Elma, IA

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.

The Girl Scout Program is expanding in Elma with the addition of a new troop leader, Edith Lenehan. Edith has recently joined the Girl Scout program and is heading up the Brownie Troop #488, which consists of area girls in grades 1-3. Inital troop organization offered a meet-n-greet event with snacks and a craft at the Spare Times Bowling Lanes & restaurant. The event provided initial information about becoming a Brownie Girl Scout, and utilized the leadership skills of an existing Junior Girl Scout Troop. The Junior Troop #498 taught 6 new Brownie candidates about the Girl Scout promise, handshake, and lead some simple Girl Scouting action songs.

Participants in Elma’s Horizons Program active at 2008 Iowa Caucus

Five of the six precinct chairs and co-chairs for the three major Democratic front-runners were involved in the Study Circle phase and three of the six completed Leadership Plenty. Over 20 of the 54 active Horizon participants eligible to vote in the Elma precinct attended the Democratic caucus. The caucus was also led by a participant of the Leadership Plenty and Visioning phases of Horizons.

Five of these chairs/co-chairs had little or no previous experience with political leadership on the county level.

Welcome Basket Committee

One of Elma’s Study Circles identified the need to welcome new residents to the community as part of its “caring” projects. More than twelve community members met to organize the Welcome Basket Committee under the auspices of Elma’s community betterment group - the BRIDGE Organization, Inc.

The committee set policies, elected officers and obtained funds and donated items for the project. In 2007, the committee delivered 20 welcome baskets to new residents in Elma.