Where Community Begins

Edge of the Wilderness

Cultivating a Culture of Support
Bigfork, Minnesota is the destination of a long, beautiful drive up Highway 38. It is part of a network of communities known as the “Edge of the Wilderness.” On a weekday, the main street seems quiet and lost in the solitude of the Northwoods. But gather around a table with a group of BCLP alums, and one discovers an electric current of energy pulsing beneath. Patricia Feld (BCLP 2002) recounts, “When we came back after attending the first retreat, we had all the enthusiasm of converts to a vision of making a difference. Someone from an earlier BCLP cohort advised us to stay together — and we did. We continued to meet monthly. That was important for channeling our commitment to this town, the area, and the assets we have — and can have.”

Her colleague Janice Baker (BCLP 2002) agrees. “I think we have a sense of giving more than getting. We have also cultivated a culture of support. I can’t imagine having an idea that I couldn’t get support and encouragement for from this group.” Says Pastor Mike Stevens (BCLP 2002), “Bigfork is right-sized for staying together. One of the advantages we have is not having to seek each other out. Our paths cross almost daily.”

Off the main road that winds through all Edge of the Wilderness communities are a first-rate fine arts center, a healthy K-12 school, a hospital that has gained international recognition for its creative approach to long-term care, and a family discovery center. “These aren’t assets we happened to stumble upon,” notes Patricia. “They are the direct result of community members getting involved and making things happen. Part of that is figuring out where the funding will come from. A much larger part is making connections within the community and beyond.”

Collaboration at Work
The Marcell Family Center, for instance, resulted from grants secured with the help of Representative Jim Oberstar and Tim Johnson (BCLP 2002), Tri-Community Coordinator for Bigfork, Marcel and Effie. The Center is an educational resource on forestry products, offering classes for children and producing “Goods From the Woods” that are marketed in a Grand Rapids shop. It is also a distribution center for information on all resorts. The Center is located in a rehabbed building and represents a partnership among Marcel Township, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Forestry Service.
Diane Coppens (BCLP 2002) points to the Highway 38 Project as another illustration of collaboration at work. The highway is a critical link to the Edge of the Wilderness area. “A former state transportation department person retired up here and had invaluable links to the state offices. He proved to be an incredible asset and played a role in our winning an AASHTO Award for the project.” The American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials gave the award to the Minnesota Department of Transportation during its 2005 Best Practices in Context-Sensitive Solutions Awards Competition.

“We have a living network that supports collaboration, that involves more than just BCLP alums,” notes Gail Blackmer (BCLP 2002). But it was Gail, Mike and Janice who helped convene community-wide meetings after five youngsters in the area died in car accidents that involved drug and alcohol abuse. Mike recalls, “We spent two hours at the first meeting defining the problem, and decided to support two initiatives: one was to accelerate support for a youth center for after school activities; the other was to provide an information session for the community on drug and alcohol use.” These actions were not meant as a quick fix to problems that had dramatic impact on the community. Vigilance to education and prevention continues to be a priority for community leaders in Edge of the Wilderness. Diane underscored the importance of the commitment. “One local educator told us that half the kids in any one classroom are at risk.”

Another issue on the agenda of local leaders is community beautification, one of Janice’s concerns. “What people first see when they arrive after the long drive up Highway 38 doesn’t match the real beauty that exists.” The group of community leaders around the table in Kenny Wood’s restaurant speculate on what would be needed to move into action. Patricia suggests doing research on grant possibilities. Diane suggests convening a community meeting to get input from as many people as possible about what they would like to see, to build awareness, and to identify the stakeholders. That means making sure the “flower pot ladies” are included, those women who keep the flower pots along Bigfork’s main street fresh and well-watered.

Kindling the Pioneer Spirit
As the group continues to reflect on what elements of a community change process are required for success, Gail reminds her colleagues to remember the pitfalls from past community initiatives that failed. “We know we have our share of CAVE people [i.e. citizens against virtually everything]. We have seen them take over city council meetings. So we’re challenged to search for shared meaning about what is best for beautification or any other improvement and ‘bulletproof’ the proposal before rolling it out.” For Gail this means getting things in line before launching. For Patricia and others, that includes promoting idea generation among business owners and other community groups, helping them to actually visualize what the results might look like.
“Projects like these seem to get traction when we can identify who has the knowledge, skills, and abilities for different parts of the change process,” adds Ken Woods (BCLP 2002). Through collaboration and cooperation, Edge of the Wilderness communities have been able to create assets that benefit the whole area. “People are willing to come out of themselves to do things for the wider good,” says Patricia. “There is a deep caring for one another that is reflected in a sense that no one will be out there on his or her own.” In many ways, that’s the pioneer spirit…people in Edge of the Wilderness communities kindle that spirit. They know the power of one to get by and make it; but they have also seen the power of the many, mobilized around shared goals and a vision of what being in a community really means.

The new Interpretive Kiosk near Bigfork is just one illustration of collaboration at work among area residents along Highway 38. Prominently displayed in each peak of this structure is an Edge of the Wilderness logo, a symbol represneting the culture of support among this network of northern Minnesota communities.