Oct / Nov 2007 Update

“A successful community-visioning process results in a better, more rewarding future. It is also a breakthrough in “people energy” to get things done. But, first, there has to be a vision. Otherwise, a community just condemns itself to a future fashioned by fate and reactionary impulses, rather than a future designed and achieved with intent and commitment.”
- Carl Neu (The Center for the Future of Local Governance)

Eveleth Has a Vision! – On November 1, facilitator David Beurle led discussions with students during the day and a wide range of community members in the evening based on research about rural survival. Participants ranked Eveleth on each criteria; they identified what is going well and what needs improvement on each of his top ten attributes for successful communities:
a. Evidence of strong community pride and inclusive culture - Eveleth’s ranking: 64 (strength) vs. 42 (not a strength)
b. Invest in the future – built to last! - 25(strength) vs. 38 (not a strength)
c. Participatory approach to community decision making - 3 (strength) vs. 42 (not a strength)
d. Creatively build new economic opportunities - 5 (strength) vs. 66 (not a strength)
e. Support local businesses - 23 (strength) vs. 54 (not a strength)
f. Deliberate transition of power to new leaders - 16 (strength) vs. 61 (not a strength)
g. Strong belief in and support for education - 132 (strength) vs. 4 (not a strength)
h. Strong presence of traditional institutions that are integral to community life - 59 (strength) vs. 7 (not a strength)
i. Willingness to seek help from the outside - 11 (strength) vs. 49 (not a strength)

j. Communities are self-reliant - 27 (strength) vs. 25 (not a strength)

Next, the group created a vision for the Eveleth they’d like to have in 10-15 years:

Our rich culture and history defines who we are. Our community is a safe, close-knit place where neighborhood values make Eveleth a great place to raise a family. We are a progressive, cohesive and collaborative community that works together to make our community thrive. We have a range of unique and exciting community events that attract people from across the world to celebrate our heritage, our history, and our culture. In particular, we are renowned for our world-class Hockey Hall of Fame!

Eveleth is a business-friendly community that builds on taconite, timber, and tourism. Our entrepreneurial economy is evident in our vibrant and bustling downtown that provides diverse opportunities for all. The fresh face on our historical buildings demonstrates community pride and innovation. Recreation opportunities provide welcoming ways for the young and old to come together.

Finally, volunteers signed up to work on the following committees: Economic Development; Blight/Beautification; Youth Activities/Involvement; Community Activities; and, Downtown Revitalization. Each of the committees have met and chosen projects to work on in the next six to twelve months. To get involved or to learn more about the exciting work of the committees, contact Heather at 218.305.4456.

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” – Joel Barker, author, Future Edge

Learn to Skate- 30 children signed up and hit the ice – some for the first time - at the Hippodrome. Thanks to the City of Eveleth for making this possible with donated ice time. During the sign-up many items were donated by generous community members: games, warm winter clothing, blankets, skates, and hockey equipment. Fun was had by all at a Halloween party with children skating in their costumes. Thank you to the many volunteers who helped from organizing the event to coaching of the skaters on the ice.

Conference calls w/candidates - Eveleth Horizons volunteers are invited to participate in monthly conference calls with the presidential candidates sponsored by the American Medical Women’s Association. The Conversations with Candidates project is a bi-partisan series of conference calls with presidential candidates and their policy staff to discuss their plans for health care reform. If you are interested in joining the calls, contact Heather at 218.305.4456 for registration information.

Community Visioning - How do community members see the community?

The Community Visioning was held at the Eveleth / Gilbert High School:facilitated by David Beurle The community expressed their voices in whether they thought the community had a strength in an area or a weakness. Each was given red and greeen stickers. Red symbolized a weakness and green symbolized a strength. The tally is listed below:1. Evidence of strong community pride and inclusive culture.

Red (not a strength): 42
Green (strength): 64
2. Invest in the future, built to last!
Red(not a strength): 38
Green(strength): 25
3. Participatory approach to community decision making.
Red:(not a strength): 42
Green(strength): 3
4. Creatively build new economic opportunities.
Red(not a strength): 66
Green(strength): 5
5. Support local business.
Red(not a strength): 54
Green(strength): 23
6. Deliberate transition of power to new leaders.
Red(not a strength): 61
Green(strength): 16
7. Strong belief in and support for education
Red(not a strength): 4
Green(strength): 132
8. Strong presence of traditional institutions that are integral to community life.
Red(not a strength): 7
Green(strength): 59
9. Willingness to seek help from the outside
Red(not a strength): 49
Green(strength): 11
10. Communities are self-reliant.
Red(not a strength): 25
Green(strength): 27

Eveleth Has a Vision!

The vision was created through community conversations with almost 400 Eveleth community members on November 1. Afterwards, dozens of people signed up for working groups so that in 10-15 years people will say of Eveleth:

Our rich culture and history defines who we are. Our community is a safe, close-knit place where neighborhood values make Eveleth a great place to raise a family. We are a progressive, cohesive and collaborative community that works together to make our community thrive. We have a range of unique and exciting community events that attract people from across the world to celebrate our heritage, our history, and our culture. In particular, we are renowned for our world-class Hockey Hall of Fame!

