Ag Appreciation Day Aug. 17
The public is invited to Agriculture/Farmer Appreciation Day at Take 16 Brewery at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. The event is hosted by Sunshine, Rock Nobles Cattlemen and Rock County Pork Producers. Enjoy a free meal, door prizes, inflatables, games and live music. A full bar will also be available through The Bull Pen.
Rock the Edge Prayer Breakfast
Rock the Edge will host its 4th Annual Community and Youth Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Aug. 22, at Luverne High School. Guest speaker is Ty Eschenbaum. A breakfast will be served at 6:30 a.m. in the commons with a program at 7 a.m. in the performing arts center. Freewill offering. RSVP to 507-283-4061 by Monday, Aug. 19, at noon. The public is invited to attend.
Hardwick Fire Department hosts fundraiser meal
The Hardwick Fire Department will host its annual pork chop fundraiser from 6-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, at Hardwick Community Hall. Pork chop meal is $10; rib tickler meal is $8. Tickets will be available at the door.
SATURDAY, AUG
Blue Mounds State Park offers programs
•President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal was a big deal for Blue Mounds State Park. Meet for Berm to Berm: WPA History Tour from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, for a one-mile walking tour of WPA worksites and learn how they shaped the area’s history. Meet at the amphitheater parking lot.
•A prairie may seem like a simple landscape, but there is a complex network of plants and animals beneath your feet. Visit this exhibit-style program anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, and ask the naturalist about Going Underground. Meet at the picnic area.
•Impact: Story of Sioux Quartzite is a history of planet earth from pre-life to modern ways of making a living and the impact of Sioux quartzite on the past, present and future. Meet at the amphitheater at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. and bring a chair as seating is limited.
•This time of year, the grasses of the eastern prairies reach up and touch the sky. Making up 80 percent of the plant life on this landscape, the grasses have unique, colorful and genius ways of thriving and spreading. Stop by this pop-up exhibit of Touch the Sky Nature Cart from 8:30-11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, and ask the naturalist about the realm of prairie grass.
•Attend Mammal Mania from 2 to 3:3o p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, to see and touch some furs and skulls of the different mammals found at the Blue Mounds. Meet at the picnic area.
•Meet from 7 to 8 p.m. at the amphitheater on Saturday, Aug. 31, for Creatures of the Night: Owls. From silent flight to night vision, owls have fascinated people for centuries with their incredible adaptations. Bring a chair, as seating is limited
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Cade Thompson concert Sept. 11
Contemporary Christian music artist Cade Thompson will perform a back-to-school concert for area middle school and high school students at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, in the Luverne school performing arts center. The event is free for all ages and includes a free light meal at 6 p.m. ahead of the concert. RSVPs are required at https://tinyurl.com/5d8uu2z8. The event is sponsored by Rock Ranch, Hills, and local donors. Call 507-220-5954 with questions.
Community Ed
Register for the following classes and activities by calling the Community Education office at 507-283-4724.
Join Play Dates at the Park for the last session this summer! Give parents and their children birth to 5 years an opportunity to connect informally by meeting at Evergreen Park at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21. No fee, but please call Community Ed to register.
Students, grades K-6, will learn skills and techniques at Learn How to Play Chess on Aug. 20 & 22. Open to all skill levels! Fee is $15.
Watch for the Fall Community Ed Brochure in the Luverne Announcer on Labor Day weekend and available online Sept. 3. Registrations will be taken starting on Sept. 3.
Library happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Fourth-graders can receive a free one-year National Parks pass. The pass is good from Sept. 1-Aug. 31 of the fourth-grade year. Visit the website http://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration is at 6 p.m.
Census info needed for preschoolers
Families new to the community are encouraged to call Luverne Community Education at 507-283-4724 with information on children ages 0 up to kindergarten.
The district uses the information for planning purposes and to alert families about school opportunities. Families with 4-year-olds not yet screened for preschool should call to schedule a screening prior to kindergarten.
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.
CoffeeBreak Storyhour meets Tuesdays
CoffeeBreak meets at 9:30 a.m. each Tuesday to study the Bible, starting with Mark 9-16. StoryHour is for children 3 years old through kindergarten. Nursery is available for the littlest ones. There is no charge or no prior Bible knowledge is necessary. All faiths and all ages are welcome. Call Kristi Stroeh at 507-227-5102 with questions, or email kristi.stroeh@hotmail.com
Food Shelf evening hours
The Rock County Food Shelf is open for an additional evening shift from 5 to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Call Mary at 507-227-5548 or Katie at 507-227-3531.
