Issue 47 July 2018 by JoAnne VerMulm

The Harrisburg Times H om e of the Tig er s

Ju ly 2 018

Who Are We, and Who Do We Want to Be? ADRIENNE MCKEOWN, PRESIDENT, HARRISBURG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Do you ever have those times in life when a particular topic just keeps coming up? Wherever you go, whatever you’re doing, whomever you’re talking to – the same basic theme continually emerges. I’ve found myself in this situation lately. Like many of you, my world exists in several different and seemingly unrelated circles, so when I find all of my different circles overlapping—or my worlds colliding—I believe it’s something I need to pay attention to. If I could boil down the conversations I’ve been a part of lately, here’s how I’d summarize it: who are we, who do others think we are, and how do we want others to think of us? These questions can lead to deep and philosophical conversations, to be sure, especially if we’re looking at our own inner selves. But in this case, let’s look at it through the lens of having a shared interest in the future of Harrisburg. For the past few months, a team of people who share a connection to Harrisburg has been meeting to talk about the future of our community over the next several decades. As these conversations have progressed, we’ve found ourselves asking the very questions I mentioned earlier—“Who are we as a city,” “Who do we aspire to

be,” and “Who do other people think we are?” Tough questions to answer, but here’s what I’ve heard in listening to my fellow community members about who we are and who we want to be. Harrisburg is a small town…for now. However, even though most people embrace the rapid growth we’re experiencing, we don’t want to lose that small town charm and the sense of community that comes with it. I’ve heard people talk about feeling safe in our neighborhoods, helping neighbors in times of need, building communities of worship, having pride in our school system, and being #HarrisburgStrong. And people love our parades. As trivial as that seems, parades matter to this community. I think it’s part of that small town charm. But who do others think we are? Depending on how long you’ve lived in Harrisburg, you’ve probably been through a variety of “labels” that others put on our community. In the nearly 12 years that I’ve lived here, I remember being labeled as the town with expensive water, the town with no water, and—when the Liberty Elementary gym flooded two years in a row—the town with too much water. (By the way, do you know that we are now the South Dakota town with the best tasting water? It’s a real thing. Stop by City Hall to see the award.)

Aside from our water, though, what do other people think about Harrisburg? Due to our recent rush of new businesses, people know we’re growing. And thanks to our progressive school system, we are gaining notoriety—even from the governor of North Dakota— for the quality of education we provide. I’ve also heard anecdotal stories about how welcoming the community of Harrisburg is. We can’t rest on our laurels, though. Ultimately, I believe that it takes all of us working together to decide who we want to be and how we want others to view us. And now is the time to be purposeful in making these decisions. This month, the Harrisburg Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) will be setting development goals and determining strategies to achieve those goals over the next year and into the near and long-term future, and we want to hear from you about your desires for the future of Harrisburg. Please contact any of our board members (a listing can be found at harrisburgchambersd. com/board-of-directors) or use the “Contact Us” link on the Chamber website to send us your thoughts. We look forward to hearing from you about who we want to be and how we can make Harrisburg an even better place to call home.

Harrisburg Compost Site Remains Closed

Harrisburg’s Compost Site (grass clippings and yard/garden waste and branch drop off) is closed pending the issuance of our State permit. Once issued the permit will be active for several years. We apologize for any inconvenience that our delayed opening has caused. Please check our city’s Facebook page and city’s website for more information and our expected hours of operation.

Join Us for 3rd Annual National Night Out The Harrisburg Park Board invites the residents of Harrisburg to attend the third annual National Night Out event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 on Main Street at Hugh Robinson Park. This event will include a community cook out, a bike rodeo, first responder displays, prizes, giveaways, and other family friendly activities. Please join us! More event details will be posted on the City’s website as they become available.

Presorted Standard ECRWSS US Postage Paid Permit #1 Harrisburg, SD 57032 To Current Resident

July at Good Earth State Park at Blood Run JEN NUNCIO

Happy 4th of July from Good Earth State Park! Summer is in full swing and the heat is sure on. We hope you have had time to spend in the park, and if not we have heaps of great programs for you to try. Good Earth State Park will host a 4th of July celebration on Sunday July 1st from 1:00 p.m. till 3:00 p.m. Bring the family out to make some apply pie irons, play water games, do a Patriotic scavenger hunt, and more! This come and go event is great for all ages. Summer camps are still going on through July. Mondays is our Little Acorns for ages 3-5, Tuesdays will be Mighty Muskrats for ages 6-10 and Wednesday’s are ages 11-15. This month the topics are Insects, traditional games, trees and plants, Oneota culture and reptiles and amphibians. Each class offers a lesson, activities, hike and games. There is no registration required at this time. The F.I.S.H. (Friendly Interactive Senior Hour) this month is Dutch Oven Cooking. We had such a big request to do this program again we decided to go for it in the summer. On Wednesday July 4th at 1:00 pm we will cook a few dishes in the Dutch Ovens. All supplies, ingredients and recipes will be provided for the program, and afterwards we will sample our dishes. Other great programs this month include the Amazing Family Race on Thursday July 13th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Ice Cream Social on Sunday July 15th at 2:00 p.m., Mystery Scavenger Hunt on Thursday July 26th from 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. and a Full Moon hike on Friday July 27th at 9:00 p.m.

Two Harrisburg School District Tigers of Character led this year’s Harrisburg Days parade and helped kick off 125 years of excellence in the Harrisburg School District! Thanks for representing us so well Elliana Lindner and Gannon Cauwels!

The City and Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce work hard year-round to bring businesses and the community together.

A complete listing of all park programs can be found at https:// gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/docs/ calendar.pdf or stop in the visitor center during normal business hours to pick up a copy. For more information please call 605-2131036 or goodearth@state.sd.us