George Arthur Johnson, 83, died Sunday, July 29, 2001, at Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.

Services were Wednesday, Aug. 1, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev. Dell B. Sanderson officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne. Masonic services were Tuesday, July 31, in Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne.

George Johnson was born to Ole and Oline (Gunderson) Johnson on June 9, 1918, in Rock County where he was raised. He attended Kenneth Public School. In 1942 he entered the U.S. Army Air Force where he served as a mechanic. He returned to the Luverne area in January 1946.

He married Betty Sanny on May 12, 1946, in Remsen, Iowa. He worked for the Minnesota State Highway Department until his retirement in 1983. Following his retirement they continued to live in their home in Luverne. On Jan. 29, 2001, he entered Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Johnson, Luverne; one son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Pam Johnson, Rochester; twin daughters and two sons-in-law, Shirley and Richard Olney, San Jose, Calif., and Sharon and Fred Wendt, Plymouth; five grandchildren; two stepgrandsons; one stepgreat-grandson; three stepgreat-granddaughters; three brothers, John (Rosa) Johnson, Luverne, Olaf Johnson, San Diego, Calif., and Lloyd (Jean) Johnson, Albert Lea; and one sister Anna (Erling) Tofteland, Luverne.

Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Kenneth, and one sister, Ida Steiner.

Engebretson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Services for Bernadine "Dena" Aanenson will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 3, in Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne. The Rev. Dell B. Sanderson will officiate. Burial is in Luverne Memorial Gardens Cemetery, rural Luverne. Visitation is from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, with the family present from 5 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. There will also be a one-hour visitation prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Bernadine Aanenson, 84, Luverne, died Monday, July 30, 2001, at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne.

Bernadine Hisken was born to Lambert and Tena (Bottinga) Hisken on Oct. 29, 1916, in Kanaranzi Township, Nobles County. She attended Kanaranzi School and then attended Luverne Goembel School in rural Magnolia.

She married Obert J. Aanenson on Oct. 1, 1940, in Ellsworth. After their marriage the couple farmed in Rock County and later moved to rural Leota. She painted houses at Kreun Lumberyard in rural Edgerton. In 1956 the couple moved to Luverne where she worked at Ben's Bakery for more than 10 years. She moved to Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne in 1999.

Mrs. Aanenson was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne, the Ladies Aid, and the League of Women Voters. She was very active in Luverne Senior Citizens. In 1995 she was Rock County Outstanding Senior Citizen. She enjoyed growing flowers and playing bingo.

Survivors include three sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Nola Aanenson, Slayton, Donald and Loretta Aanenson, Minneapolis, and David and Sandra Aanenson, Sioux City, Neb.; 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; one sister, Helen (Bill) DeBoer, Luverne; one sister-in-law, Florence Aanenson, Luverne; and one brother-in-law, Lawrence Thode, Luverne.

Mrs. Aanenson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Obert, on Sept. 19, 1987, two brothers, Jerry and Hildebrand Hisken, and one sister, Leona Thode.

A tree will be planted in memory of Bernadine Aanenson by Hospice of Luverne Community Hospital.

Luverne 13, Westbrook 11
Luverne lived to play Sunday by beating Westbrook during a loser's bracket clash on Saturday.

The Cards never trailed in the game and led by as many as eight runs at one point. Westbrook, however, put together a pair of five-run innings late in the game to make things interesting.

After a scoreless first frame, Luverne scored six runs in the second and two in the fourth to open an 8-0 cushion.

Kopp, Kurtz, Pick and Studer all doubled home runs in the second. Jesse Kuhlman added an RBI single.

Boen walked and Pick reached base on an error before scoring on passed balls and errors to make it 8-0 in the fourth.

Westbrook scored once in the bottom of the fourth, but the Cards recorded a pair of runs back in the fifth.

Kopp reached base on an error and scored in the fifth when Kuhlman singled. Kurtz, who also reached base on an error, scored on a fielder's choice by Boen to make it 10-1.

Westbrook scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth before Luverne scored three times in the top of the sixth to make the difference 13-6.

Reisch doubled home a run and Kurtz added an RBI single to highlight the sixth inning for Luverne.

Westbrook scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh before Kurtz recorded the final out of the game to pick up a save.

Kuhlman started the game on the mound and earned the win. Justin Johnson also pitched for Luverne.

Box score AB R H BI
Studer 3 1 1 1
Boelman 1 0 0 0
Johnson 1 0 0 0
Pick 5 1 2 1
Schmidt 4 1 1 0
Reisch 5 2 2 1
Kopp 4 3 1 1
Kurtz 4 2 2 2
Kuhlman 4 1 2 2
Fodness 2 1 0 0
Goembel 1 0 0 0
Boen 3 1 0 0

MB 4, Luverne 3
The Cardinals opened the tournament by dropping a one-run decision to Marshall Blue Saturday afternoon.
Luverne had 2-0 and 3-2 leads during the contest, but Blue scored one run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game and won it by scoring another counter in the seventh inning.

