The commission’s agenda was comprehensive, with a focus on upcoming events and budget considerations. The Bavarian Blast 5K run, scheduled for July 19, remained a focal point, with sponsorship confirmed and plans underway for promotional materials. The commission’s involvement in the Bavarian Blast Parade set for July 20 was another topic of discussion, with volunteer coordination highlighted as a pressing need. Despite some members expressing unavailability during the event weekend, efforts to organize a quick meeting to finalize volunteer commitments and logistics were proposed.

Further into the meeting, the commission turned its attention to New Ulm Night Out on July 31, with registration already completed. The Brown County Fair, running from August 6 to August 10, also required volunteer support, emphasizing the commission’s active participation in community events.

In addition to these events, the commission revisited its involvement in the South Central Minnesota Pride Fest parade and festival. While previous years had seen participation in the parade, the commission opted out of a vendor booth this year due to existing commitments, although the parade participation received positive feedback in earlier years.

The education committee report shed light on an ongoing community survey initiative. With 18 responses collected, the survey is expected to inform future activities. The possibility of maintaining the survey on a rolling basis was discussed, with plans to use QR codes at upcoming events to encourage further participation. The intention is to gather more information over the summer and evaluate the results in the fall, potentially in October.

An update from the education subcommittee on the “Living Without Limits” initiative outlined plans for quarterly meetings. A general framework was proposed, with topics and potential guest speakers identified. Mid-July was suggested as a target for the first event, pending coordination with NewAt for filming dates. The subcommittee emphasized the importance of leveraging networks to identify and invite speakers who can contribute to discussions on various topics.

The concept of a “human library” was revisited, though challenges in recruiting volunteers to share their stories were noted. The organization requires ten volunteers to share their personal stories, with additional volunteers needed to facilitate the interactions. Past experiences suggested recruitment could be difficult, although training provided by the human library organization would assist in maintaining a respectful environment. The commission recognized the need for more active participation to ensure the initiative’s success, with specific topics like low vision and developmental delays identified as focal points.

Promotional items such as stickers, lip balm, and magnets were briefly mentioned, with orders already placed to ensure availability at upcoming events. Legislative updates were also a point of discussion, with a focus on monitoring changes at both state and federal levels, particularly concerning healthcare access and food security.