First United Methodist serves free meal for all on April 18
First United Methodist Church will serve a free community fellowship meal from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at their church, located at 1107 Pinecone Road S., Sartell. FUMC has been serving a free third Saturday meal since 1990, but this will be the first meal served at their Sartell location, and it’s a one-time trial, to find out who might be served in the Sartell area. FUMC’s third Saturday meals are usually served at First Presbyterian Church in St. Cloud.
Sex trafficking program held to protect the vulnerable
Ever wonder what sex trafficking is and how often it happens here? Find out the facts and learn how to protect young people from this terrible crime from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 18 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 219 2nd St. N., Sartell. Joy Friedman, of Breaking Free, a program based in St. Paul which rescues more than 400 girls a year from trafficking, will present, along with Tim Broda, a Sartell police officer, who will follow up with the impact on the local community. The program is free and all are invited to attend. Call 320-252-1363 for more information.
Training sessions held for mental health first aid
Several one-day mental-health first-aid training sessions will be open to the public from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on the following dates: Wednesday and Thursday, April 22 and 23; Thursday, May 7; and Wednesday and Thursday, May 20 and 21. The trainings will be held at the United Way Office, 3001 Clearwater Road, St. Cloud. The sessions are designed to teach the basic first-aid skills needed to help a person who is experiencing a mental-health problem or crisis. Understanding and recognizing the signs that someone needs help is the first step in getting that person appropriate care and treatment. Each session will focus on the mental health of adults with the exception of the May 20 session which will focus on adolescent mental health. Mental health providers who are trained by the National Alliance on Mental Illness will lead the sessions. Participants will receive a course manual and certificate. Advanced registration is required, and there is a cost to attend. For more information regarding the training sessions, contact Betty Schnettler, United Way of Central Minnesota, 320-229-3507 or [email protected].
Maple Syrup Festival ticket winner announced
The winner of the family four-pack of tickets to St. John’s Outdoor University’s Maple Syrup Festival on April 11 was Lynn Larson of Sartell. Larson said she and her family have always been interested in going, and are excited to have won the tickets.
Honor your grad with an ad!
Honor your 2015 graduate with a congratulatory advertisement in the Sartell Graduation Special Section saluting all grads to be published May 29 as a second section to the Sartell Newsleader for only $50! Deadline: Tuesday, May 19 by noon. Send a greeting and photo digitally with contact information to [email protected]. Advanced payment is required.
Honor your grad
with an ad!
Honor your 2015 graduate with a congratulatory advertisement in the St. Joseph Newsleader the same day the Graduation Page is published, saluting all grads May 29 for only $50! Deadline: Tuesday, May 19 by noon. Send a greeting and photo digitally with contact information to [email protected]. Advance payment is required.
United Way Volunteer Opportunities
Boys and Girls Club seeks program volunteers
Join the staff and kids at Southside, Roosevelt or Eastside Boys and Girls Club unit as a program volunteer. You can make a difference in a child’s life in as little as one hour a week. Set your own schedule with the volunteer coordinator to make your experience valuable. They have opportunities for you to get involved in the areas of education and career development; character and leadership development; the arts; health and life skills; and sports, fitness and recreation. Play board games with the kids, read one-to-one with a child or help with homework, participate in gym activities, share your love of arts and crafts or shoot pool with the teens. It’s as easy as just spending time with kids. The Club units are open Monday-Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. during the school year and noon to 6 p.m. during the summer. They only ask volunteers be able to relate well with children in a group environment, participate as an active team member with staff and other volunteers, and abide by volunteer policies. Volunteers will need to go through an enrollment process (includes interview and orientation). All volunteers are asked to complete a criminal background check before their first volunteer experience. Please apply on their website at www.bgcmn.org. Contact Bethany Theisen, volunteer coordinator, at 320-257-5115 or [email protected].
Help with landscaping
Boy Scouts of America, Central Minnesota Council, is looking for volunteers to help with upkeep, weeding and more on bushes and flowers, and general light landscaping at their Scout office building. Contact Mary, Office Manager at 320-251-3930 x103 or [email protected].
Be a Big Brother
Want to change a life? Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for men that would like to hang out with a youth ages 5-14 years old only three to four times a month for 12 months. You can make great memories sharing hobbies and interests. Their male youth typically wait 12-18 months for a mentor! Please consider coming to a one-hour informational session. Contact Rachel, Big Brothers Big Sisters, at 320-258.4537 or [email protected].
STEP Force (Speedy Transport Escort Pool)
Volunteers provide a friendly caring walking escort or wheelchair transport for patients and guests throughout the facility. Volunteers work as a team to complete errands and deliver flowers, mail and packages to patients at St. Cloud Hospital. Enhance a positive patient-care environment to provide a superior patient experience. Contact St. Cloud Hospital Volunteer Services at 320-255-5638.
Animal Transporter
Tri-County Humane Society is looking for volunteers to transport animals from their shelter to local veterinary clinics, Petco and Petsmart. Volunteers are generally put on a call list and contacted when transportation is needed. Volunteers must be 16 or older, have a valid driver’s license and own their own vehicle. Contact Rose, volunteer and humane education coordinator, at 320-252-0896 Ext. 27.
For more information, contact Mary Krippner, United Way volunteer engagement coordinator, at 320-223-7991 or [email protected].
Heart center offers outpatient nicotine program
Quit tobacco through the Outpatient Nicotine Dependence Program at St. Cloud Hospital with a session running from 5:15-6:15 p.m. on Tuesdays, April 21 and 28, May 5, 12 and 19 at the CentraCare Heart and Vascular Center, 1406 6th Ave. N, St. Cloud. The program offers personalized treatment, a support group, medication therapy, relapse prevention and a self-help plan. Cigarette smoking is the number-one cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Smoking-related diseases claim more than 393,000 American lives each year. People who use tobacco are at a higher risk for stroke and heart attack. If you are interested in individual counseling or registering for the group sessions, call 320-251-2700, ext. 57448.