COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL MARCH 8, 2017
3A
Gathering of the Grove garners huge crowd
Area nonprofits flock to Village Green Resort to talk networking, trends and cooperation
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, they city’s nonprofi t organizations fi lled a conference
room at the Village Green to capacity to discuss how to further their efforts
cmay@cgsentinel.com
and engage with each other to continue lending their helping hands to Cottage
Grove.
When the event began as a seedling of an idea three years ago, it was about community. Organizers
didn’t expect more than 50 individuals to show up for a day of networking and workshops but within
minutes of opening the door, they were turning people away.
“How many people came, that would be the most surprising thing of the day,” said Cindy Weel-
dreyer, an organizer for the event and a member on a list of organizations that span KNND Radio to
T.E.A.M. Cottage Grove.
More than 20 nonprofi t organizations attended the event including: Cottage Grove Communi-
ty Foundation, Cottage Grove Gleaners, Cottage Grove Elk’s Lodge, Community Sharing, Dorena
Grange, Ford Family Trust, DIVA, Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce, Aprovecho, Cottage Village
Coalition, United Way and Cottage Theatre.
"Our planning team goal was to attract 40 to 50 participants and we were surprised by a capacity
crowd of 100,” Weeldreyer said. “We had a nice combination of well-established nonprofi ts and small,
By Caitlyn May
brand new nonprofi t organizations. Our all-day program addressed common needs of nonprofi t orga-
nizations. We received a good deal of positive feedback in the evaluations with most encouraging us
to make this an annual event.”
The theme of the event was “collaboration” with several speakers addressing the crowd on how to
attract and keep volunteers, manage their resources and spread their message.
Roque Barrows of the Ford Family Trust was both a speaker and attendee and was blown away by
the turnout. However, he noted that as government spending ebbs and fl ows, nonprofi ts bear the brunt
of some community needs. “In the smaller communities,” he said, “nonprofi ts have to take on more of
the work than in the larger communities.”
In Cottage Grove, nonprofi ts are responsible for aiding in supplying low-income families with hous-
ing assistance, homeless individuals with resources, educational opportunities, outreach efforts, social
gatherings, mental health services, business opportunities and networking, low-cost entertainment and
a slew of other services.
“I think it’s about coming together,” Weeldreyer said, “and focusing nonprofi t groups to make what’s
good, better.”
Top: Diane Murray, Sharon Van Gorder and Judy Babbitt of the Bohemia Sunrisers Kiwanis Club proudly display their Lego creation during an activity demonstrating principles of collaboration.
Top Right: Danny Solesbee, Shauna Neigh, Nadine Kelley & Travis Palmer participate in a Lego activity. Bottom Right: Keynote speaker Roque Barros of the Ford Family Foundation gives a presentation.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL PLAY OPENS TOMORROW
The Cottage Grove High School Drama De-
partment will present Ravenscroft written by Don
Nigro and directed by Janet Rust.
Ravenscroft, a psychological drama, is a think-
ing person's Gothic thriller, a dark comedy that
is both funny and frightening. On a snowy night,
Inspector Ruffi ng is called to a remote house to
investigate the headlong plunge of Patrick Roarke
down the main staircase. He becomes involved in
the lives of fi ve alluring and dangerous women.
The cast of Ravenscroft includes Kyle Carril-
lo-Enders, Kristy Rodrigues, Keely Galbreath,
Madison Owens, Baylie Hill and Destiny Duerst.
Ravenscroft runs March 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30
p.m. Cost is $5 for students/seniors and $10 for
adults.
For more information, please call CGHS at
(541) 942-3391.
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R EADY FOR S PRING C LEANING
S HOP AND DROP OFF
Back row from left: Baylie Hill, Madison Owens, Kyle Carrillo-Enders. Front row from left: Kristy Rodrigues, Keely
Galbreath, Destiny Duerst.
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