Pottery and Pumpkins: Partnering for Prosperity
“Can’t get more landlocked than Beach, North Dakota,” grins an area resident. That and the name bring a smile to one’s face. Such positive community spirit fuels partnerships and pertinence among Beach’s 1,100 residents.
New lines of communication, particularly between youth and older residents, have blossomed through the formation of a Youth Advisory Committee. A student council representative from each high school class now brings local input to the committee meetings, which are held early in the morning to accommodate students’ schedules. “These kids keep so active and involved,” smiles an adult organizer, “it’s the only time they could meet.” Improving connections between local businesses and teens came up as a community need, particularly in communicating job openings for the summer tourist season. Thanks to these open communication lines, plans are underway for the first Beach Business Fair to be held at the high school, complete with job applications and the opportunity for students to talk directly with potential employers. Local businesses also want to be open to feedback and ideas from students. Each company will have a suggestion box on their table for youth to offer ideas.
Other new area partnerships involve established groups communicating in new ways, combining resources and efforts. Three local events that historically were run separately — the County Fair, the Spirit of the West event, and a rodeo held at Home on the Range, a renowned residential care facility for children in need — will now be held simultaneously on the first weekend in August. “With small towns like ours, there are a limited number of volunteers and funds for these larger events. By pooling these events together, we can better manage folks’ contributions and create a larger tourism draw to Beach,” comments an area resident.
Looking to the future, new partnerships and innovative perspectives came about through community-sponsored grant-writing workshops. “By bringing together a group from various backgrounds and industries that all shared a need for fundraising — from nonprofit groups to governmental agencies — we now have broader viewpoints than just our own organization,” explains a Beach resident who took part in the workshop. “We’re thinking beyond just our organization’s needs and no longer see other local groups as competition for grant funds. Instead, we are looking for ways to partner together on larger grant proposals that benefit our broader region.”
This commitment to community remains deeply rooted in Beach residents. In fact, much of the area’s social life stems from a common desire to help others. “There’s always a spaghetti supper or other benefit going on to help with someone’s medical bills or financial needs. When someone in Beach needs something, we all step to the plate and do our part,” reflects an area resident. “I don’t have any blood relations living in Beach, but I still feel as secure as if I were surrounded by my own family.”
Such a spirit of community, in addition to ongoing dialogue through a recent leadership development effort — the Horizons program — has enabled the community to talk openly about and grow more aware of poverty issues, realizing and appreciating what makes Beach unique. “Fifty-one percent of Beach’s residents are technically ‘low income’ on paper, but you wouldn’t know it by meeting the people who live here,” explains a local. “Folks here tend to focus on what they do have, appreciating the glass half full.” Adds another resident, “The Horizons program reinforced that we have the power and choice to make a difference, by opening a store or being on a committee. We see ourselves as valuable citizens.”
Located right off Interstate 94 and only 23 miles from Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Beach businesses benefit from easy highway access and a steady flow of travelers. The state’s Welcome Center, for those entering North Dakota from the west, is just up the road from Beach and has helped generate business for the town. “The Welcome Center staff do a great job of promoting Beach,” comments an area business owner. “Tourists may stop in just for a North Dakota state map and the Welcome Center staff take the time to tempt travelers to linger a bit longer in Beach and shop our stores.”
One such business that benefits from Beach’s location is Prairie Fire Pottery. As artist and owner Tama Smith puts it, “Beach blends the quality of life of a small town with the retail potential of living in a big city, as over one million people pass our exit off Highway 94 each year and could come visit my shop. I’m native to North Dakota and chose to come back and settle here because of Beach’s strategic location for my business.” Prairie Fire Pottery specializes in a distinct style of high-fired stoneware that has developed a regional reputation for original, bright-colored glazes. Thanks to such ongoing traffic and Prairie Fire Pottery’s artisan renown, Tama experienced a business shift from mostly online sales to walk-in retail business at her studio store in downtown Beach. The increase in retail traffic brought by Prairie Fire Pottery has fueled other entrepreneurs. Several new, unique businesses have popped up in Beach including a craft and scrapbooking store, a clothing store, a fabric store/coffee shop and an authentic Mexican restaurant.
As Beach moves toward celebrating its centennial in 2009, this vibrant community has much to be proud of. From a town movie theater to a recently reopened bowling alley and new restaurants, Beach proffers the quintessential backdrop for small-town quality of life. “We’ve learned to be grateful for what we have going on here and to appreciate all this town offers,” comments a local resident, summing it up with a smile. “We’re the best-kept secret in North Dakota!”