Small towns in Minnesota struggle to get young adults to come and stay in the rural areas to raise their families and grow their careers. Many groups in rural Minnesota are working together to see what needs to be done to encourage young families to create a wonderful life in small communities. If these groups cannot get families into these rural communities, the small towns we know today could be gone in the next 10 to 20 years.

We find ourselves asking those that have recently moved to a rural area why and how did they decide to relocate to rural Minnesota? The answers are usually touching and they help us realize what we really do have to offer in our small communities. Great schools, job opportunities, friendly neighbors and great community atmosphere are what makes rural living different from big city life. The article below was written by Daily Yonder and highlights a young lady who made a big decision to move everything to Granite Falls, MN. Check out why Sarina Otaibi made the move that changed her life.

http://www.dailyyonder.com/rural-voices-different-i-expected/2015/08/25/7949

Higher education seems to be something that is expected of most high school graduates these days.  A high school diploma isn't enough for most young people and their families.   The popular choice is a four year college but many students drop out before getting a bachelor's degree. When I graduated from high school a few decades ago, many of my classmates opted to go to a two year vocational program.  I attended a program at St Paul Vocational School called production art. At that time these two year state funded schools were tuition free if you had a high school diploma and were under 21.  These schools are no longer free but the price is very reasonable compared to a four year college.  Granite Falls is very fortunate to have Minnesota West here in our small town.  Last week, I attended the Friends of MN West meeting and met with the new president, Dr. Terry Gaalswyk and Dean Rebecca Weber.  They spoke about the plans for increasing connections between high schools, local business and four year colleges in order to bring more students into the programs.

A way for local businesses to connect with MN West students is being held on Sept 2:   Getting Connected with Granite Falls on Wednesday, September 2nd from 10:00 am – 1:00pm in our Student Commons The goal of this event is to familiarize our students, especially those new to the area, with the outstanding products and services that are available right here in town. This is a perfect opportunity to speak with students directly and inform them of who you are and what you do. Maybe you are even looking to recruit a few new employees!  I also encourage local businesses to participate in the student discount program.  Get in touch with Minnesota West or the Chamber office if you would like to participate.

Local manufacturers and other businesses are having a problem filling their job openings and MN West can help.  In some programs, students also have an opportunity to earn college credits that will transfer to SMSU (Southwest Minnesota State University).  So even for a student aiming at a bachelor's degree, Minnesota West is a great, inexpensive place to start your education with small classes and personal attention which give students confidence to either find a job or move on to a larger university.  Don't forget about our great local resource when helping your students plan their future!

Have you followed the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway's route along the river?  It's beautiful in all seasons but summer is the best time to wander down these roads, stop into the many historic sites along the way and dip your feet or fishing pole into the Minnesota River.  Follow the magenta and blue signs that mark the route whether it's a slower paced gravel section (my favorite ) or a major highway. The byway consists of routes on both sides of the river from Brown's Valley to Belle Plaine.

The byway goes through downtown Granite Falls and north on County Rd 5 to Palmer Creek Rd, a second section continues on Hwy 67 past Memorial Park, a third towards Montevideo on Hwy 212 and the fourth east on 212 on to Pete's Point Rd.

I first started attending Scenic Byway Alliance meetings more than 10 years ago when I had a part time antique shop in my home.  Any interested persons or organizations can be a member and I joined because I love the idea of promoting the river valley as a tourism destination.  Now that I'm the Chamber and CVB director I appreciate the marketing and connections of the byway alliance even more! I manage the byway's facebook page  where I share events, businesses and destinations along the route.  A new byway website was created last year that makes it easy for visitors to plan their trips. Stop into the chamber office and pick up one of the printed  guides for a one or two day trip.  The Minnesota Historical Society created a mobile tour of Dakota War Sites which is also mapped out in the printed guide or the number to call is 888-601-3010.

Granite Falls has 6 discovery sites in the guide  - the Yellow Medicine County Museum, Granite Falls Footbridge, Andrew Volstead House Museum, Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, Wood Lake Battlefield and Upper Sioux Agency State Park.  Partial funding for our footbridge repairs came from the last grant program from the National Scenic Byway program.  That national  funding is gone and the alliance is now supported by  community and business memberships as well as grants.   We have chamber and CVB representatives, county officials, photographers, state park managers and business owners at our monthly meetings usually held in Redwood Falls.  The next meeting is scheduled for August 20, 9:30am at the Redwood Falls Pizza Ranch, anyone interested in promoting the river valley is welcome to join us and vote on our plans and projects.