State of the Community Panel

State of the Community Panel

Community Connectedness

What: State of the Community Panel, an annual event hosted by the Community Impact Council to address a topic of broad-reaching impact and interest

Who: The Community Impact Council is a coalition of nonprofit, government and business organizations that supports Mesa County’s nonprofit community through networking, training, education and advocacy.

When: October 16, 5:30-7:30pm

Where: Mesa County Libraries - Central Branch (downtown GJ)

Who: 

• Jen Taylor (Realtor at Christi Reece Group, riverfront business owner, longtime local outdoor recreation advocate)
• Joanne Iglesias (Director at Western Region OneSource - veteran services)
• David Foster (co-owner Kiln Coffee)
• Andy Smith (Editorial Page Editor - Daily Sentinel)

Description: When people know their neighbors, their neighborhoods are safer. When community organizations collaborate, the community experiences better outcomes. When businesses collectively invest time and money in their communities, they have more impact.  In short, a well-connected community is a community that thrives.

The panelists are people who, either individually or as a representative of their organization, are making an impact on our community by prioritizing connection. They might have a business model that creates space for connections to happen, or they are driven by culture and cooperation in addition to competition. They are people who look for common ground in a time of polarization, and who look for solutions to problems that keep us apart – both physically and philosophically. 

Panelists will talk about their big picture vision for our community and why they feel connections matter. They will share their own stories, and the stories of the changes they have witnessed because of the work they do.