Benefit Dinner

Last week, the Eberle family lost so much in a fatal fire in Clarno. Not only has their home and all of their belongings crumbled into ashes, but Randy Eberle lost his life.

Our community is coming together to help out the Eberle family in so many ways. There is an ongoing collection drive to help the family begin to reconstruct their lives. There is a Facebook Event Page set up, and it has items the family needs including sizes for clothing. Drop off household goods and clothing for the family at any of the following local businesses:

• Zweifel Construction
• Carter and Gruenewald
• RT Movies and More

There is also a fundraising event for the Eberle family this week Wednesday at Ludlow Bar in Monroe. The spaghetti dinner will start at 5 pm, and The Jimmys take the stage at 8 pm for a show. Half of all food sales that evening at the Ludlow will go directly to the Eberle family. Check out the Facebook page for this event as well.

If you cannot make the fundraising event or you would rather give funds directly to the Eberle family, there is a charitable account in place at Woodford State Bank. You can stop in to make a deposit in person or, if it is easier, mail your donations to the bank:

Woodford State Bank
Attn. Eberle Donations
P.O.box 766
Monroe,Wi 53566

However you can help this family in their time of need, thank you.

Festival of Trees 2010

One of our favorite local events is coming up in just a few weeks.  The Festival of Trees is a community fundraiser combined with an evening out.  Four area non-profit groups benefit from the evening:  Monroe Theatre Guild Stage Right Youth Theatre, Green County Humane Society, Green Haven Family Advocates or Green County Habitat for Humanity.

Festival of Trees takes place at the Mansion on December 4 this year.  There will be silent auction items, and the proceeds from these go directly to the non-profit group that has put them together.  Many area businesses and individuals contribute items both big and small for the bidding.  Each non-profit group also decorates a few holiday trees, also sponsored by local business.  These trees area auctioned at the end of the evening in an entertaining live auction.

Cocktails start at 6 pm, and dinner is served at 7.  The dinner choices this year will be prime rib, rosemary chicken or your choice of butternut squash or mushroom ravioli with alfredo sauce. If you prefer the vegetarian ravioli option, you should specify that when purchasing tickets.

Tickets are $40 per person, and they can be purchased through any of the non-profit groups above or through the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.

Tee off for a good cause

The United Way of Green County is hosting their 8th Annual Golf Outing and Golf Ball Drop this month. Lace up your golf shoes and help raise funds and awareness for United Way by joining the fun on August 20th.

The scramble start begins at 12:30. 18 holes of golf, a cart, lunch, a t-shirt and a gift bag are all included in the $75 registration fee. Have some fun on the links and help out the community at the same time.

If you are not a golfer, you can still get in on the fun by purchasing raffle tickets. Prizes include a Badger Football Fan Package (2 game tickets, autographed football, a Badger gazebo and more), a Golf 4-some at Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa in Galena, a Green County Shopping Spree and many more great prizes. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20.

To register for the golfing or to purchase raffle tickets, contact United Way of Green County at 325-7747 or unitedway@pecbell.com.

Helping local disaster victims

Our hearts go out to all the victims of the recent flooding in northern Illinois. Brenda's sister lives in Pearl City, and we have been hearing first hand about the flood conditions there.

We would strongly encourage all in the area to do what they can to help out. The Northwest Illinois chapter of the American Red Cross is operating two shelters and responding to needs in the area. Donations to that organization is always helpful.

Unfortunately, we have been unable to find a comprehensive list of volunteer needs and contact information online, but the basics certainly apply. Food to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Contact local churches for volunteer opportunities. Call your local city hall to inquire about volunteer needs. Try calling the Freeport Housing Authority to see if they have opportunities for people with construction skills to help out. Clothing and household items will be needed for those who have been devastated by the flooding and lack adequate insurance.

An afternoon spent helping others, a bag full of food, a few clothes that you don't wear often, that rarely used kitchen appliance that you received as a wedding gift, the spare bed that was left behind after the kids moved out - all of these are pretty minor in the long run, but could make a world of difference in the life of someone else in our area.

For residents who are working to clean up after the flood, we encourage you to read the safety information from the Stephenson County Health Department before you begin.

Free Clothing Exchange this week

If you are cleaning out the closets in preparation for fall or if your family could use a little help with back to school shopping this year, the Free Clothing Exchange happening this Saturday at St Victor's in Monroe could be just the thing for you.

Sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of America, Grace Lutheran Church, Hope Evangelical Free Church and community member, the Free Clothing Exchange is looking for people who need help this preparing for this fall and winter, people who have clothing to donate or both.

The Free Clothing Exchange will operate on a simple honor system...donate what you can, visit to obtain what your children need, try to keep the room orderly.

Come browse for clothing from 8 am to 1 pm this week Saturday at St Victor School in Monroe (1416 20th Ave). You do not need to donate in order to attend as a consumer. All items are free to those Shopping for their families. It would be helpful for you to bring your own bags/boxes/laundry baskets for your items.

