Alliance to promote rural entrepreneurs
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
An area organization is being formed to assist rural entrepreneurs in agri-tourism and value-added product development.
Known as the Flint Hills Heritage Alliance, the grassroots organization will serve Marion, Morris, Chase, and Dickinson counties.
A steering committee has been appointed and includes three people from each county. Members from Marion County are Lynn Unruh, rural Hillsboro, Stan Thiessen, Hillsboro, and Peggy Blackman, Marion. Blackman is chairman of the committee.
They are in the process of developing bylaws and a strategic plan to establish the organization as a public not-for-profit entity.
According to Blackman, the Flint Hills Heritage Alliance will be "a network of producers with common interests." It will include rural and small-town entrepreneurs.
The organization is developing an inventory of people who are interested in opening their farm or ranch to visitors for a fee.
In addition, it is looking for individuals who are seeking to sell a value-added product such as raw goat's milk or ground wheat flour, or develop and/or expand a service such as catering or a bed and breakfast.
The new organization will assist these individuals in developing the business and connect them with experts with the know-how.
KEPCO, a co-op of Kansas electric utilities, has offered to produce a map of the four counties, on which it will pinpoint the attractions, services, and products offered in the area. The information eventually will be published in a brochure.
The next meeting of Flint Hills Heritage Alliance will be Feb. 22 at Emma Chase Café in downtown Cottonwood Falls.
Anyone interested in agri-tourism or developing a product or service is invited to attend.
For more information, contact Blackman at (620)- 382-3520, Unruh at (620) 947-3027, or Thiessen at (620) 947-3966.
