I was coming out of my MBA accounting class when I saw the tornado sweeping down 7th Street in Fort Worth. I was out of danger but not the downtown. Soon I could see buildings shaking and windows shattering. The twister they said would never hit the City brought its full force and fury. Two people died and over 80 buildings sustained damage. That was 2000.

It didn’t take long for the people of Fort Worth to pick up the broken shards of glass and rebuild the devastated parts of town. It was really just a matter of a few years before every building was redone and new construction strengthened the Downtown.

Resilient communities are more than just responding to natural and manmade disasters, however. Resilient communities are places where people care about where they live and contribute to the well-being and health of their home. They are places where people plant neighborhood gardens, help a neighbor who is shut in and volunteer to mentor a young person. These small efforts strengthen the fabric of our communities.

I’ve always been an active volunteer in community organizations, from the arts to government and human service. I love meeting the interesting people, helping those I can help, and having a sense of satisfaction that I am giving back to the community.

Many of you also do your share for your community. Thank you for making your neighborhood, village, city and community better and for contributing to make them more resilient.

© Richard Citrin, All rights reserved, 2015