We Can’t Spell
Our
F TURE
without
Tooting Our Horn – Horizons of Jackson
The training of leaders is the first
step in revitalizing a community.
Horizons Leadership Training
through the Northwest Area
Foundation initiated that step in
Jackson in 2004.
A new leadership
curriculum was
written and the
new program
graduated XX in
2006.
Class of 2004
Tooting Our Horn – Community Rally
Part I
Three hundred community members attended the
first Community Rally on September 16, 2004.
With the help of a moderator, the community:
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Graded itself against attributes of a successful community
Identified important community and economic building
blocks
Wrote a Community Vision
We have a Vision!
Jackson is a welcoming community that
promotes a healthy active lifestyle for
all ages, values its youth….
We have a Vision!
…celebrates cultural diversity and
experiences and nurtures a learning
environment.
We have a Vision!
Jackson capitalizes on the interstate to
expand its manufacturing, ag services and
emerging technologies base…
We have a Vision!
… and to attract people to its vibrant
downtown and unique attractions.
The Vision is printed on City Council and City
Committee Agendas, is posted at City Hall, is used
as the barometer against which new plans and
programs are gauged. ‘Is this xxx getting us
closer to the Vision?’
Tooting Our Horn – Making a Difference
4 Focused Clusters
Economic, Poverty Elimination, Youth, and Recreation
3 Attributes
Culture of Open Communication, Support System for
Entrepreneurs, Creating a Team Approach to Decision
Making
2 Committees / 2 Programs
Beautification Committee, Friends of the Trails / Circles
of Support, Study Circles / Action Plan
1 TRAIN
Tooting Our Horn - Beautification Committee
Mission …
Volunteering to make
Jackson a prettier place
to live
Working on a variety of
projects, large to small –
city wide to individual
Tooting Our Horn - Beautification Committee
Fire Hydrant Project
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Painted ALL of the fire hydrants in
the City of Jackson
Paint-A-Thon Projects
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Painted 5 homes in the summer
of 2005
Painted 2 commercial buildings in
the spring of 2006
Building Minimum
Maintenance Standards

Safer living and working
environment for all
Electronic Community
Message Board

Promoting community events,
activities and meetings
Tooting Our Horn –
Beautification Committee
The Beautification Committee
worked with the Chamber of
Commerce and the City of
Jackson to purchase and
install new light poles,
street flags and banners,
flower planters and trash
receptacles for the central
business district.
The old planters and trash
receptacles are being used
through out the community
in the parks, on the trails,
at the Fair Grounds and
Fort Belmont.
Tooting Our Horn – Friends of the Trails
Friends of the Trails has been working for close to
10 years to bring a walking and biking trail
system to the community. The Des Moines River
Trail was dedicated in 2005. Three additional
trails have been granted approval with
construction dates through 2010.
Tooting Our Horn – Youth Cluster
Mission …
to attract young
generations
who perceive
Jackson as a
prospective
community for
business and
home
opportunities.
Tooting Our Horn – Recreation Cluster
Mission…
to
to
to
to
work together
connect events to the business community
provide fun for all the family
promote a full community calendar
Tooting Our Horn – Poverty Elimination Cluster
Mission…
Positioning poverty
elimination as a
priority within the
community
Building collaboration
and community
capacity
Creating pathways out
of poverty
Tooting Our Horn – Economic Cluster
Mission…
to create an atmosphere
of open
communication and
accountability between
the economic
stakeholders
to enable Jackson to
become a vibrant
industrial and
commercial community
that encourages
entrepreneurial
growth.
Tooting Our Horn – Circles of Support
Social change is
accomplished
through building
authentic
relationships
Accountability and
reciprocity build
self-respect, and
invite the respect of
others
Promoting open
community
discussion of
challenges
Tooting Our Horn – Study Circles
Northwest Area Foundation and Study Circle
Center selected the Jackson community as
a test site for their Poverty Elimination
Study Circle.
Action Plan Attendees included not only the Study
Circle participants, but Circles of Support
participants, Mayor of Jackson, three City Council
Reps, County Commissioner, Economic Development
Coordinator
Tooting Our Horn- TRAIN
Tomorrow – we work today to
reach tomorrow’s vision
Realized – we celebrate movement
towards realizing the vision
Actions – we are dedicated to
taking actions and setting goals to
reach the vision
Innovation – we encourage new
ideas and concepts that move us
towards the vision
Networking – we communicate
and share with all stakeholders in the
community to reach the vision
Tooting our Horn – 15 Lots Sold
Dirt started moving in early spring of 2004 in the Sunset
View Sub-Division, providing 30+ new housing lots for
the community. The first Sunset View family moved into
their new home in September 2004.
As of today, 15 lots have been sold, nine homes are
complete and three homes are under construction.
Tooting Our Horn – Ft. Belmont
The Fort Belmont Foundation dedicated its
new museum building in June of 2006.
Tooting Our Horn – 2006 Celebration
The Jackson
Sesquicentennial
started with a BANG
with a fireworks
display ending the
2005 Holiday Fest
celebration. During
the next months the
community was
treated to a big band
dance, tractor drive,
antique appraisal,
quilt show, flea
market and many
other events leading
up to the ‘big’
Sesqui weekend in
July 2006.
Tooting Our Horn – Jackson Community Foundation
The Jackson Community Foundation was created in 2006 in
partnership with the Southwest Minnesota Foundation to
provide a one-stop shop for charitable contributions that
benefit the place we call home. Its goal is to make the
community of Jackson a better place to live.
Tooting Our Horn – Rain Gardens
Community volunteers prepared and planted
20,000+ native plants to complete a
shoreline restoration and rain garden project
along the Des Moines River in Ashley Park.
Tooting Our Horn – River Project
Jackson has been awarded up to $300,00 by
the State of Minnesota to address the
deteriorating river dam on the Des Moines
River.
Tooting Our Horn - AmericInn
The AmericInn, a 50+ unit hotel with a pool
and meeting room located on Belmont
Lane, opened the Spring of 2005.
Tooting Our Horn – TJ’s Auto
Terry Adams opened a new auto dealer and
detail shop along Highway 71 this spring.
Tooting Our Horn – Majestic Green
Dave and Josh
Polz expanded
their
landscaping
business to
include one of
the newest
developments
in turf
production –
Envirolsod in
2005.
Coming Soon – Industrial Park
Work has
begun on
the
expansion
of the
Industrial
Park to
include
additional
acres to the
south of
the existing
park.
Coming Soon – Little Huskies Daycare
Answering a need for additional day care in the
community, construction has started on the
Little Husky Daycare along Industrial
Parkway.
Creating a better community,
where all people have a
chance to thrive…
… to grow
… to lead
… to change
… to reach the vision!