MONROE - As former Green County residents make their way back to visit parents and grandparents, FutureForward! members are asking them to consider coming home for more than just the holidays.
"When I graduated, I would have bet a million dollars that I'd never live in Green County again," said Steve Moon, a 1985 Monroe High School graduate. "After living in big and small cities all over the country, I can honestly say nowhere has more to do for me and my family. We truly feel lucky to live in such a beautiful county with such friendly people."
Moon and others with FutureForward! have worked over the past year to make others aware Green County is a place to come home to. Jim Natzke, general manager of Roth Käse USA, Ltd., says Green County isn't seeing the economic drops other parts of the nation are experiencing.
"With our agriculture base, we might not see the economic upward spikes that other places do, but we also don't see the downward trends hit as hard."
FutureForward! wants to get the message out that Green County has a housing economy friendly to the wallet, is a welcoming valley with peace and security, allows for meaningful time to be spent with family and good friends, has rewarding jobs, friendly banks, top-notch medical care and easy access to larger cities.
"As an active person who loves the outdoors, I was thrilled to return to a place where we have outdoor opportunities like biking, golf and fishing right at our doorstep," said Charlie Baumann, who lives and works in Monroe at Swiss Colony.
FutureForward!'s orgins go back to a visit in October 2007 by Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting. Interested county residents listed the assets or advantages of living here. This past summer, those residents put together a brochure called "Welcome Home to Green County, WI."
The brochure highlights the region's affordable living, its choices between small city or country living, proximity to educational offerings and recreational opportunities, among other things.
FutureForward! isn't the only organization working toward bringing young professionals back to Green County. The Green County Development Corporation sponsors an entrepreneur and inventors club to encourage the exchange of support to new businesses. The R. Kubly Foundation offers a scholarship program to aid in earning advanced professional degrees. And the Young Professionals of Green County hold monthly gatherings that focus on networking, education and socializing.
For more information about Green County, visit www.greencountyspotlight.com. For more information on the Future Forward!, go to www.futureforwardgc.com or contact Green County Development Corporation at 328-9452 or e-mail gcdc@tds.net. For information on the Young Professionals of Green County, visit www.ypofgc.com. For an electronic copy of the WOW! Welcome Home! brochure, contact gcdc@tds.net.
"When I graduated, I would have bet a million dollars that I'd never live in Green County again," said Steve Moon, a 1985 Monroe High School graduate. "After living in big and small cities all over the country, I can honestly say nowhere has more to do for me and my family. We truly feel lucky to live in such a beautiful county with such friendly people."
Moon and others with FutureForward! have worked over the past year to make others aware Green County is a place to come home to. Jim Natzke, general manager of Roth Käse USA, Ltd., says Green County isn't seeing the economic drops other parts of the nation are experiencing.
"With our agriculture base, we might not see the economic upward spikes that other places do, but we also don't see the downward trends hit as hard."
FutureForward! wants to get the message out that Green County has a housing economy friendly to the wallet, is a welcoming valley with peace and security, allows for meaningful time to be spent with family and good friends, has rewarding jobs, friendly banks, top-notch medical care and easy access to larger cities.
"As an active person who loves the outdoors, I was thrilled to return to a place where we have outdoor opportunities like biking, golf and fishing right at our doorstep," said Charlie Baumann, who lives and works in Monroe at Swiss Colony.
FutureForward!'s orgins go back to a visit in October 2007 by Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting. Interested county residents listed the assets or advantages of living here. This past summer, those residents put together a brochure called "Welcome Home to Green County, WI."
The brochure highlights the region's affordable living, its choices between small city or country living, proximity to educational offerings and recreational opportunities, among other things.
FutureForward! isn't the only organization working toward bringing young professionals back to Green County. The Green County Development Corporation sponsors an entrepreneur and inventors club to encourage the exchange of support to new businesses. The R. Kubly Foundation offers a scholarship program to aid in earning advanced professional degrees. And the Young Professionals of Green County hold monthly gatherings that focus on networking, education and socializing.
For more information about Green County, visit www.greencountyspotlight.com. For more information on the Future Forward!, go to www.futureforwardgc.com or contact Green County Development Corporation at 328-9452 or e-mail gcdc@tds.net. For information on the Young Professionals of Green County, visit www.ypofgc.com. For an electronic copy of the WOW! Welcome Home! brochure, contact gcdc@tds.net.