NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

FFA fundraiser kickoff starts today
NRHEG FFA is starting a 2-3 year process with the ultimate goal to build a Greenhouse and Garden Facility at NRHEG High School. The first fundraising event will be “Minnesota Give to the Max Day” on Nov. 14. Anybody interested in donating can go to www.givemn.razoo.com and search for NRHEG Secondary.  Donations given that day or credited to that day will be matched up to $1000 by the NRHEG FFA Chapter.

Order your Panther apparel by Friday
This is just a reminder that Panther apparel orders are due Friday, Nov. 15. Orders will be in on Dec. 18, just in time for Christmas. Samples of the clothing are on display in the Ellendale main office and New Richland Guidance office if you are interested. Please contact Barb Hagen at (507)417-2607 or by e-mail if you have any questions.

Veterans Day special


After 45 years, Gary Berg reunited with medic who helped save his life in Vietnam

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PURPLE HEART — New Richland native Gary Berg holds the Purple Heart Award and plaque he earned in Vietman in 1968, a day before he was set to go home. (Star Eagle photo by Jim Lutgens)


By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

Gary Berg was sitting around a swimming pool in Southern California, enjoying a reunion of the Navy Seabees, when he heard someone call his name.

“Gary Berg? Is that you?” said the man. “As bad as you looked the last time I saw you, I didn't think you'd make it. I never thought I'd see you again.”

The last time the man – still known as “Doc” to Berg – saw him, they were near an airstrip in Vietnam awaiting a helicopter, and Berg was hanging on for life.

Elementary Basketball Kickoff Saturday
The NRHEG Elementary Basketball Kickoff is Saturday, November 9 at the South gym in New Richland from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Boys and girls from grades 3-6 are invited. Players should bring $10 made out to NRHEG, basketball attire, an enthusiastic attitude and be ready to have fun! While the kids are playing there will be a short parent meeting in the cafeteria.

New Catholic priest born in Peru

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LONG ROAD TO NR — The area’s newest Catholic priest, Raul Silva, was born in Lima, Peru and graduated from Seton Hall University. (Submitted photo)


By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

Peru is a mountainous country in Central South America, bordering Ecuador and Colombia to the north, on the east with Brazil and Bolivia, on the south with Chile and on the west with the Pacific Ocean. Lima, the capitol of Peru, was founded in 1535 and is the largest city in the country with nearly nine million people.

It’s a long way from New Richland, both in miles and culture, but there now exists a connection between here and there.

Lima is where our area’s new Catholic priest, Father Raul Silva, was born 38 years ago.

The grand opening of the New Richland Public Library will be on Monday, November 18. A 7 p.m. program will feature author Rachael Hanel.

Hanel, a Waseca native, has written her first adult book, "We will be the last ones to let you down:  memoir of a gravedigger's daughter." The book was published by the University of Minnesota Press.

Madison Lake is the present home of this university instructor. Hanel has published essays in several literary journals and also had an essay selected as a Notable Essay in the "2012 Best American Essays." She has written 20 children's nonfiction books for a Mankato publisher.