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5 Things I experienced in Gary, SD
July 7th, 2009 by Mike Knutson
As I promised, here’s an update on what I experienced over the weekend at the Gary, South Dakota 3rd of July Celebration. For a town of 250 residents, they held an amazing event. Both the Sioux Falls Argus Leader and the Watertown Public Opinion published stories. Rather than describe the activities or the grand opening of the Buffalo Ridge Resort, I want to share “5 things I saw” in Gary while I was at the celebration.
1. The transformation of a decaying community asset: I’ve previously stated that I believe most rural communities have hidden assets waiting to be transformed. And the former South Dakota School for the Blind may have been more decay than asset. But a quick look at these before and after pictures will show what vision and hard work can do. I hope it inspires other rural communities to look for assets they can develop.
2. A community coming together: Gary residents have always come together to sponsor some great community celebrations. This year, they put together an incredible set of activities for their two-day 3rd of July Celebration that coincided with the Buffalo Ridge Resort grand opening. Not only do events like this bring money into town, but they also create a sense of community for residents and visitors alike. (If you want to see what other events the community has planned, I’d encourage you to check out their new website.)
3. A Sense of Opportunity: While taking some pictures Friday, I overheard one middle-aged guy say, “I want to move back, and I mean here (meaning Gary) not Watertown.” I don’t know where the person lives or what he does for a living, but I’ll bet he wasn’t the only one to say that over the weekend. The Buffalo Ridge Resort has undoubtedly created some employment opportunities, but hopefully it will also inspire others to dream of creating their own businesses. (Anyone who has such dreams should contact Briana Hoffman, Deuel Area Development, Inc — briana.hoffman@rurallearningcenter.org .)
4. An entrepreneur who reinvested in his community after striking success: Let’s be honest. It would have been easier for Joe Kolbach to take the earnings from selling his wind energy business and move to the big city. Instead, he chose to reinvest in the community that helped him build his company.
5. Skepticism: Yes, I overheard a few other people talking about how tough operating a resort facility in a town of 250 people will be. But as Joe Kolbach said in the Argus Leader, “People can’t imagine why I’m spending the money on building this. But this is a passion for the whole community. It will work. I wouldn’t have built it if I thought otherwise.”
So what will the future hold? Some people will root against the Buffalo Ridge Resort because of jealousy and small-mindedness. That happens in big cities and rural communities alike. Hopefully most people in the Gary region understand what an incredible opportunity stands in front of them. I’m sure there are a lot of communities who would welcome such a development with open arms.
Personally, I’d never root against anything Joe takes on. He built a company from scratch, and has already done more with former blind school campus than most people thought possible. Those are people who usually find a way to get the job done. And they are the type of people we could use more of in our rural communities.
Note: Be sure to check out more before and after pictures on Flickr.
Update: Check out this post at Madville Times about the project.
Tags: broken window theory, community design, Deuel County SD, Gary SD
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, In the News, Quality of Life, Rural | Comments (
5 )
July 8th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Thanks for the pictures Mike! I enjoyed seeing the great things Gary is doing so much that my boyfriend and I plan on taking a mini-vacation up there before school starts. The lake, camping, parks and walking trails looked too good to pass up!
July 14th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Growing up in this area, the blind school amounted to nothing but ghost stories until this past weekend when I attended a wedding there. The perfect place to host a wedding. It’s truly an amazing transformation. Not only does it please me that the property is finally being utilized but the Resort & Business center is also an asset to the community.
Thanks for the photos. I really enjoyed the before and after shots!
July 14th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Sandra,
I couldn’t agree more! I hope the community continues to view it as an asset and that they find ways to leverage it for the everyone’s benefit. Mike
July 17th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Where can we get information on booking for the Buffalo Ridge Resort–are you taking reservations for August? Melanie Bliss
July 18th, 2009 at 4:45 am
Melanie,
I believe make reservations at 1-888-200-6074 . Also, they have futher information on bookings at this site– http://www.experiencegarysd.com/buffalo-ridge-resort.cfm. Be sure to mouse over the “Buffalo Ridge Resort” link on the left for more information.