In 2012, we’re going to breath some life into the old-fashioned town hall with our project “Get Local!” With the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation through the John S. and James L. Knight Fund at the Community Foundation of North Florida, we’re launching a series of unique gatherings on topics that matter right here where we live.

We’re calling them “Our Town.”

In a time when too many town hall meetings make national news with fistfights (egged on by professional polarizers who make big money – or win elections – if we can’t stand each other), we think it’s past time that neighbors get reacquainted, shared a little pizza now and then, remembered how to be neighborly. Lost in all the focus on the highly divisive national slugfest are the issues that affect us locally, personally, everyday. And if we’re not showing up to help make the decisions important in our hometown, who will?

Our philosophy: It’s our very differences of opinion that serve to strengthen (rather than weaken) our community, assuming we talk to each other. It’s actually the same big, old-fashioned idea America’s founders had when they started our country, so we think we’re in very good company. And, who knows… we might just have a little fun while we get on with the work of OUR TOWN. After all, being a good citizen doesn’t need to be dull.

Civility isn’t just how our mom taught us to behave, it’s also good for our local economy. Turns out we waste a lot of effort when we are disconnected with each other, while collaboration helps business thrive. So while some other hometowns are busy with the same old anger (often mainly over hard-to-resolve national issues that have nothing to do with where we live), we’d like to proudly say that here in Tallahassee, we do things just a little differently.

A forum schedule for the year will be announced shortly (save February 16th, 5:30 to 7:30 PM, you won’t want to be anywhere else). Some of them will be a little different than you’re used to… We’ll also offer some exciting opportunities for you to be involved, how-to forums on using our We the Wiki civic tool for issues that matter to you personally or even for your nonprofit organization.

Get information on our first program “Our Town: Local Leadership program” on Thursday, February 16th HERE.

You can download a pdf of the grant proposal HERE.

You can read the Community Foundation of North Florida press release HERE.

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