjacent" to that horrible day the splendor of arts helping in the attempt to make sense of it all.

The Watson Theater was filled and many people were unable to attend because of safety and fire regulations preventing standing in aisles. The capacity crowd is another proof of the needs communities have to honor, to remember and to engage.

Innoventure Blog Post focus on education in Darlington County

We are used to telling some sad and mad stories about education in Darlington County and in South Carolina. That may be one reason that this http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifparticular blog post needs some highlighting -- it is a story of success and a story of hope. It is also a story of Darlington County.

Here are a few of the opening paragraphs to this blog, which was written by John Warner:
Submitted by: John Warner on Aug 11, 2011 at 9:14 am Tagged with: K-12 education Source: Darlington Country School District

I attended an annual planning meeting of the SC Education Oversight Committee on August 8, 2011. There I met the superintendent of the Darlington County School District, Dr. Rainey Knight.

Let's first define a term. The "Poverty Index" includes students who are eligible for the free and reduced price Federal lunch program and/or Medicaid.

Based on the 2010 SC Annual SC Annual School District Report Card, Darlington is the 12th best performing out of 85 school districts in the state. On a 5 point scale, Darlington is a 4, performing similar to Richland 2 (53% poverty index) and Dorchester 2 (56% poverty index). Darlington's performance is blowing away districts with a performance of 3 like Greenville (58% poverty index) and York 3 (61% poverty index).

Here is the deal though. The poverty index in Darlington is 81%. Wow! Darlington is performing significantly better than districts whose poverty index is 20 percentage points lower. Mind you this is not the exceptional performance of just one school with high poverty. This is the exceptional performance of an entire district of schools with high poverty. (End quote text)

The new school year is beginning. Our garage door slammed shut at 6:50 this Friday morning with my wife off to St. John's Elementary where she teaches music four days a week and then to Cain Elementary, where she teaches music one day a week. Teachers all over Darlington County have been at work since Monday and they begin seeing students this coming Monday. At Coker College, where I have one of my jobs, we began faculty week meetings with a panel-audience discussion about teaching and learning in what we call at Coker the "Circle of Learning." What we continue to uncover when we discuss the learning process is just how crucial education is to the FUTURE. I hope our teachers begin to tell us the stories of the miracles that occur daily in their classrooms so that you can begin to feel the the power that is education;even when it is in need of serious repair on many fronts.

How do you know a program is working

The Byerly Foundation is in the community building business and we do this by providing grants for programs that the Byerly Board hopes will make a significant difference in helping Hartsville become an even better place to live and one of the best places to live -- anywhere. That is a stretch goal, by almost any defihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnition.

One of the major problems the Foundation has and nearly all Foundations and community development types of programs is how to know if programs work. Normally the groups implementing the programs will set their goals and list the measures they want to use to measure effectiveness. Then you assess the program based on the approved metrics. Sometimes this gets you the information you want and sometimes it doesn't.
More-Than-Good-Intentions
One thing that those working with Foundations and other funders do is continue to explore ways to measure effectiveness. This week the Stanford Innovation Review has a review of a book that discusses how programs might be measured. Just a few minutes ago I ordered this book from Burry Bookstore -- More Than Good Intentions: How a New Economics Is Helping to Solve Global Poverty by Dean Karlan & Jacob Appel

According to the reviewer, Kevin Starr, "Karlan and Appel believe that understanding what works for poverty alleviation programs boils down to one deceptively simple question: “How did people’s lives change with the program, compared with how they would have changed without it?” The primary—but not only—tool that Karlan et al. use to answer that question is the randomized controlled trial (RCT). In an RCT, a pool of subjects is randomly divided into intervention and control groups; the former gets the interventions and the latter does not. The two groups are fundamentally alike—both are measured before and after, and the impact is the difference between what happened to the intervention group and to the control group. RCTs are not new. The novel element here is the systematic and creative application of RCTs to test poverty solutions in the real world."

This is an interesting concept because when you are working on social interventions, it is difficult to keep something that is working away from control groups and often times you have try designing your research project to somehow give those randomized out a chance for being in. While I have not discussed this fully with Dr. Eve Puffer I believe this is a tactic she has used in a major innovation project fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in Muhuru Bay, Kenya. The Byerly Foundation is currently funding a major project with the Hartsville Middle School called Foxy Leaders that aims to take students at real risk of not finishing school and giving them an even stronger foundation than they might get in regular classes. I am not sure how this could be an RCT. That is why it is going to be interesting to get that book and discover what they authors have found in their research.

