ABCDE Monday Messenger

July 7, 2008

ABCDE – Better Together 

Greetings!  This is the one hundred and twentieth edition of the Monday Messenger.  Its purpose is to bring you current information about the ABCDE project and area.  ABCDE consists of local residents from Atlanta , Burden, Cambridge , Dexter and Eastern Cowley County working together for community development.  If you have anything to submit for the newsletter, please send it to shannonthom@hotmail.com.  

Eastern Cowley County Area Coop Marketing Meeting

Several producers in the Eastern Cowley County area have discussed going together to form a marketing cooperative.  The purpose would be to collectively market area products through a website, print advertisement, etc.  The group has begun meeting to explore the venture.  The next meeting will be held for those interested TONIGHT Monday, July 7^th at 6:30 p.m. at the Gathering Place in Dexter.  The purpose of the meeting is to determine next steps and make information packets.  The packets will contain information from the ABCDE area and can be distributed at community events.  Anyone is welcome to contribute information for the packets.  The size is 3 ½” by 6”.   Please bring 500 copies.  Anyone in the area is invited to attend.   For more information contact Shannon Martin at 876-3467 or shannonthom@hotmail.com.

Dexter BBQ

The annual Dexter BBQ will be held on Saturday, July 12.  Many events will occur through the day including a Fun Run, Children’s games, BBQ meal and evening entertainment.  The evening entertainment will be provided by Daryl Schiff and Gene Winter.  They are bringing a full band including drums and steel guitar.  Daryl and Gene sing old time country music and have recorded an album in Nashville .  Daryl is the father of country superstar Martina McBride.

 

TOWN DAY FARMERS MARKET

On July 12, the Gathering Place invites you to bring your wares to town and sell them.  In the spirit of our forefathers, they are bringing back the days when there was a “come to town to sell the eggs” day in the community.  You are invited to set up beginning at 8:00 a.m. on the north side of the Gathering Place .  There is no charge for booth space.  For more information call 876-3525.  This will be held in conjunction with the Dexter BBQ.

 

ABCDE Planning Session

The ABCDE Organization will hold a strategic planning session on Monday, July 14 in Dexter.  The meeting will occur between 7 and 9 p.m. and will lead to a written Strategic Plan for the group.

 

Do you have an idea for a business?

Jack has assisted 27 businesses in Eastern Cowley County since ABCDE joined QUAD in July of 2006.

Business owners and those with business ideas in Eastern Cowley County have access to a Professional Business Coach.  His name is Jack Newcomb and he is available for free, confidential advice and he will even come to you.  Through the ABCDE program, we have joined the QUAD EF project and have access to their business coach.  Many local banks, businesses, individuals and Cowley First are assisting to pay the QUAD membership fee through December of 2008.  For more information contact Jack at (620) 249-2108.

 

Garden Parties

Backdoor Garden Party's rescheduled at The Gathering Place in Dexter , KS . The Gathering Place in Dexter , KS has rescheduled the "rained-out" Backdoor Garden Parties for the following dates. "The Little Girls Garden Party" complete with dress up clothes,  a delicious meal, take home garden favor, special guests  Miss Twiggly, Mrs MacGregor and her potting shed, and Miss Hannah the manner lady on July 14th from 11:00AM - 12:30PM. The ages suggested for this party are 8 - 10 years old. The cost is $17.50 per child or $25.00  for adult and child together.

An evening "Twilight Garden Party" has been added this year and will include a four course meal, garden favor to take home, two gardening demonstrations, and door prizes.  This will be held on July 15th from 6:30PM - 8:00PM

The " Morning Brunch Garden Party" will be held on July 16th from 10:30AM - 12:30PM. This will also include a four course meal, garden favor to take home, two gardening demonstrations and door prizes. The cost for both of the ladies garden party will be $22.00

We invite you to take the scenic drive to the beautiful Grouse Creek Valley town of Dexter , KS and let The Gathering Place pamper you as you enjoy a beautiful, relaxing time in The Gathering Place back yard. You will be surrounded by lush and beautiful flowers, a soothing waterfall and fish pond, all in a setting that will make you think you are in paradise.

Please RSVP by July 11th to  876-3525 * 876-3188 * 876-5768 * 876-5560. The Gathering Place is your destination for yesterdays memories

FROM THE AG MARKETING DIV OF THE DEPT OF COMMERCE:

Greetings!

The heat is on, the corn is growing quickly, and combines are starting to move in Kansas —what an exciting time of year!

 It’s time to talk Agritourism Scholarships again!  This year, you can apply for a scholarship to attend a conference or build your own educational tour of agritourism ventures on 4 dates:  July 1, October 1, January 1 and April 1.  There is $25,000 in scholarship funds available. 

 Who is eligible to apply?  Anyone that has registered with the Kansas Department of Commerce for the agritourism registration program. 

