LOCAL BRIEFS
Great in 2008: It's Sertoma's Super Bowl
At first glance, hosting the 2008 Regional Convention for the Great Plains Region of Sertoma International might not seem to have a lot in common with hosting a Super Bowl. But the similarities are striking.
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In order to become the host for the event, a city has to present a proposal outlining the advantages of their site. The Brainerd Noon Sertoma Club has been in the bidding process for several years to host a regional convention for Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Sertoma is an international organization of more than 650 clubs that raises $20 millions or more annually for local community service projects.
The Brainerd Noon Sertoma Club won its bid this year and expects upward of 350 people to attend the regional convention May 1-3 at Madden's Resort in East Gull Lake.
Chelsey Hettver (center) was named Crow Wing County Junior Dairy Princess for 2008 at a recent banquet. Ambassadors will be Ashley Moe (left) and Chad Edelman.
Many exciting events are planned, including a presentation by an national renowned speaker, the 20th anniversary of the Swingin' Sertomans, formed to entertain that first convention in Brainerd, and a golf scramble planned to benefit Camp Sertoma, a flagship effort started by the late Jon Haapajoki to provide outdoor education for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. This event is looking for teams to participate, local sponsors for holes and prize donations. Contact Rory Coit at 838-6788 for more information.
Also involved in the convention planning is the Sunrise Sertoma Club of Brainerd.
- Brainerd Noon Sertoma Club
Rookie Sertomans make donation to Brainerd Therapy Connection
The 2007-2008 rookie class of Sertomans presented a donation to Brainerd Therapy Connection on March 12 at the Brainerd Noon Sertoma Club meeting.
Rookie Sertomans Jeff Fitch and Anna Gorecky presented a check for $1,318.31 to Holly Ailts with dogs Cleo and Sage, Susan Thurlow with Maeve, Karen Johnson with Chase and Susan Voss with Katie.
These four core members of the Brainerd Therapy Connection, which was started in the fall of 2007, shared their experiences with the group. The money raised by the rookies will help them expand their program to include training, coordinated the scheduling of dog visits and promoting the program.
Ailts said the benefits of taking a dog to visit in an environment such as a nursing home, assisted living facility or other health care facility. Interaction with therapy teams provides socialization, mental stimulation, physical contact, entertainment, conversation, acceptance and much more.
Energy focus of Unlimited Learning program
With increased concern about the finite supply of fossil fuels and global warming, nuclear energy is again on the front burner.
On April 15, Rolf Westgard will share what he learned about future energy sources at the Nobel Conference on Energy in October 2007. The Unlimited Learning program is scheduled from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Hallett Center in Crosby.
Westgard is a member of the American Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Geological Society of America. He frequently speaks to civic groups on the subjects of peak oil and alternative energy sources.
Unlimited Learning offers monthly programs for all adults who love learning and enjoy exploring new and varied interests as well as connecting with people. Members of Unlimited Learning attend free; non-members pay $6 per session.
For further information on this and other programs, contact Larry Foote at (218) 678-3034 or e-mail llfoote@mlecmn.net.
Tony Miller was one of 16 Forestview fifth-graders who won new bicycles during "I Love To Read" month in February. The bicycles were donated by members of the Brainerd Masonic Lodge.
Visit the Unlimited Learning Web site at www.ci.k12.mn.us and select the community education link.
Unlimited Learning programs are made possible in part by a grant from the Minnesota Humanities Committee.
Morrison County Fair planning under way
LITTLE FALLS - The Morrison County Fair Board is currently planning for the county fair, which begins July 24, and has established Pioneer Day.
Pioneer Day will honor the county's early settlers and step back in time with a day of show-and-tell and visitor participation, including hands-on demonstrations. There also will be a fashion show contest for best-of-era costumes.
For more information on Pioneer Day, call June Brutscher at (320) 745-2280 or Dorothy Lindquist at (320) 632-6082.
Garrison Lions spring style show planned
The Garrison Lions will host their annual spring style show May 27 at Ruttger's on Bay Lake.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. with social hour; dinner will be served at 6 p.m.
The style show will feature new spring styles from Herberger's, Ruttger's Country Store and Royal Expressions in Baxter. Shopping spree raffles for the three stores and a silent auction featuring many hand-crafted items also are scheduled.
Cost for the style show with dinner is $25. Reserved seating and tickets may be purchased from any Lions member. All proceeds from go toward non-traditional scholarships.
