Upriver, ID

We had our first Newsletter Alive meeting with representatives from all our Upriver Action Committees. Here’s some highlights from my notes of the meeting.

Community Structure: Currently working on fixing up our old community buildings, have added electricity to parts of the Emida Community Center. Starting the process of planning a new community building in Fernwood. We’ve completed draft bylaws for our new organization, Upriver Community United, Inc. The first annual meeting will be November 29th at the CAF building, agenda includes approving new bylaws and electing our first board of directors.

Community Pride: Planning to have regular highway cleanups in the spring and fall, local sections of the highway are still available for adoption. Collecting information for the signs, the first one will be at the Santa Y. Arranging for chain link fencing around dumpster buckets on three sides. In planning stage for an annual Upriver Community Festival. The Upriver school district has received a grant, “Gear Up”, to mentor poor kids and help them go to college.

Entrepreneurial Development: First priority projects are an internet business directory and a cell phone / wireless internet tower. Long term goals include: Community Economic / Business Centers in each village, an Annual Upriver Community Festival, Technical & Business Classes and Training, Physical and Technical Infrastructure Development, and Commercial Awareness (local business association).

Communications: We continue to work on developing our internet website, blog, and monthly newsletter. On the internet we continue work on the business directory and community history / culture. Looking into improving our newsletter distribution via email and post office. The new monthly newsletter deadline is the 1st Thursday each month.

Horizons Steering Committee: We are here to support the other committees. Have received two $10,000 grants, one from NW Area Foundation, and one from the University of Idaho. These monies come with strings attached, rules about where we can and cannot spend the money. More grant money is available from Horizons in June if we meet their criteria.

Lots more was talked about, come to the next meeting January 31, 2008 at the Emida Community Center for new face to face reports.

Our communications committee met to continue to work on improving communications upriver. The steering committee has approved financing of our direct mailing of newsletters to recipients, we can now start collecting names and addresses. We will also be able to email newsletters and will be collecting email addresses for that. We should have the November newsletter out before the 15th.

What are all our committees doing? Our first Newsletter Alive meeting will be held on November 15th at 7pm at the CAF building. Horizons is providing refreshments. I look forward to hearing from all the committees.