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Things to celebrate…
This community never has a shortage of amazing things to cheer about, but as this past week included Veteran’s Day, we want to take a moment to thank Oakes Public School for prioritizing Veteran’s Day. Our students understand the immense value of honoring our Veterans and the role our armed forces play in the broader scope of life as Americans. The students are always so prepared and Mark Malmberg is a gracious emcee. This year's speaker was Neil Hoffman, Oakes' very own Maverick. A job well done to all involved and this is another feather in the cap of this amazing community we all call home.
News to know…
Last year, with the support of Otter Tail Power Company and James Valley Grain, OEI contracted with Hometown Housing (HTH), an Iowa-based consulting group to support the housing needs in our community. The first step of this process was to engage our local employers and conduct local research to better help us understand the needs Oakes has related to housing. The housing report was delivered to OEI earlier this summer. A subcommittee was formed to move this initiative forward and they recently met with the Hometown Housing project team to discuss the next steps for a pilot project in Oakes. With the rising interest rates and cost of materials, new builds are challenging and HTH works exclusively in small towns so they are adept at navigating the challenges associated with housing in rural communities. You can review the housing report by going to: https://oakesnd.com/
Ideas to spread…
From the beloved TV series “Ted Lasso”, and truly more appropriately, the original author of this quote, Walt Whitman, we encourage everyone to be curious, not judgmental. When we believe and act as if we know everything, we don’t leave room for other perspectives or possibilities. In order to truly understand, a simple path forward is to ask more questions. In almost every case, there is more to know than meets the eye. Whether it’s about an incident that occurred or the person or people involved, jumping straight to what you believe you “know” is the fastest path to judgment; stay a bit more open-minded and open-hearted. Curiosity is the antidote to judgment.