ELKHART -- Organizers of Horizon 2.0 are not waiting for Washington to solve Elkhart County's problems. They say it's up to the people who live here to build the road to prosperity.

Cultivating opportunities and a sustainable future for Elkhart County "is not going to happen unless people get involved," said William Johnson, chairman of the Horizon Project from 2002 to 2006. "Things just don't change by themselves."

Organizers of the next chapter of the project, Horizon 2.0, are inviting people in the community to a workshop Wednesday. If people have a vision for a better future for Elkhart County, this is one place to bring their ideas.

The Horizon Project began in 2002 when dozens of community leaders and thinkers gathered to create a long-term vision for Elkhart County. (The Horizon Project is neither a governmental body, nor is it receiving any public funding. The group may seek funding in the future.)

For a year, this large group of volunteers studied Elkhart County -- its economy and culture -- and then released a report, "Today's Vision for a Dynamic Elkhart County Tomorrow." The report was lengthy and ambitious in its analysis and recommendations. Among other concerns, it warned of a local dependency on just a few industries and was almost prophetic about the current economic hardships that have, like an earthquake, shaken the foundation of life and work in Elkhart County.

(The full report is available at www.elkhartcountyhorizonproject.org. For past stories about the Horizon Project, go to etruth.com.)

Horizon 2.0 will address two issues identified in the original study:

* Exploring Twenty-First Century Education Strategies

* Entrepreneurial Innovation for Community Revitalization

The workshop also will feature speakers who have created successful business and educational models in their own communities. During the day, attendees will gather in groups to discuss local priorities.

CHANGE STARTS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE

"This is their community, their responsibility," Johnson said. The effort is purely volunteer. "If people want change, we'll have that change."

"We have to do a better job getting that next generation engaged," said Dan Boecher, a loan officer with First State Bank and incoming chair of Horizon 2.0.

"We want the young professionals, young married couples, young families," said Mike Yoder, county commissioner and a member of the organizing committee for the project. They want people who will "show up" when decisions are made and actions are taken at city and county governmental meetings, or at the school board.

However, "This is not a political meeting," Yoder added. "Everybody who attends this meeting will have an opportunity for input."

With this next chapter of the Horizon Project, the question arises of what happened with the findings from the first initiative?

"We accomplished quite a bit," said Yoder.

For example, the vision called for creating a carefully-planned, vibrant community.

As a result, the local government made some changes in how land can be used, including new zoning ordinances and the three-acre rule, Yoder said.

Conversations and proposals about development of the Goshen River Race and Elkhart's Riverwalk can find its roots in the Horizon Project's support for revitalizing communities, developing cultural offerings and providing green space for recreation.

The report pushed for better communication, cooperation and collaboration between government entities. Yoder said he has seen the beginnings of more collaboration between local governments, but acknowledged, "those kind of changes take a while."

When the first initiative was released in 2002, unemployment was low and local companies were doing well. When life was prosperous and humming along, people tended to ignore the warning signs.

But during the "Great Recession" of the past 18 months, the warning signs became reality. High unemployment has crippled many local families, a number of whom have lost their homes. Local businesses have been shuttered, leaving thousands of square feet of vacant commercial space and lost jobs.

"We are in desperate straits," Johnson said. "We've got to figure out some ways to change the way we approach community development."

INDIANA IS BEHIND, ELKHART IS BEHIND

Boecher said, "We are slowly sliding -- in some cases not so slowly -- sliding behind other regions of the country," specifically in educational attainment, per capita income, urban planning and economic diversity.

"The slide will continue if not addressed," he said.

Both Johnson and Boecher agreed that perhaps now, with the recession causing deep pains locally, community members might be more willing to address the tough issues and planning necessary to cultivate a viable, prosperous future for Elkhart County.

In this economy, "folks are probably more willing to challenge themselves and our leadership," Boecher said.

Will people in Elkhart County be willing to do the heavy lifting needed to make changes?

Horizon 2.0 "is 100 percent community driven," Boecher said.

"It's too early in the process to know where it's going to go," Johnson said. So much of politics and decision making is short term and Johnson encouraged long-term planning. "You've got to take a long view on these things," looking 25, even 50 years ahead.

What: Horizon 2.0 workshop

When: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Bread and Chocolate Conference Center, 1401 Lincolnway E., Goshen.

Cost: Free (registration required by Monday afternoon

How to register: Go to www.elkhartcountyhorizonproject.org.

Speakers:

* William Johnson, local businessman and Horizon chair emeritus, will discuss the successes and failures of the Horizon Project and share his view of the economic drivers of the future.

* Gerry Dick, president and managing editor, Grow Indiana Ventures; and creator and host of INside Indiana Business.

* Bart Peterson, senior vice president at Eli Lilly and Company, former mayor of Indianapolis and founder of The Mind Trust.

* Bob Jorth, executive administrator of the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship, will talk about what works in advancing school success.

* Mayor John Fetterman of Braddock, Pa., will share his community's initiatives at the development of urban farms and community orchards, production of public art and the reclamation of abandoned buildings.