Driving Social Change

Paul Light, a professor from New York University, has a recent book called DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE, How to Solve the World's Toughest Problems.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif It is an interesting book but more for the academic side of exploring social change than the implementing side. That said, he has some great discussion points.

In discussing the "breakthrough cycle" he mentions some tools developed by RAND that "participants in social breakthrough can use to increase their effectiveness and targeting..." page 142 This is the idea that I wanted to highlight: ..."the key to alertness starts with a landscape of possible futures against which to plan, and continues with an honest assessment of what has to go right for nothing to go wrong and what cannot go wrong for a plan to go right."

Not totally sure why I am taken with this phrase but I think it points to a way of thinking about solutions that may often be ignored in the planning process.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The truth in today's world is that many of the smartest of social innovators are getting crushed by limiting visions of possible futures that are only based on their assumptions and views of the world. For example, when it comes to our present, who among us would have believed that two years after the recession ended we would still be experiencing nearly unparalleled unemployment? RAND does have something to say about this type of situation. When participants in a breakthrough cycle notice assumptions breaking down they need to be agile, adaptable and aligned. (page 142/143)

As I reread this post I wonder if there is enough context for understanding but instead of letting that be a worry I think will publish to see this generates any thoughts or aligns with some other reading and researching that is being accomplished in current innovation programs.

We are in the midst of driving some of this social change at Coker College and as I think of the things being planned, I wonder "what cannot go wrong for the plan to go right?"

Afghanistanism Takes on New Meaning

Tonight President Obama is going to outline his plans for some type of troop draw-down in Afghanistan. For many of us the thought will be it is about time and for many of those the conclusion is likely to be "too little and almost too late."

Years ago when I was learning about some of the principles of journalism there were instructors who were on the soap box of local news and local opinion as a way to make newspaper more relevant. The term Afghanistanism was an unflattering term for editorials that took on issues so far away from the local people that the writer could be emotional - hard hitting -- vehement in his call to action. He could be that way because it was an issue too far away. That same editor would seldom take on the local political establishment or the the local hot-button issue. Those were some of the things separating good papers from fish wraps.

Unfortunately, we now find ourselves in the middle of Afghanistan with thousands of Marines and other combat troops and the issue is very real for Americans. Kabul is now a very real place. When the President talks tonight he is going to be addressing life and death issues with the American public.

I am longing for the time that Afghanistan was only the answer to some obscure Jeopardy question and not one of central problems of American foreign and domestic policy. I wish the President would take the unpopular road and pull most of the troops from garrison duty and put in forces like SWAT teams that can be deployed when required for a specific mission and then pulled back. The people in Afghanistan have never liked foreigners invading their land and it might be amazing to see what would happen if they were fighting their own battles. The President accomplished the major mission -- We got Bin Laden. We can leave with heads held high!

Dedication of Veterans Panel in Hartsville

 

A great community event in Hartsville, South Carolina, this past Sunday, as the third wall of the Veteran's Memorial was dedicated. The Veterans Memorial, one of the largest in South Carolina, is located at Burry Park in downtown Hartsville. It is a memorial to all veterans as well as active military personnel. More than 200 people braved the Sunday afternoon heat to be part of this dedication. The Memorial itself was dedicated on November 11, 2010. The 246th Army Band was a highlight of the event. David L. Allen, a veteran of World War II gave the Keynote, a great discussion of Patriotism. I enjoyed this event for several reasons and primary among them is the way events like this help bring the community together.

Believing in your community is fundamental to building your community

The past few days there has been some news about a variety of things taking place within the city that show leaders are moving to affect change that they believe will be important to moving us forward as a community.

For example, last night the Hartsville City Council took some steps to chanhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifge the way citizens need to handle the recycling and garbage -- they are hoping to eliminate the "Yellow Bag" program in the city of Hartsville.

This has been on the Mayor's agenda since he started running for the job. His talks with citizens reinforced his idea of the need to get rid of the Yellow bags because he found so many people who find them so aggravating. But, as the Mayor found out when he began his attack on this issue -- nothing is as simple as it seems.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

The result of the focus on "yellow bags" is a partnership that has come about between the City of Hartsville and Sonoco aimed at expanding recycling in the community while adding to the efficiency of recycling and garbage collection. (This is not an issue on which I feel any competence but it is an issue that I think helps exemplify what it takes to affect positive change in a community.)

