It?s not uncommon to see people doodling during a meeting, but doodling was the focus of the Sept. 12 Circles of Marion County community meeting.
Windy York of Wichita talked about creative doodling as a way to relax the mind, according to Jeremiah Lange of the local Circles initiative.
Each of the 15 or so people attending the meeting were given an identical pattern to begin the exercise.
?Starting out with a general border, we drew two lines intersecting and then each area was given a different pattern,? Lange said.
?One of the patterns was a graph, drawing vertical and horizontal lines and then half circles through?out the squares and then you could fill them in differently.?
Each completed picture was unique. Some people made small squares and some larger ones.
?The method was basically to relax through doodling, and focus on it by moving hand and moving mind,? Lange said.
York said this type of doodling is a good exercise for passing time and allowing the mind to relax.
She told the group she uses creative doodling while waiting for the start of a band concert, to occupy her mind during a slow time at work, or while waiting for one of her children.
Jackie Volbrecht, director of Circles of Marion County, said, ?These community meetings serve several purposes. They inform both our membership and the neighborhood, and they allow the Circles community to grow with experiences and new relationships.?
The public is invited to participate.
Volbrecht said next month?s community meeting will be about ?extreme couponing.? It will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at Marion Presbyterian Church, 610 Lawrence.
People who know of someone willing to share their talent and time can contact Volbrecht at jvolbrecht925@gmail.com.
Circles of Marion County is an initiative involving the entire community in breaking down barriers so families that want a better life are empowered to achieve it.
