Chariton, IA

Chariton’s annual Community Clean-Up effort expanded in 2008 to help deal with the aftermath of the devastating ice storm of 2007. The City of Chariton, working with the Chariton Community Schools, the Chariton Chamber and Development Corporation, the Chariton Rotary Club, the Boy Scouts and other community groups, organized additonal clean up days at city parks, the city cemetery and Red Haw State Park. Students provided the volunteer labor to help clear these areas of limbs, branches and other debris left by the storm, and also helped clear the yards of residents who were physically unable to move their limbs and branches to the curb. This activity culminated with the city-wide Clean Up Day on May 7, when students and Rotary Club volunteers picked up trash throughout the city and provided a dump site where residents could bring household waste, old appliances, electronics and tires for disposal.

Thanks to the leadership of local Horizons participants Harlan and Delores Ranshaw, Thrivent Financial For Lutherans is providing 65 percent of the funding necessary for the Marion County chapter of Habitat For Humanity to build a new Habitat home in Knoxville. Delores made the successful grant application to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and Harlan and Delores are coordinating the required volunteer effort by Thrivent members and members of five local Lutheran congregations. Chariton churches and the Horizons housing committee are participating in this project as a first step toward a possible future affiliation with the Marion County chapter of Habitat.

Building on the success of 2007’s Leadership Plenty training class, the Chariton Chamber and Development Corporation is sponsoring a 2008 Leadership Plenty training class. The class will be open to anyone in the community, with special emphasis on recruiting leaders who work with low- and moderate-income clients or residents in the community. The Chamber will donate staff, meeting space and financial resources to sponsor the class.

Dekko Foundation supports youth organizations in their communities.  Each year the members must plan for ways to assist their community with funds made available form the Dekko Foundation.  Jennifer Snook-Hall is the sponsor of  “Splash”, Chariton’s group.  She has introduced them to the Study Circle materials used by the Horizons project to help them understand poverty in their community and find other ways to use their funds.  Jennifer reports that she will continue to use the curriculum and has recommended to the Dekko Foundation  that it be used by youth groups in other counties.

The Leadership Development work group, a committee that grew out of our Chariton Listens/Horizons program, is sponsoring a Candidates’ Forum on Thursday May 29th at 7 p.m. at the Vredenburg Center in Chariton. All seven candidates for county supervisor listed on the June 3 primary ballots have been invited to take part. Moderator Ray Meyer will ask questions of the candidates, and audience members will have an opportunity to submit questions of their own.