being implemented all over the state to point us toward July 4, 1976. Action '76 is the program of goal setting and achieving by communities throughout the state. We want your community to be included in this endeavor. We want to help you see needs and find solutions to them. To do so means that you will have to mobilize your best citizens for the task of improving the quality of life in your community. You will want to adopt programs and projects that will facilitate your plans for improvement. These projects can come alive for you simply by your letting your imagination grasp a dream of what your community can become through the cooperative efforts of all your neighbors who are willing to work hard. There are all kinds of projects that you can engage in to improve your community for your fellow citizens. Some possible projects may be: restoring a significant historical site cleaning the city of its litter and trash - building recreational facilities The list could number hundreds of projects. You may choose as many as you feel capable of achieving. Some small communities feel compelled to fulfill specific needs with which they are uniquely confronted. One small community, planning now to be the smallest participating city in Action '76, is arming itself with plans for a sanitary sewage disposal system and a city-wide cleanup program as its participation. Let your dream be as extensive as your ability to achieve it. Reality always begins with dreams. The primary objective of the Florida Bicentennial Commission is to have our state plan and to carry out, as one people, an appropriate commemoration befitting our national heritage. It must be a celebration of substance, relevant to the needs of Florida, not simply a party that will be forgotten after the celebration is over. To do less would be unworthy of our faith in the future. Join us in this great effort. Together let us make Florida the kind of place we all want it to be. Let us do it in the Spirit of '76. Once you have organized and are ready to proceed, the State Bicentennial Commission will designate your group as the official organization of your community and will designate your community as one of the official Action '76 communities of our state. All possible assistance will be given to those communities that so qualify. II. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE This guidebook is a manual of suggested methods to help you select, plan and achieve the goals of your community. It helps you get started and guides your efforts to a successful conclusion of your program. Your having received this guidebook indicates your interest in participating in the program of the Bicentennial Commission of Florida. There are two points that we would emphasize strongly: (1) While we will assist you in any way that we can, the program is your program. Its success will depend upon your commitment to its completion. You will decide what will be accomplished; (2) You must become totally involved in the Action '76 ideal. Only total commitment will sustain your efforts through the hard work that is to follow. This book contains suggestions on how your work can be made easier and proceed most smoothly. Because these suggestions have been tried and proven, we feel that you should follow this guidebook closely in a "cookbook" fashion; that is, step-by-step. You will be following the path of previous success and will be guaranteed the potential of greater success than if you attempt to devise your own method of Action '76 program development. The guidebook is written in as flexible a style as possible. We are very aware that your locality is different from all others in Florida. Indeed, all communities are different because they are made up of different people with varying backgrounds, interests, training and abilities. This is why we underscore the adaptation of these guidelines to your particular community. Follow the general outline, but adapt it to the particular programs that you are committed to in your area. want to achieve but one specific goal, or you may want to achieve many. You must decide what must be done where you live and activate the available manpower to carry out your plans. You may The emphasis is on action. The best plans alone will not achieve goals. The point cannot be better stressed than in the slogan, "Goals are ends to be achieved; plans are the means to achieve them." You will terminate your Action '76 program only when your goals have been achieved. Plan well but activate your plans. Carry them out to the fullest limit possible. This Guidebook is written for communities like yours. You will want to adapt the ideas presented here to your particular situation. Do not feel bound by the Guidebook to implement all its suggestions. Make your Action '76 organization work for you rather than your working for it. All communities throughout the state are of concern to the state Bicentennial Commission, the smaller ones no less than the larger. We reiterate our support of your efforts. As you begin, we wish you the best of success. We stand with you and offer our continued assistance throughout your program. Let us help you with your problems. Report to us your progress so that we may let all of Florida and the nation know what you are doing. III. THE ACTION '76 PROGRAM A. GETTING STARTED 1. The Steering Committee: a. Member selection; The key to a good finish is a good start. The good start to your Action '76 program is enlisting the best people that you can find to serve on the Steering Committee. These should be people who are: 1) optimistic 2) proven workers 3) proven leaders 4) successful in previous endeavors 5) progressively minded 6) action oriented 7) representatives of all sections who are interested in the kind of change that will guarantee a better quality of life for all citizens. These should be the people who want to see things b. Steering Committee Composition; The composition of the Steering Committee should include representatives from every conceivable source of information input. Suggested representatives are; Chamber of Commerce member Jaycees member Clergyman Educator Historical Commission or Society member Architect Librarian Attorney Men's Service Clubs members Women's Service Clubs members Men's Patriotic Organization member PTA representative Junior League member Fraternal Societies members Labor Union representative Industry or Business representative 94-290 O 73 16 Minority Groups representative Youth Groups (college and high school) Interested Citizens The list could go on but the idea is to have one representative from each organization or occupation. The size of the Committee should range from 15 to 25 depending upon the size of the community. It is imperative to select the best people available from the above list. Do not overload the Committee with more than one representative from each category. Emphasize to the members of the Steering Committee that the need is for workers. You will know who can be relied upon to work from their past records of community service, so be careful how you choose these participants. It is essential to your success that you secure the very best people available for this responsibility.' There are two negative suggestions for Steering Committee selection: 1) There must be a non-partisan approach. Action '76 is not a political group. Nor is it a program of the white citizens or of the black citizens; it is a program of, by and for all the citizens, 2) Refrain from selecting controversial people to be on the Steering Committee. Of course, anybody who stands for change and improvement may be somewhat controversial, but those who are extremely so will call attention to themselves, inject a negative attitude into the Committee, tend to dominate Committee proceedings and reflect badly on the Committee's efforts. In general, they will cause interest in your Action '76 program to deteriorate. Keep the total Steering Committee committed to the program by encouraging all members to share equally the responsibility of getting off to a good start. c. Officers; The Steering Committee should have a chairman. He presides at the meetings and fulfills all the other functions typical of a committee chairman. He is the "voice" of the Steering Committee to the public. He will be the spokesman for much of the publicity emanating from the Steering Committee. An executive director is also needed. He should work under the Chairman. His responsibilities are to delegate the work of the Steering Committee and function as the terminal through which Action '76 ideas are |