There are a lot of elements involved in this type of change and to affect change of this scope it takes people from differing areas demonstrating belief in process, demonstrating belief that others will cooperate, demonstrating belief thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhat the community is worth investing in with time, talent and treasure. Sonoco uses recycled materials for lots of their products and they became willing to collaborate. The mayor and city council members began to see how doing things a bit differently might result in doing things even better. The new city manager helped lots of people look at more than just the immediate issue and on Monday night a major step was taken to eliminate the aggravating yellow bags. While this issue may not yet be totally resolved, it is on example of how believing you can make a difference can result in actually making a difference. Rich Harwood, of the Harwood Institute, who often discusses community building does a good job of discussing this question of belief in his current blog.
The following is a paragraph from this blog and I find it important because without people reaching out to one another and beyond their initial reaction to an issue, nothing can be accomplished. This is what Rich Harwood writes: "The restoration of belief in ourselves and in one another is pivotal to all our efforts to make a difference in communities. Without such belief, we may hold back from doing what we know is required to bring about change; we may choose not to reach out and forge key relationships with others; we may step back just when we need to step forward."

In Hartsville we have a strong need to continue stepping forward!

Disasters need philanthropic response

A news release from the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation underlines the idea that community foundations can often be excellent places for your donations to areas hit by disasters. The following release was posted today, May 5, by Susan Bankston of the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation that serves the seven counties of the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina:

Disaster Relief Funds in Alabama and the Pee Dee Region

The tornadoes in the southeast last week left hundreds of individuals homeless and helpless. Volunteers and donations began pouring in within 24 hours to offer assistance and comfort to those affected by the devastation. The Pee Dee Disaster Relief Fund of the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation (ECCF) was established for just such a purpose when natural disasters strike the Pee Dee region. When tornadoes damaged homes in Darlington in 2010, a grant of $3,500 from this fund was matched by the City of Darlington and used for roof repairs on several homes.



Local community foundations are a natural fit for such responses. Should you wish to respond to the need in Alabama, The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has established the Alabama Tornado Recovery Fund to accept gifts that will in turn be used throughout the state in the regions impacted by the April 27 tornadoes. They will work to effectively deploy the resources that will be needed for long-term recovery. The Alabama Tornado Recovery Fund at The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham follows a model used by community foundations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You can link to their homepage at www.foundationbirmingham.org. Please consider a gift to the ECCF Pee Dee Disaster Relief Fund so that we are poised to respond when natural disaster relief funds are needed in our own communities. Further information is available at our website www.easterncarolinacf.org or by calling 843-667-1131.

Susan B. Bankson

Executive Director

Eastern Carolina Community Foundation

234 West Cheves Street

Florence, SC 29501

843-667-1131

susan@easterncarolinacf.org

Full disclosure -- I have been on the board of the ECCF just about since the founding though my term ends at the end of May.

Some communities are not surviving, let alone finding ways to thrive

We are facing some uphill battles in the Hartsville, S. C. area as we work to grow our community but as this article on Yahoo emphasizes, things could be a great deal worse, as they are for the communities cited.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

One thing that should become apparent from an article like this is that we cannot lose focus on our need to grow and our need to continue investing in our community. We can become the preferred community of the Pee Dee Region. It will take looking beyond how we do things now to how we might approach these things tomorrow. It will take a vision that community appearance does matter. It will take realization that all of us, those with children and those whose children have grown must ensure we have the educational system that we want for our kids available to all the children. We must realize thajavascript:void(0)t sometimes it takes investment to get a return on investment. None of these ideas come easily when the economy is shaky, when headlines -by their very nature - must point to the problems.

Yet, we have to focus day after day after on building a stronger, even better community because it is that kind of laser intensity that can make surviving become thriving. Lots of people drive into Hartsville every day to work. The ideal would be that lots more people drive home to Hartsville every day after work.

Community Building takes many forms

On Tuesday, March 15, volunteers for the American Red Cross were manning phones at WIS-TV in Columbia, SC to help raise funds for the disaster in Japan. The phone lines were opened about 4:30 in the morning as WIS provided air time to help make viewers aware of both the need for funding and the opportunity of calling the phone bank based at the station. There was a strong outpouring of support. The Japanese Red Cross is a very strong organization and they requested help in the form of money because they did have the volunteers and supplies to help the devastated areas but the need for money becomes to fund this type of relief is great. The Japanese had come to the aid of the American Red Cross several times including September 11 and Katrina. Community outreach is often part of community building.

