The Panther Valley Blueprint Community wants your input on what you feel the four-town area needs and what each town is doing right.

The group, which includes Nesquehoning, Summit Hill, Lansford and Coaldale, is asking residents of the four boroughs to take a quick seven question survey to help them as they build toward a strategic long-term plan for the area that helps create networks and builds on economic development.

John Dowling, chairman of the group, said recently that they have been working at handing out flyers with the QR code on it for the survey, as well as talking to people at various community events.

“From what we’re seeing, there’s people talking about blight as a big issue,” he said. “The next thing is outdoor recreation, you know, trail connections, organized recreation for children. People want programs like that. Food insecurity and affordable housing are the biggest issues.”

Dowling said that from the responses the group has received so far, the concerns and priorities are very similar.

But, he noted, that unless they get more community responses, the Blueprint Community will not have a complete picture to try to help the four boroughs as they move through the program and into the 10-year plan.

“We’re going to do a lot of good things,” he said, adding that there are already projects in the works.

For example, the group donated insulated bags for the Panther Valley food pantry distribution in November and supplied hams for the December distribution. They also are working with the Nesquehoning VFW and Penn State Extension Master Gardeners on a veterans memorial site on the east end of Nesquehoning and are building networks with various state agencies to help bring initiatives to the area.

Lois Kuba, a Nesquehoning representative, as well as a borough councilwoman, said that group members are learning as they go through the 18-month program, but the Panther Valley is paving the way since it is the first four-town Blueprint Community.

“This is a learning experience for us to work with people from other towns and see that one town may have more blight than another and one town really needs housing,” Kuba added. “Each town has unique abilities.”

For anyone in the Panther Valley who would like to help the Blueprint Community reach its goal, visit https://s.surveyplanet.com/vr6lx35y to take the survey.

Questions include what are assets of the community, your living situation, what town in which you live, what should be improved upon, and your age group.

You can also follow the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/462321796626380