Walking through town on a beautiful Saturday I see many signs of the health of our community. The city is having a parade to honor the Dogwood Festival. Hundreds of families are on the street enjoying the weather, the noise, and the activity. At the University the yards of fraternity houses are packed with students enjoying music, food, and grand spring weather. And halfway between the University and the downtown, passing through an older working class neighborhood, I witness the two groups, "town and gown," working together to improve our common community.
The Building Goodness Foundation, a grass roots non profit, grew out of the desire of highly-motivated skilled builders in our area to use their talents and to organize others to apply the wealth of our community to the improvement of the built environment locally and in other countries.
On their website this foundation lists its "core values":
Community
We promote positive community development.
We represent and respect cultural, religious, and ideological diversity.
We work as a collaborative partner with grassroots, religious, and community organizations.
Service
We are volunteers in service to our community, nation and world.
We are joined together by our compassion for others.
We value and teach transformational leadership.
Craftmanship
We are united by our passionate dedication to the building crafts.
We value excellence in design, methods, and workmanship.
We respect indigenous building practices and styles.
We value excellence in our volunteers, our organizations, and its outcomes.
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