The Leadership Collier
Foundation’s Civic Information Center [CIC]
exists to increase social capital among the citizens
of Florida’s Collier County by providing educational
information to the women and men working in the community’s
businesses. Social cohesion is critical for communities
to continue to prosper and sustain a high quality
of life. Civic virtue is most powerful when embedded
in a sense network of reciprocal social relations.
“A community of many
virtuous but isolated individuals is not necessarily
rich in social capital, the glue that holds a community
together.”
- Putham, R.D. (2000) Bowling
Alone.
The collapse and revival of American community, N.Y:
Simon and Schuster, 19.
Social capital can help a growing community look outward
and encompass people across different social divides.
Social capital allows citizens more easily to resolve
collective problems. It “greases the wheels”
to allow communities to advance smoothly. It widens
awareness of the many links among our fates.
Data suggests, despite near-universal
literacy, compulsory education and great advances
in public access to information, our national community
is deeply divided and fewer than optimal numbers of
people are participating in civic life. Voter participation
is declining. Interest in civic and public affairs,
political news and campaigns is low.
Increasingly, at the community level,
leadership, policy understanding and social capital
are disconnected. Oftentimes, leadership is enacted
by individuals functioning in silos without the benefit
of balanced information, dialogue and an appreciation
of how the positive reciprocity of influence can enrich
the entire community’s quality of life.
The CIC strives to bridge the gap in Collier County
to help all involved in commerce:
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Understand
how government, business and non-profit organizations
may work together to create a stronger Greater
Naples.
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Understand that individual
participation is critical in community success.
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Consider and respect others
when deliberating, negotiating, organizing,
and advocating for their own positions on public
concerns.
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The CIC will focus on providing information on public
policy issues in a balanced {non-partisan, non-secretarian}
manner. The CIC aims to assist the citizens to better
understand how they may chose to contribute to community
betterment, increase their investment in social capital
and help elect ways to enhance the quality of life
to be enjoyed by all citizens of Collier County.
The CIC is confident its efforts
will increase political and civic engagement, strengthen
informal social ties among government, business and
non-profit leaders, and spark greater tolerance, trust,
civility and progressive cooperation.
The CIC is a program of the Leadership Collier Foundation,
Inc., a 501 C (3) corporation duly recognized by the
United States Internal Revenue Service and the State
of Florida. Contributions to the Leadership Collier
Foundation, including those earmarked for CIC activities,
are tax deductible.
The Leadership Collier Foundation,
Inc. is sponsored and hosted by The Greater Naples
Chamber of Commerce whose membership includes 1700
businesses representing 67,000 employees. The Chamber
exists to help make Collier County the best place
in America to live and work.
The Civic Information Center is supported by The Chamber
in cooperation with...among others... the Collier
County Building Industry Association [CBIA], The Collier
County Chamber Coalition, the Naples Area Board of
Realtors [NABOR] and the Naples Area Better Government
Association.
The CIC will work closely with...among
others...the Collier County Bar Association, the Medical
Society, the Supervisor of Elections, local colleges
and schools to successfully partner, marshal resources
and mount programs of significance.
The Civic Information Center’s program includes:
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A monthly electronic
newsletter discussing issues of civic importance
and community trusteeship reaching 5,000 readers.
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Community Champions, a
group of 12 businesses whose employees volunteer
to man voter precincts and to encourage greater
voter participation.
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Candidate Forums, sponsored in partnership with
The Naples Daily News, Comcast, Inc., and WGUF
98.9 Talk Radio, for candidates seeking municipal,
school board, county, state and federal electives
offices.
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“Politics in the Park,” an opportunity
for all local office seekers to jointly meet with
voters to explain their positions and participate
in a straw poll.
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The CIC Trustees serve as an advisory board for the
Center and its programs. The Trustees also assist
in providing the resources to fund and enhance the
programs.
» Bill Turner
» Carla Dean
» Chuck Mohlke
» Fred N. Thomas, Jr.
» Edgardo Tenreiro
» Ellin Goetz
» Jean Merritt
» James B. Lancaster
» Jonathan Fishbane Esq.
» Katie Sproul
» Larry Mullins
» Leo Armatis
» Lloyd Clark
» Mary Morgan
» Michele Drake
» Michele Ellis Harrison
» Pamela Etheridge
» Peter Bergerson
» Peter Manion
» R. Bruce Anderson, Esq.
» Rex Storter
» Richard J. Van Bell
» Stephen Price
» Wayne Mullican
» Michael Stephen, Ph.D.
For more information, please contact Stefanie Cuthbertson
at (239) 298-7926 or scuthbertson@napleschamber.org |