So it's
Blog Action Day and as, promised, I am writing today on this year's theme of the "Power of We."
There are many examples of the power of "we" from massive global mobilizations of people bound together by a common philosophy such as the Occupy movement right down to local fundraising events for a worthy cause.
It is these smaller, localized efforts that will be the theme of my
Blog Action Day piece. Small communities probably all exemplify the power of "we" in some way or another. Their very survival often depends upon how cohesive their citizens are and how willingly they work together to support one another and maintain the businesses, facilities and resources that they have.
Two such stories of community and the power of a unity follow.
One: Clearwater is a Model Village
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Clearwater attracts many students and others
interested in learning about sustainable agriculture |
The houses are full-size, although there aren’t too many of them. “
Clearwater is a model for how rural communities can be rejuvenated,” says environmental scientist, Ian Mauro, who worked in and with the community for the several years whilst completing his Masters thesis at the University of Manitoba.
Cohesiveness and tenacity are abundant among the sixty-five residents and neighbours of this tiny community, two and a half hours southwest of Winnipeg in southern Manitoba.
In 2001 Clearwater lost its elevator, elementary school and store all in the same year, which meant three very good reasons to bring people and their dollars into the community had disappeared. Many small rural communities would not have recovered from such a hit to their economic and taxation base, but Clearwater people do not give up easily.
A group of local investors purchased the store (and later the restaurant when the owner retired due to ill health), and ran it until a private buyer was found in 2004. The Clearwater Development Corporation, (which the group later became), continues to administer the restaurant, hiring managers to operate it.
The school was purchased in 2003 from the local school division by the Harvest Moon Society, originally a small group of like-minded individuals consisting of local alternative agriculturalists and city academics and food activists, who had a dream to create truly local, sustainable food system that maintains the rural way of life. For more on the history of the
Harvest Moon Society click
here.http://www.harvestmoonsociety.org/about/harvest-moon-history/
HMS’s motto of “Healthy Land and Healthy Communities” developed into a practical strategy, as it developed educational and community initiatives that began to bring increasing numbers of urbanites to Clearwater.
The school has been transformed into a learning centre, which teaches sustainable farming practices and creates opportunities to learn about rural life and environmental issues. It works with educational institutions across the province and has developed programs and courses that have so far brought over 700 students to the community.
Its Harvest Moon Festival, now in its tenth year, is held every September and is a major fundraiser for both the HMS and the community, who split revenues. After two years the local church, which hosts a breakfast at the event, had raised enough to replace a stained glass window. It brings over a thousand people, mainly from Winnipeg, to Clearwater where they spend two days being entertained and educated about rural life and food production.
But, in this intensely agricultural region, the desire to create more value for farm producers emerged against the backdrop of BSE and low commodity prices. Many of the HMS founders are Clearwater area farmers, producing quality, healthy food such as grass-fed beef, organic grains and pasture-fed poultry, that they felt had so much more potential if they could be marketed direct to consumers.
The concept of a local food system for the area was taking shape and in 2006, the Harvest Moon Local Food Initiative (HMLFI) was formed with the intent to create a marketing network selling locally produced foods direct to a customer base in rural and urban Manitoba. Equally important though for HMLFI is the educational aspect of their mandate, which is to raise the awareness of the importance of local foods and the people who grow it.
In the early day, the community of Clearwater may have been a little skeptical of HMS and its lofty ideals, but over the years it has rolled up its sleeves, participated and become a welcoming, enthusiastic supporter. “The community has created a context for us to create a festival, to create a food distribution network and they work synergistically with each other. They have co-evolved together in a way that is a win-win,” says Mauro, who has been involved with HMS since the beginning.
In a strange way it was adversity that was the catalyst to reversing Clearwater’s decline. It has turned losses into triumphs and bridged the divide between urban and rural communities, bringing them closer to realisation that the success of each depends on both.
(This story is adapted from an article written by myself for the Manitoba Business Magazine in 2008).
Two: Pilot Mound's Millenium Recreation Complex
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The "thermometer" slowly rose as
the efforts of the community increased |
Pilot Mound is a small, rural town in southern Manitoba which has a proud history of volunteerism that's epitomized by its
Millenium Recreation Complex. This 46,000sq ft, multi-purpose building houses a hockey arena, curling rink, daycare facility and soon the town museum and a cinema and took over ten years and countless thousands of volunteer hours to complete. It's a testimony to true community spirit as virtually everyone in the community has been involved in some way either through fundraising or with construction, operation and/or maintenance.
It all began in 1999 when the town of Pilot Mound realised that the life cycle of its 50-year old arena and curling rink had come to an end. Too costly to repair
the community began to talk about building a new facility and when it was discovered that another arena at the community of Sun Dance about 600 kms away was for sale for a song - $25,000, they purchased it and a huge group of local men took several trips to the northern community, dismantled the facility and brought it home to Pilot Mound. Then the hard work began re-constructing it using recycled materials where possible and lots of man hours.
"The heart and soul of the community has been poured into this venture with involvement by citizens of all ages," says the Pilot Mound website.
This small community of 630 people managed to raise over $2.5 million
dollars through fund-raising events, donations and grants. It is
impossible to estimate the number of volunteer hours that have gone into
the facility and that continue to be given willingly by a community
that is justifiably proud of its facility, and which has created a lasting
legacy for future generations.
The power of "we" indeed.
Pilot Mound picture: courtesy of the
Pilot Mound website
©2012, Angela Lovell.
Monarch butterflies migrate to Canada to complete their life cycles. they lay their eggs only on milkweed plants, which are disappearing at an alarming rate in the wild.
