Although The Haute Initiative launched Jan. 2, the work behind it really started last year. Months of prep, design, development, production went into the project’s development, especially of the website. I still remember the puzzled question from more than one person with whom the project was shared: Why? As in, Why are you doing all this work? It’s not your job. What’s in it for you? Why are you putting work/time/money into it?
So personal tunnel-vision/OCD aside, here’s my "why':
It’s because I see our community as a good place to live - a place with great assets, that if more widely known, would allow other people to see our community as a good place to live. If we want to grow, develop, thrive & flourish as a community, we need to continue working to improve our already great place to live. Because our community has great potential to be an even better place.
That’s why.
Other people see those things too, and hundreds (if not thousands) of people across Terre Haute and Vigo County are work every day to make their community —our community — better.
Some volunteer their time. Some donate their money. Some put their heart on the line helping others. Some are elected officials. Some are in education or medical fields or civil service. Some are involved in non-profit organizations, others donating goods, services and valuable resources from their businesses. Some are paid for their efforts, and many, many, many are not. They serve, giving of themselves, for people around them, and to make the place in which they live a better place to live.
Because this community is our home. It’s right there in the phrase “hometown.” It’s where we live. It’s where we work. Where we play. Where we raise our families and form our friendships. Sure, we travel, we see the country and explore the world, we see the sights & enjoy places that aren’t home. But this place - this corner of Indiana - is simply where we exist for the majority of our lives.
This is home.
Look at it this way: we put a lot of work into our individual homes - the physical, structural residences, houses/apartments/condos in which we sleep at night, right? We may put more work into them than we want to and still see more that could be done. Repairs, maintenance, upgrades, updates, cleanings. We invest in them with time, money & sweat. Why?
Why do we shape and decorate and adorn them to reflect who we are. Our homes are a reflection of us.
On a personal level, I have at least three more reasons why I’m doing what I do: their names are Tristan (12), Meredith (11) & Vivienne (5). My hometown is their home, too, because my home is their home.
You may have your own reasons. Whatever they are, if you’re already investing in your hometown, keep up the good work. If not, find a way to get involved and invest yourself in your hometown?
Let us know why you do what you do in our community with a brief email (send to info@thehaute.org) If you've got a picture, even better! We'll publish a few samples in the near future on terrehaute.com