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Commentary: A Community’s Social Capital Helps It Respond to a Tragic Bus Accident [1]
['Scott Thompson', 'The Daily Yonder']
Date: 2024-04-02
This is not the way I was expecting to resume submitting articles to the Daily Yonder. While writing an article intending to introduce a new state-level social capital model, I received news from my hometown of Rushville, Illinois, of a horrible school bus-truck accident. All five persons involved, including three children, were killed.
Rushville is a rural community in West Central Illinois. It is the county seat of Schuyler County and its 6,900 residents. The folks in Schuyler County work hard, they play hard, and they care for their neighbors. It is a small but mighty place where people come together for support and mutual aide. Where hearts are big, and compassion has almost no bounds. Forgive me for adding this, Rushville is full of the best of bonded social capital.
If there is a typical small, rural Midwest community, Rushville is it. The town is surrounded by corn and soybeans, and it is home to some of the best deer hunting in the world. Volunteering is important; people are eager to pitch in and help.
Just before noon on March 11, the strength of social ties was tested in the most challenging of ways when a truck hauling a tandem load of sand and a school bus collided on the western edge of Rushville. An explosion and fire consumed the bus. Those who died were a 5-year-old, a pair of 3-year-olds, the bus driver, and the truck driver.
I live four hours away in Des Moines, Iowa, and I am removed from the day-to-day happenings back home. I learned of the accident from a news alert on my cell phone and called my sister who lives in Rushville. She had been running errands on the same road where the accident occurred, and she could see the plume of smoke from a distance. She spoke to some of her friends as word of the accident began spreading through town. She thought she might have known one of the families who had children in the crash.
The news spread quickly. People on social media expressed sadness and grief while showing restraint from any kind of editorializing about the nature of the accident. There was not much doubt community members were grieving, but grief was not defining the moment.
There were calls on social media for people to support families in a variety of ways. People offered their prayers and moral support. Other folks were planning fundraisers, impromptu bake sales, and establishing GoFundMe accounts. Printers designed T-shirts to be sold for fundraisers. There were memorial accounts established at local banks. On the evening of March 13, a public vigil was held in the park on the square in Rushville. Central Park was filled.
Aerial view of the line of customers waiting to pick-up meals at the benefit fish fry. (Via Facebook)
On Sunday, March 17, the Schuyler County Fair Board held a benefit fish fry. The board made it clear from the start that while this was a fundraiser, it was also about building community. Whether or not you could afford a freewill donation, you would not be turned away. If you were hungry, show up. If you could not leave the house, your meal would be delivered to you. In eight hours, 4,000 meals were distributed.
The region surrounding Rushville responded, too. Members of a car club drove the 50 miles from Quincy, Illinois, to Rushville to contribute.
In the 1990’s the community came together to create a non-profit organization aimed to restore the local movie theater. Shares were sold for $100. The project was an overwhelming success. Through the years, the town has rallied around the Princess Theater. In the week following the accident, the theater staff had the opportunity to return the favor. The theater sold purple and gold “Rocket Strong” popcorn at curbside, raising over $4,300 to assist the families.
There have always been strong bonded relationships in Schuyler County. Residents can rely on neighbors and strangers in good times and tough times. In a new county measure of social capital (I’ll be introducing that model soon) Schuyler County’s index is impressive.
I didn’t intend to make this about an upcoming social capital index. This article is a public acknowledgement of the wonderful spirit of my hometown. This is also something that is long overdue. It is my opportunity to say, “thank you, Rushville.” You have done things that I knew you would. As I would expect, grief is something to which you respond, not something that defines you.
I am proud to say Rushville, Illinois is a small but mighty place.
Scott Thompson is a labor market economist who lives in Iowa. The opinions expressed in this column are his own.
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