About the Community Center

​Welcome to Hyattville, Wyoming! We are happily at the end of the road---if you are here you either planned well, or you're very, very lost! Situated just above the confluence of Paintrock and Medicine Lodge Creeks, we live and work in one of Wyoming's most beautiful places. You are only minutes away from the scenic wonders of sagebrush dotted badlands, spectacular canyons with excellent trout streams, or high mountain grandeur. Stop by someday and say "hello".....you won't feel like a stranger for long!! 

Our Community Center (HCC) was established June 16, 2003, but the building has been here much longer than that. Our building used to be the Hyattville Community School and many of our residents studied and even taught here. Stop by any morning between 8 and 10 am to the cafeteria in the back of the building for a cup of morning coffee and a chat with the locals. 

Our Community Center is a non-profit entity that works in conjunction with the Hyattville Cemetery District, the Hyattville Volunteer Fire Department, the Hyattville Service and Improvement District, and the Hyattville Satellite Library to serve the residents of Hyattville Wyoming.  

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VOLUNTEERS

The HCC Board encourages everyone to keep track of Hyattville Community Center volunteer hours, even though we have completed our grant and loan requirements.  If we wish to submit for future grants, indicating the level of use and volunteer effort managing our Community Center make our applications more informative and valuable. 

You may write these hours in the Volunteer Hour Time Books at the Community Center OR, if you prefer, please feel free to use the form to your right to submit hours. Hopefully, by being able to utilize this website, it will make reporting an easier task!

How the
​Hyattville Community Center
Came to Be

The Hyattville Community Center as it exists today used to by the Hyattville School.  Because our small town’s population dropped below 100 people, and we had fewer children in town, the school – a State of Wyoming asset – was closed down for many years.  As a result, the building fell into a state of disrepair. 

Around the year 2010, townspeople began meeting to discuss the idea of converting the centrally located, disused school into a community center that could be used by all residents, for all occasions.  At this time, elsewhere in the state of Wyoming, other small communities were approaching the State with similar proposals, during which the State would transfer the ownership of the former school and property to an official entity.

Well, small Hyattville was and still is an unincorporated town.  We weren’t an official entity that could then request, assess, receive, and disburse state assets, like the ownership of a former school.  But we did have a Cemetery, that was an official State Entity – the Hyattville Cemetery District.  This entity receives a very small mill levy that provides for the maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery.  Even though that is out of town a few miles, it is an official entity. 

Also around that time, the Wyoming State Lands and Investment Board (SLIB) and Wyoming Business Council (WBC), in conjunction with federal Rural Development grant funding agencies were offering Community Development Grants, partial grants, and community matching loan opportunities. So here in Hyattville, the Hyattville Community Services Association was formed.  This group is also known as the Hyattville Community Center Board of Directors.  It began in 2013 as an official association for the purpose of launching into the long process of requesting the school from the State to be granted to our official entity, the Hyattville Cemetery District, but managed by this Hyattville Community Services Association. 

And that Association got right to work on grant requests, fundraising, and community work days.  We were able to receive one of the Wyoming Business Council and State Land and Investment grant and matching funds loan options – so that we could bring the old school up to code, update the flooring, replace 50+ year old windows and a leaky roof, bring the minimal HVAC up to speed, rebuild a commercial kitchen, update the bathrooms, boiler system, and gymnasium, and ensure the whole building was fire protected and ADA compliant.

The result is the building that we call the Hyattville Community Center today.  It is managed by the Hyattville Community Services Association (aka, its Board of Directors), and it is owned by the Hyattville Cemetery District.  It is also now home to the Hyattville Volunteer Fire Department as well!  The old Bus Barn is filled with donated Fire Trucks and supplies.  It's the best example of what a Community can do when it pulls together to accomplish something that benefits everyone.
 
Who Owns the Hyattville Community Center?
The Hyattville Cemetery District – because it’s the only official entity in town able to receive state tax revenue.

Who Runs the Hyattville Community Center?
Well, pretty much anyone in Hyattville!  The Board of Directors is a volunteer group that rotates positions every two years, and there have been a number of residents who have served on the Board over the years.  For legal purposes, the Board of Directors had to be created before the Hyattville Community Center could be created, which is why the Board is called the Hyattville Community Services Association.    

