The Mouse Gets the Cheese
If, on a blustery-cold Monday evening, you happened to find yourself downtown, say on the corner of Pearl and Tupper for example, and you went inside and followed the “Revitalize Buffalo Meeting” signs down a few stairs, then right, then down more stairs and a ramp, past the miniature golf course (!) and the pool entrance, following, following, you might start to feel like a laboratory mouse in a maze, searching in vain for that delicious piece of cheese. But then, just when you were convinced that this was all Amy’s idea of a practical joke, you’d round a final corner and see a doorway, with blazing lights and the warm sound of conversation coming from beyond. Welcome to Revitalize Buffalo’s December meeting. Here’s your cheese.
If you haven’t been to an RB meeting lately, you might be surprised at some of the differences in the way the group operates these days. Less than a year ago, RB meetings held at Spot Coffee were well attended, but often chaotic and unfocused. People came to these meetings for a variety of reasons: to see what we had to offer, to vent their fears and frustrations about Buffalo, to get involved, to offer ideas, to connect and network. Some people liked what they saw and came back. Others, we never saw again.
Now, a year later, things are different. The basic format of the meetings is the same: reports on the various committees and projects followed by an open discussion and informal networking. But there’s a new focus and sense of purpose that was missing early on, and the “we wills” are being replaced - slowly but steadily - by “we dids.”
I have to be honest. The chaotic energy of those early meetings - which often lasted several hours - had a great allure for me. It was difficult to listen to many dozens of people express their hopes and fears and plans for Buffalo’s future and not come away inspired and energized. But as I sat there Monday evening listening to reports on various group projects (some just starting out, others already showing tangible results) I thought to myself “it’s even more difficult to argue with success.”
