Last week, I tackled a task that took every effort of my patience. This task wasn’t business expansion, business retention, revolving loan fund, housing, or public speaking related. I successfully finished fixing On Hand Development email issues with Google. This may not sound like a big deal to many but for us it was a huge win. I am not techy…. not even a little. I waited on hold with google for over three hours, worked with techy people who didn’t speak my language, and lost several emails that I will never get back. The whole situation really got me thinking about patience and how effective leaders need to practice patience.
Last week, I attended my last session of fundraising school and graduated from the Indiana University Lilly Family of School of Philanthropy. I am now certified in fund raising management. I was honored with a scholarship from Dakota Resources for my tuition and I am so very thankful for their support in Hand County and On Hand Development Corporation. I was one of three Economic Development directors from around South Dakota representing rural communities. Representing Hand County and rural South Dakota is something I take great pride in and I jump at the opportunity to tell our story to people who have never heard of our community.
Since the fall of 2014, Hand County has enjoyed its Community Center. The theme surrounding the Center has been donations and volunteer work. It all began when the Miller School gave the land and the old elementary building complex to On Hand Development Corporation for $1 for the purpose of developing a Community Center. With that gift, the On Hand Board of Directors immediately went to work securing manpower and design teams to turn an old school into a beautiful, functional complex that benefits not only Hand County citizens but surrounding businesses and families.
Does anyone else feel like August flew by? Megan and I were talking and realized August is long gone. So, where did August go?
I think we feel this way because we had a crazy, busy month… Megan was busy working with brides on upcoming weddings and coaches on upcoming basketball schedules, Megan also is working on a new and exciting fundraiser for the Community Center (more on that later), I helped organize the Career Here Event, I worked with new business owners on ideas and resources to help them get started, we have a sale pending on Sommers Bar, our daily paperwork and bills, I attended 2 learning opportunities for my upcoming classes with Leadership South Dakota, started a new loan in our revolving loan fund, I submitted our grant application for the infrastructure for the potential new housing development, and I had 22 business visits in Hand County.
