‘Something Extraordinary’

plan3Last night, “something extraordinary happened” at Gabriel’s on John Street: twenty six community leaders gathered for an intimate meal and a “pointed discussion on the positive efforts being had in the city of Kingston,” according to Plankingston.org. After introductions and a fine meal, the group was broken into smaller groups by facilitator Tom Caplan and charged with the task of answering this question: “What question, if answered, could make the most difference for the future of Kingston?”

The process resulted in a half dozen responses, and the dialogue is continuing. See Plankingston.org for more details and updates on this project. The organizers promise more sessions down the road. Here’s the list of who attended last night:

Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Executive Director, Kingston Land Trust

Carl Frankel, Community Consultant

Chris Silva, Executive Director, UPAC and The Bardavon

Cliff Cooper, Steering and Program Committee, US Green Building Council

Donald O. Waters, Lystra Ministries

Ev Mann, Executive Director, Center for Creative Education, Organizer, Carnegie Library Project

Guy Kempe, Director of Community Development, RUPCO

Jennifer McKinley, President, Natural Foods Buying Club

Jennifer Schwartz, Deputy Director, The Ulster County Planning Board; Co-founder/co-professor, Kingston Together

J.Michael O’Hara, Director of Operations, Sustainable Hudson Valley

Julie Hedrick, Artist

Julie and Steve Noble, Environmental Educators, City of Kingston Parks and Rec Department, Forsyth Nature Center

Kevin McEvoy, Community Activist

KJ McIntyre, Realtor, Volunteer w/ Kingston Digital Corridor and A.S.K.

Kristin Wilson, Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative 4H Program

Lowell Thing, Chairman, Friends of Historic Kingston

Mark Greene, Founder, Kingston Digital Corridor

Melissa Everett, Executive Director, Sustainable Hudson Valley

Peggy Atwood, Assistant Coordinator, Mid-Hudson Energy $mart Communities

Peter Wetzler, Composer and organizer of the Carnegie Library project

Rebecca Martin, Musician. Founder, KingstonCitizens.org and Chair, Garden Committee of The Kingston Land Trust

Sandy Thompson-Hopgood, The Everett Hodge Community Center

Sharron Bower-Greene, Actor, Organizer

Vic Melville, The League of Women Voters

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