Are we succeeding or failing at making our community as successful as it deserves to be?  That is a question often discussed over coffee whether it is at the local coffee stops, library or kitchen table and is the topic that Doug Griffiths, third term MLA for Battle River-Wainwright, and Kelley Lemmer, award-winning journalist with the Wainwright Review address head on in their book, “13 Ways to Kill Your Community.”

I came across this book when searching the library’s TRAC database and thought I would order it to find out what they were saying about community development.  At times the simple clarity of what was being said resounded so strongly that I often set the book down in amazement at how well the authors had captured the experience of many of the towns in rural Alberta. Their writing is based on experience.  Griffiths has visited most of the 422 communities in Alberta, gaining firsthand knowledge from civic leaders and citizens throughout the province.  He co-authored the government report “Rural Alberta: Land of Opportunity”. Although the Alberta Advantage has stimulated growth along the Edmonton-Calgary corridor, the same economic growth is not evident throughout rural Alberta.

The premise of the book is not bringing about the demise of the community but rather talks about the ways, which despite good intentions, things are done that harm the effectiveness in accomplishing the goals and visions for our community.  Griffiths and Lemmer believe there are potentially more items that each community can find but this is their list:

1. Don't have quality water.
2. Don't attract business.
3. Ignore your youth.
4. Deceive yourself about your real needs or values.
5. Shop elsewhere.
6. Don't Paint.
7. Don't cooperate.
8. Live in the past.
9. Ignore your seniors.

10.  Reject everything new.

11.  Ignore outsiders.

12.  Become complacent.

13.  Don't take responsibility.

The authors state that “if you can face all these challenges and overcome them, then you can avoid the pitfalls and traps that kill communities.”  They believe that wrong attitudes are the reason that rural development hasn’t occurred.  I’ve often been told that there are a lot of things that I cannot control in life but my attitude is one that I can.

It has been a long time since I have been motivated to action through reading; however, any of you that have been around me since I came across this book know how it has inspired me.  My work has taken me throughout Alberta, providing me with awareness that the points Griffiths and Lemmer are sharing are valuable to any rural community but for me the place to start is at home.