Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” I don’t know about you, but to me, that is what community is all about – coming together for the good of our town, our county, and our neighbors.  That is just one of the things that makes Cameron County a really special place, and the perfect community to live in. Every single one of you is my community.  You’re all my neighbors. If you’re anything like me, circa 2016, you have no idea how important your story, ideas, and concerns are to our community.  If you only knew how important you are, you would be a force to be reckoned with. 

The Cameron County Project’s mission is to encourage residents to be engaged and to build community pride by focusing on what unites us as residents in Cameron County – our stories of why we love it here.  I want to create a force of community pride and positivity that is contagious to our neighbors, is warmly welcomed and encouraged to thrive, helping guide decision making in our community. There are so many ways to promote change and make decisions in a community – many rely on things that an accountant, like myself, can especially get behind – mainly numbers and statistics, ratios to this and that.  But you and I are not numbers. We are hearts, souls, experiences, and beliefs – all of that shape how we view the good, and bad, in our county. 

The Cameron County Project is patterned after the Orton Family Foundation’s successful “Community Heart and Soul” program that captures the positive of a community through the stories told by those living here. Its principles are simple:

1.  Involve Everyone – and take the collective “idea bucket” to them, so their ideas can be heard.
2.  Focus on what Matters – Identify the community’s characteristics and attributes where residents’ emotional attachments lie to define what matters most about our community and use those as a guide to how we change and grow. 
3.   Play the Long Game – Focus the project on ensuring that the community’s plans or ideas don’t just sit on the shelf but are owned by the residents who have a commitment to their success.

It’s through this development of deep emotional connections to the community that lead to a resident’s commitment, action and a community that can build resilience through the practice of working together and learning new skills.  I know this project will promote a sense of pride in county for my fellow residents and I am confident in the success of my goal to bring more people, of all ages, genders, and social backgrounds, to the table. Working together with hopes of removing the stigma that the same ten people make all the decisions in our county, and to develop leaders from visionary residents from whom we’ve yet to hear.  It is my hope through sheer positivity and openness that we can build the trust needed to share in the success of change as it occurs and to really own our community, its identity and well-being, as neighbors working together toward the same goals.  No one person or idea can spark growth and change a community; but together, the possibilities are delightfully endless.

If this sounds like something you want to a part of, The Cameron County Project is hosting a *Call to Action* meeting on Monday, January 29th at the Chamber and Artisan Center.  Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the meeting will begin at 7 pm, lasting about an hour.  This meeting is intended to recruit volunteers, but will also be an introduction to the Project, its goals, and its upcoming projects and events.  I want to invite all residents and friends of Cameron County seeking to promote positive vibes, long-lasting community pride to attend; and to be a champion of what residents love about our community.

Kind regards from your neighbor,
Jess Herzing

I'm also a bit of a  motivational quote addict.  They really do inspire me. Often, I google whatever it is I want to focus on for the day -- and find a cute little quote graphic and download it to my phone, (I share the really good ones on Facebook) and I just re-read it when I start to drag. 
It really does help me focus my day to have something positive a swipe away to refresh my mind when I get bogged down.  I feel like some days, our community could use a little pick me up, just to remind it that we're heading the right direction, and change is coming.

First to acknowledge where I've been; this perspective helped carry me through 2017.  It was a year full of learning and just putting myself out there. I wasn't really looking at things in a win/lose mentality, but there were times where I felt incredibly defeated, uneasy about what felt necessary *like start a grassroot community project* in order to move positive changes forward. I learned so much last year!  I intend to learn exactly as much, hopefully more, this year!

The residents of our town!!  You Guys (and Ladies) -- Seriously, you're amazing! 129 responses to the Post Card Home Survey - I'm humbled and grateful!  I'm really looking forward to sharing the themes you've shared in each response, to ensure I'm hearing you correctly.  In reading your responses, I've learned so much about things that use to be here, things that I never even thought were issues, and that maybe I'm not crazy to work towards the changes I want, because other people want them, too. I'm so stoked to start working toward ensuring these themes are heard by our decision makers, connecting your ideas and wants with the correct agencies and organizations, and using what you've said to help  facilitate the change you're looking for.

I've been so inspired by local and regional entrepreneurs.  They are motivated people, and they have big plans to crush their goals this year! I can't wait to see how their businesses develop and contribute to our community in the positive ways they have planned.  Their eagerness to throw themselves at the things they enjoy -- is contagious when you spend time with them!  I think this is an added benefit of #shoplocal movements -- you get to brush up against their excitement, and you leave feeling pretty inspired yourself!  Each day they succeed a little bit in progressing towards their goals, and it's really starting to show.  I think 2018 is going to be a big year for small business in our community -- and that's SO exciting!

I'm so proud to be a part of community where neighbors take care of each other. Seeing the love our community has poured into families and individuals that were hit hard this past year with unexpected diagnoses, tragedies, or just bad luck -- that is how I know the love is here and that love is what will always connect use as neighbors in only positive ways. 
We also have resources and organizations, many I had no idea existed until last year, doing such positive things.  For example -- I was really lucky to be able to share the Christmas Card Project cards with Friends Serving Friends -- so that the art students' cards were delivered with the delivered Christmas Meals-- just to share some Christmas Cheer with their donated artwork.  I'm really excited to see how these organizations grow this year.

I'd like to welcome the "transplants." I'm thrilled your here!  Now be this perception or reality, believe it or not, our community has not always been the most welcoming to new-comers. Its a stigma that's out there.  Let's acknowledge it and move past it because we have new artists, new businesses, new motivated individuals sparking change and inspiring their new neighbors to jump on board. This is Awesome!!  I'm just as excited to tap into their fresh perspective and learn something from what they bring to the table this year, as I am to hearing more from our current residents. I know we can reconcile between all of our ideas, to promote and continue to grow a community we are proud of!

Everything I'm excited about and inspired by, has been applied to the goals I have for this year, but that's for another blog post. 
​ So tell me, I'm dying to hear -- What's inspiring you as you begin this New Year? Share your favorite inspirational quotes to the Facebook wall or comment below.