Many years ago the railroads
were the heart beat to thriving small communities like Clyde, Conception, and
Conception Junction. The distant wail and rumble of the railroads are long
gone, but the image of driving energy and purpose continues to be part of our
heritage. Instinctively we know that without energy and movement our small
communities will be a place without a future.
In November 2009
a small group of committed and concerned people of the area came together with
the desire to rebuild a new sense of hope and pride. Like any railroad, we
needed an engine, we needed fuel, and we
needed tracks.
These people knew they needed
help to begin and sustain such a large project. They decided to recruit the
services of a consultant firm called Public Square Communities, LLC, which has
a proven record of working with small communities to focus their vision and
potential. (In 2009 our combined zip code totaled 1052 people.) With the
guidance of these consultants, in February 2010, they established the Steering
Committee.
The committee members
conducted interviews and surveys around the Tri-C area, asking people to list
the strengths and challenges of our communities. Strengths included the can-do
attitudes and the qualities of cooperation, strong work ethic, and deep family
traditions. But what about our future? No matter how glorious the past,
people were concerned about economic stagnation and the loss of a stable young
population who would stay and raise families in the area.
The task was challenging to
be sure, much like building a railroad from scratch. We began by building the
organization with the necessary pieces. That meant inviting people who
represented the four essential sectors of a healthy community – education,
government, business, and human services – to get on board. Soon a name
emerged: we called ourselves Tri-C Partners 4 Progress.
We needed an awareness
campaign to invite people throughout the community to learn about the project.
We did this through a series of events: a pancake breakfast at the Legion Hall,
a basketball tournament at the school organized by local youth, and public
gatherings called Community Conversations. Gradually people began to realize
that something was being built, even though they didn’t recognize it as an
engine and a railroad.
In a vision retreat on
October 30, 2010, representatives of the four sectors spent a day sharing the
hopes and dreams voiced by community residents. We defined ourselves and our
goals with a common vision statement:
A healthy community working towards a
common good:
building on untapped gifts, full potential
of youth,
a sense of pride, and economic opportunities.
a sense of pride, and economic opportunities.
Pulling together for future generations.
The train now had a direction
and a goal, but it needed wheels on the ground. By the end of the day
participants had signed up to serve in five action teams which addressed the
major needs and goals:
Ø
improving the
physical appearance and maintenance of our towns,
Ø
developing a safe
and efficient walking/riding trail to connect our communities,
Ø
identifying
available local and government resources to help renew our communities,
Ø
researching a
business incubator located within our area, and
Ø
exploring the
possibility of a central multi-purpose community center.
The train was beginning to take shape.
The Community Action Renewal Team (CART) was
able to begin immediate projects such as the spring Clean-Up Day, the fall
Tri-C Garage Sale, and a business directory project in 2011.
It
was a Saturday morning in May. The boys picked up pieces of metal from a yard,
while nearby another truck arrived with cans, bottles, and appliances. Bright,
clear sunshine warmed their backs, as a crisp breeze lifted the scent of new
grass. Not far away, groups of men and women, teenagers and children, were
helping people move unwanted items from their yards. Several of the volunteers
were classmates from the Jefferson School. Some were from the Boy Scouts, the Teen
Beat, or the FFA. Some were senior citizens. It was CART’s first community-wide
Clean-Up Day. It wouldn’t be the last.
Likewise, in the spring of 2011,
the Resource Action Team (RAT)
arranged a meeting with the Nodaway County Economic Developer to provide
information about local services. They created blogs for Tri-C Partners 4
Progress and the Jefferson Alumni Foundation. They created a Tri-C Resource web
site (not yet public), and in December 2011, they hosted a session for small
business owners to meet the regional facilitator of the Northwest Missouri
Enterprise Facilitation group.
The Business Accelerator Team (BAT) has focused on promoting local
businesses, holding a Business Community Conversation, and working with youth
to help foster entrepreneurial/ business start up skills.
Tri-C Trails Action Team (Tri-C Trails) is working to create a safe
walking/biking trail connecting the Jefferson School and the three communities.
The team sponsored a booth at the 2011 Abbey Trails Health Fair to promote
fitness and solicit opinions from members of the Tri-C area. With the volunteer
help of a local engineer, they mapped a viable trail route, taking advantage of
natural terrain to link key sites in the communities. They are now exploring
funding options to take the initiative into the implementation stage, such as a
possible grant from MODOT’s Safe Route to
Schools program. The Jefferson School Board has approved the first phase connecting
the school to Conception Jct.
A railroad needs a firm
foundation. People need to know that coming on board to support new
initiatives for the common good is truly an investment. It is an investment
in the future for their children and their grandchildren. We are especially inspired
by the involvement of the area youth as they become acquainted with goals of
the action teams.
A railroad needs fuel to keep
moving. From the beginning, Tri-C Partners 4 Progress realized that financial
support would be needed to meet expenses such as consultation fees and action
initiatives. So far, funding has come
from local events as well as individual and corporate donors. Recruiting
support has required on-going effort and commitment. We are convinced that as
people become more aware of the project and its goals, they will choose to make
an investment for the future.
We have miles to go yet. The
train is just leaving the station, but our wheels are beginning to turn. Our
energy is focused, our headlight is shining down the tracks, and people are
getting on board. Tri-C Partners 4 Progress
believes that inviting people to take charge of their future for the next
generation is critical.
Sometimes the grade is steep,
but we believe that the goal is worth the effort.
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