Being part of a community, no matter how big or small, can positively affect your mental health and emotional well-being, which can help you live a longer, happier life. Community involvement provides a sense of belonging, pride, and social connection. Being involved in your community can also offer extra meaning and purpose to everyday life, helping you feel excited about upcoming activities, meet new people, and be interested in something you wouldn’t normally interact with.
Sharing his insight into building a community and how it can affect health is Southwest Health’s Community Health Intern, Sam Schuette.
What is Community? I think of a community as a close-knit group that comes together to participate in different activities because they share a similar interest or connection. A community can take shape in many different ways. A community can sprout from a physical area, a group, a team, or however people gather. Communities can start and grow from many different situations or scenarios, whether that be a common goal, religion, place, or value.
Are there any benefits to being a part of a community? Communities have many benefits. As an intern and college student, I have found the local community to be very welcoming as a student at the university. All the people that live and work in Platteville have been so open to helping me when I have questions or want to get involved in things around the area. My favorite benefit of being in a community is being on a team. Moving from another town and being taken in as “just another member of the team” has been a welcoming experience. Getting to know some of the great people in Platteville has also opened many amazing opportunities to do some pretty cool things in the past two years.
How can people find a community? There are many ways to find a community. One of the best ways I’ve found to find a community is to put yourself out there. You may have to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation by showing up to a place or event where you know no one, but once you gain a few connections, you will be the one welcoming new people, just like you had been in the past. Other, simpler ways to find a community are to do some research online about what is available in your community and attend some of those events.
This is an excellent opportunity to support organizations around you, meet your neighbors, and discover new interests. Check out your community event calendar for more information. Listings can usually be found on your town’s website or social media pages. You’re in luck if you want to connect to your community right now!
Berry Fest is an event Southwest Health looks forward to hosting each year. This year, you can enjoy Berry Fest on Tuesday, July 21, from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. Community members gathering, eating delicious food, and doing activities for the kids are perfect for building social connections. Activities enjoyed in past years promoted healthy minds and bodies, including reading, bike riding, learning about our local fire departments, and trying new, healthy foods. Some activities promote health and wellness by keeping kids active through dancing, walking and running, eating healthy, or just trying fresh fruit or vegetable and having fun! There are a variety of activities to do, appropriate for all ages and interests.