1982 Foundation President, Crystal Mersh, wrote a Facebook editorial about the “Big Picture” in Calhoun County. For clarity, the big picture is “what is going to be the long term effects of what’s happening in Calhoun today.”
Crystal’s no nonsense, honest reflection is a good word for the citizens of Calhoun County because it comes from a hometown girls heart in a successful businesswoman’s mindset. You may or may not know Crystal Mersh personally. But I beg of you not to consume the garbage that has been spewed by people upset with her because they have no power over her. Her words are raw, real and respectful of the community.
The Big Picture Series Continues
Out of the mouths of babes come reality. “Thank you Everyone”. It has taken everyone to make the advances that we have in the last two years, and it will continue to do so. No one person, no one organization, no single group can or will make it happen.
As we come to the last month in the year, I suspect the big picture objectives and pathway is coming well into focus. If we want better for ourselves…for our county…..for our neighbors…we are going to have to make it happen ourselves by supporting each other. And actually that is not a bad place to be considering the capability, tenacity and resilience of Houners.
Somewhere along the way over the last 40 years we lost our confidence and that is understandable. When kids graduated, they left and many never came back. They sought employment out of state or they traveled away to work and came home on the weekends. Our county suffered in many ways as a result. The tax base shrunk, and the loss of leaders also took its toll. That being said those who were here kept the lights burning despite constant up hill battles. This is for sure to be commended.
Our infrastructure suffered. Our reputation suffered. Our spirit suffered.
Hope was lost for many.
This was all on top of the fact that our county has always been divided. Divided by north and south, by rich and poor, by church people and non church people and most definitely divided by politics. These divisions have deep roots while the world around us has marched on.
A better future requires us to stare the cold hard realities of our past in the face. We cannot change if we refuse to accept our reality. I think that the implications of this really hit home for me when we were turned down for a grant with the rationale being that our community center was viewed as a social welfare project and not economic development.
Basically, the rationale was that there was no confidence that we can do anything expect accept a handout. It was another data point telling us that there is not confidence in our people to improve their circumstances. This was very offensive to my sensibilities. These are my people. I know their capability. I know their love of family. I know their heart. Some will expect us to fail….well because we have not done this before. But neither has anyone else doing something for the first time. I will bet on Calhoun.
As we go into 2024 we are in a different place. Having studied and led change experiences all my life all over the world, we are making great progress. We have demonstrated that we are in fact #StrongerTogether. We have demonstrated that we can call out corruption and mismanagement, and drive to better outcomes. We can improve our economic environment. We can get the attention of Charleston for support. We can get involved in our communities and government. We can rally the troops and take the mountain. All great progress.
So what is next? Some healing. Some realization that we can disagree and still be friends ….and drive to a better future. That politics has a lot of risk and can tear us apart if we let it. That we can speak the truth based on data and fact. We can differentiate between fact and opinion. And that government is business not personal. That is huge progress.
I am certain that we all agree that we want better for the next generations, and to see our county thrive and prosper. We want to be proud of Calhoun. We do not want to be on the bottom any longer. And we can and will do this and still keep our hometown environment and heart…..in fact I would suggest that even this is improving.
BUT…..we have to come together. We have to work together. We have to stay together. We have to seek and clarify understanding. We have to see the pathway and work in a proper sequence. This is the business reality. First things first….and then step wise continued improvement.
Let’s agree to stop the competition with each other, the back biting, the gossip, the ill spirit, and hidden (actually in many cases not well hidden) agendas. Let’s talk to each other and not about each other. Let’s address the potential for misunderstanding and issues head on.
OUR ONLY REAL RISK OF FAILING IS US! We will solely choose the fait of the future for our children. READ THAT AGAIN. It can be great or it can be miserable or it can be out of state. I hope we choose wisely.
Let’s check our egos and think of others. We love each other. I know that. If we were attacked by an external force, it would be all hands on the oars to protect our neighbors irrespective of their political affiliations, religious beliefs, economic circumstances and address.
If we work together, Calhoun can and will set the standard for grass roots community revitalization in the state and potentially in all of Appalachia. We can do this. We have the heart. We have the talent, skill and desire. We have the work ethic for sure.
Please don’t let our few differences build walls that are totally irrelevant and often do not even exist…..expect in peoples’ minds (or as part of hidden agendas and attempts to manipulate the narrative).
We have proven we are #StrongerTogether. Let’s continue in this spirit and kick in the rocket boosters as we go into 2024!
Thank you dear Caroline for you beautiful sentiment and card.
