The following report shows just exactly what we have been able to achieve.

1.  St. Maries Resource Guide:  The Community Resource Action Team has just completed compiling a Resource Guide for St. Maries.  This guide will be distributed free to the public and includes a listing of available resources that will help provide community members with a listing of service agencies, county, state and federal agencies, schools, churches, recreational activities and local organizations.  The guide, which will be available in July, is designed to help community members locate needed services easily and rapidly.  The guide has been put together by a broad cross-section of the community and the actual printing will be done by a local printer who is currently working to establish a new business in St. Maries.  The committee plans to update the guide bi-annually by selling ads or getting local sponsors.

2.  Shoshone/Benewah County Resource Guide for Families:  The Community Resource Action Team worked jointly with the Silver Valley Horizons to compile a two county Resource Guide for Families.  Both Benewah and Shoshone County have historically high unemployment rates, seasonal employment and high poverty rates.  The Resource Guide for Families is designed to list all of the services available to help low income families locate needed resources so they can meet their basic needs and become more self sufficient.  This guide is being published as a joint, multi-county Horizons project and supported by local businesses.  The guide will be available soon and will be free to the public.  The information in this guide provides a listing of resources available in both counties.  The committees working to establish the guide have plans to update it bi-annually by selling ads or getting local sponsors.  This guide was a collaborative effort utilizing information from service providers, agencies, tribal services and the community.  By expanding the resource information available for our community, low income families will be better able to help themselves and businesses, community members and service providers will have a readily accessible guide available to them.

3.  Dreaming of Habitat:  Through the Horizons program, St. Maries is currently exploring opportunities to establish a Habitat for Humanity program.  There is a real need for safe, affordable housing especially for low income families in the community.  Committee members have been meeting with a nearby Habitat Chapter and local officials to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a Habitat Chapter.  There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm within the community for this project.  Becoming involved in Habitat will help our community become more aware of poverty issues and build a stronger bond between community members.

4.  Intern Program:  St. Maries has been selected to have a summer intern under a program sponsored by the University of Idaho Extension Service.  Many of the action items identified during the study circle and action phase of the Horizons program centered around revitalization of our local parks and the development of a community center and youth activities.  Community members feel strongly that we need to include our youth in planning for the future.  The role of the intern will be to help St. Maries research the establishment of a new Parks & Recreation Department.  The development of a sustainable Parks & Recreation program would benefit everyone in the community and help combat drug and alcohol problems in the area.

5.  Skateboarding Anyone??   The Community Revitalization Action Team is working on establishing a skateboard park in the St. Maries City Park.  Teens participating in study circles identified the need for a safe place for youth to skateboard.  Youth and community members are currently being recruited to help serve on a committee to organize the project.  Development of the park, which would be available to all youth in the area regardless of income, will provide a great leadership experience.  Now that the idea has really taken off, more groups are getting involved and a diverse age group (from youth to seniors) is investing their time, energy and resources to see it through to completion.  The City Council already has a spot picked out for us and a company has already been here for a demonstration.

  6.  Where do we go from here?????   Horizons steering committee members are working closely with the St. Maries City Council to establish a standing committee that would work with the council to continue the action items begun under the Horizons program.  The committee, chaired by a City Council representative, would utilize community members to help identify, coordinate and carry out community projects.  This would be an excellent opportunity to sustain the Horizons belief that everyone in the community has something to contribute and has leadership abilities.  The idea for this committee came from contact with a Horizons group in Montana.  (Thanks for sharing your idea!!) 

7.  Drug & Alcohol Awareness:  Local Horizon action team members are joining forces with the medical community, local law enforcement and community members to help combat drug and alcohol abuse in our community.  The goal of the Idaho Meth project is to combat meth abuse in our community and Horizons team members are partnering with the organizing committee to help spread the word.  By linking already existing groups together to combat the problem, more can be accomplished to counter the effects of abuse on families.

