What happened to the Kodiak films?In January 1941, Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 215th Coast Artillery Unit, left Luverne for Kodiak, Alaska.While stationed at the Kodiak base, the military troops and their friends and families back in Luverne would send 8 mm films back and forth.Those left behind would send the soldiers movies about how things were in Luverne, while the soldiers would send their films back to Luverne to depict life on their Alaska base.Now, Ken Burns wants to make those films a part of his new documentary film series about World War II.The films that were sent to the men of Battery E depicting life in Luverne have been found, but those made in Alaska for Luverne people to view at the Pix Theatre cannot be found.Meghan Horvath, who works for Ken Burns’ production company, Florentine Films, is asking anyone who may have played a role in the showing of those films or if you have any idea where those films may be located to contact her.What Guardsmen had the cameras up in Kodiak? Could the relatives of those guardsmen have the films sitting in their basement somewhere?Meghan has sent letters to all of the members of Battery E, but the films could be sitting in the basement of friends or descendents who ended up with them and may have forgotten they have them.Who has the films!If you have any ideas where they could be located, or have questions concerning the search for them, contact Warren Herreid at 283-9467 or Betty Mann at 283-2913.Brandenburg Book signing and Chamber open house Dec. 5Don’t forget the Brandenburg book signing this Friday, Dec. 5.Jim Brandenburg will be in Luverne to sign copies of his new book "Looking For The Summer."The book signing will be at the Brandenburg Gallery from 6 to 9 p.m.The signing will be part of an open house at the Gallery for the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce, who is now sharing space in the Creeger Office Building.The open house will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.The open house will also include the rest of the businesses that occupy the building.Occupants of the office complex include: Brandenburg Gallery Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce Roundwind Travel New Life Celebration Church New Dawn In–Home Care American Family Insurance Randy Creeger, Main Street Financial Ramsgate Managing InsuranceParade of Homes this SundayAs part of Winterfest, the Luverne Optimist Hockey Club will again be sponsoring the annual Christmas Parade of Homes.This year the featured homes include: Terry and Chantel Connell, RR3, 1 mile east of Luverne on North River Road. Terry and Heather Poe, 915 N. McKenzie. Dave and Stacy Riphagen, 404 W. Main. Arnold and Shirley Vanderheiden, 511 Britz Drive.Tickets for the Parade of Homes are on sale from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at the Carnegie Cultural Center, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Salvation Army starts Luverne kettle campaignLuverne will have its very own Salvation Army kettle ringer this year.The Salvation Army kicked off its kettle campaign last Saturday, at Glen’s Food Center in Luverne.All the donations to the kettle will be used for Rock County projects.If you would like to help the cause, some bell ringers are still needed.For more information about the Salvation Army and their projects, contact Patti at 283-2366 or Greta at 283-5064Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
