RCU Initiatives: Quality of Life
Living and working in a rural county is a lifestyle choice offering major advantages for those who understand and enjoy the benefits. There are also improvements that Randolph County can make, and our Quality of Life Committee actively addresses this issue.
Committee Members:
- Mayor Bob McCoy
- Tito Farris
- Jim Nunez
- Mike Gordan
Changing the Perception
Many rural/small town residents have said, “there’s nothing to do here…” almost always in the context of comparison with a big city. There are three major flaws in this conclusion:
- The grass is always greener: Big city residents face realities that favor a small town lifestyle, among them traffic, crime, pollution, and cost of living.
- If viewed regionally, with a searcher’s mindset, there is plenty to do in our county; and big cities are a short-drive away when the event justifies the trip.
- Satisfaction with lifestyle is an attitude more than a long vs. short menu of activities. As we collectively grow more excited about opportunities and progress in the “pursuit of happiness,” satisfaction increases; reasons for complaint decreases.
Enhancing and Promoting the Activities List
The RCU Quality of Life ACTION Committee is encouraging the creation of new activities in our cities, towns and countryside.
- Working through our Tourism Division, we are expanding the list of in-county opportunities for entertainment, recreation, fitness, and exploration of history.
- We then promote these activities to the county via RCU’s well-established capability for promotion through local media, social media and web-based marketing.
- Organizing and presenting the “nearby” activities list to include opportunities in adjoining counties and cities such as Indianapolis, Dayton and Cincinnati.
Broadening the Definition of Quality of Life
Quality of Life is enhanced by 21st Century technology that expands the lifestyle magic understood by those who develop love of reading.
- Today’s Internet turns the local library into a worldwide library available to every man, woman and child having internet access (a related RCU Initiative). The impact of this capability as a contributor to rural lifestyle is only beginning to be understood.
- Books are available, enhanced by optional audio and visual experiences.
- Unlimited movie nights are available to any family that can afford a TV and a Netflix subscription. It’s even possible to watch live theater performances from New York.
- Educational opportunities are unlimited and can lead directly to networking and career opportunities, anywhere in the world.
- Virtual reality trips can be taken to any destination in the world.
- Participatory opportunities include friendships, business networking relationships, competitive games, and development of shared hobbies.
The RCU Quality of Life Committee will organize and present expanded opportunity.
Health and Fitness
In many respects, health and fitness are the cornerstone of quality of life. Our Quality of Life Committee will…
- Identify and promote fitness opportunities countywide, ranging from formal programs at the YMCA or other fitness centers to participatory opportunities in sports, hiking, bicycling, etc.
- Monitor active health issues facing the county and promote the hope and healing efforts of professionals, health agencies or private organizations. These issues include the opioid epidemic that continues to plague rural communities.
Promoting Opportunities to Serve
Those who actively volunteer understand quality-of-life satisfaction of bringing value to the community and to individual citizens and families. As a lifestyle issue, the double benefit is value received by the recipients of the volunteer effort and the personal satisfaction of the giver.
The RCU Lifestyle Committee will organize and present service opportunities.