8.  Summer Solstice Celebration:   148 people attended a free community breakfast sponsored by St. Maries Horizons on June 21^st.  Horizons leaders partnered with local Kiwanis members who utilized their culinary skills to serve breakfast to community members.  Displays and sign up sheets were available to show off our action team projects and recruit more participation.  Horizons also partnered with the local Hughes House Historical Society to provide a special display in honor of the local community Christmas tree located at the museum on Main Street.  Our Horizons theme of “Roots to Richness” was symbolic of the tree and partnering with the Historical Society enabled us to celebrate St. Maries past, present and future.  The breakfast created new links within the community and expanded resources available to us.  It was a great way to recruit new people and groups to become involved in projects and have a great time!!

  9.  Rural Education Conference:  One St. Maries Horizons representative recently attended the Rural Education Conference in Alabama.  The conference centered on Poverty and Rural Education issues with an emphasis on place based learning.  The program highlighted youth education programs that are designed to teach educational curriculum with an emphasis on practical learning.  This was a wonderful opportunity to meet people from all over the country and share ideas on how to create viable new educational programs in our area.  The information gathered at the conference will be shared with the local school district personnel.  And it will hopefully help the youth climb out of the poverty they currently find themselves in.  There were other representatives from northern Idaho attending the conference which will (and already has) increased the opportunity to network and share ideas throughout the region.  She is now working on policy making committees for the Rural Trust to reduce poverty in Education and ensure that rural areas are able to achieve the same goals as urban areas as far as Educational opportunities are concerned.  10.  Housing Opportunities:  One of the goals of the Community Resource Action Team is expanding the knowledge about housing alternatives for low income families.  They have been actively seeking resources and information about housing options available in our area.  They have been busy forming new partnerships to help address housing issues.  They are forming a network of local lenders, realtors, housing providers, service agencies and educational institutions which can help provide information and assistance to people seeking safe affordable housing.  All this came from just a few people getting together and wanting to make things happen for their community!  You should all give yourself a pat on the back and be proud of your giving spirit.

 Thank you and

TTFN

Tala.

•  Of all the things you have done during the last 18 months in the Horizons program, of what are you most proud? 

Scavenger Hunt Question:·         Which Idaho Horizons community is working with the University of Idaho to help with their vision to “rebuild a community center to assist local families fight back against the ravages of poverty. They are looking to the future when they will have a center that provides central business offices for the city, a town library and public computers with Internet accessibility, expanded recreational facilities for youth and adults, a hall for future leadership and life skills training.”The winner will receive a copy of the book: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People will Follow You by John C. Maxwell.

Thank you all for the interesting responses about your community and what makes it ‘unique’ to you compared to other rural communities in Idaho.

I grew up in a small farming community in Idaho near the Utah border and I still think about it every day, the views and colors and smells and intense farm work we did (pulling rye, driving around and around in a tractor for 12 hours a day, herding cattle, etc) helped shape my life and world view. It’s that sense of place that helps define who we are and how we relate to the world around us.

I hope you’re all getting comfortable and familiar with the blogging process. Mary, MJ and I thank you for all the time and hard work you’ve devoted to this part of Horizons and know it’s just a small part of what you are all doing in your communities.

Please let MJ (merijoz@uidaho.edu) or me (dgray@uidaho.edu) know if we can help you with any questions you might have about blogging.

A ‘how to blog’ handbook is now available on our Horizons website at http://extension.ag.uidaho.edu/horizons/coaches.htm at the very top of the page…

Reflective Questions:

As we near the ‘end’ of this phase of Horizons, take a moment to look back on the past 18 months to answer these questions.

Has your community sought any additional resources outside of Horizons for your projects? 

How has your community partnered with communities and/or organizations beyond Horizons?

Scavenger Hunt Question:  Which Horizons community has an organization sponsoring a ‘Volcano Breakfast’ and what IS a Volcano Breakfast?

This week’s winner will receive a copy of:

One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All / Mark Robert Rank

Rules: Post your answers on your blogsite by May 20 (midnight) and be entered in the drawing for one of our book titles…

NOTE: Please enter your answers as either a comment to the original question OR as a brand new entry on your blog so that the answers are easy for people to find.

