Faith, SD

There were twenty-four people in attendance, with the following organizations and businesses being represented:

Vilas Health and Variety
Plains Agency
City of Faith
Faith Feeds
T&D Honey
Poo Bear Express
Faith School
Meade Co 4-H Rodeo
Faith High School Rodeo
Country Closet
Lynn’s Dakota Mart
Faith Chamber
Faith Fire Department
Faith Ambulance
Ricks Auto

This is a great community involvement.

It was discussed how we all need to work together to help things happen in Faith. Anyone with ideas of things that should take place please feel free to contact the Chamber Office.

It was discussed about all the following events and if someone wants to take one of them that would be wonderful. If each person would take one event then no one will get burnt out on doing everything. If you do take an event on it is just asked that you contact the chamber with all the details so that they can run it through a meeting so they can help in any way possible.

We discussed the following events:

Anyone wishing to sign-up for any of the events please call the Chamber Office and let them know:

Easter Egg Hunt – Kids March 22^nd

We need businesses to call the chamber if they are interested in donating items for the hunt. The following businesses have signed up to donate items:

Faith Feeds – Linda’s Drive Inn – T&D Honey – Vilas Health and Variety – Country Closet – Poo Bear Express. If there are any other business interested in donating items please contact the Chamber of Commerce as soon as possible.

The following Individuals have signed up to help with different age divisions the day of the hunt, we are in the need of five people:

1. Cindy Clark
2. Sandy Rasmussen

The following individuals have signed up to help with stuffing the eggs:

1. Cindy Clark
2. Sandy Rassmusen
3. Nancy Reimer
4. Lorna Shoemaker
5. Tom and Danette Maxwell
6. Shawn Peterson

Golden and Silver Easter Egg Hunt March 10^th Silver March 17^th Gold

1.   The chamber office would also be in charge of getting clues to the businesses and advertising if a business starts to get low on clues they would need to call the chamber office and ask for some. Maybe chamber could even give them out at Bingo when someone purchases a packet.
2. The businesses would all have an Easter Basket with the clues in them when a customer purchases $5 worth of merchandise they would be given a chance to draw a clue. Only one clue per purchase no matter the amount of the purchase. They do not get to redraw a clue if they have already received that clue that is just the luck of the draw.

We need all business that would like to be involved to contact the Chamber Office by March 3^rd so that advertising can be done.

Ladies Day – Health Fair

Contact Person -Shawn Peterson

It was suggested to do this in April instead of March because of all the activities in March. A date and schedule will soon be released. If anyone has any ideas please contact Shawn at speterson@takini.net

8^th Grade Visitation May 6^th

Contact Person -Shawn Peterson

The discussion was to bring this back with the chambers help. In the past we have done a meal and a informational meeting for the incoming 8^th graders and also their parents. If anyone has any ideas please contact Shawn at speterson@takini.net

Mothers Day Tea

Contact Person – Amy Schuelke and Barb Isaacs

It was suggested to do the Tea on a Saturday instead of a week day so working mothers could attend. If anyone has ideas or would like to help please contact Amy or Barb at Vilas Health and Variety 967-2123

Lorna Shoemaker was in attendance for the rodeo, and it was discussed about the clean-up which they can always use help with. This will take place the Thursday before the rodeo on May 8^th . They will also be getting sponsors for the events anyone wanting to help with the rodeo or to sponsor a event please contact Lorna Shoemaker at lornashoemaker@hotmail.com

The ambulance is discussing doing a one day event instead of a week long. It would be called “Your Life is Our Mission- so lets Party at Durkee Lake. It would be a family event on May 24^th at Durkee Lake some of the events they are looking at hosting are a Duck Race – BBQ – Sand Volleyball – Golf – Kids Fishing – First Aid Tournament. This is a great event for all the community to realize how important knowing emergency care is. Anyone interested in helping or having ideas please contact Shawn at speterson@takini.net

Awards Night May 13^th

Mel Dutton will get a date back to us. We are still in need of someone to help organize the evening. In the past the chamber has helped decorate the event and provided drinks and cookies. Anyone interested in helping please contact the Chamber as soon as possible. This is a great event for our youth to be recognized for their accomplishments.

