Chalk this up to dedication

Listen to Shafter, an organization that celebrates the Shafter community, is holding a “Walk and Chalk” event that will give the community an opportunity to get some exercise and spread some good cheer at the same time.

According to coordinators Melissa Bergen and Katie Wiebe, the event will begin at Shafter City Hall and will go through downtown Shafter for one mile, making a loop that will end back up at City Hall.

Along the way, there will be chalk provided, and the community is invited to write a message of encouragement, or a positive note, on the sidewalk in chalk. “We have a great community here in Shafter, and we would like to give everyone a chance to voice and celebrate it,” said Bergen, as she announced the event at a recent City Council meeting. “We are also encouraging the community to stop along the way, or go after the event, to one of our wonderful downtown restaurants for dinner. Or, for those who choose to, even stop at the downtown courtyard area or Stringham Park for a nice picnic.”

Listen to Shafter is also involved in the Little Free Libraries network and recently held an event for the stewards of the libraries in town. It was an opportunity for the stewards of the boxes to network and share ideas, as well as fellowship with citizens who have the same desire to serve the community. “Shafter is full of caring people who love their community, and we are proud to give them an opportunity to express it,” Wiebe said.

This organization is also interested in everyone’s opinion and ideas when it comes to the city of Shafter, she said.. Part of the mission is to catalogue and celebrate the community’s assets. They encourage the community to tell them what is great about Shafter and make sure that the rest of the city learns about it.

They also are concerned to hear about any concerns or worries that the community might have. “A crucial part of citizenship is taking an honest look at any existing pain points among our neighbors and responding to them appropriately,” Wiebe said.

She said they are always looking for ways to engage and strengthen the local businesses any way they can, such as this upcoming event. If you are interested in having your say about what is great about Shafter, or even what you think can be done for improvement, they want to hear from you. Go to ListentoShafter.org for more information.