Thank You! If you were there to volunteer, donate or buy items at the annual Geneva Cancer Auction, that’s great. Now do yourself a favor and put your money where your mouth is. 

Do some research of your own. Look for those foods that help and get rid of those that hinder your continued good health.

  Drink water, good clear water, and enough to keep your blood circulating through your body.

Buy or raise foods that are full of anti-oxidants that will close out the free radicals that can raise so much havoc with your body.

Let’s put it this way - if you had a fine race horse you were preparing for the big race, what would you do? You’d no doubt see that he had the best food he needed, lots of fresh water and exercise him every day. Aren’t you worth more than a horse? Wouldn’t it be easier for you to win life’s race if you gave yourself the same good care you’d give that fabulous horse? 

No, I’m not advocating you eat hay, but I encourage you to buy the proper foods you need and eliminate those that are harmful or worthless at least.

Limit white things that have been processed - sugar, flour and some other foods, especially packaged foods. White is acceptable in milk, eggs and cauliflower.

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. This is true, but eating a ½-cup of squash or pumpkin or three or four tablespoons of asparagus does you good as well. What’s so hard about that? Your plate of food should be colorful.

Eat whole grains. Some dark bread is merely white bread with molasses or food coloring. Doesn’t sound like horse food — well no — but his diet is fortified with green grass.

Fruits have more natural sugar, as it boosts your immune system and reduces cholesterol and digests quickly. Popeye was right to eat spinach. Experiment with other greens than just the old staple of lettuce. Some greens are nutrition powerhouses and rich in folic acid that will make you feel good as well — plus they are rich in iron. 

 Caratenoids and bio-flavorids are a weapon against cataracts and macular degeneration. Sweet potatoes have more food value than white potatoes, plus they have vitamin A, C, calcium and potassium.

Eat outside the box and try something that may be new to you. Pomegranates fight breast, lung and prostrate cancer, prevents osteoporosis, protects arteries, slows Alzheimer’s disease, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and dental plaque.

Acai berries may help prevent heart disease and fight cancer.

Things as simple as using cinnamon, sage, ginger and cranberries also protect from some forms of cancer. Squash, butternut in particular, has more beta carotene which is a big plus in fighting cancer.

My grandmother used to make a kale soup —no cholesterol, low fat and beneficial towards off cancer and heart disease.

I could go on with garlics, onions, sage, chia seed, flax seed, beans or using applesauce in place of fat in baking. For that matter — pulverizing chia seed or flax seed can be used for fats in baking as well.

Oh, and don’t forget the broccoli and Brussels sprouts, pea pods and white radishes. 

But don’t just take my condensed version. Read the label. You’re worth it. We can fight cancer with research and lot of research is on your “favorite” program “Dr. Oz” or in a good magazine or nutrition journal.

Do a little mental house cleaning and throw out stuff that’s trying to kill you. I’ve heard that the average person drinks 648 pounds of sugar a year in soft drinks. I drink very little… somebody’s getting my share.

Low dietary intake of selenium is associated with increased incidence of several types of cancer, including lung, colorectal, skin, and prostrate. Animal and human research shows that supplemental selenium can protect against certain cancers. Two thirds of these studies found that high levels of selenium reduce the development of tumors at least moderately and in most cases very significantly. (P.D. Whanger, Ph. D., Oregon State University). Taking a 200 mg. supplement of selenium every day is most sensible. The best food sources are Brazil nuts, canned clams, oysters, and tuna, and also beef and lamb. Do yourself a favor and take a supplement or eat one or two Brazil nuts a day.

• Thursday, January 12th: Heather Mattson Johnson, Macy Misgen, Albert Diaz, Barry Jepson, Cindy Farner, Brian Milan, Chris Wilker.

• Friday, January 13th: Julia Anne Marlin, Melonie Crabtree, Rita Sletten Nelson, Diane Lee, Haley Butler, Tracy Utpadel, Jay Brown, John Olson, Tracy Bergerson, Bruce Haberman, Gregory David, Jack & Gloria Jensen.

• Saturday, January 14th: Brooke Sorenson Krohn, Marlys Sorenson, Darla Hagen Matthees, Christine Hanson, Skyler Cromwell Lembke, Jenna Marie Abbott, Mark Langlie, Ryan & Kerri Wagner.

• Sunday, January 15th: Steve Bailey, Paul Christensen, Emily Crabtree, Angela Borchert, Brian Farr.

