Based on community input, Citizens4Community launched the Sisters Country Civility Project in February 2016 to encourage civil dialogue and civic engagement throughout Sisters Country. The initiative is using 9 basic tenets offered by Speak Your Peace and P.M. Forni’s book “Choosing Civility.” Those tenets are presented on the Sisters Country Civility Project’s “9+1 Tool Cards.”
A Warm Welcome to the Arts Association
C4C welcomes our most recent Sisters Country Civility Project adopter—the Sisters Arts Association. Led by president, Bob Burgess, and vice president, Dennis Schmidling, the association formed in 2015. Its artists and supporters are dedicated to enriching Sisters' culture, to encouraging economic vitality, and to stimulating the spirit of togetherness that's essential to any healthy community.
Association membership includes more than 20 local galleries that, among other activities, host a city wide Gallery Art Stroll from 4-7 p.m. every 4th Friday. Strollers encounter amazing art, refreshments, live music and fun conversation along with occasional live demonstrations by working artists. It's a great opportunity to get out and about, meet your Sisters neighbors and enjoy our community. A map showing the Art Stroll galleries is available at the association's website HERE.
As We Look Forward, We're Paying Thanks and A Visit to Our 'Sessions Past'
A little more than two years ago, we began meeting and gathering local input for what would become C4C and the Sisters Country Civility Project. Since then we have enjoyed wonderful participation—from our local adopters, sponsors and volunteers, to our lively audiences and the engaging speakers who have offered valuable insights at our free quarterly sessions.
During this holiday season, we want to pause and express our sincere appreciation to all of you.
'Paradox of Connection' Set for Nov. 15, 2017
Save the Date for C4C's next Quarterly Session, "The Paradox of Connection," set for 5:15-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15. Moe Carrick will deliver the keynote address, offering ideas for fostering meaningful connection in a "highly connected" world that paradoxically also encourages division and community disengagement. The evening will kick off at 5:15 p.m. with "Soup & Civility"—a light meal with your community neighbors.
Next Free Quarterly Session Is Set for Jan. 25. You'll Learn Strategies for "Being Agreeable" (But Also Compelling) in Confrontational Situations
C4C's next quarterly community-wide event is set for Jan. 25. The evening will explore the concept of what it means to "Be Agreeable"—one of the 9 basic principles of the Sisters Country Civility Project—and how to confront others respectfully and constructively when you don't agree with their words or actions.
Save the Date! — Oct. 26
Citizens4Community's next free, quarterly gathering is set for Oct. 26 at the Sisters Fire Station Community Hall, 301 S. Elm St, in Sisters. We'll be focusing on the topic of "Show Respect"—one of the basic tenets of the Sisters County Civility Project and Speak Your Peace. Find out about more about the fun and informative evening on our Events page...
From the Community: Civility Project Feedback...
Black Butte Ranch is a unique combination of residential community and resort. With more than 1,250 property owners, there are bound to be disagreements. In February, Citizens4Community Steering Committee member Clark Brody made a presentation to the Black Butte Ranch Board of Directors about C4C and the Civility Project. Dennis Tower, chair of the BBR Board of Directors, notes the board immediately saw the value of implementing the Project's 9 tenets of civil community engagement and passed a motion adopting those tenets. Since then, homeowners throughout the Ranch have been introduced to the tenets.
Civility Project Poster Unveiled
Save the Date—C4C's Summer Quarter gathering is set for July 12
10 Days & Counting: Look for Our "Up, Up & Away..." Event Flyers Around Sisters Country
As you run errands or enjoy some of our local Sisters area shops and eateries this week, you might notice flyers announcing our upcoming Civility Project quarterly event—"Up, Up & Away...Soaring Toward Better Communication." Make sure to mark your calendars, because a lively, positive and educational evening is planned.
Civility Project Featured Quote
“My hope is that we would begin to have a dialogue in this country about the importance of civility. We can have strong differences, but it does seem to me that most of the country believes it’s gone to critical mass in what I would call the professional class across the political spectrum. ...”
— Tom Brokaw
Save the Date! — April 27
Citizens4Community’s next Quarterly Gathering for the Sisters Country Civility Project—"Up, Up & Away...Soaring Toward Better Communication"—is scheduled for 5:15-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Hall, 301 S. Elm St, in Sisters.
