Pathways of Belonging: Delight Assessment

The power of Helvetia’s (WV) community-wide events to lure visitors from across the globe lies in the completeness of participation. Babies and grandmas, teenagers, college kids, and dad’s just off work – everyone creates and participates in events. This complete, multi-generational, and across demographic boundaries engagement gives events a feel of authentic community vitality. It’s a feeling that sinks into the bones of visitors and fills the souls of people returning to their childhood homes.

When the nearest movie theater is over an hour away, the most delightful thing the thirty kids in your town might experience during chilly October is the Haunted Library. The Elk River Free Library District (ID), with help from older teens in town, create a moderately scary and seriously fun haunted house that runs one full weekend before Halloween. There is candy, there are prizes, there are movies shown, costumes, and older adults going all out to make memories with kiddos. Kids have come to associate the turn in the weather with anticipatory excitement and delight.

In Wanakena (NY) the hemlock trees grow so thick, they create a near compete sense of hamlet enclosure. No highway travels through, and many people accessed the community from a footbridge in years passed. Cottages that populate the community rarely have fences because the hemlocks do the job of resident to resident privacy. It is completely to itself and of itself and visitors know where they are intuitively upon arrival.

Meservey Public Library director Chelsea discussed pathways of delight at length with the research team, describing it as a mix of surprise and joy. She would know! When redesigning the children’s space in her library, she brought in a clawfoot bathtub. Filled with pillows, kiddos sink in with books (but no shoes) and read for hours – delighted and then contented.

The sandy soiled lake lands of northern Wisconsin make for miles of trails with few inclines. It’s why Sayner (WI) has become home to hundreds of miles of community-funded bike trails. Along routes there are some sign-posts for independent exploration. The groups that organized the construction of the trails also coordinate community rides, tours, and races open to all residents.

Story times are in most libraries, and are often times delightful. In the El Pueblo de Abiquiu Cultural Center and Library (NM), there is an annual marathon event called the Read and Draw. Residents take turns reading from a book of local interest or content, while others drop by and draw for as long as they want. The pages are pre-cut and supplies fill the tables. Artists are of all skill and interest levels, as are the readers and listeners. At the end of the event, which lasts as long as the book does, a board member gathers all the drawings and sews them into a book with photos taken throughout the day. The results are magnificent. As this event has been taking place for years and years, visitors to the library can browse years of community art and performance by flipping through the large format pages.