For The Children

Another beautiful day at the Bus Shelter and a great turnout.
Fr. Thomas Joseph, Pastor Keith Homstad and Zulema Nieves did a beautiful job blessing the shelter.

The sun shone brightly through the windows on faces of the children coming home from school and members from the community. You can read more on an article from the Faribault Daily News, Sat. Jan. 28. http://www.faribault.com/. If you can't get in to read it on the website or don't get the paper let me know and I'll email you the article at fpsm@rconnect.com

Thanks to all attending, helping, and Brushwork for donating the beautiful sign, (For The Children), a nice touch, and Jason for putting it up and doing some more work on and around the shelter.

Thanks also to Julie Fox for doing a video for F.C.T.V. and Faribault Daily News for publicity.

Have a gentle day, Milo












Faribault Diversity Coalition

Bus Shelter, a Community Project, by Bob Kell

Faribault Diversity Coalition: January 2006

Dedication and Blessing of New Bus Shelter

Dedicación y Bendición de la Nueva Parada de Autobus

Cannon River Mobile Home Community
January 27, 2006 3 p.m.

A Community Project

As members of one Faribault community, we are all connected to one another. We are neighbors.

That makes us interested in one another’s well-being and in the common good. We think about the children among us, the sick, the elders, the families, the workers. We want a community of respect and justice for all.

When we ask, our neighbors can tell us what they are thinking, what they see, what they feel. When we listen, we understand how to join hands.

This bus shelter was born of a conversation between neighbors. It speaks of parents’ concern for their children, of the interest of neighbors to help, of a spirit of community generosity.

May it always be more than a roof and four walls. May this shelter be a symbol of our bond as neighbors. May we work together to be a community of caring, respect, and understanding for all among us.

Un Proyecto de una Comunidad

Como miembros de una sola comunidad de Faribault, somos todos conectados uno a otro. Somos vecinos.

Esto nos hace interestados en el bien-estar de cada uno y en el bien común. Pensamos en los niños entre nosotros, en los enfermos, los ancianos, las familias, los trabajadores. Queremos una comunidad de respeto y justicia para todos.

Cuando preguntamos, nuestros vecinos pueden decirnos lo que piensan, veen, y sienten. Cuando escuchamos, entendemos como juntar nuestras manos.

Esta parada de bus empezó con una conversación entre vecinos. Expresa el cuidado de padres para sus niños, el deseo de vecinos de ayudar, y un espíritu de generosidad comunitaria.

Que se ve siempre como más de un techo y cuatro paredes. Que esta parada sea un símbolo de nuestros lazos como vecinos. Trabajemos juntos para ser una comunidad de cuidado, respeto, y entendimiento para todos entre nosotros.
Gracias…..Thank You
Queremos expresar nuestra gratitud a los que han ayudado a llevar este proyecto a cabo.
We want to express our gratitude to those who have helped to make this project a reality.
--The Faribault Transportation Co. (Tom Merrill)
--Dan Buuck, architect and city inspector
--Tom’s Pro Glass
--Cedar Lake Electric, por los hoyos
--Hilary Caron, por su permiso y contribución
--Julie Trnka, por su apoyo
--Gwen Jackson, School Superintendent
--Greg Kruschke and Al Ernste, city inspectors
--Jason Quast, South Central College student/foreman
--Greg Caron, carpintero
--Milo Larson, carpintero/communicator
--The Blue Cross Foundation, por los fondos
--personas que contribuyeron dinero: Dolores Proa, Diana Garza, Kathy Fennelly, un bibliotecaria, los feligreses de Divina Misericordia, otros…
--Jorge Diaz y su papa
--Roberto, por su ayuda
--Irma Mendoza y familia, por compartir la luz
--Margarita Mendoza, por pan y café
--las mujeres anónimas que compartieron comida
--los niños quienes nos animaron con su interés
--South Central College, por todo su apoyo
--Ron Holmblad, por preparar el terreno
--I & S Engineering, por su ayuda con el diseño
--Met-Con, por su ayuda con los materiales
--Richard Larson, Faribault Police, por su ayuda
--Mike Meillier, Dan Burns, Larry Lundblad, Bob Kell

Blessing of the bus shelter

Faribault Diversity Coalition
Greg Caron had an accident while finishing the trim on the shelter, his step ladder broke and he landed on the ice breaking his collarbone. He'll be laid up for awhile, please send him your good wishes. His email is: gcaron@netscape.com


There will be a blessing of the Bus Shelter, this Friday, Jan. 27th, at 3 p.m., as kids are getting off the bus.

