Tripp

We have had a lot of fun getting this center opened and ready for the kids and adults….we now have set hours in the evenings for the kids from 7-10 weekdays and 7-11 on weekends.
The ping pong, pool and air hockey are constantly being played. The Xbox 360 and WII and our old xbox are also heating up the fun!! One 8 x 10 ft. projection TV, a widescreen, and a normal size TV are all set up with room for more. It is so nice to see 4 kids at a time driving against each other in a Mario racing with fantastic grapics and lots of obstacles to race through to earn a standing at the final flag….the WII interactive fitness program is so fun you forget it is a workout, also bowling, tennis, skiing, and many more interactive games where more than one can play are very popular…Seniors can use the center for card games, pool, or any game of their choosing during the daytime hours. It is operated by the honor system for them. To set up a time just call Rachel at 938-6802 or Vern at 935-6606 to be let in. Concessions are available…come in and check us out. (After School hours will be 3:30 to 6:00 then 7:00 to closing.) fee for playing games is $1.00 a night, $2.00 starting August 20th–wristband good for all night.

The Northwest Area Foundation Grassroots and Groundwork conference I attended in MN was outstanding!  Many partners in addressing poverty were there, my favorite speaker about poverty was Tom Vilsack, the former governor of Iowa.  The number one speaker about strategy, Chip Heath (author of the book Make it Stick , which I brought home to share), explained making messages memorable and motivating.  I can not wait to share with you on June 11^th the other exciting things. 

In the last couple of weeks we have had several families inquiring about moving to Tripp. Our smaller grade school classes are larger than the ones moving through high school. That is a positive change ! People are finding out it is cheaper to live in a little town than the big city and worth the short drive if workig out of town. Small communities have a better social awareness and the kids feel more togetherness than trying to fight your way through a large population and school system. We are all friendly neighbors and welcome any new faces..

More work has been done to the house and it will have the interior paint work done this week and finishing touches to the walls. A new bathroom was added to the baasement and the new wiring has been inspected. New topsoil was added around the outside of the house to make the drainage flow away from the foundation. Lots of landscaping and general cleanup has improved the looks dramatically of the whole property. (June 2008)
A house has been designated in Tripp for a low income family to purchase. It is in the process of being upgraded by volunteers and will be ready soon. It is located on main street and is in a good location for a small family. Call Jennifer at the Tripp City Finance Office at 935-1410.

Members of our planning team met with our coach Dave Olson on Jan. 15 and reported the progress of our seven goals we chose in our strategic plan to work toward reducing  poverty and increasing  leadership for Tripp. Dave Olson facilitated the meeting and had lots of good ideas and new information on upcoming workshops.  Look under “upcoming dates to remember” for more information about the workshops.  (more…)