When economic development gives you lemons
By JOANNA BRAZIL
Director, Peabody Main Street Association
We need more economic development. The answer to our prayers is economic development. If we had economic development, our city would have a strong future.
It seems economic development is a topic that surfaces frequently in conversations. Especially with Marion County's recent inquiries into a director position, I have heard all kinds of positions and opinions of what economic development is, does, and what it should be. I have come to form my own opinion on what economic development really means, and it's complex.
Economic development is a puzzle of assorted pieces. It is not just a developed industrial park. It is vision-driven and progressive leadership, a permeating community pride that visitors notice, a community ethic of shopping locally, and businesses working together and supporting each other. Economic development is a community that takes responsibility of its future and seeks solutions and improvements and recognizes the importance of preserving its treasures. And economic development is developing community-minded and entrepreneurial young people.
It is the development of community-minded and entrepreneurial youth I want to spotlight. I have had the pleasure of working with some fine young ambassadors over the past few years in Peabody.
Ann Leppke and the Community Service Involvement Group have helped time and time again with various projects.
I was impressed by Oliver Whitney's cool demeanor as the dynamic master of ceremonies at Peabody Kite Fest. I always can count on Jesse, Ethan, and Jordan Riggs to help me with various community projects.
Recently the Peabody Achievers 4-H Club helped with a downtown cleanup, and I was most impressed by the beautiful combination of kids working with their parents in a volunteer activity. Truly, I have met and worked with some exceptional kids.
So we know we have a noteworthy inventory of intelligent, creative, and generous youth in our community. Are we as a community, maximizing our partnership with these fine young minds?
Many Peabody businesses of tomorrow will start in Peabody because of a connection to the town. Are we preparing our kids to own and operate their own businesses? Are we teaching them to shop locally first? Are we encouraging them to make things happen in our community (not doing it for them but with them)? Will they become adults who volunteer and serve their community (hopefully Peabody)?
Watching the development of the building restoration process for "The Hub," a youth center in downtown Peabody, I have enjoyed witnessing the partnership of adults and youth working together toward a unified vision. I value the involvement and help from the youth community in all the work it has taken to clean up and repair the building, as they are important lessons in volunteerism, historic preservation, and that hard work is rewarding. The PBHS CSI (Community Service Involvement) Group, church youth groups, and young individuals and families who simply want to help have been busy bees preparing the building for its future as a safe "hub" for spending time with friends.
Seeing this project come to fruition is inspiring me to see more partnerships with our youth. Now, for those of you still reading this article, I thank you and have some ideas to run by you. I have some ideas on development of an entrepreneurial spirit among our young people. My purpose for throwing these ideas out is that I hope other ideas will come from you, I hope to recruit some help for implementation, and I want to know what you think. I especially want to hear feedback from our youth (and if you are reading this article, you already have impressed me).
OK, now some ideas
Other ideas include hosting an "invention or homemade product" fair, a business plan contest, entrepreneur mentors, etc. The possibilities with this are endless. We already have kids I would describe as young entrepreneurs.
My neighbor, Jarrod Weems, a junior at PBHS, has started a business in creating digital photo albums and other technological projects that would make my head spin. He even has brochures and business cards!
I know the Whitney and Riggs guys both do lawn care in the summer.
There are plenty of others out there, and as young business people, I hope you will let me know about your businesses! I think it's important for us adults to support them in these ventures.
I have heard many times from parents especially that we should do more with our youth. I'm putting it out there that I'd like to see this happen as well. So now for the grand question
