The Greater North Penn Collaborative for Health and Human Services held its Seventh Annual Community Summit Wednesday in Harleysville. The theme was “Building a Vibrant Community Through Conversations That Matter,” and the main speaker was author and lecturer Peter Block.  He said an important question we all must ask is, “How do we raise our children?”

“Schools can’t do it.  Counselors can’t do it.  Probation officers can’t do it.  When are we as citizens going to reclaim our role and raise children to be safe, to be healthy, to care for the land and have a local economy?”

He said the government cannot do it no matter who the voters elect.

“We think if citizens vote they’re engaged.  They’re not engaged.  They’re giving away power.  It almost doesn’t matter who we elect.  Come on.  There’s two corporate parties.  Which one do you want?  Who will care for the common good?”

Block said we need to bring neighborhoods together to raise our children, and stop expecting the schools to do it.  He said we should let the schools educate them, but let the community raise them.