Humeston, IA

“We have seen tremendous attitude changes in our community,” said Horizons steering committee Nancy Gunzenhauser at a recent meeting. “Not only in our Horizons activities, but in other groups.” New volunteers and new donors have stepped forward, apparently inspired by seeing others’ contributions. Many local organizations, from church groups to service organizations to youth groups have experienced a surge in activity and donations. Those who may not have financial resources have donated labor to projects and events. It is exciting to watch the change of attitude among all economic levels.

Horizons members are providing their time and ideas to the development of a Wayne County Housing Trust Fund.  Sarah Lovett is helping to organize a media campaign to help citizens of the county learn more about the organization and build financial support.  Jeannie Teno is working with the bylaw and housing assistance plan committees to create the legal documents needed to meet Iowa Finance Authority approval.  This a collaborative effort by all of the Horizons communities in Wayne County to address the housing needs of the county. 

Willa Clark has ensured that timely news and announcements about Horizons activities and events have appeared in the local press.  Willa has participated in each of the stages of the project and provided valuable tips to participants about working with the news media.  Currently she is working with the group that is looking for ways to improve the Cinder Path and develop a marketing center for local entrepreneurs. 

The Horizons Board has agreed to provide the new youth group $500 for initial costs of their planned activities for the summer.  In addition to recreation activities the group is establishing a book club and will be organizing some leadership training for the members. 

Members of the Steering Committee that did the organizing for the Horizons project have agreed to continue to serve as Board of Directors.  The group plans to meet quarterly to receive reports from the working committees that were established during the Vision meetings.  They will allocate Horizons funds to support efforts to reduce the impact of poverty in the community.  Group members agreed that their role was to lend support and encouragment to community members and to continue to seek other resouces that will ensure success.

Several participants at the Humeston Horizon’s Vision Meeting expressed the need for a community daycare, to make daycare more affordable and convenient for working parents.
Rene Gwinn, Leslie Shanks and Dale O’Connell worked researching the possibility of a childcare center in Humeston. They spoke with Sarah Brown, the director of Magical Beginnings Daycare in Corydon, with the Department of Human Services, who are in charge of licensing a new center, and researched online at Child Care Centers and Preschools Licensing Standards and Procedures. They also talked with a current home childcare provider in Humeston about the possibility of moving from home daycare to a center-based daycare. She was not optimistic about the idea but did not rule it out completely. This committee is still actively working to research the possiblilities of a community daycare center.

Sometimes I get so excited working on projects that I forget about this blog. Such is the case recently. Now we have a lot of catching up to do. Thankfully, Diane Schroeder has helped out with some of this writing.
The Business/Marketing committee has been active since its creation at the October 14, 2007, Visioning meeting. Committee members are Willa Clark, Denise Dent, Paul Gunzenhauser, Bob Gunzenhauser, Vernon Kirk, Judy McCart, Doug McCart, Diane Olson Schroeder, Jill Tueth and Pam Woollis.
Initial goals included establishing a town slogan, creating a community calendar, designing a Humeston walking tour and improving the Cinder Path, making it a more viable recreational resource for community members and tourists. All of these will bring or keep dollars in the community, improve quality of life for residents and perhaps greatest of all, help to change the “poverty mindset” of those who think there is no way out of their situation.
In November suggested slogans were collected in containers at Great Western Bank, Snyder’s and Front Street Market. The committee narrowed the 37 choices down to one—”Humeston: Where Things Get Done.” Paul and Diane presented the slogan to the city council in December and received the council’s blessing. Next will be to work the slogan into a logo representative of the town’s “git’erdone” attitude and display the logo on items to purchase and give away.
On January 26, a small group met at the Humeston United Methodist Church with Steve and Lyn Adams, Iowa State University Extension’s Communities Specialists who traveled from Red Oak to inform us on Iowa and beyond in relation to businesses. They gave us a Powerpoint presentation on rural America, entrepreneurship and local leadership. Some of the most relevant information related to small businesses in Iowa, focusing in on neighboring counties. They cited several organizations which can aid existing and potential small businesses (micro-businesses) with startup and funding. The Grow Iowa Foundation and the Southwest Iowa Coalition were two organizations available in this respect. Steve and Lyn blessed us with many brochures and disclosed to us many avenues previously unknown to us to obtain funding for communities.
The Adamses mentioned that the Cinder Path has immense potential for the community, particularly if we join with Chariton to work on the path. This was something the committee had also discussed to lessen the impact of poverty. Hopefully improving the connection with the Chariton portion of the path would bring more tourist dollars to town. Also, the renovated path will offer another beautiful, healthy and relaxing activity to our residents, no matter what their income level. It could also serve as a prairie classroom for Mormon Trail science classes. The Cinder Path will be an ongoing work.
Several committee members attended the Chariton Horizons workshop on Jan. 12 and came back energized after discussing the path with Chariton Horizons members. We also benefitted from hearing encouragements and frustrations of other Horizons communities.

