Weary of Winter

Deciding what to write for this week's newsletter was simple, finding a photo to help illustrate my point was not.  All of the photos I was able to find were bright and sunny, showing red nosed, pink cheeked, smiling people in neon bright, puffy clothes enjoying the frigid temps.  My problem is not with the people or the below zero thermometers, it's the dreariness. We do have a lot of bright, sunny days during the Minnesota winter, and I don't really mind the cold, it's just those four or five days in a row of cloudy, bone chilling dampness that get to me. 

Lucky for me I get to re-energize when the mid winter drizzle and drabness hit,  to recharge my batteries.

Every January the Minnesota Association of United Ways holds a conference. It is a chance to meet with people from all over the state who are trying to make a difference in their communities doing the work of United Way.  This year we were all fortunate to be invite to attend an Education Forum at RiverCentre, in St. Paul. There the keynote speaker was Miami's Superintendent of Schools who shared the "Miami Miracle" improving education outcomes for urban kids. We heard our own Minnesota Commissioner of Education talk about what progress is being made right here at home and we learned about a New York City Innovation in Public Schools Project.  I sat next to a representative from the Search Institute and shared information on some of their new and exciting projects.

And that was only day one!

Sometimes those of us who work in nonprofit and human services feel like we have a burdensome responsibility. When I returned from that conference I realized I felt relieved. I met so many wonderful, caring, intelligent people  who spend their lives working to save/change/improve lives of children/ seniors/ and others who cannot live independently. 

The sun came out while I was at that conference. Maybe not outdoors but in the rooms where we met.  It shined brighter inside of me with every conversation. I returned to Red Wing renewed, re-invigorated and ready to take on the challenges of a new year.

What are you going to do for yourself to recharge? I would love to hear your methods for renewal.

Thanks for reading. 

Maureen Nelson

Pill Thieves Mine Obituaries for Victims

A grieving widow thinks her husband's obituary made her a target for prescription pill thieves.

Hit at her lowest point, she wants other potential victims to be aware. "He was only 51 years old when he died, he was an athlete and physically fit," says the victim, who didn't want to be named.

She knew people would be surprised he died of cancer, but she's now even more surprised at how criminals are trying to get the painkillers of cancer patients.

"I got a call a short time after the obituary ran from a man who said he was from the Hennepin County Drug Disposal Program. He said he could pick them up from my home," the victim said. She says she felt relived an errand could be off her plate, but when the man showed up he didn't have identification. "He claimed to be a medical student and said they had just started working with the county, and they didn't have any identification yet," the victim said. She then tried to contact Hennepin County, but the offices were closed."I started thinking: Is there something funny about this?" the victim said. Ditching the narcotics, she only gave him blood pressure pills.

The man took off, and later the widow learned the so-called program was a fake."They're stooping to really take advantage of a person when they're down," the victim said. She just hopes this painful situation will keep other painkillers from hitting the streets. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case.

Officials say that those with narcotics need to lock  them up. They've taken reports about babysitters, workmen and even realtors have contacted them after showing homes.The county also says they will never come to your home to pick up the pills. There are medicine drop boxes all over the state where you can drop them yourself.They can be found at police stations, libraries and courthouses. 

Local Drop off sites listed below:

Cannon Falls: 

Police Department Foyer

918 River Road, Cannon Falls

M-F, 8:00am-4:30 pm

Red Wing

Goodhue County Law Enforcement Center

430 West 6th St. Red wing

7 days a week -24 hours a day

Zumbrota

Police Department foyer

50 West 2nd St. Zumbrota

M-F, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Wanamingo

City Hall, Sheriiff's Office

401 Main St, Wanamingo

M-Th 8:00am- 4:30 pm

Fri.  8:00 - Noon

Reprinted From WCCO website

PERKINS DINE TO DONATE

JANUARY 30, 2013, 

2-10pm

Perkins will generously donate 10% of restaurant and bakery sales to

 Red Wing Chemical Health Initiative

Dine out for a good cause!

Teams are forming now for the Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity Women Build (noun,verb) in Red Wing!  Construction is no longer just for men, women in your community are joining forces now to build a home for a qualifying family this year. No experience is necessary, training is provided. Want to help? Form a team or join one today!

 For More Information

Contact Brittany by Jan 28th 

at 

(651)388-9360 x31

or 

gchfhvista01@gmail.com 

Goin' to the HOPE Hop

Thursday, March 14th 

5:30 - St. James Hotel, Red Wing

Early bird purchase of your ticket to the banquet enters you into a drawing for :

 Two Tickets - Timberwolves game

Friday, February 1st - 8:30

Contest deadline:

Friday, January 25th 

Tickets are $50 each or a table of 8 for $375.  To purchase with a credit card, please call Laurie at 651-388-9360 ext. 30 or mail your check to HOPE Coalition - Attn: Laurie - 480 W 8th Street - Red Wing, MN 55066.

We are grateful to the Timberwolves NBA Team for their generosity which enables us to offer two ways to treat our guests to FUN!

Please visit our website  www.hope-coalition.org  to see all the good things we do for the community and to get a full description of this event:  Goin' to the HOPE Hop!

Helping Families in Crisis Rebuild Their Lives

Meals on Wheels is looking for a few volunteer drivers. Our program has grown quite a bit the past few months and we are short on volunteers. This time of year it is very important that we are getting meals to shut ins.

These are the routes we currently run: 

• *Downtown Route: Mondays and Tuesdays
• *West Route: Tuesdays
• *South Route: Covered
• *Hay Creek Route: Tuesdays and Fridays
• *Welch: Tuesdays and Fridays (in the process of setting up this route)
• *Frontenac: Cancelled right now, but would like to reopen, twice a week. 

For more information or to volunteer, 

Please contact:

Megan Amsden Ramaker 

St. Brigid's at Hi-Park (M, W, H, F) 

 651.385.5476

Seminary Home (T) | 651.327.2090