Giving Back, Moving Forward

Julie Schumacher, International Falls, BCLP 2000
Customized Training & Continuing Education, Small Business
Development Center, Rainy River Community College

 
A Blast of Border Confidence
Mention International Falls and even Minnesotans think about endless days of below-zero weather, snow until May, and a community “way, way up North.” International Falls, however, is neither daunted nor dismayed by its location and climate. For 28 years, residents have sneered at polar winds and snow drifts by holding a four-day festival called “Blast on the Border” (formerly known by the even bolder name, “Icebox Days”).

A closer look at International Falls and Koochiching County also shows that location and climate have little negative impact on people’s sense of confidence in creating healthy communities for all residents. That happens because of leadership. Julie Schumacher returned to International Falls in 1997 seeking a slower pace of life after 20 years of “living in exile” in the Twin Cities. What she discovered was the opportunity to come home and be part of creating the future. “I wanted a different lifestyle for sure, but that didn’t mean spending long hours looking out over the forest after a day’s work as director of Planning and Development for KOOTASCA Community Action. I love the people in this community and I love Rainy Lake, but this wasn’t a place to sit back and let life happen. There was plenty to be done.”

Julie recognized early on the imbalance between urban and rural Minnesota. “I used to think there was a fairly level playing field.” As she got more involved in community life and leadership, she made a commitment to help create economic opportunities for everyone in Koochiching County to prosper. This is most evident in her decision in 2005 to join the Small Business Development Center staff at Rainy River Community College, which provides customized training and continuing education to foster the area’s ability to create jobs in Northeastern Minnesota.

The path to community leadership varies. In Julie’s case, it began as she observed all that needed doing. “I think I have the ability to name the larger vision. Having roots in International Falls gave me a basis for exercising that skill. But it also helped that my age-mates were coming into leadership roles. This meant getting an invitation to serve on the Chamber Board to ‘help out.’ That became a springboard for what followed.”

Citizen-Based Mission
Being a community leader means taking action. “In a small town you have to roll up your sleeves and work together or nothing gets done.” Her first project was helping bring the Blandin Community Investment Program (BCIP) to International Falls in 1999 to generate a vision and set priorities that would mobilize people for common effort. “There were too many factions in town; BCIP facilitated people getting involved and giving their voice in shaping the future of International Falls.”

Several local initiatives emerged from the BCIP project. The city successfully brought broadband capacity to International Falls. In addition, efforts to cultivate economic opportunity lead to the creation of the Koochiching County Economic Development Authority. Community and county had a fairly traditional economic base that included papermaking and logging. “The need to diversify sources of economic vitality led to the conclusion that we needed to think about a knowledge-based economy even up here, deep in Northern Minnesota.”

A third community project was the creation of a Community Center for Arts and Culture — an exciting transformation of the soon-to-be abandoned E.W. Backus School Junior High and Alexander Baker Elementary School complex. Not only was Julie instrumental in helping to create a nonprofit organization to support and sustain the center, she also served on its board. This ongoing project will boast a 1000-seat auditorium and will bring lifelong learning opportunities to area residents for years to come.

Finally, as community and county combined priorities, leaders brought together all stakeholders concerned about housing to create the Koochiching Housing Coalition which, has since, developed an action plan that set as its top priority the redevelopment of the Alexander Baker building for affordable housing.

Expanding Capacity, Maximizing Potential
It all seems too easy — mobilizing people to take hold of a community’s future and succeeding with notable achievements. Julie is quick to point out that it is hard work. “It is also about good timing and being patient not to rush ahead too quickly before people are ready. And of course you need the right leadership who believes in the project and agrees to work together.” For Julie, leadership depends on the ability to articulate a vision, but it also requires having a deep respect for others. “Leaders focus on the community’s success, not just on their own.”

International Falls and Koochiching County have benefited from these sorts of leaders. Four cohorts of community and county residents have completed the BCLP Core Program, bringing into the leadership mix people who have deepened and expanded their skills for community building. “I have learned over the years how discouraging it can be when you can’t mobilize people and resources toward a common goal. At the same time, being a leader in this wonderful county has taught me how to step back and look at the bigger picture to focus on what a community needs.”

The work of community building never ends. International Falls is aggressively working toward an economic future that includes leveraging its assets to maximize the potential of timber and tourism, and determining how technology can become a new resource for sustainable jobs. “I stay at this because it is my responsibility to give back what I have been given by this community. I also believe that the decisions we make now will affect the kids I see around town. And there is always Rainy Lake to consider. That’s enough to keep anyone involved.”