The idea is relatively simple: Those who love any part of Macon are encouraged to say so.
A group of young community leaders have launched the “I Love Macon” initiative, which is aimed at accentuating the positives to life in Bibb County. They’ve created a pledge for people to sign that encourages them to look at the positives of living in the city and list the reasons they love Macon.
“It’s a little silly, but it’s meaningful as well,” said Josh Rogers, who came up with the concept along with Julia Mullins Wood, Pilar Wilder, Wes Griffith and Heather Bowman Cutway. “People who are choosing to be here should sign (the pledge).”
The quintet was selected for Macon Magazine’s “Five Under 40” feature in 2011 as young community-oriented people who have shown commitment to improving various aspects of the city and Bibb County. Wood said that while the group was meeting, the idea for the “I Love Macon” campaign grew.
“Part of what we wrote was what each of us loved about Macon,” Wood said. “The conversation then became, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we did something (that was community wide)?’”
About the same time the article appeared, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation published its “Soul of the Community” report -- a survey about how residents felt about life in the community. The report contained mostly negative views of life in Macon, but Rogers said people included some positives. The group decided it could build on the high marks, including aesthetics, openness and social offerings.
The group has been awarded small grants from the Knight Foundation, the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and the Peyton Anderson Foundation to produce postcards, stickers, T-shirts and other items to help spread the word about the campaign.
Wilder said the group has a goal of having 10,000 people sign the pledge by the end of the year, either by returning postcards that can be picked up at various public events or by signing the pledge on Facebook, Twitter or the group’s homepage, www.ilovemacon.org.
Through Sunday, about 425 people have signed the pledge, officials said.
“It’s simply reminding yourself to think about what you love about Macon,” she said. “It’s a super-simple pledge.”
Wilder said she expects the idea to grow organically. While the group itself doesn’t have plans to do much beyond getting people to sign the pledge and hopefully change public perceptions of Macon, members of the group said they are hopeful that like-minded people might band together to tackle specific projects that will benefit local residents.
Other cities have started similar campaigns, Wood said. For example, St. Louis has an initiative called “Grouphug” with residents being encouraged to “embrace their city.”
Rogers said the “I Love Macon” group realizes the city has its challenges to overcome, just like any other city.
“Our challenges are not unique,” he said. “We want to meet those challenges, but with less attacks and with more positive attitude.”
Rogers noted that he knew of a couple who moved to Macon and were very excited at the possibility of living here.
While vacationing on St. Simons Island, the couple met a Macon resident, who had nothing but negative things to say about the city -- so much so that the couple began wondering if they made a mistake in buying a house here.
In the end, however, the couple “chose to be here and love it here,” he said.
To contact writer Phillip Ramati, call 744-4334.