Mayor's State of the City Well Received

Mayor Mel Pennington gave a State of the City address to a crowd of close to 400 people (estimate) in the Watson Theater of the Coker College Performing Arts building on Monday, March 7. The audience was enthusiastic as the Mayor called on everyone to join hands to make this small city even greater than it is. I did see Harold Bledsoe recording the talk and that means you will be able to listen on his local Hartsville radio station.

The Mayor told those in attendance that he knew by their presence that they were interested in building an even better community and he said their efforts will be received with enthusiasm. The major thrust of his message was that a good needs everyone to pull together to become a great community and that is his vision for Hartsville. The Mayor told the audience that he thinks accountability like a State of the City is important and he wants to ensure the transparency of the city's activities as we embark on the vision of becoming a model not just for the Pee Dee but the entire state of South Carolina.

Following the Mayor's State of the City there was reception for citizens to welcome and meet Natalie Ziegler, the city manager. Those in attendance showed their appreciation for the Mayor's address with a standing ovation and many stayed around to discuss the event for sometime after the talk.

"It was just too ugly..."

On my way to the State of the City talk by Mayor Mel Pennington I happened to notice a woman at the side of the bike trail on Dunlap Road cleaning up a mess of plastic bags. Those bags had been there for a couple of days -- figured they came off a vehicle driving by. There were a lot of them and they were ugly. "I was sick this weekend so I could not get out and clean those things up. They were ugly and they filled up this entire bag (a very large trash bag.) I just couldn't stand them there," she said as she began walking back across the road to her home.

Okay, so what is the state of the city. Based on this one incident it is positive and moving up. Of course someone did dump a mess (and that is pretty darn negative, tacky and illegal) but there was a neighbor who took things into her own hands, cleaned the mess and said effectively -- NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. When Flossie Hopkins way Mayor of Hartsville, she would say we have a city where people do complain but they will then join forces to help solve the problem. We may hear more from Mayor Pennington about that in the Watson Theater on the Coker College campus,and as I headed to the talk, I was able to witness some very hard evidence of one person making a REAL difference. I appreciate her effort! Because that pile of trash was TOO UGLY.

State of the City (Hartsville) == ???

Mayor Mel Pennington is working to establish a new tradition for the city of Hartsville, an annual STATE OF THE CITY address by the Mayor. This seems like a really good idea from a community building and community thinking perspective.

1 -- It gives an opportunity for citizens to stop and contemplate the big question of what is the current STATE of the city.

2 -- It gives the Mayor an opportunity to focus on those areas that he or someday she consider most important for positive changes to the state of the City.

3 -- It provides an hour or so to concentrate on the bigger picture of the STATE of the city rather than on all those daily items that generally plague big-picture thinking because they have to be accomplished NOW.

As a blogger what I would like most to accomplish by a post like this is to get responses to the question -- What do you think is the state of the city?

** In a conversation this morning one business owner told me he gets a very real sense that the State of the City is turning in a positive direction. He is feeling like there is forward momentum.

** So, what is it that you are thinking when it comes to the current State of Hartsville?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You get an opportunity on Monday night, March 7 at 6 p.m. to hear Mayor Pennington discuss this question at the Performing Arts Center on the Coker College campus. Following that presentation there will be a reception for the new city manager, Natalie Ziegler.

P.U.L.S.E. Initiative to Quicken Hartsville's Push for Excellence at all levels of education

Harris DeLoach announces that Sonoco will invest $5 million in an initiative to put Hartsville area schools in competition for best in the state and maybe even the nation.




Caption -- Dr. Robert Wyatt announces a cooperative effort between the Yale Comer Project and Coker College to help make significant strides in elementary schools in the Hartsville area.




Caption -- People from many areas of the Hartsville community were on hand at Thornwell Elementary School on Monday (Feb. 20) to hear the major announcement of the PULSE initiative.



Sonoco announced this morning a major investment in an initiative called PULSE whose aim is to expand opportunities for excellence in the Hartsville area schools. This initiative is a major five million dollar investment and a combined effort of the Darlington County School District, Sonoco, Coker College, the Governor's School of South Carolina and the Comer Project of Yale University. It is an exciting innovation for Hartsville whose aim is to put Hartsville on the map when it comes to excellent schools in the State and in the nation.

The following news release comes from Coker College but you will also find a release from Sonoco that discusses their $5 million, five-year investment in this major program to push for Excellence in the Hartsville Schools.

