Our Philosopy:

We say our mission is to cultivate community through utilization of local strengths, nurturing of present structures, and engagement of common passions. Well, what does that mean? It goes a little something like this...

CULTIVATE community

We are excited about community. We believe we were created to live in community and our chief passions are simply to see communities grow and remain sustainably healthy. Our principle goal is not to create community but to care for and develop what is already there.

utilization of LOCAL STRENGTHS

Just like anyone else in rural America we know there are some people, groups & companies right in our own backyard who are just plain amazing at certain things and others who are great at a lot of things. No matter who they are our focus isn't to reinvent any wheel, but to zero in on what is already great about the area and utilize the strengths we've got the best we can.

NUTURING of present structures

Starting from scratch is sometimes best. But when you're talking about a living breathing group of folks who've arrived where they are today along side the present institutions and organizations they trust, some structures are best learned from rather than leveled. Our rural communities have been surviving and thriving for a long time before any of us came along. We hope to learn from our past and build upon those foundations that have already served our communities well. 

engagement of COMMON PASSIONS

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Everyone is passionate about something, but fewer of us really ever pursue those passions and even fewer yet run after passions that are things of purpose and weight. Sometimes it's because we think it's a silly idea and other times its because we think we're the only ones interested. Maybe it's even possible that sometimes folks are just waiting for permission to be passionate. What ever the reason we at CORE get excited when folks have the chance to see there are others who share their passion and those that even applaud their passions. Want to see us really excited? It's when we can connect folks who's passions intersect and make great things possible.

 

 

So we know what you're thinking. That all sounds great but what does that look like?

Short answer. We're not always real sure either. This is what we do know though...

 

​As a group of local people we love our rural community and want to see it thrive.

 

We see many of our strengths and are still learning of others.

 

We're doing some things well and we want to do them even better. But we also know we've got some things to work on, to improve.

 

We have some folks whose passion for rural people, community life and service to all is infectious and encouraging.

 

 

and so far its played out like this...

 

• A group of 20 folks gathering to begin the initial phase of cleaning up and repurposing a 1930's High School Gym that sets at the city limits of Soldier Kansas. It had laid dormant for nearly 20 years with trees and trash both inside and out overtaking the noble structure. While the project has a long road ahead of it, a task once thought to big and impossible is a dream being embraced by more and more folks everyday as they sign on to volunteer.

• One woman's passion for rural youth and their access to books during the summer has lead to the creation of a bookmobile program ramping up to begin this summer and travel to the 4 northern most towns in Jackson county. When it's finished it will house not just books, but opportunites for youth at each site to take part in snacks, a craft and story time once a week for 12 Wednesdays throughout the summer. Recently added is even a partner program that will distribute commodites to young peoples who already are eligible for local school disctrict food program.

• Facilitating a meeting of representatives from local organizations and business to talk about our small upcoming fair in July. We had reps from local churches, businesses, city council, neighbors, youth & senior citizens. 9 month olds to 91 years old. We gathered around a table of chicken dinners and talked about the good, the struggles and the dreams of our little fair. The outcome? Well we won't know totally till July 12th but we're excited as folks stepped up, plans were made, folks found ways to work together and others were given the opportunity to inject some new passion in a great tradition that calls Soldier, Kansas home.