Market Monday open Labor Day
Market Monday’s open for Labor Day from 3-6 p.m. (new fall hours) at Sartell City Hall, 125 Pinecone Road N. Try your hand at pasta making. Come for the food, stay for the fun.
St. Cloud VA to host Veterans Rendezvous
Central Minnesota Veterans, service members, their families and friends are invited to rendezvous for support, music and fun from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center located at 4801 Veterans Drive, in St. Cloud. In military parlance, a rendezvous is a pre-arranged meeting point to return to after an operation.
“The Veterans Rendezvous is a chance for Veterans to connect with each other and to VA services and to have some fun in a relaxing and welcoming environment,” said Brett Jagodzinski, a VA employee assisting with organizing the event.
The day’s activities begin with the Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk-Run-Stroll, scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon. Veterans and community members are invited to participate to show their support and raise awareness for Veterans in crisis. The event is a self-paced walk-run-stroll on the new walking path on the VA campus. The course is an easy path and will accommodate most participants. Participants are asked to register at the Reid Building (Bldg. 92) prior to beginning, and the event may be completed anytime between 9 a.m. and noon.
Lunch is available for purchase in the VA Canteen, or participants may also picnic in the event area. Live music and entertainment are available from to 3:30 p.m.
“This year we have two stages at two different locations, each featuring great live music,” Jagodzinski said.
Other planned activities include: free hearing screenings, tours of the VA buildings and grounds, food and shopping in the Canteen, a petting zoo, car and motorcycle show, and much more.
A variety of Veteran-focused VA and community information booths will also be available throughout the day. Veterans can also discuss eligibility and apply if not currently enrolled for VA health-care benefits.
For more details visit www.stcloud.va.gov or go to the St. Cloud VA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stcloudvahcs.
Veteran organizations wanting space for an information table should email Kerri.Schwegel@va.gov.
DNR seeks designs for pheasant stamp
Wildlife artists can submit entries for the 2015 Minnesota Pheasant Stamp from Monday, Sept. 8, to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19.
The pheasant stamp is sold along with hunting and fishing licenses or as a collectable. Revenue from stamp sales is dedicated to pheasant management-related activities.
“We appreciate the talent and commitment of the artists who submit entries to the contest,” said Steve Merchant, wildlife populations and regulations manager with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Their work is part of our hunting heritage, and valued by collectors.”
The contest offers no prizes and is open to Minnesota residents only. Artists are not allowed to use any photographic product as part of their finished entries. Winning artists usually issue limited-edition prints of the artwork and retain proceeds. Judging will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at DNR headquarters in St. Paul.
Artists who want to submit entries should closely read contest criteria and guidelines for submitting work, available from the DNR Information Center, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155, and online at www.mndnr.gov/contests.
Search starts for Mrs. Stearns County
Applications are being accepted for the title of Mrs. Stearns County, who will have the honor of representing her county at the Mrs. Minnesota pageant, which will be held March 14 in Ritsche Auditorium on the campus of St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. The woman chosen will become an ambassador from the Stearns County area and will receive the official title and sash. She will also receive a prize package worth $7,000 and the chance to represent Minnesota at the “2015” Mrs. International Pageant in July.
The American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” is the Official charity of the Mrs. Minnesota pageant. To learn more, visit: www.goredforwomen.org. The current reigning 2014 Mrs. Minnesota is Kimberly Stommes of St. Cloud. Traveling all across the state, Stommes speaks on her platform “Driving out Diabetes.” Raising awareness for diabetes prevention and management, Stommes says “after my father was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it has become even more important to me to share with others how to effectively prevent the onset of diabetes or manage their diabetes to prevent the onset of diabetes-related complications.” Her goal is to educate and advocate for those with diabetes and keep the awareness alive. For more information: go to: www.diabetes.org.
Competitions in the pageant are: personal interview, aerobic wear and evening gown. There are no talent or swimsuit competitions.
Married women living in Stearns County who are interested in applying may send for a bio-form at Mrs. Minnesota International Pageant, P.O. Box 240537, Apple Valley, MN 55124-0537; apply online at www.mrsminnesota.com; call 952-432-6758; fax 952-953-3896; or email pagunltd@frontiernet.net.
United Way volunteer opportunities
Volunteer for United Way Day of Caring
United Way of Central Minnesota will host a Day of Caring on Sept. 25. Day of Caring is designed to bring people together to volunteer on community projects. The day will begin with a kickoff breakfast at United Way’s office from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Volunteers will be served a continental breakfast during the kickoff and a free T-shirt (T-shirts can be picked up on Sept. 18 at the United Way office and worn on Day of Caring). This is a great opportunity to volunteer with co-workers, friends, family and service groups for your community. Projects include painting, packaging food, fall clean-up, children’s activities and crafts. Project sign-up will be available on our website until Sept. 12. Visit www.unitedwayhelps.org to register today. Contact Mary Krippner, community volunteer coordinator at 320-223-7991.
Transport veterans
The St. Cloud VA depends upon volunteers to transport veterans to their health-care appointments within a 30-mile radius of St. Cloud. Volunteers may be assigned to drive a wheelchair-accessible club van, shuttle bus or a sedan. Drivers should have a valid Class D Minnesota driver’s license, have a safe driving record and pass a physical examination (provided at no cost). This assignment requires excellent customer-service skills and a sincere desire to help veterans safely access the care they need. Contact the VA Voluntary Service office at 320-255-6365 or vhastcvavsstaff@va.gov.
Sexual assault advocates
Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center is a 24-hour crisis-intervention agency providing direct services to those people affected by any form of sexual violence. The center’s purpose is to offer non-judgmental, confidential, free, direct services to victims of sexual assault, their partners, families, coworkers and friends. They are looking for Volunteer Sexual Assault Advocates to provide information and guidance to sexual assault victims on the 24-hour crisis phone line, at medical facilities and at law-enforcement centers. Shifts fall on evenings and weekends. A 40-hour training is required prior to volunteering as an advocate. The next 40-hour training will start on Monday, Oct. 6 and will consist of Monday evenings and two Saturdays. Visit www.cmsac.org or call 320-251-4357 for details.
Help take care of a rose garden
Great River Area Faith in Action focuses on helping the elderly, family caregivers, people with disabilities and families in crisis through the many programs and services they offer. They are seeking a volunteer to help a visually impaired woman with her gardener to take care of her roses. This is a seasonal opportunity. Contact Cherise, Great River Area Faith in Action, at 320-290-3428.
Household items needed for families
Catholic Charities Emergency Services needs new or gently used pots and pans, dishes, silverware and can openers for their clients. Drop off donations at 157 Roosevelt Road, St Cloud. Contact Chad, Catholic Charities Emergency Services, at 320-229-4568.
For more information, contact Mary Krippner, United Way volunteer engagement coordinator, at 320-223-7991 or mkrippner@unitedwayhelps.org.