Support Character Counts! Week

It’s BIG. It’s really BIG. And every year it gets bigger. What is it? National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week. This year more than 5 million youths will be celebrating in 51 countries. It is the perfect opportunity to highlight the Six Pillars of Character throughout our community.

What are we doing in Fort Dodge? All of the businesses with electronic billboards will be showing the message that Character Counts! in Fort Dodge, and listing the Six Pillars. Many thanks to Fort Dodge Senior High, St. Edmond School, Iowa Central Community College, Walgreens, Northwest Federal Savings Bank, Mid Country Machinery, Citizens Community Credit Union, Mediacom and Trinity United Methodist Church for posting this very important message.

The Messenger will also debut a new look to the Character Corner featured in the Monday education section. There will now be a brief paragraph printed about how students have lived by the Six Pillars of Character and demonstrated the importance of good character to their teachers.

The mayor will also be proclaiming Oct 21-27 as Character Counts! Week in Fort Dodge at the City Council meeting Tuesday and urging all citizens to support the Character Counts initiatives or our community. This comes just after the city has completed a Character Counts in the workplace training and included the Six Pillars in its mission statement.

The city has decided to read the following statement before each council meeting: ‘‘Fort Dodge is a national leader in Character Counts!, endeavoring at all times to promote and model the principles of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. In conducting tonight’s meeting, we expect that all participants will act in a respectful manner consistent with these principles.’’

Youth in Action high school students will also be celebrating CCs! Week by kicking off their Healthy Lifestyles Assemblies for all elementary schools in Fort Dodge. They will focus on teaching students about the Six Pillars of Character, healthy eating and exercise. Youth in Action members will be handing out posters of the Dos and Don’ts of Good Character, ‘‘Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen’’ books for each classroom and teaching students the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. dance so they can ‘‘Exercise Good Character.”

You can take part in the celebration by exemplifying the Six Pillars of Character in your daily life. Here are four simple ways you can celebrate Character Counts Week:

• Play a game with yourself and try using the phrases ‘‘please,’’ ‘‘thank you’’ and ‘‘excuse me’’ during the day as often as possible. See what happens — these words are contagious.

• Focus on having a positive attitude at all times — especially in bad times.

• The next time you hear or say ‘‘That is not fair’’ — stop and ask yourself why not? Did you have the right expectations? Did you understand what the possibilities were? Was the result unfair?

• Think of yourself as the face of Fort Dodge in all you do. Remember, your family, co-workers or classmates are always watching. Think about the Six Pillars and decide what you would like to see more of and less of in yourself.

Your positive attitude will be contagious!

Remember that good character encompasses all aspects of our daily life — youth and adult sports organizations, civic and service organizations, businesses and our faith community.

I urge all citizens to support Character Counts in Fort Dodge this week and year round!

For more information visit www.fortdodge.org and click on CHARACTER COUNTS!



Pam Bunte is the Fort Dodge coordinator for Character Counts.