Organizers of the RuralX Summit want to bring people together to collaborate and make rural communities better. The conference is designed for those interested in improving life in small towns.
Paula Jensen is with the group Dakota Resources. She says small towns face unique challenges that sometimes aren’t addressed at other conferences. She says the RuralX Summit allows local leaders to come together, share ideas, and hopefully go home feeling energized.
“That they can be inspired, that if one community can do it, we can do it,” Jensen says. “And that they have built a support network in that day and a half. I know it’s just a starting point, but it’s a great opportunity to build those connections that they can take home with them and know that they can call them back and be accountable to working towards progress.”
Jensen says community leaders who may feel worn out, as well as those who have successes to share should join in the event. She says educators, people from local churches, and those who are interested in connecting to rural markets are encouraged to come as well.
Jensen says people will take home more than just inspiration, but also connections, action plans, and motivation to get things done.
“Change should be an outcome,” Jensen says. “And we hope that the people that show up may not show up thinking that they’re change makers, but they leave being a change maker.”
Jensen says keeping small towns lively is important in South Dakota, because they help support the agriculture industry, and other pieces of the state’s economy. The RuralX Summit is July 19th and 20th in Aberdeen.
For more information about the RuralX Summit, click here.