judging books by covers.

Finding Windom has doubled in size in the last month with a group of community members seeking answers and resolutions to an ongoing problem in Windom-the appearance of many of our neighborhoods, including the downtown area.  To be honest, the cleanliness, or lack there of, is one of the main reasons I started this blog in the first place.  Just maintaining a clean environment, maintains a thriving, successful environment, which umbrellas all things within a community.  Seems like common knowledge, right?

As frustration excalated among these community members from lack of support from city officials, these frustrated community members gathered together in effort to find a solution--sounds like a job for Finding Windom (this is in our mission statement after all!) and it was decided help from the city officials and leaders was not only wanted, but needed to fix the problem.  After all, the city has ordinances against trash, junk, delapidated housing/buildings, etc, and if they were properly enforced, a chunk of the problem would be taken care of. 

We decided to get on the agenda at the next council meeting in hopes they would listen.  We  were hoping to not just point out the problem, but offer resources to help clean up our city and enforce ordinances to maintain a clean, safe environment.  And so we were on the agenda for tonights city council meeting.

As a speaking member of the group, along with another gentleman, who is also very passionate about beautifying our wonderful community, we sat in front of our city leaders to voice our concerns, solutions and resources.  We had a handful of other community members watching as well.  It felt good to have a crowd!

So you are wondering about the outcome I'm sure.  I was happy to hear the city officials were interested in fixing the problem and that they understand its not just about eye sores, but safety as well.  Did you know that cleanliness and crime go hand in hand?  It's true, there are studies that show by maintaining a clean environment is just as effective as having more police on the streets or bars on windows.  Just take this for an example, methaphetamine drugs were being produced in a building in downtown Windom. Just 2 blocks from my house, across the street from my very own small business, a block from the very place we pay our city bills and gathered to talk about the future of Windom with city officials--drugs literally in our back yard, people.  We have invited this into our community--our downtown, without a head being turned at the root of the problem...cleanliness--the lack of expectations for a superb quality of life or simply put, ordinances set in place to maintain clean safe environments are not being enforced. 

Along with crime, which I feel is the most important reason ordinances for cleanliness need to be enforced, our appearance reflects our character and success as a community.  We want to show visitors what a wonderful community we are, we want to show our pride.  We want more visitors, more businesses, more residents.  We want more families in affordable quality homes and more students in our schools, we want to grow our tax base so we can maintain our ammentities.  All of these things are an effect of a clean environment.  We all judge books by covers and we buy magazines because of what is on the cover, it is the same concept here.  We have to sell Windom to more businesses, more residents, more visitors, and thats easier to do when it just plain looks better.

So with all of this said and with the acceptance of the problem and an agreement that there needs to be a solution by the city council, I'm disappointed to say I don't feel any better after this meeting.  I don't feel reassured the city leaders are prioritizing the issue as they have numerously recorded.  We were so politely brushed off to another "commission" who rarely, if ever, meet to discuss the future of our community.  We were so nicely told there simply isn't funding to take action. But there is always funding if you make it a priority.  It seemed that no one behind the etched name tags behind our city logo seemed to want to dig in first hand to fix the problem or even questioned why things haven't been enforced in the past. I don't know what else to do at this point-I feel hopeless and I hope I'm wrong by feeling so discouraged after this city council meeting.

Did you hear us tonight when we told you that over 150 violations of ordinances have been reported to the city office in the last year? Why is this going unnoticed, unquestioned? In fact, shortly after we spoke, the council was advised by a department head that "people have rights to their things and the city should consult an attorney before enforcing these ordinances," just goes to show the attitude our city portrays to our community's concern, and it is quickly dividing, or maybe already has divided the community and the City of Windom. We have elected you to listen, to plan, to question, to research, and most importantly, to take action. I hope, I pray, something will be done.  There are a group of community members reaching out to help, and I hope the city council reaches right back. 

But, I guess if this is an issue of people's rights as stated by a department head, I have rights too.  I have a right to live in a clean, safe community.  I have a right to raise my child in a community that has high standards for quality of life.  I've dedicated my life to this community, I've built my life in this community, built my business, my family, my faith, and I have a right to protect it, along with all those community members with me tonight.  Thank you to these concerned community members brave enough to protect your quality of life, we need more of you and more importantly, we need an active City to help us protect it. 

more happy times are soon to come I hope,

getting sweeter...

I'm ashamed to look at how long its been since I've posted anything.  I really am sorry for not keeping you updated like I should.  Don't think nothing has been going on in this neck of the woods because let me tell you--thats why you haven't heard much from me.  I know, you're probably wondering how that makes any sense.  Well, let me start by just pointing out a few things that may be a little different around town.  For example, new WELCOME TO WINDOM signs have officially been put up and look mighty fine if you ask me--a long time coming on that one.  Finding Windom is also giving our input to the EDA regarding some new directional signs that will be going up thanks to the help of the Remick Foundation (what would we do without the Remick foundation? Yay!) for both the highway and downtown area-very exciting. O'Reilly Auto Parts has done an amazing job on the former HyVee store building and Big Game has out done themselves with the facelift of the former Lewis Family Drug building.  Fast Sprayers is also going to be building/expanding in Windom's north industrial park--also good news for the city of Windom.  So many exciting changes, and I'm sure I missed some. I've always been a believer that when I write things down, those things are more likely to happen.  But also, when I'm not writing, its usually because things are happening.  And boy, are things happening!

