A Year of Connection and Culture with Highlands Council

The Highlands Council's reflection on 2024 reveals a year of significant achievements despite initial setbacks such as a burst pipe at Blakely Hall. Celebrating cultural diversity, the community hosted its first Nowruz and Eid al Adha festivities, showcasing the contributions of local volunteers. The Council successfully organized eight high-quality art exhibitions, highlighting the talents of over 50 local artists in the Art Gallery. Furthermore, Blakely Hall was designated as a resilience hub, reinforcing the community's commitment to preparedness for disasters. New initiatives like “New Neighbor Socials” and the Speed Neighboring event provided platforms for residents to connect in engaging ways.

The Village Markets thrived, reaching full vendor capacity and attracting over 100 applications per market event. Financially, the Council managed to maintain a balanced budget for the fiscal year, effectively navigating challenges posed by a slow real estate market. The article concludes with a message of gratitude from executive director Lindsey Pinkston, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration.