Eighteen people in two separate classes successfully completed the 13-week Financial Peace University. Financial Peace kits were purchased with some Horizons funds and provided to community members free of charge. (Materials and a spot in an FPU class typically ranges from $125 - $150!)
Classes covered such topics as Cash Flow Planning, Dumping Debt, Relating With Money, Understanding Insurance, Real Estate and Mortgages, Understanding Investment, Retirement and College Planning and many other subjects.
During the thirteen-week period, participants kept track of credit card enticements that totaled over $600,000. Class members also kept track of the total money they saved and the total amount of debt they paid off.
In just thirteen weeks, the two classes put nearly $16,000 in savings accounts and paid off just over $24,000!!
One of Dave Ramsey’s (Financial Peace University founder) joys in life is to cut up credit cards and several people did so. This was a monumental moment for a few of our class members!
Here are a few anonymous comments from FPU grads:
“Just know that I look forward to being out of debt sooner than I ever realized possible!”
“I had no idea I could become debt free AND build wealth on the salaries we currently make! No need to pray for a lottery win anymore….now it’s all about putting our noses to the grindstone and telling our money what to do!”
“It amazes me how much I learned about insurance - I feel so much better knowing what products I should buy and what products aren’t for me.”
“This entire program has been a blessing to our lives! Thank you! I’m going to tell everyone I see about it!”
Thank you to Roger and First National Bank for providing a location for our Tuesday night class! Thank you to the Senechal for opening your doors to our Monday night class! We ALL appreciate it!
A fall class (beginning near the end of August) is planned. Space is VERY limited - if you are interested, let Britni know right away!
The Philip Girls’ Softball team, along with leaders Edna Knutson, Arthur McIlravy and Jeremy Noteboom, got the privilege of watching the Black Hills’ Gold women’s softball team play in action against Team USA in Rapid City on July 15th. They also had a team photo taken with BHG after waiting in line for Team USA signatures.
We all were so happy with the way the Farmers Market turned out and are eagerly anticipating next week and beyond.
The vendors agreed that this first market was as an opportunity to learn what to bring next week as much as it is was a sales event. Many vendors sold out of their wares in the first hour and a half due to the great turnout and support of the community but also in part to the slim pickings of ripe produce. We will all be watching and waiting for our gardens to turn out more and more fresh vegetables. The season is just begining so there is plenty more to come.
The craft vendors also did very well. There will be some very creative work going on this week to resupply their booths! A big hit was the High School German Club’s baked goods and snowcone stand. They were thrilled with the results of their fundraising efforts and look to be that much closer to their trip to Europe.
Another big winner were the downtown businesses. Businesses showed an marked improvement in traffic and sales compared to a usual Saturday according to the owners who came to the market and spoke to us. That’s great news as it has always been the goal of the Farmers Market to increase traffic and attract people to the downtown area on an otherwise slower day.
Overall, we anticipate the event to grow in coming weeks and look forward to new vendors and different types of goods to keep things fresh and different. We hope the community will continue to support the Market and keep coming to see what is new and fresh and local.
The Philip Ambulance Service will host a car seat clinic on Thursday July 17th from 11am-2pm.
The clinic is open to anyone who wishes to have their carseats checked for proper installation. They will also check that the seat is the right size for the child.
The clinic is sponsored by Early Childhood Training Network which is a Project 8 Governor’s program. Eligible families may also be able to get new carseats.
If you have any questions contact Lori Quinn at 544-3273
Our first market will be held on Saturday, July 19 at the Firehall Park. The market hours are 2pm-5pm.
We intend to have a Farmers Market at the same time and place throughout the weekends the rest of the summer if all goes well. The theme of the market is “All Things Local” and we are looking for lots of vendors.
The cost of a space to sell your wares is $5 per week.
There are a lot different things people can sell, including fruits, veggies, jelly, honey, and handcrafted goods such as crafts and artwork. We are hoping that this Farmers Market will encourage shoppers and vendors to stay in town to shop at local stores, eat at local restaurants, patronize the movie theater, etc., while in town on a Saturday afternoon. The goal is to provide a great community event to keep the economy local. We need all the vendors we can get, so if you have a hand crafted or grown item in mind that you’d like to sell, contact Christine Andrus at 859-2317, or the Philip Chamber of Commerce at 859-2645. Your item must be locally grown or locally made.
