Hospital project begins telephone campaignThe Partnership Campaign, whose mission is to raise money for the new hospital, and clinic will begin their "Neighbor-to-Neighbor Telephone Calls for Support."The campaign will begin on Monday, Sept. 29.Students from Luverne High School’s Peer Helpers and German Club will call approximately 5,000 area homes to solicit the gifts.Although recently passed state and federal laws have restricted telemarketing, the new "do not call" laws do not apply to local charities.The students will offer area residents the opportunity to make cash donations or to pledge to make payments over a five-year period.The calls will be coming your way Monday through Thursday evenings for three or four weeks, or until they have completed giving everyone the opportunity to donate to the project.According to Greg Burger, chair of the drive, the Luverne Community Hospital employs 230 people and has an annual economic impact of more than $15 million. In addition to serving as home base for the area’s physicians, visiting specialists conduct clinics and perform procedures in Luverne.The future home of the Luverne hospital and clinic will be more than twice the size of its current two facilities, and promoters are hoping the expanded operation will entice even more patients to choose Luverne for their health care.State Troopers go after motoristsMinnesota State Troopers out of the Marshall office recently focused their efforts toward speeders.The troopers stopped more than 400 motorists, issuing 157 speeding tickets and 63 seatbelt tickets during the Safe & Sober enhanced enforcement campaign, Aug. 27 through Sept. 12.According to Sgt. Brian L. West, "For the safety of our roads, we can’t let speeding become an acceptable habit."The speeding-targeted campaign was coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and included participation from more than 200 law enforcement agencies."Speeding limits are posted for a reason, they are to be obeyed, not tested," West said.The Safe & Sober campaign is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is designed to reduce traffic crashes and injuries through education and enforcement.DFL Chuckwagon set for Oct. 8The Rock County DFL is preparing for its annual fund-raiser.The 52nd annual Rock County DFL Chuckwagon Feed and Auction will be at the American Legion on Tuesday, Oct. 7.The "feed" part of the evening will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The auction of donated merchandise will begin at 6:30 p.m.The auction will be conducted by a number of local auctioneers who will sell the items, mostly donated by local merchants.Tickets for the fund-raiser are available from any member of the Rock County DFL Central Committee, or at Vander Kooi Law Offices in Luverne.All proceeds from the Chuckwagon will go to support Democratic Farmer-Labor candidates.Goodwill’s coming to townThe Goodwill truck came to town this week and will be here until Tuesday, Sept. 30.The truck will be located at the former Glen’s Food Center building in downtown Luverne.Due to the trailer size, large items such as furniture and large appliances can’t be accepted.Items that the Goodwill encourages you to donate include: sellable clothing, usable working small appliances and household goods, sporting goods and toys.Donations are to be placed as far to the front of the trailer as possible.The sold items are used to support the programs and services Goodwill provides for people with disabilities and disadvantages.For more information contact Ruth Rodgers at 283-8879.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
