Dear 5th Bridge Pledgers,

We wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you! As you continue to serve, you make a tremendous difference and a positive impact. Together, we are enhancing the culture of volunteerism and philanthropy in our community and beyond.

We are wrapping up an exciting National Volunteer Week.

• “Bridgeit” really got around town, beginning the week on Bridge Square, visiting the High School and Thursday’s Table, and ending up at the Safety Center. Thank you to the volunteers who escorted her around town.
• Did you see your name in the paper? Last Wednesday’s Northfield News listed all 1,057 people who have taken the Utter Joy pledge to volunteer at least 5 hours per month. Please encourage all your friends and family to join us by taking the pledge on our website, www.5thbridge.org.
• Last weekend, we held 5th Bridge's first annual Goods for Good – The Great Northfield Rummage Raid for Charity. We had 21 sites sign up to host rummage/plant/refreshment sales with at least 50% of the proceeds benefiting charities. The Environmental Club at the high school hosted one site; they rescued hundreds of great items, which were bound for the landfill after Northfield's clean-up day. Talk about re-use/recycle and raising money for a good cause; the money they raised will help to make the high school operate in a greener manner. At this printing, we do not yet know the total amount raised, but we will let you know next month.

Since our goal at 5th Bridge is to enhance individual and community life by encouraging the habits of volunteerism and philanthropy, we want to see people volunteering all year long – so here are a few great opportunities coming up this month:

• Special Olympics will be holding their Track and Field Games on Saturday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Carleton Stadium. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up, timing of athletes, escorting athletes to events, writing out ribbons in the award tent and making award presentations, as well as clean-up. Families with children ages 10 or older are invited to volunteer together. Cheering spectators are also appreciated. Check out the complete posting on our website, www.5thbridge.org. If you have questions, contact Julie Pritchard at 507-645-1365 or e-mail Dawn Splichal at RKUBIAK1305@earthlink.net.
• This July, Northfield is competing in a nationwide community beautification competition through America in Bloom. We’ll be judged on our tidiness, so take a look around and see what needs to get done. We noticed lots of winter trash along the roadsides that needs to be cleaned up and many of the public plantings will need weeding. So gather your family, friends or Circle of Service together, or simply take a trash bag along on your walk, and keep Northfield beautiful. There will be other related projects that will come up throughout the spring and summer, so watch our website for details.
• Students at St. Olaf College are hosting a 5K P.A.C.E. Run and Civic Engagement Fair on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The purpose of this event is to create more local civic engagement and to increase awareness of social justice issues. For more information, e-mail Abby Benson at bensona@stolaf.edu.

Thank you again for all the good that you do. Keep doing it!

Sincerely,

Candy Taylor and your friends at 5th Bridge