Public-Private Partnership to Implement Comprehensive Scholastic Excellence Program in Hartsville, S.C., Public Schools

Darlington County School District, S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics,
Coker College and Sonoco Join Forces to Launch New PULSE Program

Yale University’s Child Study Center to Join Initiative with Pilot School Development Program in
Four Hartsville Elementary Schools

Sonoco to Support Programs with $5 Million Grant

Hartsville, S.C. – An unparalleled public-private partnership has been formed to implement a comprehensive scholastic excellence program in Hartsville public schools that will expand curriculum opportunities and further improve student achievement through collaborative academic and social development initiatives.

The PULSE (Partners for Unparalleled Local Scholastic Excellence) Program is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership involving the Darlington County School District, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM), Coker College and Sonoco. Sonoco will fund the initiative through a $5 million grant that will be paid over five years.
“The P.U.L.S.E. program will set the standard for public school education in South Carolina. Through the opportunities and promise of this new initiative, the Darlington County School District can and will be
counted among the very best school districts our state has to offer,” said Dr. Rainey Knight, superintendent of education, Darlington County School District.


Yale’s Child Study Center to Help Create Pilot Elementary Student Development Program
A key component of the Hartsville PULSE initiative will be the implementation of a pilot School Development Program (SDP) at four Hartsville elementary schools that is focused on improving academic achievement and personal development. The program will be created with the assistance of Yale University’s Child Study Center Comer School Development Program, which was founded in 1968 by Dr. James P. Comer, Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry and associate dean of the Yale School of Medicine. The nationally recognized Comer SDP model has been successfully implemented in hundreds of schools in more than 20 states, the District of Columbia, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, England and Ireland. The pilot program will begin in the 2011-2012 school year in Hartsville’s Thornwell School for the Arts, Washington Street Elementary, West Hartsville Elementary and the Southside Early Childhood Center.

In future years, professional development programs for educators and multiple service-learning activities offered at Coker College via the growing Yale-Coker partnership will play a vital role in the continuing process of improvement in Hartsville.

“Development and learning are inextricably linked, but traditionally development is not intentionally addressed,” said Dr. Comer. “The School Development Program enables educators, parents and families, and community partners to support development, integrate learning, and as a result, improve academic and behavioral outcomes.”

Governor’s School, Coker College to Provide Curriculum Excellence Program
The second PULSE initiative is focused on expanding scholastic learning opportunities for eligible students in Hartsville’s secondary and high schools through collaborative teaching programs from the Hartsville-based GSSM and Coker College.

As an example, GSSM instructors will provide qualified Hartsville public school students with enhanced science, math and language classes, such as organic chemistry, advanced physics and Mandarin Chinese.

Coker College, a leading liberal arts private college also based in Hartsville, will provide college credit courses to eligible high school students in such programs as art, design, music, theater and dance.

“GSSM is a statewide residential high school for academically talented students that just happens to be located in Hartsville. As a result, there is no place we would rather make a positive educational impact than right here in our own backyard,” says Dr. Murray Brockman, GSSM president. “As a national leader in science and math education, we are excited beyond words to help implement a program that will advance the students of Hartsville in a way that exposes them to new opportunities and inspires them to reach their full potential.”

Brockman adds, “PULSE will be available to every student who meets the academic requirements, regardless of financial means, and it complements both local and statewide outreach programs already under way. Hartsville schools and our community’s commitment to education will look dramatically different in the next five years thanks to PULSE.”

“Students who aspire to scholarship at the highest levels can look forward to participating in intellectually enriching experiences in the fine arts under the mentorship of Coker’s distinguished faculty and in our unparalleled facilities, including the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center, a jewel of Hartsville named for South Carolina’s ‘First Lady of Letters,’” said Coker College President Robert Wyatt.

“And, as pleased as we are to welcome our community’s young women and men into Coker’s classrooms, we are humbled by the knowledge that working with Hartsville’s brightest young minds and with one of our nation’s strongest corporations will inspire us to strive for greater achievement as well,” he said.


Sonoco’s Targeting Education Improvement in its Hometown
Primary funding for the PULSE programs will come from a $5 million grant made over five years from Sonoco, one of the largest diversified global packaging companies. Founded in Hartsville in 1899, Sonoco employs nearly 1,800 workers and has more than 750 retirees and their families living in the Hartsville area.

“We have always had a strong commitment to improving education in communities where we operate, particularly in our hometown,” said Harris DeLoach, Sonoco chairman and chief executive officer. “We believe we must continue to work with our public schools, as well as other centers for learning, to improve local educational excellence to ensure we have the workers we need to be competitive over the next century.

