ESTHER

Building community, sharing hope, and standing for justice since 2004

Celebrating ESTHER’s

Anniversary events: 7/27 Classical Guitar Concert • 8/22 Summer Gathering & Cookout
• 10/5 Walk with NAMI • 10/8 Justice in Crisis Movie & Panel • 11/16 Banquet

Learn more at 20 years of ESTHER

Lights of Hope: 4th Annual WI Recovery, Celebration, and Memorial Walk

Posted in

Mental Health Advocacy

September 11, 2022: LIGHTS OF HOPE

The 4th Annual WI Recovery Celebration and Memorial Walk
Raise Awareness about Addiction, Celebrate Recovery and Help Those Impacted by Loss

City Park, 500 E. Franklin St, Appleton, WI.
Walk starting at 4:00pm.
$18 for adults and $10 for children under age 17.

Local and National Speakers, Silent Auction, Recovery Resource Tables, Narcan Training
Subs and Water will be proved after the event
The fee includes a t-shirt, memorial sign and water.

Please arrive no later than 3:30pm for registration and T-shirt pick up.
Get signed up today Here

September 10: FREE Documentary Screening of Tipping the Pain Scale

Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 Bluemound Drive, Appleton
Room 170 ABC Parking Lot, North Entrance 16
3:00 Viewing the Film
5:00 PM Panel with Joseph Green, Travis Sacket, Bev Kelley-Miller, Patrick Danforth

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Online Organizer Training hosted by WISDOM

Date:

Thursday, August 25, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Date:

Thursday, September 1, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Date:

Thursday, September 8, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Date:

Thursday, September 15, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Date:

Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Location:

Zoom

WISDOM is hosting a 5-Week Online Organizer Training starting on August 25 and continuing for five Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00 pm.

The course covers the basics of the kind of community organizing WISDOM affiliates (including ESTHER) do. We'll talk about the “Attitudes and Disciplines” of Organizing, One-on-Ones, Issues and Actions, Effective Meetings and Team-building. Past attendees have found these sessions to be very helpful and energizing. They are good for anyone, including “veterans,” who may be looking for a refresher. (During breakout groups, they have a lot to share.)

This training is especially helpful for people who are getting involved with a WISDOM affiliate but have not yet had a chance to go to Weeklong Training and would appreciate seeing the “big picture” of what we're trying to do. People from other justice-seeking organizations are also welcome to join in.

The training series is free of charge. We do ask that people register only if they are reasonably confident that they will be able to attend at least 4 of the 5 sessions.

Strive to Thrive Week: August 22-26, 2022

Strive to Thrive Poster Image Imagine Fox Cities is an inclusive community-wide initiative created to be intentional about shaping the future of the Fox Cities when it comes to well-being.

During Strive to Thrive Week August 22-26, Imagine Fox Cities will once again unite the Fox Cities to help advance the four pillars of the vision, which are:

Kids get off to a great start to life
An economy that works for all
Thriving natural and cultural spaces that bring us together
Everyone feels like they belong

From hands-on workshops to local events and guided site visits of places that connect us, join us in showing up for one another.

Find a detailed schedule and registration links on the Imagine Fox Cities website at https://imaginefoxcities.com/thrive

Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities Annual Community Cookout

Posted in

Events

Date:

Saturday, August 13, 2022 - 11:00am - 3:00pm

Location:

Jefferson Park, 989 Kargus Drive, Menasha

Enjoy food, entertainment, children's games, conversations, and more as we celebrate the broad spectrum of diversity in our communities.

Menominee Nation Pow Wow

Posted in

Native Peoples

Date:

Friday, August 5, 2022 (All day) - Sunday, August 7, 2022 (All day)

Location:

Woodland Bowl, Keshena, WI

Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote

Posted in

Advocacy

Date:

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 - 6:30pm

Location:

Menasha Public Library

This is a public screening of Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote. This film shines light on the dark corners of our country's voting processes, including the increase of vote-restricting laws passed through legislation prior to, during and after the 2020 election cycle. Panel discussion following the film. Sponsored by ESTHER and the League of Women Voters of Appleton-Fox Cities

Neenah Menasha InterTribal Pow Wow

Posted in

Date:

Saturday, September 16, 2023 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Location:

Shattuck Park, Neenah, WI

Be sure to attend the annual InterTribal Pow Wow at Shattuck Park in Neenah. There will be drum groups, dancers, food, and other vendors. You will not want to miss this popular event!

Come early to attend the Neenah Farmers Market and hear Native American musician Clinton Miller.

Sponsored by Neenah Historical Society, Menasha Historical Society and Neenah-Menasha Intertribal Powwow

More info at the Pow Wow Facebook Page

ESTHER’s Lead Organizer, Bill Van Lopik, Stepping Down

After almost six years of dedicated work with ESTHER, Bill Van Lopik has decided to step down from his position as Lead Organizer. He will begin his well deserved time of retirement at the end of June of this year. ESTHER will miss this gentle man’s presence with his effective style of leadership.

It is a leadership that flows from his lifelong awareness of, sensitivity to and passion for marginalized people living under systemic injustices. Bill has a unique ability to reach out to people, listen to them intently and make them feel welcomed in his presence. It was that grace that allowed others to share their own passion for injustices and then to become part of existing ESTHER task forces or to begin new ones.

Bill Van Lopik’s Retirement Letter

May 2, 2022

Dear Friends,

I began working as a community organizer with ESTHER in 2016. My goal was to continue the successes of my predecessors in building a powerful and respected social justice organization in NE Wisconsin. Over the course of the last 6 years ESTHER has indeed grown in terms of budget, membership, task forces, and the issues which we have won. In retrospect, I am the one who has grown and been blessed over the years by the incredible volunteers, donors and leaders who are the lifeblood of the organization. It is within this context that I have decided that now is an appropriate time for me to retire from full-time organizing with ESTHER on July 1.