Maybe you've heard the news. After nearly two decades as Executive Director, Tom Rau will retire at the end of this year.

Tom has led our organization through major changes and trying times, overseeing the expansion of our facilities, the creation of new programs and the work we do every day to help feed those who need food and help our neighbors to succeed. Tom has been a mentor and friend, and we are sad to see him go at the same time that we wish him and his wife, our Community Learning Center Coordinator Marcy Rau, all the best in their retirement. 

It also means we at The Neighbors' Place are looking forward to a new chapter.

And please take a moment to read the local coverage of Tom's tenure and his upcoming retirement. WSAU radio and WSAW-TV covered the news. And the Wausau Daily Herald wrote a lovely profile of Tom that we enjoyed (subscrption):

Working at The Neighbors' Place was fitting, Rau said, having grown up during the age of peace and love in the 1960s.

"I'm kind of an old hippie, and this is kind of the perfect place for me to end up working." he said. "Because we'd always thought back when I was a young man in college that we would have all these problems solved, you know? There will be no hunger, there will be no war. Well, we didn't solve it all, but it's nice to have been able to work for almost two decades at a place really doing the work."

Read the whole story here (subscription).

Thanks, Tom, for your years of dedication!