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February 6, 2002 |
Community working together to address hunger
Citizens Concerned About Hunger and Need, Inc. and Community Action
Program are requesting the community's help to keep our local Food Pantry
stocked and provide help with the operation of the pantry.
The Community Action Program at 200 East Blackhawk Ave., Prairie du Chien,
distributes food to meet basic needs of eligible low-income Crawford
County families and individuals who have an emergency need for food.
There is definitely a need. In 2000 the food pantry served, 3,485
individuals and in 2001 the pantry served 4,310, according to Nadine Lee,
food pantry coordinator through the Community Action Program. In 2000, the
food pantry distributed 57,860 pounds of food to needy people, and in 2001
it distributed 72,860 pounds. Through many sources, they collected $7,425
and spent $8,185.
Lee and Citizens Concerned about Hunger have been working with local
churches to fulfill the food pantry's needs. "We have worked out a
rotating schedule of suggested items for donation, so that more
necessities of food and personal hygiene and paper products can be
provided each month," says Lee. "Non-food items like toothpaste
and toilet tissue can not be purchased with food stamps, but can count up
quickly in your grocery cart. Although a list and a schedule have been
established, any item is welcome at any time."
"We are also requesting volunteers from the area to work a few hours
a month each year. We are providing grocery carts (loaned to us from Dick's
Supermarket) to the churches for the collection of requested items,"
said Lee. "There is also a need for persons to help distribute food
and unload monthly food deliveries."
Individuals, families with children and elderly are served through the
food pantry. "Emergency Food is a need that at one time or another
all types of people may experience," said Lee. "Lost wages due
to illness or a child's illness, an unexpected car repair, or need for
costly prescriptions are examples of circumstances that can lead to a need
for help with food. Proof of income and residency is required."
One of the biggest supporters of the food pantry is Citizens about Hunger
and Need.
Citizens Concerned About Hunger was organized in the mid 1980s. The first
two programs instituted were a food pantry and an education program. That
name stuck until 1998 when the organization wanted to help people with
other needs than hunger. The current name of this volunteer organization
is Citizens Concerned About Hunger and Other Needs.
For more information on volunteering opportunities with the food pantry or
for more information call (608) 326-2463 and ask for Nadine.
Council opposes governor's 'slash & eliminate' budget
In a unanimous decision, the Prairie du Chien Common Council approved
a resolution opposing Gov. McCallum's proposal to 'slash and eliminate'
the shared revenue program.
One council member even noted that his was a 'resounding aye,' and another
nodded her head as the resolution was being read.
The city is budgeted to receive $1.4 million from shared revenue related
programs for the current budget year, which represents 35 percent of the
total annual budget.
The council also approved 'freezing' two positions currently open in
the city, one at the street department and one at the city administrator's
office. The positions will not be filled until further notice.
Local bull rider heads to Olympics
A local well-known bull rider will soon be able to add another significant
notch to his belt. Cory Check of Seneca will be going to the Winter
Olympics Feb. 9, 10 and 11.
As part of the five-man United States' bull riding team, Check, 25, will
take on some of the nastiest bulls in the business as part of the 2002
Olympic Command Performance Rodeo.
Check earned his spot in the rodeo by winning the bull riding competition
at the National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho last March.
Check said that the Olympic Command Performance Rodeo will be held in
Farmington, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City, in conjunction to the
upcoming Winter Olympics. The event will pit teams from the United States
against their counterparts from Canada in what Check described as a 'cultural
Olympics.'
The rodeo will include five-person teams in each of seven events,
including bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding,
team roping, bare back and barrel racing.
The competitors will be vying for gold, silver and bronze medals, as well
as approximately $20,000 for the winner of each event, Check said.
In addition, Check said that his motel room will be paid for and he will
also receive a fair amount of clothing for participating in the rodeo.
This year's Olympic Command Performance Rodeo will mark the second time
that a rodeo has been associated with the Winter Olympics. The 1988 Winter
Olympics in Calgary also featured the United States against Canada. |
| February 4, 2002 |
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Wyalusing Academy to build transitional home
In the near future there will be a new transitional home built on the
Wyalusing Academy grounds, 601 S. Beaumont Road.
On Monday, the Prairie du Chien plan commission approved the construction
of the transitional home by a vote of 4-2, with Brad Steiner and Doug
Mathison voting against the measure.
"I think it's a win, win situation for everybody," said Dave
Hernesman, executive director of Wyalusing Academy. "I think it's
something we've needed for a long time."
Hernesman said that the transitional home will be built west of the main
drive of Wyalusing Academy and will face north toward the Satter Building.
