The community dialogue on ways to engage with and serve the needs of the Hispanic community will take place this Saturday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Lillian V. Ney Renaissance Center on the corner of Washington and Third Streets.

This event is open to the community, with a focus on trying to have equal representation from Spanish and English speaking residents.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided and the focus will be on generating 3-5 goals that we can work on together.

SPPC Co-Chair Jennifer Gibson says the meeting will help to set the stage for the Democratic Dialogue Project, scheduled for October.

“We’d like community stakeholders at this meeting, or really anyone with an interest in how we develop the community dialogue,” Gibson told WRFA following the February SPPC Meeting. “Between March and October we will have a series of community conversations leading up to the Democratic Dialogue, so it’s really doing a lot of ground work for the October event.”

Gibson says the facilitator for the March 12 meeting will be Dr. Kyle Reyes, who comes from the University of Utah Valley and has experience with building inclusive programs in other communities.

“We are bringing him in to help lead some community conversations with the Hispanic community and through the Hispanic churches,” Gibson said. “We’re all coming together just so we can get to know one another and so we can get some of the concerns from that community out into the forefront so we have a good, solid dialogue.”

Anyone interested in attending is asked to RSVP with the United Way by calling 483-1561, or email agrekalski@uwayscc.org.

According to commission co-chair Jennifer Gibson, the National Endowment for the Humanities has approved a regional request for $200,000 from its Humanities in the Public Square grant, which will be used to support the Democratic Dialogue initiative. The initiative is designed to work with several cities and towns across the State –including Jamestown – to explore the meaning and challenges of democratic citizenship in the 21st century.

According to organizers, the Democratic Dialogue Project aims to help New Yorkers gain better insight into the struggles their communities face and to create spaces where advocates for different, sometimes seemingly incompatible, solutions can learn from and about each other.

The project will address a variety of concerns in a set of diverse communities, including Jamestown, New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Poughkeepsie. Specifically for Jamestown, the project will work to address issues of migration and tolerance as it relates to our growing Hispanic community.

Officials with the National Endowment for the Humanities will be working with the Strategic Planning and Partnership Commission and the Democratic Dialogue Project in the coming weeks to begin the planning process for programming in Jamestown.

According to co-chair Jennifer Gibson, the majority of the agenda will be focused on the commission’s Hispanic Immersion Action Team, with three opportunities emerging within this focus area.

1. Partnership with the NY Council for the Humanities to develop Community Conversations around a short text dealing with prejudice and tolerance.
2. Discuss working with “The Big Read”, SUNY Fredonia Reed Library and Thomas Vitale at the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System to develop an adult Book Group led discussion on this topic county wide.
3. Hispanic Immersion Action Team will present an outline of its work agenda to other commission members.

The Strategic Planning & Partnership Commission meets monthly on the Fourth Floor of City Hall in the Mayor’s Conference Room. All meetings are open to the public.

WRFA Public Affairs Director Jason Sample moderates a roundtable discussion on economic development in Jamestown, NY. The show coincided with WRFA’s 10th Anniversary Celebration and was recorded on Friday, September 12, 2014.

Panelists included:

The panelists who took part in WRFA’s 2014 roundtable discussion on economic development.

DR DAVID KEARNS
Vice President for Engagement and Economic Development at The State University of New York at Fredonia.

JENNIFER GIBSON
Senior District Executive Officer with Northwest Savings Bank; Co-Chair of the Jamestown Strategic Planning & Partnership Commission; president of the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County; and current board member of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

PETER LOMBARDI
Deputy Director of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, where he provides planning, research, grant-writing and project management support for JRC. Prior to joining the JRC, Lombardi was a senior research associate at the University at Buffalo’s Regional Institute and an adjunct assistant professor at UB’s School of Architecture and Planning.

JOHN SLENKER
Has served as Associate Economist for the New York State Department of Labor, Western New York district, for more than two decades.