Eveleth is a business-friendly community that builds on taconite, timber, and tourism. Our entrepreneurial economy is evident in our vibrant and bustling downtown that provides diverse opportunities for all. The fresh face on our historical buildings demonstrates community pride and innovation. Recreation opportunities provide welcoming ways for the young and old to come together.

David Beurle of Australia-based Innovative Leadership led discussions with students during the day and a wide range of community members in the evening based on research about rural survival. Participants ranked Eveleth on each criteria; they identified what is going well and what needs improvement on each of his top ten attributes for successful communities:

1. Evidence of strong community pride and inclusive culture
Successful communities are often showplaces of care, attention, history and heritage. They celebrate their success and have a strong and positive local attitude and support a culture of risk taking and innovation. Diversity is often celebrated and people are welcomed.

2. Invest in the future – built to last!
People believe that something worth doing is worth doing right. In addition to the brick-and-mortar investments, all decisions are made with an outlook on the future. Expenditures are considered investments in the future, including investments in people.

3. Participatory approach to community decision making
Even the most powerful of opinion leaders seem to work toward building consensus. The stress is on working together toward a common goal and the focus is on positive results. People collaborate and share resources.

4. Creatively build new economic opportunities
Successful communities build on existing economic strengths in a realistic way; and explore new economic opportunities provided by the ‘new economy’. They actively seek out new opportunities and ideas for new businesses.

5. Support local businesses
Local loyalty is emphasized, but thriving communities know who their competitors are and position themselves accordingly.

6. Deliberate transition of power to new leaders
People under 40 regularly hold key positions in civic and business affairs. Women (and people from ‘minority groups’) often hold positions as elected officials, plant managers, and entrepreneurial developers.

7. Strong belief in and support for education
Good schools are the norm and centers of community activity.

8. Strong presence of traditional institutions that are integral to community life
Churches, schools and service clubs are strong influences on community development and social activities.

9. Willingness to seek help from the outside
People seek outside help for community needs, and many compete for government grants and contracts for economic and social programs. They seek out the best ideas and new people to help build their community strengths.

10. Communities are self-reliant
There is a wide-held conviction that, in the long run, ‘You Have to Do It Yourself’. Thriving rural communities believe their destiny is in their own hands. Making their communities good places is a pro-active assignment, and they willingly accept it.

Adapted from ‘Heartland Centre for Rural Leadership’; ‘20 Clues to Rural Survival’

Learn to Skate

Eveleth Horizons is hosting a "Learn to Skate" at the Hippodrome. From October 1st through October 12th we collected skates, winter clothing, and other items for children. On October 15th, we had volunteers putting the items out and organizing it.

October 16th and 17th: parents/guardians came to sign up there children to learn to skate. We have 30 individuals (adults and children) who are signed up to learn to skate and various volunteers to teach the fundamentals of this community culture. Watch for more exciting information on how the first "learn to skate" program went. Thanks to all those that have helped and continue to help to make this event such a success!

This situation continues to be prevalent in Eveleth...

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone.The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two. Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds.He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries.Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either.

If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it. I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job.

The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck.The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince who ever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job.Still no luck.

The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop. It was called the Big Wheel.An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids. She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning.She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night. I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people. I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleepThis seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel. When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money-- fully half of what I averaged every night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage. The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.

One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires!There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence in Indiana? I wondered..I made a deal with the local service station. In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.

Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. There were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe. A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.

When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning, to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop....

This may seem like just a "story", but in reality, Eveleth community members live with this worry on how they will make it each day and how they will care for their children.

We may wonder, what can we do to help? Join Eveleth Horizons, participate in the community visioning event on November 1st so we can work together to ensure that our fellow community members won't have to live with the worry highlighted in this story.

Together we can conquer; divided we fall....

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - - - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning : There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, 'Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, 'There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house! The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr.Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.

The mouse turned to the cow and said 'There is a mousetrap in the house!There is a mousetrap in the house! The cow said, 'Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose.

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap . . alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well;she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember ----when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Community Visioning

The City of Eveleth has joined as a partner in the Community Visioning Event for November 1st.

Please participate in this exciting event. The City has begun to look at a vision for the community, community members have begun to look at a vision, and all of us together can create that vision for Eveleth.

Why do we need a vision? If we don't have a vision, how do we move ahead? How does change happen without a vision? If all of us, together, create a vision, we can move ahead, and create positive change in the community.

Please join the effort:

DATE: November 1, 2007
TIME: 5:03PM for a free dinner; Rally begins at 6PM
WHERE: High School - food in the cafeteria and rally in the gymnasium.

Please call us at 218-305-4456 to let us know you are coming - or if you have any questions. We can also be reached at: eveleth.horizons@gmail.com or comment on our blogspot.