So I've been involved in this real cool thing the past few months. I live in a small town that has been rapidly growing in the last few years. We now have a booming population of over 5000. Developments seem to popping up all over the place. Which sucks because it changes the rural flavor which is the reason most of us live here. But you can't stop progress right? You can however have an impact on how the town is shaped.
That brings me to the committee I have been on. With lots of help from the Univ. of New Hampshire we are staging a community profile project. Through participation in this two day forum the citizens are able to have input into the future of the town. In our case into the Master Plan which is being drawn up soon. At the end of the project we will have identified 3 or 4 specific projects and formed action committees to bring them to fruition. This is citizen participation at it's best.
The project is this Fri. eve and all day Sat. so this week we have been gearing up. All the fund raising and planning was done by the committee. I have met some really motivated and resourceful people this way. Today I went door to door around my street with my neighbor and fellow committee member. In fact she is the reason I am involved. When she heard I was a community psychologist she just had to ask. I am excited to see the outcome and will have a front row seat as I am facilitating one the groups. It's good to be working in the community again and after living here for 6 years I really should be more active locally.