MUCH OBLIGED

On behalf of Community Addiction Recovery Enterprises of Brainerd we would like to thank the Women's Shelter staff and DORCAS for your generous gifts of various personal items to our patients. Your commitment to helping those in need in our community is sincerely appreciated.

The Community Addiction Recovery Enterprises of Carlton program appreciates the help that was given their patients as they had to be evacuated from their building in Carlton and moved to the Brainerd facility. This was due to pipes that burst and caused a great deal of damage to the building.

Wayne Schleppenbach

Program Manager

Community Addiction Recovery Enterprises of Brainerd

Debra Rybos

Program Manager

Community Addiction Recovery Enterprises of Carlton

Deborah Moses

State Wide Director

Community Addiction Recovery Enterprises

Wild and Free

The Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Program Board of Directors gives a great thank you to Josh Goolsbee and staff of Lonesome Pine Restaurant (on Bay Lake) and Ron Bialke of Cash Wise Liquor (in Brainerd). They donated a wonderful dinner in honor of the Wild and Free volunteers who contributed their time to the rehab program during the past year. We deeply appreciate the generosity of Josh and Ron and the support they have shown our program over the years.

Wild and Free board of directors

Nisswa PTO

My most heartfelt thank you to several of our local dining and liquor establishments for their generosity in donating to the "Wine and Dine" fundraising event held in conjunction with the Fourth Bloom Nisswa Fools Auction April 4 at Grand View Lodge.

During these tough economic times, we weren't exactly sure of the response we would receive from local businesses; but were overwhelmed by the wonderful outpouring by so many.

Thanks to Prairie Bay, Iven's on the Bay, McCabes on the Bay, Quarterdeck/Boathouse, The Lodge, Kelly's, 371 Diner, Mickey's of Nisswa, McDonalds, Culvers and Spirits of Nisswa for their contributions to the Wine and Dine event.

Your generosity means so much to our entire community!

Jenny Holmes

Nisswa PTO

Fools Auction Wine and Dine Coordinator

Alley Rally

Thank you to everyone who made our Good Samaritan Bowl Alley Rally, held April 6, a "striking" event!

Many sponsors, volunteers, advisory board members and auxiliary members were in attendance to greet hundreds of bowlers who came to pick up their pledge packets, spin the Rapala "Reel of Fortune" for prizes and enjoy slices of freshly-baked pizza compliments of Brian Findley and his staff from Papa Murphy's. Pop was provided by Karl from Future Vend.

Special thanks to our 2009 Presenting Sponsor Brainerd Lakes Health and some of our other major sponsors who helped make it an extra fun night: Mike Brown, Riddle's Jewelry (also our emcee at Jack's House); Marc Jerzak, Lunker's Baseball Team; Brad Carlson, Minnesota T's; and photographer Joey Halvorson.

And thanks to the Brainerd Dispatch for the wonderful story on bowling volunteer Andy Thomas and the Builders Club bowling pin art project.

Photos of the Good Samaritan Alley Rally and Forestview Builders Club art project can be viewed on: www.goodsambowl.com.

All in all, it was a great kick-off to Good Samaritan Bowl VI, coming up on May 4 at Jack's House in Brainerd and Community Bowl in Pine River.

Liz Csanda, event coordinator

Good Samaritan Bowl

Garden Expo 2009

I would like to thank everyone that attended this year's Garden Expo on April 4 in Baxter and also the many Crow Wing County Master Gardeners that volunteered at this wonderful event. Thank you also to all the vendors, contributors and exhibitors. I would also like to thank Barb Gmeinder and Rita Arns from Lakewood Evangelical Free Church in Baxter for all their assistance with the facilities. Finally, I would like to thank Todd Froemming from Computer One Plus for providing some of the AV equipment used during the event. To all of you, thank you for making this year's garden expo a huge success!

Jackie Froemming

Master Gardener Program