Spring Valley EDA

Tools for Economic Growth in Spring Valley, Minnesota.

Spring Valley EDA News

Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce holds annual meeting

by

Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, February 22, 2024.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

It was a Bonnie evening, celebrating the Chamber.

“We had our annual Chamber meeting on Wednesday, January 31, and it was held at the Spring Valley VFW. We had Ody’s Country Meats and Catering cater our dinner, we played Spring Valley Trivia hosted by Megan Hammon, and we presented our Volunteer of the Year Award to Bonnie Hammon, as she’s such an asset to our community! It was a great night of fun and reflecting on our year,” recounted Spring Valley Area Chamber of Commerce President Angie Gensmer, outlining how the local commercial marketing organization rounded out its year and began a new one promoting Spring Valley area businesses and events.

The Chamber’s members honored the lady who’s most likely to be seen behind the wheel of a bus, former Head Start bus driver and current Rolling Hills Transit driver Bonnie Hammon, whose daughter, Stacey Rath, told an audience during a previous awards ceremony dedicated to recognizing Rath, “There are young kids who call her ‘Bonnie Bus’ and the so-many people who always tell me how awesome of a lady she is, and to this day, kids still call her ‘Grandma Bonnie.’ I have a pretty awesome mom, and she has taught us all to be better people.”

Hammon is known for her willingness to help her community thrive, as are the members of the Spring Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, including Gensmer as president and treasurer of the Chamber, vice president Greg Brooks, secretary Tyler Anderson, and board members Alicia O’Connell, Cody Koebke, Kerin Rath and Wendy Betts. The group’s mission is to promote and support local businesses. The Chamber’s website stated, “The Spring Valley Area Chamber of Commerce has been advancing the agricultural, commercial, industrial and civic interests of the Spring Valley area since 1951. Our members work together to promote local businesses, help recruit and retain business and industry, attract visitors to the area and use our combined efforts to improve the quality of life in the community.”

The website’s narrative continued, “The Chamber promotes its membership with ribbon-cuttings for our newest businesses in town.” Recent ribbon-cutting ceremonies have included those at Smoking Guns Smoke shop, Bluff Brothers Brewery, The Broadway Hive, Serenity Salon Hair by Karly and Sweet Serenity, @ The Car Wash, Midwest Liquidation, LLC, and more. The website cited, “Throughout the year, there are many special events that promote the Spring Valley area and opportunities for businesses to grow their networks. The Chamber has sponsored and promoted events and organizations such as Spring Valley Business After Hours, Spring Valley Ag Days, Wednesdays on Broadway, the annual Easter egg hunt, Spring Valley Business Alliance (SVBA), and Christmas on Historic Broadway. These events and organizations get businesses involved with the community.”

For more information on the Spring Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, log onto the website at www.springvalleychamberofcommerce.com.

 

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

Spring Valley Kiwanis hear from Salt & Light Partners

by

Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, February 8, 2024.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

“Salt keeps good things good…and light (shines),” said George Beech, addressing the Spring Valley Kiwanis Club in late January, sharing the message of Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world,” as it relates to Salt & Light Partners, the Rochester organization of which he is executive director and a chaplain who offers spiritual and emotional ministry for first responders and others in distress.

The Salt & Light Partners website included the organization’s official mission statement that reads, “Our mission is to provide emotional and spiritual support through workplace chaplaincy in our community.” Beech concurred, “We provide counseling for emergency services workers,” adding that the purpose of making chaplains available to emergency services personnel and law enforcement officers is to help them process the events to which they have been called as part of their duty, occasions that are oftentimes accompanied by very difficult and traumatic circumstances. “People in law enforcement don’t trust people because people are lying to them all day, so we work to build trust and meet people where they’re at. And 93 percent of all firefighters are white and male, so the culture takes its own way.”

Beech listed that Salt & Light Partners was begun as a project that cooperates with the Rochester Police Department (RPD) three years ago, and that it now is represented through the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO). “Prior to that, I was a pastor, and prior to that, I was with the Department of Homeland Security, and before that, I was in the United States Army, serving in Korea and Germany…I met my wife on a rifle range. I grew up in Byron on a farm, and I went to the big city of Minneapolis to go to college. I tried to get back into the military after 9/11, but I had been out (long enough) that the Army didn’t let me. I was a civilian working with Homeland Security, and then my pastor asked me, ‘Do you want to work in a church?’ So I was a pastor. It’s not a usual career path. Then, the chief of police in Rochester asked me if I wanted to be a chaplain to all the department, and I realized I couldn’t do it all (being a pastor and a chaplain) so that’s when I started counseling all the first responders. It has grown because it was me and the police chief, and now we work with the Rochester Police Department, the ambulance service and the fire department, as well as the Winona Police Department and Visiting Angels. Chaplaincy is a ministry of presence.”

