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By Griff Wigley, on April 1, 2010, 7:29 am
 The City of Northfield’s compost facility is not due to open for two more weeks, April 13, despite the fact that spring has arrived 2-3 weeks early. Normally, I Ross Tracy would be bitching whining about the City’s lack of flexibility or poor “customer” responsiveness.
But this year’s budget woes compel me to approach it differently. I don’t know how much the City spends each season to have a part-time people staff it but let’s assume it’s approximately $15, 000 (40 hrs/week * 30 weeks * $12/hr).
 The City could save money by cutting back hours and telling people to pay Waste Management or use the Rice County Recycling Center (see the 2010 compost site PDF).
Or it could ask its citizens to volunteer to help keep services at their present level. (Imagine this scenario happening with many other services that the City provides.)
Here’s a straw poll that’ll give city fathers and mothers an indication of citizens’ appetite for cutting vs. volunteering in order to save money:
Continue reading Straw poll: Would you volunteer to staff the City’s yard waste/compost facility to save money?
By Griff Wigley, on May 27, 2009, 10:42 pm
 Northfield Mayor Mary Rossing was one of the Memorial Day speakers at Northfield Area Veterans Memorial in Riverside Park on Monday. Her speech was why it’s important that all citizens serve others, their nation, and their community.
Click play to listen. 10 minutes. And hear the audio of the entire Memorial Day service on KYMN’s blog.
By Griff Wigley, on December 23, 2008, 7:49 am
 
Tina Severson, owner of Northfield Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, posted this comment to a LG discussion thread last week:
I would like to let everyone know that Beef ‘O’ Brady’s will be hosting a free Christmas dinner for those less fortunate this holiday season. Dinner will be held on Christmas Eve and serving will begin at 5p.m. Anyone interested in attending our dinner please call Tina or Angie at 507/664-9112 to get your name added to the list. We will serve until all have been fed – we would just like to have a heads up on what we will be needing.
John Thomas posted an update this morning:
 If you wish to support this very worthy undertaking, you may contact Tina or Angie at (507) 664-9112. (This is the number at Beef’s.)
The reservations list for this free Christmas dinner for those less fortunate this holiday season has grown significantly, and as David had stated in post #67, Thursday’s table will not be serving this week.
This Christmas, it should be all about community, family, and helping others.
If you wish to help, please call or stop in and see Tina or Angie at the restaurant today. (Note: It may be difficult to get them during the lunch or dinner rush)
They can let you know in what ways you can help. They are trying to finalize the food today.
My only concern is that they are going to be seriously overwhelmed.
By Griff Wigley, on December 14, 2008, 8:01 am
  
Left and center: Northfield area Salvation Army bell ringers had a presence during Winter Walk.
Right: Two of them were accompanied by a talented trumpet player at Cub Foods yesterday afternoon.
You can donate to the Salvation Army online.
By Griff Wigley, on December 9, 2008, 6:30 am
The 7th Annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk will be held this Saturday, Dec. 13. “100% of registration fees will be going to Thursday’s Table” according to my sources.
See the photo albums from 2005, 2006, and 2007… and this slideshow of the latter.
By Griff Wigley, on November 23, 2008, 11:31 am
By Griff Wigley, on November 22, 2008, 7:46 am
Once again, the Northfield Community Action Center and the Civic Engagement Program in the Center for Experiential Learning at St. Olaf teamed up on National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
 One of their awareness strategies has been to camp out overnight in a public space in Northfield, as they did in 2006 and again in 2007.
On Thursday night this week, they did it again. It was a nippy 5 degrees F. on Friday morning.
In the photo on the far left: Jim Blaha, director of the Northfield Community Action Center; standing next to him, Nate Jacobi, Assistant Director for Civic Engagement at St. Olaf’s Center for Experiential Learning.
By Griff Wigley, on November 8, 2008, 7:51 am
  
