Posts Tagged ‘ReImagine Rural’

Looking to Quebec for Inspiration

May 19th, 2011

Tomorrow I will be speaking at a rural community development conference in Montreal, Quebec. My talk will focus on how and why we are “reimagining rural” at the Rural Learning Center. The presentation has also provided me an opportunity to reflect on what we mean when we call on rural communities to reimagine their futures. To begin, rural communities must have a purpose to exist. Most of the rural communities in our region were created as retail centers in an era when farms were small and numerous. As the opportunity to serve as retail centers has diminished, many of our rural communities have not discovered a new purpose – a new reason to exist. That has to change, or our rural towns will cease to exist. And that’s why we call on rural communities to reimagine their futures. Create a vision for the community that looks to the future, rather than the past. There is little chance for our communities to recapture what we once were. But we can become something new, something different. There are plenty of communities who are achieving success, and we need to learn from them. That’s why we try to publish their stories here on the Reimagine Rural blog. I’m excited to visit Quebec because it will provide an opportunity to discover some bright spots in Canada. If you are at the conference, I hope you will look me up and share your story. It might be the inspiration another rural community needs as it attempts to reimagine its future.

Tags: Montreal, Quebec, ReImagine Rural
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (4)

OTA Sessions: Thoughts from the pre-party

April 1st, 2011

Yesterday I caught a Tweet from @HughWeber saying, “Watching cuts of the spotlight videos for OTA. Seriously folks. These 7 vids are worth the cost of admission.” It made me laugh because I’m an extra in one of those videos. The joke is you’ll get to see the back of my head. While I can’t vouch for the videos, at least not yet, I can say that I’ve already got my money’s worth from the conference by attending the pre-party session last night. The conversation was simply awesome. Let me share a couple of excerpts. First, there was the conversation with Rod Arnold, who is the final speaker at OTA. Rod is the COO of Charity Water, and he’s also a Watertown, SD native. (Go, Arrows!) Charity Water is known for how they have engaged people through social media. So I asked Rod to share what he’s learned about social media’s use by nonprofit organizations. He said “It starts with great stories.” Regular readers here know that we believe in the power of stories. People see themselves in other people’s stories. So telling a story about a resident who has a had a great experience living in your community helps other people see the value of living in small towns. While Rod’s comment wasn’t new me, it was powerful to see a leader of an organization who has achieved so much share similar beliefs. Second, while talking to Rod, Joe Fiala and Amy Howard of the On Hand Development Corp. shared a story about the importance of asking great questions. Earlier in the day, Amy had posted a question to the Miller, SD Facebook page, asking her community: “What do you think should happen with the bulls at the 4-way? (Leave them as they are, move them to a different location, improve them?) Please share your thoughts and ideas...” The question has produced over 60 comments at the time of this post. It was clearly a topic people wanted to talk about. Joe explained that they asked the question because they want anopen conversation with the community about the importance of these landmarks in the Miller community. What a great way to engage a community in decision making. And finally, there was the conversation with another of our OTA speakers, Ellen McGirt, of Fast Company. She’s been here to tour across South Dakota a couple times before, visiting a few of our fine “cornier,” roadside tourism attractions. As a group of us a laughed about our first experiences at some of these attractions, I asked the question, “What do we need to do to upscale our tourism industry?” After some back and forth within the group, Ellen responded that she didn’t think we should try to “upscale.” Her point was that these attractions are unique and a part of our culture. This served as a good reminder to me about our rural community development work. As we seek to transform our rural communities through re-imagination, we should not try so hard to be something different. There’s nothing wrong with being rural. Maybe that’s why I’m wearing blue jeans and a sport coat to our conference today. Wearing a suit and tie is great, but I’m not sure that’s me. While we seek to transform our communities, let’s not lose track of who we are. I could go on to share other conversations from last night, but I think you get the point. And just think, the conference hasn’t even begun yet.

Tags: Ota 2011, ReImagine Rural, social media
Posted in Community Engagement, Rural | Comments (1)

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October 28th, 2009

Buy Celebrex Without Prescription, Yesterday, while talking to partner organizations in the South Dakota Partnership for Teacher Quality, I had opportunity to revisit the Rural Learning Center's tag line "ReImagine Rural."

