Making the World Go ‘Round
Times are changing, and that can be a scary, anxiety-ridden thought. For those who don’t know, I am the Publisher of the Adams County Record. In the last month, a lot has changed with our local, small-town newspaper. On April 15th, we announced that we would be moving locations to The Rural Collective, a new collaborative workforce center in Hettinger. To say that I had a knot in my stomach as we published that week’s paper would be an understatement. My mind raced with all of the reasons people could be upset with the move. Would people be upset about us leaving our Main Street office? Would they care that we would be sharing a space with other businesses and organizations?
Fast forward to today, almost exactly a month later, and I now know that my anxieties related to this move were unfounded. We are here, working in the Collective, and it has been the best thing to happen to the paper in a long time. Our workspace is beautiful and inviting, we are able to attend more events without an actual office to keep open, and the local community has embraced the change (for the most part) with open arms.
On top of the reasons I already listed (as if those aren’t enough to be overjoyed) there has also been a surprise advantage to being in this shared space. With other organizations constantly coming and going, our collaboration with the community has grown exponentially. Events we never knew were happening, ideas we can help grow and shape, and even advertising opportunities we never would have thought of are laid before us each day. With this information, the newspaper can grow and flourish in a way that it wouldn’t have before, tucked away in an office that hardly anyone frequented.
As someone who loves their community and believes with my whole being that Hettinger can flourish if we work together, this move and the unexpected benefits that followed are a prime example of what can be accomplished. Reaching out to one another for information, encouragement, or even help, in a way that differs from how we usually do, can make all of the difference. Sure, in our rural communities we have our 20-40 volunteers who repeatedly show up to do their part, and with that, we are able to accomplish a great deal. But what if that collaboration could extend beyond those minds? What are we missing out on as a community by not tapping into all of our resources? What if more businesses, organizations, and great minds came together to strive for excellence in Hettinger?
It sounds like a pipe-dream, I know, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Find an organization whose mission lights a fire in your belly and volunteer. I’m sure they are always looking for more people who share their passion. Feel strongly that our community is in need of something? Share your interests and find a few fellow citizens to help you make that change. Feel as though you can’t make a worthwhile contribution? Reach out and I am almost certain you will find that you can. Keeping our community vibrant shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of such a small percentage of our population when working together can yield such astounding results. After all, collaboration is what will make our small-town, rural world continue to go ‘round.
