St. Maries, ID

Another year has come upon us, and it is just a reminder for us to improve our community!
I must apologize for my lack of posting over the past month, and the only thing I can do is that I will do my best to do better this year. There, that is my new year’s resolution! What is yours? I would love to hear them.
Looking at the picture above, it just reminds me of how lucky we are to live here in Saint Maries. It also mobilizes me into action…in the sense that I want to be a part of the future of our beautiful town, and not just someone who does not help create a positive future for our children.

TTFN
Tala

Below are a few of the Training Sessions that Horizons and the U of I Extension office are offering…if you are interested in attending any of these, or for more information, please contact:

Meri Joswiak
Horizons Program Assistant
merijoz@uidaho.edu
208-885-8949

Non-Profits that Work
Kay Sohl, Executive Director of Technical
Assistance For Community Services (TACS)

December 6, 2007 9am-3pm
Grangeville, ID–Super 8 Meeting Room

December 7, 2007 9am-3pm
Plummer, ID–Tribal Wellness Center

Learn how you can strengthen your nonprofit organization, rest easy that you are providing effective direction and oversight for its work, and increase the resources your nonprofit brings to your community.

For more information about the training contact:
Kay Sohl.

Building Social Capital: Connecting Newcomers and Locals to Strengthen Community
Lynette Flage, Community Leadership
Development Specialist, North Dakota State University Extension

January 15, 2008 9am-3pm
Grangeville, ID–Super 8 Meeting Room

January 16, 2008 9am-3pm
Plummer, ID–Tribal Wellness Center

How does a community assist those that have recently moved in to become engaged, feel at home and connected to this new place? A community with ample social capital will be able to do just that as they make newcomers feel connected and welcome.
For more information about the training contact:
Lynette Flage.

Idaho Horizons Community/Partnership Summit

January 23, 2008 9am-3pm
Worley, ID–Coeur d’Alene Tribal Longhouse

January 24, 2008 9am-3pm
Grangeville, ID–Elks Lodge

The Idaho Horizons Community/Partnership Summit is an exciting and interactive opportunity to connect our Horizons communities with potential partners. We hope that the partnerships made during this summit will provide communities with valuable resources for completing their action items, as well as offer attending organizations the chance to develop and expand upon their services to rural
Idaho communities.

The Summit will include presentations by the Horizons communities on their action items and community visions, as well as guided networking sessions to connect the partners and commmunities. The community presentations will not only give the other Horizons communities, but partnering organizations as well, an idea of the upcoming work that will be done in the region.

So You Want to Build a Community Center?
Craig Smith, Rural Development Initiatives, Oregon

February 26 and 27, 2007
1 day sessions in 2 locations (TBA)
Check back soon for more details.

Entrepreneurial Boot Camp Series

March/April 2008
4-three hour sessions to be offered in 3 different locations
Check back soon for more details.

Mobilizing Your Community
David Beurle, Innovative Leadership Australia

March/April 2008
1 day sessions in 2 locations (TBA)
Check back soon for more details.

Specialized Marketing for Entrepreneurs

April 2008
1 day session in 2 locations (TBA)
Check back soon for more details.

Internet Business/E-Commerce
Western Rural Development Center (WRDC)

May 2008
2 day session in Moscow, Idaho
Check back soon for more details.

Grant Writing Training

Dates and Location(s) pending
Check back soon for more details.

Our Vision Launch created four groups which are all working hard on making St. Maries the place they envision it to be…these groups are:

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The main topics they will be working on are: Education/Computer Lab, Career Fair & Tours
Co-Leaders: Valerie Rouse (245-4808) & Mary Aldrich (582-2598)
Members: John Pugh, Shenelle Kraack, Bonnie Huff, Helen Kevo, Willy Frederick, Bob Aldrich

COMMUNITY REVITILIZATION
The main topics they will be working on are: Habitat for Humanity & Parks
Co-Leaders: Sandy Kennelly (245-4520) & Carol Humphrey (245-2457)
Members: Andy Kennelly, Maria Isenberg, Allen Good, Donna Cook, Linda Weinmann, Kathy Martin, Randy Saunders

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
The main topics they will be working on are: Community Rescource Center, Drug and Alcohol Awareness for Youth and Adults & Transportation
Co-Leaders: Priscilla Derry (245-2837) & Tala Meagher (568-1028)
Members: Dean Johnson, Kay Sather, Cathy LaPlante, Jeff Baker, Lonny Pugh, Candy Pugh, Cindy Mottern, Tim Meagher, Shauna Way, Barbara Norton, Shirley Ackerman

Leadership Team
The Horizons Steering Committee, but they want to pass the torch…
Co-Leaders: Cindy Mottern (245-9090) & Karin Johnson (245-2518)
Members: Michele Wemhoff, Helen Kevo, Tala Meagher, Candy Pugh, Margie Gannon, Carol Humphrey

If anyone is interested in helping out, being a part of, or has any ideas, please do not hesitate to contact any of the above mentioned Co-Leaders or just post a comment on the blog, and we’ll get you started!

Inspired by the successful and innovative Handmade in America collaboration in the Blue Mountains of North Carolina, Uniquely Idaho is about creating a place-based economy, where dollars are firmly tied to heritage, landscape and community. Moreover, it fosters regional thinking, entrepreneurism, and community and resource stewardship. Here in St. Maries, it is gaining ground and moving forward. Together, we hope to build St. Maries into the “arts and culture opportunity” (from our “Vision Statement”) capital of the area!

Uniquely Idaho is a collaborative effort of… University of Idaho Extension — Idaho Dept. of Commerce — USDA Rural Development — Idaho Rural Partnership — Idaho Transportation Department — Idaho Commission on the Arts — Idaho Department of Agriculture — Idaho State Historical Society — Idaho Parks and Recreation — And countless local and regional partners (such as the St. Maries Chamber of Commerce)!

Click here to read the first issue of the Uniquely Idaho Newsletter and see what’s going on in YOUR community.

For more information, please contact Lorie Higgins, University of Idaho Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology (higgins@uidaho.edu; 208-885-9717)

If you have any more questions, and would like information about what Uniquely Idaho is planning in our area, visit the St. Maries Chamber of Commerce website.
TTFN

Last night, the time had come for our visioning rally! We were all a little antsy, as we had put in so much work, and D-Day had finally arrived. Before the rally, there was a flurry of activity. Everyone worked so well together, it was just fabulous. Together with the Steering Committee, I would really like to thank everyone for all their help and support who have made it possible for this event to take place. It is simply not enough to just say thank you, but that is the best we can do…without your help, we would not have been able to pull off such a wonderfully fantastic evening.
If you hadn’t already guessed, it was terrifically successful. We had 158 people grace us with their presence and many wonderful ideas were shared. There was lots of participation by everyone who attended, and many great ideas were brought up. David Beurle was as supporting as he was funny. His humor helped us all understand exactly what it is that we are capable of, in the way we work for our future. He helped us realize that there are areas where we can improve, but mainly showed us our strengths and how we can utilize them to help St. Maries grow into a thriving community, as well as being able to keep what is important to us! Our family values and “close knit” feeling.
We are looking forward to setting all these ideas into motion at our Visioning Launch on October 29th, 2007 at Tommy’s Pizza from 6:30 to 8:30 PM! I hope that we can see you all there to continue with the fantabulous start we have created!
TTFN