Ellsworth, IA

After several City Council meetings, the council members voted in the March meeting to have the City of Ellsworth act as the fiscal agent for the Horizons Project in town. Our “coach”, Barb Wollan, helped us by gathering data on how other towns in Iowa and many towns from the Midwest are using their city Councils as fiscal agents. Our city attorney looked at all the data. The information was helpful and key in the vote to finally get our town’s fiscal agent in place. Now we are able to apply for the funds that our community has worked very dedicatedly toward.

In an effort to help clean up the community of Ellsworth, about 40 Ellsworth citizens gathered together for a few hours one evening in June to pick up old appliances, furniture, computers, televisions, tires, and other large junk items

Residents called to purchase tags for appliance items and tires, with other items picked up for free. These items were to be set out on the curb in front of their homes. Anyone needing help getting an item out of their home could call and a few people would help remove these items earlier in the day.

As citizens began gathering to work, there was a heavy thunderstorm and most of the people got wet. The rain didn’t dampen the spirit of our workers though. The weather cleared at 6 p.m., our starting time. As we started through the streets of Ellsworth, we actually picked up additional workers who wanted to join in the fun. All through the streets of the town that night you could hear the equipment sounds accompanied by the conversation and laughter of community members having fun working together.

Funds were provided by various organizations to help individuals who could not afford to purchase the appliance and tire fees. Local businesses partnered in this project by providing employees, trucks and trailers, skid loaders, a garbage truck, and a golf cart.

Sixty-eight appliances, 8.46 tons of junked items, and 29 tires were picked up and delivered to the county landfill. A local individual picked up metal items, which were not included in the weight total.

Citizens who helped “Dump Your Junk”, as well as community members who got rid of their junk, are exited about making this an annual event in Ellsworth. In fact, many people who didn’t help with the project in 2007 are looking forward to joining in and helping “Dump Your Junk” in 2008.

There have been meetings, lists have been made, phone calls dialed, information gathered. One more meeting in February should put the noon meals program into action for the community of Ellsworth. The fire department/EMT’s in our town are grateful for this program as daily contact will be made with our shut-ins, those in recovery, or those who simply have needs. The noon meals program will be a great help to many in our community…and at a VERY low cost.

It might be below zero outside, but inside many people in Ellsworth are looking forward to June 2008. Why? Because June 2008 has a Friday the 13th!
Last year was the beginning of a Horizon’s project that was “lucky” for Ellsworth. There was an idea and a challenge to make every Friday the 13th a community event. April 2007 had a Friday the 13th. Our community gathered at the Community center for free Subway sandwiches and cookies. 68 people attended.
The next Friday the 13th was in July. It was decided to bring the community to main street for free walking tacos and a community water balloon toss. Signs were all over town…200 water balloons were filled the night before…the food was ready. WOW!! More than 250 people showed up for the Main Street event! It was truly amazing!
The community events planning committee will make decisions soon about this upcoming Friday the 13th. This has been and we hope it continues to be a way for the town to know the people that make us a community. Citizens vow that Friday the 13th will continue to be a “lucky day” for the community of Ellsworth!

Concerned citizens attended the recent City Council meeting to give voice to a concern about a proposed change in responsibility of who pays for what if there is a water break or leak in household water systems. In light of the poverty level in our community, it was felt that making citizens responsible for what has been the city’s responsibility made no good sense. The city then clarified their plans and no changes were made. It is good to have a voice…but so much better to use our voices together.

While gathering in study circles, a comment was made concerning the flower pots in the main street area and the flower beds near the Welcome to Ellsworth sign, the community center, and in the city park. The group that always planted and cared for these plants would be unable to fund these this year. The few people that had cared for them in the past needed assistance to keep them watered and cared for. Seventeen youth and eight adults gathered together on a Saturday morning to plant flowers to help in “Making Ellsworth Beautiful”. Working together with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, funding was made available for this Join Hands Day Project. Horizons members worked with the youth, helping them to plant and water these plants. Throughout the summer, various Horizon members took turns watering, weeding, and caring for these flower beds. While our downtown area is hurting with several empty buildings and some buildings in need of repair, the flower pots helped to brighten the area with their blooming flowers all summer. This project also allowed adults in the community to work with some of our youth - and the youth to have a chance to take some ownership within the community.

As 2007 ended, our small community was faced with many sad and tragic events. We were challenged as a community to reach out, to care…and care we did! The realtionships formed in Study Circles and the skills learned in Leadership Plenty are serving this community well as we are being sensitive to the needs and feelings of the people in our community. New leaders stepped up to lead the important efforts of being community.

As 2008 began, another announcement that will impact Ellsworth. It was announced that Pella Windows, a manufacturing company in the nearby community of Story City, will be closing the first part of March. This closing will be felt not only in our commmunity, but also in our entire school district. The Horizons steering committee will come together this Wednesday to plan a meeting for community brainstorming.

Today’s headline in the Ames Tribune is “Iowa poverty rate up 30 percent” There is much for communities such as ours to do. Ellsworth has a “we can do it together” attitude!