Graduation May 18^th

Ida Hibner and Lorna Shoemaker were both in attendance for the rodeo. The Rodeo has moved dates from July to June because of the National High School Finals Rodeo. Anyone wanting to donate towards the rodeo or help with anything please contact Ida at idah@gwtc.net or Lorna at lornashoemaker@hotmail.com

This is an event that has been mentioned that brought a lot of people to town. We are searching for someone who would be interested in heading this up. Please contact the chamber office if you are interested.

Demoltion Derby June 14^th

It was discussed about having events on the day of the 4^th including Volleyball, Golf, a community cook-out, pool games ect. We are in the need of someone to take this on. If you are interested please contact the Chamber Office.

It was suggested having a hypnotist one day of the stock show or maybe a Hoe Down. We will get a contact person for the Stock Show and get the out to everyone.

Welcome for Teachers August 18th

Mr Dutton talked about how good this was in the past. Noel Fischbach has volunteered to take this event on. He will get with Mr. Dutton and get a date set. Anyone with any ideas or who would like to help Noel you can contact him at fthfds@faithsd.com

A lot of discussion was held on this when to do it and how. Tom and Danette Maxwell and Deb Brown has volunteered to head this up. If anyone has any ideas on this please contact Deb at faith@faithsd.com or Tom or Danette at tom_maxwell@hotmail.com

This will be held sometime around Thanksgiving. Amy Schuelke, Jami Sheridan and Cindy Clark have volunteered to do head this event. Anyone wanting to help or having ideas please contact Jami at Sheridan@faithsd.com or Cindy at crisis@faithsd.com also Amy can reached at Vilas 967-2123.

Christmas Activities

Discussion was held on Christmas events and it was mentioned having a community pot luck, wreath auction, gingerbread house auction. We are in need of someone to take care of all the following events if anyone is interested in any of them please contact the Chamber Office as soon as possible.

Parade of Lights

Misty Williams and Darcy Moleman have volunteered to help with the Christmas Fair. It was discussed changing the date to a weekend either Saturday or Sunday and also a weekend away from Bison and Dupree. Anyone with ideas can contact Misty or Darcy at the Faith School.

New Years Eve – Vegas Night December 31^st

A date was not set for this it was discussed that this could be held during Stock Show or sometime. If there is anyone wanting to do this event please contact the Chamber Office.

Sue May 10^th – Sept

It was discussed that we need to be prepared for all the extra people in town. The Chamber will keep everyone informed on this.

The community will be hosting a informational meeting on February 26th at 5:00pm until 6:00pm at the Frontier Room in the Prairie Oasis Mall. This meeting is to get events happening in Faith and to involve everyone in the community. There are alot of GREAT ideas out there and they need to put into action and this is where we need your help. Some of the ideas that are being discussed are the Easter Promotion which will bring back the popular GOLDEN EASTER EGG HUNT and also a kids easter egg hunt with great prizes. The meeting will also involve talking about items for the next year such as Demolition Derby, Mothers Day Tea, Lady’s Day, 4th of July, Home Show with Barrel Racing and Team Roping, Halloween, Ethnic Week with Crazy Days, EMS Week, Christmas Activities, Turkey Boweling, Christmas Fair, New Years Eve with Vegas Night, Parade of Lights, and many more activities that you find exciting. These are all events that community members have showed interest in and we are asking for your input to help chamber make these possible.

It is very important that local businesses please attend to offer your in put into the activities. All of these activities could possible bring customers in your door and valuable dollars. Also it is important that all community members attend and offer you in put into what you would like to see happening in our community.

We would also like to invite all local organizations to attend, so we can all work together to make each and every event bigger and better every year.

