We  sometimes explain ECWT using the metaphor of “stone soup,” based on the story from antiquity about the stranger who came into a starving town and used his “magic stone” to make stone soup, supplemented, of course, by the vegetables the villagers brought out of hiding in their cellars to “give more flavor” to the stone soup.  The lesson was about sharing:  if we all share what we have, we can make it through anything.

If you have five (5) minutes to spend, you can find out how this story is working today in Elkhart County!

Last Spring, Dave had an idea:  let’s create a data base where unemployed workers could list their skills, and other people could find them, and give them work.

In early summer, Galen agreed to financially underwrite the Skills Bank.

Later, Jeff and Kimber and Jason worked to create that database.

Ben and Kyle and Carl worked to make that database acccessible through the web.

This fall, Darin and MJ and Greg organized a Salsa Contest to raise money for the Skills Bank.

Gerry and MJ and Val and Kelly and Charity and Dave and Jason and the other Jason and Julia and Julie and Shalon and Jodi and Vonda and Juard and Madeline and Leonard and Rebecca and Israel and  Ben and Diana and Gilberto spent time talking and tinkering and finding ways to make the Skills Bank better and get the word out.

Peoplel who knew about the work of ECWT and the Skills Bank donated money to “keep the lights on.”  (You know who you are:  thanks.)

A month ago, Allen donated a batch of yard tools to ECWT, including rakes.

Last week, Ann and Keith raked leaves on Sunday afternoon, and called ECWT on Monday and said, “Help.  Send us someone to finish the job.”

On Monday, Charity raked their leaves all day.  Keith and Ann gave her $75.

Stuart and Julia paid Greg $100 to take a dock out of the water in their back yard.  Greg thought that was too much, so said he’d come back to rake their leaves for free.

Charity and Greg helped each other finish their yards:  two hands work better than one when raking leaves!

Dave made lunch for Charity and Greg, using the vegetables donated by the vendors at the Millrace Farmers market.

Sandy lives across the street: she asked ECWT for someone to clean out her gutters.  After Greg cleaned her gutters, Sandy and Greg talked, and discovered Greg’s sister used to work in Sandy’s office.

Charity and Dave met Allen this morning when they were walking into the Electric Brew to pick up the pastries Myron donates for ECWT volunteers.  Allen got to meet someone who used his tools to earn much needed money raking leaves:  Charity got to meet someone who made it possible for her to earn some money.

This is  “relationship based work.”  People share what they can:  their tools, their extra food, their skills, their money.  People earn money so they can pay their bills and keep from losing their houses.  People build relationships.  Our community learns new ways of working together.  We build a future that is better than it would be if we all sat in our houses, hoarding our “vegetables,” hoping that someone else would solve our problems.

Elkhart County does work together.

What can you do to help Elkhart County work together?