Before, during, and after the All American City Finalist 04' Competition in Atlanta; this is a list I compiled after realizing the many people to show our apprecation in making Morris what it is and will be:
The city of Morris (40+ people who helped with the All American City application since the first meeting on January of this year and Phil Drown Companies) Also, to those that were highlighted in the application: Prairie Renaissance Cultural, Regional Fitness Center, and TREC Program.
Application Contributors (based on the forward e-mail list) and Presentation Practice Analysts:
"Athena Kildegaard"
"Barb Hesse"
"Ben Winchester"
"Carrie Grussing"
"Char Zinda"
"Deb Koehntop"
"Dennis Lindor"
"Jeannette Drown"
"Jim Mahoney"
, "Jim Thoreen"
"Maddie Maxeiner"
"Mary Ann Scharf"
"Michael Haynes"
"Michael Sparby"
"Paul Martin"
"Randee Hokanson"
"Randy Fisher"
"Roger McCannon"
"Roger Wareham"
"Ron Flannigan"
"Sheldon Giese"
"Sue Granger"
"Tom Hoffman"
"Tom Larson"
"Tom Mahoney"
"Dave Johnson"
"Todd Matson"
City Workers:
-public works, who get their hands dirty (street cleaners, fleet/maintenance services, underground work that "us" city dwellers don't see everyday, etc..)
-council memebers
-bus drivers: Morris Transit
-clean-up crew
-librarians
-police officers
-volunteers (e.g. Salvation Army)
-every citizen that contributes to the well being of the city's progress
Related Links:
This is "Minnesota Tribute to Morris" after reflecting on what Morris should be proud of after reading the application of the recent "All-American City" finalist nomination. I wrote this portion after a meeting of this on Thursday, April 29th of 2004
Community Members that supported our trip financially and other means of resources (t-shirt, picnic, etc...)
Personal:
I wanted to thank beforehand personally to:
-God, who brought me here and divinely let me remain here for awhile (5+ years and going)!
-Morris Community Church (since Fall of 96'), my local church that "drew me deeper into the community" by building relationship with different types of people (different ages) in the community besides people my own age when I was a student. Neil, who mentored me when I was a student, who encouraged me to continue to do so with others. Their annual Summer Institute of Ministry Training School (10 week course) made me stay after graduating in 1999-the first year they initiated this)
-Minority Resource Staff (during and after UMM: 95'-99')
-UMM Campus Overall: Minority Student Program, Office of Residential Life, Community Education: Tom McRoberts with Center of Study Abroad; Including Student Activities (Sara, Sandy, Sara, Carol-Campus Compact: got me to volunteer more as a student and get more involved in the community outside of the campus; food drive one year, etc..) that build my leadership skills and confidence, which I didn't really have as an incoming passive, shy minority my Freshmen year (1995), and many others who have made a difference in different ways growing in character as student (95-99)
-Char Zinda, who inspired me to bridge the campus' ethnic population with the community as a college student (95-99'). She helped with this program where she asked MSP to have ethnic minority students come share about their cultural ethnic background with students at the Morris Elementary School and Morris Area High School (got postponed one year). This encouraged me to continue to do this own my own after graduating (done this with international students one year after Jeanette Drown from my local church asked me to recruit them to share at St. Mary's School. Also, a former UMM roommate asked me to share about my Filipino culture at his school he was assisting in teaching at as part of his Elementary Ed program. The school was in Militona, a small rural town 10 minutes north of Alexandria. I brought my city breakdancing moves (I try) during my presentation, which opened a lot of kids' eyes! I shared this experience with Walter Fischer, MSP Staff, to help continue this cross cultural connection to Morris and the surrounding area.
-Prairie Community Services: Ravenwood Home (formerly Hoffman Home until 2000) that first started as a part-time job while attending my local churches' SIMT School program and became a full-time job after the summer of 1999. I fell in love with the residents (11 before, now 8). They are considered family now!
-City of Morris for getting me involved with Prairie Renassiance Project when Blandin Foundation came in during the summer of 1999 when I graduated from UMM and stayed here. When I was "given an opportunity to chair the committee on cultural development" (script-presentation), I wanted to see the vision (2010) implemented that helped me stay in Morris longer than I thought besides the SIMT School.
-UMM Students (past and present):
Lue Her-who was a mentor, leader, and friend that inspired me in various ways; Ami-Commencement Graduation Speaker 2004, whose "About Me" e-mail several years ago served as an "icebreaker" idea; and many others in various ways
-The Booth Display Committee (Maddy-UMM, Carol-mayor, etc...)
-Morris Team:
(it was fun getting to know one another more through the many countless presentation practices (script), ice breaker-"About Me", and different group gatherings before and during Atlanta. Hope to continue do so in the future while I live in Morris!
This from my (Sal) personal gratitude and thanks:
"Honorable" (got this from the Atlanta Trip) Mayor Carol Wilcox
Char Zinda, mentioned during the question and answer period after our 10-minute presentation (see video)
Morris and the surrounding community overall!
Please e-mail me at goodnewsumm@hotmail.com of any others that should be mentioned or any suggestions, comments, or corrections that's mentioned in this page. Sorry if I missed any of you that wasn't mentioned!
Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!