When Ed Kuhlman pesters me about something, I try to ignore him. But when he pesters me and sets up a blog, I pay attention.
Ed has set up a fundraiser event blog for Sarah Henson. Her friends are having a ‘House Party’ for her at The Grand on Nov. 14, trying to raise enough money to make her house payments for a year while she deals with stage four glioblastoma brain cancer.
Here’s the PDF poster with the text of the email that her friends have been circulating around town:
 I want to let you know about an upcoming benefit for my dear friend Sarah Henson. Sarah, a single mother of four who got her college degree at age 45 and graduated valedictorian of her nursing class, was diagnosed this past spring with stage four glioblastoma brain cancer. This is devastating news for her and her family.
If you already know Sarah, you know how very special she is. If you haven’t had the good fortune of meeting her, she is one of those very special people that makes every one she meets feel like her best friend — a loving and caring personality who truly inspires everyone she encounters. She is simply one-in-a-million.
My friends and I are hosting a fund-raising event for Sarah at The Grand Event Center in Northfield on Friday, November 14. I’d love for you to attend. The goal is to raise $18,000 — Sarah’s annual mortgage payment. It is very important to Sarah that she and her family are able to stay in their house while she focuses all her energy on battling her brain tumor.
The November 14 event — “A House Party for Sarah Henson” — will feature a silent and live auction (from 6-9 p.m.), followed by dancing and celebrating to the sounds of The Zillionaires. There’s no cover charge but donations will be accepted at the door. It will be an evening filled with food, friends, and fun — all in support of a great cause. More information about Sarah and the event can be found at www.sarahhenson.wordpress.com or by visiting www.caringbridge.org/visit/sarahhenson. (If you’re able to donate goods or services to be auctioned off, you’ll find information about that, too.)
If you are unable to attend the event but would like to make a donation, a fund has been set up in her name. Please make checks out to:
Sarah M. Henson Benefit Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
700 Water Street
Northfield, MN 55057
By Griff Wigley, on November 5, 2008, 6:37 pm
I don’t know what President-elect Barack Obama will ask of us but he said last night in Chicago:
 This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Tom Friedman wrote today in his NY Times column titled Finishing Our Work:
 But a new politics of the common good can’t be only about government and markets. “It must also be about a new patriotism — about what it means to be a citizen,” said Sandel. [Harvard University political philosopher Michael Sandel.] “This is the deepest chord Obama’s campaign evoked. The biggest applause line in his stump speech was the one that said every American will have a chance to go to college provided he or she performs a period of national service — in the military, in the Peace Corps or in the community. Obama’s campaign tapped a dormant civic idealism, a hunger among Americans to serve a cause greater than themselves, a yearning to be citizens again.”
Are you ready to demonstrate this spirit of patriotism, civic idealism, and sacrifice as a Northfield area citizen? What might it look like?
By Griff Wigley, on November 3, 2008, 7:57 am
 WINGS (Women in Northfield Giving Support) held their fall event Saturday at the First National Bank South community room. The theme for the day: Faces of Philanthropy, Inspiration and Action – Across Generations.
CAC Executive Director Jim Blaha and I were the token guys there.
Speakers included: Michelle Bauerly Kopel, Women’s Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, St. Cloud, MN; Vera Belazelkoska, Oles Advancing Social Innovation and Sustainability (OASIS), St. Olaf College; Marie Benson, Community Projects, Northfield, MN; and Dina Fesler, Children’s Culture Connection, Dennison, MN.
See the album of 16 photos or this slideshow:
By Griff Wigley, on October 31, 2008, 12:01 pm
  
Sandy Vesledahl at Premier Bank Northfield alerted me to their participation in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s annual Costume for a Cure. See the poster (PDF) for more.
I stopped by this morning to take some photos, grab some coffee and cookies, and make a donation. Last year, their costume theme was Elvis (photo, above right).
  
This year, the theme is the Kentucky Derby. That’s a personal passion of Sandy’s… witness the display case on the right.
The press release reads:
Continue reading Costumed for a Cure at Premier Bank; donate today
By Griff Wigley, on August 17, 2008, 9:32 am
  
The City of Northfield has mounted two donor recognition signs to the interior of the Amerman Pavilion at the Spring Creek Park Soccer Complex on Jefferson Parkway. The signs list all the organizations, businesses, and individuals who contributed to the construction of both the complex and the pavilion.
By Griff Wigley, on July 6, 2008, 9:15 pm
  
I asked Dan Freeman, this year’s chair of Northfield’s 4th of July Hometown Celebration, who should be thanked for helping to make it happen. Dan wrote:
Hey Griff, here are the names of people who chaired various events for the 4th:
I think that’s about it but there were many other people who stepped in to help. Obviously, all the sponsors are the reason we even have a 4th of July Celebration in this town. Finally, thanks to you for recording in pictures this wonderful day in Northfield’s history.
The photos above (center, right) are from the back page, 12A, of the July 2 Northfield News, listing those businesses, organzations, and individuals who provided sponsorship dollars this year.
Of course, Dan Freeman had something to do with all this. Thanks, Danny.
By Tracy Davis, on June 5, 2008, 7:27 pm
 While slinking around town with the guy I’m sleeping with, I spied the newcomers’ group at the Contented Cow. I rudely slunk off again without getting names, but I told everyone I was taking photos for Locally Grown and I hoped they’d chime in and introduce themselves and say a little bit about what brought them to Northfield. Alan here won the Cute Baby prize.
For Patrick, Felicity, and others who attended – How was it, and what did you talk about? Any thoughts you’d care to share?
By Griff Wigley, on May 30, 2008, 6:48 am
Thursday’s Table is a program of the Northfield Community Action Center designed to provide a hot and healthy meal to people in Northfield who could benefit from a free, nutritious meal. Through the collaboration of the CAC, Northfield School District and the City of Northfield, free meals are served every Thursday evening from 5:00 to 6:30.
   
I interviewed Thursday’s Table project manager Mimi Trevino (left in left photo) yesterday afternoon at the Northfield Community Resource Center (NCRC). We were joined by Community Action Center (CAC) Project Manager Judy Bickel. After two months of operation, there have been some changes, including the involvement of local churches in helping to provide volunteers. They’re busier than expected, serving nearly 200 each week.
Click play to listen. 6 minutes, 30 seconds.
 
Left: Northfield Senior Citizens board member Peter Schmitz was doing greeter duties at the entrance to the NCRC.
Right: A tip-of-the-blogger hat to David Koenig for being one of the people who helped create Thursday’s Table and assisted in arranging for my visit this week.
Want to volunteer or donate?
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The City of Northfield’s compost facility is not due to open for two more weeks, April 13, despite the fact that spring has arrived 2-3 weeks early. Normally, 
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