Contact: Robbie Ward
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Community leaders and others residing in small towns around the state are invited to a three-day community development workshop next month in Louisville.
Taking place May 18-20 at the Lake Tiak O'Khata Resort, the interactive program titled "Your Town Mississippi" is being organized by Mississippi State's Community Action Team.
The program blends professional networking opportunities with information-sharing sessions that can enhance communities' quality of life, including economic development, tourism and the arts, among others. A variety of speakers also will address proven methods for achieving the collective goals.
Jeremy Murdock, the university's MS-CAT project manager, said the workshop will group participants into five or more teams for an exercise to map community assets at a fictitious municipality named "Your Town." The goal is "to identify both community strengths and methods to solve challenges typically facing small towns," he added.
April 23 is the registration deadline and participation is limited to 60. The $130 per person workshop fee covers materials, meals and two nights lodging (double occupancy). To apply, visit www.mscat.msstate.edu.
The program is based on Your Town Alabama and West Alabama-East Mississippi Your Town programs, both of which have led to successful community collaborations, Murdock explained.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for people in communities and different professions," he said. "They will receive practical knowledge about natural resources, as well as basic design and planning principles."
While geared toward smaller communities, Murdock said the workshop also welcomes representatives from interested cities or larger communities.
Workshop sponsors include the Mississippi Development Authority's Division of Community and Asset Development, Meridian's G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Institute and the Mississippi Main Street Association. The Mississippi Arts Commission, Mississippi Economic Council and Mississippi Heritage Trust also are providing support.
For more information, contact the MS-CAT office at 662-325-6703 or info@mscat.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.