SO COME ONE COME ALL
BUSINESS OWNERS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
SCHOOL BOARD
CITY OF FAITH COUNCIL MEMBERS
AMBULANCE SERVICE
FIRE DEPARTMENT
STOCK SHOW COMMITTEE
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
LADIES MEDICAL ORGANIZATION
FAITH STUDENT COUNCIL
FAITH HIGH SCHOOL RODEO CLUB
MEADE CO 4-H RODEO COMMITTEE
LOCAL CHURCH GROUPS
CAT TEAM
AND ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE BETTERMENT OF FAITH AREA.

From February 11th to the 14th, the FHS Student Council sold and delivered Valentine grams to the students at Faith school.  This is a new project for the student council only in its 2nd year as an SDSCA (South Dakota Student Council Association) member, and they did well.  The total profit from the project was $125 which will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network. This is an ongoing project of the SDSCA and at last year’s leadership conference $18,113 was donated by all participating student councils in SD. This year’s donation will be presented at a ceremony with all other student council’s from the around the state at the SDSCA State Leadership Conference in Pierre on April 1st 2008.  Great job guys!

The previously cancelled grand opening of the Faith fitness center has officially been set for this Wednesday, February 20th at 4:00 pm.  After the ribbon cutting, the Horizon’s meeting will be at 5:00 pm at the Faith Community Center meeting room. Hope to see everyone there!!!

On February 5th the Faith Chamber of Commerce hosted the 31st annual Ranchers Forum at the Community Center in Faith. With the help of Morris Lemke, SDSU Extension Agent in Ziebach County; the Chamber was able to bring a strong slate of speakers in for the afternoon program. Prime Rib supper was served by the Chamber prior to the grand finale. The banquet speaker this year was the SD Secretary of Agriculture Mr. Bill Evan. He talked about his background in the ag industry, his thoughts about some of the current and upcoming issues facing ag producers and what his department, the Govenor’s office and the legislature is doing on some of these things. He also spent some time answering questions posed by the audience and visiting with people afterwards (he and his staff actually left the same time we did after everything was cleaned up). Over the years this really has been a great program the Chamber and especially Mr. Lemke put on and this year was no exception. A big Thanks goes out to the people that worked to put it together, those who donated door prizes(a LOT of them), the sponsors of the meal, the speakers and the producers attending. Remember comments and suggestions are always welcomed and encouraged.

Since the weather was sooo snowy on Monday February 11th (and we’re not complaining) all of the festivities were cancelled.  However, we still need to open the Fitness Center.  So, we have rescheduled the opening for February 20th.  More details to follow.  Sorry for any inconveniences.

 Every month, we are asked questions and need to blog on them.  If you have anything at all to add or to answer these questions, please comment below and help us out!!!        Thanks.

Please choose one or two questions in EACH category to address on your blog:

Category 3: Taking action on poverty

What kinds of concrete steps are being taken by your community to address poverty?

Category 7: Taking action on leadership

How has your community leadership expanded?

ü Are more people participating in leadership?

ü Are different kinds of people (representing more sectors or parts of the community) now participating in community leadership?

ü Does the community leadership reflect the community’s demographic profile?

ü Are more low income people participating in community leadership?What changes have been made in the way your community recruits and trains new leaders? Sustains existing leaders?

We are getting excited!! The fitness center will have the ribbon cutting at 4:00 PM Monday, February 11!! We are pleased to say that a majority of the equipment donated came from the Hills area!! People came forward after seeing our article in the Rapid City Journal. Eight pieces of very heavy equipment was donated by the Rapid City Christian School!! It is wonderful when communities help out other communities in need!!

On January 29th, several Horizon’s II members and various volunteers gathered to unload and carry up many stairs, several large pieces of equipment donated to the new fitness center.  A comment from one of the volunteers was, “it was 5,000 lbs of rukus.”  The fitness center will be located above the police department in Faith, in the old city office.  The Grand Opening will be on February 11th.