You can pick up your Vendor Applications at the Philip Chamber office Monday through Thursday from 11am-3pm.
Let’s get together to showcase what our community has to offer and enjoy a great Saturday afternoon in our great little town!
Are you interested in participating in your community, as well as selling produce and goods that you grow and make yourself?
Mark your calendars for June 21, 2008 at 2:00pm for an organizational meeting regarding the Farmers Market. The meeting will be held at the Senior Citizen’s Center.
A local Farmer’s Market is being organized to help keep the economy local and is in need of farmers, gardeners and crafters of all kinds to declare their interest in participating in a fun, entertaining and profitable way to spend a few hours on Saturday in downtown Philip. “All Things Local” is the theme and the focus is on produce, but all types of locally produced foods and crafts are welcome.If you have the chance to plant a few extra rows in your garden, you could make some money this summer by selling your fruits, vegetables and flower bouquets on Saturday afternoons. If you don’t have a garden, don’t count yourself out. Maybe you have fresh cream, butter, honey, jam or eggs to offer. Perhaps you can bake cookies or pies. Maybe you make clothes, quilts, woodcrafts, soaps, or candles - the list is endless!
It’s your chance to show your wares and visit with friends and neighbors. If you think people will buy it, bring it and sell it!
Please show your interest by calling the Chamber of Commerce at 859-2645 or Christine Andrus at 859-2317.
SAVE THE DATE (Specifics will follow, but please mark your calendar for now!)
Monday, July 14th, 2008
YOU are invited to promote all the wonderful things your organization is involved in that promote our community. Please bring a sign (poster board) listing all the events, contributions, talents, etc. that your organization has that strengthen our community through volunteerism. Your posters will be displayed at the Fire Hall. This event is hosted by Horizons and will include an ice cream social at the Fire Hall Park to celebration our Horizons graduation!
Our goal is to emphasize how important your role is in our community and to encourage more people to join in your organizations efforts. Additionally, we hope that we can encourage community partnerships between individuals and organizations that are working on similar projects. Basically, we are encouraging the community to strengthen your power to make a difference by working together.
Lastly, all organizations that participate will have an opportunity to possibly receive a Sharing Community Spirit monetary award to be put toward one of your ongoing community betterment projects or a new project that your organization has wanted to do, but just needed a little extra encouragement for - It’s a lottery! All we ask is for your organization’s participation for this night where the focus is on fun and happiness derived from service to the community.
Please encourage your organization’s members, friends and family to come and please bring your lawn chairs! We hope you will help us spread the word about this event, and we look forward to seeing you there! Thank you again for the contributions you make to the quality of life we have here in Philip through arts and culture, education, community betterment, human services and economic development.
On May 7th, local law enforcement, emergency services and fire departments put on a safety presentation to the Freshman classes from Wall, Philip and Kadoka. Philip High School hosted the event and was gracious enough to supply the space, time and a lot of the equipment needed.
The purpose of the presentations was to educate the students on the hazards of drinking or doing illegal drugs and driving, the necessity of wearing seatbelts and the possible consequences of their actions. There were speakers, classroom presentations, skits and hands-on demonstrations.
The morning was started with a welcome from Trooper Kelly Stern. The first speaker was Lila Doud from the Rapid City MADD chapter. Then Jack Lieseth from Wall gave a presentation outlining his crash from 2006. He was driving a pickup that had 8 passengers when he lost control on a gravel road and rolled. Several of the kids were hurt and one suffered significant serious injuries. He was arrested for Vehicular Battery and DUI. He went through the whole process of how this affected his life and how it changed almost everything.
After the speakers, the freshmen were split into several small groups and sent to stations for different activities. The parking lot was turned into a driving course with traffic cones that they would negotiate with golf carts. They did this with an officer riding shotgun and their first trip through was to show them how they drive unimpaired. On the second trip through they wore the Fatal Vision goggles that simulates intoxication over the legal driving limit. Local emergency services and fire departments set up two more stations with ambulances, rescue trucks and junked cars. Here they showed them all their tools and how they are able to save lives on crash scenes. There was also a classroom presentation on Drug Impaired Driving with videos showing that impairment is not limited to alcohol.
