While 2020 headlines tell of all we lost due to COVID-19, these snapshots tell all that we gained. Celebration and connection. Compassion. Resilience. Hope. We truly are in this together.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Kennedy students perform maintenance on a robot Jan. 4 at the Vex EDR Tournament which took place at Sartell Middle School. They are (left to right) Emily Hammond, 14; Rylan Dierkes, 13; and Sophie Birkholz, 14. Said Dierkes, “our robot has been experiencing technical difficulty.”
contributed photo Stearns Electric line worker Mike Siemers demonstrates the live home and farm model at St. Joseph Catholic School.
contributed photo Fourth-grader Teresa Nix, dresses as a line worker.
contributed photo Kennedy Community School Student Council members and Ambassadors pack Colt Action Packs (weekend food bags) for students in need at the school. They have packed more than 1,260 Colt Action Packs this year.
contributed photo Kennedy Community School Student Council members and Ambassadors collected and donated 364 items to the St. Joseph Community Food Shelf.
contributed photo Kennedy Community School Student Council members and Ambassadors carry items collected for Toys for Tots. About 80 items were collected and donated for the event.
contributed photo St. Joseph Catholic School students (left to right) Aquiliana Wolf (sixth-grade), Scott Stephens (fifth-grade), Kaleb Weber (fourth-grade), Peyton Weber (first-grade) and Connor May (sixth-grade) carry boxes of food for the St. Joseph Community Food Shelf. Students were asked to donate an item or money on Beach Day.
contributed photo St. Joseph Catholic School second-graders (left to right) Sloane Husen, Isabella Loehlein , Aleena Davidson, Tenley Roquette and Kaylee Prom celebrate Spirit Day during Catholic Schools Week.
contributed photo St. Joseph preschooler Gus Bruns celebrates Workout Wednesday during Catholic Schools Week.
contributed photo St. Joseph Catholic School second-graders (left to right) Wylie Schmitz, Peyton Weber, Logan Nolan, Tristalyn Smith, Claire Beirne and Jasmine Smoley celebrate Spirit Day.
contributed photo St. Joseph Catholic School fourth-graders Leah Alvord (left) and Isabella Fleege celebrate Catholic Schools Week.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Cody Anderson, 9, of St. Joseph, bites into a hamburger purchased from a concession stand on the ice Feb. 15 at the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Fishing Tournament on Kraemer Lake.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Mandy Eiynck, of St. Joseph, smiles after winning a cooler and tip up Feb. 15 at the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Fishing tournament on Kraemer Lake.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Michelle Kakarndee, 16, of Thailand, (left) tries ice-fishing for the first time Feb. 15 with Lexi Kiley, 16, of Sartell, at the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Fishing Tournament on Kraemer Lake.
contributed photo Madeline Ramirez, a sixth-grade student at St. Joseph Catholic School, won the 5M8 District Peace Poster Contest. (Back) Madeline’s parents Lucia Ramirez and Victor Torres. (Front row from left) Delrose Fischer, St. Joseph Y2K Lions, Madeline Ramirez and Ann Reischl St. Joseph Lions. Madeline’s poster represents her quote regarding the theme Journey of Peace. American Legion Auxiliary 328 is sponsoring a poppy poster contest for students grades two – 12. If you have a son, daughter, grandchild, neighbor or anyone interested in this contest call Ann Reischl at 363-8825 for more information. The deadline is April 10.
contributed photo Mary Bruno prepares to read “Bear in Underwear” during one of her live online “Quarantine Storytime” sessions. Her show, which begins at noon every weekday on the Bruno Press website, has become a hit with housebound children and their parents.
contributed photo Two young brother buddies eat lunch while watching “Quarantine Storytime” on a tabletop screen.
contributed photo While nibbling lunch in a high-chair, a toddler enjoys watching and listening to Mary Bruno read a book during “Quarantine Storytime.”
contributed photo A dedicated and delighted fan giggles as Mary Bruno reads a book online during “Quarantine Storytime.”
contributed photo Sisters Amaara Wiese (left) and Morgan Wiese set up heart messages next to a trail near their home to encourage joy and self-care.
contributed photo Woodcrest programmer Kristen Gall (right) helps tenant Margaret Annas make a Skype call. Annas was able to visit with her granddaughter and great-granddaughter via FaceTime with help from staff.
contributed photo Kennedy Community School licensed staff share “Miss You” messages with students during distance learning.
photo by Dennis Dalman On a hot and windy Sunday, June 7, people gathered for lunch and refreshments at Neighbors Route 75 Bar and Grill just east of St. Joseph.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Ben Marlette and Pamela Sukhum, both of Sartell, stroll through the St. Joseph Farmers Market June 19 with a bag full of fresh greens.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Laura Hartog and her son Owen, 5, both of Avon, hurry to the ice cream tent June 19 at the St Joseph Farmers Market.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch The St. Joseph Farmers market packs a crowd June 19. Shoppers from many cities gather to buy fresh bread, greens, homemade popcorn, ice cream, plants, and more.
photo by Mike Knaak Baseball is back in St. Joseph. The Joes hosted the Clearwater River Cats in the season opener on June 21, a delay of almost two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Joes lost to the River Cats 15-14 in 10 innings.
