Whitewood Conservation Corps

Are you 14 years of age or older?  The WCC is looking for a crew to clean up  flood debris including brush and tires and other materials in areas designated by Ross Grant from the City Maintenance Department.  This will be a short term paid job.  Waivers must be signed and can be obtained at City Hall or the Library.  A date has yet to be set for the clean up project.  Questions can be directed to Lynn Hill, Whitewood Police Officer or Rea Weyrich, Library Director (269-2616).

Enter them in the 

Butte/Lawrence County Fair  12-16 August at Nisland, SD

10 July at 10:00               All welcome

 On June 24^th, 5 members of the Whitewood Babysitters Club met at the City Library to continue their learning experiences.  The theme of the meeting focused on age appropriate activities with this week targeting preschool age youth.  In addition to receiving many more babysitter accessories (binder, day planner, etc.) with the help of the Horizons Grant and the Lawrence County Extension Office, the participants learned about and how to make file folder games that can be fun and educational for preschoolers at the same time!  Resources are available at the City Library for the club members to continue their activities throughout the year.

Deb Rombough, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator presented the workshop. 

The next workshop is planned for 10 am on July 10^th at the City Library where the focus will be on basic money management / how to make the most of your babysitter earnings.  Please call Rea at the library @ 269-2616 or Deb Rombough at 642-6200 to pre-register for the workshop.  Thank you.

  A WALK in the cool morning breeze can start your day off right.

            WALK to the Whitewood ball field for some evening entertainment.  

                        WALK on your own or with your family or friends  all around town.        

Step towards the Whitewood Walking Challenge.  Walking logs and pedometers are available at the Whitewood Public Library. 

Join the community walks on 13 July and 23 August

 Horizons communities around the state have identified actions to address poverty in their community. Many have identified our cultural reliance upon personal vehicles as an impediment to thriving communities. There is little public transport in rural areas and safe-bike ways are forgotten.  Take the pledge to support the effort to reduce our reliance upon oil and to build healthier communities where people are at the center.

Disney Minnie Grants

Agency: Youth Service America and Disney       Deadline: 08/30/2008

Description:Youth Service America and Disney are pleased to launch a second round of Disney Minnie Grants to engage children and youth, ages5-14 as community volunteers. The selected applications will receive $500 to support their youth-led service projects. The deadline is August 30 and projects must take place October 15-November 15, 2008.

The recent down pours certaintly don’t lend to the thought of conserving water  but the hot summer months are upon us.  Water consumption for our yards, gardens, & everyday summer activities can take a  toll on our water supply.  Installing a rain barrel can help with the cost of higher water usage and  help with conservation of our most precious resource. 

• Rain barrels conserve water and help lower costs (a rain barrel can save approximately 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months).
• Rain barrels reduce water pollution by reducing stormwater runoff, which can contain pollutants like sediment, oil, grease, bacteria and nutrients.
• Rain barrels are inexpensive and easy to build and install

 You can search for rain barrels on the internet or find them at your local garden supply and hardware stores.  A rain barrel can simply be a garbage can that sits under a downspout or heavy runoff point from your roof.  It does not have to be expensive or fancy.  Here are some websites with good information on them: 

http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/rainbarrels.htm

http://www.harvesth2o.com/faq.shtml

SARE Provides Grants and Information to Improve Profitability, Stewardship and Quality of Life

SARE is a competitive grants program providing grants to researchers, agricultural educators, farmers and ranchers, and students in the United States.

Research and Education Grants: Ranging from $30,000 to $150,000 or more, these grants fund projects that usually involve scientists, producers, and others in an interdisciplinary approach.

Professional Development Grants: To spread the knowledge about sustainable concepts and practices, these projects educate Cooperative Extension Service staff and other ag professionals.

Producer Grants: Producers apply for grants that typically run between $1,000 and $15,000 to conduct research, marketing and demonstration projects and share the results with other farmers and ranchers.

On Farm Research/Partnership: Supports on-farm research by Extension, NRCS, and/or nonprofit organizations. Northeast, Southern and Western regions.

Sustainable Community Innovation: Forges connections between sustainable agriculture and rural community development. Northeast and Southern regions.

Sample Farmer/Rancher Projects  

June  is Dairy Month

Are you getting your 3-A-Day of Dairy? On the average, Americans eat only half the daily recommended servings of dairy. 3-A-Day of Dairy was created as a reminder to get 3 daily servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt for stronger bones and better health.

Make sure to get your 3-A-Day! 

Five Whitewood, SD youth attended a Babysitting Beginnings Training sponsored by the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service of Lawrence County.  Deb Rombough, Family and Consumer Science Educator, was the presenter.  The youth gained information and hands-on experience covering basic safety and first aid, how to make healthy snacks, important facts about ages and stages of children, babysitting responsibilities and the business facts, age appropriate activities and much more!  Each participant received a babysitter’s kit and a wallet card certificate of completion.  This program is a part of the Whitewood Babysitter Club project, a result of the Horizons project. 

