Retreat Session Outcomes
Hosted at the MacLeod Barn Abbey, New Harmony, IN
Date: June 11, 2025
Total Participants
Participant Demographics
We actively and intentionally engage people with diverse perspectives and experiences to ensure that ALL voices are heard in addressing the pressing needs of today and building a collective preferred vision for tomorrow. Demographic data are collected from participants and compared to publicly available data for the region to ensure the sample population accurately represents our community.
Hover over the graph icon in the top left corner of each section to compare VOICE data to public data.
Passions
In this exercise we asked participants what they are positive or passionate about. Diverse participants have many different passions, but there are common themes.
Click a word/phrase in the word cloud below to see the direct quotes of participants’ passions connected to that theme.
Carry Forward
In this exercise we asked participants, considering our region’s history, what aspects they would want to carry forward into a preferred future.
Click a word/phrase in the word cloud below to see the direct quotes from participants connected to that theme.
Leave Behind
In this exercise we asked participants, considering our region’s history, what aspects they would want to leave behind (NOT carry forward) into a preferred future.
Click a word/phrase in the word cloud below to see the direct quotes from participants connected to that theme.
Visions
In this exercise we had participants draw in a group and then individually write and speak their vision of a preferred future for our region. These themes are summaries of what was said.
Use the filter button to view data by different demographic groups. Select a major theme in the visual below to see the minor themes included in it and the direct quotes from participants connected to that theme.
Group 1 Visions
- Community Center with career exploration opportunities, Community garden/greenhouse to source schools, affordable childcare, accessible playgrounds, nightlife/entertainment, Social rehabilitation programs, Welcome center, Multi-cultural Interreligious center
- “Welcome Home Everyone” We are Thriving! Education is free for everyone with teachers who are paid as much as nurses. Our kids have fun here and stay out of criminal activity because we teach freedom, our community offers free fun for kids. Crime is non-existent , unemployment is at 0%.
- Community center with career exploration, affordable childcare, multicultural interreligious center, University, community leadership, teen center, Mental Health center, social rehabilitation, small business, community garden, accessibility for all, transportation (public) Sustainability
- Community garden, community centers per county, modernization, self sufficiency, accessibility, Universities, togetherness, community markets, crime rate being down, advanced transportation system, advanced shops and restaurants, trade centers.
Mental health hospital, career exploration, public transit system, community center, community market, volunteer board, University, public school, rehab center, recycling plant, community garden, teen center, park, sports park, housing, community religious center, entertainment area, small business, restaurants. - Mental health access, strengths based career exposure, access to high quality fresh foods, fair rehabilitation center, disability accessible, multicultural community, all public transportation, eco friendly making center, empty animal shelters.
Group 2 Visions
- Community neighborhoods have their own services, some grow vegetables, some raise animals, and trade amongst communities.
- We made our vision similar to Evansville now, but we added some entertainment and some free resources. We want to add lots of parks and outdoor activities. We also want to keep manufacturing and farmland in our vision.
- What if food was free for everyone? Pantheism, community exercise part of workday, bar ferries, clean rivers, swimming, river music, farm and grocery same place, app to control production waste, infrastructure fully maintained, complete freedom but completely communicated.
- Tech industry, workforce of the future, digital transformation, smart city system, silent disco boat party, sunset on the river weekly, shows sync to music using LED, floating stage.
- Downtown riverboat connection to connect Evansville, Newburgh, Henderson and Mt. Vernon via the Ohio River. Promote outdoor activities and clean energy system.
- Greenplace, exercise equipment, chargers to attract youth, cots, hammocks homeless, trails, showers, restrooms, petting zoo, youth charging phones, games, get youth outdoors and off electronics.
- We eliminate infant/maternal mortality, increase fresh foods/produce, more greenery in parks, trees, hammocks, cots, bathrooms, with showers for the homeless, and cots, outdoor exercise equipment at parks to promote exercise, table and chairs at park with games, chess, checkers, basketball court, kite box (use a kite/leave a kite) open market (like in Lincolnshire), big pool/water park, amusement park.
Group 3 Visions
- A vision for the future for this region in the future would be that everyone would have the same or similar values for change. The roots of the community would be inclusion and then people would all believe that the most important things would be: Jobs, healthcare, education, beliefs, and community. In having those same beliefs real change would happen and everything that would stem off of those core beliefs would happen. Everyone’s passions for change in our community would MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!!
- Arts, literacy, schools, nature, mentors, trade schools, youth recovery, resources, mental health, seniors housing, accessible education, jobs, Healthcare beliefs, community, inclusion, plethora of resources for everyone within the regional community.
- In our regions future I see resources for everyone. I see a vast network where as soon as someone is confronted with a problem they immediately have an answer for that.
Group 4 Visions
- We have a great community. We will keep what works and restructure what doesn’t. To facilitate social, financial and education on a more inclusive level. There is space for worship, community and inclusion.
- a lot of green space, outdoor space, hiking and biking trails easily accessible to neighborhoods, wide variety of career opportunities in multiple industries and the arts, school, daycare and affordable camps available to all communities, a tech startup/small business incubator and community funding for the invitiives, an active immigrants welcome and resource center.
- Places for all, free med clinic, trains with wifi, comedy clubs, rec. center, think tanks, hangouts for teens, parks, religious centers.
- For the youth we’ll have parks, daycare, summer camps, plenty of opportunity and spaces to bring the community closer. For the teenagers, plenty of hangouts, tech schools, home ec, life skills class, financial literacy, broad job shadowing. The young adults will get hangouts (strip clubs), public transportation, working buses, diverse employment opportunities, think tanks to bring ideas too. The elderly get transportation, entertainments, comedy clubs, activities. As a whole, there are parks, walking paths, community centers, free med. clinics and an immigration centers.