Clean Your Cup

For over a year, the Town of Hilton Head Island has embarked upon a Visioning Process. The purpose of this process was to engage the community to provide an “open, inclusive and transparent platform for community members to help create a shared vision and action plan.” This process engaged a globally recognized consulting firm, a citizen leadership group, busy and capable Town staff and thousands of stakeholders in Hilton Head Island and beyond. There were two “Think Tank” sessions, ten presentations, over 350 communications (ads, social media, etc.), the completion of more than 2,500 surveys, booths, kiosks and even television interviews. At this writing, the completed VISION AND STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN has been moved ahead to the Public Planning Committee and is on its way to Town Council for approval.

This plan is intended to provide direction for the forward motion of a number of issues impacting the Island and the region, with a shared view and a collaborative action. It will, of course, help Town Council establish priorities for its own Comprehensive Planning Process, priority development and budget. It is obvious, however, the Vision was designed to be an all-hands-on-deck effort, requiring that anchor institutions, business (large and small), organizations, civic groups, neighborhoods and individuals will ALL be needed to move this plan forward. The municipality cannot do it alone.

Some time ago, I read a piece on a motivational site.* It was so simply appropriate, in so many ways, that I decided to share part of it with you here:

“I recently started a new job, in a small office, where four of us share a fridge. In that fridge is a Brita water filter pitcher. One of my coworkers complained the water tasted "dirty." It went on for a few days, and she was stunned I could drink the water without any trouble. I started to doubt my taste buds, but the water really tasted fine.

Finally, she figured out the problem was actually her cup. She simply forgot to clean it, and after a while this started to affect the water inside it. She cleaned her cup, and drank the water with no problem.

I can't help but look at this, and think about the world we live in. Too often we quickly blame other people, other things, anything else but ourselves.”

If we want things to move forward—if we want change—if we want improvement, more than a limited few need to roll up their sleeves and take on a role. We can’t sit on the sidelines, complaining about the taste of the water. Community Foundation of the Lowcountry will be considering its own strategy as it moves ahead in light of the major themes of the Vision. You can too. Contact Emily Sparks, Project Lead, at 843-341-4683, to let her know of your interest in helping. Live generously, and please clean your cup. As the article notes, “Because when you do, the water will taste much better.”

*PassItOn.com; submitted by Carl Coffee

Denise K. Spencer
President and CEO