As one of the Local North Carolinians on the Full Circles Foundation team, I decided it would be apt for me to talk a little about the community in which our Strong Camps are taking place. Now, the word community is a versatile one, and can span from the very small (our community of campers, instructors, families, and volunteers) to the very large (the state of NC, or even the world!). Since most of our entries have focused on our smaller FCF community, I would like to take a moment to reflect upon the greater communities of Raleigh, North Carolina, and the south.
After graduating from college, I decided to spend some time travelling. So, I struck out into the wild blue yonder of the world and went as far away from home as I possibly could go - to Sydney, Australia. I lived there for one year and during my travels I met many other people, mostly other young people, all from different parts of the world. While many of them had plans to travel to America to see places like LA and New York, almost no one had ever heard of North Carolina. When asked about my ‘funny’ accent I would launch into great praise of my home state. I would say “You HAVE to travel to the south – it’s the best! It’s beautiful, we have all the best food, and the nicest people in the entire country”. A feeling of pride that I didn’t realize existed would bubble up inside of me as I spoke of things like our gorgeous weather, southern hospitality, and sweet tea. The goal was to escape from home, to see the more exotic and ‘worthwhile’ places the world had to offer. I unexpectedly ended up coming back with a newfound appreciation for my home.
I am proud of where I am from. I am proud because we live in an amazing state. We have our unique and beautiful coastline to the east, the Appalachian Mountains to the west, and nestled right in between, in the rolling hills of the piedmont, is us – Raleigh! When you are shopping downtown or driving down 440 it is easy to forget that nature is also a part of our community, but it is. Our campers got reminded of this when they explored some of the natural beauty in Raleigh at Umstead State Park. Our state also has an economy centered in agriculture, and you couldn’t ask for a better place to live of you want to have a plethora of fresh local foods at your disposal. Our campers have gotten to enjoy preparing and eating meals made with local NC foods several times throughout camp, while also learning the importance of choosing local and healthy food options. Lastly, we have a shared culture of kindness and generosity in the south that I have never experienced in any other place in the world. This has truly been reflected this summer in our partners who have donated camp space for us, in our many volunteers, and in all of our campers’ families who have provided transportation, snacks, and helped with our fundraisers.
However wonderful our home may be, we are not without fault. Our public education system performs quite poorly in the national rankings, our local economies constantly struggle against outside forces, and our state’s natural beauty is at risk of being destroyed by things like fracking, mountaintop removal, water pollution, and industrial agriculture. Populations in the south experience a significantly higher incidence of obesity related diseases, have higher unemployment rates, and have a higher percentage of their populations living in poverty. We have a unique set of challenges in the south. To explore the roots of these challenges will require another blog entry, but what is clear is that these challenges will require equally unique solutions.We must take great care, not only because we have too much to fix, but because we have far too much to risk losing.
From 2000-2010 Raleigh’s population increased by 46%, and that rate is expected to increase in the next 10 years. We are growing very quickly. As a community, we need to be active in shaping and channeling that growth in a positive direction while also taking care to preserve the things that make us great. This is what a sustainable community is all about! Full Circles Foundation believes this: We decide what our future will look like. We are powerful agents of change. We must work to make our community happy, healthy, and whole. In the coming years the triangle will be gaining more and more national attention as we grow. What do we want to show them? We decide. You decide.
By FCF team member Jessica Roy
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