Since winding down the initial speaking tour based on his book, Boomtown USA – The 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns, Jack Schultz has spent a great deal of time researching Key #5 – Encourage an Entrepreneurial Approach. What he has found is that the entrepreneurial spirit that millennials possess is a powerful economic development driver.
Millennial Entrepreneurs, young people under the age of 29, are quickly transforming communities. Towns that figure out how to inspire, instruct, and assist these young entrepreneurs are going to find their futures much brighter. There is a profound paradigm shift taking place in rural America, where economic developers are spending less time recruiting new business, instead channeling recruitment resources into new business development.
There are huge advantages in this approach-local entrepreneurs put down much deeper roots than those recruited into the community. It doesn’t just happen, though. There are reams of research showing you must connect with millennials to create the most positive economic future.
Jack is teaming up with an incredible teacher, Craig Lindvahl. Craig is Milken National Educator Award winner and also a multiple Mid-America Emmy award winning filmmaker, who developed and has taught a unique, accredited high school course on entrepreneurship called CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities). Now in its fifth year, CEO connects students and business people in real and meaningful ways as students start and run their own businesses. It’s more than a business course, though. CEO transforms everyone who becomes involved in the program.
In this dynamic presentation, Jack and Craig will show you how communities are making the connection to their millennials in remarkable ways, and they will help you discover what your millennials can mean to your community’s future!
The Macoupin Economic Development Partnership Annual Dinner will be held Thursday, June 27 at the Gillespie Civic Center located at 115 N. Macoupin St. Table sponsorships are $400 for 8 seats or $50 a person. Advance ticket sales only. Space is limited, so reserve your table today. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Shari Albrecht at 217-556-8696.
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CARLINVILLE, ILL. — Interested students and families will have two opportunities to learn more about Blackburn College this fall. The Admissions and Financial Aid teams will host Open House events on Monday, October 14, and Monday, November 11, beginning at 8:30 am. These events allow future first-time and transfer students to gather important information about the college application process.
Throughout their time on campus, prospective students and their families will explore and tour the beautiful 80-acre campus, make personal connections with current students and professors, and get to know what life is like as a Blackburn student. They will also see first-hand Blackburn’s unique approach to education—where students earn their degrees while building impactful skills and gaining real-world work experience–giving graduates a four-year head start to launch their future careers.
For Justin Norwood, Vice President for Inclusive Enrollment and a Blackburn graduate, these opportunities are valuable for prospective students and families because nothing is more important than finding a school that will be the best fit. “Finding the right college is more than just academics; it’s discovering a place where students feel supported and inspired to thrive,” Norwood said. “At Blackburn, our open house events provide an opportunity to experience what makes our community unique – the close mentoring relationships with peers and professors, the ability to build critical skills and gain real-world work experience, and a personalized financial aid approach that goes beyond affordability and is designed to meet the specific needs of every student.”
Blackburn’s Admissions and Financial Aid team will be available throughout the event to answer all your questions, including about opportunities like the Macoupin Promise – where qualified graduates of Macoupin County high schools can attend Blackburn tuition-free. For more information and to register for an event, go to blackburn.edu/visit or email admissions@blackburn.edu.
Seven libraries in Macoupin County will welcome new visitors throughout October with a program sponsored by the region’s library system.
The 6th Annual Library Crawl invites patrons to explore new libraries throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System, which composes the southern half of the state. The Crawl also demonstrates the benefits of a library card, which allows users to check out materials from the libraries they visit.
Some 173 libraries across central and southern Illinois are taking part in the Crawl, including Gillespie, Staunton, Mount Olive, Carlinville, Brighton, Virden, and Benld. The event runs from October 1 through October 31.
The first Library Crawl was introduced in 2019 by the Bethalto Public Library, which continues to coordinate the event. The idea was designed to encourage library users to explore the resources of other libraries that are available to request and check out with a valid library card.
Twenty-eight libraries participated in that first year, a number that has now increased over six-fold.
Patrons may pick up a passport for the Crawl at any participating library, and try to visit at least five libraries during the event. A few enthusiastic individuals have actually visited every library on the Crawl in past years.
At each new library, visitors may stop at the main circulation desk to have their passports stamped. To complete the Crawl, patrons may simply return their passports to their home library.
Some libraries also offer special treats for visitors on the Crawl. After any visit to a participating library, patrons are invited to take pictures to post on social media, under the hashtag #IHLSLibraryCrawl2024.
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Many libraries are closed in observance of Columbus Day on October 14, so anyone planning a visit should call ahead, to check on hours of operation.
For more information on the Crawl, visit www.illinoisheartland.org or call any of the participating libraries.
LITCHFIELD, Ill. — The HSHS St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor their sixth and final drive-thru dinner for 2024 on Monday, Oct. 14 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to support the hospital’s Cancer Center expansion project.
Dinners must be ordered by noon on Monday, Oct. 7. Online ordering will not be available for this final meal, but dinner may still be ordered in the hospital gift shop or by contacting Paula Endress at 217-324-8200.
The Oct. 14 drive-thru dinner pick up will take place in front of the main hospital entrance.
The meal will feature a grilled pork chop, loaded mashed potatoes, green beans, roll and a dessert. Cost per meal is $14.