Area singers to entertain at Celebration Lutheran Church
Get in the holiday spirit with the Sartell Senior Connection as the St. Cloud Area Fun Singers entertain listeners with a sing-a-long from 2-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8 at Celebration Lutheran Church, 1500 Pinecone Road N., Sartell. The singers will showcase their traditional holiday songs and whimsical, humorous stories as listeners enjoy coffee, cider and Christmas cookies. Bring a friend.
Holiday Art Walk-N-Crawl hosted in downtown St. Joseph
Luminaries will light up downtown sidewalks for St. Joseph’s annual Winterwalk from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and artists will be on hand showing off their wares for the annual Holiday Art Crawl from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. Friday night, shops will stay open late to welcome neighbors and friends with treats and specials. A tree lighting will take place at 6 p.m. at the Bello Cucina patio with caroling. The little ones can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus and make crafts and pick up treat bags and refreshments at 6:30 p.m. at Heritage Hall, Church of St. Joseph at 12 W. Minnesota St. Saturday, catch local artists from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at three locations: Bruno Press at 154 Fifth Ave. S.E.; Bad Habit Brewery at 15 E. Minnesota St. #108; and Minnesota Street Market at 27 W. Minnesota St.
St. Joseph Farmers’ Market held Friday at Resurrection
The St. Joseph Farmers’ Market will be held again from 3-6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 in the fellowship hall of Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 CR 2, St. Joseph. The Dec. 4 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.
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 A Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 edition will not be published.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.
Prescription drugs can be dropped off at city hall
From 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, area residents can now drop off old or unused prescriptions in a safe location. Stearns County has provided a secure dropbox in the west entrance of City Hall, 25 College Ave. N., St. Joseph, which will be emptied regularly by the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. If there are any questions, call the St. Joseph Police Department at 320-363-8250.
Toys for Tots drive to be held Dec. 5 at SRFD
The Sauk Rapids Fire Department will host a toy drive for the Toys for Tots program from 10 a.m.-2 p.m Saturday, Dec. 5 at the fire station, 408 N. Benton Drive, Sauk Rapids. Toys can be dropped off at the fire hall during the time noted or during the evening at the Parade of Lights.
KringleFest returns to Stearns History Museum
KringleFest, a longtime family event, will take place from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave. S., St Cloud. Take photos with Santa, create and take home holiday crafts, and enjoy the music and treats of the holiday season. Also, take family photos in the beautifully-decorated lobby. A nominal fee is charged. For more information, call 320-253-8424 or visit stearns-museum.org.
Catholic Charities seeks to give beds this Christmas
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud is looking to raise $15,000 in the next two weeks to purchase beds and other large items for families in need. Just more than 175 families have been adopted this holiday season in Catholic Charities Share the Spirit Program. However, sometimes their needs are greater than the resources of the generous groups who adopted them.
“More than one-third of the families adopted this year have some type of larger need,” said Trina Dietz, Catholic Charities communications coordinator. “The biggest need by far is beds – if we are to fulfill all wishes, we need at least 40 beds. If we can fill that need, then we can move on to things like refrigerators or tires.”
Of course, as any child knows, Santa doesn’t always deliver what you wish for, but Dietz says by coming together, the community can provide a merry Christmas for families in need. Donations are being accepted at www.ccstcloud.org or by calling 320.650.1550.
AAUW sponsors leadership opportunity
The St. Cloud area branch of the American Association of University Women is sponsoring a scholarship opportunity for college women [freshmen, sophomore or junior] to attend a leadership development conference again this year.
This transformational event, the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, promises to be the largest gathering in the conference’s 30-year history. Last year the St. Cloud AAUW sent three students. Their testimonials to the impact of this experience were shared at the branch’s first annual dinner/silent auction, Building Leaders One Student at a Time, held Oct. 20. The upcoming conference is June 2-4 at the University of Maryland.
Deadline for registering is Dec. 11. The application process is a combination of self and faculty nomination; both must sign off on the application. The screening committee will announce its decisions in January. Applications are available at the SCSU Women’s Center, 520 Fifth Ave. S., St Cloud or online at http://stcloud-mn.aauw.net. Applications need to be delivered to the Women’s Center or mailed to the Branch at St Cloud AAUW, P.O. Box 7694, St. Cloud MN 56302.
Expert on Islam to speak Dec. 9
In light of the recent attacks on Paris, Mali, the Russian plane, the beheadings of Coptic Christians, kidnapping of Christian school girls and other atrocities by Isis, many are alarmed and wondering how this fits into God’s plan of end times eschatology. Expert on Islam Dr. Larry Siekawitch will lead a seminar on Isis, Persecution and the End Times from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9 at Harvest Fellowship, 400 Second Ave. N., Sauk Rapids. There will be time for questions and answers as well as an informed analysis of our present situation. Dr. Siekawitch is the author of The Bible Compared to the Qur’an, which has also been translated into Russian, as well as The Uniqueness of the Bible. He is the senior pastor of Harvest Fellowship and Theology and Bible professor at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Call 320-529-8838 for more information.
Expert to share info on state of bees in Minnesota
Crystal Boyd, an entomologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will discuss the biology of our state’s native bees during Breakfast Club at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at the Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave. S., St Cloud. Boyd completed fieldwork in an effort to find out more about bees in survey sites across Minnesota, including Quarry Park.
So what is the buzz about native bees? “Native bees are like moose,” said Boyd in a 2014 newspaper interview. “We don’t know as much about what to do when moose get sick or how to manage moose.” The project is attempting to fill this information void. Survey work is a major component in the process from collecting data to determining where varieties of bees live in Minnesota. She also hopes to identify specific species. The number is surprisingly large, upwards of as many as 400. One of the many goals of the project is to assess the health of the Minnesota bee population.
Boyd also will describe the legacy of bee research in Minnesota, recent pollinator legislation and the components of a bee-friendly backyard.
United Way Volunteer Opportunities
Work with kids
Get in on the action! Central Minnesota Youth for Christ always needs caring, mature adults to meet with the many teens they serve. Volunteers must go through a screening process. They offer on-going training to help volunteers remain encouraged and effective with their role. Contact Scott Anderson, Central Minnesota Youth for Christ, at 320-251-8711.
Retail assistant
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, operate a cash register and/or merchandise items on the store floor. Shifts are available between 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and between 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 the organization. This volunteer position is available at 310 Sundial Drive, Waite Park. They will take groups of up to 10, with notice, and one-time volunteers. Contact Andrea Harrell, WACOSA volunteer coordinator, at 320-257-5188 or aharrell@wacosa.org.
Gift Gallery volunteers sought
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 volunteer@centracare.com or 320-255-5638.
Catholic Charities Share the Spirit
Share the Spirit matches individuals, families or groups wanting to provide gifts and food to families in need. Volunteers are needed to help load and unload gifts for families. Shifts available are 8-10 a.m., 10 a.m.-noon and noon-2 p.m. Contact Rebecca Derr, Catholic Charities, at 320-229-4590 or rderr@ccstcloud.org.
Ring bells
for the Salvation Army
Volunteer to ring the Salvation Army bells during the Christmas season. Several locations within Sartell, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud and Waite Park are available. It can be cold outside, so volunteers must be able and willing to stand outside for at least two hours at a time. Contact the Salvation Army at 320-252-4552.
For more information, contact Mary Krippner, United Way volunteer engagement coordinator, at 320-223-7991 or mkrippner@unitedwayhelps.org.
