by Billie Orr, Councilwoman, City of Prescott
As we celebrate the new year, the Prescott Commission on Well-Being welcomes the opportunity to promote the five branches that make a well-rounded, vibrant community.
Previously, we discussed purpose, what makes us get out of bed every morning. Last month we began exploring the second branch, community well-being. We experience a lot of community support in Prescott with an overabundance of generosity and volunteerism in over 2,200 nonprofits in Yavapai County.
The most important tenet of a Community of Well-Being is an openness and welcoming to all, regardless of race, gender, age or sexual orientation. It is foundational that everyone in our community be accepted and encouraged to become engaged in making Prescott a Community of Well-Being.
Most recently some have questioned whether Prescott is truly welcoming to all.
To that I respond, we must be to truly be a Community of Well-Being. There have been efforts over the past month to engage our youth and members of our faith-based organizations to address these concerns.
The City of Prescott joined other organizations in sponsoring “Better Together,” a three-hour webinar hosted by the Launch Pad Teen Center Leadership Council and Prescott Unified School District. About 100 students participated in discussions led by Eric Bailey, a communications specialist, motivational speaker and author.
Mayor Greg Mengarelli recently hosted a faith-based community meeting at City Hall seeking honest, open dialogue to address the issue of perceived racism. Steve Reid of Prescott Life Church and Jesse Villegas, owner of The Porch Coffee Shop, facilitated the conversation of how the faith-based communities might address these concerns. Genesis 1:27 was referenced more than once: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them.”
I am reminded of the childhood song, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” Sing that song and remember all men and women are created in God’s amazing image and are welcome in the City of Prescott.
Photo: Jesse with Lily and Kacey at The Porch