Maddock

The Horizons Steering Committee recently completed a 12 page vision statement - this is a two-page summary which may again be revised in the future:

Maddock will plan for its future by continuing to encourage community input and participation to develop approaches to community development and poverty intervention.  During the two initial stages of the Horizon program there were 73 individuals involved in the process.  Our first two Visions activities generated a much larger audience. A Community Recognition Supper on October 27 had 75 community people attend to hear the presentations from the organizations in the community.  Of those in attendance, 49 had not participated in earlier programs.

Maddock also is using Community Surveys as part of its Vision planning process, with 121 responses to the 11-page in-depth adult survey.  In addition, there were 62 responses from students in the 9-12 grades at Maddock High School to the High School survey. 

Maddock will continue to work with the Benson County Farmers Press to communicate with the public.  The Press has 591 weekly copies going to Maddock and the surrounding area at this time, which gives Horizons access to a large share of households on a timely basis.

A key issue in our community is the demographics of our population. On the adult survey question, “do you think it is important to attract new members to the community,” of the 117 responses to that item 116 responses answered “yes.”  Only 1 responded “no.”

On the High School survey, the survey question “do you expect that there will be a job, or combination of jobs, in Maddock to meet your income expectations,” only 4 of the 62 respondents noted a “yes” answer, and 58 noted “no” or “don’t know.”  Of the 55 respondents who currently live in Maddock or on a farm within 25 miles of Maddock, only 14 indicated they would continue to live in this area after graduation.

As noted in the Visions Statement Support documents following this report, the Key Theme areas are in response to the need to change our demographics through retention of our current members and the attraction of new members.  Also, implicit in these Key Themes is the thread identified in the Study Circles’ Action Items between local development and the reduction of poverty.  We have utilized the Poverty categories from the “Thriving Communities” booklet, pp. 16-19 in the development of the Action Items to highlight this thread.

 For example, the category “Create more and better jobs” encompasses our Theme strategies for “Satisfactory housing” and “a wage and salary level that will keep people in town and draw people into town”.  The category, “Focus on early childhood, youth and schools,” would include our already commenced activities in the After School program, and the continuing efforts for Childcare coordination. The Visions inclusion of “attracting and retaining young families as community members,” and “increasing the number of young adults in the community” is also part of that same category.

The category “Help people meet their urgent needs,” includes our Theme strategies for “the development of cultural and recreation activities which provide opportunities for

participation of all our members,” and “the need for a Community Coordinator at the City Council level for the coordination of local organization efforts.”

The category of “Investing in basic community resources” would be utilized for our Visions inclusion of “identify and develop a list of amenities that need improvement to assist in the marketing of our community for future development.”

Our Study Circles committees believed these combined efforts would provide direct support for poverty intervention at the social level, as well as the economic level in our community.

The Visions Statement Support documents detail how Maddock intends to meet these dual needs of development and poverty intervention. This will be a joint effort among the City, local organizations and individual community members.  Working through the Key Themes format will allow us to concentrate on multiple goals over a multi-year period.

“Stepping Up to what?”, you may ask.  It’s a Bible study that has one stepping up closer to God in your  relationship with Him.  Beth Moore is the teacher via DVD and there is a workbook which helps and guides us in our climb. I’m in this community study with seven other women  — so far — from various backgrounds  The study is still open to new women (since we’ve had only 2 sessions of a 13 week study).  If you are interested just show up at 8 AM on Saturday mornings at Zion church, Maddock.  You’ll find a  friendly WELCOME there.  I hope to see you!