A week ago, the world learned about the people of south Wood
County, Wisconsin. They learned of Kristi Anderson, who deferred graduate
school to return to her hometown and help transform our riverfront. They discovered
Kirk Willard, and how his leadership has contributed significantly to the
success of local workforce efforts. And they met Gus Mancuso, the retired
principal who’s now a passionate advocate for his community.
Our community’s willingness to experiment and to understand
that each of us plays a vital role in shaping a new future by “stepping up,
choosing hope, embracing change and modeling new behavior” was given national
recognition during The Rockefeller Foundation’s “Celebration of Philanthropy”
event in Washington, D.C. on October 30. As CEO of Incourage, I was humbled to
be able to represent the work of people like Kristi, Kirk, and Gus to some of
the nation’s top leaders in philanthropy and government, like retired Chief Justice
of the United States Sandra Day O'Connor and philanthropist/singer Sir Elton
John.
Standing just a few blocks from the White House in the
American Red Cross building’s “Hall of Service,” I told the hundreds of
attendees about our community’s “big bet.” Our big bet was, and continues to
be, on the people who live in south Wood County. How instead of trying to use dated,
ineffective strategies that seek to attract the same old, unreliable jobs to
our area, people are working courageously and persistently to build sustainable
change in the community’s culture – transforming it from a paternal reliance on
paper manufacturers, to one that embraces creativity, inclusion and the
entrepreneurial spirit of risk and reward. It was a message that resonated with
the attendees. They understood that
this is not easy work. It is not a Band-Aid
approach or a short-term fix. It is
long-term work that requires patience and persistence and is the kind of work
that many communities should be undertaking.
In the decade I've had the privilege to lead this organization;
I've always carried with me a deep sense of responsibility to our community’s
residents and our donors. This is especially true when I am asked to speak on
their behalf or accept recognition for our work. Our work is their work. Our recognition is their recognition.
It’s also clear that our community is further along than
other communities that face economic hardship and challenges. I've had the
opportunity to see many other communities, development approaches and foundations. I see how our community compares on the
metrics that really count: people and assets.
We excel on both measures.
Thank you to the Rockefeller Foundation for their 100 years
of philanthropic leadership, confidence
in us, their invitation and for showing the world that our residents of south
Wood County are doing something truly unique – not just surviving economic crisis
but adapting in the midst of change and coming together to create a new future.
Thanks for reading.
Kelly
