Local Foods, Local Places Community Planning Events, Mar 7-8 in Middlesboro, Kentucky

Update: We have a growing list of Federal, State, and Regional leaders joining us for our Local Foods, Local Places Community Planning Session next week.

• Anne Keller, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Barry Turner, USDA - Kentucky
• Christopher D. Taylor, Housing and Urban Development
• Damasi "D" Bell, USDA, Southeast Regional Office, Food and Nutrition Services
• Donna Baker McClure, US Senator Mitch McConnell
• Elaine Russell, Kentucky Obesity Protection Program
• Erin O'Keefe, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Jodie Williams, Kentucky Department for Local Government
• Kenny Madden, Fahe
• Mary Moran, Appalachian Regional Commission
• Melissa Bond, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
• Rebecca Jane Miller, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
• Reed W. Cripps, USDA
• Sandi Curd, Kentucky Highlands Promise Zone
• Stephanie Bertaina, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Troy Hearn, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

Who: Stakeholders and community leaders such as you, interested in making Middlesboro a more livable, healthy, vibrant, and engaged community through the building and strengthening your local food economy. Participants include representatives from community agencies, organizations, elected officials, residents, and a technical assistance team including representatives of EPA, USDA, ARC and other federal agencies as well as facilitators from from Renaissance Planning Group who have been contracted by the EPA to lead this engaging and “fruitful” community planning process.

What: A participatory planning process on local foods and community livability in Middlesboro, including group work sessions and networking that will result in an Action Plan. The two-day process will be focused primarily around, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Further develop and complete citywide trail system as an asset for active living and tourism
• Repurpose Elks building as a catalytic project
• Focus on entrepreneurship and economic development
• Partner with health care and educational institutions as economic assets and as providers of health and food education and services
• Clarify process for project and program design as well as structures of collaboration and coordination for implementing projects across organizations.

RSVP by Friday, March 4 to Tel: (606) 248-6155 or Email: downtownmiddlesboro(at)gmail.com. When you register a detailed schedule and other info will be sent.

Background: In 2015, the City of Middlesboro submitted an application for technical assistance from the federal Local Foods, Local Places Initiative. A team of experts will join local stakeholders like you in a two-day workshop to develop an action plan to better tie together the resources we have, identify the major missing pieces, and bridge gaps.  We will work to prioritize next steps and identify roles, responsibilities, and resources to move forward. Your participation and knowledge of Middlesboro and the region, its local food systems, culture, economy, and vitality are necessary to help make this event a success.

For more information, see:

• Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Trails page, http://downtownmiddlesboro.org/trail.htm
• Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Elks Home page, http://downtownmiddlesboro.org/elks.htm
• Discover Downtown Middlesboro Blog, Local Foods, Local Places Press Release, http://mboroky.blogspot.com/2016/01/middlesboro-among-27-communities.html