Cumberland — CUMBERLAND — For the past year, individuals in 32 counties from four states have been sharing their thoughts and visions for the future.

This groundbreaking, collaborative effort is called the Power of 32. The Power of 32 represents more than 4.2 million individuals in Maryland, West Virgina, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

From June to November 2010, 156 “community conversations” were held in each of the 32 counties. More than 3,000 participants were asked to respond the following question: “It is 2025. What is it about our region that makes you most proud? What was key to getting us here?”

The communities represented by this regional effort are diverse and unique, but their responses to that question revealed a shared vision for the future.

“It has been amazing to see just how much each of these communities have in common,” said Selena Schmidt, Power of 32 executive director. “The overall essence of each of the communities is very similar. Despite city, county and state lines, we are all very much alike and are all facing many of the same issues.”

Schmidt said participants ranged in age from 12 to 93 years and represented all walks of life.

Six main themes were evident when Power of 32 representatives reviewed the data collected — economy, education, environment, governance, quality of life and transportation/infrastructure.

Schmidt said each community identified the need for jobs and economic growth and the need to stave the “population slide” that many communities are facing.

“We have a diversified economy, not one industry. There are a variety of economic opportunities and we have to realize that our values are different. We need to offer a broader set of opportunities for the job force,” she said.

Many participants also indicated a desire to see programs that are dedicated to the development of small businesses that can offer assistance to entrepreneurs.

During the community conversations, many participants linked the growth of an economy with a strong education foundation. The need to make education more accessible and offer greater work force training opportunities was a common concern.

Another recurring theme throughout the process was the pride residents in the Power of 32 region have in the natural beauty of their respective communities. The need to balance the protection of the natural resources with growth and the development of alternative energy sources, such as wind power and natural gas, was also expressed. During these challenging economic times, data indicates that communities throughout the region face common issues with governance. Schmidt said in order for communities to survive and thrive there needs to be an emphasis on collaborative efforts.

“We need to find a way to work together and maximize what we can do as a whole. Working collaborative will give the region leverage,” she said. “If we can come together as 4.2 million people represented by 10 members of Congress and eight U.S. senators, we become a powerful force, working collectively to leverage the strengths of this region.”

The next step in the process is to form “framing solution committees” that will further examine the data collected and identify the projects and initiatives that can be implemented to make the shared vision of the future a reality.

Colleen Peterson, executive director of The Greater Cumberland Committee, has been named a co-chair of the Transportation/Infrastructure Committee. Her committee will meet to determine the best course of action to address the issues facing communities throughout the region. She is also a member of the Power of 32 Steering Committee.

“There is major potential in this type of collaborative effort. Bringing people together from such a wide breadth of backgrounds is exciting,” Peterson said.

The framing solution committees will meet to address the needs and strengths identified in the community conversations and will seek viable solutions to make the shared vision of the Power of 32 a reality. Schmidt said the goal of each committee will be to establish “actionable, achievable and applicable” plans that will result in real and tangible change.

“This is about feeling good about who we are and where we are going and we are creating a network to carry us into the future,” Schmidt concluded.

For more information on the Power of 32 initiative, visit www.powerof32.org.

Contact Angie Brant at abrant@times-news.com.