Brainerd Sports Boosters to meet at college

After being forced to cancel last week's luncheon meeting, the Brainerd Sports Boosters Club has found a temporary home.

Beginning this week the club will meet noon Thursdays in the "cube" area on the second floor at Central Lakes College. Members and guests are asked to use the entrance on the south side of CLC's addition. The location is handicapped accessible. The meal, catered by CLC food service, will cost $5.75.

Boosters board member Jeff Hilborn said members and guests will be polled at Thursday's meeting about where they would like to see the club meet.

For the last several years the club met at the Moose Lodge in downtown Brainerd. Last week the Moose Lodge informed the club the lodge could no longer host non-member events, such as luncheon meetings for community organizations.

Hilborn said he thought the Moose Lodge worked out well for club meetings.

"But the college was more than willing to accommodate us," he said. "I think this could be an even better deal."

Diver Shaun Kennedy, the Warrior Athlete of the Week Jan. 25, and swimmer Ty Goeman, this week's athlete of the week, will be honored at Thursday's meeting. Girls' nordic skiing coach Pat Lanin will be the speaker.

Non-member events at the Moose Lodge surged into the spotlight after more than 30 Brainerd Rotary Club members became ill following a December luncheon meeting at the lodge.

The regional director of the Loyal Order of the Moose said the Brainerd lodge could no longer host non-member events. He said lodge rules dictate that only members can book events.

The director also said it has been a policy of the Moose organization not to accept income from non-members and that opening a lodge to public events jeopardizes the tax status of the non-profit fraternal organization.