Denmark Organizations learn about "Pulling Together"

On Wednesday, March 26, representatives from a number of Denmark area community organizations had the opportunity to attend a special learning event aimed at increasing their cohesiveness and effectiveness. That night, twelve area residents representing five organizations attended a dinner and workshop hosted by Mike Breininger and Tom Mosgaller, authors of “Pulling Together - A Handbook for Community Change”. The event was organized by a number of area organizations including NeighborWorks Green Bay and the Brown County ADRC.

Mike Reininger and Tom Mosgaller are political and societal opposites who have come together to present a “shared vision for stronger communities that transcends ideological divides and emphasizes the power of love, trust and relationships”. “Pulling Together” is billed as a “step-by-step handbook for people trying to make positive change in their communities”.

The workshop focused on different strategies the two men have learned over their years of experience and on how different groups in a community can “pull together” to effectively and positively change where they live. They stressed an emphasis being placed on a balance of power between the public, private and community sector with the community sector being the progenitor and the most essential of the three. Each group in attendance got their own free copy of the handbook to bring back to Denmark as well as an opportunity for a small amount of funding to aid their organization.

Those in attendance from Denmark included Louise Dahle and Kathy Rasmussen from the Denmark Community Activity Center, Ginger Zoerb and Rachael Bauer from Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Molly Arneson and Andy DiMezza from Denmark Connects, James and Megan Bisson and Melnie MacMurray from Open Play Dates and Brandon and Kelsey Ackley and Emmie Delveaux from the Denmark Summer Reading Program.