Discover the Magic of Community:

History, Change and Regional Development


in the Fox Cities of Wisconsin


June 17 - 20, 2007

Paper Valley Radisson

Appleton, Wisconsin

The Community Development Society (CDS), the National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP) and Wisconsin Rural Partners, Inc, (WRP) present a joint international community and rural development conference for leaders, practitioners, researchers and policy makers. Discover the Magic of Community through learning the latest information and data; sharing best practices and working models; and exchanging ideas that will improve the research, policy and practice of community development worldwide.
Conference Highlights:

Sunday, June 17, 2007 

 

Organizational Leadership Meetings:

Welcome Reception and Wisconsin's Top Rural Development Initiatives Awards


Monday, June 18, 2007

 

Keynote Speakers:

 

David Dodson, author and president of MDC, Inc., an organization creating civic change in the Carolinas, the Deep South, and Appalachia. David has directed major projects to strengthen public schools and community colleges, address rural economic decline, create new philanthropic structures, and build multiracial leadership for civic change.
Irma Tyler-Wood, Partner with Ki ThoughtBridge, where she consults nationally and internationally with public sector clients in resolving complex, high stakes disputes. She is coauthor of the book Expand the Pie: How to Create More Value in Any Negotiation.

On-site learning workshops

 

Badger Tailgate and Hospitality Event at the Paper Discovery Center in Appleton


Tuesday, June 19, 2007      

 

On-site learning workshops     

 

Mobile Learning Workshops to explore community development in the region (see below for descriptions)


Wednesday, June 20, 2007


Keynote Speakers: 

Michael PerryMichael Perry, humorist and author of Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time and Truck: A Love Story. Perry has written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, and his essays have been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered. Perry lives in rural Wisconsin, where he remains active as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical responder.

Kelly Hawke BaxterKelly Hawke Baxter, executive director of The Natural Step Canada, a non-profit organization that works to accelerate global sustainability by guiding companies, communities and governments onto an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable path.

Awards Banquet and Jazz Dance


More Information:

Conference Registration:

Hotel Info:

  • www.radisson.com/appletonwi
  • Book your room online! Go to the Radisson Paper Valley website, enter the dates you will be staying under "Check rates and availability." Then, enter "CDS" in the "Promotional Code" box and the conference rates will appear. Book now

Visitor Info:


Sponsors, Exhibitors and Contributors:
       
Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute UW-Extension
Center for Community Economic Development
Fox Valley Workforce Development Board
City of Oconto
       


Mobile Workshop Summaries:


Mobile workshops are scheduled for Tuesday, June 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., lunch included. Exceptions to this time frame are noted in the workshop descriptions. With the exception of the walking tour of Downtown Appleton, participation in mobile workshops is limited to the number of seats on the bus (usually 45 persons), and selections are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. It is important to register early in order to reserve your spot for your selection.

The Changing Landscape of the Menominee Nation (Keshena). Workshop participants will learn how the Menominee people infuse sustainability into their institutions, communities, and natural environment. They will hear and see firsthand, evidence of this commitment through a guided tour of the Menominee Reservation with interpretive stops at the College of Menominee Nation, the Menominee Forest and Menominee Tribal Enterprises.
Farm Market Kitchen Incubator & Waterfront Workshop (Algoma). Learn how food and cultural entrepreneurship come alive on the shores of Lake Michigan. Meet entrepreneurs and history buffs who combine value-added food processing with heritage events. Experience a heritage lunch, visit historic fish shanty area, boardwalk, winery, and fish-to-fertilizer plant.
Buy Local, Farm-Direct Local Sustainable Foods (Elkhart Lake). Participants will learn about local sustainable foods. Visits are planned to an Appleton grocery focusing on special diets, organic food and local suppliers; a “Slow Food” restaurant that buys local, in-season foods; and an organic farm which sells direct to consumers through an on-farm store. This workshop includes a lunch of local foods.
Impacts of the Niagara Escarpment on Development in Calumet County. The Niagara Escarpment is an international geologic feature stretching from New York through Canada down into Wisconsin. This geologic formation influences issues including agriculture, tourism, and regional development in this fast-growing area of the state. Learn how the Niagara Escarpment is important to Calumet County development and growth. Visits to High Cliff State Park, Holsum Dairy farm, and Ledgeview Nature Center (trails and caves).
The Changing Face of the City of Menasha. The City of Menasha, like other communities in the Fox Valley, is evolving. This tour will highlight a variety of downtown community development initiatives and discuss results of a community economic preparedness survey that illustrates the challenges faced in moving some of these initiatives forward. Visits to Nature’s Way affordable housing site, riverfront development, Menasha locks and trestle trail, and downtown.
A River Runs Through It. Study of how the Fox River impacts Appleton, Neenah and Menasha. Throughout the history of the Fox Cities, the Fox River has been a focal point of travel, commerce, industry and most recently downtown revitalization. This workshop will highlight the Fox River and how 3 communities are revitalizing downtown riverfronts, connecting to local and regional trail systems, and reconstructing the historic lock system.
Facing and Fixing Environmental Problems in the Fox Valley. This workshop will provide a close-up view of the dynamic relationship between community and the environment. Participants will learn about the paper industry and its role in environmental issues. We will visit one of the largest PCB contamination and clean-up sites in the world and learn about the community impacts associated with efforts to restore the natural environment. Other stops include an ecological preserve.
The Horicon Marsh. The 32,000-acre Horicon Marsh is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. Tour participants will learn about the rich natural and human history of the area, take a pontoon boat trip into the marsh, and hear about the ongoing interplay between environmental preservation and human development. Participants will learn about a state-local partnership to build a world-class visitor and education center, learn about an endeavor to develop a regional recreational trail system and learn about how regional development is having an impact on the marsh ecosystem.
Door County/Sturgeon Bay Revitalization. A case study in successful rural community and economic redevelopment. This community of 10,000 lost 3,000 jobs in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Revitalization capitalized on the area's strong entrepreneurial climate, renowned work force and strategic waterfront location in one of the Midwest’s premier tourist destinations. Participants will visit a business incubator, waterfront redevelopment, shipbuilding cluster expansion project, and experience a Door County fish boil dinner. Dinner is an additional expense, and the workshop will return after 7 pm.
Walking Tour of Downtown Appleton. 1.5 hour walking tour, about 2 miles total in the several blocks surrounding the Paper Valley. Features architecture, streetscape, lighting, banners, economic development strategies including education, history, youth initiatives and multi-culturalism. Lunch for this group will be in the hotel courtyard, followed by the tour.

 

Last Updated: June 4, 2007