Spring Valley EDA

Tools for Economic Growth in Spring Valley, Minnesota.

Chris Hahn

Ag Days 6k returns on Saturday, Aug. 17

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Published July 9, 2024 

 

Registration is now open for the annual Ag Days 6k run on the paved Spring Valley trail.

Runners start on County Road 8 near the camper parking area east of Spring Valley. They take a turn into the camping area after a short distance and then follow the trail all the way to Willow Park near the pavilion. The 6k race is about 3.72 miles long.

Runners will meet from 7 to 7:40 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Willow Park, which is located just east of downtown, for the 8 a.m. race. Runners will board a bus at 7:45 a.m. for a shuttle to the camper parking area on County Road 8. The scenic trail has no intersections with public roads as it crosses over Spring Valley Creek several times and underneath Highway 16. There will be an aid station along the course plus refreshments at the end.

The first 50 people registering for the race will get a custom performance T-shirt.

Registration for the Ag Days 6k run is online with no added fees on the Spring Valley EDA website (springvalleyeda.org). Forms may also be picked up at City Hall. Race day registration begins at 7 a.m., but runners are encouraged to register in advance.

The price for the 6k race is $25 for runners signing up prior to Aug. 1. The price is $30 from Aug. 1 to the day of the race.

Trophies will be awarded to the overall male and female winners in the 6K race as well as for the top three males and females in age groups.

For more information on either event, contact Dave Phillips at 507-346-2368.

The annual 1k free kids run, called the Little Husker, will also take place on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 9:30 a.m. The race, sponsored by the Spring Valley Area Community Foundation, is free of charge. The routes for various ages are on the trail at Willow Park. For information, check the EDA website, or Register Here.

Spring Valley announces Root River Trail Towns bike rental program at Sunshine Foods

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Published June 26, 2024

 

Left to Right: Justin Mlinar (City Council), Blake Koebke (Chamber of Commerce), Luan Ruesink (City Council), Brenda Polman (Fillmore County Public Health), Greg Bernard (Sunshine Foods), Wendy Betts (Chamber of Commerce), Sue Kolling (Osterud-Winter Foundation) Steve Himle (EDA), Chris Hahn (EDA Director)

Next time you stop in at Sunshine Foods in Spring Valley, you may notice something as you walk up to the door, specifically a rack full of brand-new bicycles.  These bicycles might look familiar if you have spent time in other Fillmore County communities, including Chatfield, Fountain, Harmony Peterson, Preston, and Rushford.

The new bikes, eight in all, are part of the Root River Trail Towns bike fleet.  “The goal is to get people physically active as part of a healthy lifestyle,” says Chris Hahn, EDA Director for the City of Spring Valley. “Spring Valley, like many of our neighboring Fillmore County communities, offers a variety of trails, parks, and fun outdoor recreation activities.  The Root River Trail Towns bike program provides a great way to take advantage of them.”

The Spring Valley bike fleet is made possible through Fillmore County Public Health as part of the State Health Improvement Partnership, or SHIP.  According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, (SHIP) supports community-driven solutions to expand opportunities for active living, healthy eating, and commercial tobacco-free living, helping all people in Minnesota prevent chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

There is no cost to rent the new bikes.  People wishing to check out a bike and explore Spring Valley will need to provide a driver’s license, complete the rental agreement, grab a helmet (or provide their own) get a key for the bike lock, and head out on the bike trail just behind Sunshine Foods off of North Park Drive.

“These programs only happen with the support of our community businesses and organizations,” adds Hahn. “The EDA is especially thankful to Sunshine Foods and the Osterud-Winter Foundation for their generous support and involvement in making this a reality for our community.  We could not offer this program without them.”

Bikes are readily available for check out at the Sunshine Foods Service Counter, 501 North Park Dr. during regular store hours.

For more information about how the program works, where to check out the bikes and rental requirements, click here, or contact Sunshine Foods at 507-346-2804.

 

 

Osterud-Winter Foundation Announces first half 2024 Grants

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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 5, 2024

 

The Osterud-Winter Foundation Trustees met this week and approved the first half Grants for 2024.  Those Grants went to the following organizations:

  • Kingsland School District – Scholarships
  • Spring Valley Cemetery Association
  • Spring Valley Living
  • Spring Valley Public Library
  • Spring Valley Historical Society

Discretionary Grants went to the following organizations:

  • Spring Valley Ministerial – Senior Dining Rent
  • Spring Valley Historical Society – Repairs to the Bell Tower
  • Kingsland School Parents – School supplies
  • City of Spring Valley – Basketball Sports Court
  • Spring Valley Public Library – Summer Reading Program and Eagle Bluff Raptor Program
  • Spring Valley Cemetery – Repairs

The Osterud – Winter Trust is honoring its 30 years of history.  During that time, it has distributed 1.9 million in Grants into our community while maintaining its initial 1-million-dollar investment.  We appreciate the vision John Osterud had for sustaining the future of our students and our community.

Spring Valley Public Library still a busy place

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, April 25, 2024.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

It’s happening @ and for your library.

Because the library is where it’s happening.

Anyone who may think that the public library is just a snore, a place where being quiet is the norm, where nothing ever happens may be completely surprised by the long list of noises and events that occur at that building down the street.

Take, for example, storytime. Oh, the excitement, the exuberance, the giggles. After everyone over 21 has had their coffee, but before 11:00 a.m. – kiddos rounding the story tree in the children’s section to hear a book being read to them, followed by an activity related to the characters of the book. Two more sessions left in May, on Friday, May 3 and 17 at 10:30 a.m. for the preschoolers in one’s life. And after that come preparations for the “Adventure at Your Library” children’s summer reading program from June 3 through July 26 – including Will Bjorndal appearing on June 5, Chad Lewis bringing Minnesota folklore on June 12, and the Eagle Bluff raptor naturalists presenting on June 26, with all programs scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

For the grownups, there’s local author Steve Harris visiting on April 30 at 6:00 p.m., children’s author Michael Hall stopping at SVPL on May 9 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Minnesota Author Tour – the littles may certainly be interested as well, Nancy Vaillancourt presenting on the Hooded History of the Ku Klux Klan in southeast Minnesota in the 1920’s on May 21 at 6:00 p.m., and the library staff taking suggestions as to whom to host in the future through the Southeast Libraries Cooperating vetted presenter program.

What’s happening for the library? According to Friends of the Spring Valley Public Library President Sarah Hansen, there’s plenty. Like, plenty to do and learn. She and the Friends are going to offer classes for the public to enjoy as a fundraiser for the library, beginning with Beginning – she’ll be facilitating two enrichment classes, the first being Beginning Organic Gardening, which is set for the first two Saturdays in May from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Preserving the Harvest, slated for the first two Saturdays in June from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. — and she anticipates that the Friends will continue to bring educational experiences forward throughout the fall, including an introduction to crocheting class that will allow anyone who’d like to be in the loop about looping to do so.

Furthermore, there’s what’s happening @ and for the library one Wednesday a month as summer arrives and evolves into early fall, as the library or the Friends will be seen downtown at a booth during Wednesdays on Broadway, with the Friends sometimes selling ice cream and other items to help raise money for the library’s needs and raise awareness of its available services. Wednesdays on Broadway, a town celebration and farmers’ market with information hosted on the Spring Valley Economic Development Authority’s website at https://springvalleyeda.org/wednesdays-on-broadway-spring-valley-mn/ or the Wednesdays on Broadway Facebook page, will be the place to find Hansen and Friends on June 19, July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.

For more information on library events, log onto the library’s website at www.springvalley.lib.mn.us, stop in at the library on Jefferson Street, or call 507-346-2100.

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325