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April 12, 2007
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April 12, 2007 |
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Editorial A good time to come to dinner At last fall’s Third Annual Community Forum, Bruce Heckman, who facilitated one of the discussion groups, kicked off the conversation with what seemed a stroke of inspiration. The 10 villagers present represented not only a range of ages and interests but also opposite sides of past village controversies. At the beginning, there may have been a bit of wariness in the room. To begin the discussion, Heckman asked us to remember the last time we felt a “swoosh” of love for living in Yellow Springs. One woman spoke of the pleasure she takes going downtown Friday nights, starting off at the Little Art, then walking down Xenia Avenue to a creative meal at the Winds Cafe. On the way, she passes people spilling out of the wine tasting at the Emporium, and feels lucky to live in such a lively town. Another woman spoke of shopping downtown Saturday mornings, buying fresh vegetables at the Farmer’s Market, chatting with friends, then heading for coffee and more chatting with friends. Another villager spoke of her young daughter’s recent birthday party, and her deep appreciation for the caring her child receives from other village adults. A man talked of the community concert hosted by Dave Chappelle, and how connected he felt that night to others in town. Most likely, even without Heckman’s introduction, we would have had a similarly substantive, respectful discussion about thorny local challenges. But the conversation-starter seemed to deepen the connection between us, to remind us of all we have in common. Over the past year villagers have faced several critical issues, starting with difficult budget discussions, then the property tax levy, followed shortly after by the Fogg farm annexation request. For many it’s been a time of heightened anxiety, heightened tension, perhaps heightened wariness between villagers with different perspectives on how best to address local challenges. It’s been easy to forget what we have in common. This weekend offers villagers one unique local opportunity to find that commonality again. “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” the April 14 event sponsored by the AACW, lets us share a meal with people we may not know, or may not know well. Organizers select dinner groups with an eye to unlikely pairings — plumbers with college professors, peace activists with Wright Patt employees — and an intent of racial, cultural and economic diversity. The event is playful, surprising, and an excellent way to deepen our understanding of this little town. “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” only rolls around once a year. My bet is, if you go, you’ll have a good time.
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