HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-12-15 PACKET 04.F.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA
MEETING ITEM #
DATE 12/15/1
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,*REPARED BY: Administration
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IRRIM11 OHIO
COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST:
Accept and review the 201 Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Committee update
Accept and review
BUDGETED AMOUNT
ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION:
DENIED
DATE
REVIEWED
❑ PLANNING
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❑ PUBLIC SAFETY
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❑ PUBLIC WORKS
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❑ PARKS AND RECREATION
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❑ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS
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❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY
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❑ BTYR Committee 12/3/10
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
Z MEMO/LETTER: BTYR Update
RESOLUTION:
❑ ORDINANCE:
ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION:
❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION:
F� OTHER:
01741•1100211
I J ( IdI611
Date
COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: [R [I DENIED FIOTHER
ACTUAL AMOUNT
APPROVED
DENIED
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CITY OF
MINNESOTA
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Kenneth L. Smith, Community Services and Communications Coordinator
Date: December 8, 2010
Subject: Beyond the Yellow Ribbon 2010 Update
As you know, the City of Cottage Grove is in the process of becoming a Beyond the Yellow
Ribbon City. Below, is an update of activities that have occurred during the past year.
As you recall, a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon City means volunteers within a city have taken
it upon themselves with the help of local officials, church leaders, business leaders, veterans
groups and the Minnesota National Guard, to assist individuals and families with the day
to day issues stemming from military deployment and reintegration (i.e. snow shoveling,
mowing, house repairs, child care etc.).
We do this by coming up with a sustained "Action Plan" to help the families of deployed
individuals because unlike active duty personnel, Minnesota's military members and their
families are geographically separated from a base of support.
To make this effort successful, we have been asking for individuals throughout our community
to become part of our Yellow Ribbon Committee. The Yellow Ribbon Committee is made up of
enthusiastic individuals, from a cross section of our community who were responsible for putting
together the initial training event where work on the "Action Plan" first started. We have been
looking for individuals from all walks of life with just a few listed below:
• Businesses/Employers • Public Safety and Law Enforcement
• Clergy • Social Service Providers
• Elected Officials • Veterans Organizations
• Educators • Youth & Volunteer Organizations
• Medical Service Providers • Other Professions and Organizations
UCLI I ILICS
Mary Slusser and Ken Smith have met for planning sessions every month since January
2010, Our goals were to-
• Create a core group of committed, committee members to be known as the
leadership group or Steering Committee
• Recruit volunteers for a host of activities
• Plan the original large community meeting
• Interact with other BTYR communities for advice and tactics
• Define family need within the community by inviting the families of the deployed to
share their experiences with the committee
■ Organize, plan and hold subsequent community meetings to come up with Action Plan
■ Assist in the writing, editing, and organizing of the Action Plan
■ Advertise the program using, the City's web site, Cottage Grove Reports,
Facebook, South Washington Cable channels 18 & 16, Pioneer Press, Star
Tribune and various TV news outlets
■ Created and maintained a data base of volunteers
Meetings
• We held over 12 productive BTYR meetings involving the community and its partners.
Meetings were open to the public and included notification, agendas, and minutes and
were held at Cottage Grove City Hall and the Cottage Grove National Guard Armory on
Belden Blvd. Throughout the year, Committee members have met with BTYR officials
from other jurisdictions to help with planning, volunteer advertising, event space
negotiations, fund raising and organizing tactics.
Community Partners
• We have partnered with the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, faith based
organizations, the Youth Service Bureau, Allina Health Clinic, School District 833, City
of Cottage Grove, VFW, HCI, National Guard Armory and Personnel, Civil Air Patrol,
Stone Soup, Washington County and several others.
Committee Members
We have an active steering committee comprised of about 18 core members, including:
CG residents, National Guard personnel, CG police officers and staff, Council Members
and other elected officials, business people and individuals associated with area churches
and other City commissions.
We have 64 individuals signed up as potential volunteers.
Mentoring
®
We have been mentored by personnel from Hastings, Woodbury, Stillwater, Hugo,
Farmington and Washington County.
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■ MN State Fair
■ Veterans Day at Park HS
■ Monster Bash table at VFW
■ Afton Apple Veterans day where we had a booth and handed out information
■ Mary Slusser has made several BTYR presentations before the Cottage Grove
Area Chamber of Commerce
■ Committee members helped a homeless military family by providing all manner
of household items for them after they found an apartment. The husband was a
Marine waiting to ship out.
Media Relations
■ Members of the Committee have set up a Cottage Grove BTYR Facebook page.
■ Ken Smith has advertised the program using, the City's web site, Cottage Grove
Reports, Facebook, South Washington Cable channels 18 & 16, Pioneer Press,
Star Tribune and various T.V. news outlets.
■ In July, Mary Slusser was a guest on the Karin Housley radio show, a local AM
radio show where she urged folks to volunteer their time and energy for the
BTYR.
■ Mary has written several articles in the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of
Commerce Newsletter (The Focus) about BTYR.
■ BTYR Committee Member, John Kriesel has committed to donating 10% of
all sales from his book, Still Standing to the Cottage Grove BTYR program.
Training
• Staff from the Cottage Grove Public Safety Department attended a presentation at a
Crime Free Multifamily Housing meeting on Returning Vets. The presenter was Connie
Bengston, a Nurse Care Coordinator from the Minneapolis VA Hospital. Ms. Bengston
spoke about the stresses of military personnel and some difficulties vets face when
returning home.
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