August - September 2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Valentine Park re-opening highlights Don Messerly Picnic Shelter by Fran Holmes, City Council O him he might as well set up a tent and n a warm summer evening live at the Crepeau Nature Center since in mid-July, approximately he spent so much time working there. 150 people gathered for the reopening of Valentine Park, which has been under reconstruction for Regarding the Valentine Park renovation project, Don has been passionate about past and present Councilmembers seeing successful outcome. He cleared the beaver dams from the Valentine who had the most involvement with Lake inlet to see how it would impact the park renovation--including Pat Klaers, City Administrator; Terry subject. Maurer, Public Works Director; John Anderson, City Engineer; Dons contributions to Arden Hills (Left to right) John Peck, Mayor Dave Grant, Michelle Olson, Parks and Recreation are too numerous to list. He has been Don Messerly, Chuck Michaelson, and Don Manager; and Joe Mooney, Public Kramlinger participated in a ribbon cutting at involved over the years in the formation Works Supervisor. the Valentine Park picnic shelter. of the Arden Hills Bird Club; he singlehandedly cleaned up and improved accepted with the quiet graciousness Also attending were Kris and Lee a park in a mobile home community, that surrounds everything he does. Elfering of Elfering and Associates, and, as grand marshall, he drove his Model A in the Citys 50th anniversary Arden Hills recognized Don Messerlys the solution to the water drainage parade. Don has volunteered for the contributions and passion by problems that have plagued this District 621 Foundation and the Arden commemorating the Picnic Shelter to park. In addition, many residents Hills Sportsmens Club. Now retired, him, in the beautifully redeveloped from the neighborhood spent a day Don was a long-time employee of State Valentine Park, in front of neighbors, friends and family. If this inspires any they attended as well. recognized his service by making annual of us to give back to the community just donations to the City park program. a fraction of what Don Messerly and other great volunteers in Arden Hills Peck, a former Chair of the Arden Don and almost his entire family, give to our community, it will make Hills Parks Trail and Recreation including his wife Jan, four children, and Arden Hills a better place for all. Committee (PTRC), announced six of his eight grandchildren attended the dedication of the picnic shelter the dedication. Don stated that he was to Don Messerly. quite humbled by the recognition and recognizes Dons many contributions to the community. Don is still an active member of the PTRC, and his inspiration has been a driving by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board force for Arden Hills commitment to Lunch boxes: Use a washable, reusable ts back to school time I the parks and trails throughout the lunch box rather than tossing again! For many, that City. a brown bag every day. Use means shopping for new reusable containers instead clothes and supplies. Here Don and his family moved to Arden of baggies or plastic wraps. Hills in 1980 and he became involved are a few ideas on how you Generally, packing healthier can green-up your back-to lunches will produce less waste. project doing prairie restoration and school routine this year. creating trails throughout Crepeau Recycling: If you dont already Nature Preserve. He created a master Clothes: Shop at second- have them, now is a great time to plan for the park, had it accepted hand stores where you can get paper recycling bins in your home. by the City Council, and went to You will probably recycle more paper work. At one point Don developed quality clothing that wont wear out than you think--about 21 percent of and can be handed down. lining of the heart, attributed to household garbage in the Twin Cities is recyclable paper. Supplies: Take inventory and chain saw stopped working and he To learn more: RethinkRecycling.com notebooks made of recycled content. Don said that his wife Jan once told is a great resource for ideas. 5