Written by: Jessica Sutcliffe, Mason City Community Schools
As a board member of The Greater Mason City Chamber, educator at Mason City High School, and a Mason City resident, I am very passionate about aligning my work with the interests and needs for our students and our local community. More recently, I have been part of a team with my fellow board members whose focus is to hear from our community in regards to what they are proud of in Mason City and where we can put our energy and resources. This work is part of a strategic plan the chamber board has been working through for the past year to bring more value to the North Iowa community.
Gathering feedback from a variety of stakeholders is crucial to aligning our vision for our community and that is why we initiated this conversation with our Pride in Place survey. My team feels strongly about aligning our actions with the feedback from our local residents; we want our residents of North Iowa to be proud to live here and that is going to look different for each person based on their values and interests. We hope to brainstorm solutions for any current or arising challenges alongside gathering feedback from all stakeholders in our community in regards to how we can make North Iowa the best place
to live, work, and enjoy life.
Everyone has the opportunity to make a positive impact on their community. This is a message I continuously reinforce to my students. No matter how big or small, everyone can help make their community a better place. This comes from being involved in one’s community, engaging in conversation with others, and problem solving.
Our upcoming Community Conversations event is a prime example of how you and anyone in our community can begin to make an impact. I invite and encourage you to join me at the Community Conversation event that will be held in early September. Using data from the survey results, we will work together to build a community culture statement, highlight community pride, and guide future growth initiatives.
This is the perfect opportunity to begin to make a positive impact on your community and share your perspective. See you there!