HORIZONS COMMUNITY PROJECTS UPDATE

Community Website-It is up and running and can be viewed at http://www.rockfordwa.com/. Josh Grandinetti and Andy Coumont are doing a great job as the webmasters and are entering new data as it becomes available.
Community Gardens-They are producing a great crop and are being picked by the gardeners for their use and also for those in need who can not get fresh produce on a regular basis. Some items are being sold at the Saturday Farmers Market with proceeds going into the Rockford Community Center (RCC) fund. At the closing of the market each week, perishable produce is delivered to low-income families.
Rockford Community Center (RCC)-Even though no building or facility has been designated as the town's community the fund is still being maintained. Eventually the hope is to have this money go toward a building as a small portion of a down payment, matching funds if a grant becomes available or future facility maintenance. Programs targeting senior social activities, a lending library, and a computer lab are currently being established so when a facility becomes available the programs can opperate in a central location. Income from the Farmers Market and donations from organizations and individuals are going directly to the RCC fund. Soon we will have 501C 3 status for those interested in tax-deductible gifts.

STRATEGIC PLANNING: A Vision For Our Future

What a great time for us to be planning for our great town of Rockford! Elections are coming up and the Horizons group is working on a strategic plan that will better our community. These two events go hand in hand, don't they? Healthy decisions make a healthy place to live! Remember that this is your community and the place you have decided to possibly raise your family or to retire. If you want to get the most out of a community experience, join us in the park on September 10th @ 6:30 for the Horizons BBQ. With your help, in 6 months we can celebrate an awesome community that you want and planned for.

URGENT ALERT re: Safe and Drug Free Schools funding

Dear Safe and Drug Free Schools Supporter

On Friday, July 17th, the Full House Appropriations Committee voted to eliminate the State Grants portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) program. The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee on Appropriations is tentatively scheduled to mark up its version of the bill that contains funding for this program on July 28th.

Please take five minutes TODAY! Phone the members of your congressional delegation (both senators and your representative) by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking for your member’s office. (If you don’t know who the members of your congressional delegation are, you can find out by going to http://capwiz.com/cadca/home/ and entering your zip code.)

Senator Patty Murray (Ph: 202-224-2621; Fax: 202 224-0238

Senator Maria Cantwell (Ph: 202 224 3441; Fax: 202 228-0514

Representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (Ph: 202 225-2006; Fax: 202 225-3392

Email to elected officials must go through their websites:
Senator Patty Murray, http://www.murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Senator Maria Cantwell, http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/

Representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers , http://mcmorris.house.gov/?sectionid=82&sectiontree=4,82.

Please deliver the following message:

- I understand that the Full House Appropriations Committee voted to eliminate the State Grants portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools program

- The House Report says it would rather concentrate funding on targeted interventions, funded through the national programs portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools program

- This is a huge problem and a gigantic mistake because the national programs gives very large grants to a very limited number of local educational agencies who will not be able to sustain these grants when the grant period is over

- In addition, over 90% of school districts, including mine, DON’T receive money from the national programs and probably never will

- Therefore, if the State Grants portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools program is eliminated and there will be no prevention infrastructure in place in the vast majority of schools in the country, including ours, to provide K-12 students with messages and effective programming to counter emerging and embedded drug trends as well as bullying and violence prevention issues

- Please tell your boss that it is critical that the funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools program be maintained and we need their support

*** This request was sent by Kelly LieupoDirector of Public PolicyCommunity Anti-Drug Coalitions of America625 Slaters Lane, Suite 300Alexandria, VA 22314klieupo@cadca.orgTelephone: (800) 542-2322 ext. 241Facsimile: (703) 706-0565

Monday, July 27th, Youth Group, 6:30 p.m. Rockford Community Church.

Monday, July 27th, Lions Club, 7 p.m., Harvest Moon Banquet Room. Craig Swanson, President, Ph: 291-4313

Tuesday, July 28, Summer Swim bus to Tekoa, departs 11:45 a.m., Rockford Park. $2. Returns swimmers to the park at approximately 4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 29th, Planning & Zoning, 6 p.m., City Hall. Contact Darlene LaShaw, Clerk Ph: 291-4716

Thursday, July 30th, Free Movies in the Park, dusk, Rockford Park. Free soda and popcorn courtesy of Rockford businesses. Help with cleanup appreciated.

