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October 2011
Urgent: Sustainable Stockton is looking for a volunteer to maintain the Sustainable Stockton website.
Duties include:
• updating the upcoming events section
• adding the monthly newsletter and meeting minutes
• maintaining events listings
• managing the goods and services listings
The web version of the Find It in Stockton Directory is available through the website, so it is important that we continue to maintain the listing and provide this information to the community. If you have computer expertise and are interested in helping with this task, please e-mail me at
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. A big thank you goes out to Donna Literski for her generous and excellent help maintaining the website for the past three years.
If you haven’t visited the website recently, check it out at: www.sustainablestockton.org.
Upcoming October Events:
Slow Money Webinar: Using the “Soup” Model
Tuesday, October 4 at noon
Trainer Natural Resources Building, UW-SP, Room 110
The Slow Money webinar series will continue with Jon Koller, president of Friends of Spaulding Court, speaking about: Using the “Soup” Model to Support Local Food System Initiatives through Local Crowd-funding and Community Engagement. His talk can be heard in room 110 at the Trainer Natural Resources Building, UW–Stevens Point at noon on October 4. The event is free and open to the public.
"Soup" events are rapidly becoming a popular way for large numbers of small investors to provide micro-funding to small businesses, including local food initiatives.
Here's how it works:
• You attend a SOUP event in your community. For a small fee, you're fed a simple meal (typically soup -- hence the name!).
• While you are eating your dinner, a number of entrepreneurs and farmers briefly present their business model to you and the other community members gathered.
• At the end of the dinner, the crowd decides which entrepreneur will be awarded the proceeds from that evening.
• The amount of funding an existing or new business receives from such an event may not be large, but the community support built for that business in the process can have a tremendous impact on the success of the entrepreneurial venture.
Please call 715-592-4051 if you have questions. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bag lunch.
Native Plant Seed Collecting: Tricks and Tips
for a Plant Enthusiast
Presenter: Patrick Goggin, Lake Specialist for UW Extension
Tuesday, October 4, 7:15 pm
Room 170, Trainer Natural Resources Building, UWSP
Patrick Goggin, Lake Specialist for UW Extension, will give helpful tips regarding:
• Determining when to collect seed
• Estimating seed ripeness
• Storing seeds
• Selecting seed collection areas
• Ensuring germination success
• Learning about popular species to use in native plantings
Plus A Seed Exchange:
People interested in exchanging seeds should bring heirloom seeds and native plant seed for the free exchange. Seeds donations from common garden vegetables and flowers are also welcome.
Bring a 3 x 5 index card with the name of the seed variety, date collected, and location collected to the lobby outside room 170 between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, October 4. On the cards, people may also want to include “stories” about the plant/seed or other interesting information. The seed exchange will occur in the lobby outside room 170 after Goggin’s presentation.
This presentation is sponsored by: The Central Wisconsin Chapter of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. Co-sponsors include the Portage County Master Gardeners, the Interfaith Community for the Earth (ICE), & the Aldo Leopold Audubon Society.
Call 715-344-1063 with questions.
Next film presentation: The Economics of Happiness
Thursday, October 20, 7:00 pm at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in Custer.
The Economics of Happiness, is a documentary film that highlights the effect of globalization on communities around the world and argues for the creation of localized economies in every city, town and village across the country. The film highlights countless initiatives that are starting everywhere that are focused on a common theme of rebuilding more democratic, ecologically sound, community based local economies. This is a free, public showing at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in Custer. Popcorn will be provided.
The film is co-sponsored by Sustainable Stockton and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. Call Mary with questions at 715-592-4051.
Meeting for County Wide Lakes Group in Portage County
Saturday, October 8, 9:30-10:30 am
Prairie Room, Portage County Library
Any interested citizen is invited to attend a meeting to discuss the formation of a county wide lakes group for Portage County. The meeting will be held on Saturday October 8, from 9:30 until 10:30 am in the Prairie Room at the Portage County Library, downtown Stevens Point.
The purpose of this meeting is to begin discussions about what a county wide lake group for Portage County would look like, what citizens would like to see the group accomplish, and how we move forward with this. Eric Olson, Director and Lake Specialist, with UWEX Lakes will share with the group what other county wide lake groups in Wisconsin consist of and what types of activities they participate in. The meeting will also provide information about county lake-related volunteer opportunities for citizens.
Anyone with questions regarding the county wide lakes meeting should contact Jen McNelly at 346-2722 or send an e-mail to
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Other events from the Central Wisconsin Sustainability Newsletter:
October 1-15
EcoChallenge Organized by the Northwest Earth Institute
The EcoChallenge is an opportunity to change your life for good. For two weeks every October, we challenge you to change one habit for Earth. You choose your challenge, we connect you with other EcoChallengers, and collectively we prove that small actions create real change. Learn more at www.ecochallenge.org/
October 22, 5:00 pm to midnight
HallowGreen Barn Bash: A Benefit Concert for The Greenhouse Project
Wetter's Farm, 485 Casmir Road, Stevens Point
Join local organizers and volunteers of The Greenhouse Project for a barn dance celebrating the unveiling of the project plans on Saturday, October 22. Event activities include chili, costume, and jack-o-lantern contests, psychic readings, bon fire, and apple cider pressing. Music and entertainment will be provided by Chris DeMay, Allen Cote, Canon Ball, and Lady Cannon. Entrants must pre-register for the chili cook-off by Saturday, October 15th: visit www.farmshed.org for details. All entrants will receive a free beer ticket and a chance at wonderful prizes! Tickets to the event are $15 for general admission, $10 in costume at the door, or can be purchased in advance at www.farmshed.org. Bring your own glass for $1 off each beer! All are invited.
October 25, 6-7:30 pm
How to Build a Sustainable Community
Wisconsin Rapids campus of Mid-State Technical College, Building L
This workshop is free and no registration is necessary. At this workshop you will find out what sustainable community development is and why we need it, discover how sustainable community development can be driven from a grassroots level, and learn about the eco-municipality movement and see examples from Wisconsin’s Chequamegon Bay area.
October 26, 8:00 am until noon
Creating Communities That Thrive
Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids
There is a $15 registration fee, which includes a full breakfast. Register by October
21 online at www.heartofwi.com or call 715-423-1830. This session gets down to
the business of fostering sustainable behavior in our community by discussing local
sustainability obstacles and opportunities. Participants will create a community vision
for sustainable change by participating in a World Café format.
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