St. John’s Prep to host Discovery Day March 19
Families interested in learning about the innovative curriculum and other opportunities at St. John’s Prep are encouraged to attend the upcoming Discovery Day on Friday, March 19. Students currently in grades 5-11 are welcome to attend classes, meet the teachers and students, and experience what it’s like to be a part of the St. John’s Prep community. Parents are also invited to attend an information session with faculty and administrators of the school. Guest students arrive before 8 a.m. and are matched with a “host” student for the day. The Middle School faculty will be available at 2:45 p.m. to meet with parents prior to picking up their child(ren). Registration for Discovery Day is required. Call today at 320-363-3339. Due to limited space, we encourage interested families to apply now for the 2016-17 academic year. Founded in 1857, St. John’s Prep is a Catholic/Benedictine, co-ed, private day-and-boarding school, providing students of all faiths in grades 6-12 with a college-preparatory curriculum. For more information, visit www.sjprep.net or call 320-363-3339.
Speech students to present at March 8 Senior Connection
Join the Sartell Senior Connection as they host a presentation by speech students from the area at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 at the District Service Center, 212 Third Ave. N., Sartell. Speeches presented range from humorous to dramatic, historical to original and more. Refreshments will be served and all ages are welcome.
Sartell Lions to sponsor German buffet fundraiser
The Sartell Lions Club will host an all-you-can-eat authentic German buffet fundraiser from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 at Blue Line Sports Bar and Grill, 1101 Second St. S., Sartell. Twenty percent of all sales go to the Lions Club, and all donations help support local Lions programs and charities.
Fire Department sets open house for March 9
Interested in becoming a firefighter? The Sartell Fire Department will host an open house from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 at the Sartell Fire Station, 220 Fourth Ave S. This is a great opportunity to visit with firefighters and learn more about what it takes to be a firefighter.
Farm-to-institution networking set March 7 at CSB
Events planned to strengthen relationships between growers and buyers, large and small
Getting Minnesota apples, tomatoes and other locally grown foods on the menus of schools and other institutions such as hospitals, long-term-care facilities and childcare centers requires cross-sector partnerships, community support and relationship building. Central Minnesota is one of four regional Farm-to-Institution Networking events taking place across the state between now and April. The aim is to attract buyers and growers from across the central region to St. Joseph, thanks to support from a number of regional partners. The Central Minnesota event is scheduled to be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, March 7 at the College of St. Benedict and is open for anyone interested to attend.
The workshops are designed to meet the needs of the region and strengthen connections to advance partnerships between local farmers and community institutions. Farm-to- Institution builds strong communities, healthy people and resilient local farms, creating a “win-win” for all parties. This year’s gatherings build on earlier rounds of farmer-buyer networking events facilitated by Renewing the Countryside and the University of Minnesota Extension’s Farm-to-Cafeteria workshops. Throughout the years, successful farmer-buyer relationships developed at these events have led to successful, ongoing Farm-to-Institution projects, and made accessible current information about local food purchasing regulations and good agricultural practices.
These events are coordinated by Renewing the Countryside in partnership with the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, the Minnesota Department of Health, many local partners, and are funded, in part, by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
For more information and to register, visit: http://www.renewingthecountryside.org/farm_to_institution.
Contact Grace at 612-520-1675 or [email protected] for more information on the Central Minnesota event.
Explore Pope’s encyclical at SFX Gathering Place
A presentation on Pope Francis’ Encyclical on climate change will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. Sunday, March 13 at the gathering place at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 219 Second St. N., Sartell. Dr. Derek Larson, professor of history and environmental studies at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University along with Troy Knight, associate professor at CSB/SJU and a climate scientist, will help attendees dig deeper into a complex subject and offer scientific insights into how climate change is affecting Minnesota. The presentation is free. For more information email [email protected] or call 320-252-1363.
Angel Faces retreat seeks burn victims
From house fires to science experiments, car accidents and even abuse, the pain never stops for girls with severe burns or disfiguring trauma. For years after they leave the hospital, the staring, name-calling, teasing and unwanted questions from their peers create a sort of living hell.
Each summer, adolescent girls struggling with this unfortunate reality can attend a special retreat designed to inspire and nurture them to process their injuries and losses and reach their fullest potential.
Angel Faces, the California-based nonprofit that organizes and runs these retreats, is trying to get the word out around the country so more girls get the opportunity to attend. This year’s retreat will be held June 20-26 in Wolfeboro, NH. Applications are posted online at angelfaces.com. The application deadline is March 15.
Since 2003, Angel Faces, based in Encinitas, has offered holistic retreats focusing on the psychosocial needs of injured girls. Angel Faces was the first organization to offer this kind of healing retreat, which differs significantly from burn camps. The weeklong retreat is free to participants – donors to Angel Faces pay the $4,500 per girl expenses.
