Septembernewsletter 2014

Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. “People Helping People” www.tvoc.org

2014

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER I am sure that many of you reading this newsletter have heard about the situation at Community Action of Minneapolis, if you haven’t you should look it up. I am not going to comment on any of the reported facts or allegations in the case. What I will do is remind everyone of a couple of tenets that I think we should all hold close to our hearts. The first is that it is not good enough to be well intended. The second is that what is allowable is not always advisable. What these phrases essentially mean is that we must follow the terms of our contracts to the best of our ability and we must be careful to consider all stakeholders as we make financial decisions. When Tri-Valley’s Board of Directors gives us permission to enter into a contract with a funding source they have the highest expectations for all of us in the areas of contract performance and stewardship of funds.

We have 20 intrepid volunteers working on comparing Google Apps and Microsoft Office 365. The contributions of this group will be vital in making the decision about which platform we ultimately migrate to. I would like to thank the volunteers for taking the time to provide input. I would also like to thank the IT Department for their hard work in developing the comparison tools.

On September 24th Cindy Pic and I had the opportunity to visit with Kent Ehrenstrom from MnDOT. I felt the meeting was very productive. Cindy and I were able to share Tri-Valley’s commitment to rural transit for what it means to our communities. Kent shared a bit about MnDOT’s plans for the future. Even though we have seen a great deal of change in our Transportation Department over the past few years I believe that more is in the offing. The best outcome of the meeting in my view was the strengthened communication between all involved in the meeting.

This week I am participating in the National Head Start Association Fall Leadership Institute. The dialogue about Universal Pre-K and how that articuslates with Head Start is definitely intensifying. Unfortunately there is still not the clarity many of us are seeking. The hope of many is that we get a clear sense of where the Administration sees Head Start in terms of working with four year olds after the election.

We will also be spending time this week talking about the Reauthorization of Head Start. I will refrain from making any comments about that topic as any concrete congressional action in that endeavor will likely not happen for a while. (CEO News and Notes Continued on Next Page)

In This Issue:

* CEO News and Notes (Jason Carlson) * DeMers Retirement Open House and Social * Monticello Wheels on the Bus! * Thank You!

In This Issue:

* Upcoming October Calendar Items * Going Back to School Isn’t Just for Students * Winnebago Police Officer Presentation * Safe Kids Grand Forks Presentation * North Country Food Bank Presentation

(CEO News and Notes Continued ) Today (September 30)

is the last day Denny DeMers is on the Tri-Valley payroll. I will close this month with a thank you to Denny for all that he passed along to me personally and professionally. During a conference like I am attending this week I am constantly reminded of all the introductions he made to help keep Tri-Valley’s Head Start program “known” among our peers. I know many of you have not heard the story of a young, idealistic educator being hired at Tri-Valley in March of 1973 but I will say this anyway: Denny, I hope 42 years at Tri-Valley beat pumping gas.

An open house and social hour was held on Thursday, September 25th honoring former Tri-Valley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dennis P. DeMers on his upcoming retirement.

The open house and social, celebrated over four decades of service to Tri-Valley.

DeMers was hired as the Tri-Valley Head Start Director in 1972. During his tenure as Head Start Director, he expanded the program to include Migrant and Seasonal farm workers on a statewide basis in both Minnesota and North Dakota. Under his leadership in 1973, Tri-Valley became the sole provider of Migrant Child Care and Head Start in Minnesota. In 1993, DeMers was hired as the CEO of Tri-Valley. He is well known at the state and national levels for his outstanding contributions to various committees, associations, and his overall work in Community Action. In 2011, he received the Administrator of the Year Award from the Minnesota Head Start Association. DeMers received the Head Start Pioneers Award at the 40th Annual Head Start Conference in 2013, and the Plate of Bounty Award from the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association in 2014.

Did You Know?... * You can receive more information on Tri-Valley’s programs and services by calling 218-281-5832 or 800-584-7020. * You can keep up with Tri-Valley news on the TVOC website at www.tvoc.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TVOCInc and on Twitter at @TriValley_TVOC. * Everyone can receive the Tri-Valley Newsletter. If you know of anyone who would like a copy please have them contact Mitch Bakken at 218-281-5832 or mitch.bakken@tvoc.org.

Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. (TVOC) is a community action agency headquartered in Crookston, MN. It is our Mission to provide opportunities to individuals and communities in order to improve the quality of our lives.

In existence since 1965, TVOC provides services in 84 counties in Minnesota and Northeast North Dakota. For more information on services offered by TVOC please call 218-281-5832 or 800-584-7020.

The Children from the Monticello Center enjoyed the “Wheels on the Bus!”

Going Back to School in the Fall Isn’t Just for Students It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting cooler and that means children and families are preparing to head back to school. Did you know that it’s not just students, teachers, administrators, etc. that are head back to school each fall? Foster Grandparents are also preparing for a fresh set of faces to meet and work with for the school year.

THANK YOU to everyone who took part in the Tri-Valley Community Needs Assessment Survey.

The number of responses was outstanding and we truly appreciate your participation! The mission of Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is to provide opportunities to improve the quality of life for people and communities. Your input will help us do just that!

Upcoming October Calendar Items: * Oct. 13 - Head Start/Early Head Start Policy Council Meeting * Oct. 14 - Tri-Valley Board Meeting

What is a Foster Grandparent and how can you become one?

The Foster Grandparent Program is an inter-generational program comprised of individuals 55 and older who are willing to volunteer 15-40 hours per week. Foster Grandparents can also be placed in other non-profit settings such as daycare centers, development achievement centers and juvenile centers. Foster Grandparents help children learn, become mentors, role models, friends, and their experiences and wisdom help the child gain skills and confidence to succeed in school and life.

“I can see the children I work with grow both in personality and knowledge”, says Grandpa David. “Being a Foster Grandparent gives me self-worth and self-esteem.”

To become a Foster Grandparent, contact Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. in Crookston at 218-281-5832, toll-free at 1-800-584-7020, or visit the Tri-Valley website at www.tvoc.org.

Tri-Valley has Foster Grandparent opportunities in the counties of Polk, Clay, Becker, Mahnomen, Norman, Red Lake, Pennington, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Kittson, and Roseau.

If you are more inclined to work with your peers, Tri-Valley also offers a Companion Program. Companions assist seniors with important daily tasks, encouragement, a helping hand, a watchful eye, and friendship. For more information on the Companion Program, please call the numbers listed above or visit the Tri-Valley website. Tri-Valley has Companion opportunities in the counties of Polk, Clay, Mahnomen, Norman, Red Lake, Pennington, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Kittson, and Roseau.

On August 27th the Winnebago Center had the Winnebago Police Department come and talk to the Preschool class. He talked about safety, bullying, setting boundaries, and personal space. After he was done talking to the children he showed them what everything was on his uniform and took the kids to see his squad car. All the children really enjoyed it!

Lori Tate CSFP Program Coordinator, North Country Food Bank and Susie Novak Executive Director North Country Food Bank were guest speakers at the Tri-Valley Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion In-Service held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Crookston.

Tate spoke about the NAPS Program, the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors which is available for income eligible individuals age 60 or over. If they qualify they would receive a 38 pound box of food each month.

Novak shared about what the food bank has to offer, the areas served, where the products come from and how they are distributed. She also shared about the school backpack program and how it works.

The event attended by Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions from NW MN. A Head Start Parent Meeting was held at the East Grand Forks Center on Thursday, September 18. The parents participated in a presentation on Safe Kids Grand Forks. More information can be found at the Safe Kids website http:// www.safekidsgf.com/ or at the Safe Kids Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/safekidsgf. On Monday September 22, a car seat safety check was held at the EGF Center as well.

This information is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Contact us at 1-800-584-7020 or by calling the Telecommunication Relay Service at 711 or 1-800-627-3529. Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer/provider. EOE/M/F/D/V