St. Joseph Farmers’ Market this Friday at Resurrection
The St. Joseph Farmers’ Market will be held again from 3-6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18 in the fellowship hall of Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 CR 2, St. Joseph. The Dec. 18 market will feature more than 25 area farmers, growers and vendors showcasing a wide variety of locally produced goods. For more information, head to www.stjosephfarmersmarket.com.
Sartell’s Winter Market open Saturday at city hall
Sartell’s Winter Market is open from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (winter hours) Saturday, Dec. 19 at Sartell City Hall, 125 Pinecone Road N. Vendors want you to enjoy their products and are happy to share their knowledge and answer any questions you have. Get to know your local farmer at the Winter Market.
Gun-safety class set in St. Stephen
A gun-safety class will take place from 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan 5, 7, 19, 21 and 26 at St. Stephen City Hall, 2 Sixth Ave. SE (corner of Co Rd 5 and 6th Avenue SE). Registration will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 3 at City Hall.
No Newsleader published Dec. 25 or Jan. 1
The Newsleader office will be closed Dec. 21-Jan. 1. A Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 edition will not be published. The office will reopen on Monday, Jan. 4 and will resume weekly publications beginning Jan. 8.
I CAN Prevent Diabetes Class
An ICAN Prevent Diabetes program will be held from 3:15-4:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 5-April 19 at Sacred Hearth Churhc, 2875 10th Ave. NE, Sauk Rapids. The ICAN Prevent Diabetes Program is proven to help prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes. Lose about 10 pounds (if overweight), improve food choices, increase physical activity, receive support and expert coaching. Attend if you have a family history of diabetes, are overweight or inactive, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and/or are over age 55. In an earlier class held at St. Joseph’s Church in St. Joseph, all attending lost an average of 15 pounds and several who take insulin were able to lower their dosage. Instructor: Prescott Handley. Must screen and register in advance. For more information, call Whitney Senior Center at 320-650-3082. Course ID: 510.
Living Waters offers free Christmas Day dinner
Everyone is invited to a free Christmas Day dinner at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 25 at Living Waters Lutheran Church, 1911 Fourth Ave. N., Sauk Rapids. If you don’t want to cook or clean up, want to start a new tradition, are lonely, or for any other reason, you are welcome. Rides are available. To make a reservation or for more information about rides, call 320-255-1135.
GRRL offers fine reductions for minors
Great River Regional Library is repeating its “Read Down Your Fines” promotion, giving teens and children the opportunity to erase fines on their library cards and borrow library materials again.
Read Down Your Fines will take place at all 32 branches of the Great River Regional Library from Monday, Dec. 21 through Saturday, Jan. 2. For each 15 minutes of reading at the library during that period, $1 will be waived from fines on the accounts of minors ages 16 and under. Parents will be allowed to read down the fines of their young children by reading to them in the library. Procedures at each library may vary. Minors who want to read down their fines should speak with library staff.
This will be the library’s fifth Read Down Your Fines promotion. The initial Read Down Your Fines took place in June 2013, following a successful fundraising appeal. The promotion continues to be supported by fundraising, which ensures the loss of fines doesn’t have a negative effect on budgets.
United Way Volunteer Opportunities
Help with Christmas dinner
Volunteers are needed to help serve and deliver Christmas dinner from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at SonRise Lutheran Church, 501 Co Rd 9, Avon. If someone is in need of a meal to be delivered in-home, please let them know and they will deliver. For any questions, please contact Jeff Manthe at 320-761-0715.
Anna Marie’s Alliance holiday needs
Anna Marie’s Alliance holiday wish list for adults includes gift certificates to grocery stores and restaurants, alarm clock, curling iron, toiletries, underwear and sleepwear. For children: size 4 diapers, dolls, puzzles, games, activity books, LEGOs, children’s movies and diverse toys, games and dolls. Teens: board games, gift certificates for movies and books, jewelry and watches. Call 320-253-6900 to arrange a times to drop off your gifts.
Kids Fighting Hunger – MLK Day of Service
Kids Fighting Hunger announces MLK Day of Service at St. Cloud State University scheduled for Jan. 18. The event will take place in Garvey Commons on the SCSU campus located at 577 First Ave. S, St Cloud. This event is designed to give 300+ people in our community a chance to help provide food to the Sierra Leone region to aid families impacted by the Ebola outbreak last year. To register, visit www.unitedwayhelps.org or contact Mary Krippner at 320-252-0227.
CentraCare Plaza seeks volunteers to make up float pool
Volunteers are a much-needed extra pair of hands at the CentraCare Health Plaza. They help create a warm, inviting and caring environment for patients. Volunteers help us provide excellent customer service through visitor guidance, purposeful rounding and patient or guest escort and transport within the facility. If you are interested, contact Alison Dahlin, volunteer specialist, at 320-229-5199 ext. 75808.
WACOSA’s ThriftWorks! Store
Provide upbeat, positive customer service to all who enter WACOSA’s ThriftWorks! store. Manage donation drop-off, including assisting customers with accepting donations and providing receipts as directed by staff members. Volunteers will sort and/or price donations, operating cash register and/or merchandising items on the store floor. Shifts are available from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays. Volunteers are asked to help for a minimum two-hour shift. The day/time you are scheduled may vary according to your availability and the needs of their organization. This volunteer position is available at 310 Sundial Drive, Waite Park. They will take groups up to 10, with notice, and one-time volunteers. Contact Andrea Harrell, WACOSA volunteer coordinator, at 320-257-5188 or aharrell@wacosa.org.
For more information, contact Mary Krippner, United Way volunteer engagement coordinator, at 320-223-7991 or Mkrippner@unitedwayhelps.org.
Metro Bus announces holiday service hours, reminds riders to plan for poor weather
Metro Bus Fixed Route and Dial-a-Ride will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. It will operate a reduced schedule for Christmas Eve.
Getting around in the winter requires extra planning for everyone. Riders should anticipate a little delay during poor weather conditions and times of high traffic congestion, such as shopping at Crossroads Center now through Christmas, and consider taking an earlier bus to keep themselves on time. Those who drive are reminded to yield to buses merging in traffic.
Dial-a-Ride last pick-ups Christmas Eve
Metro Bus Dial-a-Ride is not scheduling any rides after 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Weather-related closings
Riders can stay informed about weather-related closings on KCLD (FM 104.7), KNSI (AM 1450 & FM 103.3) and WJON (AM1240) radio stations. Notifications will be posted on its Facebook and Twitter accounts. Route-specific detours are posted online at ridemetrobus.com.
For more information about Metro Bus routes visit ridemetrobus.com or call 320.251.RIDE(7433).
Metro Bus holiday hours: Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) closes early; Dec. 25 (Christmas) closed; and Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day) closed.
