Folks make towns, not numbers

“Stop measuring civic value by real estate prices. A community’s value should be defined by the collective impact of its citizens.”

That comment from Saul Kaplan on Twitter stopped me in my tracks. 

I don’t care how small your town is. I don’t care that some state agency labeled you with bad numbers. I don’t care how many zeros are in your budget. 

I do care about you. I care what you are trying to do. I care that, just for today, you act like you are the one person building a better tomorrow for yourself and your town. 

Yes, the outside world judges you based on statistics like property values, population, jobs, or poverty. But I don’t. 

I judge you based on what you tell me you are trying next. I base my view on how many positive co-conspirators you recruit. 

“Folks make towns, not numbers,” Will Rogers said.

Numbers are useful, but one determined person is more powerful than any statistic. A town full of determined people can measure up far beyond numbers.

Keep making your small town better,
Becky

PS – “Specificity of a place.” That phrase has been dogging my thoughts since I heard it.  For small towns trying to attract visitors, specific places have intrinsic value. Learn what I was thinking in “Small town tourism is in the details.”