Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: Coolin' off
❤️🩹 A personal note: I lost a dear friend this week to cancer. It's been a lot to hold all of the sorrow while still being present for the small joys (my kids both choosing to be hot dogs for Halloween, for example). And, of course, the news and election cycle rage on, and life feels very busy, very heavy, very overwhelming.
- But what's getting me through this week is small interactions with friends – sharing photos, checking in, reminiscing, admiring cute baby photos, crying on shoulders, crying at work, but really leaning on those small, personal connections.
- So, I guess the reason I'm sharing this is 1) to get it off my chest and because I've always been transparent with you guys, and that's what community is all about – being real with each other, and 2) to encourage you to also take a little time today for a personal check-in. Send a "how's it going" text to a friend, or, better yet, just call someone out of the blue to say hello. Take the long way somewhere and just enjoy the walk/drive. Sip your coffee slowly.
- None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, and really, all we get are these small, beautiful moments all strung together.
- Thank you, all, for being a beautiful part of my life, too. This little newsletter is one of the reasons I wake up in the morning, and that my passion can also support my family is a true gift.
OK, enough sap from me. Let's get back to news.
This week, we caught up with Bread Break to learn how the A Little Help campaign impacted their organization. You'll also find some Super Simplified news to carry you through the weekend. And, if you missed it Wednesday, be sure to check out our round-up of Halloween-y fun.
And now, news:
A LITTLE HELP
How SF Simplified readers showed up for Bread Break
Simplified: Sioux Falls Simplified readers donated more than $4,000 to local food rescue nonprofit Bread Break as part of the third annual A Little Help give-back campaign.
Why it matters
- The goal of A Little Help is to give, well, a little help to a local nonprofit and raise awareness about the important work they're doing that can often go unnoticed or under-appreciated in our community.
- Bread Break is one of those organizations that's working – often behind-the-scenes – to ensure usable food doesn't go to waste by transporting it from the people who have excess to people who need it. This year alone, they're on track to rescue more than 550,000 pounds of food from the landfill.
- And the funds raised through Sioux Falls Simplified contributed to making that possible. Executive Director Pam Cole said the funds raised will directly support rescuing about 14,200 pounds of food. In addition, the nonprofit onboarded four new volunteers as a direct result of the A Little Help campaign.
"The 'Little Help,' – it really became a lot of help for someone our size," Cole said, noting that September is historically a slow fundraising month, and our campaign helped bridge that gap.
What happens next?
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- The Link serving lots of out-of-staters. About 44% of people served by The Link triage center are not from Sioux Falls, according to Jason Lemke, the project manager for The Link, who presented to the Minnehaha County Commission this week. But funding is coming almost entirely from Sioux Falls-area entities and local governments. The Dakota Scout has the full story.
- Downtown Halloween fun. The city parks department is hosting a number of Halloween activities at a Sioux Spooktacular event (which, by the way, feels like a missed opportunity to be called BOO Falls, but I digress). Activities include a Spooktacular skeletons display that'll be up through Nov. 1, a skate party from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, a "Trail or Treat" from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Lloyd Landing and a Pumpkin Trot from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday (registration required for the trot). Learn more about all of these seasonal events on The Falls' website.
- High-tech skiing. Great Bear this week announced new RFID ticketing, which will let skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes without stopping at guest services to print a daily lift ticket. Meanwhile, Great Bear also has a sale on season passes for folks who buy early, and they're gearing up for the annual Winter Fest event on Nov. 7. Find more details on that here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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Thank you
Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including SafeSplash Swim School, Wayne & Mary's Nutrition Center, Startup Sioux Falls, Encompass Mental Health, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, The Premiere Playhouse, The Good Night Theatre Collective and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.
Oh, by the way
Your feedback is extremely helpful – hit the reply button and send any news tips, typos, complaints, compliments or cups of coffee my way. ❤️
