Celebrate Dairy Month with Lunch on the Farm

The Douglas County American Dairy Association invites the public to a “Lunch on the Farm” event at the Bill Dropik farm on Saturday 19 June 2010.

The event is slated to run from 11:00am-3:00pm.

Free cheeseburgers and malts will be served. There will also be a petting zoo, face painting and clown.

The farm is located next to the old Trophy’s on Highway 27 East by Nelson.

June is Dairy Month – an opportunity to thank the farmers who contribute so much, not only healthy food products but to the economy as well.

YMCA is open!

I'm late on posting this but still think it's exciting and relevant.

The Alexandria YMCA is open for business!  Located on Co. Rd. 82, near Tastefully Simple, the YMCA is offering plenty of classes for fitness and fun, as well as onsite daycare.

Watch for Kate Heydt while you're there ... she's a YMCA big-wig, now!

Midway Mall Cinema 9 now has 3D

Theater 6 is now equipped with 3D technology!  Currently playing in 3D is Shrek Forever After.  Proper 3D glasses are available for use at the theater and tickets cost an extra $2 per person.  Be sure to return those glasses, however ... they'll cost you $25 to keep!  3D in Alex ... I'm pretty stoked!  :)

MS TRAM rides through Alexandria

The 21st annual MS TRAM (The Ride Across Minnesota) will take place at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on July 25, 26 and 30. Alexandria is the first and last stop on the six-day bicycle tour coordinated by the Minnesota chapter of the National MS Society.

About 1,000 bicyclists are expected to participate. They’ll ride through Alexandria, Little Falls, Pequot Lakes, Wadena and Fergus Falls before finishing back in Alexandria.

The bicyclists will exit the fairgrounds between 5:00-8:00am on 26 July and are expected to return between 10:00am-3:00pm on 30 July.

Biplane Event at Chandler Field

The American Barnstormers Tour is making Alexandria its final stop in a seven-city, four-state Midwest tour on July 3-5.

The free event will feature as many as 20 historically restored vintage aircraft from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s on display and in the air.

The public can come and go as they choose, according to Todd Roth, manager of the Alexandria Airport.

Roth added he is working on getting vintage tractors from the same time period, along with old cars, motorcycles, boats and a fire truck.

Weather permitting, all of the aircraft and vehicles will be on display from 10:00am to 6:00pm each day. Concessions will be available.

The barnstorming pilots, dressed in costumes from their plane’s era, plan to do at least one “parade of flight” on each of the three days. They may also fly over the Lake Carlos boat parade on Independence Day.

Air rides will also be offered for $60 per passenger.

For more information, visit the website, http://www.americanbarnstormerstour.com/.

Mary Howie, 53

Mary Howie, 53, mother of our classmate, Brandon Howie, died on Monday 14 June 2010.

Funeral services will be held Friday 18 June at 3:30pm at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Visitation will be the night prior at Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud from 4:00-8:00pm and again for one hour prior to the funeral on Friday.

Please send Brandon the love as he mourns the loss of his mom.

Sheryl Krick, 51

Sheryl Krick, mother of our classmate, Trisha Krick, died Monday 7 June 2010.

Funeral services are being held as I type this, today - 11 June 2010 - at St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Please send Trisha the love as she mourns the loss of her mother.

Welcome back, Michael Oberthur!

Michael Oberthur, our senior year German foriegn exchange student, is back in the USA for a visit!

Everyone is welcome to come to Jessie (Christensen) Borden's parents' house to welcome him back!

Date: Sunday 1 August
Time: 2:00pm
Place: 924 Scenic Drive NE, Alexandria
RSVP: Please let Jessie know if you'll be there: jessie_lee7@hotmail.com

Hope to see you there!  Remember how much fun we all had with Yoshiki at the 10 Year?  Let's do it all over again!  Only maybe this time without the saki bomb headaches!  Hahaha!

All JHS Classes Reunion Planned

Alexandria ALL Class Reunion
Start Time: Friday, June 25, 2010 at 7:00pm
End Time: Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 1:00am
Location: Muddy Boot in Forada

An ALL Class Reunion will be held on Friday, June 25, 2010 for all Alexandria Alumni.

A little information on the Friday night get together :
Creator: Tricia (Tuel) Vetrone (Class of 1990)
Place: The Muddy Boot in Forada
Time: 7:00 - ?:??

All Jefferson alums are welcome ... the more the merrier! Pass on the word to your friends from other graduating years! This is an all school get together!

The Muddy Boot boot is owned by John Brezina (Class of 1990) and Todd Snyder (Class of 1988). Come out to support one of JHS's own. This will be a very casual evening: a gathering place for seeing old friends, having a few drinks, sharing old stories and maybe even some new. I've been advised that they have a juke box with many hits from the 80's, so make sure you have your dancing shoes on! There will be no food provided but restaurant service will be available.

Support Amy Betterman

Amy Betterman will soon be riding her bicycle a long way ... 100 miles!

On 11 September 2010, Amy will be participating in a Century Bike Ride to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Three people close to her have been impacted by blood cancers and she's riding to make a difference.

Please visit Amy's webpage, illustrating more about her ride and including donation information, should you choose to sponsor her in this awesome event!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/mn/jjbt10/abetterman

Amy sends huge thanks to the Class of 1997!

Awake the Lakes begins on Friday!

For anyone returning to Alex over Memorial Weekend, a bevy of fun and entertainment awaits you at the annual Awake the Lakes celebration!

According to the official Awake the Lakes website (http://www.awakethelakes.com/), festival goers can nosh on ribs made by local participants and restaurants in the Ribfest contest Friday night.  And, while there, can enjoy free music and a street dance.  One of the featured bands, Whiplash, is proud to boast Dave Parsch, father of Rochelle and Nichole Parsch (Class of 1998).  The evening concludes with fireworks downtown.