Thursday, July 30th, Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., United Methodist Church Parsonage. Contact Todd, Ph: 291-4601

Thursday, July 30th, Block Watch, 7 p.m. in the Park with Deputy Sheriff, Travis Pendell

Thursday, July 30, Freeman School District, School Board Meeting, 5 p.m. MS Library

Saturday, August 1st, Farmer's & Flea Market in the Park, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday, August 1st, Crochet Club, 10 a.m.-noon Harvest Moon Banquet Room (or alongside Farmer's & Flea Market in the Park.) Contact Vivian Plank, Ph: 291-3722

Spokane physicians voice opposition

In an unprecedented move, physicians and staff at Heart Clinics Northwest are urging people to contact federal representatives and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and tell them how damaging the currently-in-process President's Health Care proposals for reform would be to patient's medical care.

"The proposed reimbursement schedule is devastating to the care of all patients," says the July 15,2009 open letter sent to HCN patients. "Tell them (federal representatives & CMS) how damaging this would be to your care and they absolutely can't implement these cost reductions."

Heart Clinic Northwest foresees a dramatic decrease in:
Access to care
Substantial reduction in ability to provide high quality care
Probable future reduction in quantity of care.

Comments will be received at CMS no later than August 31, 2009 at 5:p.m. Eastern time and will ONLY reach the proper CMS department at the following:

Electronically submitted comments: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064809f0082.

Written comments sent via US Mail:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: CMS-1413-PP.O.
Box 8013Baltimore, MD 21244-8013.

By express or overnight mail:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: CMS-1413-P
Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

Email to elected officials must go through their websites:
Senator Patty Murray (Ph: 202-224-2621; Fax: 202 224-0238; website: http://www.murray.senate.gov/.)
Senator Maria Cantwell (Ph: 202 224 3441; Fax: 202 228-0514; website: http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/.)
Representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (Ph: 202 225-2006; Fax: 202 225-3392; website: http://www.mcmorrisrodgers.house.gov/.)

E-mail forms: Senator Patty Murray, http://www.murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Senator Maria Cantwell, http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/

Representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers , http://mcmorris.house.gov/?sectionid=82&sectiontree=4,82.

CMS is responsible for reimbursement to hospitals and physicians, and will only be open for comment until August 31, 2009 on proposed cuts in reimbursement for medical care (physician services, outpatient procedures, and imaging services.)

Heart Clinics Northwest is a major provider of cardiac care in the northwest, and advise that "the proposed cuts would amount in total to between a 25% to as much as 50% reduction ... the reduction will be superimposed on an already implemented 15%-20% reduction in the current fiscal year. Our practice cannot sustain this insult and if they are implemented January 1, 2010 as proposed, the impact to you, as a patient, will be radical."

"The risk to you is tremendous and the outcome potentially devastating." HCN wrote.

Social Networking Tips

As rural communities get faster Internet services, social networking increases, bringing opportunities to increase incomes. I have a friend who earns $90 an hour for as little as two hours a day with social networking. However, the ways social networking can endanger the unwary increases, too.

If you're new to social networking (or even if you're not), check out Debra Littlejohn Shinder's article, "10 Ways to Stay Out of Trouble when you Post to Social Networking Sites" on the TechRepublic site at http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=851.

Debra is a Microsoft MVP specializing in enterprise security and CEO of TACteam (Trainers, Authors & Consultants). A former police officer/criminal justice instructor, she has written or contributed to over 20 books and hundreds of articles for print and online publications. Debra is highly respected for her virtual-crime fighting expertise. Her titles include MVP/Security, Editor, WXPnews (http://www.wxpnews.com/), Editor, VistaNews (http://www.vistanews.com/). http://www.debshinder.com/, and Tech Blog: http://deb-tech.spaces.live.com/.

In "Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom," authors Matthew Fraser and Soumitra Dutta wrote, "The generation entering the workforce today - and entering boardrooms everywhere - is fully engaged with social networking and its uses. Rather than feeling threatened and paranoid, today's business leaders need to understand this phenomenon, accept that it won't go away, and embrace its power in the world of business."

