Introducing Laurann as Community Thread Blogger

Hello!

My name is Laurann Johnson and I am happy to introduce myself to Stillwater Patch readers. I have jumped on board the Community Thread volunteer team writing for their blog site, where I will be sharing my volunteer experiences periodically throughout the summer. In addition to this, my posts will also can be found here, on the Patch!  Before I start posting about the people I meet, the smiles I exchange, and the dirt under my fingernails I collect while volunteering, I figure I should give you a little snapshot into my life!

This might be a good time to note, to ease any confusion you might be feeling as a reader, that my name is pronounced “Lauren.” You can thank my parents for the funky spelling that has troubled every teacher, doctor and name-tag reader I have met.

My family has lived in the Stillwater area for generations, and I feel so blessed to have been born and raised in such a wonderful community. I was on the synchronized swim and tennis team throughout junior high and high school. Despite how much I dreamed of being a rockstar athlete, it was clear music was where my passion, drive and talents served me best.  My time spent in the choral and theater programs of my middle and high school years hold much of my treasured memories.

Apart from these, my high school days were littered with the usual excitement of Pony football games, bonfires, and wishing on snowy mornings for at least a two hour delay. Another important thing happened to me during my high school years, however, something that turned my world upside down.

In the summer of 2010, I ventured to Tanzania, Africa, where I worked alongside a local team and Tanzanian students of a secondary school on construction projects to strengthen their learning community. I could go on and on about this experience, but I’ll do my best to summarize some things I learned while in Tanzania:

1. Happiness is not and cannot be defined by material possessions. (Cliché, I know, but true.)
2. Life is not worth living if you’re only living for yourself. (Okay, duh.)
3. Beyoncé is incredibly universal. (You would not believe the sing-a-longs we had.)

This experience led me to realize I must make service a priority, even when it seems irrelevant, difficult or discouraging.

After graduating from Stillwater Area High School last year, 2011, I aimed my sights South, chasing a dream career in the country music industry.

So, in August of 2011, I arrived at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee to begin a new chapter of my life. Belmont is an amazing place full of talent and creativity, where most everyone has superstar-dreams and passionate hearts. And even though my Northern accent and lifestyle sticks out like a sore thumb, I am accepted.

Which brings me to now. I have successfully finished my freshman year and am ready to dig in and give back to the Stillwater community which has shaped me into the person I am. I’ll be doing various projects, big and small, through Community Thread and the organizations to which it is connected. I hope you’ll follow me from blog post to blog post, and perhaps join in on the work!

Some Useful Links:

Community Thread Main Page (find out how to get involved and learn details about the organization)

Community Thread Blog