Early Childhood Initiative Coodinators Attend Regional Meeting

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The annual meeting of the ECI community coordinators was held on Tuesday, July 26th at the home of Lin Backstrom, the ECI program manager.

The group gets together each summer to network and share projects from their community coalitions. It also provides an opportunity for Backstrom to personally thank the coordinators and show NMF's appreciation for all that they do on behalf of the region's youngest citizens.

NMF Program Officer Jim Steenerson presented grant opportunities for capacity-building in ECI coalitions.

Each ECI coordinator talked about current and future projects from her community coalition's work for young children and their families.

Resource sharing, networking among coordinators and planning for future regional meetings followed. New coordinators from Crookston, Naytahwaush, Park Rapids, and Thief River Falls were also introduced.






Pictured, left to right: Lia Larson, Naytahwaush; Jenn Thompson, Marshall County; Theresa Brown, Lake of the Woods County; Tanya Loe, Thief River Falls; Julie Sather, Norman County East; Carol Osmondson, Fertile-Beltrami; Cathy Forgit, Fertile-Beltrami; Gina Gunderson, Crookston; Vicki Wangberg, Bemidji; Dawn Leeseberg, Park Rapids; Lin Backstrom, NMF; Sarah Hoagberg, Clearbrook-Gonvick; Gracie, Lin's dog.

Unable to attend: Kathy Scheving, Warroad; Pam Hockstedler, Marshall County; Ginny Kurtzweg, Bemidji; Rachael Dunbar, Norman County East; and Andrea Olson, Bagley.

THANK YOU to all supporters of the Early Childhood Initiative in Northwest Minnesota!






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