Bricks and mortar: Going beyond Facebook

Now I’m looking at just a little time, so be it. I want to be true to my simple heart and not put nothing else above it. Brick by brick. Brick by brick. Brick by brick. Brick by brick. Brick by brick by brick. 

Iggy Pop

Get Smart. Get Real.

When I was working in the telecommunications industry, my area of expertise was technology. My career was not unlike others in tech project/product management: a mix of hits and misses. The development of an interactive television product that never saw the light of day was quickly followed by the incredibly successful rollout of cable modems and the broadband internet industry.

So it may come as a surprise to learn that I was decidedly low-tech in the way I led (or wanted to lead) my life. When I bought my first cell phone, I refused to give others (except family and my administrative assistant) my phone number. I later was dragged, kicking and screaming, to the ultimate demon: the Blackberry. 

I hated it all and saw what being connected 24/7 was doing to my friends and associates, not to mention the distractions and disruptions during face-to-face meetings. Having said that, don’t ever take my email away!

It seems the whole world is going “virtual” these days. And I like parts of this brave new world--I like never having to go inside a bank, the convenience of ordering books and clothes online, and, while I’ve never used it, I fully appreciate the expansion of our world by buying and selling all sorts of things on E-Bay. 

Even better, it allows people to live where they want to…and work at home if they desire. We have a friend who provides technical support from the comfort of her home office and a neighbor who develops software in his pajamas. My brother runs a transcriber equipment business from his home, enabled by his website, which he developed himself.

What I don’t get are the virtual worlds designed for socializing and community building—I think the intention is good, but from a distance it appears that some people actually become more isolated at best and exploited at worst. I’m sure some of my friends and family will disagree with me. And don’t get me started on online gaming! Go outside and play, will ya!!

So it is with this, as way of background, that I got to thinking about a dinner Rick and I just had with Fred and Flora Wolf.

You may remember Fred from our book. He’s a wonderful example of a careerist who really thought through his retirement, starting in his 40’s. It wasn’t about seeing how much golf and travel he and Flora could introduce into their lives—for Fred, it was finding a community in which the two of them could blossom. And bloom they did.

Since Fred left his profession behind him, he’s turned to a new interest: bricks and mortar. No, he hasn’t built a McMansion to glorify his name. Rather, he is leaving a legacy by making an impact on his community. Construction may sound kind of odd for an accountant-consultant-financial administrator. But, as we shared in his story, he’s used his remarkable financing and fundraising skills first to build a regional hospital, then a church, and finally a fire station. 

While the internet is allowing people to conduct businesses without much capital outlay compared to a typical brick and mortar business, there will always be a need for the real thing—the building in which you worship, the hospital that springs into action when you are in physical distress, or the fire station that houses equipment that may save your house one day.

Now, back to our dinner. Fred invited Rick and me to dinner so that he could pitch the next building he’s trying to get financed: a community charter school less than three miles from our house.

It’s interesting how some things come full circle. Back in the late 1800’s, the county seat for our community was just five miles north of us. Hahn’s Peak had a jail, general store, school, and a saloon or two. Butch Cassidy visited. As mining waned, the population center moved to Steamboat Springs, over 20 miles south of us. And so did all the amenities.

As Steamboat Springs grew, and the popularity of its world class ski resort became widely known, baby boomers began to build second homes there. The cost of living in town grew accordingly and working people began to migrate south, west, and north of town for cost-affordable living.

For those of us (about 900 residents) living in the northern portion of the county—20 square miles of vast ranch land, wilderness areas, villages and small subdivisions—that meant busing children to Steamboat Springs for K-12 school. For some children, it meant over three hours on a school bus each day.

In 2000, a tipping point was reached when parents banded together to create a K-8 charter school that was closer to home.

The school is an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB) school. ELOB is a comprehensive approach that combines rigorous academic content and real world projects called learning expeditions that include community service. Teaching and learning are active and engaging.  And to me, this is what “keeping it local” is all about. (Once a teen reaches high school, they drive or are bused to Steamboat Springs.)

The current facility, a converted house, is too small to handle our growing community and rising enrollment that currently sits at 56. And this is where Fred comes in…with yet another project that requires his fundraising and financing prowess.

The proposed new building is about 12,000 square feet and includes six classrooms, a large gathering area and administrative offices. The building will have the capacity for 90 students and cost about $2.1 million. I guess this is where Rick and I—and others—come in!

The school will sell the site they currently occupy, thus providing the base funding. But ultimately the local charter school board needs to apply for grants and seek public donations. And even with that, they still will need a loan. Charging tuition is not an option, as the school operationally subsists on per-pupil state funding funneled through the Steamboat Springs School District.

Like many baby boomers in the area, Rick and I don’t have school-age children living with us. That could be a convenient excuse not to donate, but this is a community…and I wouldn’t want to live in an area without kids being an vital part of the neighborhood. You can’t have that if students are “shipped out” for long portions of most days.

Ever since meeting Fred, he’s been a big role model for me. Back in the ‘90s and before I moved here, he co-chaired a long range community planning effort that earned the Governor’s Smart Growth award in 1995.

Later, while on the county planning commission, he helped establish the Land Preservation Regulations, an open space initiative. Just getting warmed up, Fred went on to occupy a seat on the Yampa Valley Hospital Board. Under his chairmanship, our new $45 million regional hospital was built.

His role as Treasurer on his church’s Board and on our rural fire district board put Fred in the chair for overseeing construction projects on behalf of these two organizations even though he is quick to point out, “It ain’t just me, babe.”

And now, even though his children are grown and living elsewhere with their own families, Fred continues to have a commitment to community—and he sets an example for others to follow.

Have you thought about how your career skills can be an asset to your local community? Or how you can connect in a real way with your neighbors?

Let us know how you have chosen to make a difference at home.

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