For more information, call Betty at (218) 678-2141 or Georjann at (320) 692-4439.
Chokecherry Festival scheduled Aug. 15-16
PEQUOT LAKES - The members of the Pequot Lakes/Breezy Point Lions Club are making preparations to host the first annual Chokecherry Festival on Aug. 15-16 in Pequot Lakes.
The Festival will feature an art and craft fair Aug. 16. That evening, enjoy live music and a street dance at the Pequot Lakes American Legion. Fashionable chokecherry attire as well as a variety of chokecherry products will be available for purchase.
The Pequot Lakes/Breezy Point Lions Club wants to celebrate the fact that the area harvests hundreds of pounds of chokecherries every year. Local enthusiasts wish to draw attention to this previously ignored and maligned fruit.
Public grand openings set for CLC expansions
Central Lakes College has scheduled April 3 grand openings for two new building expansions. The events are public celebrations to recognize the completion of $6 million in construction on the Brainerd and Staples campuses.
At 10:30 a.m., the college will hold a short program that will include music by instrumental and vocal students and a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the 4,500-square-foot music rehearsal facility on the Brainerd campus.
At 1:30 p.m., a program with ribbon-cutting is scheduled on the heavy equipment operation and maintenance campus west of Staples, where the college has recently completed a state-of-the-art maintenance facility. The expansion totals 30,000 square feet.
The Legislature in 2005 approved the construction projects. Hundreds of students in music and heavy equipment courses have been making use of the new facilities since the start of the 2008 spring semester.
Chelsey Hettver named Junior Dairy Princess
Chelsey Hettver, daughter of Cheryl and Tony Hettver, Brainerd, was named Junior Dairy Princess and recipient of the Congeniality Award at the recent 2008 Crow Wing County Dairy Banquet.
Ashley Moe, daughter of Vincent and Debbie Moe, Fort Ripley, and Chad Edelman, son of Loren and Kathy Edelman, Fort Ripley, were selected as 2008 Dairy Ambassadors. Assistant ambassadors are Dan Nesheim, Jennifer Koering, Tyler Edelman, Shantel Koering, Rebecca Thompson, Inga Wicklund and Greg Koering.
Cold Stone Creamery in Baxter was awarded the Butterknife Award for serving real dairy products. The Crow Wing County Fair Association was the recipient of the Milk Pitcher Award for promoting the dairy industry by installing an exhibitor-friendly milking parlor, Kids Kountry and hosting dairy-related activities on Ag Day.
'I Love To Read' month celebrated at Forestview
As a way to promote literacy among Forestview Middle School fifth-graders, members of the Brainerd Masonic Lodge donated 16 new bicycles and four $20 bills for February's "I Love To Read" month. Book World donated $5 gift certificates to the 18 winners of the book-marker contest.
The bikes were given to fifth-graders during a drawing March 6. To qualify for the giveaway, students were given tickets to enter the drawing for every "I Love to Read" activity they successfully completed. The activities included book-marker contests, a read-a-thon, summary paragraphs written of Mystery Reader Books and completing a book club book.
More than 500 students, teachers and Masons attended the presentation. Masons attending were Glenn Brown, Jack Meyer, Ron Burnard, Gary Whiteman and Steve Johnson.
Students winning bicycles were Tyler Dahl, Cheyenne Macho, Jake Zelinske, Bryn Miller, Nicole Steffey, Dylan Laughton, Taylor Eide, Rustie Ryan, Mallory Evenson, Dakota Jeffers, Larissa Arntz, Carter Reece, Tony Miller, Grace Gammello, Andy Hopps and Alicia Moe.
Students winning $20 bills were Ariana Huber, Andrusia Karels, Reilly Peterson and Keith Hall.
Runner, cyclist to sign books Wednesday
LITTLE FALLS - Dick Beardsley, author of "Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race," will sign books from 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bookin' It in downtown Little Falls, and Carolyn Held, author of "Pedal Pushing Passion," will sign books from 3:30-5 p.m.
In his book, Beardsley - who ran the Boston Marathon in record time in 1982 - tells of personal tragedies and his battle against addiction to painkillers.
In her book, Held gives a state-by-state account of riding a bicycle across America. Finding those extra gears in life is the message she now brings to readers and listeners.
For more information, visit www.bookinitontheweb.com or call (320) 632-1848.