Site #2: Wilkes County, North Carolina

The Faces of Circles Tour has brought us to Wilkes County, North Carolina.  We moved from a post-industrial, declining Midwestern town in Springfield to a small, rural community in the Appalachian Mountains.  As we surveyed the signs of poverty (trailer parks, low-income housing, empty warehouses), we were surprised to find that Wilkes claims to have the highest number of millionaires per capita in the United States.  Just a few short years ago, the unemployment rate in this community was 3%.  Thanks to the Lowes Corporation and Holly Farms, along with North Wilkesboro Speedway, many people had made a substantial amount of wealth, and employment opportunities were plentiful.  However, 15 years ago NASCAR pulled out of North Wilkesboro, removing a major economic contributor to the area.  Six years ago Lowes relocated their headquarters to Mooresville, North Carolina, eliminating many of the mid to upper level jobs that provided a stable source of income.  In the words of Ed McKinney, pastor of Arbor Grove United Methodist Church, "All the things we know...have moved out."  A community proud of its entrepreneurial heritage is now seeking to redefine itself.

This is why Pastor McKinney is a big advocate of Wilkes Circles of Care.  As one of many community members who was concerned about the poverty in the county (spiking unemployment and 35% functional illiteracy), he found that Circles provides an interaction between the middle-class and low-income residents that did not exist previously.  Of the 15 members who began the Getting Ahead class (the precursor to Circles) in March of 2010, 14 became Circle Leaders and remain matched with their Allies.  Annette Snider, the Wilkes Circles Coordinator, sees these Circles members meeting their goals, expanding their social network, and beginning the process of finding their way out of poverty.  Even though the opportunities are not as prevalent as they were in the past, Circles is helping people in this community bring about change that may have seemed impossible before.

Check back soon to see some of our interviews from Wilkes.

On the Road!

As I write this post, we are driving through Southern Virginia toward Wilkesboro, North Carolina.  While our first tour visit was on April 14th in Springfield, today marks the first day of the road trip.  Over the next twelve days we will be visiting six sites in six states with populations ranging from 1,500 to 160,000 in their communities.  Our tour will take us as far east as Wilkesboro, as far south as Baldwin, Louisiana; and as far west as Longview, Texas.  The schedule breaks down like this:

Today and Tomorrow (May 3rd & 4th):  Wilkesboro, NC
Thursday and Friday (May 5th & 6th):  Albany, GA
Monday (May 9th):  Pensacola, FL
Tuesday (May 10th):  Baldwin, LA
Thursday (May 12th):  Jackson, MS
Friday (May 13th):  Longview, Texas

We will be doing our best to update the blog on a daily basis as we travel with content much like our Springfield posts.  For more frequent updates, check out our twitter account (see above or follow us @CirclesTour).  Each Circles site we visit has its own unique story, and we intend to capture that as best we can and pass it along to you!  So stay tuned...

Springfield Circles Interviews

Hear from a Funder, Circle Leader, and Ally about the difference Circles is making in Springfield.  

Historic Landmarks in Springfield

On our journey around Springfield we found a couple of old buildings that illustrated the history of the town.  One is a reminder of the ingenuity and accomplishment that marked this community during its heyday.  The other calls to memory the booming industry that was once the core of Springfield's identity.

The eastern face of the Crowell-Collier Building in downtown Springfield.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, home of the Clark County Circles Campaign's weekly

 meetings, sits two blocks north of the Crowell-Collier Building in downtown Springfield.

We are working diligently to provide some of the content from our interviews with Circles' contributors.  Check back over the next few days to see how Circles is making an impact on the individuals who live in this town.  

Site #1: Springfield, Ohio

Our tour is underway!  Last Thursday we spent some time with our local Circles community in Springfield, Ohio, and we followed that up by recording our trip around the city Friday afternoon.  This stop is a little unique for the four of us due to the fact that we live here.  So a lot of the questions we asked and the thoughts we shared with one another are probably a little more personal than they will be at the rest of the places we visit.  

As was mentioned in the video above, Springfield is a city on the decline.  It is one of the many post-industrial towns of the Midwest that once held great promise and many jobs but is now marked by rising unemployment and an increasing dependence upon public benefits.  We drove through several neighborhoods where magnificent homes have been turned into poorly maintained duplexes.  Factories that once employed thousands of workers now stand empty with thick metal bars covering broken windows.  Old theatre signs still protrude from buildings that have long been vacant.  They are the last signs of the industry and entertainment that breathed so much life and hope into this town more than half a century ago.

But not all is bad news in Springfield.  A new hospital on the west end of town that will open in the fall brings optimism about new jobs and reviving business.  The Clark County Heritage Center has poured much time and energy into preserving the history and legacy of the town.  And the Clark County Circles Campaign gave us hope that while there is much to overcome, people are doing it every day.

We will be posting more footage from around town and our interviews with members of Circles in Springfield.

Team Introductions - Tim & Carlos

Meet the other two tour team members, Tim & Carlos

Team Introductions - Mo & Andrea

Meet Mo and Andrea, two members of the Faces of Circles Tour