Follow-up workshops will be available in the future.  Currently topics scheduled at the Whitewood Public Library include:

June 19 – First Aid Follow-up / Choking Safety – Ellen Jenter, County Health Nurse (10-11 am)

June 24– Developmentally appropriate activities for children / rainy day activities (2-3 pm)

July 10 – Basic Financial Education / Savings for Youth (10-11 am)

Please pre-register by calling Deb Rombough at the Lawrence County Extension Office @ 642-6200 or Rea W. at the Whitewood Library @ 269-2616.

2nd All-American Wrestling Camp     

July 11-12         at Hale Hall

Brother’s Justin and Stanton Schlecht, former Whitewood AAU Members, are the clinicians for the camp.  Both brothers went on to wrestle for Sturgis Brown High School then continued to Dickinson (ND) State University. 

Justin, head instructor, is a three-time national champion and four-time All-American .  He was named NAIA Wrestler of the Year for 2007-08.  Justin was selected to appear in a Sports Magazine.

Stanton, assistant instructor, has earned All-American honors twice.  He finished second at the 2008 national tournament and eighth in the 2007. 

11 July  12 - under  12:00 - 3:00 pm                        13 - over  4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

12 July  12 - under 9:00 am to 12:00 pm                13 - over 1:00pm -4:00pm

Session sizes are limited.  A t-shirt is included with the $45 registration fee.  An AAU card is required.  Call Trevor Papenfuss at 722-2071 for more info.

SOUTH DAKOTANS WORRY ABOUT INCOME AND ECONOMY

Findings from a survey commissioned by the Northwest Area Foundation

IN THIS SURVEY, South Dakotans say they are worried about theirpinched wallets, overworked neighbors and struggling local economies.83%say they’ll vote this November, and most say their choices will be

influenced by what local elected officials are doing to help those struggling to

make ends meet:

• 3 in 10 worry all or most of the time that their income

won’t pay the bills this year.

• 1/2 say their local economies are “only fair” at best.

• Most believe their local elected officials should take

specific action on poverty.

At the same time, the survey results point to South Dakotans’ characteristic

“American grit” and hope. And most say they personally want to do more to help.

Click here to read more about this report

Whitewood’s Mary Livingston attended the Northwest Area Foundation’s Grassroots and Groundwork conference in Minneapolis this past week.   Here are more details

page has been updated. See the right hand side under pages and you can find the upcoming events page. If you have an event to post either comment here on the blog or send an email to the blog address and we’d be happy to get it on the blog for you.

       Summer activities  to write on your calendar

• June 5 - Baby sitting Class/Club starts 
• June 14 - 1st Whitewood Walking Challenge
• June 28-29 -  Whitewood Days
• June 28 - Poker Run
• July 1-31  - “Catch the Reading Bug” @ the Whitewood Public Library 
• July 7-10 - First Presbyterian Church Vacation Bible School
• July 13 -2nd Whitewood Walking Challenge
•  July 13 -  Whitewood Horizons Graduation
• July 28 -1 Aug - Immanuel Lutheran Church VBS Day Camp
• August 12 - 16 -  Butte/Lawrence County Fair
• August 18-22 - Black Hills Baptist Church Vacation Bible School
• August   - 3rd Whitewood Walking Challenge

Did we miss anything?  Is your event listed?  Send in your additions to the Blog address on the right hand side of the screen.

Yahoo! Come on in for Whitewood Days celebration - June 28-29

Events on the table are

 Saturday - poker run, pool and dart tournamet

Sunday service in Oak Park, potluck to follow

June 29th we are doing some fundraisers for the Skate park. Also, we are donating $5 from every poker run entry fee to the skate park.nts, karaoke contest, street dance, kids games, horseshoe tournament

 the Horseshoe Tournament! It will be Saturday afternoon, June 28th across from the Hub, in our empty lot. Tracy Heaton and Bob Hawick have graciously volunteered to ‘man’ the event! Thanks guys!!

Debbie Shafto

Immanuel Lutheran Church - 28 July - 1 Aug                     269-2104

Presbyterian Church -              7-10 July                                                                 6:00 pm  - 8:30 pm

Black Hills Baptist Church -     18 - 22 Aug                           269-2646                 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

BH Baptist’s theme for their VBS is ” Out Rigger Island”  and open for ages 4 yrs - 6th Grade.  A light supper will be provided.  Need a ride?  call 269-2646

Whitewood Beginning Babysitting Class  has been postponed one week 

                            to  Thursday 5 June from 9:30 - 11:30
 
Class conducted by Deb Rombough, Lawrence County Extension Agent, at the Whitewood Public Library.  Anyone wishing to sign up may call the Library at 269-2616.      Read this Previous Babysitting Club Blog  for more information.     previous date was 29 May.

 Deb Rombough - Beginning Babysitting -  5 June    9:30-11:30 am 

Deb Rombough -  Age Appropriate Activities on June 12 from 10-11 am

Ellen Jenter, County Health Nurse - on June 19 from 10-11 am

Hello to all, the city wide yard sale is fastly approaching and we have several people who are taking part in this. For all the ones who have been asking I will not be putting the maps out until Friday night. I will deliver them to Whitewood Plaza and Aprils Place. Good luck to all during your yard sale.

