What’s Happening at Central Square?

by Cheryl Larson, Central Square and Civic Center Executive Director

Stop by the Second Floor Gallery this week to see the exhibit on display by local resident Tom Olejnicak. Tom has recently discovered a new talent for painting and this is his first ever exhibition. The Second Floor Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10-4 and during special events.

Last chance auditions for the children’s Theater production of Pinocchio are being held Tuesday, June 30, 2015 @ 5pm. “Theater by kids for kids” Ages 7–12 for further information, Contact Penny at: pnhaavig@wisperwireless.com or call 320.424.1179

Summer art and craft classes are filling fast. Only ten spots remain available for the July session. Call our office at 320.634.0400 to register today. Classes for kids ages 6-11 on Wednesday morning from 9-12 noon and on Thursday morning for ages 12 to adult. $40 pays for 4 classes and all supplies are included. 

Special thanks to Shopko for the grant funds given to Central Square’s education program. Due to the generosity of Shopko all supplies for our summer art education program have been paid for. Without the generous support of donors such as Shopko we would not be able to bring educational opportunities to the community at such an affordable rate. 

The all school reunion on July 25th (11-5 p.m.) is fast approaching. We are currently planning for an attendance of 500 people. The cost of producing this big party is growing into the thousands of dollars. We are looking for sponsors and donations to help support this event. If there are any community members, alumni or classes who are able to contribute in any way with a donation it would be greatly appreciated.

Every week I like to share some tidbit of information that I like to call “art facts”. This week’s art fact is given by The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. They report that the arts and culture sector is a $699 billion industry, which represents 4.3 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Products—Who would have thought that this is a larger share of the economy than agriculture and transportation. The nonprofit arts industry alone generates $135 billion in economic activity annually that supports 4.1 million jobs and generates $22.3 billion in government revenue. 

Concert Series Season tickets are on sale now. Get your tickets and reserved seating now and save big dollars. By purchasing the season pass you are saving $50 off the regular door ticket price and you get reserved seating. It’s that same as two free shows. Season tickets make great gifts for that person who has everything. Every dollar spent goes back to support arts and entertainment activities in your community. Central Square is a 501-c3 organization and all contributions are tax deductible. See you at Central Square, you’re Community Center!

Bonanza Valley Days 2015!

Here's the poster.

An interesting take on the SCOTUS gay marriage ruling

http://www.guns.com/2015/06/27/supreme-court-ruling-on-gay-marriage-may-pave-way-for-expanded-gun-rights

Armed robber shot dead in Detroit

Sometimes the good guys prevail!!

http://bearingarms.com/restaurant-cook-shoots-armed-robber-protecting-20-lives-detroit/?utm_source=bafbp&utm_medium=fbpage&utm_campaign=baupdate

...and some food for thought:
https://robarguns.com/blog/2015/06/20/why-you-should-want-gun-ownersshooters-as-neighbors

...and more food for thought:
http://www.salon.com/2015/06/18/its_not_about_mental_illness_the_big_lie_that_always_follows_mass_shootings_by_white_males/

Some light humor!

Some great food for thought

A young man went to seek an important position at a large printing company. He passed the initial interview and was going to meet the director for the final interview. The director saw his resume, it was excellent. And asked, 

'- Have you received a scholarship for school?' The boy replied, " No '.
-' It was your father who paid for your studies? '
-' Yes.'- He replied.
-' Where does your father work? '
-' My father is a Blacksmith'

The Director asked the young to show him his hands.
The young man showed a pair of hands soft and perfect.
-' Have you ever helped your parents at their job? '
-' Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, he can do the job better than me.
The director said:
-' I have got a request: When you go home today, go and wash the hands of your father and then come see me tomorrow morning.'

The young felt his chance to get the job was high.

When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash their hands.

His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed their hands to his son. The young 

washed his hands, little by little. It was the first time that he noticed his father's hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them.

This was the first time that the young man recognized what it meant for this pair of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his study. The bruises on the hands were the price that he payed for their education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his father's hands the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time.

The next morning, the young man went to the office of the director.

The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the young when He asked him: -' Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?'

The boy replied: -' I washed my father's hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned his workshop'

' Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents , I would not be who I am today. By helping my father I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping the family.

The director said, "This is what I look for in my people. I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship of others to do things, and a person who does not put money as his only goal in life". ' You are hired '.

A child that has been coddled, Protected and usually given him what he wants, develops a mentality of " I have the right ' and will always put himself first, ignoring the efforts of their parents. If we are this type of protective parent are we really showing love or are we destroying our children?

You can give your child a big house, good food, computer classes, watch on a big screen TV. But when you're washing the floor or painting a wall, please let him experience that too. 

After eating have them wash the dishes with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you have no money to hire someone to do this it's because you want to love them the right way. No matter how rich you are, you want them to understand. One day your hair will have gray hair, like the father of this young man.

The most important thing is that your child learns to appreciate the effort and to experience the difficulties and learn the ability to work with others to get things done.

Benefit for Julie Ball is Saturday

A free will donation chicken dinner, silent auction and bake sale will be held on Saturday, June 20 at the Padua Pub from 4 to 8 p.m. for Julie Ball of Padua, who was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer earlier this year. 

