Howard Lake News for Feb. 8

HOWARD LAKE, MN – This weekend take your sweetheart to the Valentine’s Day breakfast buffet, hosted by the Howard Lake Lions, Sunday, Feb. 14, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Lions Hall, 625 8th St. in Howard Lake, two blocks south of Hwy. 12 on Co. Rd. 6.

(Shown are Lions Judy Mattson, Renee Lahr, and Susie Grangroth clean up after a hotdish supper at the Lions Hall in Howard Lake.)

The breakfast is a fund-raiser for the junior class to help with Prom costs. They will be collecting a free-will donation.
Breakfast includes pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, coffee, juice, and milk.

The Lions members are a busy, helpful crew. Looking at their web site, www.hllions.org, I found the following information about them.
The Howard Lake Lions Club is a service organization affiliated with Lions International. It holds many fund-raisers to support their projects, such as Lions Eye Bank, Leader Dog, Hearing Dog, LCIF, Camp Friendship, Camp Courage, Campaign Sight First, The Wellness Van, and so on.

One of its major projects is Good Neighbor Days in cooperation with the Howard Lake Fire Department. On this weekend event the members do many projects as a joint effort, such as the burger stand and pork chop dinner.
Some of its past and present fund-raisers include breakfast buffets, a pork chop dinner at the Wright County Fair, wild game feeds, co-sponsor of a spaghetti dinner, a fish fry, a radar run on Howard Lake, haunted houses, golf tournaments, and they have also hosted two Branson concerts featuring Bruce Hoffman who grew up in Howard Lake and now resides and works in Branson, MO.
Locally, they have supported or donated to the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School athletic department for a weight room, the After Prom Party, Peer Helpers, turkeys for Project Caring, bought eye glasses and hearing aids for needy students, donated to families whose homes have been lost to fires, bought wheelchairs, walkers, built wheelchair ramps, donated to the DARE program, donated to the Wright County Food Shelf, and one of their bigger projects recently is the Silent Santa Program.
The City of Howard Lake has also had their help with the bathrooms at Memorial Park and Lions Park, also the fence around the ball field, new dugouts, a LED welcome sign at the east end of town, and a broom for the city tractor for sweeping the ice rink that they helped build.
The Lions members also sponsor a Teen Center at their Lions Hall.
The Lions meet the first and third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. Guests are always welcome and they are always looking for new members.
Current president is Darren McAlpine, first vice president is Cathy Rufer, second vice president is Julie Gangl-Rohling, and third vice president is Terry Thorson. LaNette Thorson is the secretary and Gary Hagemann is the treasurer. Directors include Darrell Main, Bernie Rohling, Harvey Krohn, and Judy Mattson. Debbie McAlpine and Renee Lahr are Lion Tamers, and Mike Main is Tail Twister.
Valentine’s Dining Specials
Browsing the Herald Journal Dining and Entertainment page, I found two of my favorite Howard Lake restaurants offering something yummy to treat your Valentine to. Sixth Street Bar B Que is offering smoked prime rib for two for $29.99, and the HL Legion is offering steak and lobster dinners from 5 to 9 p.m.
Kids eat free at Sunni’s Grille!
Per an e-mail I received, during the month of February, Sunni’s Grille is offering one free kid’s meal with a paying adult. Of course, this is only for kids 10 and under, so I will not be able to take my 19 or 16-year-old “kids” there for free, but lucky you if you have little ones. Sunni’s has great food, and what a great special for families. Enjoy, and let me know how it was.
Valentine King and Queen
Coronation of the Good Samaritan Center’s King and Queen will be in the dining room, Thursday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. Valentine treats will be served. This event is open to the community. The center is located at 413 13th Ave., Howard Lake.
Birthday wishes
Three birthday girls this week, Margaret Hensel celebrates Thursday, Feb 11, and Erin Judd and Judy Mattson Friday, Feb 12. Hope each of you have a fabulous day!
Valentine anniversary wishes
On a day set aside to celebrate love, we have two couples hit by Cupid’s arrow. Michael and Hilaire Diers and Leonard and Margaret Hensel both tied the knot on Valentine’s Day.
A little birdie shared with me that it is Michael and Hilaire’s 40th anniversary, congratulations!
Will their Valentine’s send heart-shaped candies, chocolates or roses, I wonder. . . Gifts or no gifts, I hope their day is filled with love. Happy Anniversary!
Events this week
• Monday, Feb. 8 – Snofest Coronation at HLWW High School. 7 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 8 – School Board meeting. 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 9 – Alcoholics Anonymous, First Presbyterian Church, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 10 – Connect – Teen Night at St. John’s Lutheran Church, HL. 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 11 – Coronation of HL Good Sam, King and Queen, 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 11 – Weight Watchers, HL Community Center, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 11 – Celebrate Recovery, HL Christian Church, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 12 – AA Meeting, St. John’s Lutheran Church, HL. Room E105. 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 13 – Super Stars, HLWW Middle School. 4 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 13 – H.L. Fishing Derby, 1 to 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 14 – HL Lions breakfast, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 15 – President’s Day – No school.
I wanna know!
Do you know someone in Howard Lake celebrating a birthday, anniversary, new baby, engagement or an event, fund-raiser or anything else that would interest my Howard Lake readers? Then, drop me a line. If I don’t know about it, I can not share it with anyone!
We are looking for Howard Lake submissions for this column. Please e-mail items to cheri@heraldjournal.com.