Steele, ND

Last week the ED met at the Pirate Cafe.  People who weren’t there not only missed some great Carmel rolls, fresh out of the oven, but also some frank discussion about where the county and our community is headed in the future.

President Paul Erdeldt’s agenda is a timely plan that we can use to grow from the inside out.  

This group is going places. 

Steele Area Economic Development 

A group wanting to maintain and grow business in Kidder County giving the citizens of Kidder County the goods and services they need for a healthy and prosperous life.

Goals:

Maintain and Grow Current Businesses:

• Businesses must change with society
• Business owners need assistance running their business in areas they may not be familiar:  accounting, small business loans, personnel, marketing, advertising
• Businesses need to cater to us and we need to support the businesses
• The business owner may be the only one knowing their goals – do we fully know the strengths and core duties at each business?
• Get resources in front of this group…SBA, SCORE, etc.

Available Goods and Services:

• City spoke loud and clear about the clinic
• Horizons opened our eyes, but did we ask all the right questions to everyone
• We are an aging community…but we also are a thriving community

Truths:

Work Force, Real Estate (residential and commercial), Attitude, Resources, any other business aspect…KC does not mean Steele.  The communities have shrunk alone…now it’s time to come together and grow.

We have challenges.  It’s too easy to run to Bismarck, it is also difficult to explain driving to Bismarck ALSO costs…time, gas, etc.

Questions:

What is the role of this group?

Does the current role need to change?

Who should be a member of this group?

What is expected out of each member?

What is the difference between ED and Betterment?

My preference:

I would like this group to get more aggressive.  Have monthly meetings with specific measurable goals, and celebrate the victories.  I believe we can host potential KC businesses at least quarterly, and try to grow by 1 non-competing business each year.  I believe we need the assistance of the Commissioners, City Councils, Sales Tax Committee, Current Businessmen (including farmers and ranchers), and Co-ops.  This means this group becomes a lot more active.  We will all be expected to ‘host’ a potential business, do some homework, and always keep the primary goals of this group at the forefront of any decision. 

If we are all in agreement, your 1^st assignment would be to invite 1 person to our next meeting March 5^th at 8am at the Pirate. 

On Saturday,May 24th, We will again do our Veterans Day Program. Like last year,we will be having food and beverages at no charge..We again will have honored speakers with Veteran displays. Last year was such a cold day, we moved it into the community building. It was such a success, we will move the food serving into the community building again,and if the weather is bad, we will move the speaking program inside also.                   I have been working on framing pictures and stories of Veterans this winter, and would like to add more pictures and stories of our local Veterans.If anyone has any, please get them to me. I will also be out in the community soon, collecting funds to help pay for this years Memorial Day Program. Also if anyone has any good ideas on how to improve over last years,please give me a call. I will also need volunteers to help that day too.        I look forward to this years  program, especially on these below zero days….only 94 days to go….A.G. Thomas..Veteran Service Officer, Kidder  County ND.

On Wednesday Mike Miller made a quick stop here to help all of us bloggers.  Thanks to the Horizon program our Steele Blog site is putting us on the map.  Check out Skip’s blog for the Veteran’s Memorial Service coming up this spring.

Jeff Turner has been hired as the local contractor for the some of the stage renovation project.  So far a new sub floor has been added. 

There is no building in the city as beloved as our dear Community Center.  The ladies from the Historical Society fondly refer to her as the “grand lady of Steele”.  And why not?  Her very being is made up of carved granite stones taken from the earth    in Kidder County by expert stone masons enrolled in the 1930’s WPA.

This the beginning of the restoration of the stage project.

As the renovation continues I’ll keep you posted.  This year the Missoula Children’s Theatre will be in Steele and working on the production of Snow White during the week of August 11-16.  For more information on how you can volunteer to help this wonderful group call Lisa Steinolfson at 475-2860 or Lisa Symens at 475-2408.

  Steele’s own Alva Schoepp was a speaker during the Horizons Partership Luncheon in Bismarck on December 4, 2007.  She did a great job as she shared stories from Steele’s journey through this process.  Thanks Alva!

Since becoming the Kidder County Tobacco Coordinator I have learned some things about  smoking I’d like to share with you.  Smoking is not just a habit.  It is actually an addiction to the drug nicotine.   One of the most serious side effects of smoking is the danger that second hand smoke causes to yourself and those around you.

Dangers of Second Hand Smoke

1. Lung Cancer

2. Lung disease

3. Heart Disease

4. Hypertension

5. Stroke

6. Oral Cancer

7. Pancreatic Cancer

8. Low Birth Weight in Babies

9. Early Menopause in Women

10. Lower Estrogen Levels in Women

11. Facial Wrinkles

Dangers to Children of Smokers

1. Sudden Death Syndrome

2. Respiratory Infections

3. Lung Cancer

4. Ear Infections

 Nicotine is a powerful drug and people who decide to suddenly stop smoking may face the fallowing symptoms.   Irritability, Headache and cravings. 
If you made a New Year’s resolution to stop smoking but are finding it too hard to do alone.  Please contact me.  There are programs available to help you.

Bob Schoepp, Kidder County Tobacco Prevention Coordinator

701-475- 2582

bschoepp@nd.gov

This week I sat around the table in the Trophy Room with some of Steele’s most committed volunteers.  Members of the Inter-Agency met over lunch hour to discuss plans for the 4th annual Safe Night For Kids.

For those of you who have never been part of “the night”, I’d like to invite you to consider helping us out. The night is geared to kids in grades 5-8.  We teach them that making safe, healthy, life choices can be a blast.

The date is Friday April 4, 2008 and kids will command the community center from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.  We are still working on a theme for this year so if you have an idea shoot us your comments.

Just about this time every year I notice we all come down with the fever.  First one or two people catch it in the fall but by now we have all been infected.  The epidemic causes us to do unusual things.  We shout. We sing. We jump up and down on the bleachers and hug each other enthusiatically.  Some of us go as far as painting our faces maroon and gold. 

Undoubtedly, Cass B Basketball Fever is the greatest.  If you’ve ever lived in a rural community you know what I mean.

This week the Lady Pirates will storm the District 3 Basketball Tournaments held in Ashley North Dakota.  Last night they beat Wing and tonight they face off against Strasburg.

Good Luck Ladies.  You are all great examples of champions on and off the court!