All area residents are invited.
Plans call for the evening to include multiple sessions—to offer value for organizations and individuals who already have adopted the Civility Project’s “9+1 Tools” as well as those who are new to the Civility Project and desire more basic information. Come ready for a positive, lively get-together focused on skill- and community-building.
If you have adopted the Civility Project’s “9+1 Tools” and have specific ideas about what you’d like to see during an upcoming Quarterly Session, we welcome your input.
Art By Kathy Deggendorfer
Civility Project Featured Quote
“I know it’s sappy, but I bet there’s a market for civility and niceness out there that, while probably not as titillating as a junkyard scrap between shirtless adversaries, it’d sure be healthier.” ”
Sharing Our Good Fortune...
Feeling very lucky this March 17th as we think about the amazing reception the Sisters Country Civility Project has been enjoying—both in Sisters Country and also beyond. ...
Citizens4Community was just contacted by another group from outside our area. A large Oregon non-profit organization has been following our efforts and wants to meet with us to talk about ways they might be able to promote the Civility Project statewide. Wow!
Thank You, HOWELLS...
C4C's heartfelt thanks go out today to HOWELLS Realty Group for sponsoring our Sisters Country Civility Project ad in this week's Nugget Newspaper.
Civility Project Featured Quote
“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” ”
Heard about the new Sisters Country Civility Project 'Tool Cards'?
The Sisters Country Civility Project this week unveiled its inaugural Sisters "Tool Cards." The Civility Project is a local, grassroots initiative by Citizens4Community (C4C), in collaboration with Speak Your Peace and a growing list of valued local Partners. The first nine "tools" highlighted on these cards were developed by SYP, based on 25 principles of civility proposed by P.M. Forni in his book “Choosing Civility."
Additionally, to keep this effort truly reflective of our local community, C4C is inviting individuals and local groups to consider adding a 10th civility "tool" that speaks intimately to them or specifically and genuinely to the work and values of their organization.
The Civility Project aims to encourage people to communicate more respectfully and—therefore—more effectively. It is NOT a campaign to end disagreements. Instead, it is an effort to improve public discourse by simply keeping ourselves reminded of very basic principles of civility—ideals that are sometimes particularly easy to forget during the heat of a discussion.
These cards are meant to reflect the inherent beauty of Sisters as they also communicate core C4C Goals, which include: elevating our discourse, bringing new ideas and voices to the table, and broadening civic engagement—all as a means to continually strengthen our community.
While definitions for the tools are offered below, C4C also encourages residents to talk about each tool among themselves and to contemplate how these tools might also be defined in the context of their own interactions.
1) Pay Attention—Be aware and attend to the world and the people around you.
2) Listen—Focus on others in order to better understand their points of view.
3) Be Inclusive—Welcome all groups of citizens working for the greater good of the community.
4) Don’t Gossip—And don’t accept when others choose to do so.
5) Show Respect—Honor other people and their opinions, especially in the midst of a disagreement.
6) Be Agreeable (i.e., Seek Common Ground)—Look for opportunities to agree; don’t contradict just to do so.
7) Apologize—Be sincere and repair damaged relationships.
8) Give Constructive Criticism—When disagreeing, stick to the issues and don’t make a personal attack.
9) Take Responsibility—Don’t shift responsibility and blame onto others.
Get more of the story—including DETAILS ABOUT the local art portrayed on our inaugural Tool Cards—on our 'News' page.
Then, get your own card or a set of cards for your local group or organization.
Residents Respond Positively to C4C's/SYP's Message of Heightened Discourse
The 114 local residents who completed surveys during last month’s Citizens4Community kickoff events were overwhelmingly supportive of C4C's efforts to bring a civility project—Speak Your Peace (SYP)—to Sisters. More than 100 respondents said they believe the civility project could be beneficial to Sisters; and just shy of 100 people said they would encourage Citizens4Community to continue sponsoring similar programs aimed at fostering communication, collaboration and creative problem solving.
Thank You—for a Successful Sisters Country Civility Project Kickoff
Citizens4Community salutes Sisters Country residents who joined us at last week's sessions with Rob Karwath of Speak Your Peace to learn about tools that encourage respectful communication and to hear about other cities' experiences with civility projects. The level of attendance and engagement at this inaugural Citizens4Community event series exceeded our expectations!