sjnlake3 photo by Cori Hilsgen Tryg Hansen jumps from the end of the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Kraemer Lake beach dock June 25 shortly after Parker Junglen had jumped in.
photo by Cori Hilsgen Parker Junglen jumps from the end of the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Kraemer Lake beach dock on June 25.
photo by Cori Hilsgen Parker Junglen, Khloe Junglen and Tryg Hansen enjoy swimming at the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Kraemer Lake beach on June 25.
photo by Mike Knaak “Candidate” Evan Acheson tosses out candy to well-wishers while Shelly Acheson plays the Statue of Liberty in the Zimmer family’s Fourth of July parade.
contributed photo Several children, who were unable to make their First Communion April 19 because of Covid-19, made their First Communion on July 12 during an outdoor Catholic Mass at St. John the Baptist in Collegeville. These children included (front, left to right) Tucker Burg, Lars Lyndgaard, Adelyn Eiynck, Noah Eisenschenk, Griffin Loso, Kyla Schrom, and Jake Theisen. The Rev. Jerome Tupa (back) officiated at the Mass.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Molly Kamrowski and her son Emmett, 3, of St. Joseph, choose paint from a tray of colors at the St. Joseph Women of Today rock painting event Aug. 17 at Melody Park in St. Joseph.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Ideas are shared by artists at the Aug. 17 Women of Today rock painting event at Melody Park in St. Joseph. They are (left to right) Leah Symanietz, of Eden Valley; Alexis Hunter, 9, of St. Joseph and Marlys Pennertz of St. Joseph.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Camden DeWeese, 4, of St. Joseph, happily paints his rock a shade of blue at the Aug. 17 Women of Today rock painting event at Melody Park in St. Joseph.
contributed photo Raised gardening beds donated and built by Saint Joseph’s St. Joseph’s Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Lions Club, and Rod/Gun Club, outside of the Woodcrest Country Manor located in St. Joseph.
Building raised gardening beds.
Raised gardening bed at St. Joseph’s Hill Crest Country Manor.
photo by Mary Bruno Interns Madeline Cochran and Lucian Eisenschenk work on gluing a letterpress-printed scroll of “The Rule of Saint Benedict” at Bruno Press in St. Joseph.
photo by Madeline Cochran Mary Bruno holds “The Rule of Saint Benedict” scroll, recently completed in her shop in St. Joseph.
photo by Caleb Thompson Mary Bruno carves a lino block for “The Rule of Benedict” scroll.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Roughly 40 vendors and crafters selling everything from cosmetics to cleaning supplies assemble on the lawn near the government center Sept. 19 in St. Joseph.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Shoppers (left to right) M’Lynn Thompson, 15; Tracy Christiansen; Keziah Fuchs and Jaxson Fuchs, 8, all of St. Joseph, browse shades of lipstick Sept. 19 at the St. Joseph craft and vendors event.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Mark and Tammy Schroeden, of St. Joseph, share a plate of nachos Sept. 19 at the craft and vendors event in St. Joseph.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Patty Fischer of Hot Springs, SD. collects leaves along the Chapel Trail in Collegeville Oct. 10 while walking with her son Clay, of St. Joseph.
Submitted photo. Mint Chip is one of the more than 20 hand-crafted, small batch ice cream flavors at Jupiter Moon Ice Cream. Jupiter Moon also offers vegan ice cream.
photo by Heidi L. Everett Friends enjoy Jupiter Moon Ice Cream Nov. 1. They are (left to right) Claire Lentsch, of Farmington; Mady Bertsch, 15, and Adam Bertsch, 12, both of Sartell.
Submitted photo. Before opening the ice cream shop in St. Joseph, Jupiter Moon Ice Cream was ‘pedaled’ at local events.
Photo by Heidi L. Everett Scooper Anna Nation perfects a photo bomb Nov. 1 as David Boyer, owner of Jupiter Moon Ice Cream in downtown St. Joseph, looks on.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Charity Hunter, of St. Joseph, and her daughter Lexi, 9, create a tie-blanket out of pink fleece Nov. 9. The mother-daughter team joined 11 other Women of Today members to make blankets for the CentraCare Coborn Cancer Center.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Dorothy Eckland (left) of St. Cloud and Connie Roberts, of St. Joseph tie the corners of a fleece blanket together Nov. 9 at the St. Joseph Community Fire Hall.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch Linda Ritzenthaler of St. Cloud adds a newly finished tie-blanket to a stack Nov. 9. The St. Joseph Women of Today made over a dozen blankets that evening.
Saint John’s Prep Campus Ministry Director Br. Lucian Lopez delivered enough food from this year’s food drive to feed 27 families as well as a check for $1,800 to the St. Joseph Community Shelf.
photo by Mike Knaak St. Joseph’s Winterwalk kicked off Dec. 4 with the lighting of the city Christmas tree and a visit by Santa, who rode around the city on a vintage automobile. Decorated trees lined downtown streets, thanks to the St. Joseph Y2K lions and the city.
contributed photo Grant Ramthun, 5, and Lucy Quarve, 4, record their holiday greeting at St. Joseph Catholic School. The greeting can be accessed through QR codes on holiday posters around town.
contributed photo Julia Loehlein locates her holiday poster in St. Joseph. The QR code links to her holiday recording.
contributed photo Julia Loehlein, age 10, records Silent Night on the piano at home while distance learning for her holiday poster.