Quote of the Evening: “One person pullin’ on the rope don’t really do much …”
“You hear a lot these days about the death of small towns,” one resident of Savonburg sighed during Thrive Allen County’s recent visit to the community, an observation that contained more than a hint of sadness and frustration. And indeed, Savonburg’s story is akin to many small towns in Kansas, where at the beginning of the twentieth century, its heavily-Swedish population was twice what it is now (approximately 102), thanks especially to the comings-and-goings of the Katy Railroad.
That said, Savonburg is a place full of caring, passionate people, as evidenced by attendance during the community conversation hosted by Thrive, as well as by recent, award-winning renovations to the public library. As one resident put it, Savonburg is “not a bedroom community, but a community to ourselves.” Yet it is not a community without challenges, especially due to the limited number of folks available to work on potential projects. In the words of one attendee: “You can only tap the same thirty people so many times before the well runs dry.”
As members of Thrive listened carefully while the people of Savonburg opened their hearts, some of their specific frustrations and aspirations included:
– Absence of cell-phone towers and reception, forcing a reversion to land-lines and trips to the cemetery for cellular service, one of the only areas of reliable coverage noted in the conversation
– Need for a storm shelter in the event of natural disasters
– Absence of recycling facilities, especially for plastics
– Need for better resident transportation, especially for medical visits
– Designs for safe, clean, and affordable housing
– Desire for signs reading “Welcome to Savonburg,” along with a town “History Walk”
– Plans for a community garden and park with picnic area, shelter house, slide, and swings
– Hope for a new community center to house larger events
One resident described the above list as a collection of “dreams,” but these are completely realizable goals that local communities can put into action with a little help from their friends. Working together with Thrive, residents transform dreams into achievements through committed action. For indeed, as one resident put it, “this community’s got potential if everyone would just work at it!”
So stay tuned as the people of Savonburg, with support from Thrive, bring their vision into focus, and into reality, for the betterment of Allen County!
( Follow Savonburg online: https://www.facebook.com/CityOfSavonburgKs/ )