Beech then introduced chaplain Kathy Dudley, whom he said was among the very small number of chaplains that Salt & Light encompasses even as numerous have applied and interviewed to be part of the response teams, as the work requires particularly specific skills in navigating intense on-scene situations. Dudley explained how she became a Salt & Light chaplain through a chance meeting with Beech, and Beech commented that she was among the number of chaplains that give of their time to be present for people whose lives are in sudden upheaval, waking up at all hours to go out to a location with only a few details provided in advance and simply listen if someone needs to have another person hear them compassionately as or after they deal with processing or defusing a situation.

He remarked that police officers and firefighters have his personal cell phone number so that they may reach him at any time, even in the middle of the night, if they need someone to be with while managing emotions that may not have initially affected them. While Salt & Light is Christian-based, the executive director reiterated that chaplains assess a scene and determine how to approach the matter in the most sensitive ways possible, accepting that not everyone is a Christian and also that some wish to rely upon their faith to remain well or strive toward better understanding of what they’ve encountered or endured as individuals who have witnessed more than a person can internalize or convey to others. “We don’t proselytize…we don’t open that door, but if they open the door, we run through it…most of what we do is relationship-building.”

Beech’s Salt heals broken law enforcement officers who have brought work home with them because they’ve seen so much. “Why are there broken cops? Because families are broken – what happens at home comes to work, and what happens at work comes home, but not in a good way. We also have marriage counseling – it’s eight weeks at a time, and I take only one couple at a time. We help keep families together and help them act like they like each other. We have a ‘family readiness group’ like they have in the military, and we do date nights. All the people drop their kids off at the church with a gymnasium, then we take them (to an event or dinner). We ask them, ‘When was the last time you went on a date?’ We know how important the family is, so we have a date night. All of a sudden, we have spouses who know each other and each other’s phone numbers. But we’re giving people a venue to grow a relationship with their spouse by having date nights.”

The date nights and networking opportunities then grow the involved individuals to be a family of people on whom law enforcement and first responders and their spouses can rely if they need to converse about their lives’ concerns or joys. Additionally, in “relationship-building,” Salt & Light chaplains work to better acquaint themselves with new officers, and perhaps very importantly, they take time out to meet the children in neighborhoods where poverty or crime are prevalent and get out their pitching and catching gloves just to play ball for a while. Beech stated that chaplains also participate in community celebrations to make their presence known, some of which are sponsored by Salt & Light.

The question that went unasked by the Kiwanians but was addressed by the executive director was how the organization is funded, and he noted that “donations from churches, individuals and organizations” and wellness monies allotted to law enforcement help underwrite the costs of sending trained chaplains to emergencies, making way for Salt & Light’s mission to happen. As is the nature of the work, chaplaincy is unpredictable, and that means that Beech and his team are grateful to have the community’s support for their efforts, as it has allowed Salt & Light to expand its association from just the Rochester Police Department and OCSO to all Rochester area law enforcement, and to extend its radius to partner with the Winona emergency services.

Beech posited, “What are we going to do tomorrow? I started with the Rochester Police Department, and…if more work comes to us, we will respond.”

A Kiwanis member inquired of Beech, “How do you take care of your own chaplains?” The director answered, “Kathy or I…the rule is if you get called…the thing is you have to go talk with another chaplain. You have to download.” Another member wanted to know how many police departments have chaplains for the police, and he replied that “percentage wise, it’s really small…Chicago and New York have chaplains on staff, but small departments generally don’t.”

The meeting’s hour ended, and the Kiwanis graciously thanked Beech for his willingness to share about Salt & Light, presenting him with the club’s framed certificate of appreciation that is “suitable for hanging.”

For more information, log onto the Salt & Light Partners’ website at www.saltandlightpartners.org.

