Iroquois, SD

I think by merging our community club/Horizons group as one we can have a stronger community leadership system.
we learned a lot from our study circle sessions that we can use in the future.
we also plan to have biannual meetings with every organization in town to update each other on what is happening within their group and how we can help each other.
I really do believe that these have all made us a stronger, closer community.

Our Iroquois Horizons/Community Club, and Sports Day Committee held a joint planning meeting Monday night. Cheryl Jacobs of the SDSU Cooperative Extension Services was present to discuss the completion of the Horizons Project in the Iroquois Community. Committees reviewed their progress on community goals and objectives in the strategic plan.

Setting up park benches is one project currently underway. Community members may donate money to purchase a park bench in memory of someone. Benches will be placed in Woodall Park, at the school playground, and near the sand volleyball pit and horseshoe pits.

A chain link fence has been donated to the Iroquois Day Care. Volunteers are needed to help move and set up the fence.

A pancake feed is being planned for April 27, at the Legion, as a fundraiser for R.J. Frankfurth, who was recently injured in a car accident.

Sports Day will be held July 11, 12, and 13. Four Wheeler races are being planned for Friday night. Saturday’s events will begin with a “Walk for Life.” A parade will be held later in the morning with the theme “Small Town, Big Dreams.” Bed races will follow the parade on main street. The Iroquois Heritage Museum will be open on Saturday with living history activities for kids of all ages. A town and country show will be held on Saturday, with exhibitors selling their products. Softball, volleyball, and horseshoe events will be held at the park. Saturday evening a kids’ movie will be shown and a street dance will be held. The class of 1988 will hold its 20 year reunion. Sunday morning, a community church service will be held in the park. Mud drag races will be held later in the day. The Sports Day committee will continue to meet monthly to finalize plans.

The next Horizons/Community Club meeting will be held Tuesday, May 6, in the high school library. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend.
Monday, April 7th a meeting was held.

Goal 1 of Iroquois’ Strategic plan is community enhancement.  Our objectives are to create murals within our community, plant trees and flowers, make park benches, complete the volleyball and horseshoe pits in the park, plan seasonal decorating, complete the electronic sign, and continuous updates of the town’s website.  Committee members planning these projects are: Megan, Marlys, Mary, and Donna. 

On Monday,March 3rd these two groups met and decided to merge into one group. We broke into several committees that will begin the action part of our strategic plan. Different people volunteered for different objectives. we will meet again on Monday, April 7th to see the progress that is being made. Our plan is to meet monthly. If you have not got involved with either group yet, we invite you to come and be a part of an agressive group that wants to improve our town.

The youth of St. Paul’s will perform  “The Fabric” on Friday, March 21st. at 3:00 P.M. at St. Pauls Church. This is the story of the Crucifiction.  Everyone is welcome to attend this.

These children have taken this to three towns in Minnesota and four towns in South Dakota.

Saturday, February 9, the Iroquois Horizons group held their celebration.  The group came together to discuss and distribute the community’s strategic plan.  The extreme cold hindered attendance, but the evening provided much opportunity to share ideas and visit.  Piano and vocal entertainment was provided by music director, Rod Ulrich and middle school student, Phyllis.  Cheryl Jacobs, SDSU Extension coordinator, attended our meeting. 

I think starting a new Sports Day committee is a good start on doing things differently. In the past this huge event was left up to the city council alone to do. Now several from different organizations in town are joining forces and planning the day. this is just the start to training ourselves to include other people in our planning.

Thursday, February 28^{th, Iroquois Elementary 4th grade performed “Ranita the Frog Princes” by Carmen Agra Deedy. Preschool through fifth grade classes were present to view the performance as well as several 4th grade parents. The class made the well prop, golden arrow, and candle sticks using cardboard and paint. There were other items brought by students and the teacher. Parents helped gather costumes for several of the characters. Performing the play on the stage was very exciting, and the class is looking forward to another performance before the end of the school year.“Ranita the Frog Princess” tells the story of how the Frog Prince became the Frog Prince in the first place. The play also held lessons about treating everyone with respect and keeping promises. The 4th grade class is taught by Miss Lara Thomason.}

Along with two others from Iroquois and a representative of BASEC from Yale, I attended the Housing Seminar in Howard on February 19. We started off the evening with a delicious meal and then moved into a presentation from the Rural Learning Center in Howard. That Center is studying rural ways of living and in particular for this seminar, the need to re-think rural housing.The next section of the seminar focused on agencies and people who are available to help with housing needs in our area. Represented were USDA Rural Development, Iroquois Housing, BASEC of Yale, SD, Rural Learning Center of Howard, HUD (Housing and Urban Development), SDHDA (South Dakota Housing Development Authority), NESDCAP (Northeast South Dakota Community Action Project)and the planning districts were also mentioned as resources. Each agency spoke briefly on progams available from them. The programs available are too long to list here but are extensive from fix-up projects to new homes with attractive loan rates. If you have housing needs contact any of these agencies or Iroquois Housing and we’ll try to help steer you in the right direction. I have contact information for the agencies listed. This seminar was a prime example of a word we’ve heard many times since beginning our Horizons study, “networking”. Here we had the chance to talk to people in charge of administering programs as well as talk to people from other towns in our area who all have the exact concerns we here in Iroquois do; how do we expand affordable housing to all who wish it? The ideas were many, the problems are many, but none are so overwhelming that the hurdles cannot be overcome. Let’s all keep working together to make rural South Dakota a great place to live!

As I compare our town with how we were 2 years ago, I can see great changes in leadership capabilities.
One example would be planning our annual sports day held every summer. It used to be left up to the city council. Now each organization in town is represented as a committee to plan the event. A lot of ideas are forming because of that. while some people do not want to be leaders, if asked they will do what needs to be done.
I think each separate organization in town now compliments the other and is willing to give credit where do.
We are currently working on fund raisers to help defray the cost of our electronic sign that will be installed along Highway 14.It is many minds working together to benefit our town.