Estelline, SD

Four area residents will give an introductory talk on permaculture at the Legion Hall (Main Street) on Saturday, March 29^th.  The one-hour talk starts at 1 pm and is free and open to the public.  The talk is hosted by the Estelline Area Horizons project.

Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is a design science which integrates landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.  The philosophy behind permaculture is one of working with, rather than against, nature.

“The permaculture concept originated in Tasmania, Australia, in the 1970s,” said Karl Schmidt, one of the four presenters.  “From Australia it has spread across the globe and is practiced and taught in virtually every country on the planet.”

Schmidt, and his three colleagues, Jane Hegland, Dean Isham, and Jessica Miller, were trained in permaculture design by Bill Mollison, one of the two originators of the concept, and Geoff Lawton, managing director of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia.

Permaculture draws information from many fields, including agriculture, horticulture, soil science, animal systems, geography, agroforestry, interior design, construction, and engineering.  Its goal is to integrate this information into sustainable planning and design.

“This talk will be of interest to anyone concerned about the future of the planet, food security, and sustainability,” said Schmidt.  “But more than that, it is about sharing the proactive message of permaculture and what people can do themselves in dealing with these concerns.”

For more information, contact Karl Schmidt, 688-4913, or kjschmidt@mchsi.com.

Saturday’s meeting with Rhoda Burrows was attended by 10 community members, some new to Horizons.  We were impressed by the amount and helpfulness of the materials she shared, and much of it was left with us for reference.  Rhoda is also very interested in responding to further questions when we figure out what we need to know!

Next educational opportunity is this coming Saturday;  the venue for the Permaculture presentation has moved across the street to the American Legion Hall,  due to the Sr Citizen dinner, meeting, and games scheduled in conflict.  We hope some Seniors will come across the street for the educational session after their activity. 

And speaking of Senior opportunities,  anyone 60 years of age or better is invited for BBQ and salad supper evening of the 24th  (that would be tomorrow, Monday) sponsored by an aging grant which is wanting your input in improving wellness and health services;  show up to have your say.  

See you there?

 I do not know if anyone else put the crew up that completed the Leadership Plenty Series last fall with the “Can Do” T-shirts but I have one to share with the group!  Again, since I attended the blog traning, I am trying to catch up by sharing some photos. 

I learned how to blog this week at the blog training in Estelline from Cheryl and am sharing photos of the group that attended the program last September in Huron.   Harvey was part of the panel discussion of communities attending and represented the Estelline Horizons group extremely well.

Estelline prepares for next 125
Posted: Monday, Feb 25th, 2008
BY: Ashley Allgaier

Estelline marked 125 years as a community in 2007, and at this milestone residents are looking to the “Horizons.” Horizons is a community leadership program that helps small, rural towns help themselves. The Northwest Area Foundation helps communities in eight states by working through local institutions, such as the South Dakota State University Extension Office. The Estelline Historic Society was approached with the project and prepared a proposal to join the program. Estelline was one of 21 South Dakota communities chosen in fall 2006.
 

70 involved in process
Since then, the project has enveloped Estelline, and the community now has more than 70 volunteers involved in the process and several improvement projects already under way.
A vacant building on Main Street was renovated by volunteers, and crews are now awaiting warmer weather to complete construction. After a new cement floor is poured, the building will become a technology center with high-speed wireless Internet and as many as six computers for public space, said David Ebbers, Estelline resident and a member of the strategic planning committee.
When finished, the new technology center will contain a community bulletin board and can also be used as a meeting space for small groups. Future plans might also include community computer classes.
Horizons funds were also used to start a program already earning returns. The city purchased a trailer to collect aluminum cans to be recycled, with money generated used by the city for other projects.
It only took two months to fill the trailer the first time, which earned $229 for the recycled cans, Ebbers said. The money was given to the Estelline Food Pantry for distribution at Christmas time.
The trailer is nearly full of cans again, indicating that it’s possible for the town to keep up the pace and earn roughly $200 every two months.
The Estelline Food Pantry is also a target for improvement in the community. With increased awareness of the impacts of poverty, the city was able to supply a better location for the food bank, he added. Grant money also purchased a freezer for the food pantry, which already had a refrigerator.

