Speicher honored as Sauk Rapids’ Ciizen of the Year
Jodi Speicher of Good Shepherd Community was recently named Sauk Rapids’ 2017 Citizen of the Year by the Sauk Rapids Chamber of Commerce.
She was honored at a reception April 24 in the Sauk Rapids Government Center as well-wishers, city staff, friends and family sang her praises. The Sauk Rapids City Council also gave her a tribute at its April 24 meeting.
Since it first began in 1986, the Citizen of the Year award has been given to a person each year who has had a pervasive, positive impact on the quality of life in Sauk Rapids. The honoree is selected by first being nominated be fellow citizens, and then city staff and business representatives choose a winner from the list of nominees.
As vice president of sales and marketing for Good Shepherd Community, Speicher said she understands the importance of being heavily involved in Sauk Rapids. She has served on the executive committee of the Sauk Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the Sauk Rapids-Rice Community Education Advisory Board, the Storm Graduation Lock-in and the Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year Committee.
Her passion for gerontology has led her to be a key leader on the ACT on Alzheimer’s Committee, a past chair and vice chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee for Leading Age Minnesota and co-chair for the Expo for Seniors event, as well as many others. Good Shepherd is grateful for her time and talents, which seem to spring from her seemingly endless well of compassion. Speicher has been called a “one-of-a-kind” leader and person.
Rose Henzler of St. Cloud will be ordained a Roman Catholic priest at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 7 at First United Methodist Church, 1107 Pinecone Road, Sartell. Being ordained alongside Henzler is Maria Annoni of Grand Rapids. The ordination is through the organization, Roman Catholic Womenpriests, with Bishop Nancy Meyer of Indianapolis officiating.
Kayley Isaacson, a Sartell native, will be featured in the spring production of Comedysportz: College League at the Frey Theater, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, Minn.. This sidesplitting improvisational show features four teams comprised of St. Kate’s and St. Thomas students. Two teams will be featured each night competing with improv games for the most audience laughs and the winning title. With different teams competing every show, this will be a production you’ll want to see more than once. Shows are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29 and May 5 and 6. ASL Interpretation will be offered May 5. Reserve your tickets now by calling 651-690-6700. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/2oYAr7k
Timothy Immelman, son of Paula and Aubrey Immelman of Sartell, has been invited into the Theta of Minnesota Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. Immelman was one of 65 students from CSB and SJU to receive an invitation. The students were formally inducted into the chapter during a ceremony at April 26 in Alumnae Hall, CSB.
Seven Sartell students were recently chosen as winners of the Piano Contest and will get the opportunity to perform in the Honors Concert on June 10 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This was the result of the local Minnesota Music Teacher’s Association Piano Contest held Jan 21 at St. Benedict College, St. Joseph. Select students were invited to compete again on March 11 and 12 at the University of Minnesota. From there, the following Sartell students were chosen as winners of the Piano Contest and will get the opportunity to perform in the Honors Concert on June 10 at the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium: Levi Gould, Primary; Jack Hamak, Junior A; Katelyn Hammer, Intermediate A; Amber Pietrowski, Intermediate A; Darah Coleman, Intermediate B; Anthony Berndt, Senior B. Tricia Castro was chosen as a winner of the MMTA Junior Young Artist Division. That competition was held Feb 18 at the University of Northwestern, St. Paul.
Two local landscape companies merge
Randy Schmitz, owner and founder of Scenic Specialties Landscape Co., and Ben Stockinger, owner and founder of Stockinger LawnScape Solutions, recently merged operations creating “Scenic Specialties Landscape Professionals.”
Scenic Specialties Landscape Professionals will be a unique landscaping experience offering year-round services. Clients will be able to contract services ranging from design, installation, lawn and landscape maintenance to snow removal.
Scenic Specialties has been in business for more than 20 years and is a leading force in the landscape industry, offering award-winning landscape installations across central Minnesota.
Stockinger LawnScape Solutions has been in business for more than 10 years with expertise focused on lawn-care services, snow removal and hardscape installation or, as Stockinger likes to put it, “all things block and paver.”
“I was looking to expand my business by offering more services and better processes and this business merger happened to be the perfect complement to that,” Stockinger said.
With Stockinger as owner of the freshly named Scenic Specialties Landscape Professionals, the company will continue to focus on great customer service, creative designs and upholding the high integrity both companies have built their successes on
“I loved building Scenic Specialties from the ground up, but as the company grew, my time became more and more divided. I want to get back to what I love best: creating, designing and helping clients solve their landscaping needs. This merger will allow the opportunity to bring more services and resources to all of our clients,” Schmitz said.
New and loyal customers to both businesses can find Scenic Specialties Landscape Professionals headquarters at the original 14-acre showplace, located at 31101 CR 133, St. Joseph.