Angel Faces’ founder, Lesia Cartelli, was herself burned severely in a gas explosion at age nine. She spent over 20 years developing and directing after-care programs for burn-injured children and adults before launching Angel Faces. Her life experiences are retold in her book, Heart of Fire: An Intimate Journey of Pain, Love and Healing.
“We take girls who hurt inside and out, who may be in a spiral of self-pity, anger and depression, and we teach them to get out of the spiral by embracing the pain as a blessing,” Cartelli said. “We show them how tragedy can wake us to life’s richness, how it touches our heart and our soul on many levels.”
The so-called Level I retreat is for girls 12-18. Its curriculum teaches girls how to improve their self-image and increase self-confidence while embracing their trauma and related disfigurement. Licensed therapists lead sessions on trauma and loss issues, followed by activities that facilitate emotional healing through verbal expression, journaling and art therapy. The girls attend sessions on how to handle stares, teasing and unwanted questions, and do goal-setting exercises. They also receive professional instruction for applying corrective cosmetics and experience therapeutic massage and facials that help them connect with and embrace their body, for perhaps the first time. Starting this year, participants in the Level I retreat will be required to commit to participating in a year-long, online after-care program, called “Angels in Flight,” which reinforces and builds skills learned and friendships made during the retreat.
Angel Faces’ mission is to provide healing retreats and ongoing support of adolescent girls and young women with burn/trauma injuries to achieve their optimum potential and develop meaningful relationships for themselves, their families and their communities. Its board includes medical professionals such as Dr. Michael Murphy, Boston; Dr. Melanie Palm, Solana Beach, Calif.; and Dr. Jill Waibel, Miami.
Angel Faces is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, Federal Tax ID # 20-5718594.
History museum to host ag speaker March 9
Christina Traeger, owner of Rolling Hills Traeger Ranch near Avon, will present Traditional Agriculture at 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 9 at the Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave. S., St. Cloud. The presentation is free. For more information head to www.stearns-museum.org.
United Way Volunteer Opportunities
Food Share Month matches donations
March is Food Share Month in Minnesota where donations are matched during the month. During this time of significant economic distress, many area families are using local food shelves more than ever before. Consider leveraging the match by running a food drive within your work place, church or service club and donate to your local food shelf or to one of these three places: Catholic Charities Emergency Services, 320-229-4560; C.R.O.S.S. Center of Benton County, 320-968-7012; or the Salvation Army, 320-252-4552.
Birthing Center seeks reception volunteers
Every day, CentraCare health volunteers make a positive impact on their visitors, patients and the care they provide. Family Birthing Center evening reception volunteers are needed to help provide information, directions and assistance in a friendly, courteous manner to visitors and patients from 7:30-11 p.m. Volunteering is the perfect way to make a difference in people’s lives, put your talents to use, develop new skills and even explore careers. Apply today to become the next everyday hero. Contact Megan Richert, CentraCare volunteer specialist, at 320-255-5638 or [email protected].
Electrician, plumber, carpenter sought
Anna Marie’s Alliance needs help with various projects around their facilities. Volunteer needs include the following: minor maintenance projects around the shelter, an electrician to help replace ballasts and a plumber for various repairs. Anna Marie’s Alliance continues non-profit advocacy work to decrease domestic violence and to provide advocacy, safe shelter, education, support and referral services for victims of abuse. Contact Marilyn, Anna Marie’s Alliance manager of facilities, at 320-253-6900.
Read newspapers for people who are blind
Minnesota Services for the Blind needs volunteers to read newspapers to people who are blind in St. Cloud. Two volunteers read the St. Cloud Times and other community newspapers daily at the KVSC radio station at St. Cloud State University. Volunteers should be able to commit to two evenings a month for two hours each. Contact Rita Woeste at 320-293-2273 or [email protected].
Foster Grandparent Program seeks 55 and older
The Foster Grandparent Program, a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, is looking for volunteers ages 55 and older to mentor children. Volunteers are needed in St. Cloud area School District 742, elementary schools in Paynesville, Journey Home daycare (working with infants and toddlers), the St. Cloud Children’s Home (working with teens) and several after-school programs. Foster Grandparent volunteers might help students with a reading assignment, work with a small group on a craft, or help kids cook an evening meal. An hourly stipend, transportation reimbursement and paid training are included. Contact Emily Chaphalkar, Catholic Charities Foster Grandparents, at 320-229-4597.
For more information, contact Mary Krippner, United Way volunteer engagement coordinator, at 320-223-7991 or [email protected].