And even more exciting, yours truly is an official member of the Chamber Board of Directors and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of such an influencial board in this community!  And did I also mention I'm having so much fun at River City Eatery that I decided to also share the love with Mountain Lake?  Yup, you heard it here first, folks,  River City Eatery and Sweetfields of Mountain Lake will both be owned and operated by...me.  Whoa, call me crazy, but it just feels right.  Its a good feeling to know I've found what I love to do and get to do it for a living, you know?  My mom always told me to share, so I think its a nice thing to share the love, cupcakes, sin pie, sandwiches, wraps, salads, homemade soups, specialty coffees, and ice cream with more of rural southwest Minnesota,don't you?  Things are just getting sweeter all around Windom...

happy times,

30 is the new happy.

Yup, I made it...I'm officially 30 years old.  To most it's probably no big deal-lots of people turn 30, nothing special, just another year, but I'm hear to tell you that it feels good to be another year older and another year wiser.  I spent my birthday at River City Eatery among friends and family, good food, good drinks and good music.  What else can a girl ask for?   Oh wait, I know, good business. 

Tonight, I had the pleasure of making Lorie Line and her Fab 5 dinner right here at River City Eatery (Check out www.lorieline.com).  What an honor!  Our Business, Arts and Recreation Center here in Windom is nothing short of amazing to bring acts like Lorie Line to our community.  What a gift and asset to Windom--our BARC has brought River City Eatery so much wonderful business by hosting such wonderful talents, so, really, what else can a girl ask for for her 30th?  Thank you, BARC, you are a blessing for not only me and River City Eatery, but to our whole community and area.  Check out all the wonderful things BARC has to offer at www.barcwindom.com and don't be afraid to make a generous donation to see this asset thrive in our community.

Happy times,

reality tv

I'll admit it, I indulge in reality tv.  It's the only thing that literally shuts my mind off for awhile in the wee hours of the night when my head isn't ready to hit the pillow-like right now.  It's a guilty pleasure I guess, but unfortunately its becoming a little to trendy and where does the "reality" actually fit in to what they call reality tv? I often wonder if the good 'ol days of television will ever come back, like TGIF.  Remember TGIFridays?  I lived for Friday nights, after a long week of middle school. Heck, there wasn't anything better in 6th grade than staying over night at your best friends house waiting for the run of Boy Meets World, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Family Matters to come on.  Ahh, just some good, clean television. 

Anyway, here is what I would define as real reality tv, it's yours truly doing a video interview for a project  filmed by Peter Shea. I was one of a few interviews Mr. Shea did in Southwestern Minnesota.  In Peter Shea's words to define the purpose of the interviews, he says, "these [interviews] have been telecast in the metro area on the "Bat of Minerva," prepared for local telecast on community cable stations in Southwest Minnesota under the title “Meet the Neighbors,” and posted on the Institute for Advanced Study website at the Univeristy of Minnesota-Twin Cities, as part of a cluster of interviews on rural communities and food issues."
It was an awesome experience to sit down with someone and really think and openly talk about the path of my life, the birth of River City Eatery, and the reality of my ultimate dream coming true (which is River City Eatery).  Thank you, Peter Shea, for taking the time and for finding me, for lack of a better word, interesting enough to "document," which I'm still trying to figure out to this day...

Pop some popcorn and enjoy, it's the new TGIFriday!


http://ias.umn.edu/2012/07/11/harries-mari/

pigs are still flying...

This past weekend was a special one...it was the celebration of River City Eatery's 1st Birthday.  I like to consider it a birthday instead of an anniversary because I feel this place was inside me for so long, just waiting to come out.  Much like life before my dear son, I don't remember what my life was like before River City Eatery.  It is a part of me, running through each vein, pumping to and from my heart and buried in my soul.   I know, that is pretty deep, but oh so true. 

A year has passed since the doors have been open, some days have been a struggle of steep learning curves and exhaustion, some days I've wanted to jump out of my skin in happiness and excitement, some days my feet have hurt beyond a ten, some days the people I meet here are incredibly inspiring, and some days I've wondered how this has all come together.  And every day, and I mean everyday, I think of how blessed I am that this consistent perserverence has had to come from some outer source beyond my own passion and craziness.  Yup, the pigs are still flying, my friends, I did it, and I'm still smiling, still cooking and baking, and still so excited to come to River City Eatery! 

Thank you to everyone who has made the 1st year of River City Eatery in beautiful downtown Windom incredible for not only me, but the hundreds of people who have walked in the door with a smile bigger than mine.  Thank you to my family, my friends, my regulars and my wonderful staff for helping me stay sane through the crazy ride of running my own business. Thank you for the memories, past and present of River City Eatery and here is to so many more to come.

Happy times are always at River City Eatery,