W News from the WALLACE GROUP

wNews from THE WALLACE GROUP P.O. Box 21303, Eagan, MN 55121 3750 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, MN 55122 (651) 452-9800 (651) 452-3504 fax

ProAct, Inc. For Immediate Release

For further information, contact: Sherie Wallace, The Wallace Group, 651-452-9800, [email protected] Carolyn Dobis, ProAct, Inc., 651-686-0405, [email protected]

HUDSON DAYBREAK ROTARY CLUB AWARDS $2,500 TO PROACT TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT’S SUCCESSFUL BIRDSEED PROJECT

People with disabilities learn valuable employment skills from the activity, which saw over 1,000 wreaths produced

The Hudson Daybreak Rotary Club has awarded $2,500 to ProAct to support the

nonprofit’s successful birdseed enterprise. The funds will be used to continue the birdseed

project where ProAct participants assemble wreaths which are then made available to the public.

More than 1,000 wreaths have been distributed to date.

The award was presented at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club, with Teresa

Ducheneaux, ProAct program coordinator, and Job Developer Kyle Adams accepting on behalf

of ProAct. The funds are designated to continue the birdseed craft project that was started some

three years ago, and received Daybreak Rotary grants in 2011 and 2012. Rotarian Garth

Christensen, incoming Daybreak Rotary president, and his wife, Lou Stuesser, were instrumental

in starting the project. Their daughter Jessica attends the Hudson program. “This project has just taken off,” said Carolyn Dobis, program and services director of

ProAct’s Hudson and Eagan facilities. Earlier, grant dollars were used to purchase a refrigerator for seed supplies and assistive technology to make it possible for individuals at all skill levels to work on the project. The current award will purchase wreath supplies for the fall.

The quality bird seed is placed in custom designed molds with an appropriate bird- friendly adhesive for the seed to retain the mold of wreath, heart or animal designs. Several

Hudson locations, the Purple Tree Fair Trade Gift Shop, Hudson Hospital, Hot Air Balloon

Festival and the Hudson House have helped present the creations to the public.

To contact ProAct about their various craft items available or the types of employment opportunities they seek, contact Teresa Ducheneaux at 715-410-4216 or [email protected].

With facilities in Eagan, Red Wing, Zumbrota and Hudson, Wis., ProAct is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit corporation which has served the needs of people with disabilities and other challenges for more than 40 years. The organization’s focus is on classroom training for employment skills and employment placement in the local community.