On Tuesday, September 22, Thrive Allen County hosted a community conversation for Savonburg residents at the Savonburg Community Building. Led by Thrive’s Community Engagement Team, Marcia Davis and Henry Lohman, the conversation provided an opportunity for residents to celebrate what makes Savonburg special while also sharing ideas for improvement, unmet community needs, and their vision for the future.

Community conversations are designed to put residents at the center of the conversation. Thrive’s goal is to listen, learn, and work alongside community members to identify areas for improvement, prioritize needs, and help connect communities with the funding, labor, and resources necessary to make positive changes possible.

Thrive does not make these improvements directly. Instead, we serve as an advocate for the community, helping residents identify potential partners and resources and supporting them as they work toward solutions that reflect the needs and priorities of their community.

One thing was clear throughout the conversation: everyone in attendance shared a deep love for Savonburg.

Residents spoke appreciatively about the peaceful, safe, and close-knit atmosphere that makes their town special. One attendee noted that you could leave your keys in your front door and return home to find them untouched. A simple but powerful example of the trust and sense of security that exists among Savonburg neighbors.

Trust among neighbors is plentiful, but what does Savonburg need?

Infrastructure emerged as the community’s top priority. Residents identified the need for a dedicated backup generator to maintain essential services during power outages as a critical public health and safety concern. Attendees expressed particular concern about power reliability for residents who depend on home oxygen equipment and other essential medical devices. A dependable backup power source could provide an important measure of security for these residents and help the community remain better prepared when outages occur.

Residents also voiced concerns about feeling disconnected from broader countywide initiatives and resources. With attendance at some local events and public gatherings declining, attendees expressed a strong desire to increase community engagement, rebuild active civic participation, and strengthen connections with community members and leaders throughout Allen County.

These conversations are not intended to end when the meeting does. The next step is to take what residents have shared and begin exploring potential pathways forward. Thrive will continue working alongside Savonburg residents to identify possible funding opportunities, community partners, and other resources that can help address the priorities identified during the conversation.

At Thrive Allen County, we are grateful to everyone who attended and shared their community pride, concerns, and ideas for improvement. Their willingness to speak openly about both what they love about Savonburg and what they hope to see in its future is an important first step toward meaningful progress.

We encourage members of Allen County to visit Savonburg, attend a local event, support its community activities, and get to know the people who call this town home. Strong communities are built when neighbors, organizations, and communities work together.

We are one Allen County, and when we lift one another up, together we can thrive!