EAU CLAIRE - Viral comedian Charlie Berens is joining western Wisconsin residents and citizen groups, Great Lakes Neighbors United and GROWW (GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin) for a two-day event focused on the growing impact of hyperscale data centers across the state.

The weekend will include a live set by Berens, musical guests, community conversations, educational presentations, and opportunities for residents to connect with neighbors concerned about large-scale data center development in Wisconsin.

• Saturday, June 13: Charlie Berens Headlines Regional Event at 6 p.m. at High Country, 5633 20th Ave, Eau Claire WI 54703
• Sunday, June 14: Neighborhood Summit at 1 p.m. at Knappa Valley, E681 751st Ave, Knapp, WI 54749

“We’re coming together to get clear on the risks and our response to nearly a dozen proposed hyperscale data centers, and also to connect, laugh and have a good time,” Danny Akenson of GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW) says. “Regular people aren’t going to sit back while our homes, land and water are sold off to AI and tech corporations. We know if we get organized we have the power to make sure western Wisconsin is a place we can call home for generations to come.”

Blaine Halverson, a Menomonie resident and volunteer with Great Lakes Neighbors United (GLNU) says, “This isn't just another public meeting or policy presentation. People remember what they feel long after they forget specific facts or statistics. And when they emotionally connect to each other and to the place they love, the educational side lands in a much more meaningful and permanent way.”

With 12 proposed data centers in Wisconsin and recent projects making headlines in towns like Menomonie and Cassville, this regional two-day event aims to help connect and equip neighbors and community leaders to respond to secretive new data center proposals across rural American communities like ours.

“I want them to leave believing in their bones, ‘We BELONG to this place and this place belongs to us. We’re entitled to be heard and counted!’” Halverson said.

This event is free to the public; however, donations will be accepted to help cover event costs. Sponsors making this possible include GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin and Great Lakes Neighbors United.

Sarah Stokes, a local small business owner and New Auburn resident, is one of dozens volunteering time to organize the event. “As a mom and nature lover, there’s nothing more critical to me than the health of our water and precious natural resources. It feels so much better to be proactive than on your heels with a data center application in your lap.”

Register for the Saturday, June 13 event with Charlie Berens here; and the Sunday, June 14 neighborhood summit here. 

GROWW is a grassroots organization based in Western Wisconsin. Together, we work toward a future where we all make ends meet, live with dignity, and have a voice in shaping the decisions that impact us. To get connected or learn more about GROWW, visit us at GRO-WW.org, on Instagram at @GrowWisconsin, or on Facebook at Facebook.com/GROWWisconsin

Submitted by GROWW