Rural Action Plan: A forum for connection LIFE

During the first meeting, a portion of the presentation was dedicated to introductions by both the counties and RAP’s facilitators: members of CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation. According to Patti Schmitt, the CSU Extension State Coordinator, RAP was originally designed to reintegrate rural areas that have lost a sense of community. “Over the last couple years we’ve become less connected, so how can we work together to create a community where [people] feel like they belong?”

A significant portion of this first presentation was designed to inform attendees across the state how rural communities have evolved over the past century, and to debunk negative stereotypes. Benjamin Winchester, of the University of Minnesota Extension, presented a slideshow titled “Rewriting the Rural Narrative” to highlight how most of the ideas people have about rural communities tend to be based on long-outdated, or simply inaccurate, narratives.

Winchester highlighted that rural communities are actually becoming more and more desirable places to live, generally for people in their 30s or 40s who want a simpler pace of life, safety and (theoretically) lower housing costs. Furthermore, only one in four people who move to rural areas are returnees, and only two-fifths move in for a job.

After the presentation, attendees discussed both what rang true and where their experience differed. Naturally, the Roaring Fork Valley has had a very different experience with desirability and thus, housing. This became a topic of discussion at multiple tables following the slideshow. However, this is the point of RAP: identifying the unique situation of each rural community and working within these conditions together.

Winchester emphasized that the most important thing a rural community can do is foster a sense of belonging among its newcomers. If one feels like they are happy staying somewhere for the next decade, they’ll be far more inclined to participate in local events and try to better their community. After a lengthy discussion of values and community strengths, it’s safe to say that in only a couple of hours, RAP was one step closer to that goal.

At the end of the three weeks, the organizations hosting the project in their county will have the chance to apply for a $5,000 grant for an initiative agreed upon by their participants, all in the service of vitalizing a spirit of action to improve one’s community. Although the first two meetings have already taken place, sign-ups are still available online at RFL’s website (rfleadership.org) for the final meeting, oriented toward developing community projects, on March 7 from 5:30 to 8:00pm.

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