LOCAL BRIEFS

NISSWA - The monthly meeting of the Nisswa Garden Club will feature a garden tour Aug. 28.

The group will meet at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa at 8:15 a.m. and buses will leave at 8:30 a.m. Several local gardens will be visited during the morning, followed by a picnic lunch.

Cost including lunch is $10 for members and $15 for guests. Those interested in attending should call Marie at 963-7494 by noon Monday to make a reservation.

Exploring with Zebulon Pike

Charles Lindbergh State Park in Little Falls will host "Exploring With Lieutenant Pike" at 7 p.m. Saturday at the park's picnic shelter.

In 1805, Pike led an expedition into what is now Minnesota to explore the Mississippi River. Come find out who Pike was and why some consider him a success and others a failure

For more information, call (320) 616-2525.

Expo set Saturday, Sunday

The Wadena Soil and Water Conservation and Wildlife Expo is scheduled Saturday and Sunday at the Wadena County Fairgrounds, U.S. Highway 10, Wadena.

Admission is $5 a day, with children 14 and under free.

Events include a trap shoot, turkey shoot, free presentations, archery competition, bird-house building for kids, Minnesota Zoo presentations, dog agility course, nature photography and trail camera photo contest. Numerous vendors also will be on hand.

For more information, call (218) 631-3195 or go to www.mn.nrcs.usda. gov/partnerships/wadena.

Tour of Colors Bike Ride set

The Pequot Lakes School Patriot Foundation's Tour of Colors Bike Ride is scheduled Sept. 20.

The ride will begin and end at the Wildwedge Golf Center, 2 miles north of Pequot Lakes on Highway 371. Two ride routes offer choices of 24 or 40 miles. All riders will start between 7 and 9 a.m. Families are encouraged to participate in the recreational ride.

The routes will circle the Whitefish Chain and follow the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway. The 40-mile ride will include two rest stops, the 20-mile ride one.

Cost of the ride is $25. T-shirts will be given to all riders registered prior to Sept. 5. At-site registration is offered the day of the race.

Registration forms may be picked up at the Pequot Lakes Chamber office, Cycle Path & Paddle or by calling Jim Oraskovich at 568-4774 or Ray Niemann at 543-6448. All riders will have the chance to win a new Diamondback multi-speed bike.

The Patriot Foundation is a tax-exempt organization that raises funds to support school programs and activities to further educational needs of the Pequot Lakes School District.

Ducks Unlimited event set

The Paul Bunyan Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host Sportsman's Night Out at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at The Lodge in Baxter

Tickets are $25 in advance only, which includes a Ducks Unlimited yearly membership, an all-you-can-eat-and-drink dinner and a chance at a gun (if you wear a camouflage or blaze orange shirt). Raffles also are planned, with prizes for the deer hunter, waterfowler, fisherman and upland game hunter.

For tickets, call Eric Carder at (218) 851-6550 or Travis Miller at (218) 831-0717 or go to www.ducksevents.org

Local 4-H members compete

Several local 4-H members competed at the Arab Youth National recently during Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque.

In the intermediate hippology competition, Alexis Visser, 13, won the Grand National Championship in the 10-13 age division in the exam and horse judging phase. Tara Saley, 14, was awarded Grand National Championship in the exam phase in the 14-18 age division.

The team coach is Briana Visser.

ATV safety training scheduled

The Cuyuna Iron Range Riders ATV/OHV club has scheduled an ATV safety training class for youths ages 11-15 (certificate is valid when student turns 12). Students who complete the classroom and field test may legally ride an ATV over 90cc.

The class is scheduled at 9 a.m. Sept. 27 at the Power Lodge, 17821 State Highway 371, Brainerd. Pre-registration is required as class size is limited. Cost is $15.

Before attending the class, students must complete an independent study course. The CD rom course is free through the DNR Information Center at (888) 646-6367 and the Enforcement Safety Training office at (800) 366-8917. You also may visit the DNR Web site at www.DNR.state.mn.us. Click on education and safety training. Students must provide their own ATV, helmet and goggles for field training.

For more information, contact Jason Winter at (218) 829-2191 or e-mail ATVSafety@cuyunaironrangeriders.com.