With that in mind, here’s a question: What one thing could our community offer that would make your life better?

I’ve got two reasons for asking this: One is that I don’t think we, as “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” Midwesterners, mention our needs all that often, and we might just find that someone might be able to solve our problem in a way that also solves a problem of his or her own. Another reason is that, if we realize that we all have a similar problem that we’d like to have solved, we realize that we have a market for a solution to that problem. That makes the solution that much more feasible, and that much more likely to happen.

(If you’ve all done something like this as part of your early Horizons training, please forgive me for coming late to the party, and humor me by answering the question again!)

Comment on this post to join the conversation!

I noticed this entry on the Blog for Rural America and thought it addressed many issues we should be discussing here in Frederick. The topic is an NPR story on Walsh, Colo., which resurrected its store by making it a community co-op:

About two years ago, the company that owned the store said they were closing down and moving out. For a time, that meant a half-hour drive out of town to shop. That’s when the community took over. A group of residents came together to form a co-op and sold $50 shares around town, and the store reopened.

That part sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But it was the next paragraph that intrigued me:

Rick Mills chairs the grocery store’s board. He also owns the auto supply store on Main Street. The grocery store, he says, brought in more than $1 million in its first year and has been the engine of the little economy. 

Whoa! $1 million! Now that’s in a town that’s more than double the size of Frederick, but still, it would be amazing if Frederick’s Community Store could bring in anything close to that, and become the engine of anything we could call an “economy.”

Heck, it would be nice if the Community Store were in the black, which, unfortunately, it is not.

I think the big difference is that many of the people who initially saw the need for a co-op store in Frederick and invested in it have moved away or passed on, and the people who are still here think the store will always be here, just barely hanging on, but hanging on nonetheless. In Walsh, people have a recent memory of not having a store, and it’s their investment that brought the store back to life. They know they have to support their local store or their investment will have been a waste — no one else is likely to travel to their little town to shop for groceries.

How can we make sure the Community Store continues to be a part of the community, and that we don’t end up driving a half-hour for milk and eggs?

Here’s my theory: One strategy is to dwell on the negative, threatening people with the imminent closure of the store if they don’t buy from there. But it seems to me that might start to build some resentment among customers — especially if there’s no other reason to shop there (they’ve had trouble with old merchandise, the prices are higher, and the selection is poor — all complaints I’ve heard about the store).

I think a better strategy would be to take a risk and make the store better. Does it need a facelift? Does it need to hold some customer appreciation events? Does it need to serve a hot lunch? What will make it a better, more positive shopping experience for its customers?

We can either focus on just how to make the store survive — in which case we’ll always be on the brink — or we can focus on how to make the store thrive.

I really think the store needs a facelift — it’s got a wonderful history, and it could really play off that history in redecorating. People love going to a place that evokes nostalgia (as long as they can also get the modern grocery goodies they also expect). Perhaps some historical photos? Nicer flooring? Taking out the old paneling? I’m no good at redecorating, though — anyone else out there agree, and want to help out?

The bank next door I think successfully pulled of a renovation some years ago that looks modern but celebrates its history.

If you’ve got more thoughts on what could make the Community Store better, please comment, and I’ll bring your comments to the next store board meeting!

The Emma Burnham Library is hosting a “Spooky Bingo” fundraiser

They are raising money to purchase new books, updates and supplies

So come on and see the “Spooky” crowd.

Refreshments will be served.

Oct 12th 2-4:00 p.m. is tentatively the date set, We will keep you posted on any changes or just call the library for more info.

Contact Tamie at the library for more information  605-329-2241

The class sizes will be limited depending on the number of computers.  We may be able to schedule another class if we have enough interest.

The first session will be Oct 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th.   7:00 - 9:oo p.m.

For more information contact Donna Sumption 329-2462  or email dsumption@gmail.com

ASL I - will be taught by Jeannie and Gary Schmidt. It will run for 6 weeks beginning in October,

Cost: Donations to cover the cost of printed materials

Classes will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 6th Oct 13th Oct 20th

Nov. 3rd Nov. 10th Nov. 17th

You can contact the library for more information 605-329-2241

I just goes to show that even small communities can pull together, come up with great ideas and overcome the negatives.

For those of you who were not able to make it to the Horizons Graduation Celebration on July 19th, you missed a wonderful potluck picnic, and presentation. We were presented with several items from Cheryl and Karla. We received documentations to state that we completed the Horizons II program, A letter which calculated our in- kind contribution based on our volunteer hours spent on at Study Circles, Leadership Plenty and our Strategic Planning meeting, which figures out to about $30,000.00. Isn’t that fantastic. BUT that is not all we received:

• 2 large metal signs to place in or near our community that shows we are a Horizon community

• Laptop computer with all the accessories (that will be located at our public library for easy access to everyone)

• All-in-one Printer (also at the library)

• $8500.00 check which we can use for any projects we want

I say give yourselves a big pat on the back for all your hard work and time you put in to help get Frederick started on a positive track towards community awareness, community involvement and community commitments.

Oh yeah, Cheryl and Karla also brought delicious cake with them.

We had our First Annual Finn Fest in June and from what everyone who participated say, it was alot of fun  The bonfire on the water was AMAZING. We have set the date for next year, which will be June 27th, 2009  So mark your calendars.

We have had several movie nights so far this summer and have more scheduled. For a complete list of up coming movies go to fredericksd.com

St Paul’s Lutheran has celebrate their 125th anniversary this month. It was a wonderful time to catch up on memories with several of the pastors that had served the congregation in the past. They ended the weekend celebration with a community worship service in the park and potluck picnic, and as usual with small towns they had plenty of food and lots of great fellowship.

Answers:

Nothing

Spend time with your friends

I would like to see it expand and I would like to see the buildings nicer

Make it have a waterpark

More money

I would like to get a movie theater here

A swimming pool

Have a gas station

To put a dome on the baseball field

Put seats all around the football field like a stadium

The middle school/high school disconnected from the elementary building

Have homes built

See it grow and have more activities in the community

Make a bigger gym

I would like to see it get a pool

The community store not shut down

More people

It would be a bigger town

A big slide from the watertower to the ground, a water slide

Getting a pool

A big water park

A better gas station

Housing

I wish Frederick would expand

Put more equipment in the park

More stores

A whole crud load of fireworks go off for the Fourth of July

Have all the roads paved or all gravel

Machine gun shoot

Fix the actual auditorium

Make a movie theater

For it to grow in size and population

Make a better library

People pitching in on cleaning up the community and sticking together on keeping it clean

Answers:

Nothing

The high school

Get newer buildings

Have more town clean ups in a year

It’s school

Bigger population

Clean it

The gas station

Build more buildings

The seats at the football field

The football field

More house built for more people to live

Community pool

Make a movie theater

Make the park better

Make the kids nicer

The football field

Make the park better

More excitement, a water park, a mini pool

The school’s equipment

A gas station in the town

The closed cafe, into one that would stay open

A bigger library

Rebuild the stand at the football field

Litter

Put better playground things in Simmons park

The roads

Put an airport in it

Plant more trees in open spaces

Get recycle bins

I would like to try and open the Cenex shop

We can have recycle bins to recycle products

Clean up the old Buildings