Community Connections

This past week I once again reflected on community spirit and how important it is for all of us to feel "connected". I'm a member of a newly formed neighborhood women's group called CORK's. None of us has any idea what the name signifies (it just sort of happened and now its meaning makes for interesting conversations!), but we all agree that our community pride is the common denominator that binds us.  The group is loosely organized, very social, and has sub-groups based on individual interests. 

For example, I'm part of the CORK's Book Club which just met for the second time. We're a group of women who enjoy a community connection with each other, and what's been fascinating to me is that the first two books we've read are about interpersonal connections. Whether you live in Clayton, Newport Beach, or Shanghai, it seems that a sense of community is a universally shared desire.

In this era of increased mobility, fostering a sense of community is more important than ever in creating a healthy community.  A sense of collective purpose and an understanding of the importance of diversity of opinion and freedom of expression allows a community to work together to build an even brighter future.

As , all of our residents will have  opportunities to celebrate our heritage, contribute to and plan for our future, and develop and maintain new social connections. We'll be asking our citizens to help ; we'll work together on community issues, listen to each others' perspectives, plan, and make decisions.

And as our community comes together with a shared sense of purpose, as we develop new connections with our neighbors, I can't help but wonder how many new CORK's groups we'll see in our future.