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Workers coordinate efforts to prepare, deliver hundreds of meals
MEALS ON WHEELS — In Geneva, bus drivers Randy Schott (left) and Larry Crabtree (right) deliver meals.
Around the NRHEG communities, the words “food service” are taking on a whole new set of meanings.
“We started out with about 20 meals,” remembers Virginia Raimann, food service lead at the New Richland site. “And now we’re up to over 150.” In fact, one day this past week, the cooks from the two sites prepared and packaged nearly 500 meals for delivery to families in the four communities.
According to Governor Walz’s March 15 proclamation, schools in the state must continue three services: education must continue, childcare must be provided for the families of healthcare and emergency workers, and meals must be made available for students aged 18 and under. There is no cost for the food service, and it is not dependent on income or other social elements.
“It’s a matter of filling a need for families,” observes Elementary Principal Doug Anderson. “In some cases, parents are gone a big part of the day and don’t have much time to prepare meals. Unfortunately, some are experiencing financial hardship because of the ‘shelter in place’ order. The good news is, we don’t need any explanations. The governor’s orders are ‘feed them,’ and we’re doing just that.”
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In an effort to help support our community food shelf during this greater time of need, the State Bank of New Richland will match all cash donations to the Area Food Shelf of New Richland during the month of April up to a total of $5,000.
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The Star Eagle has learned of more than one NRHEG High School graduate who contracted the COVID-19 virus and have since recovered.
The first, a Mankato resident age 31, did a self-questionnaire detailing his experience, after writing this preface: COVID-19 A.K.A: 2019 Novel Corona Virus Disease or 2019-NCoV mainly spreads from direct (face-to-face) interaction with an infected person at the height of their symptoms (mainly coughing). Anyone is susceptible to infection. 30,338 people have died so far from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak as of March 28, 2020, 2:37 PM CST. The virus may cause symptoms that range from a temporary shortness of breath, leading all the way up to a permanent loss of critical respiratory function (the leading cause of death from this disease). It should be noted that the full range of these symptoms have been observed to occur across a full range of ages. The virus infects healthy cells, usually in the lungs, and then uses these cells to further infect the body’s immune response cells. The virus then forces them indiscriminately to destroy healthy as well as infected cells.
Where did you contract the disease? I got the disease while taking care of my wife, who in turn picked it up from an art convention in Salt Lake City.
How did it feel in comparison to other diseases you’ve contracted? Honestly it just felt like a cough until I had one night of fever and chills. After that I got a sinus headache and my chronic joint injuries ached and I was very sleepy for about a week. I did experience shortness of breath, but that could have come from lying in bed most of the time. The only difference between myself and the others in my household was that a few of the others claimed to lose their sense of taste and smell.
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The Steele County Historical Society is seeking nominations for its 2020 Preservation Awards. Each year Steele County buildings or properties may be recognized for their outstanding preservation, and /or restoration efforts. Honorees in the past have included Torry’s Restaurant, Jeft’s Hall at Pillsbury, Kottke Jewelers, KIK Graphics, Lerberg’s Store, Owatonna Public Utilities, the First Baptist Church, the Zamboni Building, the Alexander home, and many others.
For a property to be considered, it should accurately reflect the architecture of the time it was built, be as close to its original detail as possible, and be in above average condition. Historical significance of the property and provenance are also desirable when choosing a nominee. Nominations may include homes, businesses, farmsteads, or other rural properties.
“Anyone is invited to nominate properties for 2020’s nominees. The Steele County Historical Society’s mission is to preserve and share history today for tomorrow, so recognizing others who have joined in that mission is an important aspect of Steele County,” says Ryan Gillespie, SCHS Board President.
All nominations must be received at the SCHS office by May 1, so that the selection process can begin. Awards will be announced in May during National Preservation Month. To nominate a property, please submit a letter explaining why you have chosen this property, some background information, the property’s historic significance, a photograph, and a contact to call. Nominated properties will be visited by a selection committee. For more information please call 451-1420. To submit a nomination, e-mail a message or mail a suggestion to SCHS, 1700 Austin Road, Owatonna, MN 55060.
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Students find ways to fill free time
STAYING BUSY — Dillon Kohnert, above, has used some his free time to put in extra hours at his job at Morgan's Meat Market. (Submitted photo)
Gavin Anderson admits the announcement took him completely by surprise. “We had classes on Friday, and on Monday we didn’t,” he says. “I had no idea it was going to happen.” One way Anderson has been using the sudden available time has been to put in a few extra hours at his long-standing part-time job as a stocking clerk at Lerberg’s Foods in Ellendale.
“The store has been a lot busier than usual,” he comments, noting that eggs, toilet paper, noodles, paper towels and facial tissues have been hard to keep on the shelves. “People are worried about what’s going to happen, and they want to be sure they’ll have what they need.” Despite the worries and tension, though, Anderson says he has seen some acts of kindness, including times when shoppers handed items from their carts to others.
He also observes that people are acknowledging how important grocery stores—and the people who work in them—can be. “It’s easy to overlook everything we do to keep people’s everyday lives running smoothly,” he says. “But now people are recognizing it, and they’re saying ‘Thank you’ for what we do.”
NRHEG Senior Dillon Kohnert has noticed some similar circumstances. There seem to be more customers than usual at Morgan’s Meat Market, and they seem grateful to be able to find quality products.