After lunch they came back to the gym where there was a skit put on by fellow students. Then a 911 call was broadcast for them to hear. Afterwards they filed out to the gravel parking lot where a mock traffic crash had been set up. Several students had volunteered and were waiting with moulage and simulated injuries. The law enforcement, emergency services and fire departments responded to the scene and showed what happens in the aftermath of a crash. Life Flight came in and flew out the most critical patient. The other victims were transported out on the ambulances, except for one that had suffered simulated fatal injuries. D.J. Rush from Rush Funeral Home arrived and performed his Coroner duties, then removed the volunteer as he would a victim, from the scene.
Once the scene was cleared, the students went back inside the gym. Pennington County Deputy McPhereson read a poem, Paramedic Dody Weller gave a short speech and Jamie Kockenbacher from the Alcohol Services Center in Rapid City also gave a presentation. With that the presentation was concluded. Hopefully all of this will positively influence the decisions these students make in the future.
This is the third annual presentation that has been done. The first two were done at the Wall High School, but it was decided to rotate among the participating schools. The goal is to save lives. It is hoped that by providing the real world knowledge of what can and does happen with alcohol and drugs, the students will make better and more responsible decisions.
Also, we would like to take this opportunity to ask the communities to also support the above goals. Please lead by example and never drink and drive. Remember to buckle up; every trip, every time.
We would like to thank the following entities and departments for making this possible:
Philip High School, Wall High School, Kadoka High School, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Badlands National Park Service Rangers and Fire Rescue, Haakon Co Sheriff’s Office, Philip Police Dept, Pennington Co Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Co Sheriff’s Office, Kadoka Police Dept, Wall Fire Dept, Wall Ambulance Dept, Philip Ambulance, Philip Fire Dept, Kadoka Fire Dept, Kadoka Ambulance Dept, USAF Moulage Team, Rush Funeral Home, Les’ Body Shop of Philip, the Knights of Columbus Chapter of Philip and Rapid City Regional Life Flight.
Click below to view a slideshow of photos taken during the mock accident:
The Haakon County Public Library is one of the April 2008 grant recipients of the Libri Foundation.
The Libri Foundation, established in 1989, helps rural libraries acquire new, quality, hardcover books through its BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program. Since 1990, the Foundation has donated over $3.5 million worth of new children’s books to more than 2,600 libraries in 48 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
The Friends of the Haakon County Library will be hosting a benefit golf tournament in August to raise money for the library. For every dollar between $50 and $350 which the Friends raise, the Foundation will match on a 2-to-1 ratio. Should the Friends reach the $350 goal, our librarian will have $1050 to spend on books from the Foundation’s 700-title book list. The majority of the books to choose from have been published in the last three years but old favorites are also offered.
DO YOU SHOP ON LINE?
If you shop at Amazon.com, go to www.librifoundation.org to begin shopping. Amazon.com donates 4% of purchases you make when you start shopping from the link at the bottom of the home page. Since May 1, 2007, Libri shoppers have earned the Foundation over $425.00.
There are over 680 stores that donate to the Foundation. Begin shopping at www.iGive.com/LibriFdn if you shop on the Internet at such stores as Lands’ End, PetSmart, Office Depot, Barnes & Noble, Overstock.com, J.C.Penney and many more.
There is a Wish List at Amazon.com if you would like to donate new hardcover children’s books to the Foundation. At the top center of Amazon.com’s home page, click on “Gifts & Wish Lists,” then key in “Libri Foundation” in the “Find someone’s wish list” box. You can have the books you donate shipped directly to the Foundation in Eugene, Oregon.
For the final round, let’s do something just a little bit different.
Respond to this post with your top three “wishes” for Philip - those things that affect you directly, those things that you feel passionate about, those things that you believe would improve life here in our community. Let’s just end up with a big list of things we can work on and dream toward. Be specific - lay it out there! Nothing is impossible!
Let’s leave this round open for a little longer than normal. Comments received by May 26th, 9pm will be entered in a drawing for $100!
Stacy plans to attend Black Hills State University in Spearfish where she will study Biology and Pre-Med.
She would like to come back to Philip after graduation because she likes the community.
“It’s much safer than other places and the people are very friendly and helpful,” was her answer when ask about why Philip was a good place to grow up in.
More jobs and more people willing to invest time in the community would be two things she’d like to see changed in Philip.
When asked about the positive things happening in the community, she answered, “It’s great that people are trying to better our community.”
Stacy, thank you for answering our questions. Good luck in your studies at BHSU.
Allen plans to study Engineering at SDSU in Brookings. He might come back to Philip after graduation because it is a good community.
It’s a positive place to grow up because, “It’s a smaller community where practically everyone knows you and you get to know them really well. You feel safe here.”
He suggests that Philip should have more activities for kids after school. That would be one thing that he could like to see changed in Philip.
About the positive things happening in Philip, he says, “I think it is great - anything that helps out the community is good.”
Thank you for your comments. Good luck at your studies at State.
Dorothy plans to attend art school in Detroit, Michigan. She doesn’t plan on returning to Philip because, “I’m not really a big fan of small town living. It’s just not my thing.”
When we asked what would the community need to do to encourage her to return, she said the community would have to expand in size, services and population.
“I guess it was “safe” but I haven’t really grown up - I feel like I’ve been stuck in a bubble,” was her answer when asked about Philip being a good place to grow up in.
When asked about things that need to be changed in Philip, Dorothy answered, “There is no diversity - there has to be more out there that Philip doesn’t have to offer - like different races and cultures.”
Good luck in the big city and at your art studies. We hope you think of us from time to time. And remember, as another Dorothy once said, “There’s no place like home.” Click the heels of those red slippers and come back and see us some time.
Dan Oedekoven will be in Philip on May 21 to meet with the members of the different action committees. The meeting will start at 6:30 and be held in the Conference Room at the Philip Hospital. All team members, please be there as this might be the last time Dan meets with us.
South Dakota State University’s Horizons project will host a repeat seminar on the steps of applying for community grants.
At the seminar, Pat Johnson and Mindy Hubert, SDSU Cooperative Extension, will walk you through the steps of applying for grants and focus on helping communities and individuals develop the skills needed to successfully write and receive a grant for community development.
The Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota., funds the Horizons project, which is a 20-month grant project, aimed at reducing poverty and building leadership in rural communities.
The free seminar runs from 5 to 7 p.m. CDT. The seminar will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at the Presho Public Library located at 108 Main Street in Presho.
Registration is required. Call Bobbi at 605-394-2236 or email her at bobbi.ellis@sdstate.edu to register. Participants are asked to register by May 12th since space is limited.
A garden with a broad range of vegetables can save families money, even if they have never gardened before, a South Dakota State University specialist said.
“All that is needed is a space with a minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight per day,” SDSU Extension Horticulture Specialist Rhoda Burrows said. “A single container garden can provide fresh salad greens or tomatoes, while a raised bed can allow those who have difficulty bending or stooping to share in the benefits of growing their own food.”
Burrows said a conservative estimate of a diverse garden of vegetables can yield about $70 worth of vegetables per 100-square feet.
In addition, gardening is good exercise, and it can be a way to help children appreciate nature and healthy food. “It’s not too late to start a garden this year, and your local cooperative Extension office can help you,” Burrows said. “Warm-season crops like tomatoes, beans, and peppers should not be planted until mid-May, so there is time.”
Newcomers to gardening can get help through their county Extension offices. “Your local cooperative extension office can help provide you with information on starting and growing gardens,” said Burrows. “Publications such as ‘Vegetable Gardening,’ ‘Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden,’ ‘Growing Asparagus’ and ‘Choosing Vegetable Varieties for South Dakota’ are helpful.”
Extension offices also have fruit publications such as “Fruit Varieties for South Dakota,” “Strawberries,” “Grapes for South Dakota,” and “Raspberries.”
These publications also are available on the Internet at http://sdces.sdstate.edu. Click on “Publications” and then the “Lawn/Garden” choice to view a complete list of materials available.
For gardeners who seek more intensive training, the Master Gardener courses offer it. “The classes have started in Rapid City, Huron, and Aberdeen, but the Sioux Falls session starts May 16,” she said. “In addition, trained Master Gardener volunteers also are available across the state to help newcomers to gardening.”
Contact your local cooperative Extension office for more information, or visit the national Extension Web site, www.extension.org.
Jarett C. Bies, Associate Writer
AgBio Communications Unit
South Dakota State University
Cassie plans to work for a year before entering Mitchell Technical Institute in the fall of 2009. She wants to come back to Philip because, “All of my family live here. It’s a great community and I have grown to really appreciate it.” She wants to study in the medical field so that when she comes back to Philip, she can work at Philip Health Services.
