FAULKNER COUNTY RESIDENTS RESPOND TO “GREAT TURNING”:
Broad Participation Stimulates New Awareness and New Choices

Inspired by last year’s Earth Day presentation by The Great Turning author David Korten in Conway, the growing grassroots group called Faulkner County Supporters of Sustainable Communities (FCSSC) continues to expand their efforts at encouraging innovative local responses to changing global realities. All residents interested in collaborating creatively with others to generate sustainable initiatives in our county are invited to participate in FCSSC’s General Membership meeting on Saturday, April 12th from 10 am to noon at the McGee Center at 3800 College Avenue in Conway.

In furthering the group’s purpose of “working in partnership, united for the purpose of discovering ways to build and nurture sustainable communities,” FCSSC’s recent forum on “Creating a Future That Works For All” inspired such local ventures as a Farm to Family Basket-A-Month program, shared transportation research, improved recycling in the schools, energy supply dialogues, an organic gardening workshop and an online organic food buying club. FCSSC is now looking to select a Coordinating Team of local people dedicated to sustainability issues to help guide the vision and direction of the group as a whole.

“These community meetings can be a great way to network, and to learn what environmental issues are important to people in Faulkner County”, states Debbie Plopper, Special Projects Coordinator for Recycling in Conway. “Additional partnerships and educational efforts are in the works as a result of feedback or inspiration gained at the recent community forum on sustainability; one example is the use of “mobile bill boards” (our Sanitation trucks) to help get information out about our website.”

The April 12 General Membership meeting will feature a sampling of local foods, information about ongoing sustainability projects in Faulkner County, a “World Cafe” brainstorming session, a community swap table, and a selection process to choose members of a Coordinating Team.

The vision of Faulkner County Supporters of Sustainable Communities is to stimulate a new awareness through open and collaborative community partnerships that foster various local initiatives to inspire and implement life-affirming activities in harmony with Earth and all beings.

Contacts for this group and its activities include Joe Muller, Joseph.Krebs@gmail.com and Pamela Mosley, pmosley@conwaycorp.net.