--Holiday Backpack Program Presentation:  Scott Morrissette has been collecting our club members' contributions, and he will present them to Shelly Smith at this week's meeting.  Please make sure you have yours to Scott in time.

 

-Sharing Families is Underway:  Tony Pedriana has been  coordinating the signup list for gifts and gift cards to families in need as identified by the Sharing Families group.  He reports that the list is fully subscribed, including the grocery and gas cards.  As a reminder, the deadline for gifts to Sharing Families is December 6.  Click READ MORE for more details.

 

--Jim DiPeso is our latest Paul Harris Fellow and Randy Cudd reached the next level PHF!:  George presented Jim with his PHF certificate and pin at the October 28th meeting, and on 11/11 Randy received his PHF+3.  Congratulations and thanks, Jim and Randy!

 

--November Calendar:  Click READ MORE  to see the November calendar.  

 

--Diaper Drive is Wrapping Up!  It's all over except for some school collections and awards to competition winners.

About the Presentation:  Steve Schroeder introduced his campaign co-chair Tom Westerhaus and Library Director Tanya Misselt, who spoke to the club about the River Falls Public Library renovation and capital campaign. Several Rotarians in the room on Tuesday are on the campaign committee.  Tanya's presentation emphasized the RFPL's needs that are not covered by the Flexible Facility Grant to explain why the Renew and Inspire Capital Campaign is needed.  She emphasized that the grant came as a (pleasant) surprise while noting that the improvements it covers do not meet all of the identified needs.  

 

Among the items not covered by the FF grant are the need to replace an outdated HVAC system including ductwork repair/replacement, security camera and system upgrades to permit monitoring of the lower level in particular.  Much of the furniture is original to the building, and it needs updating.  Tanya said that a landscaping corridor with a sustainability emphasis is another goal.  Parking lot resurfacing is another identified need.  Window shades and curtains are another improvement to be included in the capital campaign budget.  

 

About the Speaker:  After earning a Bachelors Degree in Sociology from UW-Madison with a concentration in Criminal Justice, Tanya spent 11 years serving the City of Appleton, WI as a law-enforcement officer on patrol and then as a sensitive crime investigator and police school liaison officer. After she and her husband had two boys, she left law enforcement to be a stay-at-home mom. Click READ MORE for more about Ms. Misselt.

A determined group of Rotarians braved -- OK, tolerated -- the cold but much-needed rain to hear about and tour the high school's farm plot.  Morgan Matheson, one of this year's FFA leaders at RFHS, told us about how the various parts of the mini-farm work.  There is a shared garden area, berry bushes, a small apple orchard, bees, an area planted in corn and soybeans to raise revenue, and more.  One of the points Morgan emphasized, with help from the several FFA alumni who were there with us, is that most if not all ideas for the farm come from the students.  The alum's happily pointed out how FFA at RFHS has grown, and Ryan Pechacek as the FFA faculty advisor provided his perspective.  Morgan demonstrated both her knowledge and enthusiasm for what she and others do and learn "out on the farm", and several of us there share the opinion that a re-visit in the fall -- and in better weather -- will be well worthwhile.

Brooks Ostendorf and Erica Ellefson updated us on how the City has assessed the impact of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), strategized a plan for addressing the damage, and planned for the urban forest’s recovery from the pandemic.  Urban Forestry in River Falls manages around 8000 trees, not including open spaces.  The need to remove diseased trees and replant new trees is an ongoing major project that has accelerated due to the EAB pandemic.  Brooks and Erica showed us trunk segments, with the damage from larvae, and the slides (See the PDF in Download Files below)  show more details of the damage and symptoms.  Click READ MORE to read more and DOWNLOAD FILES to see a pdf of the slides.

 

 

ONP Executive Director Shelly Smith  and Brian Manion provided an overview of the agency's capital campaign project - Every Need, Every Neighbor.  Shelly reviewed the 5 major ONP programs, and she described how the needs have grown to the point that the current building is not adequate.  Brian showed us an architect's plan for the new building, which will be built on the site of the current building at 122 W Johnson St.  A new building will improve many of ONP's day-to-day services, with more and better showers, improved laundry facilities, and offices where one-on-one meetings can happen.  The two answered our questions, and they noted that maintaining services during the construction period will be a major challenge that they are working on already.

 

About the Speakers:  Executive Director Shelly Smith of ONP requires no introduction to our club.  If you don't know her and know about what she does for our community, then you haven't been paying attention!  Brian Manion is Vice President of WESTconsin Credit Union River Falls and Prescott locations and serves on Our Neighbors' Place board as Vice President and Capital Campaign Committee Chair.