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Ground Level Blog

Healthy Communities Partnership continues

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Representatives of four communities met August 17 at the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls in the next step of the Healthy Communities Partnership Program. Eden Valley, Brainerd, Baldwin Township and Todd County residents spent the day analyzing, refining and considering the best direction for their projects.

Dan Frank of the Initiative Foundation led the groups in determining institutional assets, financial assets, built assets and social assets as they "built a web of resources." He also recommended increasing the interaction among unlikely folks within a community which then increases the information and knowledge base. This engenders greater success as the diverse group works together.

After individually assessing the assets, flip charts came out. With five minute rotations on specific subjects, participants shared their ideas.

"The next step is assets to action," said Don Hickman and noted this exercise was a starting point for task force development.

Speakers were then invited to take the podium to offer resources to help the community groups as they develop projects. Included were: Tom Leach of the USDA, specializing in rural development; Adeel Ahmed of the U of M Extension with expertise in community economics; Diane Knudson from the Department of Employment and Economic Development and Chuck Marohn from the Community Growth Institute. As grants coordinator for the Five Wings Arts Council, I also gave a presentation.

Todd County will continue to focus on economic development, youth retention and senior services.