The Valley Community Coalition will be facing big changes from the beginning of October. The federal funding grant for the Coalition has not been renewed and a number of things have to change, with the local coalition losing one staff member and no longer being able to keep normal office hours. Cassie Peterson is to stay on as the Valley Mentoring contributor on a part time basis and Annette Butikofer is to stay as SODA advisor.
“Without the grant we are fully maintaining the mentoring, SODA and youth center programs,” says Peterson. While the Coalition will no longer have the funding to be able to conduct quite as many activities in the community, such as public classes and campaigns, Peterson says they are nonetheless still hoping to offer a couple of parenting classes per year.
The first order of business for the steering committee is to move offices in downtown Elgin. VCC is set for relocation from its current office in the old Elgin Echo office building at 277 Center Street as of tomorrow and Friday. The Coalition has signed a lease agreement of one year with the building’s owners, Jeff and Janell Bradley.
Office items will be moved on 27th September, with youth center items getting the shift on the 28th. A number of items from the youth center have gone up for sale, with Peterson citing lack of room in the new offices as reason. “It’s just a smaller space, and we can’t take it all with us,” she says.
Gene Salaz
