In a time when many rural communities face an uncertain future, Spirit Lake residents unite.
Nestled among pine-covered hills and the calm waters of its namesake, Spirit Lake, Idaho, is a small community full of heart. Yet, like many rural towns across the nation, its residents grapple with economic challenges and a dwindling population. This year, Spirit Lake became one of the first communities supported by Innovia Foundation’s Community Heart & Soul® initiative. With a $30,000 grant, local leaders and residents are working together to shape a stronger future. Through this investment, Innovia invites communities to listen to one another, strengthen civic trust, and ignite locally-driven action.
“Community Heart and Soul is helping us figure out what the entire town wants,” says Becky DeMers, Spirit Lake’s Heart and Soul Project Coordinator. “We need to create a place that people want to come back to.”
The program empowers residents to lead a grassroots process grounded in shared values and community input. Volunteers gather stories and ideas, uncovering what truly matters to those who call Spirit Lake home.
“This isn’t a consultant telling us what to do,” Becky adds. “It’s our community reaching out to every neighbor and making sure every voice is heard.”
Small towns are protecting a way of life that’s slowly disappearing. Here, everyone knows each other, greets one another, and shares a deep sense of belonging.”
Brent Baker, an Innovia Community Heart & Soul coach supporting Spirit Lake, believes efforts like this are essential to preserving the spirit of small communities.
“Small towns are protecting a way of life that’s slowly disappearing,” he says. “Here, everyone knows each other, greets one another, and shares a deep sense of belonging.”
At this summer’s farmers market, coordinators invited people to share their hopes for the community at a story booth. Children drew pictures. Adults wrote notes about what they love and what they hope to improve. That feedback is shaping the town’s next steps as Spirit Lake moves into the visioning phase of its Heart & Soul journey. Ideas are already taking shape—from restoring the historic Woolen Brown Building into a gathering space to creating new ways for residents to connect.
“Community Heart & Soul isn’t just about choosing a project,” says Mona Staff ord, a board member of the Spirit Lake Community Coalition. “It’s bringing us together for something bigger—making Spirit Lake a place we’re proud to call home.”
