For the past two years, Sustainable Fox Valley has been supporting the work of the Appleton Neighborhood Voice, an association of residents living just north of Appleton's downtown.  Their goal is to make their neighborhood more livable and sustainable.  The initial focus has been on Arbutus Park, located in one of Appleton's few remaining ravines, which had developed a reputation as an unsafe place.  Summer evening social events and hours of community gardening are transforming the park -- the only one within safe walking distance for the neighborhood's children -- back into a community gathering place and an urban oasis of native wildflowers.   For more information about the history of the project:  Columbus Neighborhood Project 

In 2011, with support from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region's Environmental Stewardship Fund, we are engaging children and youth in the installation of a butterfly garden in Arbutus Park. We are also supporting the creation of a butterfly motif wall mosaic that will stand in the park as a permanent inspiration for the neighbors' ongoing efforts, and a reminder that a strong community is made up of lots of diverse pieces.  We are collecting 100% of the mosaic materials from household donations of ceramic, stone, metal, glass or plastic - buttons! tiles! toy and game pieces! dishes! colored glass bottles! etc.  If you have some used household items that you would like to see incorporated into the mosaic, please contact Julie Filapek at 920-284-5404 or at julief@sustainfv.org.  This project received collaborative financial support from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin.