Small-Town America...in Nebraska? (Bassett, Oak: fit in, sales, homes)
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Check out Lodgepole Nebraska the pop. is under 400
still has dirt roads.
My mom in law says it in the town that was forgotten in a time void.
Around the 1930s area.
The ag in still a good high pull.
check it out
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,639 posts, read 57,683,287 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stotan88
i would love nothing more to visit Bassett and I plan on it, but being a student with a limited budget, I'm not sure when that will be and I don't want to put my whole novel on hold until i do. But yes, I definitely will someday, I've always wanted to take a roadtrip through Central USA
I'd take your 'student opportunity' for a road trip - "today" !!!. (hint;... it never gets easier)
1) do a bunch of research, contact city and chamber of commerce and offer to come and work and live for awhile if someone can help sponsor you. Its only a few hundred bucks for the trip, so you could make that up working a week during harvest "on-location". A great way to get to know folks, but you better hurry, harvest is HAPPENING NOW, and through Aug. (maybe a late hay cutting in late Aug, Sept., limited grain crops in Oct)
2) send a brief and colorful resume / have someone post your letter of interest in the grocery, grain elevator, hardware, cafe, library, churches, (offer to do anything... work on farm, paint, remodel, clean, weed garden, wash cars, tutor kids,mechanical repair, animal work, cleaning stalls at the county fair, writing for the local rag, designing web sites for anyone who needs one, video recording / photographing family reunions and church picnics, teaching a 4H class in writing, art, photography ...). I'll just bet someone or a group will help get you there.
3) if you want a cheap road trip... I would fly and rent a car on priceline. I recently got $80 one-way air fares and a $16/day rental car.
4) get a ride with a trucker,
5) or buy a very cheap and economical car and hope for the best. I have bought several for under $100 and have got over 100,000 miles on some. I usually get VW Rabbit Diesels... 50 mpg on free cooking oil! used tires are $5.
Have a blast on your trip
Noticed your profile... If you haven't seen "The Basket", find it and watch it !!! great dryland farming / movie / interesting story, but I love the cinematography and the actors, and the prairie (tho it is eastern WA state). I always suggested my company use it as a 'diversity training' tool.
btw... I think you will find plenty of work in town, and you can quit your current job and find one when (IF) you ever go back to ONT !
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 07-06-2008 at 03:10 PM..
I'd take your 'student opportunity' for a road trip - "today" !!!. (hint;... it never gets easier)
1) do a bunch of research, contact city and chamber of commerce and offer to come and work and live for awhile if someone can help sponsor you. Its only a few hundred bucks for the trip, so you could make that up working a week during harvest "on-location". A great way to get to know folks, but you better hurry, harvest is HAPPENING NOW, and through Aug. (maybe a late hay cutting in late Aug, Sept., limited grain crops in Oct)
2) send a brief and colorful resume / have someone post your letter of interest in the grocery, grain elevator, hardware, cafe, library, churches, (offer to do anything... work on farm, paint, remodel, clean, weed garden, wash cars, tutor kids,mechanical repair, animal work, cleaning stalls at the county fair, writing for the local rag, designing web sites for anyone who needs one, video recording / photographing family reunions and church picnics, teaching a 4H class in writing, art, photography ...). I'll just bet someone or a group will help get you there.
3) if you want a cheap road trip... I would fly and rent a car on priceline. I recently got $80 one-way air fares and a $16/day rental car.
4) get a ride with a trucker,
5) or buy a very cheap and economical car and hope for the best. I have bought several for under $100 and have got over 100,000 miles on some. I usually get VW Rabbit Diesels... 50 mpg on free cooking oil! used tires are $5.
Have a blast on your trip
Noticed your profile... If you haven't seen "The Basket", find it and watch it !!! great dryland farming / movie / interesting story, but I love the cinematography and the actors, and the prairie (tho it is eastern WA state). I always suggested my company use it as a 'diversity training' tool.
btw... I think you will find plenty of work in town, and you can quit your current job and find one when (IF) you ever go back to ONT !
wow! just reading this post made me so excited to do that! I really need to plan something like that. I don't want to deviate too much from the original topic, but how and where would i send my "colourful resume"? And they would provide accommodation too? Why would they sponsor me in the first place? I'm very confused on how that type of thing works :S
They would probably happily sponsor you because its a book about their town so I imagine they would be thrilled to help.
Agree. If you were serious about such a thing I would contact one of these three (I'd probably start with Debbit at the Economic Development Agency).
Mayor (I think this is correct, at least he was in '06): Michael Skulavik, 402-684-2263, rfgoeke@hotmail.com Economic Development Agency: Debbie Seberger, 402-684-3319, or bassettcda@huntel.net Chamber of Commerce: Pat Thompson, Chairman, 402-684-3950
Work with all 3 in a coordinated effort and you might be suprised at the resources that come your way - could just be more information for your research into the book, but could also extend to a sponsored visit (which you would then chronicle in a blog that provides you more writing experience and gives them unique exposure).
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,639 posts, read 57,683,287 times
Reputation: 46084
While it seems like a strange idea (to venture there / get hosted), If you are seriously interested, and a congenial / hardworking person showing incentive, this is very possible.
As noted in my my pt #2, establish someone as a point of contact and then have them post your resume / letter of interest (in places noted + Post Office). They could also make announcement in a church or community function and folks might rally together, or an individual family may take it on as a project. (It would be great for a homeschool family). You might have to contact a few people to get a feel for someone who shares your passion and is willing to help, but I will bet you will find someone in very short order.
Folks are generally very helpful if you show an interest and are sincere.