Cassie sees a lot of positives about Philip being a good place to grow up in. “It is a small community. I have always felt safe and have received many great experiences in school and in community activities.”
She does see that there are a few things that need to be changed in Philip. “We need more affordable and available housing for people returning to Philip (after receiving the college degrees) and there needs to be more job opportunities available for them.”
What does she think of the positive things happening in Philip? “I think that anything to make this community thrive even more is great. Hopefully, all these positive changes will give people the desire to come back to Philip to work and to raise their children.
We wish you the best, Cassie. And know that when you finish your schooling and return to Philip, you will be a great addition and asset to Philip Health Services.
Skye plans to study Elementary Education at Black Hills State University in Spearfish this fall. She would like to return to Philip after college graduation as she likes our small town environment and knowing the people in the community.
Skye sees Philip as a positive place to grow up in because, in her words, “There are a lot of good role models.”
She feels that Philip has to work on having more after school, non-school related activities for the Junior High and High School students to participate in.
When asked about the positive things happening in Philip, she answered, “I think it’s great that people are taking charge in helping make Philip a better place to live and raise children.”
Thank you, Skye, for your responses to our questions. Good luck at BHSU. In four years, students at our school system might be greeting their new teacher with, “Good Morning, Miss B.”
Emilie plans to attend South Dakota State University in Brookings and major in nursing. She would like to return to Philip after graduation from college because she likes the community. She feels that the hospital and the Philip Nursing Home would be good places to work at. Though, if she had the opportunity, it might be nice to work a big medical facility in a large city.
She calls Philip, “a friendly community where kids can run around town without fear of real danger.”
In the questionnaire, we mentioned that a few young families had moved back to Philip to raise their children in a safe environment. Many of the parents have jobs that they do, long distance, over the Internet. Could she see herself doing something like that? She answered that, “she wouldn’t like sitting behind a computer all day. And, that it would depend on how far the commute is on whether she would drive a long distance.”
On the positive things happening in Philip, she says, “It’s nice to drive by the Bad River Park and see it all cleaned up.”
Thank you, Emilie, for taking the time to answer our questions. SDSU has a great nursing program and we wish you the best as you work towards getting that nursing degree.
Mark plans to study Range Science at South Dakota State University in Brookings. He says he plans to return to the Philip area after college graduation because “he loves the small town and the rural setting. I am very connected to small towns and the country.”
We asked what he saw as positive about Philip being a good place to grow up in. His response, “Philip has a small town atmosphere, people know you and respect everyone. Because it is a small town, it is a safe place for everyone, especially children.”
His thoughts on the positive things happening in Philip - “There are always community improvement projects in Philip. The elementary recently installed new playground equipment. The golf course and Catholic Church recently finished improvement projects. The campground and football field are being renovated.”
Thank you Mark, for your comments and GOOD LUCK with your studies in Brookings!
Recently, we handed the graduating seniors of Philip High School a questionnaire.
We wanted to know what they planned to do after their graduation - was college, vocational training, or military service in their future? When they finished with that, would they consider returning to Philip to re-establish roots?
We mentioned Philip’s participation in the Horizon’s project and asked them what they thought about the positive things happening around the community.
Stay tuned - we’ll profile their answers here as we get them compiled!
Make plans to attend the 4th Annual Tour of Tables! Each year, Philip Health Services Auxiliary puts on this event to raise funds to aid in their mission to make things just a little more comforting for patients and residents at Philip Health Services.
The Tour will be held on Saturday, April 26th from 1:00-4:00 pm at the American Legion. There, you’ll be able to see 13 elegant table displays - each interesting and unique in the pieces the hostess chose and where her inspiration came from. South-African inspired dessert, punch and coffee will be served throughout the afternoon. Admission is $5. Later, each hostess will arrive and join 7 guests at her table for a 6-course meal that will follow the theme, “South Africa - West Coast Cape Cuisine”.
This year’s hostesses are:
Mary Burnett
Kerry Burns
Debbie Carley
Tami Ravellette
Barbara Byrne
Britni Ross
Marlis Doud
Kathleen Luetenegger
Gale Christiansen
Linda McIlravy
Lee Ann Knutson & Marilyn Millage
Sharon Hemmingson & Tonya Kramer
Michelle Butler & Alice Carr
Make plans to stop in - you won’t be sorry! And if you happen to have tickets for dinner - you REALLY won’t be sorry!