Give serious thought to how you use this powerful new medium. Although social networking is increasing at phenominal speed in the business world and vastly enhancing the work-a-day world, it warrants the time to learn about its many uses.

Start at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network to learn more. And be sure to read, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogging.

On the bookshelf, "Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom" is the first comprehensive book written for a wide audience about the Web 2.0 social networking revolution. ... www.throwingsheep.com/.

This Week in Rockford

Monday, July 20th, Youth Group, 6:30 p.m. Rockford Community Church.

Monday, July 20th, McIntosh Grange, 7.p.m. McIntosh Grange. Contact, Susan Hegney, Ph: 995-7001, Carol Evans, Ph: 535-1165

Tuesday, July 21, Summer Swim bus to Tekoa, departs 11:45 a.m., Rockford Park. $2. Returns swimmers to the park at approximately 4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 22nd, Town Council meeting, 7 p.m. City Hall. Contact Darlene LaShaw, Clerk Ph: 291-4716

Thursday, July 23rd, Free Movies in the Park, dusk, Rockford Park.
Free soda and popcorn courtesy of Rockford businesses. Help with cleanup appreciated.

Thursday, July 23rd, S.E. Spokane County Fair meeting, 7 p.m. Harvest Moon Banquet Room

Saturday, July 25th, Crochet Club, 10 a.m.-noon Harvest Moon Banquet Room (or alongside Farmer's & Flea Market in Rockford Park.) Contact Vivian Plank, Ph: 291-3722

Saturday, July 25th, Farmer's & Flea Market in Rockford Park, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Education opportunities

Class schedules at Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, and Institute for Extended Learnging are no longer printed and mailed; go online to www.ccs.spokane.edu and click on class schedules to find fall course offerings, on campus and online. Fall quarter starts September 21, 2009.

The deadline for winter quarter financial ais applications is Nov. 30, 2009.

College prep classes and GEDs are available through the Institute for Extended Learning. Visit www.iel.spokane.edu/abe/ or call 509 533-4600.

If exercise, art, personal enrichment or skill-building classes interest you, classes for seniors, Boomers and everyone else -- CCS noncredit lifelong learning classes are for you. Go to www.ccs.spokane.ed, and click on Class Scheules, and check Noncredit Classes to see what's happening fall quarter.

If transportation is a problem, or you'd like to carpool, please make a comment to this post in the space provided.

Community Gardens thrive

Update from Keith & Linda Wigen, Community Garden team leaders.


"Dear Gardners, The gardens are in and growing well. Thanks to all who helped to plant them. There are three in all -- one next to the Catholic Church, one next to Kit and Dell Stevenson's house (Lake & Maple), and one on the highway going toward Worley, next to Lonny and Linda Thomas's house (A & 1st St.)

"Now that they are growing, we need weeders to keep them in good shape. Please do your share. We won't be setting up schedules for weeding, but are putting you on your honor to take an hour or so a week at your convenience and at the garden of your choice to hoe or pull weeds. Also, in the garden near the church, the lettuce and radishes are ready for picking. Please take what you can use.

"On Thursday, August 6th, we will be having a "weed & feed" at the garden next to the Catholic Church. Please join us. Bring a potluck dish to share and we'll weed awhile and then we'll eat. It will be a good chance to get to know each other better and also to share ideas. We'll meet at six o'clock.

"Thanks for your interest in our gardening project and your continued support. As before, if you have questions, you can call Keith or Linda Wigen at 291-3602, or Todd Hart at 291-4601.

"Your fellow gardeners. "

Swim bus Tuesday not Thursday

The bus, taking kids to swim at Tekoa, leaves Rockford Park at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesdays, not on Thursdays as reported earlier.

I'm sorry for passing along the wrong day, published first in the Rockford News that's sent out with monthly utility bills to homeowners.

Horizons meeting moved

Word just arrived that tonight's 6:30 p.m. meeting of Horizons Poverty Project, scheduled to meet at the Harvest Moon Banquet Room has been moved to St. Joseph's Parish Hall, due to the Harvest Moon Banquet Room being booked for the evening.

