The following was originally published in the May 19th edition of The Herald-Dispatch.
People often lament the loss of community. They talk about the days when you could leave your doors unlocked, when they knew everyone on their street, when they could walk to school or work, and when summer evenings were filled with picnics. They speak as if these days are gone, never to return again. They speak of the futility of trying to make things better, often sounding resigned to a future of ever-increasing violence, depravity and neglect.
And they’re …

The Chat ‘n Chew this Thursday is packed with activity. Here are a few of the things going on:

 CAFÉ Huntington (formerly the Starving Artist Foundation) to provide micro-grants to artists and creative projects.
Culture Center to create a space where people from different backgrounds can share their culture’s food, music, dance, language, history, and art with others. The group has planned their first fundraiser.
Recycling. The group is looking at 2 opportunities to improve access to recycling facilities in the area: www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x540212889/Cabell-County-pursues-recycling-program
Downtown retail initiative. We’ve had lots of great news regarding downtown …

A small group of people are bringing their passion and their vision to life in the form of a multicultural center in Huntington – A facility that will host classes and events that will encompass the many amazing people and cultures that make up our community.

The following was originally published in the May 12 issue of The Herald Dispatch. For more information, go to www.herald-dispatch.com.
I was working with a team of people on a grant proposal recently. As we were identifying the community’s strengths, I jotted done the following in my notes: “H(untington) = creative, engaged, adaptable, open to change, …” and continued on with the list without thinking. Later in the meeting, as I reviewed my notes to make sure that we had captured all of the salient points, it struck me: I had …

The Chat ‘n Chew this Thursday is shaping up to be one packed with discussions and work on some very cool projects. Here are a few of the things going on:

CAFÉ Huntington (formerly the Starving Artist Foundation) to provide micro-grants to artists and creative projects. The group plans to announce the date for the first dinner: www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x540213341/Starving-artist-foundation-could-be-useful-to-city
Culture Center to create a space where people from different backgrounds can share their culture’s food, music, dance, language, history, and art with others. The group will continue working on a location for the …