 

 

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

2023 Business Person of the Year: Suzanne Gardner Receives Award of Excellence From Journal Readers

by

Courtesy of the Fillmore County Journal, Monday January 29, 2024

by Jason Sethre

 

As a newspaper, we have an opportunity to bring people together for a common good. To inspire and foster positive news presented by our readers that lifts people up in the communities we serve.

Starting in 2020, the staff at the Fillmore County Journal coordinated the first-ever recognition for the Business Person of the Year.

The newspaper publishes a form to fill out and submit in-person or by mail, along with providing an online option for readers to nominate a business person in the newspaper coverage area to be recognized for this distinguished honor.

The 2020 Business Person of the Year was Todd Jones, owner of Ace Hardware in Spring Valley, Minn. For the 2021 Business Persons of the Year, Alex and Jenn Slifka, located in Spring Valley, Minn., were recognized for their revitalization efforts in the downtown area, with their continuous business expansion involving Chateau de Chic Salon & Spa, Chic by Chateau, Some Like It Hot, and Stellar 181 Taphouse. In 2022, we presented this award to Jerry and Nancy Kraus, owners of Kraus Oil in Spring Grove and Kraus Oil and Country Store in Caledonia.

Drumroll please…

The 2023 Business Person of the Year is Suzanne Gardner, owner of Some Like It Hot in Spring Valley, Minn.

 

CLICK HERE to read the complete front-page story in the Fillmore County Journal

Bluff Brothers Brewing: From Homebrew Hobbyists to Spring Valley’s Newest Taproom

by

Courtesy of the Fillmore County Journal, Monday January 15, 2024

By Axel Gumbel 

Creating “approachable” craft beers, catering to the preferences of small-town Minnesota. That is the business philosophy Mitchell and Marcus Plaehn have set for themselves at their new venture, Bluff Brothers Brewing, Spring Valley’s newest taproom.

“Our goal is to make good craft beer that caters to small-town customers,” Marcus explains. “A lot of people come in and ask, ‘What’s the closest thing to your lightest beer?’”
Their answer – and most popular beer to date – has been Foxtail, an American Lager. That’s closely followed by Firewood, which is a Porter.

“We’re not doing anything too crazy. The Porter is our most unique one. Not a lot of places have something similar, and that’s become our second most popular,” Mitchell adds.
Rounding out their current offerings are Citra Creek (an IPA), Hazy Hills (a hazy IPA), Field of Wheat (a wheat beer) and Nutty Squirrel (a brown ale).

 

Click here to read the full article by Axel Gumbel in the Fillmore County Journal 

Osterud-Winter Foundation announces discretionary grant awards

by

 

The Trustees of the Osterud-Winter Foundation met to approve the semi-annual distribution of proceeds from the $1 million trust established for the Spring Valley area by the late John Osterud, founder of Home Federal Savings Bank.  Distributions of the proceeds are designated as; 50% to Kingsland School for scholarships, 25% to be divided between Spring Valley Cemetery, Spring Valley Living, Spring Valley Public Library and Spring Valley Historical Society.  The remaining 25% will be awarded as discretionary grants to eligible 501(c)3 organizations within a 15-mile radius of Spring Valley.

Trustees approved a total distribution of $26,700 to the following organizations:

Kingsland School District
Spring Valley Cemetery
Spring Valley Living
Spring Valley Public Library
Spring Valley Historical Society
Spring Valley Ministerial
Spring Valley Ambulance
Wykoff Commons
City of Spring Valley Park and Reck
Kingsland Community Food Program

 

The Trust has distributed over $1.8 million since 1994 while retaining the initial $1 million dollar investment.

The 2024 Trustees are:  Sue Kolling 507-259-6467, Steve Heusinkveld 507-316-7697, and Deana Capelle 507-346-2149

Spring Valley Key Club members address Kiwanis during lunch meeting

by

Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, December 7, 2023.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

The Key to being a good community member is being involved in volunteering.

A good singing voice is a plus, but not required.

“We did a car wash at Sunshine Foods which was very successful. We had a blood drive at the school that wasn’t as successful because they had just had another blood drive, so people who wanted to donate couldn’t because they hadn’t gotten up to the right number of days after they donated. We did ditch cleanup in October; we helped with Kiwanis rose sales, helped with Halloween games at the Kiwanis Halloween party. We’re doing Christmas in Fillmore County – where you buy presents for kids who are less fortunate, and each one of us is assigned a kid to shop for. We’re helping with the KSP carnival, and we will help with Salvation Army bell ringing,” stated a board member of the Kingsland Key Club, speaking to the Spring Valley Kiwanis Club during the lunch hour meeting held at the Spring Valley Community Center last Wednesday, Nov. 22, outlining for their mentors what has kept the chapter of high school volunteers busy throughout the beginning of the school year.

