The Brag Basket is open! This one is for April 25-27, 2014.
What can you do in the Brag Basket?
- introduce yourself
- share some great news from this week
- congratulate a friend
- applaud for each other
- confess your undying love for rural places
How do you join in?
- Below this post is the comment section. Add your brag there.
- If you are reading this by email, just reply to the email with your brag. I’ll add it to the comments.
Don’t like to brag? Just share some good news for yourself or a friend.
Do you have to be from a small town? Well, no, not really. Just don’t make it an ad. I delete the ads that people stick in here. If you talk more about the people involved than the things, you’ll be fine.
It’s a conversation with friends. So jump in. And remember to cheer for each other.
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And A Grand Time Was Had By All
Yesterday evening I had the privilege of being part of a book signing in Doland, South Dakota. I was one of five authors present at the event. We all had a great time talking with visitors and with each other. The mix of talents were wide, from poets to mystery writers.
“Ho – Hum,” you author/readers say, “It’s just a book signing. What makes yours so special?”
Well, to tell you that I have to tell you a little about Doland, South Dakota. Doland’s population is just under three hundred. It is a farm community on the High Plains. It is the quintessential small rural farm town. The two major employers are agri-business related. Doland also has a small convenience store with gas and diesel pumps. They have two taverns/eateries, a post office, an insurance office, auto body shop, a cement company, a motel and two churches (one in town and another out in the country). Doland also has a medical clinic opened two days a week (that is where I got the idea for the Helen Clinic in Flyover County). They have a Senior Center and are the home for a local Economic Development Group called BASEC.
The people of Doland have a strong sense of community. They have their own group who works on housing issues and economic growth. They support their school, their Senior Center and their (non-affiliated) public library.
I want to talk about the library. This small town has a big library, not in square feet (it’s not much larger than a two car garage), but in heart. Lillie Bucholz is the head (and only) Librarian. She does all the work in this paid for by donation facility. It was Lillie who put together the book sighing I mentioned three paragraphs ago. She found local South Dakota authors and solicited their input on times and dates, she coordinated the event to suit everyone‘s needs. She alone set up the room, and made sure everyone was comfortable and had adequate space. She promoted the event and the people came. They came to support their community and to support their librarian.
I am glad she chose me as one of her participants. It gave me more insight as to just what an engaged small town can do.
Thank you Lilly Bucholz and the Sherwood Memorial Library of Doland, South Dakota. You are an example of community in action.
Richard Skorupski is a resident of South Dakota and the author of the Flyover County Series.
Here’s the link to the blog post: http://helensd.blogspot.com/2014/04/and-grand-time-was-had-by-all.html
Rick, thank you so much for sharing all about Doland! Sounds like a great place made by great people.
This past Saturday, my town, Urbana, Ohio (pop. 11,600), celebrated the beginning of a new chapter for a 121-year-old family-owned downtown business — a mom and pop candy store and deli situated in a building that served as military headquarters in the War of 1812.
The third-generation owner of Carmazzi’s Deli and Candy Store had turned 80 and was concerned that no relatives were ready to take over. But a community-minded chiropractor stepped forward, bought the property and business and offered one of his patients the opportunity to manage the store and continue the tradition. For the rest of the story, visit my blog Champaign Uncorked! (http://champaignuncorked.com/?p=1194).
It’s one of many great stories waiting to be told in our downtown, city and county (Champaign).
Great story, Gary! Cheers to The continuation of Carmazzi’s!