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Editorial
Hartington’s best moments don’t happen by accident.
Parades don’t line themselves up. Holiday lights don’t string themselves. Welcome baskets don’t hop onto porches.
Behind every “Wow, that was fun!” is a neighbor who said, “Sure, I’ll help.”
Lately, though, that list of helpful neighbors is getting short.
The Hartington Chamber of Commerce — the folks who promote the town, plan community events and champion local businesses — needs a hand.
Chamber President Ray Sukovaty says the group is facing what many volunteer organizations are up against: civic apathy. Events are still well attended. The problem is getting people to help make them happen. As Chamber Secretary Lisa Dendinger put it: “We use the same volunteers all the time and we’re getting tired. We have to make some changes. The way we’re doing things now — it’s just not working.”
Once upon a time, monthly Chamber meetings were a big occasion — supper, a speaker, big turnout. Today, it’s mostly the officers … not always all of them. Keep that up and the Chamber becomes a memory, and memories don’t plan parades.
So here’s our friendly-but-firm nudge: it’s time to roll up our sleeves.
First step’s easy — show up at next week’s Town Hall. If you care about Hartington’s future, be in the room. Listen, ask questions, raise a hand. Showing up isn’t the whole job, but it is the first job.
Next step: pitch in. Not for life. Not for every event. Start small and specific. Can you give two hours to help set up chairs? Take a turn at the ticket table? Put signs along the route? Make a few calls? Post photos and results after an event? If every household gave just a little, that “same handful” wouldn’t be carrying the load.
Local businesses, this part is for us. The Chamber is our front line—our advertising arm, welcome wagon and event crew rolled into one. Please send a representative to meetings. Give your staff permission to volunteer a couple hours now and then. The return on that investment is foot traffic, good will and a stronger local economy.
And neighbors, remember why we brag about this place. We brag because Hartington shows up. We brag because we help each other. We brag because we’re proud. Pride isn’t a Facebook post; it’s a pair of work gloves and a “Where do you need me?”
Some folks worry they don’t know enough to be useful.
Nonsense. The Chamber doesn’t need superheroes — it needs doers. If you can carry a box, pour coffee, tally scores, greet visitors, brainstorm a theme or share a photo, you can help. If you’ve got ideas about what could be better, terrific — bring them and be ready to help make them real.
It’s simple folks. A community that loves its events but won’t volunteer for them won’t have those events for long. It takes more than a few to pull a whole town forward.
Let’s prove, again, who we are. Be at the Town Hall meeting next week. Commit to one task for the next event. Encourage a friend to come along. Then stick around — because once you meet the crew and see the difference a couple of hours can make, you’ll wonder why you didn’t jump in sooner.
Hartington has never been a place that waits for someone else to do the work. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get after it — together.
