Rock County Commissioners meet Feb. 5
Law Library 9:00 A.M.
Rock County Courthouse
05 February 2002
Commissioner Wildung called the meeting to order with all commissioners present.

Motion by Hoime, seconded by Jarchow, to approve the February 5th County Board agenda, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Erickson, seconded Boyenga, to approve the January 22nd County Board minutes, declared carried on a voice vote.

Mark Sehr, Engineer, presented Resolution No. 04-02, a detour agreement 82828-R, from CSAH 2 to CSAH 7, with MnDOT on SAP 67-605-10, a road project on US Highway 75. Motion by Boyenga, seconded Jarchow, to authorize Resolution No. 04-02, declared carried on a voice vote.

The Engineer requested final payment of $2,063.90 to Henning Construction for an aggregate stockpile; total contract was $41,278.20. Motion by Erickson, seconded by Hoime, to authorize the final payment of $2,063.90 payable to Henning Construction, declared carried on a voice vote.

The Engineer requested approval to advertise for bids on project SAP 67-632-002, Luverne Street; motion by Hoime, seconded by Jarchow, to authorize the advertising for project SAP 67-632-002, declared carried on a voice vote.

Margaret Cook, Auditor/Treasurer, presented the fund balances; motion by Hoime, seconded by Erickson, to accept the fund balance report, declared carried on a voice vote.

The Auditor/Treasurer presented the claims for payment with additional claims payable to Metro Transit for $44.00 and MN Rural Energy Task Force for $2,500.00 for membership dues. Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Erickson, to pay the claims as presented, declared carried on a unanimous vote. A complete listing of claims is available at the Auditor/Treasurer's office at no charge.

General $12,371.15
LEC 733.37
Road & Bridge 7,687.82
Judicial Ditch .00
Welfare 28,024.63
Landfill 909.21
TOTAL $49,726.18

The County Board directed that the County Attorney attend the next County Board meeting to explain the IV-E billing process that takes place within the County Attorney's office.

The Auditor/Treasurer presented Resolution No. 08-02, a rural water split on parcel 10-0029-000 located in the SW 1/4 of 06-104-46 between Kevin and Shelia Matthiesen and Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Erickson, to approve Resolution No. 08-02, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Jarchow, seconded Boyenga, to approve Resolution No. 09-02, a joint powers resolution by becoming a participant of the Minnesota Association of Governments Investing for Counties (MAGIC Fund) and adopting and entering into the Declaration of Trust, declared carried on a voice vote.

The County Board requested that the Personnel Committee of the County Board schedule meetings with all county elected officials, declared carried on a voice vote.

The County Board was in receipt of the Annual Feedlot report provided by the Land Management Office; this was for informational purposes.

Jay Trusty, Executive Director of the Southwest Regional Development Commission and Ben Vander Kooi, Legal Counsel for the SRDC, requested the County Board to pass a resolution of support of the SRDC to increase their levy authority to address debt situations which have occurred as a result of the Prairie Expo project. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Jarchow, to not support the SRDC resolution. After considerable discussion, Commissioner Boyenga called the question and a roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Erickson and Wildung voting nay and Commissioners Jarchow, Boyenga, and Hoime voting aye. Motion was declared carried.

The County Board was informed that Jeff Sehr would be doing a one-semester internship in Rock County working in the Law Enforcement Center. Jeff Sehr is a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Rock County Board received a draft copy of the Operating Rules and Guidelines of the County Board. The County Board directed that it be assigned to the Personnel Committee of the County Board for review.

The County Board was in receipt of information pertaining to the E911 contract, which is a dedicated trunking service for phone calls. The County Board requested an E911 funding history to include past and present monies payable to Rock County and present at the next County Board meeting. Also requested Rick Morrow with Independent Emergency Services, Terri Ebert, Dispatch Supervisor and Ron McClure, Rock County Sheriff to attend the next County Board meeting to discuss the E911 upgrade.

The County Board was in receipt of an activity report from the Rock County Law Enforcement showing statistics of the past three years of violations within Rock County. The County Board requested the Sheriff to further define the numerical analysis of the report.

Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Hoime, to pass Resolution No. 05-02, a request to Minnesota State legislators to support legislation to fully fund Child Care Resource and Referral Programs and Resolution 06-02, a request to Minnesota State legislators to support legislation to fully fund the Family Planning Program's critical services in Southwestern Minnesota; motion was declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Hoime, seconded by Boyenga, to pass Resolution No. 07-02, requesting legislators to support and pass the production tax for Rural Minnesota Energy Task Force, declared carried on a voice vote.

The County Board directed the Administrator contact the County AssessorÕs office for information regarding gas line taxes collected within the county; Commissioner Boyenga requested gravel tax update from the County Attorney as well.

Commissioner Hoime provided the County Board with a Rock County Pool & Fitness Center update. Currently, RFP's are being developed and they will be submitted at a later date.

Commissioner Wildung requested that the County Board authorize copies of the current fourteen cemetery plats in Rock County be made by the Rock County Highway Department and be forwarded to the Rock County Historical Society as they are trying to generate a cemetery data base. Motion by Hoime, seconded Jarchow, to authorize the copies of the cemetery plats, declared carried on a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Boyenga voting nay.

Commissioner Erickson informed the County Board that the Environmental Bus closed the year with a positive balance and that this year's fund-raiser would be a fishing contest at Little Spirit Lake on June 23rd.

With no further business to come before the County Board, the meeting was declared adjourned.

Jane Wildung, Chairman of the Board
ATTEST:
Kyle J. Oldre, Clerk to the Board
(2-21)

Mortgage foreclosure sale set for March 12
01-21149
8042047715
NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
THE RIGHT TO VERFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage:

DATE OF MORTGAGE: November 24, 1999

ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $57,531.00

MORTGAGOR (S): Danny R. Kephart and Evelyn Kephart, Husband and Wife

MORTGAGEE: EquiCredit Corporation of Mn., n/k/a NationsCredit Financial Services Corporation
DATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: recorded December 3, 1999, Rock County Recorder, Document No. 146866

LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: The East 74.4 feet of Lot 2 in Block 1, Auditor's Plat no. 1 to the City of Luverne

COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Rock

AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, INCLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID BY MORTGAGEE: $68,858.21

THAT all pre-foreclosure requirements have been complied with; that no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof;

PURSUANT, to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows:

DATE AND TIME OF SALE: March 12 2002 10:00 A.M.

PLACE OF SALE: Sheriff's Main Office, West Side Sheriff Dept., Front Step, Luverne, MN
to pay the debt secured by said mortgage and taxes, if any, on said premises and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys fees allowed by law, subject to redemption within six months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s) their personal representatives or assigns.

"THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR'S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 582.032 DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN 5 UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED.

Dated: January 10, 2002

NATIONSCREDIT FINANCIAL SERVICES
CORPORATION
Mortgagee
SHAPIRO & NORDMEYER, L.L.P.
BY /s/ Nancy A. Nordmeyer
Lawrence P. Zielke
Beth W. Asmussen
Attorneys for Mortgagee
7300 Metro Blvd., Suite 390
Edina, MN 55439-2305
(952) 831-4060
THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
(1-17, 1-24, 1-31, 2-7, 2-14, 2-21)

Hills Telephone Co.
STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
Hills Telephone Company is the recipient of Federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, organization's programs or activities.

The person responsible for coordinating this organization's nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Dennis Law, Manager. Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250; or the Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Washington, D.C. 20250. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.
(2-21)

By Lori Ehde
Blue Mounds State Park is under direction of a new park manager, John Voges, who started in December.
He comes to Luverne from the St. Croix State Park where he served as assistant manager. Coming to the prairie from a wooded river park is a change of pace, but it's one this outdoorsman welcomes.

"The tall grass prairie is growing in popularity, but it doesn't get all the attention it deserves," he said, adding that he also looks forward to working with bison.

"The bison are a wonderful resource for prairie management. That's one of the things that drew me to this area."

Voges should have no problem adjusting to his new environment, considering he has park experience in nearly all areas of the state.

