Opinion: How to keep the small-town vibe and still grow communities?
That is the question city leaders face when recruiting new businesses to an area. With the explosion of over 30,000 jobs landed last year in North Carolina and more businesses coming, North Carolina community leaders are struggling as to how to address this concern of current citizens.
After meeting with a local mayor pro tem and hearing his struggles with this question, a revelation emerged on how to effectively grow and maintain the small-town vibe that everyone loves yet add more jobs so more residents rise out of poverty.
To get to the answer, the question must be dissected, why do people like small towns? Is it the safety and secure feeling people have in smaller communities than in large cities known for violent crimes?
In small towns, people connect with each other and feel like if they need help, small-town spirit emerges to help each other out of fires, storms or other tragedies.
Here is an idea on a way to help maintain the small-town feel yet add more businesses, jobs and economic growth. As areas grow, neighbors strive as a community to double the support given to the United Way. Used to be when Lexington Furniture and fellow companies were active, $2 and $3 million in yearly donations were common. Currently, the United Way’s goal is for $1 million in donations.
If everyone could work as a community and strive to raise that back up to $2 million, that would help fund area nonprofits, help Communities in Schools service area students at risk, help Project Potential prepare more for collegiate opportunities and help related nonprofits assist those in the community receive more support.
Hasn’t everyone endured enough shrinking? After numerous Davidson County manufacturing plants shut down, middle-wage jobs evaporated and poverty increased. Now that North Carolina is experiencing a renaissance in manufacturing, employees and their employers must work together to grow their communities while increasing organizations that provide extra care and support.
By growing area support to the United Way, the care and love in our small towns will increase. So please give and encourage family, friends, coworkers to care more for others.
Remember: Give Work a Chance was more than a job fair; it was and remains a movement to help get more out of poverty and help companies grow. Stay tuned; Davidson Local is rolling out the process of Transitioning Athletes to Techletes, the new sports division called the Huddle, restaurant workers appreciation event on Oct. 17th at Brewer’s Kettle. We are more than a new source and planning more events to support and grow local communities.
