Armour, SD

Please visit Armour’s home on the World Wide Web

for the latest updates about our town.

Please direct your browser to www.armoursd.com.

Thank you!

The Armour Swim Team has taken to the pool for their yearly competition within the James River Valley Swim League. This year their are 52 youth out for swim team with Alyssa Larson as coach and Amy Barrick as assistant. There are many young faces on the team and they love to have people cheer them on. The first swim meet was last Saturday in Armour and our youth showed up to compete. Check the results in this weeks Armour Chronicle. The youth travel today (Wednesday the 18th) to Corsica. The remaining schedule is as follows:

Saturday June 21st at Kimball

Wednesday June 25th at Avon

Saturday June 28th at O’Neill, NE

Wednesday July 2nd at Armour - The swim team parents run the concession stand with hotdogs, nachos, slushies, homemade bars etc. Come out over lunch and eat and watch the youth.

Wednesday July 9th at Avon

Saturday July 12th at Platte

Sunday July 20th Championship Meet at O’Neill, NE

All meets start at 9:30 am (with the exception on the championship - time announced later).

The swim team parents are also doing the concession stand at ballgames held in Armour. This is a fundraiser the parents are using this year to help defray some of the cost of swimsuits for the youth who need them.

Local Extension Educator Roger Barrick asked me to post this employment opportunity on the blog. The person selected to fill this post will be based out out of Lake Andes and will cover Douglas, Charles Mix, Bon Homme and Hutchinson Counties.

Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator-Charles Mix County
Cooperative Extension
South Dakota State University
Would you like to help individuals of all ages and families improve their quality of life?  Are you interested in using the best research available to provide financial resource management training, health and wellness information and education regarding human development and family relations to families and adults of every age?   If so, the SD Cooperative Extension Service is looking for YOU!

RESPONSIBILITIES
Develop and deliver programming in the areas of financial resource management, human development and relations across the lifespan and nutrition, health and wellness to individuals and families according to identified needs. In conjunction with other agencies and organizations, provide connections to resources and provide education that will facilitate those being served to make informed choices regarding managing their resources, improving the quality of their life and overall health and well being.  Work with colleagues in the county, Field Education Unit, District and across the state to deliver programs relevant to the target audiences, using well researched programs and materials. Evaluate programs and services delivered to determine effectiveness and efficiency.  Serve as a connector to the land grant system for all individuals in the geographic area served.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in family and consumer science, home economics, human ecology or other related field.  Must be able to use a personal computer for basic word processing and email.  Ability to communicate well verbally and in writing is essential.  Must have a valid SD driver’s license and personal auto or be able to obtain both prior to beginning employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Master’s degree in family and consumer sciences, home economics, human ecology or other related field and/or experience in teaching and research.

SALARY:
The salary is commensurate with education and experience.

UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY:
SDSU is a land grant institution and the state’s largest institution of higher education.  The Cooperative Extension Service has a network of educators in nearly every county and specialists in Brookings and Rapid City, primarily.  This position is located in Lake Andes, SD. and serves a multi-county field education unit.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  June 24, 2008

APPLICATION PROCESS:
SDSU accepts applications through an on-line employment site.  To apply, visit:  http://yourfuture.sdbor.edu, search by the position title, view the job announcement, and click on apply for this posting.  The system will guide you through the electronic application form.  The employment site will also require the attachment of a cover letter, resume, and reference page.  Please contact SDSU Human Resources at (605) 688-4128 if you require assistance with this process.

For questions on the position, contact Corrine Huber at 605-865-3205.

Our fund-raising efforts for the cabins are off to a great start with a $4,000 grant from the Armour Community Foundation and a $5,000 grant from Golden West Communications. We also have donation containers set up at businesses around town and we can see that the spare change is starting to add up!

In other news, the Horizons Cabin Committee traveled to the prison at Springfield Wednesday, April 9, to learn more about the cabins they are building for the state park. It was a great trip!

