PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

John Bloch is a semi-retired community development professional with over 25 years of experience in the not-for-profit and public sectors and maintains a consulting business. He can be reached at john@bugleg.com

As we emerge from the long winter and as spring becomes apparent to those of us above the line that runs approximately from Baltimore to St.Louis and on to the West, it is also a time for recommitment and renewed hope.

This is a great and wonderful event in that so many fronts of our lives need rejuvenation and recommitment.

Take for example the continued plight of the Gulf Coast and the problems that those communities face in rebuilding their economic, social and cultural lives. It is a time for all of us engaged in community development to ponder just why neither the federal government nor sub-jurisdictions have made better use of the huge reservoirs of skills that reside both in our state universities and with the this Community Development Society so as to begin to address the many needs of these communities.

It is far too easy to assume that no one knows of the resources that reside in the two above-mentioned groups. It does raise the fundamental issue of just how deep our national commitment is to rebuilding communities that have been laid waste by forces of nature.

In looking beyond our own country, one sees some very exciting developments in the practice of community development both by local and governmental units.

Therefore as we get ready to attend the 38th annual CDS conference, we should be excited as to the large number of presentations and discussion that will focus on what other countries and cultures around the world are attempting in all sorts of community development issues.

As you all are aware the Society has been going through its own rebuilding efforts and in fact is still continuing to do so. This upcoming conference is a prime example of how we have reached out to other groups to join us in conferencing and it is my fervent hope that we shall continue this practice.

As I finish up my term as your president, I can say that I truly believe that the Society is well on it way to resurgence and that the current board has a broad depth of skills with which to continue this effort.

John Bloch