I'm only one...

I’m not going to lie… it all looked a little dubious. A designated meeting point on the side of the highway, calls back and forth as the meeting point changed, the furtive exchange of mysterious blue box, and a quick getaway. If the RCMP were monitoring us, things could have went a wee bit pear-shaped, if you know what I mean.

This was how the latest ACE Communities Ignite tour kicked off in Alberta a few weeks ago. Representing the official launch of our newest group of ACE Communities, Carstairs, Grande Cache, Jasper, and Rocky Mountain House are now on their collective way to becoming more diversity friendly.

The dubious ‘goods exchange’ mentioned above was put into motion by the request of one of our ACE leaders in Jasper. He was looking to get some homemade perogies from a contact in Edmonton to Jasper for an event happening as part of their Ignite activities and we happened to be the area at the opportune time.

When I emailed Ian Hill, our ACE Ambassador and official Igniter (who was soon to be on the road with me for the launch of the new ACE Communities), about his thoughts on our potential perogy sting operation, he replied: “that which I can do, I ought to do”.

Ian’s reply was, for those not familiar with the quote, an excerpt from a famous Helen Keller poem:

I am only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything but I can do something. 

That which I can do, I ought to do. 

That which I ought to do, I will.

~Helen Keller

I first learned of this poem while traveling with Ian on various ACE Ignite Tours. Ian often discusses it as part of the ‘ignite’ speeches that he delivers during the community rallies which accompany the presentations of each community’s ACE award. And you know, the more times I hear it and really think about its meaning, the more apropos I feel it is to building community in rural Alberta.

Let’s take this last Ignite tour as an example. In the course of four days, I saw amazing examples of how individuals took it upon themselves to make an impact in the quality of life in their community.

I am only one, but I am one. 


I saw a courageous conversation where a citizen voiced her distress and upset to a local town councilor at the town’s lack of empathy when dealing with a group of volunteers. I admired her bravery at speaking up and was then moved by the councilor’s immediate promise to personally speak to those negatively affected by the town’s actions and start mending fences. Imagine how much good will that one councilor will garner for that community if he does as he promises and continues with those courageous conversations.

I cannot do everything but I can do something. 


I saw one shy, introverted ACE leader throw down the gauntlet and personally contact numerous members of her community in a deep and personal way – inviting them out to help build their community together. Man… did she shine and you know what happened, they all came. The Mayor, town councilors, school trustees, moms with their kids, social services, non-profits, youth, and newcomers to the community… they all showed up to see how they could contribute to making their town better together.

That which I can do, I ought to do. 


I saw how one small group of ACE leaders decide that their youth needed to hear about how important they were to the community so they brought Ian and the messages of ACE to their local junior high school. There almost 100 youth were called to action, reminded of their worth and of their potential. One adult in attendance told us after that is was “a life altering experience” and that she wished that someone told her how valuable she was to the community when she was a child.

That which I ought to do, I will.

I saw in one community that one person can bring together over 500 others, from all different backgrounds and places, to come together and break bread under one roof. This was where the perogies came in, of course (in case you were wondering). This gathering reminded me that people are just waiting for a reason to come out and celebrate their community, all is takes is even just one person to ask.

So what is it that you ought to do in your community to make it better? Sure, as Keller said, you can’t do everything but you can do something. I’d be interested to hear just what that something is.

Click here to see images of the latest ACE Communities Ignite tour.