Going green
A site has also been plotted for the community garden, a project Linda Svec has been working on as part of the “green committee.”
Access to water and a garden shed with tools is already on site, purchased with Horizons grant money. When the ground thaws, it will be tilled and prepared for a spring planting.
Some of the harvest will become value-added produce at a new commercial kitchen, Svec said. An example she gave was fresh strawberries made into jam or a pie; locally processing the garden’s fruits and vegetables in the regulated environment of the commercial kitchen.
Svec and the green committee are also organizing a farmers’ market to provide local access to a market. The lack of access to market and inability to move value-added products is actually part of the definition of poverty, Svec explained.
The mission of the Horizons program is to reduce poverty in small rural communities. Doing so addresses not only a lack of money, but also an isolated market.
 

Battling poverty
The community garden, food pantry, commercial kitchen and farmer’s market projects all link together to work against poverty, Svec said. Produce grown at the community garden will be given to the food pantry, sold at the farmer’s market or converted into value-added products in the commercial kitchen. Value-added items will also be available at the food pantry and farmer’s market.
The idea is to attack poverty in several ways, by helping raise local incomes, using local sources for those who need help, giving people skills, attracting activity to the community, and creating local jobs.
Improvement projects for the food pantry, technology center, can trailer and community gardening site all were started with grant funds from Horizons. The program gives out chunks of the total fund at different steps in the process, Ebbers said. The idea is to keep people involved and looking for more grants and partnerships that are available.
Arlington used a similar program a few years ago that took on community improvement through leadership training.
 

Building local leadership
The First District Association of Local Governments, based in Watertown, offered free leadership classes to communities, and Arlington, as well as De Smet and Clark, took the group up on the deal.
In the summer of 2005, Arlington identified three top issues: Community betterment and beautification, developing affordable housing, and attracting new and strengthening existing businesses. The top priorities were identified based on resident input at community meetings and an outside assessment by the South Dakota Rural Development Council.
Outcomes included the formation of a chamber of commerce, community beautification of the south entrance to Arlington and new housing.
“There were a lot of positive steps that came out of that assessment and movement in that direction since,” said Randy Jencks, an Arlington resident who was involved in the meetings. First District sponsored leadership classes held weekly in Arlington using the LeadershipPlenty training system.
 

Horizons 18-month process
Activity under way in Estelline is thanks to the Northwest Area Foundation working through the SDSU Extension Office to present the Horizons program. Horizons is an 18-month program with five required segments, one of which is LeadershipPlenty training.
Both programs and communities work toward a goal of community betterment. First District’s approach with Arlington encompassed leadership training, assessment of community assets and identification of improvements
Before Estelline volunteers could get to the LeadershipPlenty stage they first had to organize a base of volunteers, take time to understand poverty, form connections with other communities and conduct community study circles. Next is LeadershipPlenty training, and a community visioning process where residents put together an asset-based strategic plan that leads to community action.
Action has already been taken in several projects, and attention is turning to organizing children’s programs, family activities and community events. That focus has gained a new group of volunteers – organizers of the town’s 125th anniversary celebration.
 

Need ‘kid focus’
Svec said the study circles identified a need to develop something for local kids. With a majority of parents working outside the community, some children are home alone after school and during summer vacation.
The technology center, community garden and commercial kitchen are all possible locations for children’s activities, Svec said. She sees the opportunity for kids to pick up practical skills doing intergenerational activities with adult volunteers.
According to Ebbers, Estelline is also taking a page from Flandreau, working toward establishing a satellite location of a Boys & Girls Club.
The strategic planning committee has also set out long-term goals of increasing housing, creating a multi-generational center and organizing ongoing community celebrations.

Contact Ashley Allgaier at aallgaier@brookingsregister.com.

Ten volunteers joined Cheryl Jacobs, our CES Community Coordinator, to review the Strategic Plan, action plans, and worker involvement. The group took a sobering look at how to continue the organization and continue efforts on completion of the Horizons goals after the formal Horizons structure finishes in June 2008. Tax exempt status options for various projects were discussed.
Our blogging is at an acceptable level, but we could bump that up a lot, and have asked Cheryl to return for a community-wide Blog Training evening March 11th (less than 3 weeks away). Writers, storytellers, tech savy communicators of all ages and interests are welcome to participate.

