McKenzie County ND

Can McKenzie County mimic Miner County, South Dakota’s success?

At least 20 people, six from outside McKenzie County, and one foreign exchange student from Germany, came to hear and see first-hand March 7, 2008, how local leaders change their rural community, to see what it takes, how Miner County’s movement started (with youth!) and the lessons they learned. Their grassroots efforts reversed population decline and was a feature story on the Wall Street Journal’s front page in 2005.

Heralded as “the most extraordinary rural development project in the nation” by Dr. Forrest Calico of the National Rural Health Association one year ago, their story begins in 1995 with a three-year successful effort to connect rural schools with their communities.The vision of Miner County? To sustain a community by meeting basic needs, for a community is only as well off as its most destitute citizen; and to grow within ecological lines, for the people must inhabit the community in ways that sustain it for future generations.The interactive television address noted that poverty was addressed by their economic efforts in improving the overall general conditions for everyone.Poverty was “significantly reduced” through their multi-dimensional approach.The FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) students of Howard, SD did a Community cash flow survey, employing the students as agents of change. An economic spending factor of 3.1 was discovered, and local purchases rose. Over 30 pages of information was generated by every question posed in the questionnaire pushed by students. And the results, positive and negative, were reported upon by the students themselves to those they interviewed.

The people listened to the students.

So, could McKenzie County duplicate the success of Miner County?

Here is the vision: (more…)