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1. March 3, 2012 at 11:00 am | Posted by Toni Franseen

   Rita, my mother lost her beloved partner 5 years ago. She was lost. She found this organization in her community and it has been her lifesaver! and, it has made a huge impact on the children and teachers of this community. I didn't know my mother had it in her! She is teaching the children in the local community the old ways, the culture and skills of the Norwegian and Swedish lands. She travelled to Norway to actually experience this first hand and brought back more to share. She is reading with the children, helping them with homework, afterschool tasks and things trying to make a difference. Is funny really, she was a working mom when we were growing up and we didn't have this experience. i think it is a way of giving back what whe couldn't give to us. I am so please she has found something that gives her purpose and intention. She has travelled with this group to 2 conventions to learn from others, which is quite a feat at her age. It is good to see the children thriving and learning.

2. March 5, 2012 at 11:27 am | Posted by Deb Shaw

   I am writing to nominate Rita Baresh for this recognition for many different reasons. First of all, her selflessness is unbelievable. She doesn't do her volunteerism for any reason but to help the community. I was going to state especially for the youth in her "Kids Plus" position or her writing all the on-going activities for the papers in the "Movers and Shakers", but then I remember seeing her at all the Senior "Autumn Voices" venues year after year (ie) singing at the Memorial Day Programs, various singing programs for the area Nursing Homes, Assisted Living facilities etc. I also know that Rita has spent countless hours volunteering her time with the "Age to Age" Committee working on various Community projects such as the Legacy Grant for a pavilion for young and old at the Hockey Arena Area.
   Actually, there are probably so many different committees that Rita has given her time and talent to be on that I am not even aware of.
   I can only tell you that as the Director of the Moose Lake Public Library, Rita has been such a promoter of any programs that we try to have for the Library patrons. It has helped me personally to have someone with her excellent personality and expertise helping the Library whenever she can whether it be through her writing in the paper or by her actually spreading the word verbally.
   All I can say, is that there are some people that deserve recognition for all that they do and really don't ask for any and that is what Rita Baresh personifies. Thank you for letting me express my appreciation to this giving person.

3. March 5, 2012 at 22:30 pm | Posted by Tim Hobaugh, Autumn Voices Director

   Rita is our manager. She arranges our schedule of performances (2 - 4 per month, 8 or more in December), manages and keeps in order our extensive library of choral music, recruits and makes sure new members have everything they need, communicates when necessary with all members. Because of our extensive performance schedule, Rita's efforts literally reach and enrich over a thousand souls each year!

4. March 6, 2012 at 10:20 am | Posted by Kris Lyons

   Volunteers for kids plus by doing various duties, writes a weekly newspaper column on updates and happenings in the community. She is very dedicated in helping children learn to read and gives all of herself to help each child.

5. March 6, 2012 at 11:26 am | Posted by Rita Baresh

   I don't even know where to start to tell you all just what my volunteering means to me. To connect with young and old and see the smiles and the acceptance of hugs wherever I go, I can't begin to explain it all.
   
   The experiences I have had and lessons I have learned; I think writing a book might take me the rest of my life and too heavy to lift in the end.
   The other volunteers from all over the country I have met, talked with on the phone and shared seminars with me have broadened my thinking process beyond words. So much I can bring to every single deed I do every day.
   
   Our Community Director; Vicki along with the gals at Northland Foundation and my family, have given me so much strength to do much of what I am trying to accomplish and they never cease to amaze me with the faith they have in me no matter what I present to them. They are all my rocks!
   
   When you see a child from KIDS Plus or Gener-Reading, the Super Market or a child to tell me how excited he or she was to find a great great grandparent and information even their parents didn’t know, or in the school halls and they run up for that extra hug or say to you, When am I going to see you next?" Wow! It is so beyond words. How can a person not keep going and try to make a difference in someone else's life?
   
   When asked about this nomination, I have to say I hesitated because I don't want any of this to be about me, but when presented with the possibility of helping my favorite organization/s with a wonderful donation, there was no doubt I would accept this wonderful nomination with a huge smile on my face.
   
   I will never stop doing what I am doing when I see what difference it has made for others and for myself as well and I promise if I am selected, I will do everything in my power to do the right thing with the donation.
   
   Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Rita

6. March 6, 2012 at 16:26 pm | Posted by Ron Eastman

   Autumn Voices: furnishes transportation to those in need.
   Organizes and distributes all the music and schedules concerts.
   Notifies all members by email and telephone of any changes to rehearsals and concert times and dates.
   Always lends a hand no matter who you are!
   Very active in KDS Plus/Community for all ages Pavilion Project.
   Nursing Homes: Has raised money for three nursing homes (approximately $9,000.00) for keyboards so residents can enjoy quality keyboard music.
   This is only a partial list of the countless hours she puts in.

7. March 11, 2012 at 15:02 pm | Posted by JoAnn Nyholm

   Rita works tirelessly to help others learn about and appreciate their own genealogy. She does a terrific job of getting young people interested and involved. Her own enthusiasm for the topic is the primary secret to her success. Also, she does not hesitate to help a student outside the classroom; for example, when I personally was stumped in my search, she took my information home over the Christmas holiday break and worked on it for me! She is wholly worthy of this award, and would use it thoroughly to further the progress she has already made in the community! I am proud to nominate Rita Baresh.

8. March 12, 2012 at 14:56 pm | Posted by Bernadine Atchison, Aitkin-Carlton County RSVP Director

   Rita has been registered with us for the past 4 years. She has been volunteering, through Autumn Voices, her time coordinating 48 (these are volunteers who are registered with us) or more volunteers to do muscial presentations all year long. The total hours of all these volunteers in the past year totaled 4,984 hours. This is astounding when you think of the number of people whose lives were brighten because of their music. On top of that, the oppurtunity for volunteers to share a talent of theirs and make a healthly choice. We are blessed to have a volunteer like Rita and feel that she is deserving of this recogntion as a Senior Hero.

9. March 13, 2012 at 12:25 pm | Posted by Eleanor E. Steen

   Organizes music, sets dates for performances, take care of finances, hosts an annual picnic, plans and implements benefits which include CD Sales, and sings in choir. Her contribution is immeasurable.

10. March 13, 2012 at 12:31 pm | Posted by Jean DeRung

    I am a member of Autumn Voices, Rita has been a fantastic leaders, arranges our performance schedule, emails and calls members with our need to know information, orders music and always has everything ready for each performance and practice. She arranged for us to have a CD made of one of our performances, which we sold to the public. The money raised is benefiting a community project initiated by AGE to age.

11. March 13, 2012 at 13:01 pm | Posted by Carol Pelletier

    I think Rita Baresh would be a wonderful candidate for the award. She goes above and beyond the average efforts for the Kids Plus Program in Moose Lake...which is for ALL AGES. She really enjoys the work she volunteers so generously. Her enthusiasm is heart warming & the kids must feel it bouncing from her. I for one do! Carol Pelletier

12. March 13, 2012 at 12:35 pm | Posted by Louise Engstrom

    Rita is totally dedicated to whatever she does – goes many extra miles and is kind and determined to help and to make her dear self available to all. She is a humble heroine to many of all age ages, and has many skills and a huge heart!

13. March 13, 2012 at 13:01 pm | Posted by Vicki Radzak

    <p>KIDS PLUS ASE PROGRAM: Rita is the right hand of our Program Coordinator. We offer the program three days a week, every day Rita prepares snack for 30+ youth, helps shuffle kids to their designated enrichment class and maintains communication with adult volunteer instructors, works one on one with youth during homework time, and also teaches enrichment classes such as knitting and cooking. During the evening she also maintains close relationships with our youth by engaging them in one on one conversations and building close bonds with them-and their parents.</p>
    
    <p>AGE to age Initiative: Rita is the Older Adult Community Representative in our Northland Foundation AGE to age Initiative. She helped to recruit community members to all of our Initiative areas and is active on all three AGE to age committees- our Pavilion Project Committee, Farmer's Market Committee and H.U.G.'s (Helping Unite Generations) Committee. She has attended two National Conferences, helped orchestrate site visits from our funders, and helped orchestrate 40 plus meetings involving our Initiative. Rita single handedly organized a fundraiser for our Pavilion-a Choir Concert &amp; Bake Sale. She had over 30 people of all generations baking in the Home-Ec. room the day before the concert, she also had her fellow Autumn Voices choir members offer their time and energy for the concert. She raised over $3,000 for our Pavilion-did I mention she also had a cd made of the concert and sold over 200 copies?? She donated that money to our Pavilion too! (I think she baked cookies for 2/3 of those 40 plus meetings we've had)</p>
    
