Strong Advancement Committee
“Strong will be thriving and prosperous with a strong community bond that celebrates our diverse history and embraces our natural resources where citizens and visitors can work and play together.” —Community Vision, July 2007
The Town of Strong was selected from a competitive process as one of two Harness the Wealth! pilot sites in August of 2006. Formerly the “Toothpick Capital of the World,” Strong residents have a strong tradition of adding value ot wood products and connecting with the natural world. Building upon momentum created by the Strong Area Business and Civic Alliance (SABACA) from 2004-2006, the Board of Selectmen created the Strong Advancement Committee as an official municipal body responsible for leading the community’s revitalization work.
Through a process of mapping community assets and values via public forums and surveys, the Strong Advancement Committee developed the community vision (see above) and organized its strategic community economic development work around four focus teams:
- Culture and Heritage
- Civic Identity
- Economic Development
- Youth in Strong’s Future
Following a year of team project development and including several community building events, the Advancement Committee has prioritized the following key projects, each relying upon the community’s culture and heritage assets to build a prosperous future:
- Host entrepreneurship training workshops (November 18, 20 and 25, 2008)
- Create an annual convention for toothpick collectors, with the first to be held in the fall of 2009
- Explore development of a “Toothpick Museum”
- Market test expanded tourism experiences in Strong (currently being evaluated by University of Maine Cooperative Extension via Franklin County outdoor recreation visitor surveys)
- “Discover Strong,” a program that connects Strong youth with the Historical Society and the use of GPS, GIS and multi-media technology to document Strong’s historic real estate assets
- Research community owned renewable energy opportunities
- Test resident interest in building one or more endowment funds to support these efforts for future generations
- Supporting the update of the Strong Comprehensive Plan
Raylene Tolman, a Strong resident, just completed two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer coordinator and now is serving as a committee leader.
To become involved, contact one of the Strong Advancement Committee Leadership Team members:
- Milt Baston, chair: vtu15@midmaine.com or 684-4429
- Marc Edwards, vice chair: medwards@umext.maine.edu or 684-3284
- Jim Burrill: jayurfree@hotmail.com or 684-6471
- Raylene Tolman: raylene@mainerural.org, or 684-4389
To learn more about current events in Strong, visit www.strongmaine.com.
Community Exchange Team members who have been active in Strong include:
- Mark Hews, Threshold to Maine RC&D
- Alison Hagerstrom, Greater Franklin Development Corporation
- Mary Ann Hayes, Maine Rural Partners
- Tanya Swain and Kathy Beauregard, Western Mountains Alliance
- Steve Engle and Katri ?, Center for Community GIS
- Marc Edwards, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Bruce Hazard, Mountain Counties Heritage
- Bill Kuykendall, University of Maine New Media Department
- Patty Ladd, Maine Career Center and Western Maine Community Action