Humeston, IA

A cluster formed during the Horizons Visioning meeting focuses on low-cost activities so youth of all economic levels can participate. Led by Jill Fields, a recent Horizons Volunteer, the group is enlisting the efforts of many youth who have not volunteered before, and partnering with the local Odd Fellows and Rebekahs for building space, along with the city council, to create a teen center with a long list of scheduled events, including activities that will focus on government and finance, along with a summer luau, teen dances and study sessions.

Horizons Board Member Nancy Gunzenhauser attended the Grassroots & Groundwork Conference organized by the Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 28-30th.  The conference included reports of efforts being made by communities from across the United States.  Donna Beegle, the daughter of migrant farmers, shared her personal journey from generational poverty to completing her PhD, becoming President of Communication Across Barriers and founder & CEO of PovertyBridge, a nonprofit dedicated to changing lives for people in poverty. She is a national presenter and author of “See Poverty, Be the Difference.”  Former Governor Tom Vilsack provide the closing remarks.  Nancy shared that she was greatly moved by the information she received at the conference about the number of children who live in poverty.  “I am saddened that I have gotten this old and not realized the depth of the problem,” said Nancy after attending the conference.

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. 

Humeston is happy to have a new leader for the youth group.  Jill Dent Fields has returned to her home community from the Newton area.  Jill has experience in youth organizations and youth center development.  She is involved in several entrepreneurship efforts to support herself and her children.  She is volunteering her time to establish a location for the youth in the area to meet and to encourage their involvement in the community. 

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!

The needs of senior citizens, whether simply for more activities in the community or for a project as complex as adult assisted living, are a concern of Humeston Horizons volunteers.
Members of the Senior Activities and Adult Assisted Living Committee have visited senior meal sites at other towns and are trying to compile information to use for the Humeston area. A survey is being taken at the Humeston meal site to see what might be of interest. Information is posted at the meal site for trips available with the seniors from Corydon.
Jan Lohner attended the Humeston Housing meeting to get some ideas of how that organization operates and what they have to offer. Like many organizations this winter, the senior activities committee has found challenges in the weather, but continues to explore options available to make senior citizens more aware of what is available in the community and the need for/possibility of creating an assisted living facility.

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.”