Elma’s PTP is holding a “Back to School” picnic on Friday, August 15, at 5:30 P.M. The PTP project was identified as a need during the Elma Study Circle portion of the Horizons Program.
Funding for this event includes CPPC and the Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness/Kellogg Foundation initiative. Details of this event will be forthcoming.
The Elma Early Childhood Center board will host a grand opening of the new facilities on Tuesday, August 26 from 5:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Services have been provided since early June using Elma Elementary School rooms. The addition is now complete and will hereafter house the daycare program.
This project was the top priority for the Elma Horizons Program. Elma was fortunate to receive a USDA-RD grant for $50,000 and the Howard-Winneshiek School District paid approximately $140,000 to complete the structure. The furnishings and operating funds needed to begin the program were funded by the McElroy Trust ($15,000), Peoples Savings Bank of Elma ($10,000), the BRIDGE Organization ($7,000), Northwest Area Foundation - Horizons Program ($3,500), Howard County Community Foundation ($3,000), and Elma Area Community Foundation ($1,000) provided the majority of the initial funding. Other donations and fundraisers raised the remaining money needed.
Elma now has a quality, certified day care provider to serve the community.
Elma organizations are collaborating to purchase bike helmets for all Elma Elementary School students.
With Elma’s vision of a safe, caring and united community with opportunities and respect for all, the bike helmet project will provide a quality helmet (safe, caring) for each student. The helmets will be the same color (unity).
Partnerships for this project include CPPC, Elma Area Community Foundation, Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness/Kellogg Foundation, Parent/Teacher Partnership,
Regional Health Services of Howard County, the BRIDGE Organization, and the Elma Elementary School.
The project is scheduled for October, 2008.
Elma’s summer festival, Old Roundhouse Trail Days, is this weekend.
Included in the festivities are:
Parade (Saturday morning)
5k Run/Walk (Saturday morning)
Softball Tournament (Friday evening thru Sunday afternoon)
Mud Volleyball Tournament
Music in the Park (on Friday and Saturday nights)
Breakfast (Elma Sportsmen on Saturday, Knights of Columbus on Sunday)
Profits from the various events go to community betterment projects, including the park improvement project and the proposed trailhead project.
After the final Horizons meeting, the wife of one of the most active Horizons participants spoke of her husband’s increased self-assuredness and commitment to service. He is serving on the Elma Early Childhood Center board of directors (a Horizons Visioning Committee) and was recently elected to serve on his church board.
The increase in volunteerism, and especially the increase in those willing to take on leadership roles, may be the most important result of the Horizons Program.
Approximately 54 people attended Elma’s final Horizons meeting on June 18 at the Elma Memorial Hall. Dinner was catered by the Elma Locker.
A short review of the Horizons Program included the Study Circle’s vision of Elma as a “safe, caring and united community with opportunities and respect for all.”
Erin Ludwig, co-facilitator for the Leadership Plenty phase gave a short talk on this phase.
The Visioning Committees gave short verbal and/or written reports on their activity. The Elma Early Childhood Center obtained its 501c3 status, is operating in temporary facilities, and is planning on moving into the new addition to the Elma Charter Elementary School in August.
The Recreational Trail Committee reported it has collaborated with the Wapsi-Great Western Line Two County Committee. A Community Attraction & Tourism grant application has been submitted to the State of Iowa. Thirteen Elma residents attended the presentation meeting at Des Moines in May. Negotiations between the state and the two county committee is expected to begin in July.
The Memorial Hall Improvement Committee reported it has made significant financial strides towards its goal of $300,000. This committee has refocused its planning during the past three months to ensure its vision, mission, and proposed project are compatible.
The Busti Avenue/Main Street Committee reported its successful completion of the Elma Spring Extravaganza. The event showcased mostly home-based businesses to increase the awareness of goods and services available locally. The committee will host a fall event and then plans to transfer the responsibility to another organization so that the Busti Avenue/Main Street Committee can concentrate on its larger objective of revitalizing Elma’s business district.
The Medical Clinic Committee reported it has been in contact with the New Hampton Hospital regarding a clinic at Afton Oaks. The process continues with the next step being a survey of interest in the area for such a clinic.
