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CHASKA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2011
$1
HERALD Broke in the ’burbs Poverty on the rise in eastern Carver County BY MOLLEE FRANCISCO mfrancisco@swpub.com
PHOTO BY MOLLEE FRANCISCO
“I think the votes are there and ultimately this will pass.” Rep. Joe Hoppe
Stadium battles Rep. Hoppe believes plans will coalesce BY RICHARD CRAWFORD editor@chanvillager.com
State Rep. Joe Hoppe, who attended several meetings early this week regarding a new stadium, believes the issue will be resolved … soon. “I think people are kind of sick of it,” said Hoppe, a Republican who represents Chanhassen and Chaska. “But the Vikings are important to the state whether you’re a football fan or not.” Hoppe, chair of the House Commerce Committee, has been facing questions about the future of the Vikings for several years. He said Tuesday he believes a plan will come together that will allow the Vikings to stay in Minnesota and not rely on general tax dollars.
The percentage of local residents living in poverty. 2000 Chaska
4.7
7.1
Chanhassen
1.9
4.1
Demand for their help is rising. Since September, Love INC has added 50 new families to their roster of those in need. The Bountiful Basket Food Shelf in downtown Chaska is seeing its numbers go up as well. Nancy Rogeby does client intake for the food shelf and says that they’ve been adding 25 to 30 new families per month since August.
Poverty to page 5 ®
Here come the bridal gowns Volunteers send wedding dresses to Uganda
PHOTOS ONLINE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE UGANDA PROJECT AND OF THE WEDDING DRESSES, VISIT
BY UNSIE ZUEGE uzuege@swpub.com
www.chaskaherald.com
T
hanks to a generous donation of discontinued wedding gowns, countless brides in Uganda will be able to marry dressed in traditional Western wedding gowns. Glenrose Floral and Bridal of Chanhassen donated the gowns after learning of the “Friends Serving Uganda” group. Friends Serving Uganda formed in 2006 as part of a church project. Later, three local families initiated a mission project to dig wells in several small Ugandan villages – Naigobya, Kauli, and Ikumbya. After the wells were dug, the families continued their assistance, gradually building schools, community centers and health clinics in the villages. Through their work, they also learned that marriage is taken very seriously in Uganda and that the Ugandan culture is very ceremonial. Many couples will not get married unless they can have the full traditional wedding celebrations.
For more information, visit www.friendsservinguganda.org.
another group. The timing was perfect. We have a new owner and he was interested in doing that.”
44 WEDDING GOWNS PHOTOS BY UNSIE ZUEGE
You could say that Janet Nicolai of Victoria has a bridal shop in her downstairs basement. Nicolai and two Chanhassen families have established ties with several Ugandan villages, raising money to help villagers dig wells, build schools and clinics. Their latest project is sending discontinued wedding gowns to Uganda, where women will be able to rent them. In addition, brides are very traditional, and often, they will save up a year’s wages on a traditional Western wedding gown. According to Janet Nicolai of Victoria, one of the Friends of Uganda founders, 82 percent of
the population earns less than $1 a day and most earn less than $200 U.S. annually, so the cost of a gown is often out of reach. “They contacted us,” store manager Nancy Mead said. “We had done this one other time with
Glenrose donated 44 wedding gowns. “They’re all dif ferent styles and sizes,” Mead said. “If you averaged the gowns at $250 each, the total value would be $11,000. What we would usually do with discontinued gowns is sell them for $99 each.” In July, David Brennan of Eden Prairie purchased Glenrose Floral and Bridal, which has been in Chanhassen for more than 30 years. It also has locations in Hopkins and, in 2005, began offering a “one-stop” shopping for brides,
Dresses to page 9 ®
Stadium to page 9 ®
INSIDE OPINION/4 VICTORIA/7 OBITUARIES/9 SPORTS/13-15 CALENDAR/17 CLASSIFIEDS/29-32 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6683 EDITOR: (952) 345-6574 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@CHASKAHERALD.COM.
OUR 150TH YEAR, NO. 12 © SOUTHWEST NEWSPAPERS
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24 7 EMERGENCY & URGENT CARE Just Minutes from Home Highways 212 & 41 in Chaska 218952
2008-10
Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey 2008-2010; U.S. census 2000
Quiet moments can be hard to come by when Mary Morley is working the phones at Love INC. Over the last nine weeks, the non-profit group has logged 2,800 calls for assistance from eastern Carver County residents looking for everything from food and furniture to car repairs and toiletries. “We try to help in whatever way, shape or form we can,” said Morley, who serves as the clearinghouse coordinator. “We’re good at brainstorming here.”
Nancy Rogeby, with Bountiful Basket Food Shelf, and volunteer Don Hall look over some recent postHalloween donations at the food shelf.
Local Poverty
www.TwoTwelveMedical.org