Montana

Giddy up RURAL ENTREPRENEURS! If you are looking for a way to market and sale your products on-line…or you just wanna  learn a little more ’bout technology…eCommerce Training is the workshop for you! This two-day event will teach you how to sell yur  products and services online. In addition, you will also learn:

• How to create a website
• How to join an online chatroom, forum, or blog (heck you are on a blog right now)

Don’t forget! Everyone loves to be in the middle of the arena, so you’ll  also learn:

• the do’s and don’ts’ of advertising
• How to harness the power of marketing through email and pay-per-click
• And, how to “brand” your product so everyone will know who you are!

Yes siree! This is gonna be one wild show. Don’t miss the opportunity to be involved. And, for all of you who love to travel through the Big Sky–two seperate workshops will be offered.

• Sidney, Montana: Sidney Public Library on  April 2nd and 3rd
• Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University EPS Building on May 14th and 15th. Hold tight tur yur boots for more information on the Bozeman workshop.

Ya’ll better saddle up yur horses, strap on yur boots…’cause this is gonna be one wild ride!!

For more information on this wild rodeo event call:

Jamie Vowell at 406-994-1754 or email jvowell@montana.edu

 Don’t miss this opportunity to attend this one-day workshop, taught by Dr. John “Jody” Kretzmann!          

Jody Kretzman is the Co-Director of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL).  He has international recognition as an inspiring, straightforward, and wise advocate of strength-based approaches to building healthy local communities. He is also the author of Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets.  kretzmanworkshop-pdf.pdf

Come learn more about the six assets to discover and mobilize:

• The skills and interests of individual residents
• The Power of local voluntary associations
• The resources of local institutions
• The physical assets of the community (e.g. land, buildings, transportation)
• The local economy
• The community’s culture and stories

This workshop is co-sponsored by Hopa Mountain, Montana State University’s Horizons Program, MSU Leadership Institute, ASMSU and Opportunity Link. 

The cost of the workshop in Bozeman is $15, which includes lunch.  There is no charge for the Havre workshop. 

Dates

• March 25, 2008, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Holiday Inn Bozeman, 5 E Baxter Ln, $15 Registration fee includes lunch
• March 27, 2008, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Best Western Great Northern Inn Havre– No Charge in Havre 

For more information or to register, please call Hopa Mountain at (406) 586-2455 or email bsawyer@hopamountain.org.

The Rural Community Conference was a great success with over 150 individuals in attendance. Horizon Communities were very fortunate to have the opportunity to network with a wide array of individuals. Those in attendance, represented local businesses, policy-makers, education, and civic organizations. This state-wide event helped to provide the necessarily tools needed to helped build community-focused strategies to alleviate poverty.

Throughout the course of two days, individuals had the opportunity to participate in break-out sessions, panel discussions, and a Rural Community Share Fair. Events such as the Share Fair, helped to connect citizens with organizations that could provide grant opportunities, program ideas, and educational resources.

 Not only did the Rural Community Conference provide ample opportunities for networking, but many local and nationally-known speakers were in attendance to teach some of the practices that have worked well during their many years of community development. The speakers included:

• John Allen: Director, Western Rural Development Center and Professor, Department of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology, Utah State University.
• Jennifer Anderson: MSU Rosebud/Treasure County Extension Educator and Community Coordinator for Horizons in Forsyth, Montana.
• Barbara Andreozzi: MSU Deer Lodge County Extension Educator and Community Coordinator for Horizons in Anaconda, Montana.
• Cornelia Butler Flora: Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Agriculture and Life Sciences. Director, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, Iowa State University.
• Cathy Cooney: Program Director, Montana Community Foundation.
• Jim Goodwin: Sr. Program Officer, Western Rural Development Center, Utah State University.
• Daniel Kemmis: Board of Directors of the Northwest Area and Kettering Foundations, and the Missoula Redevelopment Agency; O’Connor Center Senior Fellow, is the former May of Missoula, and a former Speaker and Minority leader of the Montana House of Representatives.
• Al Nygard: President and CEO of Al Nygard Consulting-Bismark, North Dakota.
• Linda Reed: President/CEO-Montana Community Foundation.
• Craig Schroeder: Sr. Associate, Center for Rural Entrepeneurship-Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Patrick Scully: Deputy Director for the Study Ciricle Resource Center.

Overall, “[The conference] touched on a wide range of solutions in a variety of venues, highlighting best practices for community success, emphasizing proven strategies and introducing emerging idea.” Some of the most compelling insights from the Rural Community Conference came from the Horizons Communities. Speakers, such as Jennifer Anderson, of Forsyth and Barb Andreozzi, of Anaconda, spoke on the impact of  Horizons in their communities and the real work of networking, adopting, connecting and mobilizing to alleviate poverty.