Conversation Cafe'

Dear Friend, Conversations, conversations, conversations Last year we hosted a series of Community Matters conversations, this year we decided to take the talk to the kids. Yesterday we collaborated with the Northwest Technical Center to offer their students an opportunity to converse with members of the business community. What happened next - unbelievable!

Conversation Cafe' Lisa Durocher and her team had heard about the concept of a Conversation Cafe' at at conference they attended last year. Fast forward, we have a room full of NWTC medical professions students sitting at tables hosted by real live medical professionals from around town and they are talking. I mean no cell phones, no headphones, no distractions - just face to face, down to earth, are you kidding me conversations. People were jazzed. And I didn't even have time to offer up an introduction or explanation - they just took off.  What Did They Talk About? I honestly don't know. We gave them topics to discuss if the conversation lulled but that never happened. From the feedback I received from some of the table hosts, the kids shared their dream jobs and goals for the near future and the table hosts shared how they got to where they were today. Real life to real life. Just talking. And in the end, there were handshakes and hugs. I think they liked it. What's Next, You Ask? Well, we have two more Conversation Cafes' scheduled for the NWTC. In March we are hosting a Human Services day and in April we will be looking at Digital Arts & Video. If you'd like to be part of the conversation, contact the Chamber or Lisa Durocher at NWTC. We'll save you a spot at the table. And Chef makes the best croissants. What to host one at your school - give me a call, I'll share what we know. You Mentioned Community Matters Breakfast Aw yes I did, people sharing stories with people, generating social capital - a great success in 2015. We will bring these back for 2016 starting in May. If you would like to host a breakfast let me know - they go fast. Did You Know? Social Capital is a local phenomenon defined by connections among people who know one another. It is neighbors communicating with neighbors. It takes person-to-person contact over time to build relationships steeped in trust and mutual understanding. We can all use more of that good stuff.

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Dave Southwick