Please let MJ or me know if we can help you with any questions you might have about blogging.

Reminder: MJ has created a ‘how to blog’ handbook that is now available on our Horizons website at http://extension.ag.uidaho.edu/horizons/coaches.htm at the very top of the page… Thanks MJ!

Also, for those communities that may be looking for a little more training, please contact MJ at merijoz@uidaho.edu / 208-885-8949 to see how she can help you.

Rules: Post your answers on your blogsite by May 6 by midnight and be entered in the drawing for one of our book titles…
NOTE: Please enter your answers as either a comment to the original question OR as a brand new entry on your blog so that the answers are easy for people to find.

Reflective Questions:
What is something unique about your Horizons community that you’d like to share with the rest of the world? What makes your community different from the one right down the road? Is it a strength your community can capitalize on or a burden you have to bear? Or both? For example, Sun Valley has the beautiful landscape, ski resorts, etc. but the tourism industry has also left behind many local people who are now unable to afford to live in the town they work in…

Scavenger Hunt Question: This week the scavenger hunt is a simple assignment. Find an entry on one of the Horizons community blogs (or even your own blog) and leave a comment to the author. It’s fun to give and get feedback about things we’re doing and talking about.

This week’s winner will receive:
The working poor: invisible in America by David K. Shipler
And
Building Communities From the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets by John P. Kretzmann and John L. McKnight.

MJ has created a ‘how to blog’ handbook that is now available on our Horizons website at http://extension.ag.uidaho.edu/horizons/coaches.htm at the very top of the page… Thanks MJ!

Also, for those communities that may be looking for a little more training, please contact MJ at merijoz@uidaho.edu / 208-885-8949 to see how she can help you.

Rules: Post your answers on your blogsite by Tuesday, April 29 by midnight and be entered in the drawing for one of our book titles…

NOTE: Please enter your answers as either a comment to the original question OR as a brand new entry on your blog so that the answers are easy for people to find.

Reflective Questions:
• Looking back, what is one (or more) skill or leadership trait you have developed from participating in Horizons (maybe from Study Circles or LeadershipPlenty or from the hands on work going on in your communities right now)? How has participation in the program changed you? What about your community? Are there specific examples of things happening in your community that wouldn’t have happened without Horizons?
• Bonus reflective question: How has the blogging experienced affected you? (please edit any inappropriate language, hahaha trust me, I feel your pain!!)

Scavenger Hunt Question:
• Which of the Idaho Horizons community blogs has information about April being Child Abuse Awareness month? This website also provides information about Youth Suicide Prevention.

The winner will receive:

Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World: Building Your Resources for a Better Life by Philip E. DeVol
And

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, et al

NOTE: Please enter your answers as either a comment to the original question OR as a brand new entry on your blog so that the answers are easy for people to find.

Reflective Questions:

• What’s next in Horizons for your community? Are your Action Teams planning activities in the next 2 months? How do those activities relate to the 3 legs of Horizons: Poverty reduction, Leadership Development and Community Mobilization?

Scavenger Hunt Question:

• Let’s broaden our scavenger hunt world a little… Of the other Horizons states, which one has interesting information about using Chicken Tractors to help maintain community gardens? Check out the link section of the Idaho Horizons Blog that lists the blog addresses for Montana, NorthDakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa Horizons. Feel free to explore and be inspired by other community groups just like yours!

This week’s winner will receive a copy of each of the following books:
The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler

Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World: Building Your Resources for a Better Life by Philip E. DeVol

Reflective Questions & Answers:

• What words of wisdom would you give to a community just starting a program like Horizons?

I am not sure if they are words of wisdom, but I can only inform others not to give up…eventually, the goal or reason why a program like Horizons is a help to impoverished communities is that in the end, an extremely positive difference will be and is made within the community. 

• Words of warning?

