TW vending started in garage in Woodbury in 1997 as a vending machine company.  In 2001 the company got a lucky break when they were offered entry to Dakota County sheriff’s office, leading to focus on service to correctional facilities.  As the company expanded, they moved into a facility in Hudson, and now are based in River Falls. 

 

Dewey Wahlin, CEO of TurnKey Corrections, described TurnKey as the lifeline between inmates in jails in prisons and their families outside.  The company can handle finances, commissary, email, communications, video visits, and other inmate needs.  Handling these types of issues for the inmates in facilities can make the staff’s jobs much easier.  He also said that TurnKey stands out because it has in-house software development.

Isaac Grover from the Hudson Rotary Club (the noon club) described the St. Croix River Dunk fundraiser and told us how easy it is to raise funds via this event. The River Dunk Fundraiser will be held on February 3, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Lakefront Park, Hudson. It is the same day as the Hudson Hot Air Balloon event. The river water temperature will be about 36 degrees.

 

The River Dunk Fundraiser started in 2018 with 12 teams raising $27,000. In 2023, fifteen teams raised $70,000. The goal for 2024 is to have 25 teams raise $100,000. Non-profit organizations sign up for the event and several people from that organization jump into the cold river water to earn funds from pledges. They jump into a 10 foot by 8 foot hole cut through the ice. There are ladders on the other side to help people climb out, and there are 2 guards in the shallow water to be sure everyone is safe. They also have an ambulance, EMT’s from the fire department, and a food truck that dispenses hot chocolate. They will require that the ice be 24 inches thick because of the weight it must carry during this event.