“We need to pull together and present a unified front .... Drop the letter jackets … Put aside ego and realize we need to regroup as a county, not individual ‘silos’ of progress.”
This anonymous response, submitted to Crawford: 20/20 Vision via Survey Monkey survey, embodies a specific spectrum of feelings concerning territorial and traditional thinking that is perhaps hindering potential progress in Crawford County.
This anonymous response, submitted to Crawford: 20/20 Vision via Survey Monkey survey, embodies a specific spectrum of feelings concerning territorial and traditional thinking that is perhaps hindering potential progress in Crawford County.
Crawford County has a population of 43, 403 (according to the US Census Bureau’s 2009 estimate).
Our roots define who we are. But whether you are a Galionite, a Bucyrian, a Crestliner, a New Washingtonian or a North Robinsonian, you are conclusively a Crawford Countian, and you share that title with approximately 43,402 other people.
Recently, it’s been said that the residents of Crawford County generally do not identify as part of a county, but rather as part of just the city or town in which they live.
We should take pride in our differences -- many people who live in Crawford County are deeply invested in their community because it is their home. Generations of families have been tied to specific areas for decades, and every area in the county has its own history and its own strengths.
Despite this, we must shift our perspective and strengthen the bond between the communities.
In order to make a change in the county (not just each community), we must come together. Competition, duplication of services and the “letter jacket” mindset are not conducive to a brighter future for Crawford County.
In another Survey Monkey anonymous response, one person said:
“Everyone is so afraid of collaboration. Do we need so many school districts? Do we need two large hospitals? I find it so odd that the cities are so close geographically but so self-minded. Other surrounding counties take more pride in being a unit and see collaboration as a positive thing that makes the county run more effectively.”
Perhaps the perception of collaboration should be changed so it is seen as a positive option instead of a potential downfall. Imagine what Crawford County could be if we drew from the strengths of each community and came together.
We must learn from the past and move forward together. The colors sported on varsity letter jackets may yield friendly competition for those who are still in high school, but they cannot color our perspective as members of a countywide community.
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