Community Center looking for members to serve on its board

Here’s a shout-out to the Cook County Community Center, which gives the community a place to meet and greet, work and play, get married, hold fundraisers, have meetings, teach, learn, cook, do their taxes, have baby showers, practice their music …

Here’s a partial list of all the groups that have used the Community Center this year:

911 Classes for Homeschool kids, AARP Driver Education meetings, Aikido Regional Conference, Alternative School classes (twice a week during school), Angry Trout Dressings (commercial business), AP testing for school (4- 6 times year), Apple grafting workshop, Architect meetings, Arrowhead Library meetings, baby showers, band practices (up to three different bands), Bible Group meetings once a month, birthday parties, Blueprint Financials meeting, and CC Cert meetings.

Then too there were childcare provider meetings, Christmas Craft Sale / Girl Scout Poinsettia Sale, church group meetings, Cub Scout and Boy Scout meetings, Class of ‘77 reunion, Class of ‘97 reunion, community garden meetings, contractors’ workshops, Cook County Curling Club leagues, bonspiels, special events, Cook County strategic plan meetings, DNR meetings, Easter event / Fundraiser for Snacks & Packs, ECFE pancake breakfast fundraiser, Emergency Services conference, and EOC training/ backup.

Is that all? No.

There was also Explorers’ Club back-up meeting place, Extension webinars, Farmer-to-Farmer event, Firefighters’ Game Nights, Frank DiMaio Grant meetings, Great Decisions (monthly), Green Dollar Fund meetings, Healthy Eating classes, Highway Department training, hockey group meetings, horse / dog group meetings, home food preservation classes, home schooling group meetings, Incredible Exchange meetings, International Worker review meetings, landscape design classes, Library Friends book sale fundraiser, Lions’ Club steak dinner, Local Food Market every Thursday (June through mid-October), Macroinvertebrate class, Magic Group meetings, and a MAT meeting.

Last but not least, were Master Gardener seed saving class, middle school basketball fundraiser, North House refrigerator use, Northwoods Food Project meetings, potluck, playground subcommittee meetings, private parties, Radio Club meetings (monthly), Ruby’s Pantry, rummage sales (sponsored by CC and private ones), Sadie Mary Boutique sales, Social Justice meeting, SplinterTones concert fundraiser, square dance classes, Summer Kids Camp, Swing Dance sessions, table and chair rentals, Taxpayer Group meetings, CC VITA Taxes offered (Feb. – April 15), tennis potluck, Turkish rug selling event, U of M Forestry meeting, wedding receptions, wedding chair cover use, actual wedding ceremonies, writers’ group meetings, YMCA dance, Y-ski fundraiser, yoga classes.

All of these groups and more, use the Community Center and the 4-H building.

But it needs an upgrade! The Community Center needs new bathrooms, a bigger kitchen, a new playground, energy efficient lighting, a fix to the hockey rink … the list goes on and on.

There are openings on the Community Center Board of Trustees, too. Consider stepping up to support the building that we depend on to hold almost anything. For more info, contact the Cook County Community Center at 387-3015.