Kingsland’s Key Club board members were the guest speakers of the day, outlining what they have learned about volunteerism through actual efforts to improve their community and the world around them after having enjoyed good food and the “song of the day” alongside the Kiwanians. They are, according to the Key Club website, part of a century-old history that began with high school boys being given a chance to lend a hand wherever needed. “The first Key Club formed in 1925 in Sacramento, California, with 11 charter members. Key Club was the idea of two Sacramento Kiwanis Club members, Albert C. Olney and Frank C. Vincent, who were also high school administrators. They approached their Kiwanis club with the idea of starting a junior service club in the high school. It would resemble Kiwanis, have its own classifications based on school interests, and hold luncheon meetings. The club was comprised of the key boys in the school, willing to serve the school in any way possible and to create better school spirit. Thus, the club was dubbed ‘Key Club.’ Soon, the club that started out as a vocational guidance program expanded to become a complete service organization for the whole school. It also offered a social aspect to balance its service activities. Today, Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students in the world.”

The site elaborated, “We provide our members with opportunities to serve, build character, and develop leadership. Key Club members around the world are learning how to lead and stand for what’s right through service and volunteerism. In partnership with their local Kiwanis club, high school student are making a positive impact as they serve others in their schools and communities…high school student members of Key Club perform acts of service in their communities, such as cleaning up parks, collecting clothing and organizing food drives. They also learn leadership skills by running meetings, planning projects and holding elected leadership positions at the club, district and international levels. [The club’s] core values are leadership…character-building, and caring…compassion for others is a cornerstone of the Key Club experience, inspiring action and service to one’s community. Inclusiveness…we welcome people of all backgrounds and ethnicities to join in serving and making a positive difference in our world.”

The objectives of Key Club International were included, as “Key Club aims to cooperate with school principals and teachers to provide high school students with invaluable experience in living and working together and to prepare them for useful citizenship. Our members develop initiative and leadership skills by serving their schools and communities. In doing so, we hope to promote and accept the following ideals: To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life; to encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships; to promote the adoption and application of higher standards in scholarship, sportsmanship and social contacts; to develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive and serviceable citizens to provide a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render unselfish service and to build better communities; to cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which makes possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism and goodwill.”

The club’s current membership includes Kayla Lund, Kaleb Rainey, Mylah Montgomery, Jill Moore, Chole Drury-Deboer, Brooke Lawson, Gretchen Hubka, Malorey Fay, Kaelynn Howard, Jacie Berken, Hailee Warren, Caisa Kolling, Macy Runck, Jaelee Hagstrom, Lydia Redman, Kaylie Betts, Haleigh Hyde, Paisley Robinson, Alexis Klomps, Macie Rasmussen, Vaira Merkel, Chantle Reiland, Marek Boysen, Olivia Kappers, Kaylin Mensink, Ashlyn Harwood, Morgan Phillips, Dylan Schultz and Connor Tangen. Kingsland teacher Aaron Thauwald is the school Key Club advisor.

Kiwanian and co-advisor Pam Phillips lent her perspective on the Kingsland Key Club’s work as a collective of people who wish to make a difference for others, citing that the very-busy students – who are also individual participants in other activities such as basketball, golf, National Honor Society, band, choir, volleyball, football management, robotics, and hold jobs after school – are generous and willing to work together for betterment of the local and global good. Kiwanian and former Key Club co-advisor Jeff Thauwald had a question for the students: “What’s happening in 2024 for the remainder of the school year?”

The students responded, “More ditch cleanup, blood drives, the student service auction, Read Around the World,” and their school Key Club advisor, Aaron Thauwald, added that they plan to be part of the Kingsland penny wars as a fundraiser for a chosen cause, and that they may “hold a community dinner for peace in the Middle East.”

He concluded by suggesting that anyone who would like to follow the Key Club’s activities ought to “keep looking at our calendar” and support the club’s endeavors whenever possible. The elder Thauwald then asked the members what their favorite part of being in Key Club might be, to which they answered, “Getting out there and experiencing helping people.”

 

 

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