Grangeville, ID

horizons_summit_actionteams.pdf

Seven Grangeville Horizons members attended the Horizons Summit held in Grangeville on Thursday, January 24th.  The Summit was attended by Horizons community members from more than 8 communities as well as local and statewide partners.  The Summit provided an opportunity for each community to share the vision and action that has come out of their Horizons experience and to seek assistance from the potential partners who were present.  Potential partners had the opportunity to hear about all of the great community work happening across northern Idaho in Horizons communities.  Lots of connections were made between Horizons communities and with potential partners who can provide assistance as the action teams move forward.

Grangeville’s Action Team status report was presented by Scott Russell.  A copy of the report can be viewed at the beginning of this post.

The Grangeville Horizons Coordination System Action Team has determined that their number one goal is development of a community entity with 501(c)3 non-profit status.  The Action Team is in the process of working through the process to form a community-wide structure and system for developing and implementing a variety of projects that will target issues of poverty.  Development of a non-profit entity will allow for an organized and coordinated approach to community-wide planning and fund seeking for projects that help the community reach its vision of being a vibrant small town that has a powerful sense of community with opportunities for all people to thrive and grow.

The Grangeville Horizons Steering Committee is thrilled with the emerging leadership coming out of the Horizons project!

Along with more seasoned community leaders, several new faces are chairing Horizons Action Teams.

Action Team Co-Chairs include:

Leadership Development Action Team:  Greg Bailey and Heidi Lindsley

Recreation Action Team:  Cathy Wassmuth and Terra Hill

Downtown Action Team:  Tommiann Whitten and Annelle Urbahn

Business Development Action Team:  Cody Edwards and Marina Bates

Coordination Systems Action Team:  Hanna Young

Education Action Team:  Katy Eimers and Harold Gott

Although some of the Action Team co-leaders are long-time community members who have been involved in many community projects, the rest are new to community leadership.  The Steering Committee is very excited to have this infusion of creative enthusiasm into leadership of the Horizons project!

Grangeville’s Leadership Development Action Team is working to “create and make a path and resources for people interested in developing leadership skills within the community”.  Their goals include:

• connecting existing community leaders with people who may be leaders on new community projects
• developing community mentoring/leadership training in the schools by placing volunteer mentors in the schools and offering monthly brown-bag lunch leadership training in the school to include youth as well as other community members

The Leadership Development Action Team’s ultimate goal is to see an increase in community members taking leadership roles. 

Downtown Action Team - 1/14/08, 6:00 PM, Miller Hardward

Farmers Market Action Team - 1/18/08, 12:00 PM, The Gallery

Education Action Team - 1/16/08, 6:30 PM, Soltman Center

Leadership Action Team - 2/4/08, 4:00 PM, Super 8

Business Development Action Team - 2/4/08, 5:30 PM, The Gallery

Recreation Action Team - 1/14/08,  6:30 PM, Oscar’s

Coordination System Action Team - 1/18/08, 9:00 AM, Jahn Studios

Grangeville’s Horizons Steering Committee met on Tuesday, January 8th to talk about priorities for use of funding through the Northwest Area Foundation and the University of Idaho.  Each Action Team submitted a plan for upcoming work and a request for funding to assist with that work.  All funding requests will be considered and a final budget will be set by the Steering Committee at its February meeting.  The Steering Committee identified that completing the application process and becoming an approved non-profit entity is the highest priority but it appears that all requests, with the exception of a contract with the U of I to survey the community about attitudes and beliefs about education, are within the existing amount of funds available.