The Brain Gain




 

 

There is a population of people between the ages of 30 and 44 who are moving back or into rural areas that are perceived as safer and more affordable with a slower-paced lifestyle for families. Economic development specialists have found that this older cohort is offsetting the “brain drain” from the 20-somethings who leave rural America for college or bigger cities with “brain gain.”

The brain gainers are educated and experienced and they arrive in rural America with their skills, ideas, families, social capital and sometimes, their jobs. If they find a sense of belonging once they arrive, they stay. If they don’t, they move on, often within five years. That’s why economic development specialists are advising rural cities to have systems in place that help newcomers connect and find a sense of belonging.

Since Pipestone County’s statistics align with the brain-gain trend, we decided to find the brain gainers and learn why they came or returned, what keeps them here, and what else they believe could be done to further enhance the quality of life in Pipestone County.

This is the 15th profile for this weekly series.

Thad (41) and Debbie (41), live in Pipestone with their two daughters, Brittney (16) and Jessalyn (12)

Pipestone County Star: When did you move to Pipestone County, how old were you at the time and who did you move with?

Thad & Debbie Reinert: We moved to Pipestone in 1997 when we were both 24 years old. We had been married since 1995 so moved here as a married couple.

PCS: If you moved in for the first time, why did you move here? If you returned, why?

T&D: Thad grew up in Cherokee, Iowa and Debbie in Parker, S.D. We both attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D. where we met. Thad has his BS in Business Management and Debbie has her MS in Physical Therapy. We were living in Sioux Falls when we decided we wanted to move to a smaller town in the area to raise our family and started looking around for opportunities. First, we looked for job opportunities and then we spent some time in the different towns trying to decide which would be the best fit for us.

PCS: What is your occupation? Did you find this job when you moved here, find it prior to moving here, or create this job yourself? If you moved here with a spouse or significant other, please also answer the question for him or her.

T&D: We moved to Pipestone after Debbie accepted a Physical Therapist position at the hospital. I was drawn to the staff, potential opportunities and plans for future expansion. Thad initially worked in customer service at Fey Industries before transferring to the telecommunication industry in 1999. He remains in this field today with WOW (WideOpenWest) Telecommunications.

PCS: What do you like about living and working here?

 [/caption] />T&D: We like living and working here primarily because of the people. Neither of us have family here in town, but our friends and coworkers are our “Pipestone family.” Thad grew up in a relatively small town and Debbie grew up on a farm so we appreciate knowing our neighbors and the people we do business with. I love that it takes five minutes to get across town because some days we may make five trips out to the school for our kids! We appreciate our school system and the many different community rec youth activities. We are fortunate to have a nice aquatic center, multiple fitness facilities and walking trails. We also love the sense of community support here for different causes whether it be a benefit, fundraiser, youth event, town celebration, etc. It is always great to see everyone come out and work together.

PCS: What amenities, businesses, activities, organizations, infrastructure, etc. etc. do you think could be added to enhance the quality of life in Pipestone County for you and your family?

T&D: We would like to see continued business growth and job opportunities to bring people and families to our community. It’s a benefit to the business when we get people to work here but when we can get them to move to Pipestone with their family and call this home then our community wins. We would like to see continued updates in our school facilities due to aging and crowded elementary schools, limited access to gym space/ball fields, and technology. We would like to see our city, schools and businesses work together more to make some of these improvements in facilities and programs so everyone has more access. Additional restaurants would also be a nice addition.

PCS: Do you feel you have opportunities to contribute to your community?

T&D: We feel there are many opportunities to contribute as many organizations always need help and volunteers. I think there are more opportunities than most people have time to even give! Our church, youth activities, youth sports teams, community organizations always need people to step up and lead or at least help out.

PCS: Do you feel a sense of belonging in Pipestone County?

T&D: We definitely feel a sense of belonging as we have invested a lot of time and energy into making this our home. I, Debbie, have been involved in so much change and growth at the hospital it is amazing. I have such dedicated, professional coworkers and have worked with many of them for quite awhile expanding services and programs for the community. Both of us have volunteered with different organizations, church committees, coached our kids, played on rec leagues,etc. some of it has changed with time but we always try to stay involved.

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