Who can Use the Hyattville Community Center?
Anyone can!  We encourage all to feel welcome to use the Community’s Center.  There is the Coffee Gang who meets in the morning in the back kitchen, and a slew of regular annual events.  The exercise room and gym are popular during the cabin-fever months of winter. The Community Center is also now able to host Meetings and Events, as well as rent out tables and chairs for you to use at your own local event – for a nominal fee.  Reserving a room, a few rooms, or the whole building for your event is always an option – and you can do that on our Rent the HCC page.  But please feel free to use the facilities, library, gym, bathrooms, coffee bar – anytime you’re here.  It's also the source of community, open WiFi, since we don't have much in the way of cellular coverage. 

Who Pays for the Hyattville Community Center?
The HCC is actually one of only 2 completely community- and volunteer-supported community centers in the State of Wyoming (that we’re aware of – the other is the Shack in Greybull).  Each year in May we hold the Cowboy Carnival – which started up in 2003 as a fundraising rally to generate funds as part of the efforts to organize and bring the Community Center to life.  On the Sunday before Memorial Day, the whole community chips in to put on a great day of fun that includes horse races, a 5K, Quilt Show, Photo Show, Silent and Live Auctions, Pie Contests, Shooting Contests, Plant Sales, Pony Rides, Bingo, and a giant BBQ.  Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under, or $25 for an immediate family.  The funds raised from this event allow us to pay for maintenance and operating expenses, supplies, equipment, repairs and occasional upgrades, and safe a little bit of money for the future – for when we may not have the Cowboy Carnival any longer. 

Additionally, special events – like meeting room reservations, building or equipment reservations, or just donations in the Donation Boxes from friendly visitors all contribute to the upkeep of our Community Center.  

What can I do to get involved with the Hyattville Community Center?
Probably the first place to start is to follow our Facebook Page.  This is where we post all the information about upcoming events, opportunities for support or help, clean-up day information, and more.  We know not everyone uses Facebook, so for the big announcements, we also try to ensure we have a poster or sign available at the Post Office as well, and for special occasions we send out a community-wide email.  Click here if you're not already on our email list and drop us a line to asking to be added.  

If you'd like to help in a financial way, donations of any size are welcome!  Since we are a 501(c)3, your donation is tax deductible.  If you would like a receipt, please send a check to:  HCC Donation, PO Box 41, Hyattville, WY 82428.  Or, you can use donate online via our Paypal link - just type in the amount you'd like to donate, and your confirmation from that online transaction will include the Tax ID information (which is also available at the footer of our website).  

Home of the Hyattville Volunteer Fire Department

​Since the Community Center used to by the Hyattville School, we had a bus barn that became a storage repository for a lot of equipment for some time.  In 2014, the Hyattville Volunteer Fire Department became a fully-fledged 501c3, and entered into an agreement with the Hyattville Community Center to be the home base for the Fire Trucks, storage, and equipment.   We're proud to provide community services that run the gamut for Hyattville and area residents.  ​

In February, the Hyattville Volunteer Fire Department hosts a Valentine's Dinner - prime rib and a full slate of sides, salads, and desserts with an auction to boot.  This event only sells 100 tickets, and has sold out every year!  Give them a Follow on Facebook to keep in touch.  

Meet Our Board of Directors

The public is always invited to all of our Board meetings.  Our Annual Board Meeting and nomination of Officers is in September each year.  Meeting notices will be posted via a blog post here, via our community email, and on our Facebook page.  Thanks to our volunteers for keeping our Community Center moving forward!

Denise Herman

President

Dave Greer

Vice-President

Jess Tharp

Secretary

Linda Hamilton

Treasurer

John Johnson

Building and Grounds

Carol Dietesfeld

Philanthropy

David Wieland

Member-at-Large

Kristi Robison

Marketing and Events

The Hyattville Community Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a tax identification number of 14-1897891.
Donations made to the HCC are tax deductible and we are happy to provide receipts for this purpose.