Financial Peace University participants kicked off their 13-week journey through a course designed to promote financial peace and security. From learning about the importance of saving to dumping debt to learning how to invest to build wealth, the classes are for everyone who wants to learn how to truly take control of their financial lives.
After hearing in study circles about interest in adult education finance classes, Financial Peace University was brought to our community and is being offered to interested individuals free of charge courtesy of Horizons and the Northwest Area Foundation. One group began last Monday night and a second group started last Tuesday night. The classes will run until the end of June. One more class will be offered this fall. To reserve a spot in the fall class, let Britni know right away.
Members of the Philip COMMUNITY MARKETING ACTION TEAM will hold a second meeting on April 14th at 6:30pm at Glenn’s office. A lot of good ideas crossed the table as the group was very enthusiastic after taking part in the “Marketing Your Community” Seminar.
Thank you all for the donations of soil and seed containers. As soon as I opened the library today people were bringing in the donations. I believe I have enough soil and containers now for our seedlings.
During story time on Friday, we will be transplanting our seedlings into larger containers so they can continue to grow into healthy plants. Eventually the children will have the opportunity to take the plants home to plant outdoors. This has been a very interesting science lesson for the young children in story time. They all have enjoyed observing the small green plants emerge from the soil.
Just one short year ago, the Friends of the Haakon County Public Library started a project they call Books for Babies. The program is designed to encourage new parents to read to their children with the hope that, in turn, it would lead their children to develop a love for reading.
For each new baby born in Haakon County, parents are given a gift consisting of a bib, a handmade bookmark (thanks to our crafty treasurer and her handy Cri-cut™) and Jim Trelease’s book The Read-Aloud Handbook.
Since the program’s inception, twenty gift bags have been given throughout the county. Twenty new babies in Haakon County - that alone is something to celebrate!
We read to be entertained,
educated or inspired,
or just to rejoice in
the use of language.
We read to be touched
by other people’s lives . . .
Perhaps most of all, we read
because it transports us
to worlds beyond the limits
of our imaginations.”
Monday Night class begins April 7th at 6:30pm at the Senechal Lobby.
Tuesday Night class begins April 8th at 6:30pm at First National Bank. (Enter through the agency - class will be held in the bank conference room).
Just a note - the Tuesday night class is full, but we can still squeeze a few into the Monday night class. Materials are on hand, so if you’d like to register for Monday - there is still time! We have 3 names on the waiting list for the fall class. If you are interested in that class, please let me know. We don’t have an exact start time for the fall class, but we will start it early enough so that it ends well before the holidays get into full swing.
Bad weather kept a few people away from the marketing seminar held in Philip on March 26th, but twenty-five hardy souls braved the conditions to hear Dr. Milan Wall talk about “branding your community”. After a delicious meal, people from Murdo, Mission, Whitewood, Faith, Parmalee and Philip listened attentively to what Dr. Wall had to say and then spent time working on some questions and answers about their respective communities. Also in attendance were Kari, Carolyn, Dan and Dave Adrian from the USDA.
Did you miss the community-wide meeting Tuesday night? If you’d like to work with others in the community on building a new library, there is always time to join one of the committees.
The committees are:
Funding
Budget
Services
Technology
Building
Contact Alison at the library, 859-2442, for more information or to list your name on a committee.
Six study circles - four in Philip, one in Milesville and one in Midland - began meeting February 28th. Each group met for three weeks. Last night, seventy concerned citizens attended a community-wide meeting at the grade school gym to learn the outcome of those study circles.
At the first week’s study circle, each group discussed the current library, its services and the assets and challenges of the library’s current location. They also talked about ways to improve it now so as to better serve the needs of Haakon County. The groups also discussed their vision for library services in the county. This included everything from size and appearance to available technology and programs offered by the library.
During the second meeting, the groups studied and critiqued their vision. Participants discussed pros and cons to the group’s vision and how to promote the vision to the community.
The final meeting had each group brainstorming on how to move their vision into action. Specifically, they talked about how to raise funds and gather community support for a future library.
