A.C.E. of SW Minnesota – Redwood County
(Previously known as Redwood County Volunteers)
May, 2015
Volunteer Appreciation Event
Thursday, May 21, 2015
At A.C.E. of SW Minnesota – Redwood County, we have many reasons to appreciate
volunteers. Is it because they share their time and talent in many, many ways? Is
it because they help in ways large and small, one-time and over and over again?
Yes, yes, and yes.
We consider volunteers vital to our success and are grateful
for all they do. We feel A.C. E – Redwood County volunteers
are amazing and appreciate you. Volunteers are important
partners and we are grateful.
We have been busy planning a Volunteer Recognition Celebration on Thursday,
May 21 at St. Catherine’s Church in Redwood Falls. Dad’s Belgium Waffles
will be served from 5 – 6 PM with a program beginning at 6 PM. Entertainment will
be provided by Verlyn’s 4-Wheel Drive. By now you should have received a bright
green postcard either in the mail or delivered by an Advisory Council Member.
Please be sure to call our office at 627-1016 or e-mail us at
[email protected] by May 18 to let us know you are coming.
Who gets invited to the Volunteer Appreciation Event? Volunteers enrolled with
A.C.E. and recording hours during the past year are invited. Not yet a volunteer at
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota? Please call our office at 627-1016 to receive information
how you can enroll. If you are enrolled and did not receive an invitation, please be
sure to give us a call also so we can make sure you get an invitation.
Redwood County Advisory Council
Pictured above: Lucille Lienig – Morgan; Sandy Gustad – Lamberton; Barb Irwin – Redwood Falls; Phyliss Posz – Sanborn; Carol
Dittbenner – Morgan; LaMae Dahms – Redwood Falls. Absent from picture – Norma Hagert – Redwood Falls; Rose Berthelsen –
Belview; Roald Haugan – Redwood Falls.
Many thanks to these wonderful volunteers who spent a recent morning helping prepare for the Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
by preparing invitations to be mailed and helping write thank you notes to our donors. The Advisory Council will also be helping out
before the Volunteer Appreciation Event with preparing the church for the event as well as handing out new name tags and a small
gift for everyone. Thank you Advisory Council. You are the best!!!!
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota Advisory Council Members
Welcome & Thank you to our new A.C.E. of SW Minnesota Advisory Council Members Carol Dittbenner & Lucille
Lienig. They are part of a 7 county advisory board which meets 4 times a year to help develop impact
statements, program surveys, advocate for recruitment and community awareness and more.
WHERE WERE YOU?
Many times you tell me you tried to call my office or visited my office and I wasn’t
there. You ask, where were you. I truly apologize if you tried to contact me and I
wasn’t in my office. Many times I am out of my office due to visits to volunteer
stations throughout Redwood County (we have 70 volunteer stations), visiting with
volunteer station managers & volunteers where they volunteer. I may be teaching one of our many
classes such as Powerful Tools for Caregivers, Matter of Balance or Chronic Disease Self
Management or visiting a Bone Builders class. Some days I might be at training held in many
locations including the metro area, Mankato, or a staff meeting which is held in Slayton & other
locations. .
If you are coming to visit and want to make sure I am in, please give me a call at 627-1016 to make
sure you will find me in the office. If you call & I am not in the office, be sure to leave a message and
I will get back to you as soon as my schedule allows. It’s always great to visit with you and we want
to make sure that I get to see you. Thanks for your understanding. Sometimes I joke that the office
is only where I keep my computer. The rest of the time I am off in my car somewhere in Redwood
County or beyond.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Healthy Living – Healthy Lifestyle
Senior Driving
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 - 9 a.m. Redwood Area Community Center
Presenter: Presenter Mark Dressen, Chief of Police
Statistics, crash information, and tips such as understanding how aging affects
driving, safe driving, benefits of not driving, knowing your driving limitations and
knowing when to stop driving. .
Classes are free. For more information contact Karen Christensen, A.C.E. of SW
Minnesota – Redwood County 627-1016 or Wendy Dahl, Redwood Area Hospital
637- 4527
put life
back in
your life
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota – Redwood County is
offering a new prescription on life – a customized workshop just for you. We know living with
chronic health conditions keeps you from doing things in life that you love. Better Choices,
Better Health workshop will help you manage your health in a way that helps you get life back
to the way it should be.
Workshops are recommended for patients with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, lung
disease, high blood pressure, MS, depression, any chronic health condition, or who are
overweight.
Workshop topics include:
 Relaxation symptoms and difficult
emotions
 Improving communication
 Effective problem-solving
 Weekly goal setting
 Making decisions
 Preventing falls and improving
balance
 Getting a good night’s sleep
 Weight management
 And much more
Call 507-627-1016 to register for the
workshop. Donations accepted for class.
