June 6

St. Stephen sets Centennial Planning meeting
The St. Stephen Centennial is planned for July 18-20. A meeting will take place at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 8 at City Hall. No Parking Signs will be assembled – bring your stapler. Can’t attend but want to volunteer? Contact the St. Stephen clerk at 320-290-0424.

Movies in the Park begins June 12

Come snuggle up outside in your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy an outdoor cinema experience. BankVista presents Movies in the Park June 12 and Aug. 21 at Pinecone Central Park, 1105 Central Park Blvd., Sartell. The June 12 movie is Up; Aug. 21 movie is Despicable Me. Movies start 15 minutes after sunset. Bring a snack or purchase one from the concession stand. This event is free.

Summer reading program begins June 9 at GRRL

Great River Regional Library will begin its annual Summer Reading Program for children and teens ages 0-18 on Monday, June 9, continuing through Saturday, Aug. 9. Two following two programs are offered:

“Experiment with Reading”
The program for children from birth through age 12 is titled “Experiment with Reading.” It has two age groups: children from birth to age 5, and children from age 3 through 6th grade. Children ages 3 to 5 may choose which group to join. Children in both groups will be given a game-style sheet on which to mark their reading activities. The sheet for the younger age group encourages parents to do activities with their children that help build reading readiness. To be eligible for prize drawings, sheets must be turned in at the library by Saturday, Aug. 16.

“Read, Think, React”
The program for teens in grades six through 12 is “Read, Think, React.” Sixth-grade students may join either the teen or children’s program.

The goal of the Summer Reading Program is to encourage children to continue reading during the summer. Numerous studies have found that failing to read during the summer contributes to a summer slump that puts children behind when they return to school in the fall. Children who continue to read through the summer are more likely to maintain or even improve their reading skills.

Each of the 32 branch libraries in the GRRL system will have weekly and grand prize drawings for children and teens taking part in the program. Libraries across the entire region are planning fun kick-off programs and special events to encourage participation. Many of the programs will have a science emphasis in keeping with the program themes. Check out the events calendar on www.griver.org to find out about special programs at your local library.

GRRL provides library services at 32 public libraries in Stearns, Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Todd and Wright counties. It provides Central Minnesota residents with nearly 1 million books, CDs and DVDs, 250 public computers, programming and information services.

ATV riders can explore Minnesota trails for free 
New trail atlas available to help with trip planning

Minnesotans with all-terrain vehicles registered for private or agricultural use won’t need to pay the additional registration fee ($53.50 for three years) to ride the state’s public ATV trails on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8. Out-of-state riders can explore Minnesota ATV trails that weekend as well, without the need for a nonresident trail pass ($21 annually).

This is the second year Minnesota is providing ATV riders with free access to more than 3,000 miles of state forest and grant-in-aid trails during “No Registration Weekend.”

“We see this weekend as a great opportunity to showcase the wide variety of state and grant-in-aid trails across Minnesota,” said Mary Straka, off-highway vehicle program coordinator. “There are a large number of privately registered ATVs across the state that, during this weekend, can give the public trails a try and ride for free.”

Some great places to start, according to Straka, include:

• The Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area, a 1,200-acre OHV park in Gilbert with 36 miles of scenic trails for riders of all abilities.
• The 100-mile trail system in Nemadji State Forest, which connects to the Matthew Lourey State Trail and the Gandy Dancer Trail for more riding opportunities.
• The 29-mile Spider Lake trail system in Foot Hills State Forest, where riders will curve around lakes and ponds, go up and down a variety of hills, and view overlooks from the ridges throughout the forest.

These and other riding destinations are featured in a new 72-page Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Atlas. The atlas includes maps, descriptions, parking and other information for 51 state and GIA trails for ATVs, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles.

Contact the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us, 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday to request a free copy of the atlas. Trail maps are also available online at www.mndnr.gov/ohv, as are updates on trail conditions.

For more information, contact Straka at 218-833-8713 (Brainerd) or 651-259-5644 (St. Paul) or mary.straka@state.mn.us.

