Gackle, ND

Hey everyone! Want to put the Capture the Coteau Art Project in context? Generate ideas for Gackle’s economic development. Check this out!

NDSU Central Grasslands Research Extension Center

Natural and Cultural Resources of the Coteau:
Past, Present and Future 9:00 am- 5pm
and
Annual Field Tour 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Approximately
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Link to the Schedule

I’m gonna be gone and can’t go to this - please! somebody attend and share what you learn. This is a FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY - not to be missed. I know some of the speakers personally and it should be a wonderful day! Rich in diversity, history and potential–this is the environment we have all around us. Let’s celebrate it, learn to preserve and use it to create opportunities for preserving our town. There will be many topics addressed - including “Economic Use of Coteau Resources: Renewable Energy and Nature Tourism” and “Tourism Opportunities in the Coteau”.

Many of the topics will tie in great with Gackle’s “Capture the Coteau” Arts-in-the-Park series this summer.

On March 13, 2008 community members attended a presentation by Kevin Dvorak on how the North Dakota Community Foundation (NDCF) might help Gackle develop its own endowment. While you haven’t heard anything since the initial meeting (click on Tri-County News below) I thought I’d bring you up-to-date on what’s happening.

Everyone left the meeting with great feelings of hope and everyone who attended felt that starting a permanent endowment would be good thing for Gackle. Such a fundraising vehicle would be a way for people to INVEST in the community for its long-term future. The invested “principle” can NEVER be spent, only the interest is used to make grants to benefit the community. This type of investment can be very attractive to individuals who want to make sure their contribution will ALWAYS make a difference to Gackle.

The initial investment to get a the endowment started is $25,000. North Dakota Community Foundation will match that with $5000. There are then future opportunities for dollar-for-dollar matches making the investment grow quickly. Of course, until the principle grows, the grants will remain small, but that can change with just a few large contributions.

During April and May, further discussions with NDCF have occurred. They are willing to help us get started developing “ask-strategies” for raising our first $25,000. They will also help us with putting together the Gackle Community Endowment board. The consensus is to wait until the Horizon’s program is complete before launching the endowment.

Gackle’s Horizon program has resulted in an atmosphere of change, a surge of community activism and an understanding of community needs. Some of these needs will be addressed this summer–clean-up, providing healthy, locally grown food/produce for the residents and providing cultural & social opportunities. All these activities will show that effort is being made to improve the town–we hope this will be an attractive incentive to investors in Gackle’s future.

Andrew Owen, who will be a junior this fall at Gackle High School, is working on updating the Gackle web site, www.gacklend.com. Its great to have a young person on board helping the community. Thanks Andrew, great job so far.

The web site hasn’t been current since the 2004 Centennial Celebration. Our work during the Horizons process (and Strategic planning) identified a web site update as an important goal to marketing our community.

In the future there will be a link to this Gackle, ND blog.

The date has been set for the kick-off of the 2008 Gackle Farmers Market. The Market will take place on Saturday afternoons, 3-5 pm. Location: A. F. Lehr Park

Lots of planning has occurred to organize the weekly event. Research and networking with regional farmers markets groups, Napoleon, Bowdon, Jamestown Anamoose and others has helped shape the plan. NDSU extension has also helped with formulating policies.

Eight volunteers met last week for the second planning meeting. Mayor, Ritchie Jacobson reported on his conversations with vegetable vendors and there is a core group which has committed to selling produce. Sally Jeppson reported on the “Capture the Coteau” - Art in the Park event.

Lots of discussion occurred on time, date, location for the Market. The Market will take place in the Park to take advantage of the beautiful setting that has resulted from such hard work this spring by many volunteers.

Bakers will once again be invited to bring tasty treats. Artisans will also be invited to bring their artwork to sell at the Market. The focus will be to attract “one of a kind” unique products (artworks/handicrafts). The Gackle Farmers Market does not charge to any fee for vendors. Contact sjepp@daktel.com if you would like to bring your artwork to the farmers market.

Comments on my post, “Feeling the Weight of the World? Advice Sought for Ebbing Energy,” asked this question. Yeah, we’re tired. I personally enjoy writing the blog, but, this spring, life got in the way, and I had to do a reality check. Priorities needed to shift. I wish I could have encouraged more folks to take up this blogging task so we could “Shoot for the Stars” and win a computer for the town. But the reality is that our community is not yet plugged-in. The “prize” was just not a priority with everything else occupying residents (and volunteers) time.

Choices and priorities shifted and time was spent on grant writing and the result is we have Art in the Park during this summer’s Farmers Market!

