Sadly, this (The Blog) is possibly the ONLY way that the Nazareth residents and the Police Dept. get the current news on what's happening in Nazareth. No newspaper, Small attendance (although we elected officials that SHOULD look out for the general public), Even I do not get there as much as I would like. Sometime LIFE gets in the way. We (the General Public) need to get more involved before things spin out of control.I started to post a comment and realized that a post of its own was called for, the one I'd been meaning to write and never quite gotten to.
Not one of us gets to everything we want to do or ought to do. Nazareth is not alone in regard to meeting turnout, apathy, and being too small for its own newspaper. Nor are its residents any different in terms of the demands on their time. What I think is different and why this site has worked, is that there are a lot of people who care about the community and who are interested in helping. You don't find that everywhere.
Very few communities have sites like this one and while I envisioned every group and organization, team and club wanting to submit information (that has hardly happened) I have seen more sending me notes and asking about issues - and that is really good.
Most important, if you do have limited time, but are interested, you can keep informed
on your own time by visiting this site instead of going to every meeting (of course if you want to influence change you do need to get to the meeting).
The original idea for the site was a result of all the 'lost' information that occurs as a result of individuals attending a meeting, telling a few people about it, and then nothing more. The rest of us are in the dark. The internet gives us a means to share information efficiently. Ironically, you could find out more of what is happening in China than you could right here in Nazareth online until I started this site. Now we have a tool to use to share information and keep everyone informed.
The post I wanted to write, that I'd been putting off, was in regard to people getting involved in the community. I wanted to write it because Mayor Keller challenged residents during his State of the Borough address (read about it here) by stating:
"And finally, you as citizens, must agree to do your part in a positive way. Since early September 2006, we have repeatedly advertised trying to fill four vacancies on our Shade Tree Commission and our Recreation Board. No one has stepped forward. Sadly others in our community choose to cowardly criticize and personally attack those who volunteer and those who serve on Council, hiding in the anonymity of Internet gossip sites rather than volunteer their own time to do some tangible good. I ask that the same energy be put into worthwhile causes and constructive efforts and not the nameless internet bashing that is ongoing."I think his concept of volunteerism is a bit narrow and overly focused on Council government.
I believe this because I got thinking about the community and number of volunteers. The Nazareth area has about 24,000 people (all ages) and the Borough itself has about 6,000.
Consider then all of the volunteers:
In government we have the most visible volunteers - elected and appointed officials. These are the ones he considered.
In the schools we have parents who volunteer for events and in classrooms. Parents also donate supplies. The PTA is comprised of parents who not only contribute but volunteer time and effort to events and activities. There is a booster club for every sports team and many activities. Many of these teams, clubs, and activities also have volunteer coaches in addition to the ones who are paid a nominal amount for the effort people expect from them.
In the community we have civic and community groups that do work and hold meetings - Kiwanis, Rotary, the Moravian Historical Society, the Friends of the Library, and most recently the Nazareth Downtown Association to name a few. We also have the Community Band and many individuals who volunteer to assist these groups with events like the Block Party, Nazareth Days and many more. There are individuals who volunteer at retirement homes including the County Home at Gracedale and private ones in the borough. There is also the YMCA and other non-profit organizations.
In the churches (and we do seem to have more churches than you'd think for a community our size) there are many volunteers for all types of activities from governance to worship services to community service.
In youth activities we have more volunteers from Scout and Brownie Troop leaders to sports leagues who need coaches, fundraisers, and every other function covered.
And let us not forget those who volunteer on the Fire and Fire-police squads. These individuals provide a critical function. I also probably didn't consider many as well.
When you look at the broader picture we have a very engaged community filled with individuals who give their time, effort, and money to the community and community groups that make it a great place to live.
The biggest issue is time. We are overloaded with demands on our time and we have to make choices. Before we can make these choices, we need to know our options. Bringing needs to people's attention will help fill those positions that are open and help people best match their interests with community needs.
While the Mayor may lament the lack of volunteerism, he should also consider if there is a good enough understanding of the need, position, expectations and requirements by the people. People will not engage in one activity over another unless they have a reason and desire to do so. Maybe it was this component that was lacking.
In closing, we have faults like any other community, there will be some vacancies to fill and needs left unmet, but if we continue to keep one another informed of what is happening and what needs to be done our odds of having a better community are much greater as we tackle these needs one at a time.
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