On Saturday, have breakfast with Big Ole, then take the family out for events all over town - sidewalk chalk contests downtown, volleyball tournaments at Bug-a-Boo Bay, sponsored bike rides along the Central Lakes Trail, live music at Fat Daddy's, and more!

Sunday brings more entertainment - live music at Carlos Creek Winery and more stock car races at the Viking Speedway dirt track.

Finally, wrap the weekend at the pancake breakfast at First Congregational Church and a parade down Broadway (south-to-north), honoring the fallen (you'll see Macaille's husband, Mike, on honor guard duty for the parade, too!).

It's supposed to be a gorgeous weekend in the Lakes Area!  I can't wait to get out on the water and catch up with so many people who'll be home for the weekend!  See you in A-town!

Locals Seasonal Market Opening

A brand new market is opening in A-town!  In the old Giovanni's Pizza/Taco Villa building, Jaime (Olson) Jost and Kristie (Zavadil) Jost, both Class of 1995 alumnas, are opening a local food market ... meaning all of the food sold will be produced or raised in the local area. 

According to their Facebook page, meats, dairy products, eggs, and dry goods, all of which are available year round, will be sold year round. Their produce will be seasonal, meaning that when the strawberries are ready, they'll have strawberries.

The Grand Opening of the Locals Seasonal Market will be on Friday 28 May 2010 at 11:00am.  Stop by to go green a little ... shop local, reduce carbon emissions, and support your neighbors.  And remember, the Locals Seasonal Market is BYOB ... bring your own bag!

Gerald "Jerry" Vogt, 63

Gerald "Jerry" Vogt, 63, father of our classmate, Ryan Vogt, died last Saturday, 22 May 2010.

Funeral services will be held Thursday 27 May at 11:00am at First Lutheran Church.  Visitation will be the night prior at Anderson Funeral Home from 4:00-7:00pm and again for one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday.

Please send Ryan the love as he mourns the loss of his dad.

Welcom, Cody John Adams!

On 26 April 2010, Sarah (Chan) Adams gave birth to her second child (first son), Cody John, in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Cody weighed 7lbs. 5oz. and measured 20.25" long.

Sarah, John, big sister Josie, and Cody are home in St. Francis... and are doing very well. Please join me in congratulating Sarah and her family on this amazing event!

Bug-a-Boo to Reopen Saturday

Believe the hype!  Bug-a-Boo has been sold to new owners who will keep the name in tact and are planning to reopen this Saturday.  Pontooners take note ... you'll still have a pit stop on Lake Le Homme Dieu this summer (and hopefully for many years to come)!

Ralph Swor, 84

Ralph Swor, 84, grandfather of our classmate, Jeremiah Swor, died recently.

Please send Jeremiah the love as he mourns the loss of his grandfather.

Welcome Caroline Madsen and Ethan Schnell Cottrell!

Wow, Spring really is a time for new beginnings!  I am thrilled to report the arrival of two new Class of 1997 babies!

Jana (Schnell) and Clint Cottrell are the happy new parents of fraternal twins - Ethan Schnell and Caroline Madsen!  Ethan and Caroline weighed 6lbs 1oz and 5lbs 5oz, respectively, and were born in Chicago, Illinois at 1:00am on Monday 15 March 2010 ... beware the Ides of March ... eep!  Everyone is now enjoying family time together in their Chicago home, are happy, healthy, and doing very well! 

Please join me in welcoming Jana and Clint on this doubly-blessed event!

Prayer Request: Pete Watt and Missi Marquardt

Hi everyone!  Today I'm writing with another prayer request - this time for Pete Watt's fiance, Missi Marquardt.  For the last six years, Missi has battled various forms of cancer.  She's fought back from Stage 4 ovarian cancer through various forms of chemotherapy and radiation in the past, and is now facing the fight for her life as she combats various forms of abdominal and intestinal cancer.  Please send up the love and prayers for Missi, Pete, and her two children ... all who very much need her in their lives.  To show additional support, Pete's niece has created a Facebook group titled, "Please Pray for Missi Marquardt" and check out Missi's CaringBridge website, found here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/missimarquardt

Welcome, Jocelyn Rae Huebsch!

On 24 March 2010, Alisa (Tripp) Huebsch gave birth to her second daughter, Jocelyn Rae, in Woodbury, Minnesota. Jocelyn weighed 7lbs. 3oz. and measured 20.5" long.

Alisa, Derek, big sister Briella, and Jocelyn are home in Cottage Grove ... where the girls now outnumber the boys 3-1 at the Huebsch home.  Grandma Barb is probably pleased to see the pendulum has swung in the girls' favor!  Please join me in congratulating Alisa and her family on this amazing event!

Class of 1998 classmates update

Class:

I'd like to take a moment to update you all on two of our fellow classmates from the 1998 tour ... Beau and Erica (Blom) Polensky.  As some of you may know, Beau and Erica were married some time back.  In March 2008, Beau was diagnosed with cancer in his small intestine.  He's been fighting various forms of cancer ever since.

Beau is currently hospitalized and doctoring in Rochester, after bouncing back-and-forth from various medical facilities around the state.  Both of the Polenskys have an incredible faith and even more amazing love of each other, their two young boys, and their families and friends.

This Easter season, please say an extra prayer to whomever you believe in for health and healing for their entire family - that they may know the lucky life we all lead on this side of the hospital walls.  For more information on Beau's condition, or to leave a message of hope for them, please visit the CaringBridge website set up here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/beau-c-phus

Sending all of you love and hugs everyday!

-MBMH