He's originally from Bricelyn and earned his degree in park management from Mankato State University. His studies emphasized natural resource management.

His first job was in North Dakota, where he interned and spent five years in different areas of the state.

He went on to spend three years in the Minnesota Conservation Corps training college students in the Minnesota DNR.

Since then he's worked in different parks around the state, gaining experience in a wide variety of park management.

When the opportunity to come to Luverne presented itself, Voges said he didn't hesitate to accept a new challenge.

"There's a good staff here, and I know where they're at as far as their prairie resource management is concerned," he said.

"They were going in a good direction with the prairie and buffalo herd."

Voges has considered some goals of his own for the Blue Mounds, but for now he said there are already some exciting plans under way.

For example, the bison pasture area has more than doubled toward the south, and the Interpretive Center will be remodeled this spring.

Voges lives in the house near the Blue Mounds State Park office. He's getting married next month to Dawn Winkler of Hinckley, who is studying at South Dakota State University.

He replaces former park manager Rick White who took over in February 1996 after Merlin Johnson retired from his 15 years with the Blue Mounds.

By Sara Strong
As the final act of Sally McFadden's life came to a close, the Luverne theater matriarch was honored nationally for her contributions.

The American Association of Community Theaters made her the recipient of the Spotlight Award after she died of cancer in November 2001. The certificate came in time for the celebration in which friends and family honored her life.

In the nomination letter to AACT, Nan Karr-Kaufenberg wrote, "Her dedication to theater impacted Green Earth Players for over 20 years. Sally insisted that Green Earth Players Community Theatre strive for excellence and professionalism in the productions of a variety of shows. She promoted the idea of educating the audience by producing dramas and lesser-known plays, which provided challenges and growth for the directors, actors and stage crew."

AACT gives about a dozen Spotlight Awards a year, and nominations are reviewed by committee members from across the country. AACT leaves the criteria fairly open but stipulates that the Spotlight Award recognizes outstanding dedication, service or contribution to theaters. The award acknowledges that those contributions made significant impacts on the quality of community theater.

On the set
McFadden was active in other aspects of the Luverne community, but theater was her passion.

Carole Achterhof was at her side when they started Green Earth Players in 1978.

Achterhof said she'll miss her as a friend and mentor. "Oh, we had so much fun. ... We competed for a lot of the same roles, which were usually sexually-frustrated middle-aged women. Either she got the part or I did, depending on the director."

Achterhof said, "We prided ourselves on being on the outer peripheries of the community rather than the inner circle, and we had a lot of fun with that."

When Achterhof's life became too busy to include much involvement in theater, McFadden stayed with it.

"She was devoted to it," Achterhof said. "She was married to the Green Earth Players."

Karr-Kaufenberg reiterated that in her nomination letter. "She stayed with it until the very end, attending the Green Earth Players dinner theater production the day before her final hospitalization."

But more than an apt theater leader, those close to her say she was a great person.

McFadden was busy with other aspects of her life, like raising five children, when Achterhof first came to town in the 1960s. That's when the two first became friends before they became partners in community theater.

Achterhof had two children and a husband who was still working in Duluth. She was lonely in a new town when McFadden called one day to offer her a cup of coffee.

"Sally was my best friend in Luverne," Achterhof said. "She was a nice, open, sharing, generous person."

She recalls many times of laughter and bonding within the GEP group. Another friend, Linda Dummer, said she'll remember McFadden as a sweet woman.

Achterhof said McFaddenÕs presence at her home on Spirit Lake will be missed.

For the woman who was so closely tied to the world of drama, the last days of McFadden's life reminded Achterhof of the movie "Beaches."

When she spent a long weekend on Spirit Lake, Achterhof saw her color wasn't good and she feared the end was near. "She was strong for all the people around her," Achterhof said. "I miss her."

By Sara Strong
Extension offices across the state heard what cuts were in store for them this week. The big picture isn't quite in focus, and Extension personnel are getting information out as they receive it from the state.

Changes at the Rock County level may not be as noticeable as previously thought, because the office hasn't been up to full staff for almost a year.

