Timeline
December 5th, 2024
General Assembly and Holiday Mixer
If you’ve been unable to attend our monthly General Assembly meetings but want to meet and mingle, join us for a social mixer! This will also be our final meeting of 2024 and will include voting on the 2025 board of director positions.
We’re also gathering gifts to donate to the House of Neighborly Service! Gift cards for grocery stores and restaurants, small toys, puzzles, games, and books for kids, kids’ hats and gloves, and household cleaning and paper products are accepted.
October 14th, 2024
General Assembly for October, 2024
Join us for our October 2024 General Assembly! Learn about our subcommittees for future events and current projects and learn about how we are responding to current events in our community.
We'll be discussing remaining projects/events for the year as well as nominations 2025 board members.
Social Hour starts at 6pm, the meeting officially starts at 6:30pm, come at either time you are able to!
September 15th, 2024
Dedication of a new Peace Pole in Lakeview Park
On July 10th, 2024, Paul Pecha asked the Waterloo Park Board to accept Waterloo Listens’ request to install a Peace Pole in one of Waterloo’s parks.
April 15th, 2024
Bulldogs Belong T-Shirt Fundraiser Kicks off
Local merchant, Philomena+Ruth begins selling a "Bulldogs Belong" t-shirts raising funds and support for the WHS Diversity Club. The t-shirt was designed by local WHS Diversity Club alumni Court Fallon.
March 28th, 2024
Connecting with Purpose social mixer
We held a social mixer for like-minded neighbors from Waterloo and surrounding communities to meet and support one another.
March 26th, 2024
WL Participates in HHS's 2024 Trivia Fundraiser
Waterloo Listens had 2 tables at the HSS Trivia night fundraiser, one of the tables took 2nd place!
March 16th, 2024
Members of Waterloo Listens participated in the WCP 5K
Members of Waterloo Listens came out and participated in the Waterloo Citizens for a Pool annual 5K walk/run.
March 15th, 2024
Waterloo High School Diversity Club hosts a movie night at the Capitol Theatre
Their event was supported with funds from the 50 States, 50 Grants campaign. We received this grant from the It Gets Better Project on the Diversity Club's behalf in 2023.
February 29th, 2024
Waterloo Listens is granted 501(c)(4) status
January 13th, 2024
“Give Peace a Dance”
Peacemakers Celebration for MLK’s Birthday with HSS and Monroe County Democrats Club. Big Brass Blues Band played music for a dance for HSS clients.
December 4th, 2023
Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Lamppost Decoration Contest 2023
Waterloo Listens decorated a lamppost for the 2nd year in a row to participate in the Waterloo Chamber of Commerce 2023 Lamppost Decorating Contest and won 1st place!
October 13th, 2023
Pumpkinfest 2023
Waterloo Listens had volunteers run an information booth at the 2023 Waterloo Pumpkinfest. Volunteers handed out flyers and shared information about WL projects and how to get involved, collected emails for the WL email list, and handed out buttons and stickers with the WL logo.
September 22nd, 2023
Mind Over Miles Walk
Waterloo Listens members participated in the Mind Over Miles Walk and 50th Anniversary Celebration for Human Support Services.
September 11th, 2023
Want to Talk: Communication Tools for Divided Times
Members of Waterloo Listens participated in an education and discussion series from Just Faith Ministries titled "Want to Talk: Communication Tools for Divided Times." Participating members read literature and learned and discussed how to talk to people with diverse opinions about difficult topics. The series started in September 2023 and commenced in December 2023.
September 1st, 2023
International Overdose Awareness Day 2023
Waterloo Listens partnered with Human Support Services and St. Paul United Church of Christ in Waterloo to host an event in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. Professionals who work in the mental health and addiction field, including an employee from HSS, spoke about the impact of substance use disorder and overdoses. First responders from Monroe County EMS spoke about how to prevent and reverse overdoses and their experiences responding to overdoses in the county and demonstrated how to administer Naloxone to reverse an opiate overdose.
July 18th, 2023
WL Supports Trans Youth at WCUSD5 School Board Meeting
Members of Waterloo Listens organize a group members and allies, in total over 50 participants, to attend a WCUSD5 school board meeting to support transgender youth as discussion about the school district's "Gender Identity Policy" continued to draw anti trans rhetoric from community members. WL also shared an official statement supporting transgender students in the district.
June 30th, 2023
3-Year Anniversary Party
Waterloo Listens hosts a 3 year anniversary picnic and potluck at the pavilion at Lakeview Park including yard games, guests from allied organizations and small local businesses, and updates from WL board members about past and future efforts.
June 26th, 2023
Kick off of WCUSD5 Petition
Waterloo Listens board members begin circulating a petition to request that the WCUSD5 school board continue with their new "Gender Identity Policy" and comply with anti-discrimination laws in Illinois.
June 25th, 2023
Welcome Neighbor Supper Club 2023
Waterloo Listens organized a 2nd annual Welcome Neighbor Supper Club with the event space and kitchen provided by the St. Paul United Church of Christ. Refugees from Syria and Afghanistan prepared traditional cultural meals for patrons to raise funds for their future restaurant and catering businesses. Refugees shared their experiences during the program.