Blog
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Stand @ the Chattanooga Market: Why We Do What We Do Monday, July 13, 2009
It was a rainy, humid Sunday at the Chattanooga Market for fellows of CreateHere and Chattanooga Stand.
The less than perfect weather conditions didn’t stifle turnout to the weekly event, and citizens were eager to answer four important questions for the future of our fair city. After a huge night at Movies in the Park—where Stand volunteers collected over 500 surveys—most of the Stand team was taking a much deserved respite on Sunday afternoon. But still, three volunteers were able to gather over 130 Stand surveys at the Market.
More important than the number haul, however, were the quality of the responses. Most of the time spent canvasing involved meaningful conversations regarding the directions Chattanooga will take in coming years, and the quality of the varying dialogues was consistently insightful, thoughtful, and sincere. The principle of Stand—the ideal behind this community visioning effort—is to first facilitate conversation and then establish a platform to empower and motivate people to be active in making Chattanooga continually better.
The Chattanooga Market was a success for the conversations it inspired, and Stand is looking forward to more next Sunday. Catch us there, and keep on keepin’ on…
By Fynn Glover, Stand Field Organizer
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Plugdin: A Residency Program for Chattanooga’s Interns Friday, July 10, 2009
We’re pleased to announce the launch of Plugdin, a citywide residency program that reaches Chattanooga’s interns across disciplines, engages work- and off-hours, and cultivates leadership skills.
We’re jump-starting this program with a luncheon called “When just-some-town becomes Hometown.” This roundtable will feature Chattanooga transplants and life-long residents talking about what makes this place home. Hosted at CreateHere on July 23 from 12 pm to 1 pm, the event includes insights from:
Stephen Culp, Founder and Chairman of Smart Furniture;
Karen Liwonpo, Director of Special Accounts for Smart Furniture;
Monica Maples, operations for Gordon Biersch;
Anj McClain, Resource Center Director at green|spaces;
Preston Roberts, Take Root Project Coordinator; and
Mark Song, entrepreneur and marketing consultant.Companies big and small use internships to gauge if they want to hire young people, and internship programs are invaluable tools in cultivating and retaining a pool of talented professionals locally. At CreateHere, we agree that this group brings fresh ideas to our local economy, but they also bring a new approach to how we lead, in the office, and outside.
Plugdin isn’t a discipline-specific program: field training is a matter best reserved for the workplace. Instead, Plugdin is a way to connect interns with other young professionals, giving them the opportunity to round out their view of this city. We believe big decisions take a lot of legwork, and that people in the know make well-informed decisions for their communities and their employers. We introduce Chattanooga’s interns to Chattanooga, and make the relationship a lasting one.
To get involved, contact Elana Gulas by emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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One Weekend. 1,860 Minutes. Just 4 Questions. Thursday, July 09, 2009
Get this: you’ve got 1,860 minutes to use up between Friday at 5:00 PM and the close of the weekend. That’s right…1,860! And all we need are 5 to ask you 4 questions that make up the STAND survey.
The chances that you’re going to experience ‘what’s next’ are pretty high, right? So why not dedicate such a small portion of ‘the now’ to actively shape ‘what’s next’ into a place you’ll be even prouder to call home.
If you’re out and about this weekend, it is likely you’ll run into the dedicated team of STAND volunteers. We’ll be in Miller Plaza, Coolidge Park, the Chattanooga Convention Center, the First Tennessee Pavilion, and more.
So how about it…5 of your 1,860 minutes, to answer 4 questions, and join 8,000 other people who have taken a STAND?
By Katherine Nielsen
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Take a Stand with CreateHere, Start Something Where You Live Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Stand is a community visioning effort for the Chattanooga region started by a group of residents. In the past months, CreateHere has worked hand in hand with Stand’s team, sharing a space, and sharing a love for our city and a deep desire to make it better. Stand’s volunteers are collecting surveys to inspire community-based action, and we think you’ll agree: that’s something we can all get behind. Artist or entrepreneur, newcomer or life-longer, Chattanooga’s future is yours to envision.
To date, more than 7,500 people have answered the four-question Stand survey. The goal is to get the voices and vision of 25,000 people by the end of August, but this will only happen with your help.
First and foremost, take the survey. Stand starts with thoughtful answers to four simple questions.
Next, you can make collective vision become collective action by getting people in your area to take a Stand. We’ve got a few easy ways to get the word out on this visioning effort.
First, send the survey to 10 of your friends via email. Copy and past the text below, or write your own. What’s your vision? What do you love about the Chattanooga region?
“Stand is a community visioning effort for the Chattanooga region, asking people from every walk of life to share their ideas about the community’s future.
This is a conversation between many voices, with one vision in mind: a greater community. It’s about what’s important to you. The first step in getting from here to there is to say what you think, from where you stand.
Please, take a few minutes to answer four questions for the future.
http://chattanoogastand.com/
Thank you!”Second, host a get-together for your friends to talk about Stand’s four questions. On Saturday July 25, people across Chattanooga will host potlucks, cookouts, and neighborhood parties to talk about future of our community. We’ll provide surveys, fliers, talking points and even a craft kit. Interested? Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Finally, bring Stand to cyberspace. Maybe you twitter, maybe you’re a facebook addict. Either way, they’re both great platforms to spread the word.
Thank you again for taking time to fill out the survey, and be sure to visit Stand’s volunteer page for even more ways to plug in.
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Chattanooga Frim Fram Jam at CreateHere: Saturday, July 11 Monday, July 06, 2009
This Saturday, CreateHere hosts a community event worth getting dolled up for. Chattanooga Frim Fram Jam brings swing dance to our doors, with lessons at 7:30 pm, and dancing at 8:30 pm.
This event is sponsored by Chattanooga Swing and Lindy, and is open to all ages. $6 at the door gets you lessons and dancing into the wee hours, all in the CreateHere gallery space.
For more information, visit http://chattanoogaswing.com.
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