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Please join us for a Round Table Discussion focusing on these topics:
Leadership ~ Volunteerism ~ Youth Involvement
Thursday, April 3 – 6:30 to 8:30 pm @ the NYM City Hall Ballroom
Everyone is invited! Please RSVP horizonsteam@gmail.com.
Sponsored by the Horizons Team Volunteerism & Leadership Future Squads
If you have questions, please call 385-2436 or email jadams@newyorkmills.lib.mn.us.
As submitted by Pat Fredley of the Economy & Agriculture Squad…
The committee working on the Farmer’s Market met on Monday, March 17, 2008. Discussion centered on the site location, ideas for additional vendors, specific needs of vendors for start up, and pricing. A tentative starting date for the New York Mills Farmer’s Market was set for Saturday, May 24, 2008 (Memorial Day Weekend). The times for the market will be 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The possibility of opening a second day later in the season was discussed. The next meeting date was scheduled for March 31, 2008 at 10 a.m. at the New York Mills Creamery. Members present were asked to recruit new vendors and bring ideas for modifying the sample by-laws/guidelines that were distributed to fit the New York Mills Farmer’s Market. Information about insurance liability will be brought to the next meeting.
ECONOMIC STIMULUS REBATE
AARP Tax-Aide Program, Otter Tail-Wadena Community Action, and West Central Initiative would like to invite everyone to an Economic Stimulus Rebate gathering to be held at Otter Tail-Wadena Community Action Council, 109 South Walker, New York Mills, on March 29, 2008 from 1pm-3 p.m.
A representative from the IRS will be here to answer any questions that you may have regarding the government economic stimulus payment rebate. There will also be a meeting at the Fergus Falls Senior Center from 10am-12pm.
We want YOU to join us for a Round Table Discussion focusing on these topics:
Volunteers–how do we get them and keep them?
Leaders—how does a leader become a leader?
Youth—how do we get them involved?
We want to hear from you on what works and what doesn’t. We want you to share with others your ideas on how we continue to make our community strong.
When: Thursday, April 3 – 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Where: NYM City Hall Ballroom
Snacks & refreshments will be provided
Free childcare available provided by certified babysitters
Spread the word–everyone is invited!
Sponsored by the Horizons Team Volunteerism & Leadership Future Squads
TO RSVP FOR THIS EVENT AND TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR DOOR PRIZE DRAWING, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW OR EMAIL HORIZONSTEAM@GMAIL.COM
Have you ever heard anyone say, “There’s no poverty here”? Believe it or not, I have. Isn’t that sad? We need to better educate people about poverty, how it affects our community, and what we can do to elevative it. The Horizons program is a great way to do this. And the Center for Rural Policy and Development website has some great information. I found an intersting map there:
Leadership & Volunteerism Future Squads will be holding a joint meeting on Tuesday, March 25, at noon, in the Library Meeting Room to discuss plans for our upcoming Round table discussion to be held Thursday, April 3, in the City Hall Ballroom.
Quick question, are mileage & child care stipends available for this event too?
The Extension Center for Community Vitality and the Center for Integrative Leadership of the University of Minnesota present a Leadership Education Conference.
April 21, 2008 – 11:30 – 7:30 pm
April 22, 2008 – 8:00 – 11:30 am
Join us for this rare opportunity to blend the success stories of communities with scholarly reflection on how integrative leadership makes a difference in communities.
Community leaders will present stories about how their community worked across boundaries to:
¨ Maintain their vitality when the “company store” went away.
¨ Build an economic engine.
¨ Tap technology.
¨ Find clever ways to get their community “on the map”.
Scholars will consider how theories of leadership and community development reflect upon the stories of thriving communities.
Keynote speakers Joel Barker, futurist and scholar, and Tim Penny, President of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, will explore the importance of integrative leadership for the future of Minnesota and the world.
Registration Fee: $80 (Includes one lunch, evening appetizers and drinks, breakfast)
To Register: Visit www.extension.umn.edu/MakingCommunitiesWork
Or call Joyce Hoelting, 612-625-8233
About the Sponsors
The UofM Extension website has a series of interesting articles called “Getting Through Tough Times”. Please click this link to find all of the articles:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/MoneyEveryDay/toughtimes.html
Being a person who helps people find information for a living (I’m a librarian), I found the following article especially interesting:
Community Agencies That Can Help
Several agencies in your community can be a source of help during tough times. This fact sheet describes many of these agencies and includes contact information.
