Lamont, IA

DATE: 11/19/08
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Erin Ludwig, ISU Extension Family Resource Management Field Specialist, eludwig@iastate.edu or 563-382-2949.

Lamont Horizons Completed Study Circle Phase of Horizon Program

Over thirty people from Lamont have been going through the Horizons Study Circle Phase which was completed on Tuesday, November 18th with their action forum at the United Methodist Church.

“In late August, seven community members were trained as facilitators and they have been leading the discussions about poverty,” commented Erin Ludwig, Lamont’s Horizon Coach. The six facilitators are Lisa Allsup, John Brockschink, Joyce Geistkemper, Alfred Hotchkiss, Jennifer Moine, Laura Morine, and Sarah Prendergast.

“The discussions about poverty and the different types of poverty have been very enlightening to me.” said Laura Morine, facilitator of the study circles. “I hope the program will allow us to get to know our neighbors and once we get to know our neighbors the lines of communication will open and things can happen.”

From the discussions came ideas on how to reduce poverty. At the action forum the participants shared their ideas and then prioritized. Ideas included: developing a website with community resources, businesses and events; sharing information with new community members by having a “Welcome Wagon;” hosting community block parties; increased daycare opportunities; surveying the community for assets; increased mentoring and educational opportunities; and developing a resource guide. Committees were developed and will begin working on these initiatives.

The study circle phase is the first phase of the 18 month Horizon program that brings training and resources to the community to help reduce poverty. Study circles help the community members gain a better understanding of poverty, develop ideas to reduce it, and take action on at least one idea. This program is being offered to Hazleton by Iowa State University Extension through a grant from the Northwest Area Foundation.

For more information about the Horizons program go to www.extension.iastate.edu/horizons/. If wanting to become involved with the Horizons program or any of the committees that have been developed in Lamont, please contact Erin Ludwig, ISU Extension Family Resource Management Field Specialist who is serving as the Horizon Coach for Lamont community, at 563-382-2949 or eludwig@iastate.edu. You may also contact Laura Morine, Lamont’s Horizon Steering Committee chair, at 563-924-2702.

Lamont had three different study circles going. One group on Tuesday afternoon, a Tuesday night groupa and a Saturday afternoon group. The Tuesday groups meet 4 times for 2 hours where the Saturday afternoon group only met twice for 4 hours. The 4 -2 hr sessions worked better as it gave you time to think before the next session. It was a good idea to just divide the groups up based on the time that worked best for the participants and it really got a variety of people involved. We had just a couple people drop out of the study circles and the ones that continued really offered great ideas and insight to this project.

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