For many years growing up, the highlight of my summer was a vacation to my grandparent’s farm in Cottonwood County. Many great memories came to mind as I traveled that area to Windom yesterday for our Southwest Initiative Foundation Board of Director’s meeting, which we host in different southwest Minnesota communities every-other-month.
As we toured BARC (Business, Arts and Recreation Center), visited with local SWIF partners and had lunch with community leaders, it became clear that many others also have fond memories of this place. And, these people are doing incredible things to preserve their community’s history while making sure Windom remains a vibrant place for doing business, raising families, and enjoying our top-quality rural lifestyle.
During our lunch, we heard straight from community leaders and volunteers about some of the community’s greatest success stories and projects that are currently underway.
BARC (Business, Arts and Recreation Center) – Just weeks before it was scheduled for demolition, the Windom community came together to save their historic school building and BARC was formed. It’s now a treasured place “to develop and sustain a positive environment for the arts, education, recreation and business” in southwest Minnesota. From early childhood programs to community computer labs to Lori Line concerts—BARC is full of activity and there are many SWIF connections to it.
- SWIF administers the BARC Endowment Fund – Currently in a capital campaign phase to raise more than $400,000 for improvements, BARC recently replaced the 1930 roof and a parking lot.
- Windom Early Childhood Initiative – Although this coalition has “graduated” from SWIF’s ECI program, many activities started through SWIF grants and partnerships continue. Each year Windom Early Childhood hosts a multi-cultural event, and this past summer, they hosted hundreds of people at family swim nights where they educated on the importance of family time, reading and health/wellness.
- Technology improvements – Funded through Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC), which SWIF Program Specialist Jackie Turner-Lovsness has worked with for the past year
- Community computer lab – Received funding from the WIRED program grants, which is connected to SWIF’s former Renewable Energy Marketplace efforts.
State Theater – Windom’s State Theater is the fourth longest-running theatre in Minnesota and located in a building celebrating its 100th anniversary—so when it closed, community members took action. A group of volunteers are creating a nonprofit organization to purchase and run it, keeping this local landmark alive.
Economic Development – Multiple SWIF loan clients are located in Windom, including River City Eatery who catered our delicious lunch! The Windom EDA also has successful projects underway, including a conversion of the vacant lumber yard, a spec building leased by TORO and a partnership with the Remick Trust for new welcome signs into the community.
The Robert and Helen Remick Charitable Foundation Trust – The Remick Trust has a long history of collaboration with SWIF for the benefit of not only Windom and Cottonwood County, but our entire region, from supporting ECI to making the first gift of farmland to our Keep It Growing℠ farmland retention program. For their generosity and partnership, the Remick Trust received the 2011 Southwest Initiative Foundation Award.
It’s exciting to see where SWIF connections can lead, and the Windom community is a great example of our unlimited possibilities!