We have a private guesthome that is listed in an International Directory, and often host families for very cheap and sometime free, there are several hosts listed in in NE, but none near Bassett, (Chadron & Henderson are not too close ) tho that wouldn't slow me down at all. Many folks will be happy to provide a guestroom, or floor space.
There are bound to be elderly folks who would be pleased to have a helper / someone to talk to for a week, and probably have a few extra rooms. I often take them shopping and buy groceries, tho you will have to twist their arm to let you pay. Then when you get back to their home, have them make a list of projects you could help them with and do a little each day (But spend A LOT of time listening to them). Take them for drives as they explain the community history and their childhoods... I'm telling you, this is really endearing! (You will learn a lot, and provide a ray of light to them as well !).
I see there are some jobs listed at the Grain Elevator and the Care center. I keep my CDL (commercial drivers license) up to date to drive semis for harvest, and I have spent a lot of time in care and hospice centers helping families who have a tough time coping with aging.
I wish I could go myself!! (but I am an 'antique' grad student, having been laid off from engineering career at age 49, and I have to 'hit the books' for 8 more months).
I'd be on the phone with the Grain elevator right now if my weekly paper wasn't due at midnight
I see there is a city trash cleanup tonight @ 7pm, they could announce your desire to the volunteers, and you might be on the road by midnight!
The historical society is another option for a contact person http://www.rockcountyhistoricalsociety.org/
or the library
http://www.huntel.net/rockcolib/ (broken link)
I'd try the these too
Local churches include:
* Bassett Assembly of God
* Bassett Bible Church
* Bassett United Methodist
* Emmanual Community Church
* Holy Cross Catholic Church
* St. Mary's Episcopal Church
* St. Peter Lutheran Church
* Valley Grove Community Church
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 07-07-2008 at 01:13 PM..
Agree. If you were serious about such a thing I would contact one of these three (I'd probably start with Debbit at the Economic Development Agency).
Mayor (I think this is correct, at least he was in '06): Michael Skulavik, 402-684-2263, rfgoeke@hotmail.com Economic Development Agency: Debbie Seberger, 402-684-3319, or bassettcda@huntel.net Chamber of Commerce: Pat Thompson, Chairman, 402-684-3950
Work with all 3 in a coordinated effort and you might be suprised at the resources that come your way - could just be more information for your research into the book, but could also extend to a sponsored visit (which you would then chronicle in a blog that provides you more writing experience and gives them unique exposure).
While it seems like a strange idea (to venture there / get hosted), If you are seriously interested, and a congenial / hardworking person showing incentive, this is very possible.
As noted in my my pt #2, establish someone as a point of contact and then have them post your resume / letter of interest (in places noted + Post Office). They could also make announcement in a church or community function and folks might rally together, or an individual family may take it on as a project. (It would be great for a homeschool family). You might have to contact a few people to get a feel for someone who shares your passion and is willing to help, but I will bet you will find someone in very short order.
Folks are generally very helpful if you show an interest and are sincere.
We have a private guesthome that is listed in an International Directory, and often host families for very cheap and sometime free, there are several hosts listed in in NE, but none near Bassett, (Chadron & Henderson are not too close ) tho that wouldn't slow me down at all. Many folks will be happy to provide a guestroom, or floor space.
There are bound to be elderly folks who would be pleased to have a helper / someone to talk to for a week, and probably have a few extra rooms. I often take them shopping and buy groceries, tho you will have to twist their arm to let you pay. Then when you get back to their home, have them make a list of projects you could help them with and do a little each day (But spend A LOT of time listening to them). Take them for drives as they explain the community history and their childhoods... I'm telling you, this is really endearing! (You will learn a lot, and provide a ray of light to them as well !).
I see there are some jobs listed at the Grain Elevator and the Care center. I keep my CDL (commercial drivers license) up to date to drive semis for harvest, and I have spent a lot of time in care and hospice centers helping families who have a tough time coping with aging.
I wish I could go myself!! (but I am an 'antique' grad student, having been laid off from engineering career at age 49, and I have to 'hit the books' for 8 more months).
I'd be on the phone with the Grain elevator right now if my weekly paper wasn't due at midnight
I see there is a city trash cleanup tonight @ 7pm, they could announce your desire to the volunteers, and you might be on the road by midnight!
The historical society is another option for a contact person Rock County Historical Society & Historical Museum
or the library
http://www.huntel.net/rockcolib/ (broken link)
I'd try the these too
Local churches include:
* Bassett Assembly of God
* Bassett Bible Church
* Bassett United Methodist
* Emmanual Community Church
* Holy Cross Catholic Church
* St. Mary's Episcopal Church
* St. Peter Lutheran Church
* Valley Grove Community Church
thank you for all the information! you've outdone yourself!! Now that I have all the info, i think the next challenge will be convincing my parents
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,639 posts, read 57,683,287 times
Reputation: 46084
I got kicked out of the house @ 16.
At 18 I got elder care of parents for the next 32 yrs; payback I guess...
Both my parents were Nebraska born and raised, so my 'instilled/inherited' work ethic kept me caring for them, tho we weren't too compatible.
Working beside my NE grandparents as a kid, & helping to care for 'senior' needs of the MORE elderly (in a town of 381) left an impression that I was able to pass onto my kids, and is currently of benefit my neighbors.
Your folks will enjoy seeing you take on this 'safe' adventure, and if you are living at home, they will appreciate the break
Just fulfill your commitments, but don't wait for 'the perfect time'... It is elusive. Taking a break from school (or work) can give you direction and incentive that is far cheaper to get earlier, than later. Trust me ! (BTDT)
well I emailed the mayor, chamber of commerce AND the Rock County Historical Society over 2 days ago, but I've yet to get a response from any of them...is there anything else I should be doing? I'm not sure if I'm naive to think this, but I expected to get a response from at least one of them by now...
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