A note from the webeditor: This story is from last fall, but it is worth bringing to everyone's attention as Lisa Jenks shared this as a method of PR for your clubs in her recent TELI presentation. With spring right around the corner (really!) the weather will soon be warmer and you won't mind a few hours of work outside - this is a great way to help your community while promoting your clubs!

Submitted by Lisa Jenks, September 2009
The Marsh Winds volunteer clean up crew once again had a great time cleaning their adopted Minnetonka roadway - and this time it was a BEAUTIFUL fall day!! Truly a fantastic bonding and community building event!

We can tell you that it is amazing what you find alongside the road. One of our volunteers declared that smokers, drinkers and fast food eaters are essentially the bane of clean roadways, and we all concurred. Two of us were greeted by an adorable poodle mix dog along the way, who introduced us to its owner. During the course of our lovely visit, our host inquired about Marsh Winds Toastmasters, and she was quite enthusiastic about coming to one of our meetings, and bringing her husband, too! Unfortunately I decided at the last moment that there was no need to carry our new business cards! Note to self - NEVER leave home without them!

Thank you, Marsh Winds members, for contributing to the betterment of our community!

Marsh Winds Toastmasters would like to challenge other clubs to adopt a roadway! You can promote your club, get exercise, bond with your fellow Toastmasters and smile with pride as you make a positive contribution to your community. The process of adopting a roadway is a simple one. Just contact your local county (Hennepin County call 612-596-0300) or MNDOT (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/adopt/contact.html) to find out what roads are unclaimed in your area. Some cities also have adopt-a-highway programs.

Once you receive your assignment, your club is responsible to walk the roadway two or three times each year and collect trash. It took us two to three hours, with five volunteers, to complete our two mile stretch. Your club will receive recognition in the form of two prominent road signs with your club name, one at each end of your roadway. And it does more than just put your club name in the spotlight – it says something positive about the kind of organization and clubs we have, by giving back to our communities.