You Asked For It!

You Asked For It!
Enjoy and afternoon and evening of training, dinner and networking with Horizon Alumni and New Horizon community members.
Join us Friday, April 3rd at The New Springdale Community Center (The Depo)
Starting at 2:30 PM training with Jan Klein on Youth/Adult partnerships then from
5-7 we’ll have dinner and Alumni Speed Dating Horizon Style where you’ll get to meet and talk to
other Horizon folks, learn what works and what doesn’t.

Please R.S.V.P. by March 27th to Krisan@wsu.edu or 690-8400

Travel and child care reimbursement is available upon request.
Krisan LeHew
Horizon's Community Coach
Community Leadership to Reduce Poverty
Washington State University Extension
P.O. Box 401
Chewelah, WA 99109
(509)690-8400
(509)935-0578 (fax)
krisan@wsu.edu

"Mystery Shopper" Comes to Chewelah

What Does Your Customer Want?
Let’s GET REAL!

Are your customers returning?
What impressions are you making?
What do you and your community offer?
Why do people visit Chewelah?
What are others saying about you?

Visitors to your community include commuters, family or friends of local residents, as well as out-of-town recreational or business travelers. And good customer service, provided by your business, helps to secure and retain that visitor "wallet share”.

But it’s not just about good customer service it is about GREAT Service. Businesses and communities will spend thousands of dollars attracting the customer but little time and energy training their staff to assure their return. Are you building LOYAL customers or just SATISFIED ones? The satisfied customer may tell someone who asks about your business, if convenient. The loyal customer tells everyone, and always return. How are you doing?
This class offers a fun and interactive experience.

• What is the WOW and how do I get it?
• Why the customer will return.
• How important is Body Language?
• What your customers are actually thinking?
• How to deal with difficult customers and turning them into WOW’s.
• It’s not what you say…it’s how to say it.
• What makes you stand out from the other businesses or areas?
• Why the visitor will spend 4 times the amount if they stay overnight. This does not include lodging.

FACT:
The number one reason customers spend more, stay longer and return to most businesses is because they were pleased with the customer service they received.

Saturday, June 28, 2008
Chewelah City Council Room
1:00pm to 4:00pm

Light refreshments will be served. Gas cards and child care reimbursement available upon request.

Horizon Board Member Highlighted in Newsletter

Angie Tipton, Chewelah's Horizons Board Vice-Chair, was featured on the front page of the Rural Resources newsletter. Hre is the article - her new leadership role in Head Start wil have a positive impact on our community; and she's been a great organizer on our committee!

Angie Tipton’s son, Joseph, used to be shy and standoffish, and his speech problems caused him and his parents no end of frustration.

“He’d just get so mad when you couldn’t understand,” says his mother. All that started to change after Angie enrolled Joseph, then 3, into Head Start, a federal program provided locally by Rural Resources Community Action.

RRCA is a one-stop resource for individuals and families in need in rural Northeast Washington. In addition to early-childhood programs (Head Start), we help people with housing, employment and training, senior services, transportation, energy and rental assistance, family counseling and support, and other needs.

Angie – who had come to us for rental assistance and help with energy costs – decided to sign her only child up for Head Start because she wanted him to socialize and learn with other children, but couldn’t afford to put him into private preschool.

Head Start is more comprehensive than preschool, and it’s free. In addition to language-rich preschool classes, the program provides qualified low-income and disabled children and their families with health education and screenings and parent training and support.

Angie noticed a change in her son right away. He became more verbal and social. He seemed a much happier child as he brimmed with excitement about the friends he was making and the songs and letters he was learning.

Through Head Start, Angie and her husband, Michael, connected with other families and received expert advice in classes on parenting strategies and child development. They also found out about their son’s speech and developmental delays in time to get him enrolled in the Chewelah School District Preschool, a special-education program that gives the 5-year-old the intensive one-on-one help he needs to be ready for kindergarten.

“Joseph is learning new things every day,” says Angie. “He's really grown academically by leaps and bounds even in this short time. I’m so proud of him!”

Angie shudders to think where her son would be now were it not for Head Start. “He probably would have been so far behind, they would have held him back,” she says. There’s also a lot more peace in the household now that Joseph is better able to communicate, adds Angie, who is also stepmom to her husband’s teenage son. “We no longer have to guess at what he’s trying to tell us,” she says. “He got really good at pointing, but now he doesn’t do that. He uses his words.”
While Joseph was finding his voice, Angie also found hers.

