Erin Hartford
I want to extend a huge thank you to our HPCC Board Members! As a member of the community, I attend the meetings regularly in an effort to stay current and actively involved in this great place we all call home. I think we can all agree that home is not entirely just a place but tends to rely heavily on the people who are there. These HPCC meetings are no different! The board members and frequent observers tend to be more involved in what is going on and the civic and social needs of our community.
At their most recent meeting, held on Thursday, February 1st, the big topic of discussion was High Prairie events to be held in 2024. These would be one time events and also recurring monthly and bimonthly events throughout the year and are sponsored by the High Prairie Community Council. Some are single day events, while others last several days. The discussion was fascinating as our Treasurer, Todd Meislahn, dissected the numbers of every event held in 2024. Todd presented a very thorough analysis. The board worked hard to weigh the finances versus the value of the event to the community. It seems some events are not necessarily large income generators
but are more of a community service and provide a time and place for folks around the prairie to come together and engage in true community. Other events are more profitable. It was interesting to see the balance between profit, community value and the need for people to come forward and head up certain events or simply get involved and help out.
As the discussion concluded, a recent poll on social media was presented to see how the People’s Choice poll lined up with all of the other information surrounding events. This was an intriguing twist as lower profit events were more popular with the people and the big money makers seemed to have less interest.
The meeting proved productive, and out of it came new energy to take charge and organize each of the following events for 2024. Farmer’s Market, Community Clean Up, Mini Fire House Sale, Christmas Bazaar and our annual Firefighter’s Appreciation Dinner. While this is exciting news, understandably, the same person or people cannot reasonably take on the task of all of these events year after year. It’s healthy to diversify and share the load. It’s what makes the High Prairie Community Strong!
The board is actively recruiting a willing community member to head up the ever-popular, monthly Bingo Nights. 2023 was a strong year for this event. However, a lot of work and coordination goes into its success. For whoever takes on this great event, the board states that they will always serve as an advisory group and the folks who contributed to its success in past years can answer any questions that arise. It seems that if a Bingo Night chairperson cannot be found, the board has agreed that Bingo will take a rest this year and our sense of community will have to be enjoyed in the other exciting things happening on the prairie.
If you are interested in more information on coordinating Bingo nights or getting involved in one of the other events listed above, please plan to attend the upcoming HPCC Board Meeting being held at the community center on Thursday, February 22nd at 6pm.