At this point, the blog brings Gackle’s stories to the larger world and that’s a good thing.

I don’t want to abandon getting Gackle on-board with using computers. Its too important a “tool” to leave unused. We are brainstorming on how to get more people to see the value of cyber-world. With Gackle’s access to highspeed internet, residents could be using the resources of the world-wide-web to get education, information, entertainment, and much more. These are all “poverties” - resources/ opportunities that are lacking in our rural communities.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the blog and everyone who has been supportive of the effort. If anyone wants to become a Gackle “blogger” please send me a “comment” on this post.

Summer Arts Programming – The “Capture the Coteau” Program series will occur in association with this Summer’s Farmers Market. Programs will start July 19th. Like the title, the idea is to look at all the wildlife and flora which surrounds Gackle, study it, draw it, sculpt it, photograph it and then use those designs, drawings, and pottery tiles to create or adorn banners, planters, benches or whatever we can think of to help beautify the town. A naturalist will tell us about local wildflowers and wildlife. An art historian will talk about the history of botanical illustration. Local and regional artists will assist us with drawing lessons and photography lessons. These artists will also bring their artwork to Gackle for an exhibition. The artwork created by Gackle artists will also be displayed.

We received a Community Access Grant from the North Dakota Council on the Arts for $1275 which will cover materials costs (lumber, paint, clay, film, drawing pencils), mileage and small artist honorariums for the out-of-town artists. $500 dollars will need to raised locally in matching money.

This program is for all ages, young and old. The only cost is the purchase of a $5 sketch book which will be used throughout the 9 week series of activities. This project is designed to be multifaceted, non-cumulative and accessible to everyone. Different sessions will attract different folks–would-be artists, collectors, nature lovers, designers and builders will all find something of interest during the series.

Look for more information here on the blog as well as in the Tri-County News. Image at right from the web page: www.answers.com/topic/echinacea

Community Arts Access…..Attention: GAAG - Gackle Arts Advisory Group

As a community-based grant program, Community Arts Access is designed to benefit nonprofit organizations that present arts programming in small and rural communities in North Dakota. It also supports nonprofit organizations in communities of all sizes whose arts programming makes a deliberate and focused effort to serve a special constituency or an under-served audience in that community.

Maximum Grant: $2,000
Deadline Dates: November 1 and April 1 (submitted electronically or postmarked)

Examples of Supported Activities. Can include, but is not limited to:

• Creation of a public work of art, such as a mural or installment piece, that incorporates talent within the community.
• Public performances of music, dance, or theatre.
• An exhibition.
• Arts festival or performance series.
• To book a touring performance or exhibit.

Complete information: North Dakota Council on the Arts Community Access Grant

North Dakota Council on the Arts Grant Deadline Approaching!

Teacher Incentive Grant

The Teacher Incentive program is a means of providing financial assistance to teachers who wish to explore new and creative ways of incorporating the arts into the non-arts curriculum of a classroom. Projects may involve the visual arts, poetry/fiction writing, performing arts, architecture, folk arts, or any combination of artistic disciplines.

Maximum Grant: $300
Deadline Dates: April 1 (for projects occurring between July 1 and June 30 of the upcoming school year)
November 1 (for projects occurring between January 1 and June 30 of that school year)

Eligible Activities:

• Arts supplies and materials for the project described in the proposal.
• Consumable supplies that directly relate to the specified arts project/activity.
• Arts consultants or artists.

Gackle School is also able to apply for an Artist In Residence Grant

More information on all the grants can be found at the North Dakota Council on the Arts Web Site.

As you plan your gardens for 2008, please plant extra so YOU can participate in Gackle’s Farmers Market as both a buyer and a vendor. We have big hopes for this year’s market, and we want the whole community to join in. Let’s start by joining the conversation that gets the ball rolling.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
7:00 PM - Carolyn’s Café
(snacks provided)

• What did you like about last year’s markets?
• What can we do more of?
• What can we do less of?
• What new ideas can we try?
• What will draw regional shoppers to our market?
• What do we need for promotion and setup?

Come one, come all…See you there!!!

Want some ideas? Want to dream big? Go to this link and read about my alma mater’s Farmers Market in Davis, California, one of the premier markets in the country. And for even more depth, check out this Case Study.

Here is a short video clip of what Gackle residents saw on the Bank marquee Friday morning, March 7, 2008. Click on the symbol below and then “view it” larger on the google video site.

Main Street is buzzing and it’s the positive sizzle of excitement–not the “burn” of negativity.

Thanks to Bank staff for doing this!