Cando, ND

Once again, Horizons has met a need in Cando.  When the Community Library was new (1999), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated a computer, server and printer to us.  It has been updated, and 3 others added, but it was time to replace our first NEW computer.  How could we afford this?

 The answer came through Horizons and its committees.  The computer and printer awarded for doing the required blogging has been donated to the Library!  Today the initial part of the installing was done AND many books from the NDSU Extension Service Center for Community Vitality Horizon Program were donated to the Library.  Come in and see the help we’ve been given!

A special thanks to Gail Getty for doing all the background work: arranging to get the computer and books, and now delivering all of these good things.  We are hoping to get this new computer networked with the computer at the main desk so that anyone can access our “card catalog” (Concourse Opac), something we have not had for a long time.

THANKS again for the many things that have been done to keep the Library open and improvements added!

Where has the month gone?  Into history!  And what have we accomplished?  I like the thought that it’s not always what we have done, but what we’ve been that counts.

The positive response re: the Library was appreciated!  We are SO GLAD to know that there is support and our doors can remain open.  Another plus was over 80 hardcover books donated from the Bisbee School Library when they closed, and we were able to get a great buy on some children’s paperback books that we didn’t have.  Some shelves were also purchased; now to decide how to fit them into our Library!!

A special little thing happened last week at the Library: the 6 weeks of the Summer Reading Program was completed so we didn’t have a Story Time.  Two young girls (11 years old?) came and asked if they could do Story Time for 2 or 3 weeks!!  That’s leadership developing! and we are grateful.

Another note of interest for the summer is that the attendance at Farmers Market has been very good THE FIRST HOUR! and then, we wait!!!  Hours have been adjusted twice since the beginning of the Market to see if we can find a time that is best.  Maybe just being open 1 hour is the answer for our small community??    Any suggestions?

This evening we finished transplanting 2 acres of cabbages (at Johnstons).  It has been more drawn out with the rains we’ve had, but rain is better than drought!  Also several kinds of squash were transplanted, both slicer and pickling cucumbers; even a few watermelon and cantelope.  Now, we hope some of that will be ready before tooo long.  Mike Parker’s cabbages will be ready to transplant next week, weather permitting!

The Farmers Market here in Cando, at the City Park, is to start the first Thursday after the 4th of July; that would be July 10.  It was decided at a meeting the last part of April by vendors who could be there that we would change the hours from 5-7 PM so that those who work until 5 would have a better chance to get what they want.  No sales will be made before 5.  Another change is that a person can have half a table for $5.oo; a full table is $10.oo and those who don’t have many products felt they lost all their profit with a full table.

According to Market Manager Joleen Johnston, we will abide by ALL market standards (this excludes the sale of pickles, eggs, processed meat, salsas and a few other things), and prices are to be fairly even.  Jams, baked items, and hand crafted articles are acceptable.  The last Market Day (Sept 25)will be more like a flea market, allowing “home-party type products or individual consultant items”.

There will be door prizes each week, one name drawn from the list of those attending.    For more information, see the article Joleen is putting in the Towner Count Record Herald soon.  If you want to be a part of this activity contact her (Joleen Johnston) at 701-968-3035 or e-mail her at jmjohnston@gondtc.com

A thriving, vibrant community is like a good cupcake recipe that has been handed down for generations.  A variety of people with different opinions and experiences are like the eggs, flour, sugar and flavorings. Community committees, organizations and councils that work together well are like the cupcake ingredients all mixed up and baked at the right temperature for the correct amount of time. A successful communty event is like a mouthwatering cupcake eaten right out of the oven.  But just as it takes a yummy, creamy, flavorful frosting to make a truly unforgettable cupcake, it takes willing and dedicated volunteers to make a community truly viable, valuable and unforgettable.  Shelly Lord (pictured) is just one of the many Cando volunteers who help this community bake up beautifully!  Yesterday Shelley and Rebecca Kingsley (not pictured) donated their day to judge the 4-H Communication Arts contest held in Langdon, helping 4-Her’s become better public speakers and demonstrators.  Thanks to all the many volunteers who give of their time and talents towards making Cando the Cream of the Crop!

