■ Birthday celebrations By RICHARD LEE Age 12 Brainerd My birthday lands near Christmas. Each year my mom plans a birthday party that ends up getting cancelled due to a blizzard.

■ The Christmas surprise By OLIVE SLYE Age 78 Emily It was Dec.

Many families who celebrate the Christmas holiday tend to do so with at least one big, home-cooked meal. For some, the main meal may be on Christmas Eve, for others on Christmas Day, or both.

Blood donation stop planned for Emily EMILY - The Red Cross Bloodmobile, sponsored by the Lakers Lions of Emily, Outing and Fifty Lakes, will conduct its first of three blood drives this year from noon to 6 p.m. Jan.

By Sgt. CURT S. MOWERS Minnesota State Patrol Question: Is there a certain safe level for blood sugar for a person who has diabetes? I know a high blood sugar level affects being able to drive safely.

Meet David, a second grader from Brainerd. He is 8 years old and, to use his words, is hoping for a "grown-up friend". David lives with his grandparents and older sister and has no contact with his parents.

You may have seen information on our instant notification system called Nixle in the past.

■ Students complete heavy equipment program STAPLES - Central Lakes College honored fall 2012 graduates of its Heavy Equipment Operations and Maintenance and Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology programs on Nov.

Each gift - one by one - wrapped to perfection with ribbons and bows, ready to be placed under the Christmas tree. Not everyone is good at wrapping the perfect present or would rather not want the hassle - and if that is the case, you are in luck.

Gift of life We want to express our thanks to all who helped in any way to make the recent blood drive on Nov. 29 a success in Garrison. We collected 46 units that day.