Blog Questions Week 2
Thursday, March 27th, 2008Congratulations to Judi from UpRiver, winner of week 1!Rules: Post your answers on your blogsite by Tuesday, April 1 (no jokes about April Fool’s day!) at midnight and be entered in the drawing for a fabulous prize.
Reflective Question: How is your community thinking about/planning for sustainability after the end of the Horizons program on June 30? What will Horizons-related groups look like in your community in one year? Are you optimistic/worried? (relieved?)
vintagerose - Hmm, that was more like three reflective questions! As far as projects with sustainability go, our community has several. We have a printed newsletter and an online website/blog for communicating; we have an active community service group bridging the gap between children and older adults; we have a farmer’s market that will startup again in May; we also have an active economic development team that has been actively focusing on bringing in business. I believe that in one year’s time these projects will blossom, expand and flourish. I also am a bit relieved that after June we won’t have so much pressure on us! I am optimistic and thankful, however, for the opportunities that Horizons opened up for me and our communities.
mountainmama - The people most involved in the Horizons program have been concerned about sustainability from the very beginning of the program. However nice having the funds to try to:
- attract people to meetings by serving food and providing babysitting
- provide “free” learning opportunities through workshops by paying the required fee and for travel expenses
- cover start-up expenses for new projects,
we knew the funds were limited. We have one new organization in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status, one existing program in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status, and one program that had a 501(c)(4) status disbanding and reforming so they can apply for 501(c)(3) status. (Correction: The 501(c)(4) must stay in order to keep Gem Community status, so an additional organization is being formed in the hopes of aquiring 501(c)(3) status. Sounds like they may be working as one, yet two, entities. I am sure we will understand it as everything progresses.) But being aware of the limited number of grant opportunities, we are also looking at other ways to raise funds to remain viable.
Our newsletter, which is mailed to every postal customer in the Kendrick and Juliaetta area, is more successful than we imagined it would be at this time. We thought it would take longer for it to gain as much interest as it has. Because it is seen as such a good resource, there are high hopes that there will be businesses and individuals that want to see it continue and will contribute to that end. At present rates, it will cost somewhere around $2000 a year to continue to produce it quarterly.
Out new community service group, Pug Marks CSI, has already held one fund-raiser and has another one planned. We believe we can survive on about $1000 a year. If our service projects get larger, then we will have to come up with new ways to fund them. I have no doubt that this group will continue to grow and flourish. Service learning is a big component in college and scholarship applications now. And once we convince the students that they need it for that, or to get some job experience, they will find out how great it is to work with peers and adults to do something good for their neighbors and community. We plan on keeping it relevant and fun, which should help keep the interest high.
pineappleprincess - what a pain in the a sing song. (pig chineese) Our phone line isn’t working at home so our slow dial-up isn’t even working, so I am sitting outside the Juliaetta Library at 10:19 P.M. wondering “Is this worth it?” DEFINATELY! well… the Horizons program itself is… Anyways, I do worry sometimes of how we will survive after the funds are gone, but I know we will make it through some how. I love being connected to the community more and seeing some of our great programs, that we came up with, making a difference in people’s lives. But without the dedicated volunteers this program would have never survived, even with the funds.
Scavenger Hunt Question: Which community has been approved to receive a $65,000 Idaho Community Development Block Grant for work on their city water reservoir? HINT: don’t forget to check ‘previous entries’ (the link at the bottom of the blog page, or check archives in the column on the right)
mountainmama - The community that is receiving an Idaho Community Development Block Grant is Stites. I have to thank Judi from Up-River, because although I started with Stites in my search, because somewhere in the back of my head I thought that was the right community, I didn’t see it. I got the answer from Judi. I think all the communities that continue to blog could use a Judi. I think Josh Bradley, the apparent only blogger from Stites, would especially love finding a Judi in his community.
Pineappleprincess - I got the answer from my mom, mountainmama. IT IS STITES! =)
This week’s winner will receive BOTH of the following books: The Magic of Dialogue : Transforming Conflict into Cooperation by Daniel YankelovichPopulation: 485 –Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time by Michael Perry
