New Wine in Old Vessels?

July 23rd, 2009 by Jim Beddow

During a conversation with Terry O’Keefe, founder of Web EG, he commented on how he perceived that large organizations (i.e. banks, auto manufacturers, etc.) are “coming apart at the seams” and we are struggling to “put them back together.” It started me thinking about many of our long standing organizations in small rural towns.

Metaphorically speaking, many of our clubs and organizations have “come apart at the seams.” We are struggling to recapture or restore their former vitality.

Are we attempting to revitalize and restore old structures/organizations that no longer work? Can we or should we be attempting to “put them back together?”

My thoughts are it’s really not about organizations and structures. It is about relationships and community connectedness. If we refocus our thinking and actions, perhaps our rural communities can become a model to move this great country of ours forward.

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