The benefit will include the dinner, a silent auction from 4 to 6:45 p.m. with winners announced at 7 p.m. plus a bake sale from 4 to 8 p.m. or until goods run out.

The bar will be open with proceeds going to the Pub. Milk, coffee and water are included with the meal. Donations direct to the benefit fund can be mailed to: First State Bank, Julie Ball Benefit Fund, 423 Main St. S., Sauk Centre, MN 56378.

Donations are also accepted online via PayPal at: julieballbenefit@yahoo.com. Please note that any donations, whether goods or money, are not tax deductible.

Thank you for your support! Alisha, Kevin and Randi

Some interesting reading on the school lunch program

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/3/school-nutritionists-to-congress-michelle-obamas-l

My two cents: trying to reason with First Lady Michelle Obama is like talking to a brick wall.

June Dairy Month at Redhead Creamery

Shown is the Redhead Creamery cheese shop, with Lucas and Alise Sjostrom visiting with customers.

The Redhead Creamery is celebrating June Dairy Month with a “not your average book fair” on Tuesday, June 16 from 1 to 4 p.m.  This event includes Usborne Books, a reading corner and a petting farm.

The Redhead Creamery is also excited to host an Open House on Saturday, June 27 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Summer cheese shop hours are on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. all four days.

Here's a video clip from a stop I made in April during a tour for visitors to Redhead Creamery:

How to get to Redhead Creamery?

From Brooten, turn north onto County Highway 18 (Central Avenue North) and travel north on that road for 5.2 miles. Then turn right onto 310th Street (gravel) and take that for two miles. Then take the first left onto 463rd Avenue. The farm is the first driveway on the left 0.6 miles later.

31535 463rd Avenue, Brooten, MN 56316

www.redheadcreamery.com

info@redheadcreamery.com

Upcoming Belgrade library programs

Root Beer Float Day  – June 8

Children and teens are invited to register for the Summer Reading Program at the Belgrade Public Library and enjoy a root beer float on Monday, June 8, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Celebrate Summer Reading with Paul Spring – June 11

Singer Songwriter Paul Spring will perform at the Belgrade Public Library on Thursday, June 11, 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Children of all ages will enjoy his guitar driven story songs. This concert is funded in part by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Karaoke Day at the Library – June 15

People of all ages are invited to Karaoke Day at the Belgrade Public Library on Monday, June 15, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Have fun and show off your singing skills with the library’s karaoke machine.

Book Club – June 19

The Belgrade Public Library’s  R.E.A.D. Book Club for adults will meet on Friday, June 19, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Contact the library for book selection and other details. Read the book, then join the group for book discussion.

For further information about library services, call the Belgrade library at 320-254-8842.

Great River Regional Library (GRRL) provides library services at 32 public libraries in Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright Counties. It provides Central Minnesota residents with nearly 1 million books, CDs and DVDs, 250 public computers, programming and information services.

Myrtle Mabee Library • Hours

Mon. 2-5, Wed. 2-5, Thur.10-1 & 2-5, Fri. 2-5 & 6-8, Sat. 9-12.

ASB attains double-digit growth

As American Solutions for Business (American) approaches the end of its fiscal year in June, the company reports a 10 percent increase in invoiced sales over the same 10-month period last year, while the general trend for industry distributors is just over five percent.

Over 95 percent of American’s totals are derived from sales of printed products and promotional items. The print industry realized only a two percent growth in 2014, according to a report from Print Industries of America, a company that specializes in advocacy, education and research for the print industry. However, current trends are showing a more healthy increase in sales of printed products going forward. Growth in the promotional product industry has been stable at six percent per year over the past six years.

Justin Zavadil, Executive Vice President at American, sees the company’s flexibility as a key to its strong growth. “A distributor needs to be able to change directions on a dime in order to fit the customers’ changing needs. This is done through flexibility and innovation. We put the majority of our investment into the technology tools needed to secure enterprise business and to stabilize and grow the large program portion of our business.”

Adapting to stay relevent in the industry, the 34-year-old company is focusing on enhancing its end-user eCommerce experience and fine tuning the purchasing process. American’s eCommerce tools serve to streamline procedures for supply chain and fulfillment as well.

In addition, American has expanded its national footprint by growing it’s sales force. “Because we welcome all business models to the American family,” said Zavadil, “sales teams from across the country are identifying American as a good fit and are reaching out to us.”

American Solutions for Business is an industry-leading distributor of promotional products, print and document solutions, office supplies, eCommerce and marketing solutions. Based in Glenwood, Minnesota, the company employs a staff of nearly 300 employees who support the back office functions for a nationwide sales force. ASB is now employee-owned and serves thousands of clients across North America. Website: www.americanbus.com

Funeral service times

Mildred “Millie” Wendt, age 86 of Glenwood, died Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, June 4^th at Chippewa Falls Lutheran Church in Terrace, Minnesota.  Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home in Glenwood and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.  Interment will be in the church cemetery.  Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. 

Note: a full obituary is printed in the June 4 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice.