WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 120 NO. 30 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: St. Croix Falls wrestlers win sectional. PAGE 16
Our State’s Story: Wisconsin First Nations Scenic Riverway 50th Anniversary event in Osceola
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Osceola fire crew moves into new station
Osceola firefighters moved from temporary quarters into their new station Sat., Feb. 3, and held a ribbon cutting ceremony. The pumper was the first truck in the door, according to Paul Elfstrom, assistant fire chief.
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is rich iin centuries o of historic e elements, iincluding tthe past of tthe Native A American c culture. As O’Connor p part of the reflection on the first 50 years of the Riverway, the St. Croix
River Association (SCRA) and in partnership with the Horst Rechelbacher Foundation are hosting an event as an opportunity for the public to learn more about the history of the river and the American Indian nations of Wisconsin. David O’Connor, member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and American Indian Studies, and Consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will speak about SEE RIVERWAY, PAGE 2
Open Cupboard celebrates 25 years BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
When Rosanne Anderson first conceived of Osceola’s food shelf, the Open Cupboard, her vision wasn’t grandiose. She thought a closet stocked with nonperishables should do the job. The priest she was working with to establish the food pantry told her that it wouldn’t be enough space. Once she started a food shelf, he warned, it would grow and grow. He was right. Celebrating 25 years this month, the Open Cupboard now inhabits its own building, stocked with food and other household items. Everything has been donated or purchased with donated funds. The building itself is the product of donations, both in kind and cash. “The town supports this food shelf like no other town does,” Anderson said. The history Anderson had moved to Osceola from New Jersey in 1991.
“When my kids were younger, I was on welfare and food stamps,” she explained. “I used to get Christmas Baskets and Thanksgiving Baskets for the kids. So when I moved here and saw an ad in the church bulletin for someone to take over the Blessing Baskets I said, ‘Well, it’s time for me to give back.’” After organizing the baskets the first year, she thought, “People have to be hungry more than once a year.” The priest supported her idea to start a food pantry, but Anderson drove the effort. The Hudson food shelf also helped, offering funds and sponsoring the Open Cupboard at Second Harvest Heartland, a large food bank that works with local pantries to collect and distribute food. Anderson found a three-room office on Third Avenue near what was then the hospital. Rent was $250 a month. “I put an ad in the paper asking for 25 people to commit to $10 a month for one year,” she said. “That’s how I got the building started.” SEE FOOD SHELF, PAGE 11
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Rosanne Anderson and Bob Wilson pack bags of food for the Open Cupboard’s Backpack Program. The Osceola food shelf is celebrating 25 years this month.
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