Leadership Opportunities coming up:
Regional Seminar Economic Development Mar 6 eve Webster
Prof Development ED Conference Mar 19 all day Sioux City
Gov’s ED Conference Apr 8 and 9 2 days Pierre
NWAF G & G May 28 and 30 2 days MN
Check at 873-2651 for deadlines and criteria, state NWAF funding available for a limited number of attendees.

Our operating budget — Celebration expenses were covered with $770 to spare, David reported. Over $2000 will be dispersed before the June 2008 deadline, we are eligible for additional funds if criteria are met. In addition to the recycling trailer and the garden shed, we have enjoyed meals during meetings, baby sitting during work sessions, and excellent learning and development materials delivered thru SDSU Cooperative Extension Service from Northwest Area Foundation. What a wonderful boost to our rural community!
Next strategic planning session March 18th, 6:30 pm at the High School cafeteria. Complete minutes will be posted after blog training on March 11th.
Leadership and action positions are open in major goals and subcommittees. What would you like to do to help?

Heads up!

Sanford Management proposes slashing clinic hours by 1/2 and comparable reduction in employee hours. Talk to Mike W if you are able to help; letters in support of the clinic need to be collected and used at a meeting Monday, January 14th.

Horizons survey supports more services; our letter follows …

11 January 2008
To: Stanford Clinic Management
From: Linda Svec, Community Member and Strategic Planning Committee of Northwest Area Foundation Estelline Horizons program

Regarding: Clinic hours proposed reduction

This community opposes cutting access to Estelline Clinic from 40 to 20 hours per week.

Availability of services is a critical feature in quality of life. In an effort to address issues of poverty (many of which are delineated by access as well as finances), our program surveyed more than 20% of the community. Compilation completed January 2008 indicated more services, not less, were desirable; several entries even requested 24 hour on call health service.

Before instituting the proposed reductions, we request thorough revaluation of the situation and assistance in making the current clinic improved and viable.

Our first check from the sale of aluminum can totaling $229.58 was donated to the Estelline Area Food Bank to help with Christmas time food distribution.  Ann Webb, Food Bank Director accepted a check from the David Ebbers on behalf of the Horizons Group.  The trailer for the collection of aluminum was purchased with grant funds from Horizons.

During the final phase of Leadership Plenty, the need to upgrade the Estelline Food Pantry wasw recognized.  A committee was formed to decide on their most pressing needs, which included finding a larger space in which to relocate and a freezer for storage of perishable donations.  It was discovered that space was available in the city-owned clinic building and the move was made in September.  An upright freezer was purchased with Horizons funds and delivered to the new location.  The food pantry is voluntarily overseen by local community leaders, including JoAnn Foster, Pastor Ann Webb and Marlyn Pomrenke.

Estelline Horizons created a seven question survey which is being distributed throughout the community. It was first sent out in the November electric bills which reaches everyone in the city community. Surveys were then sent to the high school, nursing home, and senior citizens center. When residents bring the surveys into the bank, they are given an “Estelline Bucks” check to spend in the town. Pictured at left is Linda Svec, distributing surveys at a high school basketball game.

The questionnaires have been given out at basketball games and the high school and grade school music concert. In an effort to reach residents around Lake Poinsett, the surveys are going to be sent to the Lake Poinsett Area Development Association officers and board members who are full time residents at the lake. Horizons volunteers are compiling the results as the surveys are returned. Approximately 100 surveys had been returned in the two week period from December 1-15.

The survey questions are:
1. Describe Estelline to a stranger.
2. What areas need to be strengthened or bettered to make life more comfortable/better in our community?
3. Complete the sentence, “In order to make the Estelline Area a better place to live, we need to have ______.
4. Pick three of the following as the most important issues you would like to see addressed in our community. a. Community center, b. Youth center, c. More housing, 3. Additional services., e. Addtional businesses, f. Education, continuing and adult, g. Health care, h. Welcome Wagon, i. Public transportation, j. Other
5. What do we need for youth in our community? Pick 2 a. After school program, b. Mentoring, c. Youth center, d. Additional day care, e. Summer program, f. Other
6. Give us an “Out of the Box” idea for the community.
7. Would you be willing to help with a particular community project? Y/N Area of interest: