As someone who works in the non-profit world, I’m often asked to share one story that sums up all of CDF’s work at any given point in time. As a person who works in community engagement, I find this nearly impossible because by choosing one story over all of the others, the value of 100+ other stories is diminished. In the world of community engagement, we live in these tiny moments where sparks of inspiration find their way to becoming reality. We live in moments where one resident shares an idea, and is then introduced to a like-minded community member who wants to help make that idea happen. It is story-telling and literacy. It is new businesses and strengthening old ones. It’s land use and skill learning. It’s colleges for youth. It’s trash pick-up. It’s fresh, healthy food. It’s safety awareness. It is resource sharing and organizations collaborating. It is so much more.
In the past 10 months, CDF has over 75 documented engagements with the Clarkston Community. In these engagements, residents and local organizations have asked for CDF’s support through facilitation and consultation That is the one story I want to share with you. The story is about a community that is working together on all of these different pieces to create the community it wants. Those tiny moments are where the work is happening.
If you had to pick just one story about the work happening in Clarkston, which one would you choose?