The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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Jeanine McKenna gives an update on Emporia’s Blue Print for Growth campaign.

Q What is the mission of the Blueprint for Growth campaign? What has been going on since you kicked off the campaign a month ago?

A Our mission is to ensure that the Emporia region will be a healthy, thriving and prosperous community with the quality of life that provides each citizen with an environment for personal growth and success. So really the idea is to grow Emporia and make it a thriving community. Since we kicked the campaign off we have spent time putting together a leadership team and right now we have sent out a core group of letters to foundations, businesses and groups, soliciting funds to help us promote the campaign.

Q What are the campaign focus areas and who will be in charge of each area?

A Goal One: Enhance how Emporia is thought of by citizens, guests and others connected with our community: Gary Nye and our office will be working on this. Goal Two: Create new high-skill jobs that provide very competitive wages: Brian LeWallen, plant manager at Detroit Diesel, will lead that. Goal Three: Allocate city services to effectively fit the needs of the community: Elvin Perkins. Goal Four: Expand the culture, dining and retail services available in the Emporia area: Kristi Mohn. Goal Five: Enhance the housing available in the Emporia area: Fred Neuer. Goal Six: Strengthen the services and community partnerships in order to enhance the educational opportunities available to people in all walks of life: Jim Williams. Goal Seven: Improve and increase the recreational opportunities available in the Emporia area: Tom McEvoy. Goal Eight: Increase tourism to the Emporia area: Jamie Sauder.

Q As you have formed your leadership group what responses have you gotten?

A No one has hesitated to say yes. I think everybody believes in the campaign and what it can do. They do realize it will be hard work but they are willing to do it. Since our first meeting the leaders are starting to put their committees together and brainstorming. If people have an interest serving on one of these committees, please let us know. We want to get the community involved.

Q You are raising money to fund the Blueprint for Growth. How is that going and what is the goal?

A Jon Geitz and I are heading up the fund raising and our goal is to raise at least $100,000 a year for the next five years. That is a pretty lofty goal. But we really believe that now more than ever this campaign is needed for the community. We have sent letters out and now we are starting the follow-up calls. We are very excited because Westar Energy kicked off the campaign with a $15,000 donation and also a commitment to help over the next several years.

Q As the committees get formed, what are the next steps?

A It is really community awareness. We want to hear the good things that are going on in the community that tie in with campaign or maybe there is a group that is working on something that we are unaware of that ties into one of those goals. We want people to let us know. We want to complement the work people are doing. So it is that interaction or communication that we need to get going through out the community.

F If you would like to make a donation to the Blueprint for Growth campaign or have questions, call the Emporia Chamber of Commerce at 342-1600.