I was recently going through my articles the other day and noticed one word appeared in almost every story: community. 

Such a word should not be much of a surprise in a local newspaper. There is less of a need for national and international conflicts, and more of a need for social events and local meetings. However, it made me think of the real meaning of the word and the actual importance of it in a small town and county. 

First of all, it is important to note it is not a word I intentionally seek out to use in each article, but rather it comes up from others in the, you guessed it, community. 

Often times we see this word in the news all over the county in instances such as “community rallies around family who fell on hard times,” or “community prepares for holiday event.” These types of stories fall under the first definition of the word. “A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. 

While this type of community is definitely shown in Lusk and Niobrara County, I argue the second definition is more meaningful and relates more to what we may see on a daily basis. 

“A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.” 

A recent example of this type of community was Veterans Day. Supporting veterans is one of the most important things an American citizen can do no matter where you are in the country. In Goshen County, banners were displayed prominently on street lights to honor some of the local veterans. This shows how people are able to come together around one common interest.

While people are connected by where they live, it often takes more to build a healthy community. We often hear to buy locally and support local businesses, but how else does the community grow? 

One way is to take action to improve the community. Obviously not everyone will agree on what is best for the community, but what we can agree on is we all want to see it thrive. Understanding each other’s views and opinions is the first step to any sort of progress but it can be very difficult. However, remembering the common goals or beliefs which connect us together will help to establish the foundation of possible change. 

Such change can go beyond the town or even county level, because the structure of the state legislature in Wyoming is all set up to allow input from constituents. Wyoming is one of the few states with a citizen legislature which means representatives are often more available in the community especially because they are working in the community they represent when not in Cheyenne. It is not common in other parts of the country to have the opportunity to go to the store and see an elected official at any level, which shows how much more important community is to every aspect of society in a small town. 

While every town or city holds the same meetings with elected officials here, I believe there is more power held by the people in smaller communities because there is more of a need for their input. 

The greater good of the community should always be the top priority when making a decision, because everyone is able to thrive when the needs of the community are met.