When Shara and her family moved to their new home, they loved the rural atmosphere, privacy, and beauty of the location. However, the three-mile trek down a dirt road to their driveway was a significant disadvantage. The county road was poorly maintained, it attracted high-speed traffic from drivers of off-road vehicles, non-residents used it as a parking area to consume alcohol and other drugs, and the remote location enabled frequent illegal dumping.

Shara made a personal commitment to get the road paved. She contacted her local county supervisor and conducted fact-finding interviews to determine funding possibilities. After several phone calls, letters, and personal meetings with her county representatives, Shara was told that she would need to raise over $100,000 for material costs from property owners along the road.

Based on mail and phone surveys of property owners, Shara decided that there was enough interest in her community to hold evening meetings of property owners. She enlisted the support of a neighboring engineer to help lead the effort. At one point in the fundraising, an angry resident wrote that he opposed the road paving and saw it as an infringement on his privacy. Shara's neighbor was furious and chose to ignore the letter. Shara, however, responded with a letter and a phone call, reassuring the neighbor that he would not be forced to contribute and that his concerns were important to her.

After months of work, all of the county's demands were met. Sufficient funds were raised without imposing new taxes or coercing those on limited income to pay. Some residents gave money on behalf of others with fixed incomes, and in the end, the disgruntled neighbor decided to contribute. After all, he said, everyone else wanted the road paved, and he wanted to do his part for the community.

As a new resident faced with reluctant neighbors, government bureaucracy, and a substantial amount of money to raise, Shara faced daunting obstacles. The success of her efforts depended not only on her mastery of communication in different contexts, but on her ability to make her communication goals match her personal ethics of respect for others, encouraging participation, and activism in civic life.

1. What were some of the communication contexts faced by Shara?

2. How did she use different channels of communication?

3. How might have attention to civility, diversity, and ethics helped lead to a positive outcome for Shara and her community?

For your online discussion: What community concern can you identify that might benefit from the engagement of trained and ethical communicators?