“In addition, we must do all we can to make Hartsville attractive to the others recruited to build our company and other businesses in the area. South Carolina, Hartsville and area businesses will not be able to grow without continued investment in education and economic development. That is why we are making this commitment to our public schools. Together we will all prosper.”

###

About Coker College
Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the “Best Colleges” in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach. For more information, visit www.coker.edu. For more information, contact Barb Steadman, Media Relations Director: bsteadman@coker.edu or (814) 397-9959

Major fire brings out best in community

caption -- Governor Haley talks about the response to the dramatic fire with Mayor Mel Pennington with Representative Jay Lucas, the chief of the Hartsville Fire Department and others who represent agencies helping to battle the blaze and its impact.



caption -- City, county, state and plant officials watch as the fire crews battle hot spots and the clean up of the fertilizer site is underway on Wednesday afternoon in Hartsville.



caption -- The disaster crew from the Red Cross was on hand for a few days helping to feed the many emergency responders who arrived in Hartsville to battle the fertilizer plant fire. This crew was from Horry County.


The following short tribute appeared on the City of Hartsville site and is just one of the many examples of people who demonstrated caring in light of the major fire at the fertilizer plant the other night:

Kudos to those who helped
by City of Hartsville, South Carolina - official site on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 4:14pm

Tragedy sometimes has a way of bringing out the best in people. According to Phil Gardner, Hartsville’s Parks and City Facilities Director, approximately 73 people stayed at the Coach T. B. Thomas Sports Center on Monday night and into Tuesday morning, February 14 and 15. These citizens were evacuated from their homes due to the fire at the former Agrium Fertilizer plant on Prestwood Lake.



In addition to the prompt response by the City of Hartsville and its employees, others in the community showed their concern as well: the American Red Cross was first to arrive at the Coach Thomas Center with cots and blankets, DSS was on hand to assist as needed, and Hartsville Councilmembers Billy Shirley, Bob Braddock and Johnny Andrews gave their full support. Community businesses of J. Michael’s Restaurant, Walmart Super Center, Coker College’s Aramak Restaurant, and McDonalds Restaurant provided various foods and water to the displaced citizens.



The Hartsville community acted quickly to help their fellow man. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took the time to become involved!

Valentine's Day -- A wish for a day full of love; what would that mean to you?

A wish for a day full of love; what would that mean to you?AND Happy Valentine's Day to you --

Love of a new day as you watch dawn break this morning while walking toward the East,

Love of the continuation of life as birds of several varieties sang their almost-spring morning songs

Love of something interesting around which to twist the brain as the office door opens

Love of the challenge of healthy living in the spin room and weight room later this day

Love of the excitement that's inherent in the mundane life of a sixty-something -

where the learning of the new and yearning for the more

begins to take on the fascination demonstrated by nine-year olds.

a candy treat, a couple of "love ya" and the day is full of love

Coker Establishes “The Last Lecture Series”

Coker Establishes “The Last Lecture Series”



You go on sabbatical and miss all kinds of things. This will be a very valuable series for Coker College students. It is a really great idea.

Hartsville High Dedicates New Gymnasium

Caption -- Standing ovation for Coach T. B. Thomas and Coach Pat Hewitt





Caption -- Coach Pat Hewitt expressing appreciation for her having the new HHS gym named for her and Coach T. B. Thomas.








Caption -- Members of this year's HHS basketball teams.





The new Hartsville High Gym is named for Coach Pat Hewitt and Coach T. B. Thomas. Both of those coaches are long-time educators and extremely successful, you can say legendary, coaches on the basketball courts of Hartsville. Both Coaches spoke during the dedication and there was both a strong sense of history and a strong sense of personal, God-directed mission in their talks. Here is hoping that someone taped the presentations because when we hear the message of Hope coming from the National level in this country, both Coach Pat Hewitt and Coach T. B. Thomas gave life to that dream of hope in acknowledging how far they have seen this community move in their lifetime careers.

Coach Thomas, for example, was the athletic director, head basketball, football and baseball coach at the former Butler High School. I think he got to Hartsville in around 1951. He joined the Butler High School faculty where he stayed for until his retirement. Coach reminded the audience that his time was a different time. Butler, was one of two high schools in the small city of Hartsville. It was a time of segregation, which, truly, many of the people in the audience for the dedication, would not be able to imagine. But those were separate times. Butler, like Hartsville High, graduated students who have made significant contributions to Hartsville, to South Carolina and to the nation -- and Coach Thomas reminded the audience of that contribution. He also borrowed from Coach Pat Hewitt's talk, when he jokingly said, "Who would have thunk I would be in this position today?" Truly, a great deal has changed since 1967, the last time a new gym was dedicated in the Hartsville schools.

