Our hosts at Abundant Life Church started with a tour of the Daycare facility, which serves around 85 young children from babies to preschool and includes a 4K program.  We got a look at the rooms and equipment suited to the various ages of the children.  We toured in small groups to make it easier and less disruptive to the children and staff.  The 4K program that prepares preschoolers for moving on to kindergarten.  After our tour, we moved to the sanctuary, which doubles as the gym/recreation area for the learning center students during the school week.  We were treated to an excellent breakfast as we started our meeting.

Sandy Tauferner and Mark Klapatch-Matthias reviewed last year’s Earthfest, which was originally planned  as an outdoor event at Glen Park.  The cold and wind required organizers to move to the UWRF University Center at the last minute.  Among the many challenges was finding and arranging space for around 75 exhibitors from groups across the area.  At the event, Earthfest volunteers handed out lots of giveaways from Culver’s and other organizations.  As in past years, the sustainability pledge was offered, and they received 76 new pledges.

 

Again this year Earthfest will have a Bluegrass Festival artist as part of the ongoing tie-in with that event .  Mark said that he’s pretty comfortable with where the planning group of about 30 local people is, given that they are about a month from the event.  The first year Earthfest drew about 1000 people by informal count, the next year attendance was estimated at around 2000.  The number of exhibitors has grown from around 45 to 75.

We're excited to announce that this year's winner of the 2024 River Falls Rotary Burger Battle is Tarnation Tavern!  This was one of the tightest Battles we've ever seen with Tarnation Tavern narrowly beating out last year's winner, Lazy River -- by less than .034 average points!  Congratulations Tarnation Tavern on being voted the BEST burger in town!  All that remains now it to present Tarnation Tavern their well-earned trophy!

 

Click READ MORE  for a few fun facts about this year's Battle and a message to the participating restaurants: 

Coming Up This Week --  Rotary Night at Fighting Fish Baseball  Saturday 6/8.  We need concessionaires and 50-50 raffle hawkers!