All Extension employees have been notified of their job cuts or job offers through reorganization. They have until March 4 to accept the offers.

Extension Educator Fraser Norton was told he will become a Regional Extension Educator specializing in business management and marketing. He will work out of the Rock County office and work throughout the region in his specialty. It's not yet clear how the region will be defined.

The region may be seven counties, but Norton hasn't seen that explanation yet. He said he is pleased to be offered the position because he specifically applied for it.

Part-time Educator Nancy Sandager said her position as the head of the local 4-H is still uncertain because that program is taking some more time to reassess. She also said she didn't want to take a position that would involve travel or working full-time.

Rock County's Extension Director, a new position, will be shared with Pipestone County if Holly Arp, who currently works in Pipestone, accepts the offer.

The reconfiguration of services and state funding is due to a state budget shortfall. That could involve almost 60 of the state's extension educators being cut.

In an effort to help the state budget situation, the Extension Service had Rock County pay 40 percent of the educator's wages in 2000, increased from 28 percent of wages the year before.

The same pay scale will be in place in the future. If counties want additional staff in the Extension offices, they must pay all of the salary costs.

With the more regional direction Extension is taking, Rock County Commissioners have previously voiced concerns over the quality of services.

They reasoned that busy regional experts will spend a lot of time traveling. And in the case of a hailstorm where farmers need fast advice, for example, that person will be stretched too thin in too many directions.

Instead of offering general assistance like educators in the past, a Regional Extension Educator will have a special area of expertise. In the case of Norton, that will be business management and marketing, and he'll help with that throughout the area.

In the case of Arp's position of County Director, she would act as a liaison between University of Minnesota Extension services and the community's needs.

Extension estimated it would save $2,500,000 by making the cuts.

By Lori Ehde
The marquee is blank and the doors are locked at Luverne's historic Palace Theatre - at least until this summer.

Meanwhile, the owners, Jeremy and Rachel Esser, are considering selling the business back to Blue Mound Area Theatre Corporation, the non-profit organization that sold it to them last summer.

BMAT met with the Essers Monday, Feb. 11, and were told the Thursday, Feb. 14, showing would be the last for a while.

Background
For more than 25 years, BMAT owned the Palace and existed for the purpose of protecting the theater's interest.

It leased the movie business to various managers, including the Essers who started in June 1999.

BMAT board members decided to sell it last year to the Essers because it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage as a board, according to BMAT chair Mike Hesch of Luverne.

"It's virtually impossible to find people to serve on boards like that," Hesch told the Star Herald in August.

"We wanted to see it back in public hands rather than maintain it ourselves."

The board at the time felt comfortable selling the Palace to the Essers because they had a strong reputation in theater management and because they had assured BMAT of their intent to preserve the historic nature of the building.

The purchase price was $50,000, and the agreement, signed July 25, 2001, included stipulations to protect the Palace and gave BMAT first right of refusal if the Essers were to sell it.

Community 'outrage'
Since the sale, however, community response has been negative, the most vocal of which is Luverne's Ben Vander Kooi.

His father, Ben Vander Kooi Sr., incorporated BMAT in 1971 and in 1978 Ben Jr. became involved in saving the Palace from bank foreclosure.

"This has been a major part of my life, going back 30 years," he said.

He said he and other community members were outraged to hear BMAT had sold the Palace without seeking public comment. In fact, in researching the bylaws of BMAT, a public non-profit organization, he learned the sale may have been illegal and contacted the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.

The state office replied to Vander Kooi earlier this month confirming the transaction hadn't taken place according to bylaws, but it is not pursuing the issue.

Instead, a letter addressed to BMAT instructed the board to adhere to its bylaws, specifically to schedule an annual meeting and board election, and to be more aggressive in seeking new members.

Public meeting
A meeting has been tentatively scheduled for 7 a.m. Tuesday, March 26, possibly in the Rock County Community Library.

Vander Kooi is urging public participation in this meeting. "It's a chance for the people to express their feelings about how the corporation has been run and to express their opinion about the Palace itself - who should operate it and how it should be operated," he said.