Here are our girls from Whitewood who dance for Stugis Performing Arts. This was taken at their recitle May 17th. Girls you did a great job.

If we help our children understand how to use money, it may help them budget for the future.                 
1: Teaching: Teach them the value of the different coins. Talk about it!
2: Play Money: Letting your children have some of their money they have earned, for play money, gives them a choice for things they want.
3:Change the world: Teach your children, about donating to charitable organizations. And show them how it will help these organizations. Talk about it!
4: Saving for the future: Talk with your children about saving some of their money in a jar, or get a bank account set up for them and show them, each week, how their money is growing.
There are many other ways we can teach our children about money. By teaching your children about the value of the dollar now! May help your children understand how to use money.
GOOD LUCK!

The Summer Reading Program

at the

Whitewood Public Library

          27  MAY  -  “Bug Songs”  Sing & learn about bugs with Tom Cornwell         

                 2 June  -    Pick-up and start your reading log     

             2 July  -    Spin-a-Tale make giant spiders       

             9 July  -   Backyard Bug Hunt learn about bug collecting      

           16 July  -   There’s a Buzz @ your LibraryBHSU Yellow Jacket Mascot visits      

           23 July  -   Wings, Stings, & Leggy Things  use your imagination to make bugs     

          30 July -     Reading Bug Blast       end of program party 

Mondays - Puzzle Day – stop in anytime, do the puzzle and post a bug on the wall

Fridays - Quiz Day       – stop in anytime, do the quiz and pick a prize from the jar.

Wednesdays are Fun Days with Speakers, Crafts and games  from 10:00 – 11:30 

Prizes, make and take activities, treats are planned for your child.

Start your Reading log on 2 June to get a head start on winning prizes in July. 

Some of the girls and moms from troop 72291 went bowling in Rapid City for a mom and me bowling day. We have a great time in out grass skirts and flowers. It was a pot luck so we got lots of great food to eat.

  Tuesday 27 May 2008    3:00 pm

Yes you read right  “Bug Songs”.   This years summer reading program is “Catch the Reading Bug”.  We are starting out with a presentation by Tom Cornwell.   http://www.bugsongs.com/pictures.htm

Just a reminder that the city wide yard sale is May 31st. Email me at mok9698@spe.midco.netor call me at 206-0247 to be put on the map. Please remember the deadline is the 20th of May so that i can get all the advertising done. I look forward to a great turn out. And for the ones who are not happy with the $8 per person, please remember that i put it in the paper, have to make all the maps and copies and also drive all over to put up signs (Sturgis and Spearfish included).

A garden with a broad range of vegetables can save families money, even if they have never gardened before, a South Dakota State University specialist said.

“All that is needed is a space with a minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight per day,” SDSU Extension Horticulture Specialist Rhoda Burrows said. “A single container garden can provide fresh salad greens or tomatoes, while a raised bed can allow those who have difficulty bending or stooping to share in the benefits of growing their own food.”

Burrows said a conservative estimate of a diverse garden of vegetables can yield about $70 worth of vegetables per 100-square feet.

In addition, gardening is good exercise, and it can be a way to help children appreciate nature and healthy food. “It’s not too late to start a garden this year, and your local cooperative Extension office can help you,” Burrows said. “Warm-season crops like tomatoes, beans, and peppers should not be planted until mid-May, so there is time.” (more…)

Just a few pictures of the traffic backed up outside of Whitewood at 5:00 pm on Friday, 2 may 2008. 

We measured 26″ on our picnic table.  This spring storm gave us such heavy wet snow that is hard to move.   When it melts we are going to have water everywhere. 

This is from another blog.  The website it refers to contains facts from studies conducted about green spaces.  

  How Plants Help Communities -

    When trees are planted, communities grow

A scientific study at the Human - Environment Research Laboratory, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has demonstrated that green views and access to open green spaces in urban areas may in fact, help to restore attention and relieve everyday pressures of living in poverty.

For more information, check:         http://www.americainbloom.org/Default.aspx?CategoryId=63

Click on http://communityblogs.us/   then look under Updated Blogs.  These are the latest blogs from other Horizon Communities.  We are not alone in trying to boost our community.    Community Action Groups are coming up with ideas left and right.  

 Justin Schlecht has appeared in the 5 May, Sports Illustrated.  Way to go Justin!!!    Justin moved to Whitewood as a young boy  with his mom and dad, Kim and Kirby Schlecht.  He and his brother Stanton wrestled with the Whitewood AAU wrestling club throughout their grade school and middle school years.  Both boys went on to wrestle  for the Sturgis Scoopers.  Their sister Dani joined the wrestling program as manager for the Scoopers during her high school years.  Now all the children are in college.  Justin and Stanton went to Dickinson State in North Dakota.  Both boys have achieved national attention with their athletic ablities.    

 Pedometers are at Whitewood City Hall for anyone who had a raincheck from the Whitewood Health and Safety Fair.   Thank you for having patience.  We experienced difficulty getting them shipped in time for the  Fair.  They are here now & ready for you to pick up.    Pedometers were purchased by Whitewood Horizons.                                            

        A new small step you can take to a healthier lifestyle, a healthier you!