Unemployment Compensation and Job Service Offices
While you were employed, your employer was probably contributing to the unemployment compensation program on your behalf. If there is a chance you’re eligible for unemployment compensation, you can apply at your nearest Minnesota WorkForce Center, over the phone, and online. Their website can provide you with locations, phone numbers, and applications. You will need to be able to list all the employers you have worked for during the last 18 months including their phone numbers and addresses. You will also need to take your Social Security card. At the claims counter, you will receive help on how to file an initial claim. Expect to wait at least three weeks before receiving your first check. The payments are calculated from the first day you file, so filing promptly is to your advantage. However, there is a mandated waiting period of a week for first-time claims. You may be eligible for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) under the following circumstances:
TANF in Minnesota is known as the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP).The Minnesota WorkForce Centerprovides listings of available jobs. They also provide information on the training and experience needed for different jobs. They can help you to determine the skills and aptitudes needed to succeed at the job of your choice.
Employment Training
Learning new marketable skills may be your answer for increased income. Courses are available through local community colleges and other state and local institutions. Displaced Homemaker programs are designed to prepare former full-time homemakers for employment. Local community colleges have more information on these programs. Some assistance for childcare and transportation costs may be available.The federal government provides grants, work opportunities and low-interest loans to many students for education or training. The State of Minnesota also provides some financial assistance to eligible students. The financial aid office at each school or college can give you more information.
Workforce Investment Act
If you need help finding a job or getting training or work experience, a job-training program may be able to help you. The Workforce Investment Act provides Minnesotans with assistance in finding a job and obtaining training.
Human and Social Service
Your County Department of Human Services may provide financial assistance and services as well as information on other community resources. Several assistance programs, such as Food Stamps, Medical Assistance, and MFIP are coordinated through the Department of Human Services. Your financial resources and family income are used to determine if you are eligible. While they process your application, your county Department of Human Services may refer you to other agencies for immediate help. In some counties you may be referred to a township official for general assistance.
Fuel Costs
Help with fuel costs may be available through the Energy Assistance project in your county. Contact your County Department of Human Services and local utility companies for information on how to apply.
Health Services
The county Department of Health provides information on free or low-cost preventive health services, such as blood pressure checks and other screening programs. Flu shots and other immunizations may also be available at a minimal cost. Other health services vary from community to community. Your county or area Department of Health can tell you what is available. There may be clinics, health fairs and other services available free of charge or at a minimal cost.Your preschool-aged children may be eligible for additional health services through other programs. The Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the Head Start Project are two federal programs that closely monitor the health of eligible children. Visit the Minnesota’s Department of Health web site for more information.
Food
Emergency food supplies may be available at local food pantries. Some churches and community agencies provide free or low-cost meals. Your children may be eligible for reduced-price or free school lunches. Some schools also provide breakfasts. Contact the school office.If you have children under age five, you may be eligible for the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program. This federal program provides nutrition counseling and food vouchers to parenting, pregnant and breast-feeding women with children under five.
Clothing
Local thrift shops and garage sales are sources of low-cost clothing. Recycling clothing may be another option for your family.
Veterans’ Benefits
Veterans of U.S. military service and their dependents may be entitled to a variety of benefits from the federal government and the State of Minnesota including:
Family Counseling Services
Getting through tough times can be stressful for all members of the family. During these periods of high stress, family members may have difficulty coping with day-to-day situations. Sometimes things may get so difficult and out of control that you, or other family members, may need professional help. In every community, resources such as the family doctor, clergy, mental health professionals and support groups exist. They can help you deal with extreme levels of stress and the physical and emotional trauma that often accompany them. The County Mental Health Services/Counseling Services provide services and information on what’s available in your area.Coping with the stress of tough times is discussed in two other fact sheets in this series, Controlling Stress and Helping Children Cope.
Financial Counseling
Managing the money you do have requires careful budgeting. Bank loan officers, utility company consumer service personnel, or mortgage companies can also help with planning for payment of specific debts.
Helpful Internet Resources
Resource Management for Daily Life - Highlights University of Minnesota Extension programs which provide trustworthy financial education for informed financial decisions.
Rural Minnesota Life- Provides information for Minnesotan rural families, including the other 16 Getting Through Tough Times fact sheets.
Community Agencies That Can Help
Employment/Employment Training
Family/Financial Counseling Services
Fuel/Housing/Clothing
Health/Human/Social Services