Groups look at status, strength, of Havre

Friday at District 4 Human Resources Community Development Center several community members and organizations came together to discuss creating community dialogue for the future of Havre.

City Council member and community member Sarah McKinney said she had been brainstorming with Anne Neal-Dugdale, owner of Still Waters Transformation Center in Havre, about the status of Havre — is it in its death throes or just in a time of change.

The meeting comes in the wake of closures of three major stores in Havre last year, the Sears Hometown Store and Herberger’s, both in the Holiday Village Shopping Center, and Kmart.

See related story from the Aug. 24 edition of the Havre Daily News, “Havre economy shifts in modern shopping world,” available online at https://www.havredailynews.com/story/2018/08/24/local/havre-economy-shifts-in-modern-shopping-world/520160.html/.

The goal of Friday’s meeting, sponsored by HRDC, was to create community dialogue and get people interested in looking into the challenges that face Havre, the agenda said. It also was to encourage volunteers to help develop an invitation list of people and groups in town who are involved in some type of community development.

McKinney said that the idea of the community dialogue is to see what is on the minds of the people in Havre.

Community member Fern Lohse said that she grew up in Havre and sees it dying, after leaving for a short time, she came back and saw Havre had a smaller population and businesses remaining stagnant if not closing. She said that she does not know what the solution is, but a collaborative effort of the community is needed to gather the resources needed. Organizations need to share resources, and rather than being combative need to support each other to work toward a common goal.

“That’s lost,” she said.

Hill County Health Department Director Kim Larson said, in her experience, a competitiveness exists when it comes to prevention versus treatment, such as in drinking, smoking and mental health issues.

“I see that in our community,” she said.

She added that, over the years, her department has improved communication with other departments and organizations and she sees improvement in the community. She said that she also doesn’t think Havre is dying but evolving.

“I think, yes, we lost some box stores, but everyone is losing those box stores,” she said.

The spaces that are left can be adapted and used for a variety of other things and what Havre has seen is a number of small local businesses opening up in town by community members.

“It’s not going to be the Havre we have always known,” she said, adding that it is only evolving to something new.

Larson said that farming and agriculture has also evolved, going from primarily wheat to pulse crops, hemp and other crops and organics, changing the way things have been done.

HELP Committee Prevention Specialist and Hill County Health Consortium Substance Abuse and Misuse Task Force member Susan Brurud said the consortium is a huge resource for the community that people don’t realize or think about. But the consortium brings organizations together and has accomplished a number of things with its community partners.

“I have been extremely impressed with the positive nature of our community partners,” he said.

The HELP Committee and the consortium’s Substance Abuse and Misuse committee have also started a new campaign for the community to encourage children the the community to continue doing good deeds. She said that a 2016 Hill County needs assessment reported that 80 percent of children did not feel recognized or appreciated for doing a good job.

Brurud said that the campaign is to encourage children by giving a thumbs up when they see them doing a good job.

Children make better, healthier choices when they know they are cared about by their community, she said.

“That shows us that people saw a need in their community and they are willing to put in that effort,” she said.

She added that the number of businesses around town are also working together in a number of programs for the community.

Tina Thomas, Hill County Early Childhood Investment Team coordinator, said she sees collaboration between businesses in Havre, adding that the businesses know that if they collaborate efforts it will benefit the community.

“That’s really hopeful,” she said.

Brurud said that Havre also needs to work on attracting young people to move back to Havre and show them what opportunities are available.

“When you ask, ‘What is it?’ It’s the people who are here,” she said. “… I enjoy living here.”

She added that the people who live in Havre chose to because they like Havre.

McKinney said that how the community pulls together for a variety of events like fundraisers is what drives the community members.

“That’s kind of our strength,” she said.