At the urging of Rural Resources Family Services Advocate Bev Wilkerson, Angie agreed to represent Chewelah parents on the Head Start Policy Council, which makes policy, staffing and curriculum decisions. Late last year, she was elected vice chair.

“Bev saw something in me that I didn't see, and she was right,” says Angie, who has since become involved in a grant-funded project to reduce poverty in the Chewelah area.
“I’ve learned an awful lot,” she says. “Plus I’ve developed leadership skills that just weren’t there before. When I first started, I had no idea how to speak up and push the issue. I’ve really grown legs on that.”
Like mother, like son.

Horizons More/Better Jobs Meeting Minutes- April 10, 2008

Meeting Agenda

• Introductions
• Get an update from the group of what projects & assignments are currently being pursued or planned
• 4:00 pm - Leslie Jones, Executive Director of Tri-County Economic Development District(TEDD)
• What is currently being done for businesses/jobs in this area?
• What can we do as a group?
• Refine strategy
• Set up next meeting date(preferably a Thursday)
• Assignments for next meeting

Present: Tracey Rice, and Angie Tipton

Meeting started at 3:36 pm

• Only two members of the group were present, so everything on the agenda was tabled until a later meeting-(School District Board meeting was also today at the same time, and prevented some members from being present)
• We had Debra Kollock(Chewelah's Community Coach), Gary McNiel(Chewelah Steering Committee), Jason (Director of the Youth Center), Louise(Chamber of Commerce), Bob(Akers United Drug), and Ralph Walter all present as guests to hear Leslie Jones
• Introductions were made

Leslie Jones' Presentation:

• Handouts were given: "Business Plan outline", "Do You Have What It Takes to Start a Home-Based Business or Micro Business? & "Rate Yourself-Are You Ready To Start A Business?"
• Leslie asked what kind of questions and concerns we had

1. What can we do to support businesses and make them sustainable?
2. Some of the jobs that are available here, we don't have people qualified to fill.
3. "Basic Skills" and "Work Ethics" are very lacking.
4. How can we keep our youth in the community?
5. There's a huge need for "Work Readiness" Training.
6. A need for higher education to be qualified for today's work force.
7. Three local businesses have recently closed down, and more are expected to do the same. What can we do to support them better?
8. What is the "Five Star Enterprise Community Development" program? What are we lacking in qualifying for this program?

Leslie will do some research for us and try to identify the "gaps" in our local economy, and get back with us.

• Leslie Jones gave a brief overview of what TEDD does, and what types of projects they work on
• She has only been working for TEDD for eight months, and states that she's still learning
• In the past she's managed a Chamber of Commerce for several years
• States that "Rural Issues" aren't unique, and several communities have the same problems,(more/better jobs needed, improved economy, affordable housing issues, Ect.)
• Leslie has extensive background in dealing with these rural issues that we're facing, and connecting the dots for communities like Chewelah
• Explained that the "Five Star Enterprise Community Development" program is ending this year, and has been federally funded for the last ten years at about $150,000 per year that will be gone- Huge loss of yearly money for the qualifying communities, and will definately have an impact
• Leslie believes that if we can grow one job at a time it equals a stabler community in the long run than big business hiring 100 workers, then later laying off those 100 workers
• TEDD is required to do "job fairs"
• She's going to train her staff to be instructors of an entrepreneurial program
• Discussed micro business, and that they have less than a million dollars in revenue
• Talked about tourism and how it strengthens rural communities
• Currently has three Americorps volunteers working for TEDD, and has applied to get three more to pick up from where they leave off during the following year
• Discussed doing an informal study or survey of the local area business needs and strengths to get a starting point of where to go from here as a group

TEDD's Mission

In order to sustain the highest quality of life for the people of Northeast Washington, the Tri-County Economic Development District strives to develop a stable and diverse economy; to build partnerships between businesses, government and communities; and to assist businesses to grow, invest, create, and retain jobs.

• I've included this because it says it all, and I encourage you to visit their Website: www.teddonline.com which has a wealth of information about Chewelah, and the other Tri-County communities
• On behalf of myself and all the members of the Horizons More/Better Jobs Committee we'd like to recognize & thank Leslie Jones for her wonderful presentation, she's an asset to Chewelah and all of our community neighbors!! We'd also like to thank those members of the community that came to hear her speak; and thank you to Gary McNiel for taking the great photos for our blog!!