• Monday, January 16th: Carter Howard Hanson, Kiley Beenken, Craig Bailey, Remi Wayne, Joshua Crabtree, Joni Groth, Jeff Kaplan, Tracy Tracy, Melissa Wagner, Emily Bedker, Tena Bryce, Jeremy Anderson.

• Tuesday, January 17th: Ava Elizabeth Schember, her 4th; Blake Michael Born/Norday, Don Anderson, Jan Bartsch, Annette Busho, LuAnn Johnson Prescher, David Strenge, Mike Peterson, Brayden Broitzman, Kayley Camerer.

• Wednesday, January 18th: Madilyn Hamilton, Deb Bohnoff, Todd Holland, Julie Bunn Hunt, Annie Miller, Tabatha Miller, Mark Misgen, Vicki Babb, Ruth Neidermeier, Garret Schley & Ellie Schley.

Life is a journey we begin each day. Wishing that each new day is happier than the day before. Have a great day! Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day. Little things mean a lot.

Once again old Mother Nature has thrown us a little bit of a curve ball when it comes to ice safety. The thickness of the ice in our area of the state is definitely unsettled to say the least. Even in Northern Minnesota, there are reports of people and vehicles falling through the ice. In one instance a conservation officer from the DNR had his SUV fall through the ice while attempting to check on fishermen on a lake. The unseasonably warm weather has prompted the following news release from the Minnesota DNR:

Forecasted temperatures in the 40s across Southern Minnesota this week add yet another reason to be careful if heading out on the ice, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“Ice thickness guidelines become unreliable once the temp gets above 32 degrees,” according to Lt. Cory Palmer, enforcement supervisor for the DNR. “Snowmobiles, ATVs and other vehicles should stay off the ice until temps drop below 32 degrees for at least 24 hours.”

Even if the ice seems thick enough, temperature and other factors such as currents, wind, water chemistry and wildlife can impact the relative safeness of ice.

According to Lt. Palmer, last week in Kandiyohi County alone, three ATVs went through the ice. He stresses that there is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice.

Lt. Palmer suggests contacting a local bait shop or resort for ice reports on a specific lake and frequently checking ice thickness with an ice auger, ice chisel or even a cordless drill with a long wood auger bit.

Locally, there has been some open water on Albert Lea Lake. At least one house had fallen through the ice this past weekend. I have said many times that I am one of those “thick ice” guys who would rather wait until the ice is safe before venturing out. 

Trevor, my oldest grandson, visited our kitchen the other night sporting a nice bucket of walleyes. Five of the fish were between 16 and 18 inches with one 22-inch fish topping off the limit. Not bad for a few hours of fishing. Trevor puts in the time on the lake and has been having good results. But even then, there are times when he won’t venture out because of unstable ice.

Putting in the time is the key to any fisherman’s success. I often wondered how some fishermen could just show up at a lake, drop their boat in, fish a few hours in a certain area and go home with fish. I’d venture to guess that they had spent enough time fishing that certain body of water that they pretty much knew what areas would be holding fish at certain times. Knowing a lake and finding fish is one thing, but you still have to know how to entice them to bite.

Although seasons like this are uncommon in Minnesota, we as true Minnesotans suspect that old Mother Nature still has some bad weather in store for us. I guess that just goes hand in hand with supporting our favorite sports teams. Viking football fans have been put through a couple of brutal seasons, but things are looking up now that they have a “general manager” in place to run the show. Wait a minute – hasn’t he been in a similar position with the team all along? Now that he has a title and full control, can we expect that a Super Bowl looms in the not so distant future?

The only thing I can envision right now is spring. Even so, the unseasonably mild weather has made this winter a lot easier to take. Just the other day I was talking to my brother-in-law Lynn in Nome, Alaska and he said it was 31 degrees again. It also looked like there was at least another week of that weather ahead. Lynn said he had to put a heat lamp on his fuel tank just to get his stove to work. Now that is cold! Whenever we get that run of bad weather that we all know will come, I can always think of him and be thankful for the mild winter we have been experiencing so far.

— — —

Muskie Talk

The January meeting of Crossroads Chapter 54, Muskies Inc. was Wednesday January 11, at 7 p.m. at the Eagles Club in Owatonna.

Our speaker was Kyle from Big Wood Muskie Lures. Our meetings are the second Wednesday of every month and include informative speakers, reports, updates, raffle and door prize and lots of musky conversation and information. You need not be a member to attend. Check our Web site at michapter54.com. Bring a friend; help improve muskie fishing in Southern Minnesota.

Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fish’n and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

“I’ll bet nothing surprises you anymore.”

“Everything surprises me.”

“Really? I thought you’d seen it all.”

“I have, but I’ve forgotten most of it.”

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: no matter how loud car alarms are, cars don't wake up.

I've learned

1. To stay away from breakfast cereals that change the color of milk.

2. That I can always find an expert to support my beliefs.

3. Men say things without thinking and think things without saying.

Ghosts

There are ghosts. I walk about a cemetery — St. Peter’s. There is a crowd. My parents, in-laws, friends and neighbors are buried there. I see ghosts. My memory riles them up. I place a stone on the tombstone of my parents — a sign that I had visited and remembered. I remember mother asking me what kind of birthday cake I wanted. I wanted a birthday pie. I remember telling father, a lover of Allis-Chalmers tractors, that the school had changed its colors so boys could wear John Deere caps to graduation. Memories are ghosts that I’m pleased to contemplate.

Sour dreams

There is a dreamcatcher on the wall near our bed. It resembles a miniature basketball net. According to legend, good dreams pass through the net to comfort a sleeping person. Bad dreams become tangled in the net and remain trapped until dawn, when they perish.

I thought the dreamcatcher had slipped up. It was the middle of the night. I was sleeping the sleep of the innocent and uninformed. Suddenly, something howling like a bad transmission interrupted my sleep. Someone had summoned the flying monkeys. It was no dream. It was the loud meowing of a cat

"Shut your kibble-hole!" I said in a kind and caring manner. I had run to the end of my chain and barked.

Back to sleep I went. I knew the path.

Once again, my sleep ended in noise. This time, it was that "hoopa" sound cats make before they cough up a hairball. I jumped from bed and searched for the feline. After stubbing a toe only once, I found the cat napping as if nothing had happened. That "hoopa" would make the perfect sound for an alarm clock. No one ever owned by a cat would be able to sleep through it.

Old time radio

A friend maintains we share too much, thanks to cell phones, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We’ve always shared a great deal. When I was a boy, there were only three TV channels. You couldn’t tape a program to watch later or zap the commercials. There weren’t many varieties of breakfast cereals, so we shared TV channels and cereals. We shared plenty. Radio offered more choices. I missed the golden age of radio, but I've listened to replays. TV had taken most of the programs but I could listen to the old radio shows in reruns. I enjoyed listening to Fibber McGee and Molly, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Lum & Abner, The Great Gildersleeve, Pat Novak For Hire, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Red Skelton, Bob Hope, Stan Freberg, etc. I listened less intently to The Green Hornet, Suspense, The Shadow, Gunsmoke, Boston Blackie, Inner Sanctum, and The Lone Ranger. My mother spoke fondly of listening to Art Linkletter's House Party where Art asked kids from Los Angeles grammar schools questions like, "What does your Mommy do?" and to Arthur Godfrey who strummed the ukulele, whose theme song was "Seems Like Old Times," and was sponsored by Lipton Tea. Mom told of marching around the breakfast table on orders from Don McNeil's Breakfast Club.

The first radio I recall was a Philco console with a wooden cabinet stationed in our living room. It wasn’t steam-powered, but it was old. Photos or other prized possessions perched on top of a doily resting on the radio. The Philco had more knobs and dials than necessary. My first radio was a used Arvin, AM only with a shatterproof plastic cabinet, advertised as "Velvet Voice Radio.” Later, I added a GE transistor radio to my stable.

Nature notes

Joel Dunnette of Byron writes that Rochester hosts countless crows at night during the winter. He refers to them as “crowmuters” that leave town at daylight and return at dusk like clockwork. Streaming flocks of crows are quite a sight. The crows prefer the trees and buildings of cities for overnight roosting because they offer warmth and safety from predators.

Meeting adjourned

No investment pays higher returns than a kind word.

The scurs were a little low on their temperature predictions for Monday and Tuesday but no one aside from the ice fishermen are complaining about it. Will we head back into winter for a while? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Highs of 35 and lows around 10. Thursday, partly cloudy with a chance of some lingering flurries in the morning. Highs topping out at 15 and lows dropping to 5 above. Mostly clear on Friday with highs around 20 and lows near 10. Partly cloudy on Saturday with highs of 30 and lows around 15. Sunday, mostly sunny with highs of 25 and lows of 10 – 15. Mostly sunny on Monday with highs reaching 30 and lows falling to 0 to 5 above. Partly cloudy on Tuesday with a chance of snow. Highs of only 10 – 15 and lows hovering near zero. Days are getting longer and we are gaining daylight at about 3 minutes per day now. The normal high for January 15th is 22 and the normal low is 4. Hopefully it’ll snow so the scurs can make the best of the cold snap by making snow angels. Otherwise they’ll be dirt angels.

