Knight Institute chooses four new projects
Tallahassee Democrat –November 13, 2009
By Elizabeth M. Mack
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
The Knight Creative Communities Institute’s community catalysts have chosen four new projects to get short-and long-term residents more involved in the community.
KCCI has helped develop such past activities as the Tallahassee Film Festival and the community enhancement projects Get Gaines Going and Sustainable Tallahassee.
After two weeks of research and deliberation, the 31 individuals who volunteer to be catalysts met with KCCI and determined the four new projects to be pursued over the next year: Explore Outdoors, Illuminate Tallahassee, Startup Startup and Talent Lives Here.
Laurie Hartsfield, KCCI executive director, said Explore Outdoors was chosen because of the hidden recreation activities in Leon and surrounding counties.
“Among the group there was a lot of interest in bike trails and wider pedestrian walkways,” she said. “But we want also to promote ecotourism opportunities that are readily available that people just don’t know about.”
Illuminate Tallahassee is a beautification project for the city. “We were thinking of doing artistic murals on what are perceived to be eyesores in Tallahassee,” she said. “Or decorating buildings downtown with lights, similar to cities like Tampa, making downtown more attractive at night.”
Startup Startup is a business incubator. “We want to help local entrepreneurs, who have ideas, with marketing and possibly financial support,” she said.
KCCI will be working with the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County to recruit college students and assist them with getting local internships through Talent Lives Here.
“Our research has shown that many students stay in the city in which they intern,” she said. “With this program we will be making Tallahassee more attractive to college students by breaking the barriers of campus and exposing them to the city and employment opportunities.”