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Mar 08 2022
Love0

Vibrant Vibes workshops deliver great ideas. Can you top them?

By Countywide, Elkhart, Featured News, Goshen, Middlebury & Bristol, Nappanee & Wakarusa, Next Chapter One Comment

Does Elkhart County need a “destination” park?

Have a better idea? Tell us!

Do we need more and better walking and bicycling connections between our neighborhoods, downtowns and parks?

Would contests and prizes bring more volunteers out for our community events?

At Vibrant Vibes workshops March 1-3, 2022, in Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee, Middlebury, Wakarusa, Bristol and Millersburg, dozens of ideas for quality-of-place projects, programs and events were championed (some loudly!).

The ETI building in Elkhart drew about 30 for a Vibrant Vibes workshop on March 1, 2022.

Enthusiastic residents crowded around tables to voice their hopes for the next few years and beyond.

Do you have an idea that will top them all?

SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS NOW

Through an online form or a virtual Zoom workshop (or even by hosting your own “meeting in a box,” you can make sure your ideas are part of the conversation.

We’re taking ideas through the end of March. Then we’re going to go through everything we’ve heard and that people have submitted and come back in June with a report and a chance to weigh in on the top ideas.

Tell us your thoughts
Jan 17 2022
Love0

Add your voice to Vibrant Communities’ Next Chapter

By Countywide, Elkhart, Featured News, Goshen, Middlebury & Bristol, Nappanee & Wakarusa, Next Chapter No Comments

With so many great things happening in Elkhart County, are you ready to help write the next chapter of where we go next?

Coming the first week of March, Vibrant Vibes workshops will give you a voice to share what quality-of-place projects or programs should be developed over the next few years.

Workshops are scheduled for every Elkhart County community, and alternatives such as a virtual meeting, online survey, and “meetings in a box” that you can do yourself at home are planned.

FIND THE RIGHT MEETING FOR YOU

See Meeting Schedule

From our expanding network of trails and parks to revitalized downtowns, growing arts and culture scene, and calendar full of public events, we can’t help but brag about all Elkhart County has accomplished since Vibrant Communities launched in 2016.

But we also don’t rest on our laurels.

On January 13, the Vibrant Communities Steering Committee and Outreach Team met to review the Vibrant Vibes activities and discuss how to engage as much of Elkhart County as possible.

There’s more progress to be made. Join us!

Oct 11 2021
Love0

Goshen neighborhood embraces residents musical talents

By Goshen, Vibrant Neighborhoods No Comments

“Our neighborhood has been re-energized with younger families and new babies. This event provided an opportunity for cross-generational fun and relationship building before the start of a busy school year. There are 21 homes in this neighborhood that are connected to Canal Street and the two alleys that intersect Canal Street. Fourteen of the 20 households attended the social. We had wonderful music from neighbors who have bands (The Tumbleweed Jumpers, McLane & Co.) plus folk guitarist Wilma Harter. This neighborhood has a strong musical history!

“We are so grateful to the Vibrant Communities grant for funding this event. It is the first time the neighbors have gathered in this manner in 20 years! When I moved in, there were five matriarchs who had lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years each. I am part of the new generation of matriarchs and the ‘hood is now filled with oodles of children and babies. We love it here!”

Cynthia Murphy of the Canal Street Cul-de-Sac Neighborhood of Goshen received a Vibrant Neighborhoods mini-grant to fund an end-of-summer ice-cream social for her neighborhood. Learn more about the mini-grants here.

Oct 08 2021
Love0

Greencroft Middlebury celebrates their Vibrant Neighborhood

By Countywide, Middlebury & Bristol, Vibrant Neighborhoods No Comments

More than half of Middlebury’s Greencroft community came together for a Vibrant Neighborhood brunch on June 9, 2021.

The residents enjoyed Das Dutchman Essenhaus pastries, yogurt, fruit trays, juice, and coffee, and heard a presentation by Town Manager Mary Cripe on exciting progressive projects happening now and future project plans for Middlebury.

Of Greencroft in Middlebury’s 50 residents, and approximately 30-35 residents participated in the event and were welcomed by Sheri Howland of the Middlebury Chamber of Commerce.

The residents talked, shared exciting happenings within their neighborhood, and enjoyed hearing about other areas in Middlebury.  Many lingered long after the end of the event for additional sharing.  All were appreciative of the beautiful door prizes giving at the event.

The brunch was made possible by a Vibrant Neighborhoods grant. Learn more about the program and apply for a grant for your own neighborhood.

Oct 01 2021
Love0

Goshen church gives back to neighborhood through clean-up, barbecue event

By Countywide, Goshen, Vibrant Neighborhoods 2 Comments

“We called our project ‘Neighborhood Cleanup.’ There were about 40 people who participated including some teenagers. Many of the participants were from the St. Mark’s United Methodist Church congregation but there were also some from the neighborhood. We partnered with the Chamberlain Neighborhood Association for the project. One unique thing about the St. Mark’s UMC congregation is that many of them are from the Elkhart County Work Release program. Some of these folks attend our service on Sundays and were eager to help out in the cleanup process,” said Jo Geleske of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Goshen.

