Character Success Stories	CHARACTER COUNCIL of RED RIVER VALLEY
Fort Collins, Colorado Capital of Kansas Population 137,000+ Fort Collins is the largest city in northern Colorado, and home to Colorado State University Money Magazine rated Fort Collins as the best [small city] place in the country to live www.ftcollins.com	The association of Character Fort Collins with the International Association of Character Cities has been highly beneficial to the greater Fort Collins area. Beginning with our Mayor's participation in the year 2000 Building Cities of Character Conference our involvement has steadily grown. We found the "Strategy Handbook" very beneficial in gaining a vision and strategy for launching a community-wide character initiative. The handbook helped us develop our Character Council and gave us a place to start. The live interaction and networking with the staff of IACC and with more seasoned leaders of other character councils helped our community's initiative grow into a valued community effort. With the help of IACC we are experiencing many benefits which include: An increased awareness in the community that most challenges and issues we face as individuals, families, and organizations have their root cause in personal character. More awareness of the preventative benefits of a character initiative as opposed to the typical reactive approach to situations. We hear people throughout the community speaking of character more often. They are aware of hearing the word! Organizations such as our local sheriff's office taking very visible and vocal leadership by example as a character first organization. More and more or our school cultures are becoming character based. Character education is extending beyond the classroom to all aspects of the school. In many schools we are seeing a vision of excellence in character as the means to excellence in achievement emerging. The systematic approach by Character First! in developing a sustained character focus within participating organizations is changing them. There is a sense of excitement by organization leaders as they begin to see a change in their culture. Would we start all over again? Absolutely! As more and more citizens and leaders offer encouragement by saying "don't let this initiative die" we would not think otherwise. Bob Powell Character Fort Collins  (reprinted from http://www.charactercities.org/gettingstarted/testimonies)                              © 2006 Character Training Institute
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