CLARIFICATION
Many people helped make the “International Community Festival” in Sartell a crowd-pleaser, but they were not mentioned in the April 28 Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader story about that event. They included, besides Dr. Zurya Anjum, Celebration Lutheran Church Pastor Elizabeth Strenge, as well as the organizing committee for the festival that included church staff and Sartell residents who gave so much time and input to make the event the success it was.
A team of five eighth-graders from Sartell Middle School recently took sixth place at the 2017 Minnesota U.S. Academic Triathlon State Tournament, held in Cottage Grove (Minn.) Middle School. The team, coached by Nicole Maslowski, consists of members (pictured left to right) Nora Steil, Mitchell Grahek, Ashlyn Rogosheske, Charlie Magnuson and Delaney Dinger.
Ethan Klaphake of St. Stephen recently graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering tech from Minnesota State Unversity, Mankato.
Kian Grabinski, 11, of Sartell was recently ranked No. 19 nationally in his age group of BMX racers after completing the Grand Nationals race held in November in Tulsa, Okla. He is one of eight local BMX riders who earned national rankings and whose home track is Pineview Park BMX, St. Cloud. Of the eight local riders that placed, seven of them also placed last year, continuing central Minnesota’s champion legacy. Riders at Pineview BMX have the ability to participate in local, state and national race events, and can qualify to earn a state or national ranking. National age-group rankings are determined by counting a rider’s seven best national race finishes plus their results from the final race of the season, the Grand Nationals race.
WACOSA recently announced it’s the recipient of a $10,000 grant from the Shavlik Family Foundation. The dollars will help WACOSA create a new website with a focus on being more accessible to people with disabilities, increasing internal and external communications, and increasing functionality for phone and tablet users.
Second Harvest Heartland recognizes CentraCare Health as 2017 Hunger Hero
CentraCare Health is a 2017 recipient of Second Harvest Heartland’s annual Hunger Hero awards for making a compassionate and transformational impact on ending hunger.
CentraCare Health received the “Innovation” Hunger Hero Award for a new program that addresses both hunger and health-care needs. The CentraCare Family Health Center partnered with Second Harvest Heartland to pilot a new and innovative program called FOODRx, which tests the health and financial impacts of providing tailored food prescriptions to low-income patients with diabetes.
FOODRx provides food boxes that support healthy eating and the treatment to patients dealing with diabetes or heart disease. The boxes contain nutrient-rich foods that can be quickly prepared for delicious and healthy meals.
One participant, a 53-year-old woman, started using FOODRx in September with a blood glucose level of 11.4. She expresses appreciation for being part of the program and that she uses everything in the box. Since starting the FOODRx program, her blood glucose level has dropped by 2.4 points. Another participant, a 64-year-old man, saw a great improvement in his blood glucose level since starting the FOODRx program, dropping from 10.4 to 6.3.
“It’s exciting to be a part of this program and to see the progress of some of the enrolled patients,” said Paul Schoenberg, director of the CentraCare Family Health Center. “As a registered nurse, I am aware of the importance of good nutrition. Even so, I was surprised by some of the positive results.”
CentraCare Health is one of six award-winning organizations that each represent a critical component to Second Harvest Heartland’s mission of ending hunger through community partnerships: financial, innovation, retail-food rescue, volunteering, awareness and food distribution. Other 2017 winners include Bank of America, Coborn’s Inc., General Mills, Walmart and Taste of the NFL.
To read more about the Second Harvest Heartland Hunger Heroes Awards, visit http://www.2harvest.org/hungerheroes.
State Farm Agent Dan Anderson of Sartell has received the company’s prestigious Chairman’s Circle Award for his St. Cloud office. Anderson, who recently moved his office to 300 23rd Ave. N., has earned this award for the sixth time.
In addition to recognizing an agent’s outstanding sales ability, this top award honors agents who align their business with the long-term direction of the company and who act as advocates for their customers.
Only a select few agents within State Farm receive this honor annually as there are strict qualifying criteria and sales goals that must be met.
Paramount Center for the Arts will have a new director of performing arts, effective June 5. According to Bob Johnson, executive director, “Gretchen Boulka, former marketing and communications director for the National Lutheran Choir will join the Paramount replacing long-time performing arts lead, Laurie Johnson (no relation) who is retiring.” Boulka comes with an extensive background in contracting, marketing, budgeting and more and holds a master’s in arts administration from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
St. Cloud Federal Credit Union recently announced its second annual launch of a community recognition program: ChangeMakers: Giving back to those who make a difference. This partnership with St. Cloud Times Media is intended to highlight people who may get little recognition while doing great things in the community.
For six weeks, one person will be selected to receive the recognition which includes a news story and $500. This program was created for people who help to improve the local community on their own initiative, demonstrating they put others before themselves while showing service efforts are ongoing.
“Our second year is off to another great start in finding people in our community who don’t even know the difference they make on others,” said Alyce Justin, chief operation officer/executive vice president of SCFCU. “We have the unique opportunity to recognize them and I am proud we sponsor such a meaningful program!”
The credit union is funding the program and was proud to award the first winner, Ray Tuholsky of St. Anna. Tuholsky has spent years making and donating various items while befriending the many people he comes into contact with.
“The people who work to make changes for the better in our community are sometimes locally famous, but just as often do their work humbly in the background,” said Lisa Schwarz, news director for St. Cloud Times Media. “So, it’s an honor to shine a light on the great people who are doing noteworthy work for their neighbors, without widespread notice. It’s even better knowing they’re getting some financial help for their cause from St. Cloud Federal Credit Union.”
More information with video of the first winner can be found at: http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2017/04/22/changemakers-lures-and-crosses-come-st-anna-workshop/100420250/.
Nomination forms can be obtained at: http://static.sctimes.com/changemakers/.
