Among the visitors today were representatives for both sides of the BID (Business Improvement District) issue which will be voted on Tuesday, June 29th. Each made a five minute presentation of their position on the matter. 
PROGRAM - Mingle Monday activity at RESTORE. A meal of grilled brats, salad and so on was prepared by our hosts Craig Lewis and Jim Schuh. A tour of the RESTORE facility located at 610 E. Omaha Street (the old SYSCO foods warehouse) took place following the meal. Currently the funds raised by sales at the RESTORE help build two Habitat for Humanity houses a year. Craig said that they would like to be able to fund ten Habitat homes.
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Check out the Corporate TV on the Fenske website.
PROGRAM - Monday, May 24
Mingle Monday at Fenske Media Corp. Fenske Media a private business in Rapid City since 1957, when it began as a small printing company located on St Patrick Street. The business is now headed by the four son’s of late founder Paul Fenske. Fenske Media is primarily involved in direct response marketing and non-profit direct mail fundraising. After lunch, John Fenske gave those present a tour of the facility located at 3635 Homestead Street. This website address will take you to Fenske’s home page: www.fenskemedia.com. A Google search produced a number of websites about this company. Just another example of a local business that Rapid City can take pride in.
PROGRAM - 4/26/2010
Mingle Monday – Gen Pro Power Systems was the site of today’s Mingle Monday activity. Dave and Kelly Patterson started the privately owned company in July of 1993. Dave, a native Rapid Citian, has worked in the power generation field for 38 years. The first customer of the company was Rapid City Regional Hospital. While their primary concentration is power generation, they are currently involved in producing solar water filtration systems with a partner company in California. Recently five of these systems were sent to Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake. The mission of the Gen Pro is to be recognized as a leader in the Power Generation Market measured through customer satisfaction. This was a very interesting and informative visit. 
PROGRAM – Mingle Monday visit to the Community Food Bank.
Monica Leitheiser (Food Bank/Pantry) and Lalaina Williams (Back Pack Program) explained how each program works and then gave us a tour of the facility located at 814 N. Maple Street. There are seven fulltime and two part time employees as well as many volunteers who work at the Food Bank.
The Back Pack Program makes 1400 plus bags every week which are distributed to schools in six counties and as well as two schools on the reservation to provide the necessary food to children who would otherwise go without during the weekend.
The Food Bank provides bulk food to nonprofit agencies in the area and the Food Pantry provides food to individuals who are referred by agencies in Rapid City. There is a Food Bank in Sioux Falls and there will be one opening in Pierre in the very near future. The Food Bank also provides the food to fill the refrigerators and cupboards of new Habitat for Humanity homes when they are first occupied. Monica explained that there has been a significant increase in the need for Food Bank services.
If you are interested in more information go to www.sdfoodbanks.org and learn all about the Food Bank programs in South Dakota.
PROGRAM – Mingle Monday at RPM & Associates, Inc. RPM was begun in the basement of the family home of Rob Mudge in 1982 (28yrs). RPM is in the business of supplying parts to the coal fired power generation industry, aerospace industry and the Department of Defense.
November 23, 2009 - Mingle Monday - We visited the Suzie Cappa Art Center at the Black Hills Workshop. We were treated to a meal provided by the staff and students and were given a tour of the complex. 
– Mingle Monday – Black Hills Regional Eye Institute The Club had lunch courtesy of the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute and toured the facility. The Institute has been at their current location in Rapid City for 25 years. It was started as a non-profit, but seven years ago became a for profit organization. The Institute serves an area that includes Pierre and Rosebud, SD and Gillette, WY. Doctors go to these locations to treat patients. Patients are referred from the surrounding states of Wyoming, North Dakota and Nebraska. Medical students from The University of South Dakota Medical School do a rotation at the Eye Institute during their training.
Guests joining our tour today were Bev Kahler and Sharon Thorson. 
PROGRAM – Mingle Monday – Members of the club made a trip to the Dahl Fine Arts Center. After lunch Sherry Krulitz and Sherry Ledford spoke to the group and the group was given a tour of the Robotic Art exhibit in the Ruth Brennan gallery. The Robotic Art exhibit features flies moving a large robot, a robot that was able to draw a picture of a plant as it grew, a tiny robot drawing and another that is attached to a single plant stalk outside and is able to move several plant stalks inside the building as the stalk moves in the wind outside. The group was shown the new performance space and the educational section of the expanded building as well as a lot of artwork displayed throughout the building.
August 31,2009 - The membership visited Mommy’s Closet which is operated by Volunteers of America. Located at 24 East New York St., Volunteers of America, Rapid City has its offices and administers its programs. The Volunteers of America, Dakotas is a nonprofit spiritually-based organization that reaches out to empower people of all ages to become healthier, self sufficient, productive members or their communities.
After our lunch and a talk by Betty Field the group was given a tour of the facility and got to see Mommy’s Closet. Mommy’s Closet was a recipient of funds distributed in June of this year. Our own Robbie Murchison is a Volunteers of America board member.
On Monday, July 27, 2009, the Club Members met at Servall for the Mingle Monday for July. The tour was led by Mason Thorson. The business has been operated by four generations starting in the 1930's.
PROGRAM - Mingle Monday, 6/29/09 – members visited RESPEC, Inc., which is short for Research Specialists. RESPEC is a technical consulting and services company headquartered in Rapid City with offices in New Mexico, New York, Canada and Florida. Tom Zeller of the firm gave us a slide presentation after which we toured the facility. New member Rodger Arnold, who is an engineer with RESPEC, was one of our tour guides.