When I discovered The Polishing Stone at my local food co-op, I was immediately riveted by the practical, solution-oriented articles. Finally, I had found a magazine that gave me the tools I needed to start making positive choices in my life — one that didn't talk over my head or leave me desolate and in tears. I was already making small changes, but often after researching the topics further, more questions came up that I couldn't answer on my own. I longed to connect with others who were also walking this path of creating a better life — to share ideas, brainstorm and exchange tips.

Two years later, I find myself working at the heart of the team that creates The Polishing Stone. And at the suggestion of one of our advisors, Dave Ward, I am taking that vision of community a step further and building it right here in our neighborhood, Snohomish, Washington. This is where our new program, Community Connections, was born.

The Polishing Stone Foundation celebrates quality of life, community and care for our world; Community Connections fosters all three. Our meetings will be held at Wired and Unplugged, an organic coffee shop in downtown Snohomish. Owners Paul Henderson and Kim Longmore support local organizations that promote positive change, and they have invited us to use their space on the third Tuesday of each month. At every meeting, we will be choosing one article from our current issue of The Polishing Stone to explore in more detail.

I am excited about our first gathering, when the topic will be “Shaping Snohomish for Greater Community.” I was inspired by Jennifer Allen Newton's article (see Issue #18) on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). When I read the article, I was in some ways jealous about what Jennifer's family had found at Orenco Station, a new development that was created with transportation choices in mind. What happens to people like me who live in suburbs that don't have such choices? I felt stuck and resigned myself to the fact that the only way to get the benefits she described would be to move to a TOD community.

However, I realized that there are other positive solutions. There are local groups that are advocating for better transit, bike paths, sidewalks, open spaces and community areas to help transform already existing neighborhoods. For our first meeting, we have invited guest speaker Kristin Kelly from Futurewise Snohomish to help us explore and brainstorm ideas that we, as community members, can work on here and now. Each month, I will give updates on our discussions in our e-newsletter, Stepping Stones, and post them on our website.

We invite readers and supporters who live in the Puget Sound area to join us each month; we encourage those of you who are not local to reach out and connect with your neighbors, friends and family to start your own community group. If you like our Community Connections model, we'd be happy to help you get rolling. I believe that creating a better world happens from the bottom up, one person at a time. Why not use The Polishing Stone to help inspire that grassroots movement and also help support the work of other nonprofits, like Futurewise, that are working towards change? If you do start a Community Connections group, we'd love to hear about it and would like to share your stories. Positive change starts with one small point and expands outward — like ripples in a pond.

You can find Corinna Frenzl and her husband, Stef, deep in conversation with friends and neighbors at Wired and Unplugged in Snohomish, Washington or speaking out about the good work of local nonprofit organizations in their area.

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