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Southwest ProjectsTREEmendous Day “Smokey Bear,” “Sprig the Treeture,” and “Woodsy Owl” entertained 433 elementary students at the annual TREEmendous Arbor Day Celebration and Workshop, held May 4 at the Arapahoe Outdoor Classroom. Activities were shared with kindergarten through fourth grade students from Southwest Elementary, Elwood, Cambridge, and Arapahoe. An additional 115 students led the demonstrations and helped with the workshop. The Advanced Biology class at Cambridge developed science demonstrations, along with science teachers, Karen Gottsch and George and Gayla Probasco. More than 30 activities provided hands-on learning. The work stations included: “Lady Bugs Galore,” “Water Cycle Bio2,” “Life Cycle of a Tree,” “Toad Ville,” “Stick Bugs,” “Austrian Pine Adventure,” “Leaf Bingo,” “Seed Dispersal,” and “Habitats of Nebraska.” Representatives from the following organizations were also involved in the presentations: Middle and Lower Republican NRDs, Mid-Valley Nursery, Nebr. Statewide Arboretum, the University Cooperative Extension-Red Willow County Office, Kinder Morgan Energy for Kids, Nebraska Game and Parks, Pheasants Forever, and the SW Nebr. Limbhangers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. SW RC&D helped sponsor the event. 10 Students Complete EDGE Program The third EDGE class wrapped up its course with graduation ceremonies at Sehnert’s Bieroc Café in McCook. This 12-week course walked participants step-by-step through financial planning, marketing strategies, and hands-on problem solving. During the course, participants also meet with 12 business leaders and owners who shared their experiences. This program offers students an opportunity to test the feasibility of their business ideas through research and development of a business plan. Participants of the previous class have been responsible for the creation and/or continuation of 16 jobs, with an estimated $1 million economic impact to the area. Statistics for this most recent class are not yet available. Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Tammy Sexton. Class coordinator, Sharon Hueftle, was the guest speaker, and Pam Hanson of McCook National Bank was the keynote speaker. Special thanks was given to class instructor, Steve Batty, and the 22 local sponsors of the EDGE class. The sponsors include: McCook Economic Development Corp., SW RC&D, Nebraska EDGE, First Central, AmFirst, McCook National, Wells Fargo, Medicine Creek, First National, and Curtis State banks, McCook Rotary Cub, Adams Bank and Trust, Cambridge Ec. Dev., Medicine Valley Ec. Dev., Pinpoint Communications, Premier Travel Incentives, Twin Valley PPD, Eustis Chamber of Commerce, First Bank & Trust, Valley Bank & Trust, McCook Community College, and Nebr. College of Tech. Ag. Plans are under way to hold the fourth EDGE class this fall in Cambridge. Low Water Garden Tour A Low-Water Garden Tour, which was held on May 21, provided participants with the opportunity to learn about landscaping by viewing compatible low-water, drought-tolerant plants. A few of the topics covered were: designing for a changing climate, compatible plant groupings, rare and unusually hardy plants, unique ponds, tree and shrub plantings, and mulching techniques. The group toured Gaston’s Lawns & Landscaping in McCook, Tom Knoblock Landscape Imagery in Curtis, and C&K Fassler’s Stoneyard, Culbertson. A buffet-style lunch was served by “The Smokehouse” at Arrowhead Golf Course, in Curtis. The tour was co-sponsored by the Southwest Nebraska RC&D Council (spearheaded by board member Con Fielding), McCook Community College, C&K Fassler’s Stoneyard, Gaston’s Lawns & Landscaping, and Tom Knoblock Landscape Imagery. Foundation The Southwest Nebraska RC&D Council has joined partnership with the Cambridge Library to create a Foundation Center Cooperating Collection Site. This site will provide a comprehensive electronic and hard copy data base of private foundation and corporate giving plans. Currently, the only two such collection sites in Youth Entrepreneur Partnership In its second year of operations, ten students from area schools are participating in mentoring programs that foster business skills in youth. This proactive program seeks to stem the out-migration of young people from Southwest Nebraska by instilling the kowledge that youth do not have to leave SW Nebraska to be successful. Students complete a weekly in-class curriculum and work one-on-one with an adult mentor. The students also atteneded a weekend leadership retreat last fall. This program developed when the Southwest RC&D, The Nelson Institute, Southwest Community Builders, and McCook Community College worked with the Rural Development Commission, UNL-CARI, and the Youth Development Network to develop a long-range program for youth business development. This approach can create a positive impact on youth retention and economic development. Partners:
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Furnas-Harlan Partnership County The partnership began in 2002 and the RC&D's portion of it completed in 2004. In those two years, it has incorporated and formed inter-local agreements with most communities in the two counties for the purpose of united economic development. Many organizational entities use the Furnas/Harlan county line as a jurisdictional dividing line. Twin Valley serves both counties and found that this "dividing line" was often a hindrance in accomplishing community improvement projects. It was felt that pooling resources could possibly fund a full-time economic developer for the partnership. It is making significant progress toward that end. Partners
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