North Fork Heart & Soul Project

08/02/2016

Dear North Fork Heart & Soul Friends,

It's been two years since our Heart & Soul process came to a close, but preserving what matters most to the North Fork and taking action on stewarding this community continues on, thanks to the love so many of you have for this place and its people.

I want to briefly re-activate our project Facebook pg to let you know about an opportunity coming up that is important to the future of the North Fork. Also, I want to share some critical insights I've had about our community project since starting to work for the Orton Family Foundation in June on the front range, learning about trends in grant making in Colorado that lift up communities who have done projects like Heart & Soul, and seeing the amazing results that Heart & Soul has had in small towns all over the country.

First, this THURSDAY and FRIDAY! Downtown Colorado Inc. is hosting a Downtown Institute in Paonia that will focus on the aspects of community development that are critical to the success of rural communities. As a person who has been involved in Heart & Soul and other (probably many!) community or private business endeavors, your voice and story is an important piece of this picture. Please sign up to attend to share your experience and connect with others who are doing the same in the community. DCI has also invited speakers from around the state to share their perspective on best practices and creating action steps for community development.

Their are opportunities for group rates and comp registration to attend. Registration info can be found at www.downtowncoloradoinc.org/

Second, one of the things that I have recently learned is that our participation in the Heart & Soul process gives the North Fork an unparalleled advantage when it comes to grant making in Colorado and the potential to grow effective local government decision making in the North Fork. I would like to host a conference call, and/or maybe send out another email to converse about this with you all. Please send me a message, or email at ahalbert (at) orton.org

If you need a refresher on our 5 Heart & Soul statements as seen through the stories of North Fork residents - watch the excellent short movie produced by local filmmaker Jordan Schevene! Also, check out the North Fork Heart & Soul website which still has all of our project info, including our white paper "What Matters Most to the Future of the North Fork Valley."

Thank you!

Alexis (former project coordinator)
https://vimeo.com/78191718

This is "What Matters Most? Exploring The Values of the Valley" by on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

11/26/2014

Yeeeeeh Haw!!!!

11/13/2014

How do we build a "steady economy"? This symposium will be a valuable resource to our business community and an opportunity that is unparalleled.

Join marketing expert Jon Schallert this Saturday at the Paradise Theatre for the North Fork Business Symposium - funded by the Implementation Funds from the North Fork Heart & Soul project. Not only will you gain access to marketing resources that will dramatically improve your business, you will be able to help drive the marketing strategy for the North Fork Valley. Show your support people!!!

Chamber members or Creative District members get half off through tomorrow - contact [email protected] for more information on how to register for member pricing.

Local Chambers and the Creative District will be sponsoring a North Fork Business symposium with one of the best marketing experts out there - Jon Schallert. You really, really don't want to miss this!

http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/new/entertainment/35-events/2140-north-fork-symposium-features-marketing-expert

11/12/2014

TONIGHT! Join Paonia Players and local youth in an original play exploring stereotypes and what it really means to value our small town feel and sense of community! Free event - hope to see you there. Play starts at 7:00 pm at the Paradise Theatre in Paonia.

03/31/2014

The North Fork Heart & Soul project ends as of today! Please see final project conclusions, IBook, video links on our home page. What do you think should come next in our valley to grow the future we want to see?

www.northforkheartsoul.com

Below is the white paper that summarizes the significant findings of the Heart & Soul project during the last 2 years! You can also download the pdf version .

02/27/2014

Tom Wills posts a great article chronicling the Heart & Soul project and the many transitions in the North Fork Valley. We are grateful for Tom's participation in the project as a member of our community advisory team, as a leader on the Hotchkiss Downtown Improvement committee and as a journalist following the concerted community efforts of Heart & Soul to look at, and positively affect, the future in the valley. Thank you!

http://www.merchantherald.com/heart-and-soul-the-end-of-the-new-beginning/

Heart and Soul: The End of the New Beginning. The last CAT meeting of the project and a general history of the two years.

02/27/2014

Ranchers, enviros and officials seek a middle path on public-land grazing in Utah: Moving beyond stalemate to meaningful reform. Reporting from Sarah Gilman. http://hcne.ws/1fjVz7a

02/21/2014

If you have been thinking about investing in the Paradise Theatre but are waiting for the right moment, now would be a good time. We are just shy of $20K. Give it a little push to get over this milestone! Thanks!https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paradise-theatre/paonia-paradise-digital-or-dark

Without upgrading to Digital projection, the Paradise Theatre, in Paonia, CO will go dark.

02/18/2014

Local Motion: Sustainability & the Future of Energy

What do you think sustainable means? What is the future of energy? Cyn Holder speaks with Dr Michael Soule, Elaine Brett and community members about sustainability, coal and climate change.

http://kvnf.org/post/local-motion-sustainability-future-energy

Cyn Holder speaks with Dr Michael Soule, Elaine Brett and community members about sustainability, coal and climate change.

02/11/2014

Join us at the library tonight - can conversation and local journalism bridge divides in the community? 6 -7 pm at the Paonia Library.

02/07/2014

Project conclusions and upcoming events!

Supporting our Small Town Feel, Sense of Community and Creating a Steady Economy - The Digital Projection upgrade at the Paradise Theatre