Board Members
Our Neighbors’ Place Board Members Profiles: October 2011
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The Day Center and Our Neighbors’ Place Director – Mary Joan Sutton
“I have been married for 30 years to Michael Sutton and have two sons, Steven and Larry and 4 grandsons. I have lived in River Falls, WI for 20 years. I have a background in Nursing, a Business Administration Degree, Training Specialization and Quality Management Certification from University of Wisconsin Stout. I am presently a Registered Representative with Primerica, Inc. I am a member of the Western WI Alzheimer’s Committee and the Optimist Club in River Falls. I enjoy my time at my cabin, fishing and my flower garden.”
The Closet Coordinator – Nancy Peters
has retired from Jacob’s Ladder Pre -School where she served as a teacher and director for over twenty years. Currently she is involved with the V.I.P.(Volunteers in Partnership) at the River Falls Hospital, Stepping Up Program, Retired Educators, University Women’s Club and Hope Lutheran Church. She is married to David Peters, has three children and five grandchildren. Tending grandchildren brings real joy. She loves travel, bridge, reading and dinners with friends.
Neighborhood Relations – Joel Larimore
is an Attorney, married with two young children.
Secretary – David Trechter
is a professor and chairperson of the department of agricultural economics at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. He is also a statewide specialist with the University of Wisconsin Extension Service and works in the areas of cooperatives and rural development. He is director of the Survey Research Center (www.uwrf.edu/src). David and the three academic staff and 7 UWRF students who work in the Survey Research Center do 30 – 40 surveys each year for local governmental agencies, non-profits, cooperatives, and academics.
David received his doctorate in agricultural economics from Michigan State University, his masters degree in food research from Stanford University and his bachelors degree in history and economics from the University of California at Davis.
David grew up in Colorado and northern California and has also lived in Washington, D.C. David has a number of international experiences. He has lived and done research in Cameroon, West Africa, was on sabbatical in Western Australia at the Muresk Institute of Agriculture from January to July 2002, and for 6 years conducted an annual two-day workshop on global agricultural issues for a German farm organization. His outside interests include reading, the performing arts (theater, dance, music), sports (baseball, biking), and spending time with his family. David is married (to Kris Allen, a native of Sydney, Australia) and has two sons (Colin (24) and Jeffrey (21)).
Cedar Street Renovation / Shelter Support Team / Backpack Program / Jammer / Fundraising Committee - Brenda Yurs
“I moved to the area a little over two years ago from Greenville, IL which is located just east of St. Louis MO. Joined the committee to form ONP the first meeting! Serve on the board of ONP and the shelter support team for our homeless shelter. I am active in the United Methodist Church of River Falls and that I assist with the jam fundraiser that made a little over 800 jars of jam for ONP last year. I also clean and tweak the apartments as the families come and go in the shelter. I have two grown sons and 3 wonderful grandchildren. My oldest son is Aaron Mason, the assistant director at Willow River State Park. My second son is Garrett Bunyard and he is down in the Greenville area yet. I enjoy quilting, needlework, reading, traveling, gardening and flowers, and spending time with friends and family.”
Occupation: Real Estate and Insurance sales. 24 years of real estate experience. Agent with Edina Realty. Insurance agent for home, auto, life, health insurance with American National Insurance Company.
Vice President / Communications / Fundraising Committee – Sue Watters
has been part of searching for solutions on how to help the homeless in our community since the first fact finding meeting between area Pastors and the City of River Falls. She is Office Manager for Career, Counseling and Student Health Services at UWRF, with 20 years of prior experience in providing family in-home childcare. Area’s of community services have been; UWRF-Habitat for Humanity Trip Leader, River Falls Community Food Pantry, Feed My Starving Children, Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry, Roadside Cleanup, Humanitarian Aid trip to Kenya-Africa and Monterrey, Mexico, and various involvements with her church family – 1st Covenant Church of River Falls. She and her husband Steve have a grown son and 2 daughters –all married, and two grandchildren, they all enjoy travel, photography, biking, hiking and family time.
Shelter Support Team – Derek Gilde
“I currently serve as team leader on the Shelter Support Team, a team of dedicated volunteers who offer direct support, resources, and oversight of the ongoing affairs of the Our Neighbors’ Place Emergency Shelter. In growing up and being a life-long resident of this community, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride to be part of a community of people that offers such positive regard for our neighbors. I came to be a part of Our Neighbors’ Place back in 2009 as a result of my walk in my Christian faith and have been blessed to see what an asset this organization has become to our community and surrounding area.”
Background:
- Currently employed as a county Social Worker in the area of adult mental health
- Actively involved at Ezekiel Lutheran Church
- Graduated with a Master’s of Social Work at Augsburg College in 2008
- Graduated with a Bachelor’s of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2003
Treasurer / Fundraising Committee Chairperson / Shelter Support Team - Carole Mottaz
is a life long educator with a variety of teaching experiences; London – England, Minnesota, River Falls, WI at Westside Elementary School, Meyer Middle School and the Renaissance Charter Alternative Academy, University of St. Thomas-MN, currently an instructor with the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Capella University.
Her education background starting with her most recent degree;
- Administrative License/ Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, University St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Statistics and the Supervision and Administration of Special Education, U of M, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- MST in Reading and teaching children with Learning Disabilities, UWRF
- Bachelor of Science in Social Studies, Physical Education and Coaching, UWRF
- BA Elementary Education, Sociology and Physical Education, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, England
Area’s of interests and community involvement; Rotary International, River Falls Leadership Conference, River Falls Hospital Auxiliary, Local Arbor Day participant, River Falls Area Ambulance Service, CPR/First Aid Instructor, RFAH Building Committee Speakers Bureau, numerous professional affiliations, served on various River Falls School District committees over the years.
Cedar Street Renovation / Transportation Committee Chair – Morris Marsolek
“I am75 years old, somewhat retired, but still active in community and caring activities. After college and then the Marine Corps, I spent 30 years with Pennzoil, mostly in research, the last 20 years as Manager of Product Development in their mining division. My research work allowed me to at one time or another, to direct work at 17 different universities from UCLA, to BYU to U. of Florida. I still do some consulting, but my passion is advocating for the poor, both in third world countries and in our community. Thru CFCA (Christian Foundation for Children and Ageing), we sponsor and write to poor kids in Bolivia, Guatemala and Haiti, and I have been to all 3 countries, where I have visited those poor. For many years, I have been on the city of RF Housing Committee and Board of Appeals, and served 9 years on the Habitat Board and 2 years as Grand Knight of the K of C’s. I have worked on Habitat builds in Poland, New Zealand, Bolivia, Guatemala as well as the US. My wife Judy and I were married 46 years ago, have 5 well matured college graduate children, of which 3 are engineers 1 works in health care, 1 is a college professor. They continue the role of assisting the poor thru their work areas.”