Tuesday night, the groups shared with the community all their ideas and topics gone over during the study circles. Alison, our librarian, reminded the listeners, ‘No matter how you feel about any of the ideas shared tonight, please remember that this is your community. Not any one person or group can choose the best course of action for a community’s library. This must begin on a community level with the community’s support. Embarking on the journey to build a new library will not be easy by any means which is why you need each other’s support as a community.’
Dorothy said it best, “There’s NO PLACE like home.” Want to learn a little bit about what’s happening in our home state? Sign up for “A monthly potpourri of SD humor, trivia, recipes and travel” at the South Dakota Magazine website.
A community-wide meeting will take place on Tuesday evening, March 25th at 6:30pm at the Elementary School Gym.
If you want your voice to be heard concerning our hopes for a new library, PLEASE be there. The six study circles will each present their goals/dreams, and then we will try to merge them together to pursue a solid plan that everyone can believe in.
Let’s make this project happen - we’ve been in talks forever - let’s move it to action!!!
The Haakon County Public Library Board and the Friends of the Haakon County Public Library initiated study circles in Haakon county to address library services and needs.
The study circles will serve the community by offering open and facilitated discussions for the community to share their opinions about library services and the library’s future. There will be a series of three meetings for each study circle group. At the first meeting each group will discuss the current library services and if they meet the needs of the county and the group will create a vision for library services in the county. Advantages and disadvantages to the visions will be discussed in the second meeting. At the final meeting participants will discuss how to move their vision into action. Lastly, the Board and the Friends of the Library will host a community wide meeting to discuss what happened at the study circles so the community can help to choose the path for future library services.
There will be 6 study circles in Haakon County. Please join us to share your opinion and vision for the library!
PHILIP:
Monday: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Senechal. March 3, 10, and 17
Tuesday: 12:00 - 2:00 pm, Courthouse. March 4, 11, and 18
Wednesday: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Courthouse. March 5, 12, and 19
Thursday: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Senechal. Feb. 28, March 6, and 13
MILESVILLE:
Wednesday: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Hardingrove E-Free Church. March 5, 12, and 19
MIDLAND:
Thursday: 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Midland Library. March 6, 13, and 20
If you have any questions, please call Alison at the Library. 859-2442
A free seminar on Affordable Housing was held in Kadoka at Jigger’s Restaurant on February 25, 2008. Individuals represented several communities to learn about issues and possible solutions regarding housing situations in rural South Dakota.
A representative of the Rural Housing Collaborative in Howard gave a presentation titled “Flipping the Switch – Why We Need to Rethink Rural Housing”. After summarizing the research findings, Rita discussed how rural communities need to come together as a whole village and “swim together” to solve complicated issues.
She provided a link with some interesting information: www.rethinkruralhousing.com. They also hope this site will become a useful tool to help communities avoid reinventing the wheel.
After a short break, we heard from an informed panel of speakers on various services and programs available to western South Dakota.
Marlene Knutson, executive director of the South Dakota Central Enhancement District shared her experiences with a successful house project in Lemmon when she was the Economic Development Coordinator there. She also discussed the Governor’s House program.
Mark Lauseng, executive director of the South Dakota Housing Authority, expanded on the Governor’s House program. The current price for a 1008 square foot home (delivered) is $33,000. He also discussed several different programs that assist low and moderate-income individuals/families obtain quality housing. Below-market interest rates, home improvement loans, down payment programs and the Governor’s House program are all programs that can help South Dakotans become homeowners. More information can be found at www.sdhda.org.
Joy McCracken, executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills, discussed several interesting programs in their “Campaign for Home Ownership”. Some of those programs are Plant the Town, Paint the Town, Revolving Loan Funds and Block Clubs. They also offer many different education classes including homebuyer education courses, post-purchase classes which provide how-to and hands-on maintenance courses, and credit counseling to educate participants on living within their means. This organization originally began to benefit Black Hills communities, but now reaches most of western South Dakota. A plethora of information can be found at www.nhsblackhills.org.
Connie Gerard, rural development specialist with the USDA Rural Development Rural Housing Service, gave information on some different loan and grant programs. The 504 Home Repair Loan and Grant Program assists eligible, very low income home owners with repairs to their home. The Direct 502 Home Ownership Loan Program provides loans to low and very low income families to purchase an existing home, build a new home, purchase a new manufactured home from an approved dealer/contractor,