Coach Hewitt, who is possibly one of the most successful women's high school basketball coaches of the modern era, fought other battles. When she graduated from Coker College in the early 1970s women were not supposed to excel at athletics. When she took the job as women's physical education teacher and coach, she was not expected to craft strategies to build state champions. She was only supposed to give the girls a little bit of a physical outlet and maybe a small taste of competition. But, back then, no one want to spend any money on women's sports. In her talk at the dedication she mentioned that she lost a good bit in her early years. She had been bitten by the competition bug early and she did not like to lose. So she studied the game of basketball. Then, she worked with her peers to study more about how to develop girls into excellent athletes. She also did some study of what was called "Title IX" and lobbied hard to get more funds for girls' sports. The fact that her name is part of the new gym's name tells a great deal about her success. At one point in her coaching her girls had won 76 straight games at home. She challenged her team, which has a legitimate chance for State recognition this year, to build on the six wins they already have in their new gym and set an even more impressive record.

Truly, this dedication was an emotion-filled event. It is probably an event that can only be appreciated in a small city like Hartsville, where people do know and do care for each other and their histories and where two coaches can vocally, emotionally and faithfully give credit to their God for whatever success they have experienced in helping to develop the character of the students and players they have touched.

Coach Burry, who is also Dr. Charlie Burry, principal of Hartsville High and a native Hartsvillian, capped the event by dedicating the new gym to STUDENTS. He said this new gym is for the students of today because of what has been built by the students from Butler and the students from Hartsville High. In a very real sense he was dedicating this gym to tomorrow's students, who will most benefit by the character that today's students will build as their legacy.

Sometimes, a gym is much more than a gym, sometimes (and today was one of those times) a gym is a reflection of a community that is built as people join together in a team year, after year, after year.

Hartsvillians Pray for the community

Prayer chain stretched far down Carolina Avenue between Fourth Street and Sixth Street on Sunday afternoon as citizens prayed for the community in light of some horrible criminal incidents. The prayer chain is an example of the strength of word of mouth and social media but more importantly of the desire of people to join in making for a stronger community.

Hartsville perceptions -- the good and the bad

Last week I had the opportunity to speak with the Hartsville Kiwanis Club about the Byerly Foundation. I always enjoy being able to update groups on the Foundation and to also talk about Hartsville as part of that type of presentation. The primary mission of The Byerly Foundation is to help make Hartsville one of the best communities,anywhere, to live and raise families. So, you can see why I talk a great deal about this community in such a presentation.

For this particular talk I thought I would use a couple of minutes for a quick survey and I asked those present to give me their immediate thoughts when "Hartsville" comes to mind. I also asked them for what they perceived as the biggest problems we are facing in our community.

What are the problems?

The number one perceived problem in the Hartsville community in this unofficial poll turns out to be crime with youth gangs mentioned often. There were other issues that were at the top of mind like dilipidated buildings - particularly houses in the South Hartsville neighborhood but also some for shopping areas. The Kiwanians also noted the need to extend the city limits, to improve the entrance corridors, to improve education, and pay more attention to street paving in several areas of the city. One person said the most crucial need in the area was for more jobs. Another wondered what would now become of the Bank of American building since the bank has announced it is moving from the center of town. This summary is not exhaustive but it does give some quick idea of what is on the minds of area residents.

The other list about what comes to mind when you think about Hartsville was a positive list that includes ideas of a little city with a metro environment and progressive people willing to cooperate and collaborate. Several institutions including Sonoco, Coker College, the Governor's School and the Nuclear plant were noted in the poll. Generally these Kiwanians were positive about the resources available to continue building a great community.

What are you thinking about the issues and the resources we have for building our community. Would love to get some comments to begin such a discussion.

Professor Foster urges awareness to complete the revolution

Coker College was back to class on Monday, January 17, 2011, and took some time during the night-class hours to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

Professor John Foster borrowed from the school's theme of "Redefining Ready" as he asked faculty and students to pay more attention to the need for continuing the revolutions begun with the words and action of Dr. King and those who joined him in seeking justice, equality, and inclusion in the American Dream for citizens of African descent.

Professor Foster used portions of Dr. King's final sermon about the "Man who slept through a Revolution" to urge continuing action to keep the dream of a country free of racism alive and continuing research, study and discussion so that as we continue to remember what happens when man is more concerned about what he wants and not at all concerned for what his neighbor needs. (I will admit to paraphrasing here and I know Professor Foster would love to discuss the thoughts he shared in the Watson Theater this evening in more depth with any who ask to talk.