The Parent/Teacher Partnership reported it has successfully organized and has held five events thus far. It is their intent to hold monthly activities. They have been successful in obtaining some funding for its programs, including the holding of a bake sale/rummage sale.
The Communications Committee reported it has been meeting every-other month with city officials to provide interaction between the city and the general community.
The meeting continued with a presentation by Brenda Ranum and Ann Mansfield of the Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative regarding this initiative that will affect Elma. They presented the process NIFF is undergoing. A question and answer session followed.
Those in attendance then discussed the allocation of the $8,500 in anticipated funds from the Northwest Area Foundation. After discussion, the consensus was the following allocation:
$3000 to the Elma Early Childhood Center
$3000 to the Elma Memorial Hall Improvement Project
$1000 to the Wapsi-Great Western Line Project
$ 500 to a Movies/Music in the Park Project. This was the second most important item during the Study Circles and but not yet been implemented.
$1000 to the Elma Medical Clinic if this initiative proceeds. If not, Elma’s community betterment group is to use these funds for a medical-related initiative.
The group also discussed the allocation of the $1000 mini-grant from the Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative. The consensus was to allocate this money as follows:
$250 to the Elma 5k Run/Walk for the purchase of locally grown or processed food for its breakfast.
$250 to the Parent/Teacher Partnership for the purchase of locally grown or processed food for its programming.
$250 to the Elma Roller Skating Program for the purchase of new roller skates.
$250 for the purchase of fitness equipment targeted for use by the elderly.
The meeting concluded with thank-yous to those that helped Elma through this process, with special thanks to our community coach, Brenda Schmitt, and our county director, Charlie Baier.
Elma’s Old Roundhouse Segment, a part of the Wapsi-Great Western Trail, is one of Elma’s priorities to provide new opportunities for our residents.
The collaborative effort between Mitchell County, Mitchell County Conservation, Howard County, Howard County Conservation, and the Cities of McIntire, Riceville and Elma is the first local effort to work for a common cause. Elma has traditionally been self-reliant and not active in partnerships across county lines.
This collaboration has resulted in a $2,300,000 federal grant and has applied to the State of Iowa for a Community Attractions and Tourism grant of over $2,000,000. The total project cost is over $6,000,000.
This phase of the trail will connect Elma to the Minnesota trail near Taopi. This phase, nearly 30 miles, will join the Minnesota trail of 30 miles. Plans include extension of the trail south of Elma to Waterloo/Cedar Falls and onto Cedar Rapids.
This project will provide a free and safe opportunity for recreation. This is especially important to Elma’s low-income families.
A completed trail will expand job opportunities (food, bike repair, transportation, lodging, camping) to local unemployed people and summer jobs for youth. This will reduce poverty.
The unprecedented financial commitment of the federal, state and local governments will boost Elma’s economy and provide opportunities for further collaboration with our neighboring cities and counties to the south.
The final meeting of this phase of Horizons is scheduled for June 18 at the Memorial Hall. It is hoped each of the Visioning Committees will provide a written ‘final’ report of their activities.
Elected city and county officials will be invited. Our community coach will be here as well.
We are expecting 50 to attend.
Elma’s CPPC committee has been discussing the implementation of a “Tools for School” project for the Elma Elementary. During the Study Circle phase of Horizons a teacher commented that some of the students did not have the recommended school supplies until the school year was nearly over.
The lack of disposable household income during these times of economic hardship requires the community to offer a helping hand. The students cannot be expected to “compete” with others if the “tools” needed for success are not available.
The committee may decide at its July 2 meeting if funds are available from its current year budget. If all goes well, this will be implemented in late July and early August.
CPPC and the Elma Horizons Project have completed the community assistance brochure. This was one of the items discussed during the Study Circle phase of Horizons. However, it was not chosen as an action item.
The brochure will empower Elma’s residents with contact information, including elected officials and city contacts.
Funding for this project was from the initial Horizons grant from Northwest Area Foundation and the Elma Area Community Foundation - Horizons mini-grant.