We were able to see the cabin-building operation and had a super visit with prison officials, who were very willing to share information about the cabins. They gave us a lot of great ideas for the Armour cabins, including some suggestions for building a little larger cabin (14′ x 24′) that has a loft for sleeping. The work done by the inmates is top-notch — they build everything from scratch, including the interior furnishings such as bunk beds and cabinets.

We met with the Armour Lions again and they are on board with the project. We are still uncertain whether we will build the cabins ourselves or have them built by another organization such as the prison. If we end up completing the construction on our own, we are hopeful that the prison officials we’ve been working with will assist us with blueprints and a list of building materials.

The movie “21″ did make it to town today, so we will be showing the movie as usual on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. We also have a matinee on Sunday at 3 p.m.

8. Sustaining action and creating structural change around leadership:

Q. How can your community sustain the changes it has already made in its leadership?

A. I think the key to maintaining the leadership that grew out of the Horizons’ project is to keep inviting new people to participate. One thing we learned through Horizons is that there are a lot of people who are willing to help if they are asked. Another thing is to continue to engage people in projects that they have a passion for. We have to remember that while cleaning up at the lake or Parents & Teachers Together might be favorite projects for some people, other people will have no interest those projects. It’s okay for each of us to serve as leaders for projects and organizations that will keep us energized. We also need to remember that there are a variety of leadership positions–some public and some behind the scenes. Again, it is important to allow each person to work in his or her comfort zone.

Q. What structural changes have been made so that your community leadership sustains partnerships with others?

A. Many of the Horizons’ projects have developed natural partnerships. For example, the Parents & Teachers Together group which originated with Horizons is now working hand-in-hand with the school district. The Cabin Committee is now partnering with the Armour Lions Club and The Armour Community Foundation to complete the cabin project in the Lions’ Park. These are just a couple examples of how partnerships are being used to make good projects even stronger.  

12. Sustaining action and creating structural change around community:

Q. How will your community make decisions about seeking further resources to support its plans?

A.  One funding vehicle that was rejuvenated under the Horizons’ project is the Armour Community Foundation. Although the endowment is not yet large enough to fund large community projects, it has already provided some funding for the Women In Action, J20, Senior Citizens, Horizons Cabin Committee/Armour Lions, Child Identification Program (CHIPS)/Masons and Lorain Theater. Hopefully people will begin to see the value of investing in the foundation as a way to support local non-profit projects. Even if a person can’t afford to make a large donation, small resources pooled together can have a great impact.  It is also a great way to leave your legacy in the Armour community.

Q. Is a system in place to maintain contact with, or to continue to work with other communities?  With your Delivery Organization? In other partnerships?

 A. The blog has been a great way to learn about what is happening in other communities. I think that it will be much harder to maintain communication between communities after the grant has ended. The local groups seem to have gotten “rooted,” and I think they will simply continue to communicate through a variety of formats such as the newspaper, newsletters, Web sites, etc. These things are already being used, for example, by groups like the PTT.

Armour, SD Community Calendar  - This is just a sample

(for changes please call Donna Brenner at 724-2818 or email at donnabrenner@hotmail.com)

May

5/14/08         -          Armour Last Day of School - Noon dismissal

5/14/08         -          Armour School Board Meeting @ 7:30 pm

5/15/08         -          Money 4 Life Meeting @ 6:15 Meal, 7 - 9 pm Meeting  Postponed

At the meeting it was decided to clean up around the Lake on May 6th at 5:00 pm. The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts will be helping from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm with food and beverages served to them at 6:00 pm. The Community is also asked to help with the Clean-Up Project. Please bring your pick-ups, chain saws, weed eaters and man/women power : ) There will be food and beverages served following the clean-up. Thank you to everyone who help last year! We had such a great turn out we would love to see you there again this year!! If you have any questions please contact Dana Krull at 724-2459

Armour School has just hired two new teachers that are looking for housing in our town. If anyone has information that may be helpful please contact Brad Preheim or Burnell Glanzer at the school. They are looking to rent and are both single individuals. Any information would be helpful to welcome them to our community. Thank you.