Through press deadline time anyway we have continued our trend of above normal temperatures and sparse precipitation. So far at the ranch we have only managed .19” of precip since January 1st and roughly 1.2” of snow. We’ve tallied three days with highs of 40 or above with several others above freezing. Including the Tuesday and Wednesday recorded highs, it will likely make five days with highs above 40. We are now heading into what is typically the coldest part of January for our area. If the forecasts hold true we will likely experience colder than what we’ve been used to but it isn’t likely to be anywhere near record cold. This has had some interesting impact in the area. I know for instance that there was some primary tillage that occurred on an area field and there are still very few people willing to venture forth on the ice relative to what we’d typically expect for this time of year. I also know there are almost daily reports of someone going through the ice somewhere in Minnesota as the ice simply is generally unsafe for motorized vehicles much larger than small pickups around here. Even with those, it’s probably not worth the risk of calling a tow truck to fish them out if they fall through. And if you insist on driving your automobile to get some fish, at least for a while going to the grocery store is probably your safest bet.

According to information supplied by Vista’s noted Swedish astronomer, in the month of January we will continue to be blessed by Jupiter and Venus as they come closer together in the early evening sky. Venus is a little farther east each night and Jupiter while fading slightly is a little farther west. One is supposed to be able to look at Jupiter with a decent set of binoculars and see four of its moons at this point. Mars is showing up earlier as well. Look for the Red Planet around 9:30 p.m. on clear nights in the eastern sky. By dawn it should be high in the southwest sky. It will become brighter and will rise earlier every night, rising about 8:30 on the 31st. Saturn is visible at dawn high in the southern sky and is getting brighter like Mars as our planet gains on its orbit. 

It has been an absolutely dreadful past 12 months for watching Minnesota sports on TV with the possible exception of the Golden Gophers men’s hockey team. However even they are showing signs of developing performance issues in recent games. First, the Twins play uninspired baseball losing 99 games and the Vikings follow suit matching their all-time worst season record at 3 - 13. Now the Gopher men’s basketball team has picked up where they left off during last year’s Big Ten season, losing all their conference games thus far. Not to make excuses but every time I watch the Purdue men’s basketball team no matter who they play, the amount of hand checking referees allow them to get by with astounds me. I don’t recall that much groping going on since the days of the old drive-in theater in Spring Valley. Although, like other young lads in my class, being the mild-mannered, serious-minded, chaste individual I was, I always just watched the movie and ate popcorn in the Studebaker when on a date there. Someone told me about all that other stuff though. 

This warmer weather seems to suit many just fine however including moi when it comes to choretime. It doesn’t bother me in the least not to be cleaning out feed bunks and their lot or smashing ice out of buckets daily. It’s also nice that the brood ewes are able to stay outside most of the time. It cuts down on the need for bedding and keeps them from filling the barn full of manure. Since they’re dry, all the fresh air has been good for their overall health. There are days when I don’t even have to drain the hose during the day, something that sure didn’t happen very frequently last winter. And, it should also make for easier shearing if this dry pattern holds for another month or so. The shearer should appreciate that.

Speaking of shearers, the local barber at the Mall for Men was recently put on the injured reserve list. Coincidentally, not long after that happened, the local sheep shearer was seen casing the premises in between jobs. Too bad he’s so darn busy shearing sheep or he might’ve been able to cash in on an economic goldmine. Rather than only charging a few bucks a head, he could’ve made it into the double figures. Would be a lot quicker for people too. Once the catcher grabs you and plops you on your butt, the shearer pulls your ear and safely tucks your melon under his arm. He wears deodorant though so not to worry. Given the speed and precision with which he can shear an entire ovine, a haircut would be over in a matter of seconds. Toss in a little wormer plus some pour-on insecticide once he lets you up and you should be good to go until you’re turned out on pasture.

See you next week…real good then.  

Each new year brings generally the same things: new resolutions, the end of winter break, and for some, a fresh start. When I was younger, New Year’s didn’t have much significance to me other than a different number I would be writing on assignments at school. The holiday season goes from the madness of Christmas shopping to family gatherings where food is eaten and gifts are opened to New Year’s Eve, where most people go out and celebrate the transition from one year to the next. 

