Volunteers package 60,264 meals in Lester Prairie

LESTER PRAIRIE, MN – More than 200 volunteers of all ages packaged 60,264 meals for those in need during a Kids Against Hunger event in Lester Prairie Thursday. The group also collected $8,400 in donations. This was the sixth year the event was conducted in Lester Prairie. Meals packaged Thursday will go to help disaster victims in Haiti.

Lester Prairie Lions donate checks to support community youth

LESTER PRAIRIE, MN – The Lester Prairie Lions presented two checks to support community youth Thursday morning.

The first was a $1,000 donation to the Lester Prairie Community Task Force on Children and Adolescents.

Task force member Eric Angvall said the group has been astounded by, and is very appreciative of, the donations that it has received since a story was published about the group recently in the Herald Journal.

In addition to the check from the Lions, the group received a $150 check from the Lutheran Women Missionary League (LWML) at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

The group also received a lunch for 88 students that was donated by the Womens’ Guild of the Prairie Community Church, Evangelical Church of Christ.

The second check was a donation of $600 to the City of Lester Prairie to be used for replacement of the bases at the three ballfields in Lester Prairie city parks.

Lester Prairie Community Chest seeks new members

LESTER PRAIRIE, MN – The current board of the Lester Prairie Community Chest consists of Dale Mensing, Amy Bettcher, Margie Hermann, Ralph Machemehl, Ethel Emich, and Miriam Jilek.

All of them have served for many years. Bettcher, who has been on the board for 17 years, described herself as the newcomer to the group.

Machemehl, Emich, and Jilek have indicated that they plan to retire from the board soon.

The board has asked for volunteers to join the group to keep the organization going, but no one has stepped forward.

The board has had a preliminary discussion with Chris Schultz, a board member of the United Way of McLeod County.

The community chest has agreed to investigate the possibility of a partnership with the United Way.

The group does not want to give up its Lester Prairie identity or the local emergency fund, but there may be ways the two organizations can work together. To read the full story, see the Oct. 12 issue of the Herald Journal.

Non-denominational conference coming to Howard Lake

HOWARD LAKE, MN – Two-way communication during prayer is the focus of an upcoming conference at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Howard Lake.
The conference is called Hearing the Voice of God, and the featured speaker is Paul Anderson of Lutheran Renewal. It will take place Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church.
“This is definitely a non-denominational seminar,” event coordinator Pat Schoephoerster said. “because every Christian wants to hear the voice of God.”
The conference centers around how prayer is not just one-sided, rather, it’s a two-way communication, Schoephoerster explained.

The conference costs $20, which includes lunch, otherwise it is $15 for those who wish to have lunch elsewhere.
Participants can register by calling Nancy Hovlid at (320) 543-2227 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, and walk-ins will be welcome, as well.

More information about this topic will be in Monday’s Herald Journal.

Skydiving business owner prepares to jump in Winsted Airport

WINSTED, MN – Winsted Municipal Airport is where Joe Johnson, a skydiving instructor, would like to start his new business called West Side Skydivers.

He is hoping to move forward with his plans to open his facility at the airport April 2010, once an operation agreement with the City of Winsted can be reached.

Johnson is currently the safety and training advisor for Skydive Twin Cities in Baldwin, WI. He is a member of the US Parachute Association (USPA), holds a USPA Class D license, and has all skydiving instructional ratings.

He has made a total of 6,500 jumps in his career. Read more about Johnson’s skydiving plans in this week’s Herald Journal.

Lester Prairie Advisory Committee collecting supplies for school

LESTER PRAIRIE, MN – The Lester Prairie Advisory Committee (LPAC) is conducting a supply drive Friday, Sept. 11 at the football game at 7 p.m. in Lester Prairie. The supply drive is a way to offset recent cuts in the school budget. The committee is asking everyone who attends the football game to bring some type of school supply. Suggested items include: facial tissues, antibacterial lotion, disinfectant spray, sanitizing wipes, dry erase markers, crayons, pens, pencils, highlighters, self-stick notes, folders, tape, paper clips, standard-sized staples, small white-boards, reams of paper (any color), and legal pads. Cash donations will also be accepted. There will be a drawing at half-time, and anyone who brings a supply donation will be eligible to win $25 in Prairie Bucks.

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