Stone Poneys fundraiser, raffle set May 1 at Blue Line
The Blue Line Sports Bar and Grill in Sartell will host a fundraiser and raffle for the Sartell Stone Poneys from 5-8 p.m. Sunday, May 1.
The fundraiser is to help offset summer costs of umpires, field dues, equipment, uniforms, league fees and tournaments; 20 percent of proceeds will be donated to Stone Poneys.
Raffle tickets will be sold; you do not need to be present to win. There will be five prize packages to choose from.
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School district to have survey available
A community survey is ready for residents of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District to fill out.
The survey can be taken between Wednesday, April 20, and Wednesday, April 27, via a link on the school district’s website. Or, to request a paper copy, call Amy Trombley at 320-656-3779 or stop at the District Service Center.
Once the survey period is closed, the results will be shared with the school board, district leadership and district staff, as well as to all who live in the district since the results will also be posted on the district website.
The district’s website is www.sartell.k12.mn.us.
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Farmers’ market set Friday
The St. Joseph Farmers’ Market will be held from 3-6 p.m. Friday, April 15 in the fellowship hall of Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 CR 2, St. Joseph. The market will feature plenty of locally produced goods from local vendors. For more information, visit www.stjosephfarmersmarket.com.
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Scouts host dinner April 16 at Legion
Boy Scout Troop 84 will hold an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner from 4:30-7 p.m. Saturday, April 16 at the American Legion, 101 W. Minnesota St., St. Joseph. Proceeds benefit the Scouts for campouts.
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Brain games set April 20
Join other Boomers and Zoomers (ages 55 and over) from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 for an afternoon of fun and games. There will be cranium crunches, concentration puzzles, brainteaser mining and number games. All materials will be provided. Please RSVP for the free event at Shepherd Oaks Apartments at 310 13th St. N. in Sauk Rapids by calling Sauk Rapids-Rice Community Education at 320-258-1577.
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Metro Bus offers free rides April 15 and 22
The St. Cloud Metro Bus Cleaner-N-Greener Commuter Challenge will kick off with two days of free rides, April 15 and 22, on the Fixed Route. April 15 marks the start of Earth Day activities locally and April 22 is the nationally recognized Earth Day.
The commuter challenge, which runs in the St. Cloud area April 15-June 15, is part of a statewide effort by MnDOT to reduce single occupancy vehicles by promoting all forms of alternative transportation. Those who register for the challenge will be entered in random prize drawings throughout the campaign. Prizes are donated from area businesses. The link to the registration page and more info about the challenge are on ridemetrobus.com.
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Masters, musicals and movies
Join the Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 17 for “Masters, Musicals and Movies.” It will feature music by Mozart, Handel, Irving Berlin, Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein, John Williams and more. The free-will offering benefits Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf.
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Juried art exhibition features SCSU students
A juried art exhibit featuring SCSU students will be held 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 at Kiehle Visual Arts Center, Kiehle Gallery, SCSU. The Department of Art is celebrating the opening of the exhibit with a reception and scholarship award announcements. Admission is free.
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Move the Mall Walk for Volunteerism
“Move the Mall Walk for Volunteerism” will be held from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Crossroads Center in St. Cloud. All proceeds from this walk will go to RSVP and FGP, both members of the National Senior Corps. Visit www.ci.stcloud.mn.us/RSVP to download a participant registration form.
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CentraCare offers free health-care directive sessions
CentraCare Health and Light the Legacy will offer several free events to inform and assist the public in completing an advanced health-care directive on the following dates: Monday, April 18, from 5:30-7 p.m., CentraCare Health Plaza, Windfeldt Room and Wednesday, April 27, from 1:30-3 p.m. at St. Cloud Hospital, Hoppe Auditorium. For more information, call 320-259-9375, ext. 28762, or visit centracare.com.
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Nitrate clinic provides service to area
The Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District, in cooperation with the City of St. Stephen, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Department of Health, will host two free nitrate water-testing clinics on from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 19 at the St. Stephen City Hall at 2 Sixth Ave SE, St. Stephen and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District Office in the Marketplace Mall, 110 2nd St. S, Waite Park. Nitrates are the most common contaminate in Minnesota’s groundwater. Since you can’t taste it or see it, many people are not aware it is in their water.
The source of nitrate in groundwater is influenced by a number of factors, including septic systems, lawn fertilizer, crop fields, animal wastes and decaying plants.
“Rainfall and land management techniques can contribute to the presence of nitrate in groundwater,” SWCD Administrator Dennis Fuchs stated. “As more water moves through the soil profile, it flushes out excess nutrients into the water table. Areas with sandy soils are more susceptible to nutrient loss with increased rainfall.”
