An observation from attending Edmonton networking events has been slowly festering in me for a while and it peaked after participating in Pecha Kucha Night 7 (PKN7) last Thursday.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the social aspect of these events such as tweetups and various camps. However, does any concrete action or change happen in our community as a result? There has been fundraisers, which many have supported, myself included.
Community leagues in Edmonton face many challenges such as volunteer recruitment, delivery of programs and services and promoting the organization to residents.
As a Terwillegar Community League (TCL) board member, I have experienced many of these challenges. The TCL board decided to partake in a strategic planning session this past weekend; the purpose of which was to set goals and priorities for the next few years.
Art has a dual purpose in life. It’s meant to be admired, to be displayed and to be bought and sold. But art’s most important role is to gather people together.
I was fortunate to be part of a blogger’s tour of the new Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) yesterday. The building, which opens to the public on Sunday, is striking with its curves, its texture and its colours. What stayed in my mind is how the AGA will bind Edmontonians together because of art.
I’ve always been fascinated about how neighbourhoods and communities develop. When I was a reporter at the Brooks Bulletin, my favourite beat was town council because I could have discussions with municipal planners regarding the concepts for new neighbourhoods.
Last night, I had the opportunity to hear Jim Diers, who works across North America with cities and towns on community engagement.
A bite of food communicates what you believe in. The movie, Food Inc., left me with this thought after watching the film and absorbing how the food industry works in the United States.
Actions come in many forms in communities and if you think about it, a community’s actions are really a tactic of communication.
Have you ever thought how charity defines you? What does it communicate about you to yourself and to your community?
John Winslow (aka @Sirthinks on Twitter) inspired me to write how charity fits within communities after reading his thoughts about charity. He wrote, “Charity begins at a place where the heart is. Simple, eloquent, and not requiring any redefining of anything. I like it.”
While listening to Stuart McLean on the Vinyl Cafe today, I was struck by the image of how families used to gather around the breakfast table reading newspapers.
McLean posed the question, “Are we all on the same page?” in his “In Praise of Newspapers” piece. He made a great point when newspapers were king, everyone was reading the same front page and this was a key connection to building a community.
Where do you draw the line to openly tell all to others in your community? When is it a good practice to keep dialogue within closed doors?
What’s there not to like about food? It nutures the soul and the body. It’s also a great communication tool.
Friends and family gather around meals. Successful community events are highlighted by food. New friends love to discuss what their favourite treats are. Food is an easy way to connect to an audience.