Envision Polson! is neighbors working with neighbors to positively impact their community. It is civic-minded, action-oriented volunteers who give their time and talents to work on a wide variety of large and small projects to do good things in the Polson community. Envision Polson is a major connection between the GPCF and the dedicated volunteers who work hard for our community.
Envision Polson! is made up of eight “action committees” which are the feet-on-the-ground for the community values identified by the Heart & Soul project. The committees meet regularly and spearhead an amazing number of projects carried out by hard-working volunteers. Here’s a sample of what they have been doing lately:
ENVISION POLSON UPDATE – update from October 16, 2017 meeting
- Beautification Committee, The Polson in Bloom Contest went well. Agnes Rinehart was pleased to win the Best Bloomin’ Residence award. Main Street bulb outs are being weeded and deadheaded by volunteers. One bulb out has been cemented over, and one in front of the VFW Club will be cemented over and will include a special plaque honoring veterans. Flowers in the Boat Island have been cleaned up for the year. There is a lot of trash accumulating along Highway 93 and the county roads. Pack 47 Cub Scouts and Pack 47 Boy Scouts, their leaders and parents picked up 32 bags of trash on Polson Hill the past weekend. The next project for the committee will be the Celebrate the Season of Light in December. Watch for information on the “Celebrate the Season of Light”contest CelebrateTheSeasonofLight.pdf
- Year-Round Recreation Committee: The Year-Round Recreation Committee reported on new events coming to our community over the next year. The city will be dedicating three new pickleball courts at O’Malley Park with three more courts being planned at the same site. Donations are needed for the parking lot, fencing, and surfacing of all the courts. The courts are a great addition and will be a real asset the third week of June, 2018, when the qualifying rounds of the Montana Senior Olympics will be held in Polson. Pickleball was the most popular event when the MSO was in Polson this past June. Because of the popularity of the sport, the courts will receive a lot of use by our snowbirds and will add to Polson’s economy.The Montana Senior Olympics will be held in Polson/Pablo & Ronan in June of 2018. This will be a national qualifier and there are fourteen events that will take place in Polson, Ronan and at the SKC gymnasium. place in order to get the facility open for use as soon as possible. The Mission Valley Ice Rink Committee is working on the capital campaign, the goal being to raise a little over $2 million to construct the building and put the basic components in. They have purchased a second hand Zamboni and are shopping for other used, but suitable, equipment. The rink will be located near the aquatic center and the soccer fields. The rink is projected to greatly enhance Polson’s winter economy.
- Vibrant Downtown Committee: The Parade of Lights is set for Friday, December 1st . “Buy Local” will be emphasized now through Christmas, and the Polson Chamber of Commerce is once again promoting “Chamber Bucks.”
- Youth & Education Committee:
- Health & Wellness Committee: There are a couple local run/walk events in the valley this Fall including Your Life Matters 5K, which emphasizes suicide prevention, the Monster Mash, focusing on healthy activities during Red Ribbon Week as well as the St. Joe’s Turkey Trot.
- Economic Development Committee: Leadership Flathead Reservation Project is Organized by the Lake County Development Corporation, it is patterned after the highly successful Leadership Montana Project. 25 applicants have each paid $1200 tuition for the year-long, nine sessions, each lasting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The topic of the first session was the history and responsibilities of the three levels of local government: City, County, Tribal. It included a tour of the Lake County Courthouse and a presentation at Tribal Council chambers with Chairman Vernon Finley. Attendees covers a wide spectrum from different organizations and businesses, some are the head of their organizations and some are “up and comers.” It brings Tribal and non-tribal people together and develops relationships as well as teaching/learning leadership skills.
At any given time, each Action Committee is discussing, planning, or implementing a number of projects related to their specific area of concern. Additional volunteers are always welcome and can serve in any capacity that interests them. For more information or to volunteer, contact Greater Polson Community Foundation President, Penny Jarecki at [email protected].
Heart & Soul Project
Polson Heart & Soul was a two-year program for the purpose of reaching out to all members of the Polson community to engage in conversations about our future and how to ensure that Polson is economically vibrant and a great place for all of us to continue to live.
The project began with discussing what community members love about Polson and why they choose to live here. These conversations lead to development of central themes that represent the “heart & soul” of Polson, i.e., our commonly held concerns, values and aspirations.
By identifying shared community values and recommended actions to inform local community-driven and government efforts, we will be able to maintain what we love about Polson while providing for growth and change in positive directions.
The outcomes of the Heart & Soul project will be:
- A more unified community and more unified work/projects
- Growth in the community’s ability to work together, have meaningful relationships and improved mutual understanding
- A vision for the future based on our community’s values
- Programs for growing leadership skills among our youth
- Cooperation with and support of existing community organizations and groups
- There is a clear vision forward, grounded in our community values, that informs: Community efforts and organizations like Envision Polson! and others; community development goals for economic development and enhancement of quality of life; city planning decisions that respect property rights and are fair, easier, and efficient