This year, I didn’t really celebrate too much, thanks to the snowstorm that lasted all evening on December 31st and then all melted away in the days that followed. I thought about what my resolutions would be for the year, and then realized that I never follow through with them, anyway (does anyone actually follow through with their resolutions?), so what’s the point in making them? Besides, my resolution at the beginning of 2011 was to make last year better than 2010, and that didn’t happen. In fact, 2011 was one of my worst years ever, for many reasons. Very few good things came out of 2011 for me. I don’t really want to go in-depth about every bad thing that happened, because a lot of it’s personal and it would take way too much time. So I’ll just focus on the good things that happened and hope that karma makes 2012 a very good year. Besides, dwelling on the bad things that happened is pointless.

So, what are some good things that happened in 2011? Well, last January, I met Sam, my boyfriend. And really, if that were the only good thing to happen last year, I would be O.K. with it. I couldn’t be happier with him, and although we’ve gone through some rough times, we’ve always been there for each other and somehow things always work out. 

I got to see one of my favorite bands, My Chemical Romance, for the first time last April. When I was in seventh grade, my dad forbid me from listening to them. I refused, though, and finally convinced him that they were actually a good band; he even likes some of their new music. It was April 12th, a warm spring day, and one of my best friends Taylor and I waited in line for about four hours before they even opened the doors. That’s what I love about Taylor — she’s not the most patient person in the world, but when it comes to things like concerts, she could wait for days just to see one. The venue was First Avenue, and I had never been there, though I’d heard nothing but good things about it. That night was one of the best nights of my life. There’s just something so exhilarating about seeing a band that you love play live. I had been waiting almost six years for that day, and it’ll always be a memorable one for me.

Last year was also the first time I went to prom. The first was in Waterville, the second in New Richland. Anyone who really knows me also knows that during my sophomore and junior years of high school, I spent more free time in Waterville than at home. So, needless to say, I loved going to prom in Waterville. Just like any other girl, I love being able to dress up nice for a day and spend time dancing with friends. They were both great nights that I’ll never forget.

The biggest thing that happened in 2011, though, was moving away from home. I’ve already written about this, so I don’t really need to explain it all that much, but it was a huge step for me.

All in all, 2011 was a year full of first experiences for me. Looking back at it, it really wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. There were a lot of good things that happened last year that I kind of forgot about. 

It’s so easy to complain about all the bad things that have happened in our lives. It’s not as easy to say, “You know, that really wasn’t that bad,” and move on. If you think about positive things instead of wasting energy thinking about negative things, you’ll find that you’ll be a lot happier. So, even though I don’t have any real “resolutions” for this year, I do plan on looking more at the bright side of things. Smiling more, laughing more, taking more time to realize all of the good things I have in my life and not focusing on all of the bad. 

After all, if all you do is think about how terrible your life is and how many problems you have, it can seem like too much to bear. You have the power to change your mood and your life, you just need to realize it and actually do something about it. So, I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year, and let’s make this year a great one. 

Edith Elizabeth Schultz passed away at St. John’s nursing home in Albert Lea January 9, 2012 due to terminal colon cancer.

A private funeral service for the immediate family will be held at the Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells, Minnesota.  Pastor Ed Komoszewski from Sojourners Church will be officiating. 

Edith was born January 14, 1931 on a farm near Lonsdale, Minnesota to parents John and Luddy Marek.  Edith graduated from Mankato Loyola High School and then went to post-secondary school in Mankato.

Edith married Arnold Schultz October 2, 1951 and enjoyed raising ten children on the farm located between Wells and Freeborn Minnesota.  Edith enjoyed farming and dancing with Arnie.  She also enjoyed playing cards with friends and family.  

Edith and Arnold were chosen by the owners of the Monterey Ballroom for representation at various ballrooms for Polka Fests.  Edith and Arnold were also asked to choose two other dancing couples to represent the Monterey Ballroom.  They chose two excellent dancing couples; Chuck and Jenny Kruse of Pemberton, Minnesota and Harold and Luanne Drummer of St. Clair, Minnesota.  

