A different approach

* Vernon County Plus grassroots effort seeks out ways to improve the community.

There's a new organization in town with a new approach to getting things done. Vernon County Plus is a grassroots non-profit volunteer organization whose objective is to strengthen Vernon County Communities. Their approach involves all communities in Vernon County and all sectors of the public square; Education, Business, Human Services, and Government. The process they are using, developed by Public Squares Communities, LLC, has been used in 14 communities across Kansas with great success including rebuilding Greensburg, Kansas after a tornado leveled the town in May 2007.

VC Plus is using a process that relies on engagement with its community assets, its citizens. These asset-based conversations will allow Vernon County communities to utilize their greatest asset, community ideas. The process allows for one-on-one, small group or whole community involvement. The projects will be developed from the citizen's ideas and led by community volunteers. VC Plus will help to get the right people connected to ensure the projects are successful.

Already, VC Plus has begun raising funds to conduct 80 interviews and 300 surveys with people throughout the county. Following these interviews and surveys, VC Plus will conduct a community forum to talk about the results of the interviews. This will allow for discussion about ideas that will most benefit the communities, improve ideas generated by the interviews and generate new ideas.

After the forum, VC Plus will hold a vision retreat attended by citizen-selected leaders to identify four to seven goals. Action teams will be formed around each goal.

For more information send an e-mail to VC Plus@yahoo.com or contact any steering committee member.

Steering Committee members are Julie Righter, Dave Millam, Lance Christie, Phyllis Sprenkle Nancy Kerbs, Lynda Jones, Jason Meisenheimer, Lisa Christie and Jennifer Gundy.