 What kind of conferences can I attend?   I highly recommend the North American Farm Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA) annual conference or workshops.  NAFDMA will be in Georgia in February, and will have bus tours, workshops, speakers and a lot of opportunity for networking with the cream of the crop in agritourism from across North America .  Other ideas would be other state agritourism or tourism conferences, the Maize Company conference, etc. 

 What about the educational tours?  The purpose of funding this activity is to provide individual Kansas agritourism businesses or regional or market-specific groups of Kansas agritourism businesses assistance with travel for research and education purposes to approved agritourism operations or agritourism market clusters regionally and nationally.  You can design your own tour….for example, Klausmeyer’s Dairy in South Central Kansas visited Cagle’s Dairy in Georgia 2 years ago to learn how they had built up their operation, what has worked for them, and what the Klausmeyer family can bring home to their farm in Kansas. 

What if I’ve applied before?  You are still eligible to apply again. 

What kinds of costs are covered?  This is different for each type of scholarship (conference or tour). 

For more information contact: 

Sarah A. Larison
Domestic Marketing Specialist

Agriculture Marketing Division

Kansas Department of Commerce
1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 100
Topeka, KS  66612-1354
Phone: (785) 296-8132      

 

State’s Largest Affordable Housing Event Kicks Off August 5th – 7th in Pittsburg
-- Three Day Conference Features over 25 Workshops on Effective Housing Solutions for Kansas --

Pittsburg , Kansas – The 2008 Kansas Housing Conference, the state’s largest and most comprehensive affordable housing event of the year kicks off August 5th – 7th at the Overman Student Center at Pittsburg State University .  The third annual, three-day event, presented in partnership by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, Greater Kansas City LISC and NeighborWorks America, is expected to draw more than 300 housing providers, advocates, builders and policy makers nationwide.

“This conference sets the stage for new initiatives to help all Kansans, regardless of income, obtain quality, affordable housing,” said Sharon Quigley, Federal Reserve Bank Spokesperson. “The Federal Reserve Bank is proud to co-sponsor this valuable forum for housing professionals.”

Responding to last year’s devastating tornadoes and flooding, the conference will offer a special plenary session on disaster planning and community renewal. An additional 25 workshops, sessions and tours will be offered on a wide range of topics, including:  fair housing law, rental housing development, energy efficient affordable home construction, workforce housing, home foreclosure and landlord tenant rights.

“Our number one priority is finding new ways to build safe, decent, energy efficient homes at affordable prices,” said Gary Allsup, Executive Director of Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. “This conference brings together experts involved in every step of the housing process – from developers to investors, to builders, to city planners – all the people who make affordable housing a reality in Kansas . ”

Conference highlights include a keynote speech from internationally-renowned housing expert Nic Retsinas, Director of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. Prior to his Harvard appointment, Retsinas served as Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and as Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision.  Retsinas is in the National Housing Hall of Fame and was named one of the most influential people in real estate by the National Association of Realtors, in home building by Builder Magazine, and in multifamily housing by Multi-Housing News.

Other national housing and community revitalization leaders scheduled to present include:

§           Anita Moseman, NAHP-e, FHC, SHCM, Vice President Monfric, Inc.
       FAIR HOUSING TRAINING: Research, Rights and Remedies 

 §         Roger Werholtz, Kansas Secretary of Corrections
       Behind Bars in America:  Meeting the Housing Needs of Ex-Offenders 
 §         Peter Morgan, Associate Administrator, USDA Rural Development’s Housing Programs
       Housing in Rural America:  Building Healthy, Affordable Communities

Early bird registration is $100. To attend the Fair Housing Training on August 5th, 2008 requires a separate fee of $60.

Nominations for this year’s 2008 Ad Astra Awards for Excellence and Community Development will be accepted through July 16th, 2008.  The Ad Astra awards celebrate individuals and organizations that consistently make a positive impact on their communities and showcase the best practices of housing developers, housing authorities, community service organizations, advocates and others.  The awards ceremony will take place Wednesday evening, August 6th at Memorial Auditorium in Pittsburg . 

Special Note:  Sponsorship opportunities and exhibit space are also STILL available.  For more information, please contact Mary Ontko at 913-721-2168 or email montko@sunflower.com.  To register or for more information regarding this year’s sessions, tours and workshops, please visit www.kshousingconference.org or email Catherine Couch at ccouch@kshousingcorp.org.  

 

ABCDE Website

Don’t forget to visit www.cowleynet.com for information about the ABCDE project.

Upcoming Activities/Events

July 7                          Marketing Coop Meeting, 6:30, Dexter

July 12                       Dexter BBQ, Farmers Market, Daryl and Gene Concert

July 14                      ABCDE Strategic Planning Session, 7 p.m. Dexter

July 14-16                 Garden Parties, Gathering Place

To submit information for the newsletter, send an e-mail to Shannon Thom Martin at shannonthom@hotmail.com