One online space. Countless connections.

Your request for an online space to connect to more than 5,500 fellow Blandin leadership alumni has been heard.

The resources you found most valuable on this site and previous Blandin leadership web sites along with many new features can now be found on:

alumniconnect.ning.com

Community, Sustainability and a Cup of Coffee

“Community founded, community grounded” is both tag line and mantra for a Staples coffee house that blends the concepts of community and sustainability – providing opportunity to area youth, a gathering place for the entire community and leads the charge in eco-friendly practices.

That coffee shop is the Stomping Grounds, a nonprofit venture envisioned by community leaders in Staples nearly a decade ago as a lesson in business for young people in the area.

Stacy Grossman, now a registered nurse and Stomping Grounds board member, was one of the “kids” who helped launch Stomping Grounds, which opened its doors to north central Minnesota customers in 2003. “The idea was to have a fun, safe hangout for teens,” she said. Read the rest of this entry »

Philanthropy in the Decade to Come

Lucy Bernholz, author of Philanthropy 2173 blog is accredited with FastCompany Magazine “Best Blog” and Huffington Post “Philanthropy Game Changer”. In her article Ten for the next 10: 2010 – 2020, she takes a look into the future of philanthropy and identifies 10 premonitions of the decade to come.

One Night Without a Home

Accept the Challenge Now!!! Join us for one Night of Homelessness

  •   One Night Without a Home
  •       7th Annual Sleep Out
  • Bring Community Awareness to Homelessness in Itasca County

 

Where:    K-Mart Parking Lot (Hwy 169)

When:     Friday, November 19th  To Saturday, November 20th  

 

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Fergus Falls leaders put inclusiveness at the forefront of healthy community initiative

How do you engage the community in building healthy community? Invite them to the table, of course!

That’s exactly what leaders in Fergus Falls did with an initiative known as “Forward Fergus Falls,” a volunteer effort to create a visioning statement and initiatives for the future.

The visioning process began in April of 2009, about one year after a second Fergus Falls cohort finished BCLP training, said Tim Bosworth, a 2006 BCLP alumnus and local Wal Mart manager. To get things started, leaders initiated a survey of approximately 1,500 community members. Community listening sessions also took place.  A community kick-off celebration took place on June 24 of this year.

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