“With people’s contact being limited because of COVID we felt this type of project could bring people together to uplift the neighborhood and share their stories. Our church is committed to remaining in this neighborhood and to serving the community,” said Geleske.

St. Mark’s UMC received a Vibrant Neighborhoods micro-grant to fund a neighborhood cleanup and barbecue event on July 17.

Learn more about Vibrant Neighborhoods here.

Jul 20 2021
Love0

Wakarusa neighborhood forges new bonds over hot dogs and baked beans

By Countywide, Featured News, Nappanee & Wakarusa, Vibrant Neighborhoods No Comments

Springtime is often a time for garage sales, but one Wakarusa neighborhood took it to the next level with the help of a Vibrant Neighborhoods microgrant.

The County Road 38 neighborhood coordinated the garage sale date, but added in the opportunity for households to get to know each other better.

“Everyone expressed appreciation for the event and hoped to continue to get together yearly, hoping more will attend as the word gets out as to how enjoyable it was,” said Deb Shively, the organizer.

Neighborhood kids enjoyed a bounce house and ice cream, and everyone dined on pulled pork, hot dogs, baked beans and mac and cheese.

Only a bit of rain at the end of the day put a slight damper on things.

Do you love your neighborhood too? Organize a social event or a clean-up/beautification day and Vibrant Neighborhoods can help out. Learn more here.

Jun 15 2021
Love0

Pumpkinvine Nature Trail’s final gap coming to a close

By Countywide, Featured News, Goshen, Middlebury & Bristol No Comments

After years of work, the final gap in the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail is being completed.

Construction crews are at work on one section of the final gap, with the remainder to be completed in 2022. The reasons for that are complicated, writes Brittany Short, president of the Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.

(I)t takes an entire community to get this kind of thing done; those doing the day-to-day work, those advocating on behalf of trails, and those investing in them.

Read more from Brittany Short on the Friends of the Pumpkinvine blog.

May 27 2021
Love0

Elkhart neighborhood cleans up together for the good of everyone

By Countywide, Elkhart, Featured News, Goshen, Middlebury & Bristol, Nappanee & Wakarusa, Vibrant Neighborhoods No Comments

“(I)f we don’t kind of connect with one another and try to maintain the neighborhood as a whole … we can accomplish a lot more together.”

Mark Datema of Elkhart saw the power of community when he applied for a Vibrant Neighborhoods grant. Helped by a micro-grant for supplies, the residents of the Greenleaf Boulevard Neighborhood Association — representing all walks of life and income levels — came together May 22, 2021, to clear brush, pick up trash and give the streets and sidewalks a tidier appearance.

“(I)t’s wonderful to see neighborhood associations come together as a community to make sure that what’s missed is taken care of,”Aaron Mishler, the city councilman for the Greenleaf Neighborhood, told The Elkhart Truth.

Vibrant Neighborhoods calls on residents throughout Elkhart County to come together as neighbors — whether it’s a block or a street or a subdivision — for activities that are fun and beneficial to community.

Learn more about Vibrant Neighborhoods.

 

Apr 30 2021
Love0

Take the survey: Your opinions about Elkhart County count

By Countywide, Elkhart, Featured News, Goshen, Middlebury & Bristol, Nappanee & Wakarusa No Comments

Si se siente más cómodo de completar la encuesta en español, vaya a www.vibrantelkhartcounty.org/survey

 

Dear Resident of Elkhart County,

Since 2016, the Elkhart County Vibrant Communities movement has brought together residents from all walks of life and leaders to strengthen Elkhart County’s great communities. Now in our fifth year, we are working to improve our understanding of people’s perceptions about their hometowns and to find opportunities to make them more desirable places to live, work, learn and play. As a resident of Elkhart County, we would greatly appreciate your participation in a survey to help us learn what you think of the county and ways in which it can be improved.

There are two ways to complete our survey. The most convenient way is for you to complete the online survey by clicking here. Some of you may have been mailed a paper version with a postage-paid return envelope if you prefer to respond by mail. We kindly request that you complete the survey on or before June 10, 2021.

The information you provide in this survey is confidential and will never be linked to your name. A third-party community organization based in the region will be conducting the analysis and will keep all collected information protected and confidential.

We ask that this survey be completed by an adult over the age of 18 years old. If there are multiple adults in your household, any one of the adults can fill out the paper survey and we highly encourage the other adult(s) to take the survey online. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. Unless otherwise instructed, please check the box that corresponds to the answer category that best describes you and your situation or opinion. The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Please read each question carefully.

If you have questions about the survey, please direct them to our Program Manager, Bil Murray at [email protected].

Thank you very much for helping us with this very important study. YOUR OPINION COUNTS.

 

Arvis Dawson & Suzanne Wierick

Co-Chairs of Vibrant Communities of Elkhart County

Educate. Advocate. Celebrate.

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