Farmer's & Flea Market correction

Saturday, July 18th, Farmer's & Flea Market will be from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., in Rockford Park, not in the Cenex Park.

Mary-Lou Benson said it will be in the Rockford Park "and usually in the Pavilion. However, if a community gathering has been scheduled in the Park, we will be either near the fence or on the cement slab near the back of the Park. Just look for us and your search will be rewarded."

Please attend: Important meeting

Mary-Lou Benson, Team Leader, Horizons Poverty Project said, "Important decisions about upcoming projects that affect area residents will be made tonight."

Benson urges all Rockford residents to attend the meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Harvest Moon Banquet Room.

The agenda includes reviewing Horizons' team leader strategic planning, and selecting which of the outlined projects will be adopted to move forward.

Patrick Malone (MS/PCED), WSU Extension-Horizons Community Coach will be there to guide discussions and offer advice.

Good news & bad

At Wednesday's July 15th Town Council Meeting, 7 p.m. at City Hall, Josh Grandinetti and Andy Coumont will explain and demonstrate the fine points of their creation – Rockfordwa.com – the town's official website.

As always, the public is welcome to attend.

The sad news is, in spite Town Council Member, Micki Harnois efforts, and Horizons' team leader's hours of strategic planning, getting lower cost Broadband access for Rockford residents is not going to happen.

Broadband is provided by Air-pipe.com to customers who are within line-of-site of their equipment, atop the seed elevators near the entrance to town. And although even the lowest installation fee, $199 for three years, is beyond the reach of the majority, because it takes three years for the company to recover their equipment and installation expenses, fees cannot be lowered.

Two other high speed internet providers, Hughes and Wild Blue, are advertised online as also providing service to area customers, but connectivity varies by location and is not less expensive.

Add to that the $49.95-lowest monthly rate, and it's not hard to realize that the majority of Rockford's youth and senior citizens won't have Broadband access.

That Rockford's residents suffer poverty of Broadband access is not only sad, it's almost criminal. Statistics show that without competitive access to the Internet, every segment of society lags farther and farther behind their more fortunate peers; in job markets, in education, in government services, to say nothing of social activities.

Broadband users can read daily newspapers and trade journals from around the globe, and have access to information that can make or break a company dependent on breaking news. They can easily zoom in on any segment of the earth, via GoogleEarth; and talk long distance, via Skype, freed from enormous long distance fees.

The options and opportunities available to Broadband users leave dial-up and cable-dependent Internet users desperately handicapped. There is no foreseeable solution in sight for Rockford.

Both webmasters kept this fact in mind when they created the town's website. Utilizing the best available resources, they designed fast loading pages and options that will greatly benefit Rockford citizens.

These fine young men are hard at work now on a website for their web design business. Watch for the advent of http://www.andrewcoumont.com/.

Upcoming events

Monday, July 13th, Youth Group, 6:30 p.m. Rockford Community Church.

Tuesday, July 14th, Horizons, 6:30 p.m. Harvest Moon Banquet Room.

Thursday, July 16th, Summer Swim bus to Tekoa, departs 11:45 a.m., Rockford Park. $2.

Thursday, July 16th, Free Movies in the Park, dusk, Rockford Park. Free soda and popcorn courtesy of Rockford businesses. Help with cleanup appreciated.

Saturday, July 18th, Crochet Club, 10 a.m.-noon Harvest Moon Banquet Room (or alongside Farmer's Market in Cenex Park.) Contact Vivian Plank, Ph: 291-3722

Saturday, July 18th, Farmer's & Flea Market in Cenex Park, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Saturday, July 18th, 1-3 p.m. Rockford Park. S.C.O.P.E. Bicycle Rodeo For Kids!

Word-of-mouth scoops blog!

It's true! Word-of-mouth began circulating the news -- Rockfordwa.com -- Rockford's official website is online! (http://rockfordwa.com/.)

When webmasters, Josh & Andy requested that I post an annoucement, I dawdled. I was busy, which is a feeble excuse for not posting breaking news when it happens. ;0(

This morning I heard it from everyone I talked to, on my daily walk!

Visit Rockfordwa.com NOW, click all the links, especially those on the calendar. Enjoy the thrill of knowing what's going on in our town!

Post your events, activities, and\or business information.

