A Measure Of Success
By Christina Calkins, Board Chair
In the spring of 2007 the HOUR Exchange will commemorate five years of trading local currency in our region. We have built a community networking system that is a tool for developing a regionally self-sufficient economy. The fact that we’ve made it five years is an achievement worth celebrating. Over time our base has widened and we now have more anchor members participating, offering a greater variety of goods and services. As we stop and reflect on how we got here – what means will we use to measure our success?
According to the Bylaws of the organization our mission is “to provide education and tools to promote ecologically sustainable, community-based economics.” If we were to base our success on whether we have fulfilled our mission, we have succeeded. We are providing tools that enhance local commerce and trade. We have done this by founding a solid organization with a Board of Trustees to oversee the program and its issuance and distribution of the currency. Our quarterly newspaper, The HOUR Trader, is not only the central place to find the places and people who use HOURS, but also a forum where we can conceptualize the ideas of a local economy to the greater community. In five years we have distributed over 30,000 issues of The HOUR Trader at no cost to the community at large.
What about the numbers? Surely there is a way for us to measure success with numbers. Since our inception in March of 2002 there have been 1,107 HOURS disbursed to the 235 members who have participated in the program. It can be estimated that on average each of those HOURS has been traded approximately 4 times. Some more. Some less. When you translate this into monetary terms, it equates to $44,280.00 worth of trade. That figure might be chump change in relation to the volume of the everyday economy, but the mere fact that these locally backed bucks have been traded for tens of thousands of dollars worth of goods and services is a testimony of our success!
From a purely business perspective you would be hard pressed to find us embracing a conventional business model. The truth is that we’ve broken the mold. We are pioneering an age-old concept for a new society. Most businesses gauge their success on profits and losses. How can you judge the profits of a local currency? The currency essentially has intrinsic value, which cannot be measured with dollars and cents. Its value comes from the connections and exchanges that are made. The local economy, the community, and the participants of the program in essence “profit” from the benefits of increased local commerce.
On a more personal level, when I reflect on my time working for the organization, I can think of many difficulties we’ve endured and accomplishments we’ve made. When it comes down to it I find the real successes come on a more endearing level. When I look over the list of names and think of all of the connections that have been made, it goes beyond figures and statistics. Through my experiences and HOUR trades I have met new people, learned new information and skills, and shared my expertise. Most important of all, and what I treasure the most, are the good friends I’ve made along the way. All of these possibilities were made possible through the HOUR Trader. Value? Priceless.
This spring as we head towards our celebration at our Annual Meeting, take the time to think about how you think we should measure our success. It’s always heartening to hear of member exchanges that have gone well. Do you have stories of the connections and trades you’ve made? Why is local currency important to you? Send us your thoughts and we will publish them in a special feature in our SPRING commemorative issue. The best submission will win a HOUR Trader organic cotton T-shirt.
The blueprint for our future is up to us to design. We are the architects. To this point our organization has been skillfully built by a handful of dedicated individuals who have spent countless hours of their own personal time helping to craft and develop the local currency program we use today. As we move forward we depend upon our members to continue that legacy. Each spring at the Annual Meeting the membership sees to the “changing of the guards” by electing a new Board of Trustees to oversee our organization. You can “get on Board” during the election at our spring meeting and help lead the drive to make this local currency a success. We are looking for people who are excited about taking cynicism by the scruff of the neck and want to work proactively to create a society that we all would like to live in. The bottom line is our membership and Board of Trustees are the heartbeat of this organization.
Beyond that comes perseverance. Will we have enough interest and numbers of members to sustain the program for another five years? This is where YOU are key in helping local currency succeed. If you’ve been thinking about getting involved or have been cheering from the sidelines, now is the time to jump on in. Join the community of folks who support the idea of living in a sustainable region that creates jobs for people, is abundant with local food, and has an interconnected community. You’ll be glad you did.