First-time homebuyer education set June 12

One step closer to homeownership

If you are looking to purchase your first home, now is the time to participate in Home Stretch!, a first-time homebuyer workshop that takes participants through the entire home buying process. In one day, you will learn about credit, qualifying for a mortgage, shopping for a home, the closing process, basic home maintenance and affordable mortgage products that may be available to first-time homebuyers. The next workshop will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12 at the St. Cloud Public Library. This workshop is free for the month of June. Registration is required, and participants will receive a completion certificate at the end of the workshop. To register for the online Framework course or the Home Stretch workshop, please contact Trista at 320-258-0681 and visit our website www.cmhp.net for more information. Some affordable mortgage products, government loans, and down-payment- and closing-cost-assistance programs may require a buyer to receive a Home Stretch certificate.

Homebuyer education is also offered as an online course. Framework is a new online tool to prepare you for successful homeownership. Framework will provide you with the facts you need to become a knowledgeable buyer. Many lenders have approved Framework to meet homebuyer education requirements. The registration link can be found at www.cmhp.net.

Central Minnesota Housing Partnership, a non-profit organization providing affordable housing services to the central region of Minnesota, coordinates the Home Stretch workshop.Pre-purchase counseling is also available by appointment and is strongly recommended prior to taking Home Stretch. This is a free service to anyone who wants to speak with a certified homeownership counselor about their financial situation prior to buying a home.

CMAB to showcase artists during June 13 art crawl

Every year artists from Stearns, Benton, Sherburne and Wright counties apply for the highly competitive CMAB/McKnight Individual Artist award and Artist Career Development grant.

The Central Minnesota Arts Board showcase to be held Friday, June 13 during the St. Cloud Art Crawl at Falcon National Bank will feature Established Artists Award recipient: Larry Schug, Avon, and Samuel Spiczka, Sauk Rapids; Emerging Artist Award recipients include Heidi Jeub, St. Cloud, and Johnne McMahan and Jill Dubbeldee Kuhn, both of St. Joseph, and others; and Artist Career Development recipients including JD Jorgenson, Avon, Chuck Norwood, St. Cloud, and more.

Artists will exhibit their work, some of which will be available for purchase. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the artists, learn about their process and view their work in person. CMAB staff will also be present to answer questions about artist opportunities and the awards.

The Central Minnesota Arts Board supports collaborative and innovative arts opportunities through partnerships and financial investments in Stearns, Benton, Sherburne and Wright counties as one of 11 Regional Arts Councils designated by the Minnesota State Arts Board. The board works with community partners to increase access to the unique cultural assets of Minnesota.

For more information about the Central Minnesota Arts Board grant opportunities and services visit www.centralmnartsboard.org or call the office at 320-968-4290 or toll free at 1-866-345-7140.

CentraCare hosts mindful meditation course

Meet the Lindberghs, a living history day, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7 and 21 at Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, 1620 Lindbergh Drive, Little Falls. Learn what life was like for Charles Lindbergh growing up on a farm during the First World War. Costumed characters portraying Lindbergh family members and neighbors will provide insights into young Charles’ interests in aviation, technology and nature. Hear inside stories about the Lindbergh family and try some of the chores Charles did around the farm.

The Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. It is located across from Charles A. Lindbergh State Park, 1.5 miles south of Little Falls at 1620 Lindbergh Drive. Call 320-616-5421 for more information.

Big Bros, Sisters benefits from new classified website

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has partnered with BuyitForward.net, a classified website providing funding for local non-profit organizations enabling their ongoing good works, in its St. Cloud launch. You can donate new or used items for sale on BuyitForward.net and when they sell, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota receives the proceeds. Help us take advantage of this exciting time by looking around for items you are willing to donate. The rest is easy: 1.) Go to www.BuyitForward.net; 2.) Click on “Click Here to Donate an Item to Sale;” 3.) Choose Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota from the list of charities; 4.) When your donation sells the buyer and you arrange for pickup shipping; and 5.) Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota receives funds a few days later.Encourage your friends, co-workers and relatives to join you in supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota. A great way to find a new home for items you don’t use. Plus, businesses can donate items, which is a great new way to do spring cleaning and help us. It is great fun to donate, knowing your donation is proving support for good works and activities in our community. Don’t delay, help us turn on a great new funding stream.