Click the Contact Webmaster link, and let these two fine young men know what you think, and what you might want changed or revised.

Celebrate! Rockford not only enjoys blazing fast Word-of-Mouth, Posters, North Palouse Journal, it now has access to this powerful medium, Rockfordwa.com.

Breaking news will appear more reliably and faster when folks volunteer to become an "author" for the blog, go to their computer, access the blog, and type in news as soon as they hear it.

Contact me if you're interested in becoming one of the authors. mtscribbler@air-pipe.com, or 291-3609.

Basketball in Rockford!

Some folks say there isn't much for youth to do in Rockford, but a look at the July monthly calendar that came with my utility bill shows several opportunities.

Youth Group ; 6:30 p.m. Rockford Community Church. Mondays. (326-1773)

Basketball in the Park, which sports a fine cement court; 8-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

Summer swim bus to Tekoa; 11:45 a.m. Bus from the Park. Thursdays. Returns to Park approx. 4:45 p.m.

Free movies in the Park. Free soda & popcorn, too! At Dusk. Thursdays.

S.C.O.P.E. Bicycle Rodeo For Kids. Saturdays, July 11th & July 18th. In the Park.

Crochet class. 10 a.m. Harvest Moon Banquet Room (or in the Park during summer.) Saturdays.

Our home is uphill from the old Rockford school property that sports a baseball diamond that the current owners keep mowed; where civic-minded folks provide a portable toilet and bleachers. Many evenings I sit on my porch and savor the sounds of youngsters enjoying baseball games there, with parents and friends cheering excitedly.

I wonder -- Are they aware of how many Rockford residents care deeply about them and do all in their power to expand opportunities for Rockford's youth?

Winds wave the American flag we fly extended from our porch railing, and I'm thankful that Rockford's kids are lucky -- maybe luckier than they even realize, for they're blessed with freedom to develop their talents and skills; to play and grow, carefree, in safety, amid beautiful, peaceful surroundings.

July Rockford News bulletin from City Hall

Movies in the Park and Summer Swim Program are summer highlight events that make Thursdays special. Free movies began last month and the swim program begins July 9th.

Free movies in Rockford Park began on Thursday evenings in June, and will continue throughout the summer until S.E. Spokane County Fair time in the fall, (http://www.sespokanecountyfair.org/.)

The free movies begin at dusk, sponsored by Rockford Lion's Club and Rockford United Methodist Church. Free soda and popcorn are provided by several area businesses. Bring your family, friends, jackets and blankets.

The swim program, made available through the efforts of the towns of Rockford, Fairfield, Waverly, Latah, and Spangle, gives area youngsters the opportunity for fun and camaraderie in Tekoa's swimming pool one afternoon a week.

Beginning July 9th, children ages 5-16 from participating towns are invited to ride the bus to the Tekoa pool from now through August 13th, 2009.

The bus will depart Rockford Park every Thursday at 11:45 a.m., and proceed to pick up youngsters in the participating towns. Chaperones will be hired for the program.

Required parental permission forms can be obtained at area City Halls, and must be completed beforehand and given to the Chaperone at the bus stops.

The $2 admission to the pool is collected at the bus stops, and the Tekoa School District will be providing free lunches for participants. Parents are welcome to accompany their children, and pay the same admission fee to the pool. (Scholarships are available for Rockford children in need. Inquire: 291-4716.)

On the return trip home, the bus will arrive in Rockford at approximately 4:45 p.m. Parents are responsible for their children when they are dropped off at the park.

More events in Rockford this week

Communication is a powerful community unifier. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead/Reader's Digest January 2009.)

In partnership with Horizons, Rockford Town Council provides a monthly calendar of events that is mailed to the town's utility customers with their bills. Since the calendar only reaches property owners utilizing the water and sewer systems and the garbage collection services, not every resident gets the calendar.

Horizons Communications and Education team, with the help of local volunteers, will provide the events-calendar weekly on this blog, throughout July and August.

By then, we hope to have networked with each group, and that they will continue the posts.

Thursday, July 9th, AA Meeting, 7 p.m. Rockford Community Church Parsonage.

Saturday, July 11th:, S.C.O.P.E. Bicycle Rodeo For Kids!

