Statement of Fernwood Wisdom Council
March 28-29, 2008

As members of our community, we acknowledge the good work already being done and call for stronger connections within our community.

Thoughtfully United to Reweave, Nurture and Inspire People to Sustainability (TURNIPS)

Thoughtfully – mindfulness, free expression, comfort, acceptance, safety, respect for oneanother
United – committed to action, discovering common issues, universally applicable, inclusive
Reweave – community, connection, communication, liberating action, connecting existing resources (e.g., directory of what’s available in the community)
Nurture – education, compassion, ecology, boulevard/community gardens, health, taketime, feed your soul/spirit (e.g., peace, reflection, rest, time-out, holiday, quiet time)
Inspire – empowerment, courage, hand-up vs hand-out, celebration through art, music, dance and the spoken word
People – accountability, personal responsibility, inclusivity, reaching out
Sustainability – ecology, empowerment, education, preparation, protection, support, accountability, bridging the generations with knowledge-transfer, food security, lifelong engagement

Why the turnip? We used to eat fresh food grown close to home. Now we can eat food from across the world (starfruit in Inverness!). But at what cost? Back to the future – turnips in winter!

We discussed the concept of preparedness and remembered the blizzard of ’96. What happened? People slowed down, began to interact… neighbours helped neighbours. We could hear the sounds of nature.

Strong communities help us to be prepared… for emergencies and for every day.
(In peaceful times we party, during emergencies we muster.)

Having shared our thoughts, concerns and insights – we asked ourselves “how do we proceed on a personal basis?” Some of us have committed to replacing our lawns with gardens, giving up our cars, restoring relationships, greeting people on the street, reaching out in other ways, etc.

We invite you to join us. How else do we work together to strengthen and enrich our community?