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Optimism rippling through Horizons communities Emmetsburg and Hartley, Iowa -- along with Jackson, Minn. -- have a new coach, Jane Goeken, a communities specialist with Iowa State University Extension. Goeken began coaching this cluster of rural communities a year ago when Extension was named the delivering organization for a Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) Horizons grant. The NWAF Horizons program is designed to help small, rural communities reduce poverty and reverse population and economic decline. To qualify, communities must form a cluster of three to apply for the program, since building effective partnerships is a critical part of Horizons. The Iowa-Minnesota project is one of 10 similar projects NWAF has funded in the eight states that it serves. Two hundred people initially showed interest in Jackson, population 3,600, and 130 have attended most of the leadership training modules that are the first stage of the program. “Over lunch one day, a participant mentioned having a new program idea for his human service employer,” said Connie Reinert, chair of the Jackson Horizons planning team. “He wanted to start a Circle of Support program where families in poverty are mentored by other families in the community. Because of his Horizons training and contacts, he held a community meeting, had 50 people attend, has formed a coalition of 25 people and will begin the program in October.” The leadership training has been valuable to Kay Cmelik, Hartley city clerk — personally and in her job. “The training has taught me how to recognize when a meeting has gone astray and how to bring it back to the agenda item at hand,” Cmelik said. “People who have never been in leadership before are getting involved, and it’s benefiting our community. We now have a community foundation and other programs in initial stages that are headed toward being really solid programs as we enter the community visioning process of the Horizons program.” The Emmetsburg Horizons training has helped Jennifer Meyer meet others with similar interests and goals for the community. “It is exciting to see the potential for leadership in this community,” Meyer said. “Horizons is helping us think forward, teaching us how to use the community assets and resources that we can take to a vision for the community. As the program continues, it will help us have a community-wide focus and bring all the elements of growth together to form a successful community. I am very optimistic.” |
The Extension Connection is a quarterly publication of Iowa State University Extension. Laura Sternweis, editor, lsternwe@iastate.edu Nondiscrimination statement and information disclosures Last update: October 2004
* Edible or non-edible -- It's all in the carbs * Urban Iowa has agriculture too * Iowa and young adults benefit from Extension networks * Iowa soybean rust team prepares for possible Asian disease * Community and Extension planning a future for Lakeside Laboratory |
