You’ve no doubt noticed the work we’ve put in over the past decade to improve our physical and natural environment. The Vibrant Communities, through a series of community conversations and planning sessions, has developed an Action Agenda of 77 projects, programs and policies. These items address the many areas which help build community pride and emotional attachment. By helping our area become an even greater place to live, work and play, we strengthen our own neighborhoods and communities, build connections and friendships, and position our area for economic growth by attracting residents and businesses. In 2017, the steering committee is prioritizing the Action Agenda items and organizing to move forward with each item. Here is a letter from our initiative's co-chairs for 2017, Arvis Dawson and Suzie Weirick,
"2017 is going to be fantastic year. Well, you’re reading this, for starters. Vibrant Communities launched with much hope in January 2016 and, with the voices of hundreds of you echoing in our ears throughout spring 2016, we have reached this moment when the possibilities for our future could not seem brighter. You packed meeting rooms to share what you loved about your hometown and what you wanted to see more of. From that came the Action Agenda. "Our beautiful downtowns and neighborhoods, from Nappanee to Middlebury, from Elkhart and Goshen to Bristol and Wakarusa, stand on the brink of some wonderful changes. Parks and trails are in the planning stages. Entrepreneurs are finding opportunity to do what they know best, in the location of their choosing. Neighbors are coming together to put in their sweat equity to make their town a more beautiful place. You helped make that happen. "Now it’s time to take the next step. Smart people are coming together for meetings, to plan workshops, to put creative energy into innovative and exciting projects — where do you see yourself helping out? We’d love for you to get involved. "Think of it as how we make a house our home. When we move into a house, we have the basics — rooms, heat, electricity, furniture — but it’s how we live in that space that gives it our personality. It feels comfortable and we want to invest more of our emotions and energy into it. "When you love where you live — your house, your neighborhood, your downtown — you want to make it better for everyone. That’s why we hope you’ll join us."
