A group of recycling advocates had an interesting sidebar discussion recently as they considered the survival of a progressive initiative launched 30-plus years ago.
Their observation was this: When it comes to volunteerism in Stone County, the bulk of the work is led by senior citizens. That model is unsustainable unless more step in.
It’s an issue that permeates our community and is worthy of public thought.
What the recycling board (and other groups) need, they agreed, is the new energy and fresh ideas that could be brought forth from community residents in the 40- to 50-year-old demographic. However, the pool of interested candidates is almost non-existent.
“Just look around. There is almost no volunteer leadership around here in their forties and fifties,” Stone County Recycling Board member Sara Stumpenhaus said. “That’s the reality.”
An exception to this is the Stone County Community Center, which Stumpenhaus helped form.
Local citizens can advocate for new ideas and new initiatives, and offer critique about a lack of forward momentum, and we can post our thoughts and ideas on social media and express those sentiments in the local coffee shops for the next hundred years. We can complain about ancient swimming pools and say how much we support the entrepreneurship of mobile food vendors and criticize elected leaders about cutting costs for projects like the county jail, The truth is, those are just empty convictions unless we are willing to invest our own energy as advocates for change.
Until we get involved with groups like the recycling board and the humane society and the resource council and many more – for that matter the city council and quorum court – we’ll get what we’ve always had at best, and go backwards at worst.
So, we’re wondering ...
What will it take for a significant number of people to start talking less, and start doing more?
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