This article was originally published in the June/July 2019 issue of Terre Haute Living. Raise your hand if you have attended any business meeting that you roll your eyes and think that the meeting is too long? So often, the agenda and purpose of the meeting can be accomplished in less than 45 minutes, but …

This article was originally published in the May 2019 issue of Terre Haute Living. In a world where we are constantly asked to have more things completed, assigned more tasks and given more responsibilities, it seems there is a never-ending amount of chaos circling around us. Being more productive is one of the items we …

Conversations move life forward. They can also stop things from moving forward. Relationships begin and end on conversations. Teams are formed and broken apart. Goals are made, expectations laid out, visions happen, all around conversations. When we face difficult conversations, we can do one of three things: we can avoid them, we can face them …

The Town of Cumberland, Indiana, has launched a new civic organization dedicated to engaging the public through art and improving the aesthetics of the town. For its first project, the Cumberland Arts and Spaces Task Force (CAST) will oversee the development of an interactive mural on the Buck Creek Trail where it crosses under US …

The holiday season is upon us all, which means we’re busy buying gifts for our loved ones, decorating our houses from top to bottom, and cooking up a storm in anticipation of a house full of guests. Decorating for the holidays is a long-standing tradition that for many include having a Christmas tree decorated in …

Purdue Extension’s Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing was recently recognized as a national award winner by the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) at their 2018 Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. The award, the national NACDEP Excellence in Teamwork Award, creates a platform for community development work to be showcased in a professional …

Michael Wilcox, Assistant Program Leader for Purdue Extension Community Development, was the May 10 guest speaker for the Community Economics and Leadership Program (CELP) meeting in Indianapolis.  The data snapshot that Michael presented showcased a variety of demographic, economic and labor market information that local leaders and organizations can use to gain a better perspective …

On June 3, the City of Indianapolis, Indy Food Council, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and Purdue Extension-Marion County hosted the People’s Food Summit. The objective of the Food Summit was to bring together the people of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County with City officials and subject-matter experts to engage in developing a …

The Southwestern Indiana Master Gardeners Association (SWIMGA) continues to pioneer efforts on strategic planning for their organization. A group filled the Oakley Library meeting room on Saturday, March 4, as Heather Strohm, Purdue Extension Community Development Regional Educator, led them through goal setting. The Visioning Forum information guided the group through vigorous goal setting activities. Goal champions …

Nearly 50 Southwestern Indiana Master Gardeners Association (SWIMGA) members attended a Visioning Forum on February 4, 2017. Community Development Regional Educators Tanya Hall and Heather Strohm led the members through the morning event. The members participated in four sessions that focused on what SWIMGA does well, what areas have gaps or challenges, where they foresee their vision in 5, 10, …