Steele, ND

Jessica Blend, New Salem, loves to shop. In fact, she loves it so much she wants to share her love with all the ladies in the area and on Friday night May 30^th she will be bring a “traveling” mini mall to the Steele Community Center at 7:00 pm.  Hmmm?  Traveling mini-mall? What’s that?

Jessica and a group of home based vendors who sell everything from cooking products to jewelry are planning to offer ladies a new shopping experience.  Her plan is a simple one.  She gathers a few friends together; brings outstanding products, great customer service

and sets up the displays in a local community center; then she invites the local ladies to shop in their own community for the evening instead of Bismarck or Jamestown. 

This is not really a new idea.  Traveling sales people have always been a part of the fabric of America.  Jessica is simply tailoring the idea to fit rural North Dakota. 

Anyone who has lived in a small community for very long is probably familiar the home based sales and has been invited to a “party”.  There are jewelry parties, make up parties, Tupperware parties and many, many more.  Home based businesses such as these allow women a chance to own their own business, set their own hours and allows working women a chance shop at their leisure in friend’s house over coffee.  There are no parking problems and kids are welcome. 

On May 30^th, many of these businesses will be displayed in the Steele Community Center. The evening will provide a great selection of products and transform the auditorium into a small mini mall.  Ladies will still be able to take their time shopping and kids will still be welcome, plus there will be a $50.00 grand shopping spree given away to some lucky shopper. 

Because I am a very fortunate person I live in a small town of under 800 people.  Because I live a small town I know everyone, their Moms and Dads, kids and dogs.  Because I live in a small town I know in the afternoon that someone sneezed at the Coffee Cup in the morning.  So because I live in a small town it was my privilege to know Edna.

I say “was” because this good, gentle lady lost a battle to cancer yesterday and just before lunchtime she slipped away to be with Jesus.

Edna was 80 years old physically but in her heart she was still 21; looking forward to many grand adventures.  This summer we planned on taking her to the Mandan Speedway so she could watch a stock car race.  She had a little trouble understanding why anyone would sit and watch cars drive around in a circle. (The Daytona 500)  But Bob assured her once she saw a real race the sound of cars thundering around the turns, shaking the bleachers, would be in her blood forever.

If a word could personify her it would be Compassion.  That was what moved her to start a little food pantry in her own kitchen…even if she had nine healthy children of her own to feed.  Although it had long since moved out of her home, the Food Pantry and volunteers helped give away over a 100 food baskets to the needy at Christmas time this year. Later when her children were grown, Compassion said “Edna, the folks in Steele need a Senior Center.”  So she worked tirelessly with her friend Arlene and many other volunteers on the project. Today, many years later, we have a beautiful center that provides congreate dining to the elderly and meals on wheels for the shut ins.  Not so very long ago, she was only 78 then, she received her CNA license so she could help take care of other people who needed care in their own home.  Last year she helped facilitate a Horizon study circle.

I learned some valuable life lessons by watching her.

She took the time to bake me a birthday cake and I learned that little things in life make it special.

I listened to her pray and learned that, God not only hears, but answers every prayer, even if it wasn’t the way we thought it  should be answered.

I saw her give time and money to people who had nothing and I learned we must always give to those in need. 

I saw tears in her eyes when she heard others share their pain and I learned we are responsible to bear each other’s burdens.

Sometimes she would call and miss me at home or work and leave a message on the answering machine that always ended with “It’s just Edna”.  I will miss Edna’s voice and smile but I rejoice knowing she’s safe at home.  One can only imagine what adventures she will experience as she explores Heaven.

Over the last couple of years, thanks to Betty Smokov, I have helped plant hundreds of flowers at the World’s Largest Sandhill Crane site.  I now can tell a weed from a flower and get great delight in yanking them out of the ground. 

But I have never had the chance to plant a pinwheel.  However, on March 29th at 10:00 a.m. I plan to change that because Kidder County Social Worker, Jacey Hanson, will be planting a pinwheel garden during the 4-H SpringFest.

North Dakota has declared the month of April to be Child Abuse and Prevention month.  Jacey plans to gather enough volunteers to plant one pinwheel for each child in Kidder County in the Veterans Memorial Park.

As we drive by those colorful pinwheels let’s remember to call Jacey and find out what we can do help prevent crimes against children.  Her number is 475-2632.

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. 

Since last November our community has been changing in a quite, subtle way.  The effort has been like a little stream at the top of a high mountain that starts with a tiny trickle and then gains more and more momentum as it flows down the mountain side.

Steele is one of 24 state wide communities participating the Horizons program http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/horizons/ program sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation.   The goal of our community involvement is three fold: poverty reduction, training new leaders, and creating a thriving community.

During the first phase of our project study circles met and exchanged  dialogue on poverty in our community.Then we brainstormed about what  we can realistically do to help eliminate it.  Phase two was an intense course on the nuts and bolts of community leadership.  Phase three is in the works and it is by far the most exciting one.

Last night  7 people spent the evening in the city coordinator office learning the art of community blogging.  Under the guidance of NDSU’s, Mike Miller, we learned the “how to” and the “what to do” of blogging.  I have to admit I was thrilled. 

When the idea of a community blog  was first presented to me I realized what a valuable tool we have been handed.  What  a great opportunity to paint a portrait of who we are!  I also realized that by myself this would be an impossible task.  So I looked around the community and asked myself “Who are we?” and “what is the story do we have to tell?”  The rest was easy.  I sent out a few quick letters, made few phone calls and boom.

The result is what I am calling “The Mighty Steele Bloggers”.  I hesitate to give you their names because I think they will do such a great job introducing themselves in the coming weeks.  I will say that each one these bloggers will share some wonderful insights into our community. 

Come back often and read the blog. Share your own points of view.  Ask us questions.  Be patient…it might take us a little time to get rolling full steam.

On Tuesday Jan. 8, 2008 the residents of Steele will have the opportunity to vote in the first Kidder County School Board election.

Earlier in the fall of 2007 citizens voted to re-organize the county into one school district.
Communites joining together to form the new school district are Steele-Dawson, Tappen, Tuttle and Pettibone. One school will operate in the city of Steele and one school will operate in the city of Tappen.

The new school board will consist of 7 members. Three members from Steele-Dawson, 2 members from Tappen, 1 member from Tuttle and 1 member from Pettibone.

The elction will be at large and community members can vote a either the Steele School or the Tappen School. Polls will open at 9:00 am and close at 7:00 pm on Jan 8th.