Two Sauk Rapids students recently graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, this past fall.
They are the following: Kelsey McMahon (mass communications) and Michael Wiechmann (K-12 licensure).
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Emily Gustafson, Sauk Rapids, was the grand-prize winner of the United Way LIVE UNITED essay contest. Gustafson will receive the grand prize award of a $200 Visa gift card for her essay on how she lives united: “Living united is when everyone works together. They don’t judge others by race, money, or looks. They include others, and they don’t care what other people think of them. They don’t listen to rumors about people, they only see what they are like by their personal experiences. They believe and speak the truth. They will do the right thing no matter what the consequence is. Treat everyone as a whole because everyone has differences. If everyone lived united, it would make a big difference in our community, country and WORLD!!!” Gustafson is a student at Mississippi Heights Elementary School.
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Evan Trompeter, Rice, was one of the 14 runners-up of the United Way LIVE UNITED essay contest. Trompeter will receive the runner-up award of a $75 Visa gift card for his essay on how he lives united: “Hi, my name is Evan. And I live united by recycling my cans, jars, wrapping paper, and boxes. A second way is I collected food for the food shelf at my birthday party instead of presents. Another way was bringing food to the sharing tree at my school. Another way I live united is by doing chores around the house like doing dishes. Another way I live united was instead of asking for presents for my birthday, I asked for food for the food shelf. This is how I live united.” Trompeter is a student at Rice Elementary School.
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Shepherd of the Pines Lutheran Church, Rice, commissioned six members as Stephen Ministers. The newly-commissioned Stephen Ministers are Jay Saldana, Jan Johnson, Colleen Woods, Sheri Douvier, Debbie Manske and Todd Manske. The Stephen Ministers participated in 50 hours of training where they acquired specific Christian care-giving skills in confidentiality, listening, feelings, grief and crisis theory which will aid them in ministering to people with situations such as loss, divorce, grief, loneliness, illness and spiritual crisis. Stephen Ministers will continue to hone their ministry skills by participating in twice-a-month continued education and supervision.