Not to be discouraged, it will be difficult at first, but it will be an uphill battle at first.  Do not let others tell you that what you are doing will not make a difference or that you are wasting your time…your goals will be met in the end.There will be resistance from the major community leaders at first, but once they realize that Horizons (or a program like it) is not “out to change” them, they will be a wonderful source of information and support.

• What kind of changes in their community and its leadership might they expect?

The changes in their community will be subtle to begin with; however, they will be there.  A more connected community will have happened.  People from different walks of life will have made connections with each other which otherwise would never have occurred.

• What kind of changes in themselves might they expect?

The answer to this question can be found in what I found in myself.  I was motivated to help the community I live in reduce the various types of poverty.  I was changed in the manner that I never expected.  I made close bonds with others beginning with the study circles to the actions teams.  I also found out that I had some pretty good leadership skills which had been untapped until my involvement in Horzions.

Scavenger Hunt Question:

·         Which community’s chamber of commerce recently met with high school youth to work together to involve more youth in the community?

 Kooskia! Is the Community who’s Chamber of Commerce met with high school youth to work together to involve more youth in the community.  (It took a lot of digging and asking a few questions, but I found it! LOL)

NOTE: Please enter your answers as either a comment to the original question OR as a brand new entry on your blog so that the answers are easy for people to find.

Reflective Questions:

• What words of wisdom would you give to a community just starting a program like Horizons?
• Words of warning?
• What kind of changes in their community and its leadership might they expect?
• What kind of changes in themselves might they expect?

Scavenger Hunt Question:

• Which community’s chamber of commerce recently met with high school youth to work together to involve more youth in the community?

This week’s winner will get to choose ONE of the following books:

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John Maxwell

Or

Leadership for the Common Good: Tackling Public Problems in a Shared-Power World by Barbara Crosby and John Bryson

Reflective Questions: What does the phrase ‘living in poverty’ mean to you? How has your definition of ‘poverty’ changed in the past year? Does your community think differently about poverty now? How can you tell?

Scavenger Hunt Question: Which community (in partnership with ComBAT (Community Based Access to Technology)) will be having a FREE concert on April 23, 2008?

This week’s winner will get to choose ONE of the following books:

One Nation, Underprivileged, Why American Poverty Affects Us All / Mark Robert Rank

or

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community / Robert D. Putnam.

 What does the phrase ‘living in poverty’ mean to you?

Poverty, how would one define it?  Well, to me, it does not only mean monetary poverty (when one does not have enough money to buy even the most basic of needs), but there is also economic poverty, and social poverty.  For example, here in St. Maries, we have a lot of economic poverty; it is difficult to start a new business or develop contacts to run a successful business, in any way shape or form.  It is difficult to start something new, or to change the views of the “locals” (this is a form of social poverty in my opinion), which is necessary to grow as a community.  People here, I am afraid to say, are afraid of change.  With all the technological advances in this day and age, it is necessary to embrace the future as well as the past, and not just dwell in it!

How has your definition of ‘poverty’ changed in the past year?

My personal definition of poverty has not really changed over the past year as much as it has grown and expanded.  My definition was the one I gave above a year ago, and that has not really changed; however, it has become more refined, more detailed.  There are more nuances in regards to the levels of poverty that is found within my community.

Does your community think differently about poverty now?

I am not 100% sure if my community thinks differently about poverty as they are more aware of the different types of poverty that exist.   I assume (and I realize that is a dangerous thing to do) that most of the community did not really see the different types of poverty which exist as opposed to just being monetarily poor.

How can you tell? 

I have noticed that there is more of a dialog in regards to the different types of poverty…it is no longer about “not” having the money to do something, but about finding the right resources!  Compared to when I went to my first study-group (we started with two participants and two mediators), to my last Action Team Meeting, the participation has been overwhelmingly increased.

 Scavenger Hunt Question: Which community (in partnership with ComBAT (Community Based Access to Technology)) will be having a FREE concert on April 23, 2008? The community who is effectively will be having a free concert is the Coeur d’Alene Reservation/Plummer Horizons group.