Horizons' action forum declared a resounding success

Wahkiakum County citizens from all areas, ages and backgrounds came together to attend Horizons: Wahkiakum County’s action forum, on March 18, at the Skamokawa Methodist Church.

Thirty volunteers attended the action forum and shared insights for building a thriving Wahkiakum community.

The Action Forum sparked the hopes of many community members drawn together over the past five weeks in conversation circle discussion groups in Skamokawa, Grays River, Elochoman Valley and Cathlamet. Through the conversation circles, participants discovered an enlightened perspective on poverty, gained better understanding of a lack of resources, identified specific assets of our community, and outlined ways to utilize these assets to fight poverty and gain additional resources in our area.

Conversation circles presented their ideas at the action forum, including plans for a Westend skate park, ways to jump start our local economy, and developing community resource centers.

The Grays River conversation circle, which consisted of teen and adult volunteers, developed a plan to provide a skate park for young adults. Poverty, as defined by their group, included a lack of activities for children and teens on the Westend of the county. It was the hope that more activities in this area would conquer symptoms of community poverty, such as alcohol and drug abuse by the younger population. If successful in building a skate park, the group was hopeful to continue on and work towards having a teen center in the area.

The Elochoman conversation circle provided ideas on how to provide a small business cooperative, thus creating jobs, and stimulating the local economy, and utilizing the resources available within our community, including the Columbia River, timber, local agriculture, etc.

The Skamokawa conversation circle suggested a new multi-purpose information center, while the Cathlamet conversation circle suggested a new community center to incorporate a variety of services for residents, including a senior center, college-level classes, community classes, and a career center.

Participants suggested these ideas could be combined into one, and also act as a small business “incubator” with many cooperative services available, such as Internet access, copy and fax services, as well as a local television studio where students can access distance learning programs through Lower Columbia College and Washington State University. It was also discussed that this center could provide students with access to learning how to operate digital media, and utilize the equipment to film public meetings and local events.

Three committees were formed as a result of these ideas to work together over the next few months to create plans, network and find resources to make these ideas a reality. Volunteers have already jumped at the opportunity to be involved in this planning process.

Also, by completing this stage of the Horizons Program, Wahkiakum County residents are now eligible to attend leadership and marketing training provided by the Northwest Area Foundation. These trained individuals will work with volunteers in the three committees in an effort to implement the goals outlined above.

People interested in being involved in serving on one of these committees or attending the free leadership training available through the Horizons Program should contact Carrie Kennedy at WSU Extension office in Cathlamet at (360) 795-3278, or via email at kennedyc@co. wahkiakum.wa.us.