Townsend to Host Statewide Reimagine Rural Gathering
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
Townsend to Host Statewide Reimagine Rural Gathering
Allison Kosto
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
It is not every day that a large statewide conference comes to Townsend, but in the spirit of rural communities, that is exactly what is happening in June. Townsend is set to host the 2023 Reimagine Rural Gathering taking place on June 13th at Watson’s Event Center. The event is organized by Montana State University Extension in partnership with the Montana Community Foundation for funders, policymakers, community members and partners invested in a vibrant future for rural Montana.
Reimagine Rural is a program of MSU Extension focused on improving vitality in rural communities and increasing volunteer engagement. The program started in 2019 with a large in-person event in Harlowton where over 100 people met to discuss and learn about rural issues. It inspired a larger movement that expanded across the state.
The next phase of the program started in 2020, and Broadwater County was one of the first counties to participate. This phase of the program included a series of events where local leaders and volunteers gather to watch rural-focused speakers delivered simultaneously across the state via Zoom followed by local discussions about the ideas they heard and how they apply locally. This format has continued almost annually with almost 40 counties across the state participating since the inception.
Communities that are involved with the program are eligible for small grants to kickstart projects that were developed from the community sessions. The grant that Broadwater County received contributed to the murals along Broadway in Townsend.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a hiatus in large statewide gatherings related to the program. The event in Townsend is the first one since the initial event in 2019. The event takes place from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm followed by an optional downtown walking tour and social in the city of Townsend. The event includes speakers who will discuss how dynamics are changing in rural Montana specifically focusing on volunteer-led organizations. After lunch, a panel of speakers will share examples of success stories in rural communities, featuring Cutbank, Roundup, Worden, Ballentine, Broadus and Forsyth.
The tour at the end of the day will highlight our main street, and local businesses and end at Canyon Ferry Brewery for the social
The event is open to the public. The cost to attend is $50 which includes lunch catered by Gayle Watson. For more information or to register, go to https://www.montana.edu/extension/communitydevelopment/reimagine-rural.html.
Community development is a focus area of MSU Extension in Broadwater County. The local office is located in the Flynn Building at 416 Broadway in Townsend.
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