I have a confession to make: I’m not from around here. I grew up in Southern California in the 1960’s. It was beautiful (if smoggy) all year round and growth was everywhere. Orange groves and strawberry fields disappeared as acre upon acre of tract homes were built. It was suburbia at its best. And yet the privacy fenced, back to back neighborhoods that stretched seamlessly through Orange County and Los Angeles county to the ocean were undifferentiated. Only a few quaint city centers tucked in amid the mini malls were left to remind you that these were once towns with unique identities. We did not have a public library close-by. I was in my teens before I even knew where “my” public library was – miles away. There was no sense of community that I remember.
And so it is that Greenwood has surprised me. From the first day I drove into the GPL parking lot for my interview in 2004, I was charmed by the older homes on Madison and the Main Street full of old style brick buildings that had stories to tell and goods to sell. Kids played in the park next to the library, and the library parking lot was full. A few short blocks away, Greenwood also offered a mall with retailers of every description and any restaurant you can think of: The best of both worlds. What I didn’t know back in 2004 – and may not really have known until now – is that this charming Midwest town doesn’t just look like a community, it is the essence of community.
When I tell people about the work we do at GPL, I often say, “A community is only as strong as its weakest member.” It is a concept I believe to be true and I am honored to be part of an organization that daily improves the lives of our community members. But this year, it was the library itself that was in trouble. This time we were the weakest member, and we needed help. The last three months have been a whirlwind of white knuckled hard work, communication, and new connections with our community. When people understood our situation and what was at risk, they stepped up. Individuals of all ages, patrons present and past, corporations, small businesses, local entrepreneurs, and even the city government itself wanted to help. We find ourselves on the receiving end of a community rallying to our aid. It has been a humbling experience. I can’t help but think back to my days in Southern California. I don’t ever remember feeling this kind of connection in a community there. Don’t get me wrong, So Cal is a great place to live – but so often I hear Hoosiers idolize warmer climes and bigger cities. I promise you, those places have nothing on Greenwood.
In this small town we have an awesome Chamber of Commerce. Service clubs like Rotary, Kiwanis, and Sertoma perform amazing acts of service for our community. Pro-Greenwood organizations like Old Town Greenwood and Restore Old Town Greenwood work diligently for no other purpose than to improve life and help Greenwood succeed. We even have the Greater Greenwood Arts Council and the Southside Art League which enrich our lives through the arts. These wonderful assets are the result of a city with a distinct identity, great family appeal, and a wealth of civic-minded citizens.
Many of our largest fundraisers for this year were conceived of by our friends at the city, past patrons, ex-employees, and neighbors. We’ve had restaurant fundraisers this week, and the phone has been ringing with more restaurants wanting to help and with exciting ideas for us. Again, we are humbled by the outpouring of support. How can we not succeed in this city? And how can this outpouring not result in a better, more connected, more vital Greenwood? The Greenwood Public Library is being saved by its own community and when revived, will be knit more firmly into that community than ever. We will be able to continue to give back, to strengthen, and to enrich our city.
I don’t know if other cities could have done it. But Greenwood is doing it.