Guest column: VEDA considers creating cooperative that would offer in-home care

By KATHY NEIDERT | VEDA Board Member

Vernon Economic Development Association Executive Director Susan Noble and representatives from area agencies and stakeholders are exploring the possibility of providing in-home care in our community.

This care, which would be offered through a cooperative business structure, would be for seniors, families who need help with special needs, and anyone who requires in-home care, such as those who just had surgery.

Margaret Bau, cooperative development specialist with the USDA; Courtney Berner from the UW Center for Co-ops; and Judy Ziewacz with the Co-op Development Fund in Washington D.C. have been among the individuals meeting with Sue and area providers. The group has been gathering data and information over the last two months to identify existing resources and services, gaps and needs in home-care services in our region.

Possible partnerships and training opportunities also are being discussed, and the Affordable Care Act is being studied as part of this exploratory process, which is made possible by a USDA grant.

In addition, representatives from Cooperative Care in Waushara County have spoken to the group about their work and how it may serve as a model for our region.

Attend free food processing/microloan seminars

Would you like to start a year-round farm business using affordable food processing and marketing services? VEDA is partnering with the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen in Mineral Point to help farms get access to professionally managed food-processing services for creating shelf-stable products that can be sold year-round.

The kitchen at the Food Enterprise Center in Viroqua also can be used to turn your produce into products that can be sold year-round.

Attend one of our free food-processing/microloan seminars to learn how to grow your year-round farm business and your farm brand, plus discover how a new USDA Microloan program for food-processing services can help you.

The seminars will be offered on the following dates:

• 1-3 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Grant County Fairgrounds Youth & Ag Building, 916 E. Elm St., Lancaster

• 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, March 4, at the Food Enterprise Center, 1201 N. Main St., Viroqua

For more information, go to www.innovationkitchen.org/seminar or call (608) 577-7546 or (608) 638-8332.

Board member profile

Carolyn Austin of the town of Sterling is the next board member we’ll profile. Carolyn and her husband Brian operate Austin’s Rush Creek Farm and provide fresh produce and preserved foods. She also serves as treasurer on steering committees for the Gays Mills Farmer’s Market and the Prairie Street Farmer’s Market, plus she is treasurer on the Driftless Wisconsin Grown Board.

Carolyn brings business management and critical thinking skills to the VEDA Board, along with her self-employed-farming perspective.

“I feel it’s beneficial to have a farmer voice on the board,” she said.

One of her goals with VEDA is to develop “new ways to encourage and support local start-up businesses.”

She added, “The Food Enterprise Center is a great asset to the community. Being on the VEDA Board has helped me to learn what is going on behind the scenes in the area as far as business development. Before joining the board, I was not aware of all the work and support the board provides to the community.”

She reminded readers, “VEDA membership is a great way to support and promote local businesses owned and operated by the folks around you.”

Nonprofit status

VEDA is a nonprofit, 501(c) 3 organization that is not funded by county or state dollars, and contributions are tax-deductible.

We are recruiting new memberships for 2013 at the following levels: individual, $50; business, $125, and includes an active link to your business website; advocate, $500; contributor, $1,000-plus; benefactor, $5,000-plus; and municipal, $1 per capita (recommended).

Members are listed on our website and in our organization’s promotional brochure; donations are tax-deductible and accepted in any amount. Naming rights also are available for the training room and other large areas of the Food Enterprise Center.

If you support VEDA’s mission of creating economic wealth and prosperity while preserving our rural Vernon County lifestyle, please support our efforts with a generous contribution. Donations can be submitted by downloading the membership form on our website at www.veda-wi.org and sending it to VEDA at 1201 N. Main St., Suite 6, Viroqua, WI 54665. We look forward to your partnership.

Comments are closed.

  • Tractor pull enthusiasts gather in Wilton

    July 14th, 2021
    by

    The Wilton Sportsmen’s Club hosted its tractor pull Sunday in the village’s downtown.


    Letter to the Editor: Nerison is not a ‘moderate Republican’

    October 29th, 2014
    by

    By DON FOY | La Farge  A recent article in a local newspaper described Lee Nerison, a representative for the […]


    Letter to the Editor: The elephant in the room

    October 29th, 2014
    by

    By ERIC ZINGLER | Kendall Michael Caruso, editor in chief of Smithsonian Magazine, stated in the April 2013 travel issue, […]


    Letter to the Editor: Little libraries are great

    October 22nd, 2014
    by

    By JILL MUEHLENKAMP | Norwalk The little libraries popping up in every town are great. I’ve been using Norwalk’s on […]


    Letter to the Editor: Town of Wilton shouldn’t allow quarry

    October 15th, 2014
    by

    By LARRY ROSS | Wilton “Blasting, property damage and more.” These are the words used by the Save Our Knapp […]


  • Letter to the Editor: Wilton’s credibility is on the line

    October 15th, 2014
    by

    By ERIC ZINGLER | Kendall The Backtalk editorial posted Sept. 24 stated, “It will be the Wilton Town Board’s challenge […]


    Letter to the Editor: Proposed town of Wilton quarry shouldn’t pose dangers

    October 8th, 2014
    by

    By MAHLON DENTER | rural Wilton As a resident of the town of Wilton, I see no harm to the environment […]


    Letter to the Editor: Vote for Ed Brooks

    October 8th, 2014
    by

    By DOUG ROGALLA | Kendall Elections matter! I remember just a few years ago, when I was new in the […]


    Letter to the Editor: The canary in the mine?

    October 8th, 2014
    by

    By ERIC ZINGLER | Kendall In years past, some miners would carry a caged canary into their mine. If the […]


    Letter to the Editor: Town of Wilton Board should vote no on quarry

    October 8th, 2014
    by

    By JOAN RIPP | Wilton Why should the Town of Wilton Board vote no Tuesday, Oct. 21? Lets look at […]


    Editorial cartoon

    October 8th, 2014
    by

  • Archives