Monthly Program Update
November, 2022
Major GRO Goals for 2022
- Launch an Eldon Leadership program that provides
structured training to citizens interested in serving their
community.
- Project RISE: Recruit the first class.
Investment Water and Sewage infrastructure, Walkability,
- Housing ordinance refinement.
- Identify and pursue grants that can help further develop
the trails projects.
- Find workers to fill the estimated 400 new jobs in Eldon
Meeting Agenda
Detailed Program Review
- Personal Reflections: Peaks, Valleys, & Shout-outs (5 mins)
- GRO Survey Outreach: Review past learnings and develop a promotional plan for the survey. (10 mins)
- Collective Problem Solving (35 mins)
– Eldon Leadership Program: Who should lead the program? When and where should we hold the meetings? Review the list of potential names to join the program\’s first class. - Review GRO Survey Materials
- Next Steps and Action Items (5 mins)
GRO Major Wins To-Date
- To read the full list of GRO Eldon's Community Wins: Click Here
- The city has undertaken several different projects this year: Lining sewer pipes, ordering equipment to refurbish wastewater treatment, and refurbishing concession stand at Apperson Park.
- The city also received a $750,000 grant to repair stormwater drain next to High School.
- Quaker Window Products is building a $65 million campus along in Eldon. This summer the company started
constructing in its third phase. This third phase involves a new 250,000-square-foot commercial window and door facility. Bringing more than 150 jobs to Eldon!
- The Rock Island Depot depot was originally the place where products were unloaded from trains and carted to the local shop owners. The new depot is constructed in the same location to welcome visitors from the Rock
Island Trail and usher them to downtown Eldon amenities. Leaders in Eldon have spent over eight years working toward initiating the construction of the depot.
- GRO Eldon's Small Town Big Heart, manned with 84 Volunteers, 172 Hours of service, Gathered 900 jars of peanut butter, Collected 900 books for parents as teachers, Raised $3,856 for gas cards and haircuts
Organized 24 backpacks for children in foster care.Project RISE: Get the program launched. Recruit the first class.
Upcoming Events
Community
GRO Program
GRO Priority Initiatives
Program
Why Is The Project Important
Overall Project Goals
Help Needed
Workforce Development/Attraction
New jobs are coming to Eldon. The purpose of this project is to plan and prepare for Eldon to attract families and workers to the area to work these new positions.
- Find workers to fill the estimated 400 new jobs in Eldon.
Sustainable Leadership
The key to community prosperity is strong local leadership. Often, the same set of individuals serves in a variety of leadership roles and as a result experience burnout. Additionally, local citizens who could be potential leaders, lack the resources on how to engage. GRO Eldon will tackle this opportunity by creating two specific pathways.
- Engage and recruit co-leaders for each of the GRO projects.
- Launch an Eldon Leadership program that provides structured training to citizens interested in serving their community.
- Team looking to launch the leadership program in Fall of 2022 with about 5 individuals.
- If you would like to engage more in this effort, please contact us!
Infrastructure and Housing
Access to quality local infrastructure and housing are the most fundamental asset that are needed to attract/retain young families to small rural communities. The GRO team will work alongside the Eldon City Hall to create and mobilize a plan that addresses this opportunity.
- Refurbish the city’s water distribution system.
- Refurbish the wastewater collection and treatment system.
- Repair the streets throughout the city. and Remove and replace distressed residential properties with new homes for workers and families.
This complete wrap-around program provides support to individuals and families that are trapped in a generational cycle of poverty. Through this program, families living paycheck to paycheck can stabilize their finances (increase their income, reduce debt, etc), and chart a path to personal prosperity.
- Launch this initiative.
- Launch the program and get our first cohort through the program (2-3 families).
- If you would like to contribute your time/ expertise/ or become a mentor for families, we would love you to be part of our Project Rise support team.
- You can volunteer your time, (estimated 1-3 hours a month or more). Contact us to see how you can help!
- Are you a family that could use a little support? Please contact us.
Rock Island Trail & Depot
The Rock Island Trail is a 144-mile stretch of Missouri’s old Rock Island Train Line. This train line is being redeveloped as a multi-use trail. This can be a distinct new asset to communities that are adjacent to the trails. Eldon has the opportunity to further connect and build this asset (already finished working on the Trail Depot).
- Identify and pursue grants that can help further develop the trails.
Community Engagement
Local citizens sometimes lack the knowledge on the direction where their community is headed. This lack of understanding causes dis-engagement and at worst mistrust. It is incumbent upon local leaders to proactively share with local citizens details about community strategies, local development priorities, and progress. In order to tackle this opportunity, GRO Eldon team will use several tools and techniques: social media, in-person events, and newsletters.
- Create engagement and awareness through the implementation of various communication modes.
- We are striving towards the goal of gaining 3.5% of the population to be actively involved.
- Do you have expertise in social media? Graphic design? Photography? Videography or Writing? We could use your help to be part of our commitment to helping spread the “GRO” word. No threshold on time commitment. We would love your help!
