Introducing Dispatches: The Changing American Dream

Today, Bonney Lake-Sumner Patch is excited to inaugurate a new series for our Patch Readers: "Dispatches: The Changing American Dream." 

Every day, the national media is full of stories about how American families, businesses and neighbors are adjusting to these trying times. There are so many changes happening so fast that it's dizzying: national debates about unemployment, foreclosures, debt, religion, government and private enterprise all touch on fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis so we can better understand how our neighbors are adjusting to the challenges and opportunities that surround us.

We don't think there's one American Dream, but a multitude of American Dreams which a multitude of people are working toward. Looking out across nearly almost 900 Patch sites, we see businesses holding their breath deciding whether to expand; college graduates returning home because they can't find jobs; and towns weigh the risk of expanding borders in uncertain times. We also see bold new volunteer efforts, inspiring stories of local businesses that succeed because they innovated, and locals who've taken these trying times as a signal to engage more, not less, in their government.

At the purely local level, we want to know where we, as neighbors on the Plateau, fit along these fault lines.

We've seen government jobs cut during the economic downturn, everything from teachers to . We've seen businesses link up even after state offices close down in a bad economy. We've witnessed community members come together that could threaten the area's natural resources. Bloggers like Kelda Miller remind us that , even when old models fail.

There are stories that remind us how fulfilling the American Dream is still possible, through working in the community. Patch shared how Bonney Lake came together to support , to help its mayor raise funds to fight his battle with cancer. is an example of how a community, through a good old fashioned 'barn raising,' can create liveable spaces where there once was nothing. Local families and veterans keep the candle burning for loved ones fighting overseas, with projects like to Jersey Mike's

"Dispatches" will be built upon the compelling vignettes and snapshots like these that we unearth across all of our Patch sites.

And, of course, we want your help: Tell us what issues and what stories in Bonney Lake and Sumner go to the heart of your American Dream.