Building a Better Wausau
This may be one of my most “pet” causes … looking for and finding ways to make Wausau a better place to live. (Why? Because I and my family live here!) You may live in Mosinee, so whenever I write “Wausau” here, you could just as easily substitute “Mosinee” and apply it to your life, maybe altering a few details.
So, what am I on about here? This thing in front of your eyes “citizenwausau.com” is one example of people doing something new to contribute to the quality of life, quality of thinking, quality of discourse in our community. There are plenty others.
Too often, when we think about building a better Wausau (or Mosinee, whatever), we’re apt to think of the big-buck movers and shakers who pull strings and finance things and erect buildings. Yeah, we need those. Then there’s the volunteers, board members, professional networkers. Can’t do without ‘em. And, there’s the risk-taking entrepreneurs, the small business owners with humbly shallow pockets and seemingly inexhaustible grit (insert Mike Capista here). Bless ‘em all.
But what of the rest of us? How many working Joes and Janes decry the lack of this or dearth of that …
“We need more stuff for kids.”
“We need more nightlife.”
“We need a Red Lobster.”
“We need to attract our own homegrown college graduates to settle here in Wausau.”
Those may all be things we need, but what we especially need is more people “out there” doing things, making things happen, proposing ideas, taking up causes, providing support, rattling cages and yanking chains. More people lugging their guitar (or whatever instrument) to play on the sidewalk downtown like that one young lady I see from time to time. More people not just gawking at a street musician, but actually dropping a buck in the case. More sidewalk artists, even when it’s not sidewalk art day on the 400 Block. More businesses thinking up low- and no-cost ways to connect with the public in public. More grassroots Exhibitour-style event ideas, and people to follow them up. More concerts in Marathon Park. More volunteers. More people at city council meetings who aren’t just there to fight taxes or some zoning ordinance that cuts too close to home.
Less? Did I hear someone say “less?” What do we need less of? Complaints. Laziness. Egos. Complacency. Blaming. Television. Backseat drivers. Monday morning quarterbacks. Less bemoaning the loss of Scott Street and more energy directed toward establishing the next cool thing that can carry on its integrity and vibe. Case in point: many of us await the opening of the Fillmore in the old Rogers Cinema, yet how many of us extend help and support to those who are sticking to making changes in town.*
You know … I’ve heard Marcus and Dino and others (yours truly included) talk about the really cool things we love about cities like Chicago and the Big Apple or major college towns or smaller groovy, arty places we’ve come across or some other idyllic locale. The food, the street scenes, the cool peeps, the arts communities, the culture, events and all that jazz. And then talk turns to battling brain drain here and “wouldn’t it be great if we had a …?” and so on. It’s good to know that there are people “of the people” here in Wausau with passion and drive to help build things from the grassroots level. More often than not, they get nothing in monetary gain, and precious little in fame or glory for their efforts. But little by little they make things happen.
But we need more of THEM … maybe you can be one too. What’s your passion? What’s your talent? Your dream? Your resource? I’m so glad to see the many people who are busy building things here. I’ve lived in Wausau since spring of ‘99 and the change has been dramatic. Be part of it, or if you already are, then maybe be a bigger part of it. Maybe lay out your dreams for all to chew on right here at citizenwausau.com and get new things started that way.
[* Publisher Note to Author - this sentence had no resolve, so I added, “to those who are sticking to making changes in town.” so it would be coherent - though it may not be accurate. Please revise if need be.]
Tom Neal said:
Publisher,
Your edit is close enough for me. I thought I had a complete sentence there but don’t have a draft to review. All I was getting at was it would be nice of members of the community approached the Fillmore owners and offered to help. Maybe with a bucket of paint and a brush, maybe with some furniture or grunt work, or sound equipment or whatever.
Thanks.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:55 am #
Finance Blog » Blog Archives » Building a Better Wausau said:
[…] post by Citizen Wausau Posted in Finance Blog | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of […]
October 5th, 2007 at 8:58 am #
Building a Better Wausau said:
[…] Original post by Citizen Wausau is a Site About Life in Wausau… […]
October 5th, 2007 at 10:12 am #
timothyp said:
“It would be nice of members of the community approached the Fillmore owners and offered to help. Maybe with a bucket of paint and a brush, maybe with some furniture or grunt work, or sound equipment or whatever.”
I have a small problem with volunteering to help a group or entity when they stand to make a living or profit from it. This venture, albeit a great one for the stability of nightlife in the Downtown Wausau area, is based on the profit margin not the human margin. I will support them by attending and spending hard earned cash at The Fillmore, but to actually help them open their doors is not volunteerism it is more of working for free.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:36 pm #
Tom Neal said:
Timothyp,
I accept your personal choice to place a distinction between volunteering and working for free on behalf of a private business. But I really think the context I suggested is a different animal; it’s not like putting in free time to help a national chain store along, or having a pet bank where you wash the windows regularly. But, if someone’s so inclined, good for them. One’s volunteerism should be driven by the passion or interest that is nearest and dearest to them. It’s important to support local businesses with our hard-earned cash, as you say. But I also believe helping local risk-takers with their business venture can also be looked upon as neighborly and supportive of the community as a whole of one believes the new business will add something important to the cultural and social fabric. How many people stepped up to help the local, long-time owner of a burned-out downtown business, offering cash, merchandise, fundraisers, etc.? How many parents and art lovers help with wardrobe, set design, etc. for the yearly Nutcracker production at the Grand? If your brother or friend were to open a small business, would you not consider helping them with their move-in or sprucing up the premises, maybe even donate a desk or lamp? All of these are examples of for-profit businesses enjoying volunteer support. It all comes down to what’s important to you, what you’re willing to sacrifice time and energy for, where you can help shape the image and nature of your community. Naturally, the idea of helping out a private business venture is not for everyone … but my hope is that the idea will appeal to some who can help make a difference. And, I better be very clear here: I don’t know the people opening the Fillmor and I have no reason to believe they’re in dire need of assistance of any kind. I was writing/speaking hypothetically. But I hope to meet them sometime, and if it so happens that I might be able to help in some way to get this new music venue off the ground, I’ll be glad to. It’s involvement, neighborliness, or as I put it in my original article, being “out there.”
October 5th, 2007 at 1:05 pm #
timothyp said:
Points taken.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:33 pm #