I explained to the group that we feel "ReImagine Rural" captures the essence of what the RLC believes about the future of rural communities: that we need to pioneer a new future; that this new future needs to be built on transformation -- not revitalization; and that this process for rebuilding starts with re-thinking every aspect of our existence. As Albert Einstein deftly stated decades ago,

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

This in turn reminded me of an open letter Karl Stauber, president of the of the Danville Regional Foundation, recently wrote to President Obama, pleading with the president to find a place for rural communities alongside his vision for urban places.

In the letter titled "Rural Economies must Change or Die, buy Celebrex from canada, Where can i order Celebrex without prescription, " Stauber noted a struggle between the defenders of an "Old Economy" and those seeking to bring the "New Economy" to rural communities. He also emphasized the need for rural communities to seek transformation, stating:

Rural communities used to be able to re-invent their competitive advantage every 50 to 75 years, sale Celebrex. Online buy Celebrex without a prescription, Now they must do this every 10 to 15 years.

Re-think. Re-invent. Re-Imagine. It's interesting to think about attaching "re" to a lot of the verbs we use in community development. Can it be that rural communities need to "re- everything" in our effort to rebuild Rural America, Celebrex overseas. Buy cheap Celebrex, Note: Karl Stauber is the former president of the Northwest Area Foundation, which helped launch the efforts of the Rural Learning Center with a 10-year partnership the foundation formed with Miner County Community Revitalization, fast shipping Celebrex. Celebrex to buy. Celebrex buy. Celebrex discount. Celebrex san diego. Buy Celebrex online without prescription. Buy Celebrex online no prescription. Where can i buy Celebrex online. Buy Celebrex no prescription. Real brand Celebrex online. Buy Celebrex from mexico. Celebrex prices. Celebrex in mexico. Celebrex over the counter. Order Celebrex online overnight delivery no prescription. Where to buy Celebrex. Celebrex in japan. Buy cheap Celebrex no rx. Buy Celebrex online without a prescription. Buy Celebrex without a prescription. Celebrex gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. Celebrex in uk. Where can i buy cheapest Celebrex online. Order Celebrex from mexican pharmacy. Online buy Celebrex without a prescription. Ordering Celebrex online. Sale Celebrex. Celebrex from canadian pharmacy. Celebrex san diego. Real brand Celebrex online. Next day Celebrex. Celebrex buy. Purchase Celebrex online no prescription. Buy Celebrex online without prescription. Order Celebrex from United States pharmacy. Celebrex to buy online. Where can i order Celebrex without prescription. Celebrex for sale. Celebrex in uk. Buy Celebrex from canada. Rx free Celebrex. Celebrex in japan. Celebrex in australia. Celebrex in us. Celebrex over the counter. Celebrex price, coupon. Buy Celebrex without a prescription. Buy Celebrex without prescription. Celebrex in usa. Buy Celebrex online no prescription. Where can i buy cheapest Celebrex online. Celebrex paypal. Celebrex tablets. Where to buy Celebrex. Celebrex medication. Celebrex craiglist. Order Celebrex online overnight delivery no prescription. Over the counter Celebrex. Purchase Celebrex.

Tags: ReImagine Rural, SDPTQ, teacher education
Posted in Community Development, Rural | Comments (0)

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September 10th, 2009

The pomp and circumstance of last week's groundbreaking at the Rural Learning Center Buy Lovastatin Without Prescription, has officially passed. The last of the cake is eaten, and the office is looking a bit more orderly. What we've failed to communicate, I think, is what the day really represented for the Rural Learning Center as an organization, for Howard as a community, and for rural people as a whole. It wasn't just an event to celebrate a new building; it was the beginning of something entirely new.

Just a month or so ago, we received a call from Jerry Nachtigal with Citibank, SD. We had applied for a Citi Foundation grant just two months prior that would help the Rural Learning Center jump start a renewable energy jobs and education program in our new facility. Jerry was calling to let us know that our grant application had been approved, and that we would soon be receiving $250,000 from Citi Foundation. Remarkable.

