Rural Leaders Development Program Set

The North Dakota State University Extension Service’s Center for Community Vitality is co-sponsoring a one-day conference on creating effective rural leaders.

The program will be held twice:

• Nov. 7 at the NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center
• Nov. 8 at Lake Region State College, Devils Lake

The conference will start with registration and check-in 8:30 a.m. and end no later than 5 p.m. both days.

The event is designed for economic development staff, boards and volunteers; elected and volunteer leaders; members of community clubs and organizations; Horizons program volunteers; and anyone working on community and regional projects or rural policy.

Topics are:

• Communicating effectively, including how to work with policymakers and congressional staff
• Analyzing policy, which includes asking the right questions and learning how to get involved
• Working with the news media, including building relationships with the media, communicating your message through radio, and writing effective letters to the editor and guest opinion pieces
• Community involvement, including how to frame a message, the art of negotiation, how to engage and motivate community members and grooming future leaders

Presenters are John Crabtree, development and outreach officer at the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Neb., and Dan Owens, a rural organizer with the Center for Rural Affairs.

The Center for Rural Affairs and Champion REAP Alliance are the program’s other sponsors.

Nov. 2 is the registration deadline. The registration fee is $15 per person, which includes lunch and materials.

Make checks payable to REAP Investment Fund Inc. and send registrations to REAP Investment Fund Inc., P.O. Box 324, Maddock, ND 58348.

For more information, call (701) 438-2660 or send an e-mail to mailto:levery@gondtc.com.

NDSU Agriculture Communication