Elmore, MN

Vicki Boeckman, Carol Boettcher, Pat Coupanger, Pat Connelly, Evy and Floyd Ford, Madonna Gjerde, Bub and Bev Jahnke, Deb Jahnke, Josie Rhenigans, Sharon Rhoda, Dick and Margaret Sunderlin,  Linda VanRavenhorst, Linda and Terry Weringa,  and Clara Vereide attended.  Jessica Peterson of UM Extension also attended.

A recap of the leaders meeting was given.

Discussion was held on plan ideas for the $10,000 grant.

Community engagement is something the foundation is going to look at.  We talked of leaving a portion for community gatherings.

Thrift store or swap center.  We may be able to pay rent with the funds.

Bev Jahnke shared with us about an article she read on “Free Cycle”.

The more specific we are in setting up our plan the easier it will be to implement.

It was brought up that Winnebago had a fix-up program.  The residents had to do an improvement to the outside of their home.  They could then bring the receipts to the City and would then receive up to $100.

Conclusion:

We will include a home fix-up program in the work plan.

Explore the feasibility of running a thrift/swap store.  Jessica Peterson shared the idea of “Needs, Wants, & Offers”.  Her neighborhood sent out a letter to all the neighbors where on one part they could list what they have to offer (items, services, etc.) and on the other part they could list their needs.  They gathered the letters and created a booklet that was distributed to those that participated.

Bev Jahnke, Margaret Sunderlin, Linda VanRavenhorst, Deb Jahnke, and Clara Vereide will form a group to investigate the feasibility of either a thrift/swap store or a “Needs, Wants, & Offers”

Vicki Boeckman, Pat Coupanger, Evy Ford, Deb Jahnke, Margaret Sunderlin,  Linda VanRavenhorst, and Clara Vereide attended.  Jessica Peterson of UM Extension also attended.

Recapped for Jessica what has been done to date.

Need a plan for the $10,000 grant.  Our plan must be clearly related to poverty reduction.  We cannot buy or rent a building.  We could set up a foundation that would support a community center.

Hokah, MN Horizons has set up a food shelf.

Mountain Lake MN Horizons is doing an education project on making their home energy efficient.  They are handing out energy efficient light bulbs.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Fund (SMIF) could be an umbrella for the Elmore Community Foundation.  They would act as our fiscal agent.  Quite often grants are only available to non-profit organizations.

Home fix-up loans:  We discussed micro-lending, finding a building where we could store donated building supplies (for example if someone was tearing down a house and we could salvage the woodwork)

Horizons is going to be giving us a Thank You dinner for the community.  This will be either June 5th or 9th.

We also discussed the feasibility of becoming a 501c3 non-profit organization with the City of Elmore as our fiscal agent.

We still have $1,500 available in the Barrier Elimination fund.  These monies are to be used to pay for anything that would stop someone from attending a Horizon meeting.  For example child care or gas money.

Carol Boettcher, Pat Coupanger, Evy Ford, Madonna Gjerde, Bev and Bub Jahnke, Elton and Sharon Rhoda, Linda VanRavenhorst,  Edrys Viland,  and Clara Vereide attended. 

Clara Vereide gave an overview of what is on the blog site. 

March 29th Grant Writing seminar at the Fairmont Holiday Inn.  Let Evy Ford know if you are interested in attending. 

Spring Clean Up:  April 26th at 10:00 a.m. is the date set for the clean up.  The rain date is May 3rd.  Leaves and clippings should be bagged.  Limbs: 6″ or less width, if the width is 4″-6″ they should be less than 2 feet in length.  They should be placed on the curb or boulevard.  Pick ups will be used to collect.  Bubba Jahnke and Dick VanRavenhorst volunteered their vehicles.  Youth Group will organize the youth volunteers 

Fall Festival ideas discussed were: Invite people to have booths for crafts, woodworking, jewelry, etc.  No charge for a booth the first year.  Ethnic food booths possibly done by local churches.  Invite groups in town to have a booth to raise money.  Ie: Historical Society, Fire, Ambulance, etc.  Have each food booth make a different part of the meal - people would buy a ticket for the entire meal.  Linda VanRavenhorst will draft a letter to be presented to the churches. Tentative date of September 13, 2008.  The second Saturday of September. Name:  Elmore Fall Festival.  Committees:  Ethnic Foods and Festival SetUp.  Linda VanRavenhorst and Clara Vereide will attend the April 14 City Council meeting to check into the possibility of blocking off a street for the festival.

Angie Cooke, Pat Coupanger, Evy Ford,  Margaret Sunderlin, Linda Van Ravenhorst, and Clara Vereide attended. 

We looked at Elmore’s blog site. 

Sesquicentennial sign at south end of town - will let the city know that the Minnesota Sesquicentennial are selling these signs at the end of the year. 

There is a March 29th grant writing workshop.  Would like three people to attend. 

Angie Cooke is stepping down as chair on the Youth group.  Linda VanRavenhorst will take over as chair of that group. 

Approved having Evy’s Diner provide snack for general meetings. 

Agenda for the general meeting tonight:

1.       March 29th grant writing session in Fairmont.

2.       Beautification group report

3.       Youth group report

4.       Fall festival

Horizons has organized a pick up of yard debris and branches for Saturday May 3rd.  Originally this was scheduled for April 26th but due to the heavy rains during the week it was changed to May 3rd.

Horizon members and youth from our community will be collecting from the households that contacted us and taking the debris out to the burn site.  This will happen between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The youth also organized to clean the yards during the week of those that requested this service.

Approximately 38 households participated by donating used items on April 29th!

It was a great way of cleaning out a closet and helping someone else in the process.

I hope this continues to be an annual event for our community. 

Thanks to the community for your support at our pancake breakfast.  It was a huge success for us.

We honored Jim Volz at our pancake breakfast.  Jim retired this past year from our service after 24 YEARS of serving as an EMT for Elmore Ambulance.  He is still currently a volunteer fireman, and a member of the city council.  Thanks to Jim for all he does for the community!

On Sunday, April 27, 2008, the Elmore Ambulance Service will host an “All You Can Eat Pancake Feed” at the MinnIowa Golfcourse.  Chris Cakes of Pocohontas Iowa will be flipping out some of the best cakes you can eat. 

The pancake feed will be from 8:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.  The cost is $6.00 for adults; $4 for children age 3-12; and free for those under 3.  The menu is pancakes, sausages, orange drink, and coffee.

Our Ambulance Service is currently sending SEVEN people to the EMT class that is being held here in town.  This training costs our service $1,068 per person.  That is a lot of pancakes.

COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR AMBULANCE SERVICE!!!

3/20: Holy Thursday at Hope 7p

3/21: Good Friday at Hope 7p

3/23: EASTER Sunday 9a-10:15a EASTER Breakfast

10:30a Worship Services

4/3: Meatball Supper 5p-7p

4/3: Lakeview Auxilary 9a-3p Lunch, Meeting, Jewelry Sale

5/4:Spring Tea

PALS Meets:

March: 5- 12- 19- 26

April: 2- 9- 16- 23- 30

May: 7- 14

The ELMORE FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATION STEAK FRY!

Will be held at the BOGEY BAR & GRILL on

Saturday, April 5th, Serving from 5-8p

FrogNix Karaoke

performing from 8:30p-12a