To top it off we learned that Pam Flaherty, ordering Lovastatin online, Lovastatin san diego, President and CEO of Citi Foundation (NY), would be traveling to Howard to present a check to the Rural Learning Center during our groundbreaking celebration. Citi Foundation decided to invest in the future of Howard, order Lovastatin from United States pharmacy, Lovastatin in uk, Miner County, and South Dakota as a whole, cod online Lovastatin, Buy Lovastatin without prescription, helping us create a more sustainable future for the entire nation. Watch the video below to hear to what Pam and Citibank, SD had to say at the groundbreaking, Lovastatin gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. Lovastatin over the counter,

We are extremely excited about what this investment means. For the Rural Learning Center, delivered overnight Lovastatin, Buy Lovastatin online without a prescription, it means that we have the resources to launch an innovative renewable energy jobs training program and a "science to the sidewalk" community education program around rural sustainability. For the community of Howard, it means that economic decline is a thought of the past and that the future is looking bright and green. For South Dakota, Lovastatin paypal, Where to buy Lovastatin, it means that our neighbors and friends will be able to learn new skills in emerging industries where they can earn living wage jobs with benefits to support their families.

We are excited to share the investment that Citi Foundation has made, whether you attend a renewable energy job training class, Lovastatin in india, Saturday delivery Lovastatin, visit our facility a year or so from now or simply watch what we're up to from afar. We'd like to think we're all better off. Thanks, Citi Foundation, Lovastatin in usa. Buy Lovastatin without a prescription, Photo Credit: Paul Higbee. More photos of the groundbreaking can be found on the RLC Flickr Stream.

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Tags: green jobs, groundbreaking, Maroney Rural Learning Center, ReImagine Rural
Posted in Community Development, In the News, Rural, Training and Events | Comments (0)

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September 5th, 2009

In our work at the Rural Learning Center Buy Chloroquine Without Prescription, , we've long recognized the importance of place. It is, after all the root of our work that began with our Howard H.S. students back in the 1990s, where can i buy Chloroquine online. Where to buy Chloroquine, The theme of place emerged several times Wednesday in the speeches presented at the Rural Learning Center groundbreaking ceremony. While all were excellent, order Chloroquine from United States pharmacy, Buy Chloroquine online cod, I think Bob Sutton, President of the South Dakota Community Foundation best captured the power of place, delivered overnight Chloroquine. Chloroquine from canadian pharmacy, Seeking inspiration to write his speech, Bob actually drove to Howard, buy Chloroquine online no prescription, Buy Chloroquine no prescription, sat under the trees of the Miner County Courthouse lawn, and absorbed the essence of the place, Chloroquine in mexico.

The result was incredible, Buy Chloroquine Without Prescription. Chloroquine gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, Inspiring and insightful. All in just under 10 minutes, Chloroquine in uk. Buy no prescription Chloroquine online, That's how place can get under your skin. If you don't believe me, cod online Chloroquine, Chloroquine to buy online, watch his presentation for yourself.

A couple topics stood out for me in Bob's talk, and I'd like to share them below.

The Ingredients of Success

First, buying Chloroquine online over the counter, Buy Chloroquine from mexico, whenever one talks about the future of rural places, the conversation often turns to job creation and financial investment, purchase Chloroquine online no prescription. Chloroquine in india, As Bob eloquently describes, money is not the only ingredient; "Resources such as time and talent, Chloroquine from international pharmacy, Chloroquine medication, leadership skills, motivational conversation, Chloroquine in usa, Buy cheap Chloroquine no rx, and a rekindling of the spirit of hope is just as critical in places like Howard."

How true.

People sometimes think that the recent positive developments in Miner County have occurred because we were lucky enough to receive a sizeable grant from the Northwest Area Foundation, Chloroquine in canada. Order Chloroquine online c.o.d, While important, money alone would not have produced the same results, order Chloroquine from mexican pharmacy.

The Power of ReImagining Rural

Second, there's a power in reimagining the future of rural communities, Buy Chloroquine Without Prescription. Buy Chloroquine online without prescription, Having experienced 50-80 years of economic decline, rural residents in our part of the country have a tendency to look backwards and develop a feeling of hopelessness, buy generic Chloroquine. Buy Chloroquine online without a prescription, That hopelessness causes us to doubt the success of projects like the Maroney Rural Learning Center - like one reader of the Argus Leader's story wrote in their forum - even before the project has gets off the ground.

And that's why celebrations like this groundbreaking were so important, Chloroquine in japan. Purchase Chloroquine online,

Why Groundbreakings?