Better Choices, Better
Health will be held at
Homestead Cooperative of
Redwood Falls.
Tuesdays 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
May 26, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Everyone Welcome!
POWERFUL TOOLS FOR CAREGIVERS CLASS
Pictured l to r – Shirley Buesing, Pat Edmonds, Diane Hassenbrook, Hazel Harazin, Rosemary Junker
Five caregivers recently completed the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class which is an educational
program designed to help them take care of themselves while taking care of someone else. Powerful
Tools for Caregivers helps caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, balance their life, better
communicate feelings, increase ability to make tough decisions, and locate helpful resources in our
county.
Many thanks to Garnette Gardens for hosting our Powerful Tools
for Caregivers classes and providing coffee and a snack, to Lynn
Buckley for co-partnering to lead the class, and to Catie Helgeson
for always being there to help us out with whatever we need.
Karen
Bring Your Used Cell Phone & Ink Cartridges to the
Volunteer Appreciation Event
Did you know that A.C.E. of SW Minnesota – Redwood County collects used ink
cartridges and cell phones to raise funds for our Annual Volunteer Appreciation
Event? Help us earn money for our program while reusing some of the many cartridges
and cell phones that go to landfills each year. A drop off box will be available at the
Volunteer Appreciation Event. Be sure to bring your cartridges & cell phones
with you.
Many Ways to Serve
If you or someone you know is interested in any of the following volunteer
opportunities call the Redwood County Volunteer Office at 507-627-1016.
Lions’ Club 5k Volunteer Opportunities
We are looking for volunteers! If you are interested in helping out at the Lions 5K run during the
community celebration on June 20, please let us know. Volunteers are needed from 6 AM – 8 AM at the
Redwood Falls fairgrounds. Volunteers will:

Help with registration

Hand Out t-shirts, maps, etc.
Proceeds from this event will go to the Redwood Falls Library’s Outdoor Early Literacy Project.
Call the A.C.E. office at 627-1016 or the Redwood Falls Library at 627-8650 to volunteer.
Volunteers needed for Redwood Falls Library Swap Meet/Garage Sale
Volunteers are needed to help at the Library Swap Meet/Garage Sale to be held at the Redwood Falls
Fairgrounds on June 20 beginning at 7:30 am.
Proceeds for this event will go to the Redwood Falls Library’s Outdoor Early Literacy Project.
Call the A.C.E. office at 627-1016 or the Redwood Falls Library at 627-8650 to volunteer.
Piecemaker Quilt Makers are in need of volunteers to tie quilts.
Piecemakers meets mornings the first &
third Wednesday of the month in the Presbyterian Church basement in Redwood Falls. No experience necessary.
They will be happy to teach you. Call the A.C.E. office at 627-1016 or Char Gilland at 627-8973.
Friends of Gilfillan is in need of more volunteers to help at the Gilfillan Estates.
As some of the present
volunteers age, help is needed from younger volunteers in the community. Help is needed with maintaining the
garden, mowing lawn or even offering tours in the Gilfillan house. In August, volunteers are needed to assist at
the three day event of Farmfest serving ice cream and root beer floars and observing in the Gilfillan house during
the Farmfest. Friends of Gilfillan is always looking for new members. Call Maynard or Joyce Nolting at 637-3325
or the ACE of SW MN office at 627-1016 to volunteer.
Reporting Your Hours
Reporting your hours is important to us. Did you know you can report your hours several ways.
If you are volunteering at a station that is registered with us you can record your hours on their
Station Timesheet. We also welcome phone calls at 627-1016, e-mail us at
[email protected] or you can complete the timesheet below and mail or drop
off at 1011 E. Elm St. #221, Redwood Falls, MN 56283.
REDWOOD COUNTY VOLUNTEER TIME SHEET
Month: ___________________________________
Where did you volunteer? ________________________________________________________________________
Date __________Number of Hours volunteered ______________________________________________________
Where did you volunteer? ________________________________________________________________________
Date __________Number of Hours volunteered ______________________________________________________
Where did you volunteer? ________________________________________________________________________
Date __________Number of Hours volunteered _____________________________________________________
Where did you volunteer? ________________________________________________________________________
Date __________Number of Hours volunteered ______________________________________________________
Where did you volunteer? ________________________________________________________________________
Date __________Number of Hours volunteered ______________________________________________________
Where did you volunteer? ________________________________________________________________________
Date __________Number of Hours volunteered _____________________________________________________
Volunteer Signature ___________________________________________ Date __________________________
Please submit your hours by the 5th of the month.