If you are able to donate, the following items are needed are needed in size infant through adult:

Shoes/Boots/Snow boots/Tennis Shoes
Coats: Fall & Winter
Hats & Mittens & Snow pants
Socks/Under garments/Tights
Shirts
Pants/Jeans
Sweatshirts/Pants
Tote bags/Backpacks/Duffle Bags/Pencil Cases
Scout Uniforms
New School Supplies

Items being accepted are to be clean and without stains. Footwear should be new or with light wear.

Items donated can be dropped off at St. Victor School, 1416 20th Avenue, Monroe WI on Friday, July 23 1 to 3 PM & 5 to 7 PM, or Saturday, July 24 Morning 10 AM to Noon. If you have items to donate, but cannot drop off at these times, email CourtMazzuchelli@luckymail.com or phone Susan at 608-851-9137 to arrange a pick time and site. At the end of the day, anything useful that remains will be boxed and donated to various other programs in need, St. Vincent De Paul, Easter Seals, or other charities.

Volunteers are also needed for this one day event. If you can help out, please contact CourtMazzuchelli@luckymail.com or phone Susan at 608-851-9137.

Festival of Trees

Help out four local non-profit groups while having a good meal and entertaining evening. Sounds like a win-win situation, doesn't it?

The annual Festival of Trees is coming up quickly. This event is scheduled for December 5 this year. The silent and live auctions are always great fun, and all proceeds will benefit either Monroe Theatre Guild Stage Right Youth Theatre, Green County Humane Society, Green Haven Family Advocates or Green County Habitat for Humanity.

Entertainment this year will be provided by the Monroe Theatre Guild Stage Right Youth Choir. Forty members of the youth choir will perform a variety of songs at 7:30 with the live auction following their performance.

The evening takes place at Peppercorn Banquets and Catering starting at 6 for cocktails and 7 for dinner. Contact any of the charities to purchase tickets (and this way your favorite gets a little more of the proceeds) or contact the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $40 for the evening, and they include the entertainment as well as the dinner (chose from prime rib, rosemary chicken, butternut squash ravioli or stuffed mushroom ravioli).

Support the Middle School Food Drive

The Monroe Middle School is sponsoring a food drive this week.

On Friday, students from the school will be collecting non-perishable food items from businesses around the Downtown Square and delivering them to the Interfaith Food Pantry.

If you are able to contribute, drop off your donations at a participating Downtown business before 11:15 on Friday morning. Re/Max Towne Square Realty is a drop off point. Bring your donation in and just let Deanna at the front know that you are contributing to the food drive.

If you are able to participate in any way, thank you.

Out with the Old

Many people use the start of the New Year to clean out not only their lives, but their homes. If you are decluttering, please consider rehoming the items that are in usable condition instead of setting them on the curb.

If you like to give directly, post the item on the Green County Freecycle email list. Freecycle is a national organization that facilitates bringing together of people who have things they no longer need and people who could use the items. You send an email describing the item you are hoping to give away, where you are located (city is fine, no address necessary yet), and how people can contact you. Please be honest about condition. Freecycle is a great way to have the satisfaction of knowing that your donation is going directly to someone who will use it and appreciate it.

St. Vincent de Paul has a large center in Monroe located over at 501 1st Ave near Kutter Harley Davidson. You can drop off items between 9 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday or 10 am through 4 pm on Saturdays. If you have larger furniture items, St. Vincent de Paul will come pick them up. You can call them at 608-329-7837 or email SVdP@wekz.net to arrange pick up details. They will also take your excess plastic grocery bags and reuse them to package shopper's purchases.

Another place that can use plastic grocery bags is Bargain Nook. These resale stores raise money for the Hodan Center and use the funds to provide work, therapy and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities. Locations are throughout the region, and stores locally are in Darlington and New Glarus. Bring in those bags or gently used clothing for donations.

If your children are leaving the infant, toddler and preschool age behind, you might be left with clothing, toys and accessories you no longer need. The Carenet Pregnancy Center of Green County can help these items reach pregnant women or families with young children who need them. Their main clothing location is located in the Hope Community Center at 1508 11th St, and they have offices just west of the Square on 11th Ave. Call them at 325-5051 for hours and drop off details. Carenet is a Christian ministry with a focus of preventing abortion by giving support to women in a crisis pregnancy situation.

Green County Humane Society could always use donations too. They are always looking for animal related items like pet toys, collars and leashes, but many do not realize that they can also use blankets and towels too. If you have some that are getting too old to be usable for people, the Humane Society can probably put them to very good use.

Be creative in your thinking, and most anything can be given a new purpose in life. Books or DVDs could be donated to the local library. Games, video games and toys could go to any of the local churches or YMCA community rooms. Vintange clothing and hats might be useful for the Monroe Theatre Guild.

Start the New Year with a clean slate and a clean living space while knowing you are helping others too.