The home will be a 10-bed facility and will be approximately 50 feet wide
and 54 feet long.
The transitional home will house boys ages 10-18, who will be separated by
age into the two wings of the building. Hernesman said that each wing will
have four single beds. The wings will be separated by the kitchen and
dining room, which will be used at different times by the two age groups.
There will also be separate bathrooms, two TV rooms and two game rooms.
Hernesman said that there will also be two beds available for respite
care.
Hernesman said that studies conducted by the directors of social services
from Crawford and surrounding counties pointed to the need for the
transitional home.
Students using the home would come from Crawford, Vernon and Richland
counties in Wisconsin and Clayton and Allamakee counties in Iowa.
Currently, the only such home available for students from Crawford and
surrounding counties is Coulee Group Homes in La Crosse and students that
go there become part of the La Crosse Public School system.
Hernesman said that the new transitional home would allow for students to
stay closer to their own area and would not disrupt the educational
component or the family component. He also pointed out that with students
staying closer to home, it would be much more cost-effective than shipping
them to La Crosse.
Students staying at the new transitional home would be taught independent
living skills, would be part of anger control groups and family therapy
groups, would cook their own meals, do their own laundry and would
possibly have jobs in the community.
The new transitional home didn't come without opposition. A petition
bearing 49 signatures, mostly residents living near Wyalusing Academy, was
presented at the plan commission meeting.
Fulfilling a need to read
Rosanna Larsen has learned her life lessons well.
When she dropped out of high school as a sophomore to care for her ill
mother, she started an intensive learning process about compassion and
caring - a study she still participates in as a mother and a personal
caregiver for the elderly.
Now, years later, Rosanna is working through the Crawford County Literacy
Program to sharpen her skills and obtain her GED (general equivalency
diploma).
Any Crawford County adult resident is eligible to participate in Crawford
County Literacy Program Crawford County works with Grant, Richland, Iowa
and Lafayette counties in developing and strengthening the Literacy
Program in Southwest Wisconsin.
Benefits for those receiving tutoring include:
. Getting a better job.
. Increasing income or earning potential.
. Enhancing self-esteem.
. Becoming a better role model for your children/grandchildren.
. Increasing learning potential for self-fulfillment needs.
. Preparing for eventual acquisition of a GED or HSED.
The Southwest Wisconsin Literacy Program was started in 1988. Since the
start of the program, hundreds of people have benefited by gaining
self-confidence, securing better paying jobs, and enjoying a better
quality of life.
Rosanna agrees with these benefits. She says being involved with the
program and working toward her GED has helped her feel better about
herself, and it's good to know she can do it.
Although she was not illiterate, the program still benefits her by helping
her better develop her literacy skills.
She says that while growing up in a family with 12 children they didn't
read much, but now she really enjoys reading books, especially
biographies, Christian books and historical novels.
Rosanna's tutor, Elaine Barton, points out that many people who didn't
learn to read or to read well as children still have the same problems
which stalled their learning process as a child in adulthood. Such was the
case with Rosanna. Her learning disability she had as a child still exists
today. When she was in school she was in "special education"
classes, which were not as specialized and helpful as they are today. The
result was her not feeling positive about herself or her capabilities.
"There is a way to get through and teach everyone," says Elaine,
a retired school teacher who resides in Steuben.
The primary focus of the literacy program is to provide assistance in
reading/comprehension/spelling/vocabulary and math skills needed to
survive in today's world.
For more information about the Crawford County Literacy Council, contact
Jill Bender at Crawford County Human Services (608)326-0248, or Tammie
Richter at Southwest Wisconsin Techincal College (608)822-3262, ext. 2366.
Literacy Project calls for volunteers in Crawford County, Southwest
Wisconsin
The Southwest Wisconsin Literacy Coalition needs additional volunteers to
assist in providing tutoring for Literacy Project students throughout
Southwest Wisconsin. Volunteers are being asked to donate their time to
assist students with upgrading their reading, math, and basic life skills.
The Southwest Wisconsin Literacy Coalition is comprised of volunteers from
Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland Counties. Concerned
volunteers currently help dozens of individuals obtain the literacy skills
they need to successfully function in today's society.
The Southwest Wisconsin Literacy Coalition currently serves more than 60
people in the five county area.
Currently, many requests for help are not being met and there is a
critical need for additional volunteers.
If you are interested in "helping others help themselves" by
volunteering your time or making a monetary donation, please contact
Tammie Richter, Volunteer Literacy Coordinator at (608) 822-3262, Ext.
2366. |
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