Horizons celebration
Friday, July 25th, 2008
Fr. Row Karen Armstrong, NDSU Vice President for Agriculture and University Extension, Dr. D.C.Coston, Jo Gilje, Pat Beaver, Lavina Lemieux, Howard Lemieux
Bk. Row Tim Shirk, Gayle Gette, Duane Crowford, ND Community Foundation Executive Director, Kevin Dvorak, NWAF Interim Program Director, Deanna Arce, North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, Pete Solberg and Gary Linson.
Each community accomplished a variety of tasks for their Horizons projects. A few examples for Rolette include:
- Smile Mile
- 2007 Block Party
- E-bay class
- Blogging at http://rolette.communityblogs.us/
- 2007-2008 New Years Eve Community Party
- “Cash 101 for kids” game
Twenty-one North Dakota communities were recognized July 9 in Bismarck for completing the Horizons program. Horizons is an 18-month project for rural communities of fewer than 5,000 with poverty rates of at least 10 percent. The program is supported by the NDSU Extension Service and funded by the Northwest Area Foundation with the goal to help about communities move from poverty to hope, from population and economic decline to prosperity.
At the July 9 celebration, North Dakota Horizons Project Director Lynette Flage recognized the communities that have completed the program; Anamoose, Bowdon, Cando, Cooperstown, Dodge, Gackle, Grant County, Harvey, Hazelton, Lidgerwood, Linton, Maddock, McKenzie County, New Town, Rocklake, Rolette, Rutland, Sheyenne, Stanley, Steele and Walhalla.
Governor. John Hoeven congratulated the representatives for providing the leadership their communities need to develop not just economically but also socially. Vice President for Agriculture and University Extension D.C. Coston explained how the communities’ work melds with NDSU’s Grow 21 efforts of working towards three essential attributes for healthy communities; (a) a diverse, resilient economy, (b) effective, efficient infrastructure, and (c) leadership.