    <p>Community Education- Rita has brought the passion of Genealogy to Moose Lake. Not only has she taught classes to our youth in the ASE Program, she wanted to involve families and adults. So, she has been teaching Genealogy classes in the evenings and Saturdays here in our school. With the Northland Foundation grant, we were able to purchase Ancestry.com and Rita is making sure we get our monies worth!! To date, Rita has enrolled over 95 participants in her classes. She refuses to be paid for her time and donates the $5 per person course fee to the Community Education Department. She's been offering these courses for almost two years straight!!</p>
    
    <p>Gener-Readers Program: We are working with sixteen 2nd and 3rd graders every Wednesday over their lunch period, reading and playing some board games. Of course Rita volunteered-and found three more volunteers to boot!! (She bakes Almond bread and cookies for our volunteers to have with their coffee every week too!...I keep telling her "no"...)</p>
    
    <p>Why is she deserving of recognition?</p>
    <p>I can't possibly thank her enough with words. She makes a difference each and every time she enters this building. She was in here 2 weeks ago even though our Program had a break. She came in during the 6th graders lunch hour in order to help a student with her knitting. She contacted the girls' teacher and they worked out this time to knit and visit. This particular youth is living in an environment which places her at a high risk of not succeeding in school, etc.. Rita is a friend, a caring adult and confidant to this young girl. She's like this to everyone though. She'll find a way to help and she'll make it happen.</p>
    <p>I don't know how we'd ever replace the love, companionship, knowledge, friendship and caring that Rita brings to our Moose Lake programs.</p>
    
    <p>Thank you so much for considering Rita for this fine award.<br>
    Sincerely, Vicki Radzak Moose Lake Community Education Coordinator</p>

14. March 14, 2012 at 02:02 am | Posted by Irene Andrews

    Rita Baresh is so deserving of recognition for the teaching of her many skills to KIDS PLUS working with 35 minors for 7 years. She has been a hard worker all her life and still continues to do so because of her love of children and they love her. She also sings with the Choir of Autumn Voices who volunteer their talents throughout the area, and this nominee volunteers her services to this Choir by doing their bookings and bookwork. I respectfully submit Rita Baresh a winner for her outstanding service.

15. March 14, 2012 at 06:29 am | Posted by Jenny B Lokken

    Ms. Baresh has volunteered countless hours enriching the lives of young people through the love of reading and the promotion of music. Ms. Baresh volunteers her time and talents at Moose Lake elementary school assisting children in developing their literacy skills. Ms. Baresh has also opened up her home by designating a specific building that children and young adults gather to play their musical instruments.

16. March 14, 2012 at 22:58 pm | Posted by Melissa Gresczyk

    Rita is an amazing woman. She was the first person in a school environment (above teachers and everyone) to touch my kids lives. I have twin boys who were both diagnosed as ADHD and then were being bullies to a point where they were socially withdrawn, severely depressed and fearful of participating in any organized function. Rita presented a warm friendly face, a gentle voice and an understanding that is unexplainable. She accepted the boys for who they were and taught other kids to see the qualities that my boys had too. She exercised a great deal of patience and adapted whatever she was teaching to be sure that they could learn too. She taught them real life skills, not just the basic activity she was guiding. My boys, for once, in a group setting felt so accepted. They would do anything for Rita and she had an in ate ability to hp them succeed and overcome all of their fears. She turned them into leaders from followers by showing them what they could help other kids learn, by highlighting their strengths and by building self-esteem. The real quality that Rita has though, is that she does this all through natural ability. She is kind hearted and just knows how to touch people. Since my boys were in kids plus, she has had the opportunity to touch many, many other kids. she is recognized throughout our community as a support for our children and has truly impacted every person she has touched.

17. April 27, 2012 at 13:09 pm | Posted by Eva Soderstrom

    True - Rita is the real hero!!!!