Meeting Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Angie Tipton

Steering Committee Meeting Minutes- April 8, 2008

Meeting Agenda

• Personal Touch- Inviting individuals to the Workshops
• TEDD Director to visit Chewelah
• Report on possibility of Sue Price Marketing Workshop
• Debra report on Chewelah possible workshops
• Discussion on what we will do with our $4,000 Training Grant Monies
• Horizon Committee Updates/Community News
• Other

Present: Gary McNiel, Karen Lyson, Sarah Haden, Krisan LeHew, Tracey Rice, Rose Walter, Angie Tipton, Debra Kollock(Chewelah's Community Coach)

Meeting Started at 4:35 pm

• Rose and Debra talked about how effective personal invitations are, and Debra provided a stack of flyers for both the upcoming workshops
• Tracey volunteered to hand deliver the flyers to local businesses
• Angie reported that she'd received a phone call today from Cindy at the School District Office to bump the reservation made for the Horizons More/Better Jobs Committee for April 10, with Leslie Jones as guest speaker
• Krisan checked with the City Hall Office about their other room, and reserved that for Thursday's meeting at 3:30 pm
• Angie will send out an email about the change of location, and contact Leslie Jones to let her know, and also invited all Steering Committee members. She has taken on the leadership of the Horizons More/Better Jobs Committee
• Rose spoke about Sue Price(Marketing Consultant) from Oregon that goes into communities and shops, and later does a 3 hour workshop to see what's working, what's not, and what can be done to improve local businesses, but getting her would take up over half of our training funds
• Karen moved that we book Sue Price, and Tracey seconded, we all voted, and the motion carried unanimously
• Krisan will get Karen information to post to the blog about Sue Price
• Sue Price will be booked for the last week of June (50 people=$2,200) estimate
• Hunters- Has spent all of their training dollars on health related trainings (Baby Sitting Classes, 1st Response First Aid & CPR, and Food Handler's Training
• Colville- Has decided on 2 Workshops, "Early Learning/Literacy From Birth To Three", and a half day training on "Entrepreneurial Training", as well as an "Innovation Contest", where there will be a panel of people to rate the innovations, and research it's marketability
• Springdale- A car load of women are going to the "Green Conference" in Seattle, and a car load of men are going to Goldendale for a hands on workshop on building with earth plasters, clay, and building a cob house.
• Springdale will also be having a workshop with Patrick Malone after the Grant Writing Workshop to give them help writing a grant
• John Smith will be talking about Business Planning, and 501 C3's at the "Little Gallea Restaurant" in Kettle Falls on Wednesday at 6:00 pm
• Debra is working on a list that will sort grants regionally by topics, and groups to make them easier to access
• Karen reported that Naomi Miller spent 3 hours inputting email addresses for all Horizons participants
• Sarah reported about"Power Of Hope" which motivates youth through various arts that would be great to research for getting something up and going for the youth of Chewelah, or the youth mentors- She says they're great

Community News/Chewelah

• There's a "Teen Night" with movies, games, and food coming in June to the Chewelah Library that we'd like to help support- Tracey will check and see what is needed, and report back to the committee
• Gary reported that the "Youth Center" may open up for another day each week, and talked about the need for volunteers/mentors, and about Thursday's being"Family Night" with a turnout rate of 15 youths, and four adults
• All community ideas have been forwarded to CTED to see if there's anything they could help with
• Sarah reported that the RCO(Resource Conservation Office) has a grant writer that Newport is going through about building a marina, and could be a possible resource in the future for Chewelah projects. They did the Chewelah tennis courts, and "Riverfront Park" in Spokane
• Debra mentioned maybe using all calculated volunteer hours as a volunteer match when applying for future grants because it shows just how many hours we've put in as a community towards "Poverty Reduction" already to date
• Debra is working on getting highway signs for the "Horizons Communities"
• As of July 1, 2008 Chewelah will be considered an "Alumni Community"
• Angie, Tracey, and Rose volunteered to come to the upcoming workshops early to help with registration, gas cards, child care, ect.

Next Meeting will be on April 29, at 4:30 pm in room #105 at the Chewelah City Hall

Meeting Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Angie Tipton