Sharing Plates And Mugs Help Build Community

Everyone knows there's no better way to make friends than to share your cookies with them.

That's why as a way to build community and help connect people together, Our High River started a travelling-plate (or mug) initiative.

Jodi Dawson, with Our High River, says if you get a plate full of baked goods, you're supposed to share them with others, then restock the plate and pass it along to someone else.

"Connie Pike (from Pike Studios Pottery) made us 15 plates and 10 cups with the Our High River logo," she says. "Three volunteers made 15 dozen cookies so we could get the plates in circulation."

Dawson says the plates and mugs come with instructions and people are supposed to take a picture of who they passed along the dishes to and post it on social media.

"What they're meant to do is be shared so I keep watching Facebook and Twitter to see new pictures of people getting them, and it's happening," she says. "So everyone should check out the Our High River Facebook page and see people who have had the plates and cups so far."

Dawson says, the idea was brought up while brain storming at one of their core meetings, and it just took off from there.

"Community connection is really important to our health as individuals and our resilience, both at an individual level and as community members, so we were really brain storming ways to create opportunities to connect with each other. So really this was just that. A simple pay it forward, get out and appreciate a neighbour."