Common Threads: Spirit Lake and Little Rock

A busy day, but always trying to listen as much as explaining;  learning as much as sharing ideas.

Spirit Lake in the morning and meeting with people.  I heard a very common theme here that I have also heard in my other visits.  Please, if you are the one that goes to Des Moines for us, get something done and don't become a politician.  Most everyone I talk to is very tired of the games that get played at the national and state levels of government.  They realize that these are the times of necessary action rather than talking around a subject to insure future political success.  I had great reception to my ideas that the good of the citizens must be the first priority.  I hear the message from the people loud and clear.

In Little Rock for the evening.  Sharing my ideas with people is only a part of what I did here.  More important was observing and listening to the business part of a Town and Country Club meeting.  We take it for granted, but there are many small things that go into the planning to make a community work.  Things that we sometimes don't think about.  Like scheduling a fund-raising raffle so that it does not interfere with other fund-raisers and community events.  How much time, money and effort it takes from volunteers to maintain a park for the community AND to keep all of the users of the park and grounds happy.

I knew the history of the club here a little better than some and I think it is a story that reflects what we can do.  The original Town and Country Club was once part of the national Optimist Clubs of America.  My dad was a member for many years.  At one point the local group had to make a decision, keep up with the growing requirements of rules and dues or start their own club.  They started on their own and look at what they have accomplished since for their home town.  Just one event that they have sponsored for over 20 years has raised nearly $200,000 in that time.  Hard-earned money from volunteers that went into programs and equipment, all in the community.  See, local people can do anything.  We just have to use the confidence and common sense, along with some work, that we have in our communities.  We only need the opportunity to use these talents from the local level first, not rules and dues from the top.