Montana

THIS WEEK’S WINNER WILL RECEIVE A FREE SONY CYBERSHOT 7.2 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA AND CASE!!!

• Which community did Marsha Goetting visit to discuss the benefits of estate planning?  
• What challenges does your community face concerning the survival of the “family farm or ranch”?
• What steps are you taking to plan for the future?
• What resources are, or may be needed, in your community to help citizens plan for their future? 
• What leadership skills has the Horizons program instilled within you and your community members to better prepare yourselves for the future?

• GOOD LUCK!!!!

• What community received a grant from the Rocky Mountain RC&D to develop a wind energy model for their community?
• Has action been taken in your community to develop wind energy, and if so, what steps has your community initiated?
• If your community has not looked at investing in wind energy, why has this not occured? And, has your community invested time and money into other forms of renewable resources?
• Is wind energy an issue you would like to know more about?
• Finally, how could the use of wind energy change the dynamics of your community?

Good luck!!!!

Hello all community members, coaches and Horizons participants!

As the Horizons program draws to an end we have a few incentives to make sure you keep blogging. Starting April 22rd, (tomorrow) anyone who follows a few simple directions will have the chance to win amazing prizes.

Some of the prizes include:

• Flashdrives
• Sony Cybershot 7.2 megapixel digital camera and case
• Sony 30 GB DCR-Digital Camera and Camcorder with case
• 8 GB Ipod Nano
• Epson Ultra High Definition copier, scanner and printer

Come on and join the fun! You could be a winner!

Montana Horizons Blogging Scavenger Hunt

Friendly reminder to all of you out there who did not get a chance to participate in the Sidney eCommerce training Workshop.

eCommerce Training will be coming to Bozeman later next month, and NOW is the time to register!

This workshop will be held on May 14th and 15th, and because this event was such a great success in Sidney we feel that it will gain overwhelming approval in Bozeman. We have many great individuals coming to speak, and the two-day event will be full of exciting ways to market your products, as well as yourself.

Come learn from the experts!

Eric Hawley: Associate Vice President of Technology at Utah State University. He is a member of severl technical and advisory boards in higher education and has presented at numerois eCommerse workshops in the west.

Lance Trebesch: is the CEO of Elk River Systems Corporation. He is responsible for all operation and functions of the company. Lance brings a successful 18 year track record of technology  and early stage experience.

Other speakers and guests include:

Doug McSpadden of Outdoor Gifts Works, Wlady Grochowski of La Chatelaine Chocolat Company, and Sharyn Anhalt of Kidstock!

Come join the eCommerce Training and see what it can do for you!

Dr. John Kretzmann’s message was a success. With over 85 attendees at the seminar, he stressed the importance of focusing on “the half-full glass” when working with communities.

An article written on March 26th in the Bozeman Chronicle stated, “Kretzmann is often referred to as an optimist, [but] he prefers the term realist. “Both parts of the glass are always real and we need to know about both of them. [The realists job is to look] at both parts of the glass.”"

While, most of Kretzmann’s workshop focused on the need for developing asset-based community development, he also stressed the need for changing the community mindset. Bruce Smith, a Dawson County Extension Agent has been using asset-based community development to organize groups such as, Grow Montana and the Alternative Energy Reousrce Organization. He pointed out that for a long time he focused on the needs of his community, rather then it’s strengths. “There  are a lot of things to be depressed about, but you find what you look for,” he said. “If you look for all the negative things in a community, you’ll find them, but it works the other way too. When you look for good things, you find them.”

For copies of Dr. Kretzmann’s presentation email Jamie at jvowell@montana.edu.

Horizons timeline and requirements

 Hello Fellow Community Bloggers!
I hope you are all enjoying the nice weather. As spring vastly approaches it is now time to start thinking about the final thresholds that need to be met to finish the Horizons program. You will find attached to this blog an article outlining the requirements that must be completed for blogging.