San Pierre, Indiana, Comprehensive Master Plan - Community Improvement
The San Pierre Revitalization Project was a youth-led rural development initiative. We trained 10 inner city youth from the International Boxing Club in Toledo, Ohio and 10 rural youth from North Judson-San Pierre, to lead community improvement projects.
Some of the projects they completed were:
Full basketball court / Park pavilion enclosures / Repairs to historic stone bleachers / Playground equipment repairs / Lions Club building renovations / Growing Rural curriculum and book
Funding for these projects came from the Ball Brothers Foundation, Indianapolis Colts, Starke County Community Foundation, Kankakee Valley REMC’s Operation Roundup, and individual donations. In 2008 CROPS received a grant from USDA which funded the above Comprehensive Master Plan for San Pierre. More than 100 youth, elders, veterans, residents and community leaders participated in planning activities. Robert Dorgan of the Institute of Small Town Studies was the consultant that facilitated town meetings, focus group sessions, and youth leadership activities.