Tyndall, SD

Our director at Dakota Senior Meals has participated in a couple of the Horizon events (Leadership Plenty and Grant Writing ) and since then has been writing some fantastic columns in our local paper addressing senior’s health and well-being, taking advantage of the lunch services at Dakota Senior Meals ( only $3.00 if you are over 60 and anyone can eat there!)  and, in general, addressing the importance of community involvement and helping each other out.  If you want to read a great one, this week’s is on learning about our family’s heritage and our community’s heritage by visiting with the elders in the community.

Regional collaborations and community foundations will be the topics at a meeting in Mitchell on Monday, Jan. 28.  Isabel, SD will be there to talk about how they collaborated with 2 other communities and Noel Hamiel, SD Community Foundation talks about setting up a local foundation. Call Kari Freuchte ASAP (605-688-4946) or email kari.fruechte@ces.sdstate.edu if you can go.  This is excellent info for committees working on economic development, chambers, and private business.  It is an evening meeting starting at 6:30 for supper.

Economic Development and Support for Entrepreneurs will be the topic for a meeting February 28 in Tripp at the Fire Hall.  SDSU Economics faculty will discuss assessing your community’s capacity for economic development and present a profile using a local county.  Leaders in the field of entrepreneurship will give ideas on how to support new business ventures and resources available.  This is huge…..mark your calendars.  Great for retail, established business, and also for city and county staff and councilmen who are important in the development of a community!  Call Kari at 605-688-4946 or email her at kari.fruechte@ces.sdstate.edu   for more info on the times, etc.  - call five days before so they can count for supper. Starts at 6:30 pm.  Also open to public, not just Horizons.

One of the things I think we   have learned through Horizons is the fact that we have many residents who live sparingly and month to month, but it doesn’t keep them from volunteering at church, helping at school, volunteering for Dakota Senior Meals, or  just giving a ride to someone who has to go to the doctor. There are many other instances of involvement - helping at the soup kitchen, volunteering at the nursing home, etc.   It is the quiet leadership that is evident and which contributes to the health of our community.

Greg Gemar of Gemar’s Market is presenting Janet Wagner of the Cavalier Corner a check for $500 to match a business donation for the Youth Center. Janet and Greg are also working out a partnership to start selling Hot Stuff pizzas at the center. Greg  is working on a pizza size which would work well for the kids as a 12″ is too large and a 6″ is smaller then we want. He is working with different dough ball sizes to find a pizza size which would work for the Center.

     Tyndall was the site for a meeting on Dec. 27 to discuss probabilities of setting up wind generators in the surrounding areas.  A nice crowd of people attended to hear Richard Wiebe of Westwood C-Bed Biofuels  and Scott Parsley of East River Power Cooperative speak on the availability of wind energy in this region.  The meeting was arranged by Senator Frank Kloucek and sponsored by Tyndall Development.  “The meeting will help set the tone and direction for wind development in our area and what directions our communities and individuals wish to take in terms of wind and transmission development.  This is another opportunity for economic revitalization in rural South Dakota” as stated by Senator Frank Kloucek.

   Wind power offsets other, more polluting sources of energy.  That is important because electricity generation is the largest industrial source of air pollution in the U.S.  When wind power projects generate electricity, fuel at other power plants is not consumed.

     To generate the same amount of electricity as today’s U.S. wind turbine fleet would require to burning 16 millions tons of coal or 50 million barrels of oil each year.

     Wind energy requires no mining, drilling, or transportation of fuel, and does not generate radioactive or other hazardous or polluting waste.

     A recent New York study found that if wind energy supplied 10% of the state’s peak electricity demand, 65% of the energy it displaced would come from natural gas, 15% from coal, 10% from oil, and 10% from electricity imports.

All who are able to attend the Tyndall city council meeting  to help support the Horizon’s project in establishing the Round Up program please meet at the City Council room January 7,  2008 at 7:45  PM. Hope to see you.

Ron Wagner explaining the economic development plan.

Some of the people who enjoyed the evening.

A cake to celebrate our progress so far.

The Tyndall Horizon’s team hosted a public meeting at the Cavalier Corner on Sunday Nov. 18 to discuss the projects and the steps needed to finish the Horizon projects. Several speakers reintroduced their projects, spoke on the status of the project, and gave credit to the people who have been working on each project. An opportunity was given for anyone who wished to volunteer for a project to sign up for that project and could speak with each chairman about what needed to be done.

Since Horizons began, it seems like more people in the community are aware of the need to help those who are disadvantaged, especially now during the holidays.There already is an existing culture here in Tyndall of helping those who need help, but sometimes there are a few who slip through the cracks and don’t know where to go for assistance.  The establishment of the Bargain Shoppe, for an example, is one big way to provide assistance for those who need to spend less, and also for those who just want a good bargain.  Right now, the Shoppe committee is working on getting the word out.  A flag has been placed by the door to alert people that they are open for business and also an ad and flyers have gone out to the communities surrounding. Now the goal is to get the word out farther.   I think this new endeavor is a huge commitment by the Horizons volunteers who started it and with the support of the Cavalier Corner and the City of Tyndall it will help reduce poverty in our area and show that we mean business. What do you think? Let us know.

If  you are reading the Tyndall blog site for the first time, welcome!!!   An article about the blog will appear in the Wednesday, Dec. 5 issue of the Tyndall Tribune & Register detailing the blog and how to use it.   I would encourage anyone who has not done so, to go to the Armour blog site and read what one person posted about leadership, Horizons,  and how customer service  is related to it.  During the holidays, our small communities need to practice great customer service, because the big box stores cannot brag about customer service!

One of our questions we are to address is ” in what ways has this community’s knowledge about leadership changed? How do you know?” Personally, I think those who participated in the Horizon process are recognizing leadership qualities about themselves and others when they might not have paid much attention to it before. It is recognizable in a heartbeat.  We can see it in the volunteers who have come forward and signed up to volunteer either at the Cavalier Corner or at the Bargain Shoppe so that it can get ” off the ground.” I am sure there are other areas in which volunteers have stepped forward quietly to lend a hand.   Do you have ideas on how to improve and how to involve the younger generation more?   If you have thoughts on this give us a comment back!

As one of the Horizon projects, the Bargain Shoppe has opened in Tyndall.  The shop will provide all types of articles needed by individuals in the community.  All items to be sold have been donated.  There are many items and a variety of items to pick from such as computer desks, booths, washer-dryer, clothes, shoes, boots, Christmas decorations, etc.  The store is being staffed by volunteers and had a successful opening on Saturday.  You should come in and see what it is all about.  If you have any items to donate please contact LeAnn Kniffen or Marilyn Stone.

The profit from the shop will be used throughout the community on other projects or charities.