This month’s blog was written by Shelly Kasprzycki, president and CEO, and Lola Harmon-Ramsey, director of impact and engagement. Shelly and Lola reflect on the importance of civility.
Here at Fremont Area Community Foundation, we have a goal of promoting the common good. One particular area of focus is civility and goodwill. Civility is more than mere politeness; it encompasses respect, consideration, and an active commitment to the well-being of others. It is the essential element of a stable and productive society.
We see examples every day of people’s kindness and concern for one another through volunteering, supporting those in crisis, and serving on boards and committees. But we also see the destructive path of contempt. Social media and its anonymity exacerbate contempt without direct consequences to the person sharing vitriol.
The Community Foundation recognizes that we can play a role in supporting civil society. Our trustees and staff took part in training on civil discourse. And we’ve launched a pilot project in White Cloud called the Goodwill Project. The concept is relatively simple: bring together a group of citizens with varying backgrounds and experiences, train them in civil discourse, and ask them to lead a project with $10,000 to improve the quality of life for their community.
The results of this work are fascinating. When tasked with exploring what core values they felt exemplified their community, the group chose the words home, connection, and relationships. These core values will be utilized to inform the group’s final project, a community gathering spot in the downtown corridor. The goal of the gathering spot is to welcome you home to White Cloud and provide a way to connect with each other while building relationships and expanding friendships.
To learn more about our work, please contact us. We will be expanding our efforts in the coming year. Every moment of patience, listening before judging, and every thoughtful gesture contributes to a culture where trust and respect are the norm. Join the Community Foundation in working toward more mutual understanding, resilience, and hope.