To keep your drinking water safe, have your well tested annually for nitrate and bacteria. Continue to properly manage nitrate sources near your well. Small things like routinely pumping your septic tank and applying fertilizer to your lawn when it is actively growing will help keep you and your family safe.
To participate in the free test clinic, bring your water sample to the St. Stephen City Hall at 2 Sixth Ave SE, St. Stephen or the County SWCD Office located in the Marketplace Mall, 110 2nd St. S, Waite Park. Water samples should be collected after a tap has been left running for five minutes. With the faucet running, collect the water in a plastic sandwich bag or glass or plastic container and label it with your name and something to help you identify which faucet the sample came from. Please collect one cup of water no more than 24 hours before the test will be completed. Keep water refrigerated until the clinic. Water should be tested while cool. If your house uses water treatment equipment other than a softener, it is recommended to take a sample before and after to determine if your system is working properly.
For more information on proper sample collection or managing nitrate sources, contact the Stearns County SWCD at (320) 251-7800 ext 3 or visit the website at www.stearnscountyswcd.net.
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Car-seat event offers free checks
Have car seats checked for correct installation from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 at the Gold Cross Ambulance Garage, 2800 Seventh St. N, St. Cloud. The goal of the car seat check is to demonstrate how to install your car seat properly every time and check to make sure you can install the car seat correctly yourself; and provide you with education and knowledge to protect your child. A car-seat check is encouraged for those with children ages 12 and younger, including those in booster seats. All appointments are free. Call 320-320-656-7021 to make an appointment. We ask you have the car seat installed to the best of your ability before coming to the car-seat checkup event. Also, it is recommended that you bring the following to your appointment: the manual for your car seat; the manual for your vehicle; and if possible, the infant/child who will use the car seat.
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Holes Hall farewell event
Get a last glimpse of Holes Hall and tour the storied tunnels beneath Holes and its sister student residence, Stearns Hall.
The “Remember W.W. Holes Hall” event will take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 16 at St. Cloud State University. The event is a final opportunity to share memories and meet friends prior to the summer 2016 demolition of the nine-story building.
Holes Hall will not be open but photo displays, memorabilia and a tunnel tour are sure to spark recollections and conversations. To view photos and read comments posted by former students, visit the Holes Hall Farewell Facebook page at https://facebook.com/HolesHallFarewell.
Meet in the Stearns Hall lobby. Parking is free on city streets north of Fourth Street South, which is the race route for the same-day Earth Day Half Marathon. Refreshments will be served.
From 1965-2014, Holes Hall was home to tens of thousands of St. Cloud State students.
Its small rooms, modest amenities and large, common bathrooms no longer appeal to young people. University leaders, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system officials and construction consultants deem it cost-prohibitive to remodel. In the near future, the Holes Hall site will be converted to green space.
Stearns Hall, built adjacent to Holes in 1966, is no longer in use and is slated for demolition. In 2013, sister university Minnesota State Mankato demolished two student residential towers from the same era.
Holes Hall is named for the late St. Cloud businessman Wilbur W. Holes, who represented St. Cloud State on the state college board from 1947-1958.
In recent months, the St. Cloud Fire Department and St. Cloud Police Department have used Holes Hall as a training site.
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Northstar Rail, Link to serve Twins home games
Northstar Commuter Rail and Northstar Link Commuter Bus will provide service for all Minnesota Twins baseball home games at Target Field. Northstar Link bus service from St. Cloud and Becker is timed to connect with Northstar Line trains at the Big Lake Station. After the game, at either the scheduled departure times or 30 minutes after the end of the game, fans will be able to board the train to Big Lake where the bus will be waiting to bring them back to Becker or St. Cloud. The northbound train will leave Target Field 30 minutes after the fireworks show (instead of last out) on June 3, 10 and 17; July 1, 15 and 29; Aug. 12; and Sept. 2. Northstar Link bus rides cost $2.00 one-way. Northstar Line train fares are paid separately. Game schedules and train fare information are available at metrotransit.org/Twins. Schedules for Northstar Link Bus Route 887T, which serves Minnesota Twins home games, can be found online at CatchTheLink.com and on Northstar Link buses and Northstar Line trains.
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Host an exchange student; get international flair
World Heritage Student Exchange Program, a public benefit organization, is seeking local host families for high school students from more than 30 countries including Spain, Germany, Thailand, Denmark, Portugal, South Korea, Italy, France, the former Soviet Union countries, Norway and more. Couples and families with or without children in the home are all encouraged to host. You can choose to host a student for a semester or for the duration of the school year. Each World Heritage student is fully insured, brings his own personal spending money and expects to contribute to his share of household responsibilities, as well as being included in normal family activities and lifestyles. For more information, call 1-800-888-9040, visit www.whhosts.com or email us at [email protected].
