I am proud to be known as a community supporter. Our jobs as magazine publishers mean we get to be out in the community in a big way. Shows at local entertainment venues, theater, public meetings to discuss changes in our community, news conferences, town hall meetings on various topics, educational conferences, Chamber of Commerce strategy sessions, downtown activities and any other activity that we feel we can support by a generous portion of our time, talent and the pages of our magazines. Because of the exposure our jobs bring, Jill and I are fortunate to almost always get a seat at the table.
What saddens me as we move through our lives is the shocking lack of depth among the numbers and types of people who show up when there is a job to be done. Because we go to so many things during the year, we have a well-educated perspective on the others in those rooms.
Let’s start with voting. With political unrest at unprecedented levels, one would think that folks would come in droves to the ONLY place where they have a real voice — the polls. Not so. I spoke a few days ago with Muscogee County Election Director Nancy Boren and asked her to send me some Muscogee County voter turnout data. With General Elections bringing out less than 50% of registered voters and Primary Elections turning out less than 20% of registered voters, these are sad commentaries on just how much residents of Muscogee County really care about who gets into office.
Even though this is the most telling symptom of public apathy, it goes much further. Recently Jill and I attended a public meeting put on by the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley and the PATH Foundation, an Atlanta consulting group that designs and implements green space/cycling/skating/running/walking solutions for cities.
A major effort was expended to get people there and the size of the crowd was disappointing. In a recent issue of the Ledger-Enquirer it was announced that city council had unanimously voted to accept the PATH Foundation’s designs for 25+ miles of trails that will tie into the RiverWalk and other existing trails in our city. PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME AND LOOK OVER THIS 40+ PAGE DESIGN PLAN. If this doesn’t excite you, it is highly likely you can’t fog a mirror.
Find something about Columbus that you love and get plugged in. If you don’t know how to make contact with the right person, send me an email and I’ll help. Use social media to put yourself out there. There is a cause out there that just might match your philanthropic interest. Or there might be a need that you have the passion and resources to fill. If everyone will use their time and talent we’ll be way further down the road to perfection than we are today. Pitch in, people! Here’s a great way to start: Like the Friends of Columbus River Link Facebook community page!
Sandra Henry says
Excellent article! I am astounded that people aren’t flocking to the polls to vote every time they get a chance. Apathy and the feeling that one cannot make a difference seems to be the norm. We’ll never know until we try! Thanks for sharing your thoughts…and your willingness to get involved.
Connie Jackson says
Mike, I work as a voting commissioner at my polling location here in Baton Rouge and I am always amazed at the turnout or lack thereof. Mine is a nice, well educated area and many of my neighbors vote, but I would certainly like to see more.
This week I was very proud as 100 – 200 people from my subdivision and adjoining ones came together for 3 evening meetings ( Mon, Tues, Wed) to defeat a “barge cleaning facility ” (read toxic waste) that wanted to build on the water side of the Mississippi levy. This facility would have been within 2 miles of my house and about 2500 others, a beautiful public equestrian center, the LA School for the Deaf and Visually Impaired and 3 miles from Tiger Stadium (that’s a sacrilege you’ll have to ask Nick Saban about). The company had tried to slip in under a”minor” chemical release permit so that they did not have to have public hearings. Thank God for the internet to rally the troops! We did make a difference!
East Baton Rouge Parish is trying to make use of their waterfront, but hasn’t quite made it yet. Since there were discussions regarding what to do with the batture and levy now that the “Bad Company” was no longer going in, I was bragging on my hometown; telling anyone who would listen about the beautiful RiverWalk that goes from the old mills in downtown Columbus all the way to Ft Benning (it does now, doesn’t it?). And now you say they are adding 25+ miles of trails at no public cost?!?! WOW! Way to go Columbus, GA! We could certainly learn something from ya’ll.
Pat Stephens says
Each persons exposure to Columbus differs. I’ve lived here 61 years, worked in the best and worst neighborhoods, and there are small town behaviors and attitudes that that are not endearing. Nonconstructive criticism, gossip, and a cold connection to needs families experience is amiss. There are young struggling citizens without famous family names that can at most afford an occasional matinee movie, will unlikely be seen in downtown restaurant night life. They struggle to conform to overly complicated school processes, work in tiring dead end jobs, and although trying, in the back of their mind they see no hope and voting is just one more hassle on their plate. Last night a toddler was shot in the hand in Elizabeth Canty apartments, today a nineteen year old father was charged with negligence after his baby girl suffocated. Maybe there are committees that need to reach out of their cush buildings to visit neighborhoods and see what these individuals are really up against. Knowledge is power and I wonder if a big turnout without context inspire proper change. I no longer condescend, compare my experience in high school and post high school, with the brick walls these guys hit. I get angry for them, try to serve as a mentor.