MLK Day is about Community Building

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE of Hartsville,SC. put on the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. commemorative service at the First Baptist Church on Monday, January 17. Those in attendance were moved through words and song to look upon Dr. King's legacy as a dream in progress.

From this citizen's perspective, it is uplifting to be reminded of this dream in progress. First Baptist hosted the event this afternoon something that back in Dr. King's days would not have been possible and probably not even imagined. It did not matter the color or the creed -- those who were there were connected by the dream. All of us, from youngest to eldest, have been changed because of Dr. King. As Reginald Alford led GOD BLESS AMERICA at the end you could feel how we can now all truly come together as Americans.

There are still things to be accomplished. It is a dream in progress. That is why there are organizations like People to People of Hartsville, whose mission is to "initiate, encourage and cooperate in efforts to promote multi-racial and multi-ethnic understanding by drawing together individuals , agencies, and organizations committed to working for the betterment of the entire community." If you would like to be part of such an organization, the group meets at Florence Darlington Tec - Hartsville campus on Swift Creek Road the first Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Clayton Richardson is one of the forces keeping this group moving forward. You may reach him at 332-3420.

Dr. Luns Richardson, president of Morris College, and native of Hartsville was the guest speaker for the commemoration.

Discussion of the power of words is interesting

There has been a lot of discussion over the rhetoric that has been used over the past several years to tear our country apart. People on both sides pretending that their words were not meant to inspire action. Give me a break. The whole purpose of rhetoric is to inspire action. The problem is that rhetoric can inspire but often times it cannot control. The shooting of Congressional Representative Giffords is horrible and there is no one cause but I think we can all agree the shooter did not just wake up in a social vacuum one morning and decide to kill. He is responsible for his thoughts, his actions and his schema but there were a great many people whose unquestioning self righteousness helped him form those ideas. Those who have rhetorical power should understand this power and take some responsibility for the way their audience understands the words, symbols and frameworks those words help people construct.

This coming week we are honoring a Community Builder whose rhetoric helped to change the direction of our nation. He had the power of rhetoric and he used the power of rhetoric. But, the reason I am using Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as an example is that the rhetoric of Dr. King stood in direct contrast to the rhetoric of several other major civil rights activists and civil rights opponents. One of the major phrases in the speeches of many who were fighting for civil rights were words to the effect of "by any means possible." The reason white men as well as black men will honor Dr. King this Monday is that he cautioned against such "Means" and allowed people to see another way. His non-violent perspective did not make him popular in many civil rights groups. Contrast Dr. King's "Dream" with what we hear today and you can see and feel how rhetoric can build instead of destroy. On Monday, when we honor Dr. King, there may be more to our celebration that we might at first understand.

Welcome to BCAC

Organizations that help build community can come from all areas of our lives. The Black Creek Arts Council is one such organization and this is the connection to their new web site.




Welcome to BCAC

Thoughts on community building

This semester (from not until May)I am on sabbatical from teaching at Coker College to work and think more about community building ideas. I will be using this blog to surface some of this discussion through the months.

In Hartsville, SC, we are unique in that we have an ongoing process of community building. Sometimes the community building works and sometimes it doesn't. We are a small city that I often describe as cosmopolitan in nature. But our core, our culture, our community is at risk in this changing world.

We have to continue a focus on community building because 1)small communities are not for everyone but to grow and build you have to attract those who will choose small 2)Like so much in our lives the major strength can be a major weakness. We are home to a multi-billion dollar global packaging company that gives us a major cosmopolitan advantage but recruiting to small-town America (Hartsville) is not easy 3)we like a certain standard of life and standard of service from our government but in this age there are not many who enjoy taxing themselves for this quality we expect.

The list could probably go on as to why we need to continue to focus on building. We are good, we have a history of good but I often use the quote from a former boss -- "When you stop getting better, you stop being good."

Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute has devoted his life to helping community builders think about community building. His current blog discusses five major ideas for rebuilding America and I think his blog is worth the read.

His five points are:
1 -- Turn outward toward community.
2 -- Focus on people's shared aspirations, not the community problems.
3 -- Get people doing actual work together.
4 -- Move in a common direction that adds up to something real in the community.
5 -- Tell stories of self trust and hope.

He has a solid grasp on these ideas and anyone thinking of community building should be reading Rich's ideas -- even if you end up not agreeing.