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Legal Aid to provide legal services for seniors
The St. Cloud office of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid has received a grant of Older Americans Act funds from the Central Minnesota Council on Aging to provide legal services for seniors residing in Stearns County. The funds will be used to provide legal advice, counseling and representation in court and administrative hearings at no cost. If you are 60 years or older and reside in Stearns County, you can get help with legal problems involving Medicare, Social Security, eviction or other housing problems, public benefits, such as medical assistance, food support and fuel assistance, family law issues, including domestic abuse and income maintenance, nursing-home problems, home-care services, powers of attorney, health-care directives and debt collection. No help is provided for criminal matters, wills, estate planning or real-estate transactions. Appointments are held in St. Cloud at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid or at the Whitney Senior Center. Seniors can also schedule appointments in Sauk Centre at the St. Michael’s Nursing Home. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 1-888-360-2889 or 320-253-0121.
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Scouts collect shoes to fight global poverty
Central Minnesota Council, Boy Scouts of America, has launched a drive to collect 25,000 pairs of shoes to help the poor. Used and new shoes can be dropped off at the Boy Scout office, 1191 Scout Drive, Sartell, by April 16. The shoes collected by Scouts will be delivered to Soles4Souls, an international anti-poverty organization that monetizes used shoes to create sustainable jobs and fund direct relief efforts, including the distribution of refurbished shoes. Founded in 2006, the organization has distributed more than 22 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries. Most of the reusable shoes will be distributed to microenterprise programs that create jobs in Haiti and other poor nations. The resulting revenue will help fund the free distribution of shoes in the United States and overseas.
The Boy Scouts are involved to teach its members how to “help other people at all times” and provide an incredible service to those in need. The World Bank estimates 400 million children worldwide live in pronounced poverty. Millions of these children will grow up never having a pair of shoes. Lacking proper footwear, countless children will not be able or permitted to attend school.
Shoe Drive Information:
- Donate your used shoes between now and April 16. Look for a door hanger for instructions on how to donate or drop off shoes at the Boy Scout Service Center, 1191 Scout Drive, Sartell.
- Contact JaLee Noelting at 320-251-3930 or [email protected] with any questions.
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United Way volunteer opportunities
Transportation drivers sought
Tri-CAP is expanding opportunities for the economic and social well-being of its residents. Qualified volunteers are needed to transport passengers using their own vehicles to medical appointments, social service appointments, visitations and other needs. The driver will provide rides for passengers as assigned by Tri-CAP within Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties and the surrounding areas. The driver is required to carry automobile insurance as required by MN State Law and to notify the insurance company of the volunteer driving position. A driver must keep all names and information about passengers confidential. Contact Tri-CAP at (320) 251-1612.
Stearns County Parks, Trails seek volunteers for trash cleanup
The Stearns County Parks Department is looking for volunteers to clean up trash within and along the following county parks and trails: Quarry Park and Nature Preserve, Warner Lake County Park, Lake Wobegon Trail, Heims Mill Canoe Access, Mississippi River County Park and Rockville County Park. Contact Ben Anderson, Stearns Park operations coordinator, at 320-654-4725 or
[email protected].
Gift gallery seeks volunteers
CentraCare is seeking volunteers to assist with day-to-day operations and sales in the Gift Gallery. All proceeds benefit the St. Cloud Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary funded programs. The Gift Gallery offers gifts for all occasions, such as plush animals, flowers, plants, balloons, greeting cards, jewelry, seasonal items and much more and is staffed by welcoming and gracious volunteers. They offer discounts on merchandise for Gift Gallery volunteers. Locations include: St. Cloud Hospital, CentraCare Health Plaza and St. Benedict’s Senior Community. Contact CentraCare Volunteer Services at [email protected] or 320-255-5638.
Escort services
The St. Cloud Veterans Affairs Medical Center is looking for escorts to push veterans in wheelchairs to chapel services and return them to their unit. Volunteers must be able to walk distances and safely push wheelchairs. Contact Dawn at the St. Cloud Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 320-255-6480 ext. 6709 or [email protected].
ASTRIDE needs help for therapeutic horseback riding
Project ASTRIDE is looking for volunteers to help with their therapeutic riding activities for people, young or old, who have disabilities. The training for new volunteers is scheduled 9 a.m. Saturday, April 16. Contact Marti, Project ASTRIDE volunteer coordinator, at [email protected].
For more information, contact Mary Krippner, United Way Volunteer engagement coordinator, at 320-223-7991 or [email protected].
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