In my last column I lamented the growing darkness settling over our nation and asked where we should look for light. This question was not rhetorical – there are sources of light everywhere. But just as it’s human nature to complain about what’s wrong, it’s also human nature to take positive things for granted. So we sometimes overlook the good things all around us.
When one looks for light in the world, a great place to start is with groups that help communities and individuals. And for that one needs look no farther than the local non-profit sector. Nonprofits come in all shapes and sizes, but they share one thing in common – their desire to address community needs.
Recently this area’s skies have darkened. Grain prices have plummeted, and now a retail mainstay, Alco, is closing. There isn’t much anyone can do about either situation, but there is a wonderful opportunity at hand to help offset these problems – this Friday’s “Big Give.”
The Big Give is a special day to recognize the important work nonprofits do in Boone County and support them through donations.
The “pillars” of the Big Give are the Boone County Health Center, Boone County Fitness Center and Albion’s Good Samaritan Society. All three of these organizations are fundamental to the “wellness” of area residents and as such, vital to the wellness of our communities. But community wellness extends beyond this – communities are more than just people — communities are people interacting, working together and helping one another. Community wellness is furthered by organizations like the Food Pantry, which fills a vital need, TeamMates which matches students with mentors and the Albion Senior Center that provides a range of services to help our older community members. The Boone County Area Foundation, Cedar Valley Community Foundation, Boone County Health Center Foundation and the Albion Education Foundation provide much-needed funding for new projects and improvements. And this funding would do no good without groups like the Petersburg Community Club that spearhead these projects.
Though sometimes overlooked by economic developers, culture is vital to communities as well. Lori and I have worked with students at both UNL and the University of Arizona exploring rural issues and it’s clear from these examinations that communities are expressions of local culture. Thus groups like the Albion Public Library and two groups that Lori and I have been active in for many years, the Albion Area Arts Council and the Boone County Historical Society, help community wellness by enriching the cultural fabric of our area. Preserving and presenting our history strengthens people’s sense of place – a vital element in building healthy, sustainable communities. And the Arts and Humanities both entertain and educate, and are especially important in rural areas where there are fewer opportunities to participate in the larger culture around us.
But with so many important groups to support how does one choose? Over the years I’ve helped the state distribute over 1.5 million dollars in funding for the arts by helping evaluate and rank grant requests. These requests always exceed the available funds, and all the organizations seeking them are deserving. In my experience while no group has ever gotten all it asked for, because every project has merit, every group has received something.
I would suggest this be kept in mind when donating during the Big Give – even though the amount one has to give is limited, all of the groups participating are important to this area’s well-being. By giving something to each organization, our communities will be healthier for it.