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to interview Dan Scott, order Chloroquine no prescription, Chloroquine prescriptions, a lawyer from St. Buy Chloroquine Without Prescription, Paul, MN. Dan grew up in Howard where his dad was the long-time superintendent, Chloroquine over the counter. Chloroquine in australia, (His dad is the guy who hired me to come to Howard back in 1996.)

Even though Dan lives 6 hours away from Howard, he made the trip back to Howard for the groundbreaking ceremony, ordering Chloroquine online. Chloroquine to buy, This prompted me to ask "Why?" His response is below.

That's right. We do need to pause, Chloroquine for sale, Chloroquine trusted pharmacy reviews, reflect, and celebrate, order Chloroquine online overnight delivery no prescription. Chloroquine prices, And through this reflection and celebration we can begin to dream of the possibilities for our future.

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Tags: groundbreaking, Howard SD, Maroney Rural Learning Center, miner county sd, Northwest Area Foundation, ReImagine Rural, SD Community Foundation
Posted in Community Development, In the News, Leadership, Rural, Training and Events | Comments (0)

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August 19th, 2009

Buy Metronidazole Without Prescription, A friend of mine sent me this well-known illustration of many prairie grasses, including the roots we usually don't see. I love the powerful comparison to the bluegrass on the left--this is the stuff most of us have in our lawns, buy no prescription Metronidazole online. Buy Metronidazole online cod, (You know, the stuff we water and fertilize so we can mow it more often.)

At the Midwest Rural Assembly earlier this week, Metronidazole san diego, Buy Metronidazole online no prescription, I heard more than one speaker talk about needing to find a powerful answer to the question many in urban areas ask about rural: "But there's nothing out there, is there?" Mary Ellen Connelly, where can i order Metronidazole without prescription, Metronidazole buy, the friend who sent me this image (she's also an accomplished garden author and nursery owner) shared a wonderful insight as we were discussing the connection between the roots of prairie grasses and the love of living here on the prairie. She said, where can i buy cheapest Metronidazole online, Buy Metronidazole from canada, "Well, you have to look deep on the prairie You have to see the roots, Metronidazole discount. Cod online Metronidazole, And looking deep leads to enlightenment."

Let's help people--the people who's support we need--to see the roots of life in rural places. Learning how to tell that story just might open our own eyes to the full beauty we sometimes forget about, online buying Metronidazole hcl. Buy Metronidazole without a prescription, Photo Credit: US Environmental Protection Agency

Editor's Note: Regular readers will remember Joe Bartmann from his days as a Rural Learning Center staff member. Joe is currently leading the Sioux Falls Green Project, but we've never closed his "authorship" privileges and welcome future posts. , buy Metronidazole online with no prescription. Sale Metronidazole. Metronidazole prices. Metronidazole for sale. Buy Metronidazole no prescription. Metronidazole pills. Metronidazole craiglist. Metronidazole in mexico. Where to buy Metronidazole. Free Metronidazole samples. Order Metronidazole no prescription. Metronidazole medication. Metronidazole to buy online. Metronidazole over the counter. Where to buy Metronidazole. Metronidazole from international pharmacy. Buy Metronidazole online without a prescription. Metronidazole in usa. Purchase Metronidazole. Buy cheap Metronidazole. Metronidazole prescriptions. Buy Metronidazole from mexico. Metronidazole in japan. Over the counter Metronidazole. Metronidazole in canada. Order Metronidazole from mexican pharmacy. Order Metronidazole online overnight delivery no prescription. Rx free Metronidazole. Metronidazole gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. Ordering Metronidazole online. Metronidazole in uk. Metronidazole in us. Where can i buy Metronidazole online. Metronidazole overseas. Purchase Metronidazole online no prescription. Metronidazole in india. Buy generic Metronidazole. Metronidazole price, coupon. Next day Metronidazole. Buy cheap Metronidazole no rx. Metronidazole from canadian pharmacy. Buy Metronidazole without prescription. Online buy Metronidazole without a prescription. Online buy Metronidazole without a prescription. Metronidazole tablets. Metronidazole for sale. Buy cheap Metronidazole no rx. Next day Metronidazole. Where to buy Metronidazole. Metronidazole from international pharmacy. Buy Metronidazole from canada. Metronidazole in usa. Metronidazole paypal.

Tags: ReImagine Rural, Roots, Rural, rural communities, rural living
Posted in Rural, Rural Life | Comments (0)

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