Edith is survived by her immediate family Arnold J. Schultz (husband) Wells, MN; Leonard and Kristen Schultz, Hartland, MN; Allan Schultz, New Richland, MN; Jan Schultz, Dayton, Ohio; Cheryl Schultz and Jack Brackett, Longmont, Colorado; Mary and Greg Dama, Glade Springs, Virginia; John and Kris Schultz, Alden, MN; Steve and Connie Schultz, Wells, MN; and David and Lisa Schultz, Albert Lea MN.  Edith is also survived by Charles and Dea (sister) Tuma, Harold and Ruth (sister) Johnson, Art and Alice (sister) Hutchens, Johnette Marek (sister), and Wilfred (brother) and Alvinia Marek. 

Edith also has ten grandchildren.  Thomas and Elizabeth Schultz, parents Leonard and Kris Schultz; Ashley and Chris Moore, and Michael Schultz-Navara and (friend) Kristen Dormish parents Jan Schultz and Steve Narva; Kristy Brackett (step-grandchild) parents Cheryl Schultz and Jack Brackett; Melissa Sather (step-grandchild) parents John and Kris Schultz; Derrick, Dustin, and Kendra Schultz parents Steve and Connie Schultz; and Corbin, Cameron, and Turena Schultz parents David and Lisa Schultz.

Edith is preceded by parents John and Luddy Marek, and sons Dale and Jerry Schultz.

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

The NRHEG girls’ basketball team hosted Tri-City United in a nonconference game Monday night and won 67-34 in New Richland.

The Panthers, who led 34-18 at halftime, overcame what coach John Schultz called too many turnovers and sub-par three-point shooting.

“We played sloppy offense and did not take care of the ball, 18 turnovers is too high,” said the coach. “We did not shoot very well from three-point line as we went 6-32; that frustrated us.”

That changed in the second half, when the Panthers went on a 10-0 lead and quickly built the lead to 30.

The Panthers outrebounded the visitors 38-18. They were 20-for-51 on two-point field goals.

NRHEG individual leaders: Carlie Wagner 26 points, four rebounds, eight steals; Jade Schultz nine points, five rebounds; Katie Cole six points, four rebounds; Anna Schlaak five points, eight rebounds, four assists, six steals; Marnie Wagner five points; Danielle Krueger four points; Maddie Wagner four points; Abby Crabtree three points; Tori Raimann two points, five rebounds; Raelin Schue two points, five rebounds, two blocked shots; Hannah Lundberg one point.

“Everyone scored on our team tonight, I’m very happy with that,” said Coach Schultz. “Our bench did very well. The girls worked hard. It was a good team win.

The Panthers ran their record to 10-0 overall. They’re 5-0 in the conference.

NRHEG’s B-squad also remained undefeated, winning 63-22.

The Panthers host Hayfield in a boy-girl Saturday doubleheader Jan. 7 at 6 p.m.

28th annual two-weekend event to begin Friday, wrap up Jan. 14

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

Christmas and New Year’s have passed, and the little town of Geneva once again plans to open its doors wide to provide for the annual Geneva Cancer Auction.

Long known for the kindness and generosity that radiates from this little town and its surrounding neighbors since the first cancer auction in 1985, this event continues to grow and give to help others.

Many events are scheduled throughout the year to bring in donations to fight the cancer battle, and the annual Cancer Auction has become an unforgettable event.

Twenty-seven years is a long time to think about causes and cures, as well as the loss of loved ones, but the message still comes through loud and clear: help find a cure for cancer.

The people of our area do their best to benefit those we love by sharing their love and generosity by supporting this annual event.

This year, the Geneva Cancer Auction will once again be held at Geneva Bar & Grill beginning on Friday, January 6 at 7 p.m., and resuming again at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The auction will continue the following weekend, January 13, at 7 p.m. and the 14th, at 2 p.m.

Ellendale City Council

By SCOTT GROTH

Contributing Writer

The Ellendale City Council met December 22, 2011 with Mayor Engel and Councilmen Helland, Reiter and Groth present. Absent was Councilman Goebel. Also attending the meeting were Clerk Louks and Gwen Reiss.

After approving the agenda for the evening, the council went over the Fire Department claims and financial statement. The council approved the claims list for evening. The council then approved the Resolution 12-22-11-01, allowing the transfer of money from the Fire Department checking and the Fire Department savings account to the city’s general fund account. The account would be marked for the Fire Department. This action is required by the state. 

The council approved the minutes from December 8, 2011, Truth and Taxation, and also the regular meeting held December 8, and the special meeting for the Municipal Liquor Store held on December 15.

The claims for the evening were presented by Clerk Louks for approval. The claims totaled $2,254.50. The claims were approved by the council.