Community Collaboration – Why I Left the Amish Author Talk

2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$712

Project of

Southeastern Libraries Cooperating Legacy Grant SFY 2012 - SFY 2013

Fund Source

Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Recipient

Zumbrota Area Arts Council (ZAAC)

Recipient Type

Non-Profit Business/Entity

Status

Completed

Start Date

May 2012

End Date

May 2012

Activity Type

Education/Outreach/Engagement

Counties Affected

Goodhue

Project Overview

Saloma Furlong, author of the memoir Why I Left the Amish discussed the inside story of what it was like to be born and raised in the Amish culture. The discussion took place at the State Theatre in Zumbrota which is maintained by the Zumbrota Area Arts Council (ZAAC). Saloma read from her book and discussed her life growing up Amish and why she choose to leave the Amish community of her youth. Amish communities interact with the greater SE Minnesota communities on a regular basis and, with the recent success of Amish based fiction literature, there are a lot of people who have questions about the Amish.

Project Details

Competitive Grant Making Body

Board Members and Qualifications

The following are members of the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors. All appointments are made locally by legally constituted governing authorities: library boards, city councils, and/or boards of county commissions. Leo Aeikens - Albert Lea, Sally Baker - Austin, Martha Hauschildt - Brownsdale, Liz Wanschura - Caledonia, Carol Price - Cannon Falls, Denise Mullen - Chatfield, Nancy Smith - Dodge Center, Clint Patterson - Dodge County, Mary Jane Holland - Faribault, Judy Webster - Harmony, Kurt Carlson - Hokah, Marilyn Frauenkron Bayer - Houston, Lori Hopkins - Kasson, Rhana Olson - Kenyon, Robin Yaffe Tschumper - LaCrescent, Andru Peters - Lake City, Barb Payne - LeRoy, Robert Elliott - Lonsdale, Deanna Larson - Mabel, Robert Bruce - Northfield, Thomas Sherman - Olmsted County, John Pfeifer - Owatonna, Kim Aarsvold - Pine Island, Mary Schneider - Plainview, Charles Sparks - Preston, Sara Hoffman - Red Wing, Galen Malecha - Rice County, Diane Moench - Rochester, Valerie Hasleiet - Rushford, Jill Mueller - St Charles, Pat Falbo - Spring Grove, Carol Gross - Spring Valley, Janice Welch - Stewartville, Judith Schotzko - Wabasha, Dave Harms - Wabasha County, Judy Rusert - Winona County, Ann Goplen - Zumbrota

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

The Legacy Review Committee serves as an advisory committee. The committee shall consist of 11 members representing each county within the SELCO/SELS region, with a majority being current or recent members of the SELCO/SELS Board Of Directors and the remaining coming from the arts and cultural heritage communities. Diane Moench - Olmsted County, Clint Patterson - Dodge County, Gretchen Schade - Fillmore County, Pat Mulso - Freeborn County, Don Regelman - Goodhue County, Drue Ferguson - Houston County, Scott Anderson - Mower County, Marcy Irby - Rice County, Sharon Stark - Steele County, Judith Schotzko - Wabasha County, Jill Mueller - Winona County

Conflict of Interest Disclosed

Project Details: 2012 Fiscal Year

Legal Citation / Subdivision

Laws of Minnesota for 2011 Chapter 6, Article 4, Subdivision 4

2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$712

Other Funds Leveraged

$1,083

Direct expenses

$1,795

Administration costs

$18

Number of full time equivalents funded

0.004

Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The Target Audience would be any adult or child interested in learning about the Amish community
People learn something new about this interesting, enigmatic culture that is found in many communities in southeast Minnesota

Measurable Outcome(s)

The event evaluation survey given to attendees asked if "The program enhanced my knowledge and understanding of the Amish," 83% of the returned surveys selected “Strongly Agree” to this question, while the other 17% marked "Agree". Overall, the returned event evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. Attendees thoroughly enjoyed the question and answer session that took place after the reading and 66% of survey respondents strongly agreed to the statement that “The program increased my interest in the Amish” while the other 33% agreed to that statement.

Source of Additional Funds

Zumbrota Public Library

Recipient Board Members

The following are members of the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors. All appointments are made locally by legally constituted governing authorities: library boards, city councils, and/or boards of county commissions.
Leo Aeikens - Albert Lea, Sally Baker - Austin, Martha Hauschildt - Brownsdale, Liz Wanschura - Caledonia, Carol Price - Cannon Falls, Denise Mullen - Chatfield, Nancy Smith - Dodge Center, Clint Patterson - Dodge County, Mary Jane Holland - Faribault, Judy Webster - Harmony, Kurt Carlson - Hokah, Marilyn Frauenkron Bayer - Houston, Lori Hopkins - Kasson, Rhana Olson - Kenyon, Robin Yaffe Tschumper - LaCrescent, Andru Peters - Lake City, Barb Payne - LeRoy, Robert Elliott - Lonsdale, Deanna Larson - Mabel, Robert Bruce - Northfield, Thomas Sherman - Olmsted County, John Pfeifer - Owatonna, Kim Aarsvold - Pine Island, Mary Schneider - Plainview, Charles Sparks - Preston, Sara Hoffman - Red Wing, Galen Malecha - Rice County, Diane Moench - Rochester, Valerie Hasleiet - Rushford, Jill Mueller - St Charles, Pat Falbo - Spring Grove, Carol Gross - Spring Valley, Janice Welch - Stewartville, Judith Schotzko - Wabasha, Dave Harms - Wabasha County, Judy Rusert - Winona County, Ann Goplen - Zumbrota