Saturday, July 11th, Farmer's & Flea Market in the Park, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Please contact me if you have events information we've missed. Thanks. (Mona, Ph: 291-3609, or e-mail, mtscribbler@air-pipe.com.)

This week in Rockford: July 6-11, 2009

Residents of Rockford participate in and support a remarkable number of civic and social organzations. Their combined contributions to community betterment is awesome and commendable.

Each group invites you to attend, share your skills, ideas and talent. Experience the fun and commaraderie of joining with your neighbors to help build an even more integrated and prosperous community.

The following Rockford organizations meet this week:

Monday, July 6th, Lions Club, 7 p.m., Harvest Moon Banquet Room. Craig Swanson, President, Ph: 291-4313

Wednesday, July 8th, Town Council meeting, 7 p.m. City Hall. Darlene LaShaw, Clerk, Ph: 291-4716

Thursday, July 9th, Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., United Methodist Church Parsonage. Contact Todd, Ph: 291-4601

Thursday, July 9th, VFW, Post 7815, 7 p.m. Harvest Moon Banquet Room. Contact Ed Chuck Crockett, Ph: 286-3340

Friday, July 10th, Rockford Museum & Historical Society, 11:30 a.m. Harvest Moon Banquet Room. Contact, Evelyn Fricke 291-4250

Saturday, July 11th. Farmers Market in the Park, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact Mary-Lou Benson, Ph: 291-3146

Saturday, July 11th, Crochet Club, 10 a.m.-noon. Harvest Moon Banquet Room. Contact Vivian Plank, Ph: 291-3722

Horizons' WSU blog training benefits Rockford area residents

Rockford Horizons team members recently took advantage of free training at Washington State University to learn blogging skills. Their goal is to use blogging in ways that reduce poverty in their hometown.

Rhonda Gollehon, WSU Horizons and JoEllen Wollman, Horizons Program Assistant provided training in both beginning and advanced classes.

Micki Harnois (advanced) and Mona Vanek (beginner) were subsequently inducted to contribute posts to Rockford Blogspot, http://rockford-wa.blogspot.com/.

Everyone is invited to visit the blog and post comments. If area residents have community news they want to share they can have either Micki or Mona post it on the blog.

Phase II Rockford Visioning

In an intensive three-hour-long session, July 30th, Rockford's Horizon-trained leaders produced detailed strategic/action plans for Horizons 2009-2012 Visioning.

At the Harvest Moon Banquet Room, of eighteen projects outlined at Phase I of Horizons Visioning, six were nominated from three criteria categories: Individual Assets, Community Capacity, and Public Policy.

Participants divided into groups and wrote plans and set deadlines for accomplishing projects they believe can reduce local poverty: Increased job opportunities, and job training and retraining; Grocery store/shop local/buy local, and more reliable/affordable Broadband Wireless Access; Encouraging small business, and getting more local government officials to take an interest and become involved in Horizons Poverty Project efforts.

Horizon Leadership will make final selection of projects soon at a Tuesday evening meeting. Leaders and team members are convinced that with increased community volunteerism, linked with the Horizons Poverty Project resources, much will be accomplished to create a better future for all residents in the Rockford area.

Leaders want residents and members from each of Rockford organizations and civic groups to attend the twice-monthly Tuesday evening meetings at the Harvest Moon Banquet Room and contribute their skills and knowledge, too. Call Todd, 291-4601 or Mary-Lou, 291-3146.

Rockford's upcoming pseudo 'daily news media

As webmasters, Josh Grandinetti and Andy Coumont, develop Rockford's town website they incorporated links so that posts on this Horizons blog will also feed to the website. When the blog is updated it instantly relays the news to the website through what is called an rss feed, a file that keeps all of the news stories organized in a way that browsers and other websites can read. Anyone can post comments to posts here.

The blog also makes it easy for Rockford residents to inform people about what's happening in Rockford.

By partnering with their Horizons team member neighbors, residents can easily have their news items posted. Simply provide the news to members, Mona Vanek (291-3609, mtscribbler@air-pipe.com), Vivian Plank, (892-4412) or Micki Harnois.

Make logging into the block a daily event to keep abreast of community activities. Communication has a positive impact of poverty reduction.