"It's the best opportunity for people to get involved," he said. "If people don't show up, it will speak volumes."

He said he hopes a board is elected that will be more responsive to the community, "so everyone has a voice but no one person has control."

Meanwhile, Vander Kooi has solicited memberships and paid dues from 40 interested community members, some of whom are interested in becoming board members.

"I have been amazed by the number of people expressing interest in helping out," Vander Kooi said. "I'm amazed because the board has said no one is interested. There's a real appreciation for the history of that building."

Any member can be elected to the board, and all members can vote.

Current BMAT board members, in addition to Hesch, include Bonnie Jordahl, Grace Loose, LaJean Lammert, Bob Dorn, Verlyn Van Batavia, Heidi Sehr, Keith Mundahl and John Bowron.

'A tough go'
Hesch told the Star Herald Monday that he blamed Vander Kooi and his supporters for sabotaging Esser's efforts by stirring public concern over the Palace sale.

"I feel really bad for Jeremy. He's the one who's going to be the loser here," Hesch said. "I think what Ben did is wrong. I think he basically destroyed JeremyÕs business."

He mentioned that, as well as other market factors, such as the Sept. 11 terrorism and the opening of the Verne Drive-In Theater for poor business.

The Star Herald was unable to reach the Essers for comment, but the Palace reportedly owes money to area businesses and is behind on its utility bills.

Terry Vajgrt serves as legal counsel for BMAT and confirmed that the group is negotiating buying the Palace back from Esser.

"I think he's having a tough time making a go of it," he said. "Unless and until the theater gets broader public support, it's going to be a tough go, regardless of whether it's owned privately or publicly."

Despite accusations that the board is not open enough to the public, Vajgrt reiterated BMAT's intent. "Obviously BMAT wants to ensure the theater stays a viable part of the community," he said.

He added that he hopes Tuesday's meeting is well-attended, which would indicate public commitment to the Palace.

"I would hope the meeting would provide an opportunity to refocus our efforts, as a non-profit organization and as a community, to save the theater," he said, adding that if a new board is elected, recognition would be given to current board members for their efforts.

"If there's increased interest by a number of people in the community to serve on the board, then that's a good thing," Vajgrt said. "If the sale of the theater awakened public interest, that's also a good thing."

Palace history
The Palace was built in 1915 by Herman Jochims, was intended primarily for the presentation of stage plays by traveling theater troupes and for "moving pictures," then an up-and-coming form of entertainment.

Its history is one thing that makes the Palace so unique among theaters nationwide.

According to the terms of the July 2001 purchase agreement, Esser owns the Palace Theater building, the second-story apartment and the Palace Museum space.

The Blue Mound Area Theater Board kept ownership of the contents of the museum, which include mementos of the vaudeville days, the days of silent movies and early sound movies. It occupies space that once served as a ballroom.

By Sara Strong
The Rock County Board of Commissioners approved a new emergency 911 routing system and reviewed other law enforcement issues at its Tuesday meeting.

As the county starts signing for rural addresses this spring, emergency dispatchers will also see changes.

The board approved going ahead with a new 911 system that includes the new addresses and a new system of notifying proper authorities of the emergency.

Cost to the county is about $13,000 and is borrowed against future state funds.

Rick Morrow of Independent Emergency Services outlined the plans. He's been familiar with Rock County's situation for a few years.

Rock County is one of just seven counties in the state that doesn't have a router-based 911 system or at the time of TuesdayÕs meeting, didnÕt have specific plans for one.

A router system means that a specific site routes 911 calls and keeps up with all data, such as new phone numbers or addresses. The routing system for Rock County would be out of Ruthton.

Morrow said the current system doesn't have a backup or redundant routing, and an in-house technical problem could impair dispatching. He also said that IES has a system that allows for staff to use computers at any location to run the system in the event that thereÕs problems at the headquarters.

By purchasing the IES system, Rock County's data will be continually updated. The IES team will continually work with the county as well.

Besides standard calls from home, the new system allows cell phone calls to be tracked. Morrow said, "We can know exactly where youÕre at on I-90. There's no spotting mile markers."

