With Delane and Jeanette both away, we're calling on Mariachi Loco to provide our lunches.  If you've not ordered yet, it's not too late.  Click Read More for the menu choices and how to order!

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.  

--DISTRICT GOVERNOR VISIT NEXT WEEK:  District Governor Glenn Bowers is making the rounds of D5960 clubs, and he'll be at our August 12th meeting to provide an update and outlook on our Rotary district.

 

--Rotary Promo at Falls Theater:  If you are our local gem of a movie house, pay attention to the advertisements before the feature.  You can also see it on the River Falls Rotary Facebook page.

 

--August Calendar:  Click READ MORE  to see the August's calendar.

 

--Club Assembly on August 26th:  How's this for a contradiction?  We have added a meeting, but for very good reason.  The board has reviewed two requests for capital campaign donations:  one by Our Neighbors' Place and one by the River Falls Public Library.  Given that the board recommends substantial financial commitments to both organizations, we want to have all interested and available members hear the board's recommendation and provide comments and their input.  George will also present plans for a club visionining session in October.

Tasha Schuh and her husband visited to thank our club for the financial support that enabled her to present her talk about mental health and resilience to Meyer Middle School sixth grade students.  They shared photos and highlights of the presentation, and Karla commented on what she saw of the interactions between Tasha and the sixth grade students.  Karla told us that she heard one student say after a fist bump with Tasha, "I'll never wash this hand again!".