Refreshments will be served. Please join us for this wonderful occasion.


Thanks, Milo

It's a Bus Shelter

Happy New Year,

We finally did it! Greg Caron, Bob Kell, Dan Burns, and myself really had fun today. 35 degrees and each window we put up made the shelter warmer.

This was one day where everything we did showed. The paneling around the windows look great and shuts out the wind and weather.

At the end of this blog are pictures starting Dec. 8th, 2005 - Jan. 7th, 2006.

We just have some finishing touches to do, close in the open spaces between the rafters, and some roof trim. We'll get that finished up this coming week. The kids will finally get to use it starting Monday.

It was quite a ride with the different temperatures. Starting the first two weeks of construction it was below 0 and windy and ending in the 20's and 30's the last two weeks.

I wish to thank all helped with the physical work and those who gave donations to this project, it was a work of love by all.

A big thank you to South Central College for their help and use of their facilities for cutting, storing and construction help and to Jason Quast, S.C.C. student who led the way with his expertise and was our fearless leader.

I will have pictures for anybody that wants them at our next Diversity Coaliton meeting.

Below is a list of doners, and a journal of the past weeks.

Kathy Fennelly - Professor, Humphrey Institute,
Nalani McCutcheon
Tom & Danalee Merrill
Hillary Caron
Anonymous Donor
Blue Cross Foundation
Shari L. Ober,Librarian, St. Paul
Divine Mercy Catholic Church, Spanish 2nd Collection
Linda Letts, Rochester
Tom'’s Pro Glass
DJ - MetCon
Ron Holmbladd
Cedar Lake Electric
Some residents from the park brought food and drink each time we worked.

Total Donations $4053.24

Workers on site:
Jason Quast, Bob Kell, Dan Burns, Greg Caron, Larry Lundblad, Mike Meillier, Richard Larson, Dan Zielske, Jorge Diaz, Jairo Diaz, and Milo Larson.

Dec. Planning: Bob Kell, Mike Monge, Dan Buuck - City of Faribault, I & S Engineering who checked plans over, Greg Kruschke - Zoning Administrator, Al Ernste City - Building Inspector, Julie Trnka and Tom Merrill for assistance in determining the site.

If anybody has been left out, please let me know.

Thanks again for all your support, this has indeed been a labor of love for all of us.

Have a gentle day, Milo




























12-8-05 Dan Burns, Cedar Lake Electric, dug holes for post

12-9-05: Greg Caron, Bob Kell, Milo Larson, mix and poor cement in post holes.

12-10-05: Larry Lundblad, Dan Burns and Jason Quast, a student at South Central that's leading us with his expertise in our endeavor. Greg Caron, Richard Larson, Dan Zielske, Bob Kell, Mike Meillier, Milo Larson, Jorge Diaz, Karie Tobin taking pictures. - aligning post

12-14-05: Jason Quast, Greg Caron, Bob Kell, cut boards, started roof.

12-17-05: Dan Burns, Bob Kell, Mike Miellier, Jason Quast, Jorge and his dad, Jairo Diaz, and Milo Larson - put on side boards for windows, continued on roof braces.

12-18-05: Dan Burns talked at Divine Mercy Catholic Church Mass about the Bus Shelter and the Diversity Coalition, 2nd collection was made.

12-20-05: Bob Kell, Jason Quast, & Greg Caron worked on Roof, worked on roof beams

12-21-05: Bob Kell, Jason Quast, & Greg Caron worked on roof, finished roof beams, and side boards for windows.

12-28/29-05: Bob Kell, Jason Quast, & Greg Caron worked on roof

12-31-05: Richard Larson, Larry Lundblad, Greg Caron, Dan Burns, Jason Quest, and myself, worked on Roof, readying for shingles.

1-4-06: Bob, Jason & Greg put on drip caps, Fascia boards and shingles on one side. (Bad news, Jason received notice that his Grandfather died.)

1-5-06: Bob, Jason & Greg finished shingling.

1-6-06: Bob & Greg started windows.

1-7-06: Bob, Dan, Greg and Milo finished windows, and panels around windows. Cleaned up site.

1-21-06: Greg and Bob worked on trim

1-21-06: Greg and Milo worked on trim. Greg fell off small wooden ladder when leg broke on ladder. Greg broke his collarbone and a few cuts and bruises, will be out of commission for awhile.