Scotland, SD

The Youth Center Committee is moving right along with plans on opening their doors September 2008. There is negotiations taking place on a location right now and will be revealed when the paperwork is done. Six individuals have agreed to be on the Board of Directors and we are still looking for another member so if you have an interest let Erin Odens or Shelly Fanning know. Funding is going well. We currently have applied for the My Hometown Helper Grant for up to $15,000. We now need community support by having Scotland residents post their comments on the Scotland Youth Center Link (another entry to follow on instructions to do this). There will be three paid part-time positions with the creation of the youth center. An account has been set up at Farmer’s and Merchants State Bank for monetary donations that have been given, the Good Stuff will be contributing some of the furnishings for the building. If you have anything you would like to donate whether it be time, financial, supplies, or talent please contact Erin Odens, Shelly Fanning, Tanya Vitek, Damon Alvey, or Pam Cokeley.

The Boys and Girls Club project have met objectives one and two. The group has been looking at other facilities in the area and trying to determine how they would like to implement this project. They would like to have a structured youth center providing a happy medium between the Avon and Tyndall projects. The group is working on funding possibilities as well as a location. They would like to provide a place for tutoring and recreational activities. Their focus is on a supervised and structured center.
It was suggested that locations be identified along with activities suitable to the location. Adult supervisors will also need to be identified.
Following the monthly meeting, the group has found a location which looks like it will work pretty well. Volunteers will be needed to help clean it up to get it ready for use. Donations will also be accepted for a good couch, tables, chairs and microwave. Ideas for activities as well as adult volunteers are also needed for this project.

The Horizon’s project brought about some needed change in Scotland. With a plan of action and actually taking the time and effort to put together a plan and then set goals and dates for those actions to take place, there has been actual progress on projects that this community has been working on for years. By getting more people involved, some of the projects have taken some twists and turns because of ideas that were never thought about before. Sometimes it gets frustrating trying to see some actual change or progress when some projects take a lot of time and effort. But I think that in the long run, the community of Scotland will truly have benefited in a lot of ways by stepping out and taking some risks which some people were afraid to do before Study Circles and LeadershipPlenty came to this community

The city council and the economic development group are working hard to make the Main Street a more viable location for potential new businesses and with that the possibility of more jobs. In April, the city wide cleanup is held and this year a group of community members will be working with the Horizon’s project to make this community a cleaner and prettier place to live. One community member has been thinking about providing a garden area for children, to learn how to plant, water and care for a garden. Hopefully with all of these projects happening this spring and summer, Scotland will be working towards the goal of making this a place the people will be proud to call home and encourage friends and families to come here to live.

The GOOD STUFF project provides an opportunity for sharing unneeded household good stuff with a neighbor in need rather than sending it off to the landfill.

GOOD STUFF came into being with the ENCOURAGEMENT and PUSH of Horizons. We received a grant of $800. for our start up. $600. will be used for 12 monthly ads in the Scotland Journal. $100. provided a Waiver/Agreement prepared by our City Attorney which covers any liability and $100. is on deposit with our hardware store for necessary minor help for our donations. We have been given (rent free) the use of an empty downtown shop which belongs to our dentist, Curt Johnson. We do not feel that it will be necessary to heat the shop and should be able to manage this project without additional financial funding.

Posters and hand outs have been given to local churches, organizations and added to our welcome brochures. Our second ad in the Scotland Journal will appear this month. We are currently working on a list of volunteers with pick ups and strong backs to take care of transport.

Our initial donations include a complete bedroom set, an additional box spring/mattress, sofa bed, recliner, 2 upholstered chairs, small bookcase, 2 cribs and bedding. And a friend called last week to offer an artificial Christmas tree!