|
Highlanders promote youth oriented discussion
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
 | | Todd Frye and Amanda Lindsey are organizing a group representing 20s to 30s yearolds in Highland. The first meeting is at the Tavern at Mountain Hideaway, 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9. (Photo courtesy Amanda Lindsey) |
|
MONTEREY - The years 1968 to 1988 were a time of great change in American history. From the height of the Vietnam War to the fall of the Iron Curtain, the children born during that period entered a world experiencing upheavals economically, politically, and socially.
Amanda Lindsey and Todd Frye want to form an advocacy group dedicated to the needs of this generation - their generation - here in Highland County.
They are sponsoring an organizational meeting at The Tavern at Mountain Hideaway Saturday, Feb. 9 for this purpose, and urge anyone with an interest in the '68- '88 generation to attend.
Frye, 33, hopes the group, informally called Highlanders for Innovative Progression ("HIP"), will be a think-tank and a venue for open discussion. He wants people to start thinking about ways Highland County can satisfy the economic and social needs of his peers. He also sees the initial meeting as a way to "take inventory, to find out who's here and why they are here."
Do 20- and 30-somethings want to get involved in civic organizations? Are they interested in entrepreneurship? What about social activities for young adults? These and many more questions Frye hopes the group will tackle early on.
He envisions HIP as a catalyst for change in the community and a collective voice local government and businesses will notice. "I see the group as a conduit for future business, social and recreational activities," Frye said. "Maybe we'll work with the Eco- nomic Development Authority and The Highland Center. This is so that people's ideas can be heard. Who knows, maybe something can be done for more social and business opportunities."
Frye is a 1992 graduate of Highland High School. He is woodworker - owner of Monterey Jack Rustic Woodworks - and lives in Mustoe.
"A lot of people want to be here," he said. "But there are roadblocks. People think there is nothing to do. Socially, there (seems to be) no like-minded people in the area. People my age want to meet people the same age, to regain a connection, to find out they are not alone."
In their initial research, Frye and Lindsey identified around 60 people in the 20- to 39-year-old bracket in Highland.
Lindsey is also a native Highlander. She and husband, Matt, married last June. Both attended Highland High School - he graduated in 1999; she graduated in 2001.
Lindsey attended Berea College in Kentucky for a year and a half. She and Matt have worked and lived away from Highland, and both wanted to return. They live in Monterey and plan a move to a home south of town. She works in public relations with writer Deborah Huso; he works in the main dining room at The Homestead. "We couldn't stay another day away from Highland County," she said. "Where we were didn't feel right. It didn't give us the sense of where we were supposed to be."
Coming back to Highland, the Lindseys report a feeling of calmness. "People want to see us do well," said Lindsey.
While HIP's focus is on the generation between 20 and 39, Lindsey and Frye say they don't want to leave anyone out. Everyone's ideas and support is welcome, said Frye.
He hopes the Highland community will listen to their point of view, acknowledge their needs and help them succeed in the county.
"We have an idea about what is missing in Highland County," said Frye. "People are trying to start or raise families here. We need young families here and we need them to stay. That's a big reason behind the whole thing. We've identified VIPs - people who have stuck it out, started families here - we especially want their voices heard. At some point we want to get civic groups involved, and emergency services. At some point they need help; perhaps we could influence people to join those groups."
Frye recently joined the Monterey Lions Club. "This county is dependent on those kind of groups. My main reasoning for being a part of HIP is, I'm convinced it's not just a problem of job opportunities and work availability - it's a social thing for 20s and 30s. You find yourself going out of the county for entertainment, to meet people.
"Some of the things I like about the county can also be a curse," Frye said. "You can be removed, but not everyone is a hermit and you need to be among people. Outside of church and civic groups on a regular basis, there is not much to see and do (with others of my age group)."
Lindsey and Frye invite those interested to join them at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Mountain Hideway for this purpose. Light appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. For more information, call Frye at 468-3737 or Lindsey at 468-3287.
| 
)