DANIEL HAMISTER
Senior Vice-President & Chief Investment Officer for the Hamister Group, Inc. – based out of Amherst, NHY. Hamister is responsible for locating and purchasing real estate for new development of hotels and senior living residences as well as strategic business acquisitions. His company is currently involved with renovating the former Ramada Inn on W. Fourth St. in Jamestown, which is slated to reopen as the
Doubletree by Hilton in the summer of 2015.

ABOUT: Community Matters is a half-hour public affairs program airing every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and Sunday at Noon on WRFA-LP 107.9 FM in Jamestown, N.Y.

 JAMESTOWN – With Shel Silverstein’s classic children’s book The Giving Tree as the call-to-action, the 2013 United Way of Southern Chautauqua County Campaign came to a momentous close Tuesday in the Sarita Weeks Reception Room at Jamestown Community College.  United Way board members, volunteers, staff, and invited guests all gathered to witness what Campaign Co-Chairs Deb and Deke Kathman called, “a total team effort.”  The 2013 Campaign raised $1,325,970, or 101 percent of the $1,315,000 goal.

“Our focus this entire campaign wasn’t on the individual gift, but rather on the number of individuals giving,” said Deb Kathman. “This was a total team effort that involved everyone’s contribution, whether that’s someone’s time or financial gift.  Because of this campaign’s success, the vital work of United Way partner agencies can continue to meet the needs of this community.”

The 2013 United Way Campaign officially began last September at the Girl Scouts Service Center on Horton Road, where campaign volunteers received their packets and instructions.  Since then, over 40 volunteers have solicited businesses, followed-up with phone calls, and collected pledges.

United Way Board President Jennifer Gibson thanked Deb and Deke for their service throughout the 2013 Campaign.

“Deb and Deke did a tremendous job of organizing this fundraising effort right from the start,” said Mrs. Gibson.  “Together, with the rest of our amazing volunteers, our Campaign Co-Chairs skillfully executed this huge task of donor relationship and community engagement.  I’m thrilled with the results.”

Campaign Achievement Awards were presented to Jamestown Public Schools, Jamestown Electro-Plating, WCD Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown, Hope’s Windows, Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, Chautauqua Institution, United Parcel Service, Phoenix Metal, Nationwide Insurance – Lawson Agency, and Northwest Savings Banks.  In addition, the Sheldon Foundation received the Loyal Supporter Award and Wegmans received the Friend of United Way Award.

The United Way of Southern Chautauqua County supports 18 partner agencies and 39 local programs.  For more information, visit www.uwayscc.org.

You can also find United Way on Facebook: United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, or on Twitter: UWayofSoChautCounty@uwayscc.

The Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission (SPPC) is a volunteer group which meets throughout the year to study and discuss various methods of improving life in our community.  The group forms smaller “action teams” to progress the goals set by the Commission.

The Sept. 19 event will begin with a brief presentation by United Way Executive Director Tory Irgang who will present a Community Report Card prepared by the United Way.  Her appearance will leave the majority of the session time for the discussion and development of 2013-14 priorities and goals.  Attendees will break into smaller subject interest groups to help identify the Commission’s future goals.

Commission topics in the past year have included:  the Jamestown Urban Design Plan, Neighborhood Initiatives, Leadership Diversity, Education, Regionalism, “Brain Gain” and Healthcare.

Mayor Sam Teresi appoints Commission members who represent various organizations and aspects of community life, such as:  the Jamestown School District, WCA Hospital, local churches, Jamestown Community College,  City industries, local Foundations, the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, the Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation, private citizens,  City Government and  the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities.

Co-chairs of the Commission include Northwest Savings Bank official Jennifer Gibson and City Council President Greg Rabb who ask that City residents attend and share their ideas for the improvement of Jamestown.

“At the September 19 meeting, the SPPC will seek direction for the coming year from the public’s participation at the event,” said Mrs. Gibson.

Rabb added, “Goal-setting events such as the one planned for September 19 have helped develop issues addressed by the Commission.  We hope that our residents will attend and express their ideas about the topic.”