There was good attendance at the organizational meeting this month. Topics that where discussed was coming up with a name of the club and area birding sites. Both are are going to be on the agenda at the upcoming meeting Wednesday June 18th, at 6:30 pm the the City Park. Field trip to follow so bring your bird books and binoculars. Hope to see you there.

Thursday was a big day at the Cando Community Library: the count was 82, and 35 of these were children signing up for the Summer Reading Program: “Catch the Reading Bug”.  Some of the new books with Bugs as the subject, and others with popular authors, will be paid for with City Sales Tax reserved for the Youth of Cando.  There are also 65 new books from the Libri Foundation in Oregon.  This is a grant we can apply for every 3 years.  We sent $350 from the Friends of the Library (a fund-raiser in December called Season’s Readings), and the Libri Foundation let us choose books from their list.  The bill would have been $1060 if we purchased them in a store; a GREAT deal!!

The Kick-Off party for the summer program was: riddles by the Librarian, an interaction story about Anasi with Connie Elsperger reading very expressively to the group, and a fun Mad-Lib story with which Becky Kingsley entertained the group.   Then snacks and bug juice! and the kids went home ready to read books they chose, new and old.   The total number of books checked out this one day (by adults as well as children) was almost 150!

Have you caught the Reading Bug yet?  It’s contagious!! and “a Picnic” as the sign on the front window of the Library says.

I have recently been trying to clean up the trailer court. Not that it is dirty but the trees and shrubs are getting overgrown and it will take a little bit to get everything in order again.  It is possible that we will try to have some spots in the trailer court available for travel trailers. With a few changes with electrical posts and sewer links maybe we can host more traveling people in our community.  Time will tell when or if this happens but I will keep working toward the beautification of the property.  And a big thanks to the people who reside in the trailer court for doing a fantastic job on their lots - they look great.

On May 20th, the Cando fire hall invited children of all ages, to come learn about the safety of riding their bikes. Those who had no helmets, got new ones. Repairs were made on bikes, and they talk about riding tips to the children and parents. A video was shown to the children about bike safety. Prizes and snacks was also given. Thank you to all volunteers who donated time and supplies for this event. The children had a great time!

Several from Cando (also Rock Lake, Rolette and other towns in Horizons) attended the session: Grantwriting, Getting the Results You Want in Devils Lake on April 23.  The presenter, Dr. Lynette Krenelka from the UND was a lively lady who took us through all the steps of Grantwriting, a very involved process.  Of the four phases: Planning, Seeking Funding Source, Development and Follow-up, 80% of the time spent in writing a grant is in the first two phases.

Besides Dr. Krenelka’s lecture and answering questions, we spent time in the computer lab at LR College, looking into grants available, according to our various interests and concerns.  One of the sites is www.grants.gov

We were served a lovely noon meal at the College Cafeteria, free of charge.  Great!  and snacks throughout the day.

If you want more info about this seminar, come to the Cando Community Library and I will share more of what we learned.

Yes, it’s the library lady, again!  First of all, the response to the fund-raiser: becoming a Friend of the Library, has been WONDERFUL! And if you haven’t had a part in this, it’s not too late!!  Some have asked why we don’t charge the patrons IN Cando to use the Library. If we did this, we would lose state aid.  It’s just one of the laws/rules that if we are receiving any mill levy from the City, we can’t charge. The “way around this” or to give financial help is to donate to the Friends of the Library, according to what you are able to do.

The 4 mill levy from City taxes covers some of the expenses to keep the Library operating.  When the City wasn’t able to include us in the 2008 budget to pay salaries, we entered into the Poverty area!  The Library Board has met several times, talked to the State, to lawyers, to the City Council, and it seems that the only way to keep the Library open will be to add more mill levy (and probably raise out-of-town membership fees).  This is to be on the ballot in June.

Are you interested/concerned??  There is to be a a Public Meeting at the Cando Community Library May 6 at 7:30 P. M.  We sincerely hope that many will come to learn more about the proposed mill levy increase and library funding.  See you there….. we need the library and we need YOU.