"It’s not about the technology."

Facebook, Twitter, Patch.com…

We’re all part of something bigger.

Libertyville is my hometown. My parents still live in the same house that I grew up in, as do my best friend’s parents.

My friends and I played GLSA Soccer. We went to Adler Day Camp.

I saw the original ‘Star Wars’ with my Mom at Liberty Theater. We graduated from LHS and spent our Freshman Years at Brainerd.

We watched Main Street evolve into the award winning destination that it is today.

I’ve ran in the Twilight Shuffle twice and look forward to many more. So does my daughter, Abby, as she has participated in her first two via baby-jogger.  Jeff Mateer of Studio West took priceless photos of Abby and I both years. They sit on my desk and I glance at them as I write this post.

I poured coffee for Caribou where I met patrons who introduced me to Main Street Libertyville where I’ve served in various Board and Executive Committee positions for two years now.

I serve as a founding member of Shop60048 with fellow current and past Main Street colleagues as well as local business owners and community advocates.

I sit on two committees at the GLMV Chamber of Commerce - working alongside more community heroes.

Community.

That is what is bigger than all of this.

Without the community – none of this matters. None of this exists. There is nothing to sustain.

We, as individuals, align our common beliefs and passions and choose to support our community.

We shop, eat and play locally. We attend downtown events and promotions. By choice.

We share our experiences with all of this using technology that seems to evolve every second of every day.

Yes, we can post and like and comment and share all we want using the most powerful social technology tools available.

Yet, without a genuine belief in the community that embraces us and sustains us…why even embrace the technology?

Do you believe in community?

Do you act on this belief as a volunteer?

Do you engage others to participate?

I hope to provide insights into why “posting” and “liking” and “commenting” and “sharing” online translates to even more so offline.

It’s not about the technology.

It’s about community.

A good friend and mentor of mine said it best at a community event that we both spoke at not too long ago…“hugs versus handshakes”.

I’ll expand on that in my next post.

Thanks for reading.

Feel free to share.

Catch me at:

www.facebook.com/casey.karl

Twitter @CKConcept