Update–
1.) Lyn and Steve Adams will return to give more suggestions, information and guidance, at a date to be determined. Tentative plans include to meet as the business/marketing committee, along with the Town Council Community Betterment committee and Mormon Trail Chamber members, at 10 a.m. prior to meeting with the Adamses at 11. Actually, anyone in Horizons is welcome to come and get in on the ground floor of these exciting plans!
2.)Iowa Prairie Network’s Brant Schmell of Seymour and Steve Rassler of Chariton are willing to help with the restoration of native prairie remnants that still exist along the path, and on one March afternoon identified 39 species of native vegetation there. Workdays are being planned, at least one in April and one on Sept. 20. Excitement is building, as Horizons participants, local volunteer firefighters, farmers and factory workers, business people and unemployed, teens and people in their 80s are volunteering to help.
I foresee this as a project that will bring people of all economic levels together in the community, and give all an opportunity for recreation. And as mentioned before, it could well become a key part of making our community a destination spot.
After all, this is Humeston–where things get done!

August in Iowa is generally known for hot and dry weather conditions; not so in 2007. The plans were laid, the dates set, the footings dug, and the parts delivered; and then the sky opened and the rain fell.

Volunteers from the community and workers sent by their bosses started putting the pieces of the ‘First in Iowa’ Mega Playground Tower together. The day I was able to help for a few hours, saw workers pulling back tarps that had been laid to protect the newly dug foundation holes from the predicted rain. We were slipping and sliding in the mud as we went about getting the upright poles set into the foundation holes and squared up before the concrete arrived at noon.

I saw workers with smiles on faces, working side by muddy side with others who shared the goal of seeing this spectacular piece of playground equipment rise into the sky. The construction had been delayed a time or two by unprecedented rainfall, but enthusiasum remained high and the volunteers passed word among themselves…work tomorrow, let’s get ‘er up! At times sump pumps were needed to remove the water from the holes which had turned into miniture wells and mud covered workers from boot to hat; but today the Mega Tower playground stands as a testament of the ability of a community when its people work together even against adverse conditions.

Lunch breaks were served by local women, many of whom had participated in the Horizons projects at one phase or another. Some of the civic organizations in the area picked up the tab for most of the food and water and helped to make this truly a successful area wide endeavor.

Thank you to Willa Clark for the photo

When Humeston Horizons held community visioning meetings, the diversity of project ideas was only slightly less than the diversity of people participating. As each circle discussed what the future of the community should hold, action groups were formed to discuss–

• Business improvement/marketing
• Property/housing rehabilitation
• Industry recruitment
• Daycare
• Senior activities/Adult Assisted Living
• Teen Activities/Activity Center
• Swimming Pool funding

Each group developed their own plan of action, and it was interesting to observe the interaction of ideas among all ages and every economic status.

Due to the December ice storms and resulting power outages, some of the groups’ follow-up planning meetings had to be put on hold.

While we realize that not all of the programs can be fully completed, we look forward to working with new acquaintances on new and exciting projects.

In Humeston’s Horizons Study Circles, the topic seemed often to return to the same theme–How can we help our youth escape the cycle of poverty?

A few of the many suggestions were–

• Help them develop life skills
• Show them we care
• Let them see their own self-worth 
• Be a consistent role model
• Listen when they talk

 During discussions that followed the Study Circles program, several members joined to form a mentoring team. Horizons mentoring team members participated in a day-long training session, and are working to develop mentoring relationships with students in the school district.

“Any child can benefit from having another caring adult in their life,” said one mentor. “I wish this had been available when my children were in school.”