For Our City Cottonwood - "Looking Good Cottonwood"

Mayor’s Project:   Looking Good Cottonwood

                                                                                                     "Serving our Neighbors"

Neighborhoods – Engage and promote strong and vibrant neighborhoods. Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may break into the building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps light fires inside. Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars. Neighborhoods are the fabric of a community, a part of the threads that tie both geographic and social systems together. When one neighborhood is in decline, the whole community can be at risk. Mayor Joens’ “project of the heart” is to clean up neighborhoods. This may include a major city-wide cleanup day (summit members chose April 14), and other events where volunteers paint, clean yards and landscape, for elderly, disabled, or on city rights-of-way. Why is it important to strengthen and promote existing neighborhoods? Strengthening and promoting existing neighborhoods can stabilize the housing stock and contribute towards community ties. These ties produce a stronger community that can effectively react to problems such as crime, litter or deterioration. Dealing with these threats in a proactive and tenacious manner can ensure the vitality and property values of a community. Focusing on neighborhoods protects the health, safety and welfare of the people who live within the community. Communities want to address deterioration issues before they become a widespread problem within the community. Strengthening and promoting neighborhoods can stabilize the housing stock and contribute toward community ties. These ties produce a stronger community that can effectively react to problems such as crime, litter or deterioration. Dealing with these threats in a proactive and tenacious manner can ensure the vitality and health of a community. Christopher Reeve once said, “Nothing of any consequence happens unless people get behind an idea.”

For Our City Cottonwood Coordinating Committee Volunteers

For Our City Cottonwood Coordinator Mike Worden, Mayor Diane Joens, Community Organizer Sherry Twamley,  Community Volunteer Troll Worfolk, Cottonwood Oak Creek School District Superintendent Barb U’Ren, Edward Jones Associate Amy Brown, Evangel Worship Pastor Tim Hall, Catholic Charities Director Carol Quasula, Verde Valley Guidance Clinic Richard Dehnert/Patty May/ Laurie Verdier, Our Lady Guadalupe Rev. Vincent Robinson.

December 1, 2011

Faith, business, nonprofit and municipal leaders from Cottonwood/Clarkdale met with Mayor Diane Joens to begin the discussion on her vision of For Our City for the Lower Verde Valley area.  The response was unanimous as leaders shared a common passion for the youth, elderly and homeless; "we need For Our City."

Jon McHatton presented the history and a few of the best practices of other For Our City communities then several of the representatives of business, nonprofit and faith told of their successes and the need for further collaboration.

Mike Worden was announced as the Director of For Our City Cottonwood.  The next steps are to organize food and toy drives with Wal-Mart and local food banks for the holidays.  Along with the Mayor, the leaders agreed that the next FOC Cottonwood meeting will be a 1/2 day summit to strategize solutions in three main areas; Youth, Elderly and Homeless.  For more information contact Mike@care-inc.org.

November 18, 2011

Dear Community Leader:

Please accept our invitation to attend the Mayor’s “For Our City, Cottonwood” breakfast.  What is “For Our City?”  This initiative is a platform of collaboration between leaders of faith communities, nonprofits, the city of Cottonwood and the business community.  The goal is to serve under the leadership of Cottonwood’s Mayor to work together in unity and demonstrate faith and compassion for our community. “For Our City, Cottonwood” is a nonsectarian, civic non-profit (more)organization designed to bring the faith houses and social service leaders together in a partnership with the Mayor and local government. There is a common thread that connects the leaders of these groups. That thread is a deep personal commitment to serve our fellow man. FOCS is intended to bridge the gap between faith, ideologies, political agendas and corporate philosophies for the purpose of the common good of our community.

When:   First meeting is on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 7 a.m.  (Please RSVP by Nov. 25.)

 Where:   Jerona’s at 677 E. Mingus Ave., Cottonwood, AZ —(Across from the Cottonwood Post Office on Mingus Avenue.)

Why:   To celebrate the contributions that faith organizations and nonprofits make toward our city’s quality of life for children, families and seniors, and explore what we can do better together than separately.

We are specifically looking at sponsoring an event that helps children and seniors. One idea is to work with Walmart or another business to set up a collection point for food, clothing and children’s toys donations for Christmas. These could be distributed to Toys for Tots, the Old Town Mission and Central Arizona Food Bank. We could also help the Women’s Shelter, Verde Valley Senior Center and Catholic Charities. I am open to other projects as the group envisions. Cleaning up the city with the “Lookin’ Good Cottonwood” is another worthy project. Helping the disabled and elderly “spruce up” their properties would be an admirable community goal.

What would Cottonwood look like if hundreds of volunteers worked together and contributed thousands of hours to serve our city together?  Think how we could address problems, alleviate suffering and transform our community!

To RSVP please email Mayor Diane Joens at mayor@dianejoens.com, home office phone 634-4112.  Please RSVP by Friday, Nov. 25.

Thank you for your faithful service to the people of Cottonwood. We have much to be thankful for in our wonderful community, Cottonwood, Arizona!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 Sincerely,

Mayor Diane Joens mayor@dianejoens.com, Ph: 634-4112

Mike Worden, For Our City Cottonwood Director mwperformance@hotmail.com,

Ph. 300-1320