It's wonderful to see a community come together, especially in times of hardship, but what brings about these strong ties of mutual support from various members of society?  What makes perfect strangers reach out towards each other in their darkest moments?  These wonderful aspects of human nature all weave together to form the fabric of a good, strong community

Most important to a successful community are the people living within in it and the roles they carry out.  From the youngest child to the oldest adult, every role is important and necessary.  Every person needs to positively contribute to the community, whether it be by owning or working in a local business, being a student, becoming a parent or mentor, or providing  a service.

Local business owners and their employees contribute greatly to the success of a community.  Businesses supply job opportunities and may increase sales brought into the town.  A person who drives to one store is more likely to stay in that area and shop rather than drive to another area. Businesses also increase the number of people coming into the area, and this may increase the tourism industry or eventually increase the size of the community.  Businesses also provide the opportunity of jobs to young and old alike.  High school or college students are given the opportunity to enter the working world during nights or weekends, and the businesses rely on the work of the middle aged or retired during the daytime hours.

Students make up a large portion of any given community.  Whether they are elementary, junior high, high school, or college students, the future of a community rests on their education.  All students who pass through the school system are potential assets to their society.  Students are the future employees or employers.  Their knowledge is relied upon to further businesses, and the new ideas that they contribute are used to expand or modify techniques that are no longer efficient.  Students also provide entertainment by taking part in school events, such as plays or athletics.  They are the future of the community, so their education is highly valued.

Equally as important as every child are the parents or legal guardians that  raised them.  It is the responsibility of every adult in the community to help raise and protect the children, but the children’s success in life ultimately rests upon the parents' shoulders. Children need constant care, love, and support from a home environment.  A child's control, discipline, and attitude towards life reflects upon the home in which the child was brought up.  Children constantly push the limits to test where their boundaries are set.  It is imperative that they have parents that are actively involved in their lives.  Children need to know they have the support and acceptance of those closest to them, their families.  This is a heavy, but extremely important responsibility that the parents take on.

Another aspect of the community that is largely taken for granted is the volunteer service programs. From highway clean up to senior citizen care, communities rely heavily upon the kindness of the volunteer workers. Without their aid and patience many projects would go uncared for, such as local blood drives, area food shelves, or other community events. Time, energy, and work are given up by these volunteers with absolutely no request of  payment other than the satisfaction of helping others in need.

Activities involving the church also bring members of a community together.  In times of hardship it is often said that the church is the foundation that holds everyone together.  The church provides a peaceful environment and a refuge for all people, no matter what race, sex, creed, or ethnic origin.  Church leaders and congregation members have also proven to be worthy role models and mentors to others in the community.  They are often looked towards for guidance and advice in times of need. They show a positive influence to those in the community and are wonderful examples of the products of a good community.

All of these roles provided by many members of a society come together to form the intricate patterns in a community.  Each member of this wonderful group performs several roles and thus helps the community grow and become successful.  Being actively involved in a community brings with it a feeling of self worth and provides many with the comfort that comes with being a part of a  group of people.  The strength and success of a community can, therefore, be accurately measured by the satisfaction and happiness of those within it.

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