By Cam Trampke & Joan Bethell

Community and economic development is never an isolated activity by an individual person or agency but is the result of a combined, and preferably coordinated, series of efforts by many. We may each have differing perspectives on priorities and approaches but the prime commonality is our desire for the betterment of Greene County.

Civic volunteerism is just like in church, where a few do most of the work. Consequently, involved community members frequently encounter each other in different meetings and we're just 'wearing different caps.' This synergy, though, stimulates pre- and post-meeting discussions on topics of common interest, the need for local investment being a frequent topic.

We all know that buying local strengthens our economy but we challenge you to go beyond that. The community needs to "INvest," that is, have a vested interest in Indiana, our region and, especially, locally. Investing your time, your talents and your dollars can build the Greene County community. Local investment takes many forms.

Training

Workforce development is a key issue. The developments at Westgate and Crane have the potential to build our tax base AND lower our unemployment rate but we need to invest in ourselves, if we hope to take advantage of the many upcoming opportunities. The learning center serves as a catalyst for local workforce training through hundreds of college classes, degrees and certificates. Training for business professionals and owners, elected officials and not for profits is available. Employers must be willing to upgrade their own skills and help their employees upgrade theirs.

Unfortunately, some local employers have feared training, viewing it as device for employees to seek better opportunities, rather than an investment in their business. For too long, our community benefit organizations (not for profits) have felt guilty about investing their very limited dollars into their staff's knowledge and skill development. Unfortunately, that thinking has resulted in the extinction of several local agencies. Elected officials are often fearful that training will be viewed as an admission of ignorance, rather than a professional step forward.

One local training opportunity with immediate community results is the Greene County Citizens' Academy operated by the Learning Center. The program runs September-April each year, providing local residents the chance to learn first-hand about their community and bringing civic-minded individuals from across the county together to form a cohesive base. Some of the alumni from this course have now formed the Citizen's Academy Legacy Organization (CALO). This group is continually engaged in a number of civic-benefit projects throughout the county.

Our local banks, civic organizations and Chambers of Commerce could gain from sponsoring members in this dynamic program. At a minimum, they could invest by offering scholarships so that local residents can attend. If you're interested in attending, or sponsoring someone, for the 2010-11 session, contact the learning center to sign up for notifications. Investing in ourselves and our brainpower is one form of local investment.

Scholarships

Greene County's support of education is evident each spring, as numerous news columns showcase the results of high school award nights. As wonderful as this is, we must consider how to structure scholarships to benefit the community as well as the student. For many, a scholarship is a one-way "ticket out of town" with a check to be spent in another community. When scholarships are first designed, thought needs to be given to local community need and job opportunities. When scholarships are awarded the message, "We believe in you and want you to come back to this community," needs to be strongly emphasized.

Crane and Westgate have tremendous job opportunities. Many local professionals, CPAs, journalists, teachers and program directors will be retiring. Scholarships can be structured to encourage students to come back and fill those positions. Scholarships are a long-term investment that, if thoughtfully implemented, can positively impact the community. Let's put greater thought into the 'message' sent by the appropriation of our scarce dollars and use these funds as local community investment.

Time, Talent and Treasures

The Greene County Foundation is a prime local investment option. Many don't understand the foundation and its potential impact. People donate their dollars, which are channeled to local issues of their choosing. The dollars are held and interest is awarded forever to the donor's chosen cause. Beyond scholarships, donations to the foundation can be targeted to the individual's community cause, such as food banks, workforce development, economic development projects, community beautification, health and wellness, or any cause the donor desires. During last year's flood, over $20,000 was donated to assist those families impacted. Greene County is a community that cares deeply; now is certainly the time to thoughtfully invest our donations locally.

We are a community with no local radio station, five competitive school districts, four separate libraries and numerous, fiercely independent communities. Each struggles for its share of the financial pie. Greene County is a community short on cash but exceedingly wealthy in community loyalty, dedication to family and friends, and generosity of spirit. By consciously considering how our time, talent and treasure can be invested locally, we can combine our resources and build a better Greene County.

Cam Trampke is the Coordinator at the Greene County Community Learning Center and can be reached at (812) 659-3862 or ctrampke@clcinfo.org. Joan Bethell is the executive director at Greene County Economic Development Corporation and can be reached at (812) 847-4500 or jbethell@gcedc.us