The community was invited to join the Southeastern Utah Association of Local Governments (SEUALG) in celebrating Welcoming Week on Saturday.
The event began at noon and was hosted at the Business Technical Assistance Center (BTAC). Beginning, Pam Boyd of United Way of Eastern Utah thanked all that participated in the Day of Caring that took place that same day, saying they were concluding a great morning.
Boyd stated that it was a great way to segue into the next event, which was the Welcoming Week kickoff. Julie Rosier, who is SEUALG’s Director of Equity and Community Services, thanked everyone for attending.
Rosier said that Boyd was so gracious to combine the two events when they realized that they took place on the same day. Due to her willingness to bring the events together, Boyd was presented with a gift from SEUALG. Rosier expressed her gratitude for those in attendance before explaining what Welcoming Week is.
It is an annual campaign and celebration to showcase the movement of the community striving to be a more welcoming place for all. Last year, the first Welcoming Week was hosted in conjunction with the grand reveal of the mural on Bookcliff Workwear. The event works to bring community members and organizations of all backgrounds together to build strong connections regardless of ethnicity, race or other factors.
Price City Mayor Mike Kourianos was then welcomed to the microphone to read the welcoming and belonging proclamation, which the council had just committed to in June. He also spoke on the university, which brings students from all walks of life and sends a message that the city and community is embracing diversity.
Representative Christine Watkins then took the mic to briefly discuss Main Street America, specifically the way the benches, garbage cans and flowers with Price City’s logo work to entice visitors to come all the way through the city. She stated that Carbon County was Utah’s original melting pot and that nobody should be discounted, but rather accepted and celebrated for what they bring to the table.
Next, Sara Braby of the Southeast Utah Health Department discussed the Healthy Utah designation for Price City. Braby is the Director of Nursing for the department and said that the idea for the Healthy Utah community came from Rep. Watkins out of a Main Street America Board meeting.
A health committee was created and health strategies were implemented. There were three strategies for this, including access to healthy food, safe disposal of medications and the implementation of bike lanes.
Kate Kilpatrick, a Helper artist, then gave an overview of the new mural on SEUALG’s building. She stated that she likes to make art fun and available for everyone. When she was invited to do the mural, she was all-in. The idea behind the mural was to spotlight equity, diversity, inclusivity, technology and small business.
The idea behind the mural took Kilpatrick about a month to formulate. She chose to paint hands as they are a sign of strength, power and protection. Kilpatrick concluded by thanking SEUALG for letting her do the mural and supporting her as an artist.
Finally, Clint Cottam, the Executive Director of CAP Utah, spoke on digital equity. He stated that it is a dedication for helping people help themselves and that equity cannot be done without digital equality, which was made prevalent during the pandemic.
According to Cottam, community action changes lives and makes the community a better place to live. He said that USU Extension is a great partner with the Rural Online Initiative, and that the goal is to keep helping people to not be on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Cottam highlighted the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which works with a family or individuals income to determine a discount on home internet services. ACP enrollment for Carbon County is great, with 34% of eligible households enrolled.
The day drew to a close with Rosier speaking once again, thanking those that had attended and encouraging them to enjoy the food truck and games that were featured on the lawn.
“This is really, really important work that we’re doing and we really want to continue,” Rosier concluded.
