What's your one wish?

At the chamber's First Friday event Aug. 2, we asked people who visited our booth to write down their "One Wish for this place" - something that would make the Grand Coulee Dam Area better, safer, healthier, or more fun.

We got some good responses from people who jotted their wish on a card and dropped it into our little makeshift wishing well.

"Fix potholes," "clean up the neighborhood," and "more boat docks" were each on at least somebody's wishlist. Two people wrote down the same thing: "More support for girls' wrestling!!!"

Someone wished for "better communication for all of the population," and a couple of kids offered, "stop the violence" and "stop smoking" for their great hope.

About half of the respondents (8 people in total) had some kind of community center in mind:

"Build a community center for the kids."

"Bring back the city pool." 

"Kids center."

"Wellness center."

And on. 

Although turnout for the chamber's combined market, live music and beer garden event was lower than ideal, as a newspaper reporter - someone in the business of making connections, building relationships, and asking questions - it was all good.

I had great conversations with people who had ideas for the paper, story topics, and of course, the community. These wishes, questions and suggestions will inform future stories.

One suggestion for the paper was to provide tidbit updates about anticipated or ongoing projects in the area - like when a new business is expected to open, a street is expected to close, or when elected officials are expected to vote on something of widespread interest.

(You can also send us your local tips and tidbits – see how to get in touch below.)

As well, we are looking to launch a series of community forums in the near future, on topics our readers care about.

The topics haven't been set, but forums could cover homelessness, the local housing shortage, fire and police services, animal control, social services, bullying in schools, and - thanks to our First Friday participants - the shared desire of many for a community wellness center here, and how something like that could happen.

Finally, we are taking a community survey with just five questions (plus an optional sixth). What we learn will help shape The Star's community news coverage for the coming months and years. To lend your voice, visit grandcoulee.com, or scan the code below.

To suggest an idea, make a community wish, or ask a question for future community forums and news stories, write to renata@grandcoulee.com.

If you want to receive an email when community forums are scheduled, email the same.

And Save the Date now for September's First Friday Market, where we can chat more in person at the booth! September 6, 4-9 p.m. in North Dam Park.