State Patrol connections are also a part of the package.

Investigation status
After public complaints about the Rock County Sheriff's Department and its work on some investigations, lawyers from the Rock County Attorney's Office updated the board on prosecutions.

Assistant County Attorney Terry Vajgrt said, "When it takes some time to solve crimes, it's frustrating for the victims and itÕs frustrating for us."

County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said that processing crimes through the courts, even when investigators are through, is a slow process.

"Many times an investigation is 90 percent complete and there's a missing piece out there," Klosterbuer said. So to victims, the crime seems solved, but evidence must hold up in court.

"We can't prosecute without the evidence," Klosterbuer said.

Once the Sheriff's Office collects the evidence, it's up to county attorneys to file a criminal complaint.

A specific case that's gotten a lot of attention in local conversations is shoplifting at Cenex Ampride. The store had shoplifters on tape, and word got out that nothing was being done with the evidence.

In fact, the tape was used, but the crime needed more attention because it may have been ongoing and involved more than those on the tape.

The criminal complaint was filed Dec. 14, and prosecution is under way.

The attorneys spoke to the board because board members became concerned about Sheriff's Department results when confronted with specific complaints by citizens.

Major crimes the attorneys want to prosecute are the Carrie Nelson murder and True Value arson.

By Jolene Farley
Rock County Relay for Life organizers hope to meet or surpass last year's $50,000 raised for the American Cancer Society.

This year's Relay for Life is planned for Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, at the Luverne High School track and football field.

The Relay for Life involves teams of runners and walkers competing against each other to raise money.

Last year, the first for Rock County, 41 teams and 535 walkers registered.

Participants have many reasons for deciding to volunteer for the Relay. For co-chair Vicki Baartman, Luverne, it was the loss of her grandmothers and an uncle to cancer and the diagnosis of her father with the same disease that spurred her to volunteer.

"It's happened over and over in my family," she said. "I felt this was something I could do that might help."

Co-chairs Baartman and Nancy Kaczrowski hope to make this year's Relay for Life a countywide event.

"Our goal would be to get more teams from the entire county so it becomes a truly county Relay for Life." Kaczrowski said. "We want to make sure all the corners of the county are participating."

Corporations, neighborhoods or families can start teams. Kaczrowski is willing to help.

"If they are interested, they can contact me," said Kaczrowski. "I'd be happy to share more information and get them enthused."

The Relay is most noted for its luminarias lit in memory of individuals who have died from cancer or in honor of those who have survived cancer.

The luminarias are paper sacks anchored by sand and lit by a candle inside. Last year, Rock County Relay crowds saw 1,705 luminarias lit at dusk.

They can be decorated by individuals, or Relay For Life organizers can simply write a loved oneÕs name on the luminaria.

"Some families prefer to do their own," said co-chair Vicki Baartman. "They'll put pictures on it. If the person was particularly interested in golf or baseball they will decorate it representing the personÕs interests."

"It was really moving," said Baartman about last year's luminaria lighting. "It was a real visual reminder how many lives are touched by cancer."

The official kick-off for the event is Thursday, March 7, for committee members and team captains.
Eight-year-old Jessica Fick, cancer survivor, has been selected this yearÕs honorary chair. Jessica is the daughter of Mel and Denise Fick, Luverne.

There are several ways to get involved with this year's Relay for Life.

The Relay for Life needs more corporate sponsors. Jubilee Foods, Glen's Food Center, Minnwest Bank and Luverne Community Hospital and Sioux Valley Physicians Group (Luverne Medical Center) are the current Gold level ($1,000) sponsors for this year's event.

Teams of eight to 10 members are needed to walk during the relay. Organizers hope to see all the teams from last year plus some new teams as well.

Volunteers are needed to help plan entertainment for the evening and coordinate food and beverage donations.

Baartman can be reached at 283-4119 and Kaczrowski at 283-9261.

The marquee is blank and the doors are locked at Luverne's historic Palace Theatre - at least until this summer. Story inside.

Photo By Lori Ehde