The Stewards Council has painted a bold picture of the future with its Destiny Statement. It has also defined the necessary building blocks to make it real. Both are shown below.

7th Gen Destiny

By deliberately working together, the 7th Gen Community will be:

• a thriving community that creates ever expanding opportunity for all its residents through educational excellence;
• a healthy, safe community that supports and celebrates family;
• a community that respects and honors its relationship with the natural environment;
• a community that celebrates and finds strength and opportunity in its differences; and
• a community that highly values, supports and nurtures leadership, and one that expects participation from its residents.

Building Blocks

Expanding Opportunity

• There will be a fully accredited Tribal and  Community College on a new campus by 2010. 
  Contact: Sonny Peacock
• Our educational system will give all our youth attractive choices for the future by increasing by 10% yearly for 5 years: the youth graduating on time from high school; the youth going on to post-secondary education; and the number of children entering kindergarten ready to learn.
  Contact: Joan LaVoy, Judy Hanson, or Terri Anderson Rothschadel, Chairs of Education Council
• The community will add 50 living wage jobs a year for 10 years.

Nurturing Stewardship/Working Together

• Beginning in 2006 there will be an annual 7th Generation Community wide celebration of Stewardship.
  Contact: Cliff Tweedale
• There will be an Intergovernmental Council that meets semi-annually by 2007.
  Contact: Pete Haddeland
• Community forums dealing with our toughest issues will be held beginning in 2007.
• A website will be developed by 2006 that will connect individuals with opportunities to debate issues, make their voices heard and practice civic engagement.
  Contact: Tony Mayer

Improving Quality of Life

• One half dozen working families yearly for the next 5 years will be moved into home ownership.
  Contact: Tim Flathers
• Every community will have access to state of the art technology by 2009.

Creating Healthy Families

• Reduce illegal drug use in the community by 50% by 2010.
  Contact: Chief Bill Brunelle
• The community will rank in the upper half in Minnesota in community wellness.
  Contact: Monte Fox or Sue Klabo
• Complete within 3 years an assisted living facility in Mahnomen.
  Contact: Sue Klabo

Community-building is not a spectator sport! If these building blocks are going to be put in place in the Seventh Generation community over the next 5-8 years, then many people and organizations are going to need to pull together to make it happen.

Where do you and/or your organization fit in? What are you willing to do? After each building block is a name, or names of people that you can contact to get involved. Each is a link to their e-mail. Not all champions have been identified, but they will be over the next few weeks -- visit us again! Finally, be a player, not a spectator!

Return to top