The Cards drew first blood by scoring twice in the top of the second, but MB countered with two runs in the bottom of the second to knot the score at two.

Kurtz reached base on an error and scored on Kuhlman’s triple to account for Luverne's first run in the second. Kuhlman scored on a wild pitch.

Studer tripled and scored on a single by Pick to give the Cards a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, but MB scored the game's final two runs.

Schmidt went the distance on the mound and took the loss for the Cards.

Box score AB R H BI
Studer 3 1 1 0
Pick 4 0 1 1
Schmidt 3 0 0 0
Kopp 3 0 0 0
Reisch 3 0 0 0
Kurtz 3 1 0 0
Kuhlman 3 1 1 1
Fodness 2 0 1 1
Top 3 0 0 0

By John Rittenhouse
Luverne advanced to the championship game of the Third District VFW Baseball Tournament in Worthington over the weekend before its 20-13 season came to an end after the title tilt.

The Cardinals opened the tournament by losing a one-run decision to the Marshall Blue during Saturday's first round before bouncing back to best Westbrook by two runs in a loser’s bracket game Saturday.

Luverne met and beat Marshall Blue by six runs in an elimination game on Sunday to earn a berth in the championship game. The team lost a six-run decision in the championship game to Worthington which will represent the District during the state tournament in Mankato Aug. 10-13.

Worthington 9, Luverne 3
The district championship game ended like the three prior meetings between the two teams this season, with Worthington coming out on top.

Worthington, which beat Luverne twice in the regular season and in the title game in the Southern Division Playoffs, continued its mastery of the Cardinals by downing them by six runs in Sunday's meeting.

The Cardinals did stun Worthington by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, but the hosts countered by scoring nine unanswered runs the rest of the way to win the tournament crown.

Worthington's lucky number was two as it scored twice in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings to gain an 8-3 advantage. The champs capped the scoring by scoring once in the sixth.

Jake Studer was hit by a pitch to start Luverne’s first inning rally. Joey Pick doubled home Studer before scoring on a single by Aaron Schmidt. Schmidt scored when Adam Kurtz bounced into a fielder’s choice.

Jordan Kopp went the distance on the hill and took the loss for Luverne.

Box score AB R H BI
Studer 3 1 1 0
Pick 4 1 1 1
Schmidt 4 1 1 1
Kopp 4 0 1 0
Reisch 4 0 1 0
Kurtz 3 0 0 1
Kuhlman 3 0 0 0
Fodness 2 0 0 0
Boen 3 0 0 0

Luverne 12, MB 6
The Cardinals avenged their opening-round loss to Marshall Blue by knocking it out of the tournament with a six-run setback on Sunday.

Trailing 6-5 after three and one-half innings of play, Luverne took the lead for good by exploding for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning before capping a six-run win by scoring once in the bottom of the sixth.

Luverne lost a 5-4 edge when Marshall scored twice in the top of the third, but the Cards went on a 7-0 scoring run the rest of the way to win the elimination game.

Wild pitches and errors by MB allowed Luverne to score four of its runs in the bottom of the fourth. Kopp and Pick added RBI doubles to the rally, which ended with the Cards leading 11-6.

Adam Reisch was hit by a pitch before scoring an insurance run in the sixth when Rob Fodness bounced into a fielder’s choice.

The teams exchanged runs in the game's first inning. Studer walked and advanced around the bases on errors and wild pitches to account for Luverne's run in the bottom of the first.

Marshall led 4-1 after scoring three runs in the top of the second, but Luverne answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to gain a 5-4 edge.

Fodness doubled home a run and Tim Boen singled in a run to highlight the second inning for the Cards.

Kurtz went the distance on the hill to pick up the win.

Box score AB R H BI
Studer 2 3 1 0
Pick 4 1 3 1
Schmidt 2 1 1 0
Kopp 4 1 1 1
Reisch 4 2 1 0
Kurtz 3 2 1 0
Kuhlman 4 0 0 0
Fodness 3 1 1 2
Boen 3 1 1 1

By Sara Quam
The city of Luverne is figuring out how best to use its new border city development funds. And while citizens may have heard of the term, they may not be clear on what exactly happened with the legislation or how it could affect the city.

The lobbying firm that helped push legislation wrote a final report that condenses what was included under various newspaper headlines.

The city of Luverne attempted to pass the border city development zone law in the 2000 legislative session, but it did not pass. The Senate Tax Bill contained the provision, but the House Tax Bill did not.

At Luverne's request, Rep. Richard Mulder and Sen. Arlene Lesewski agreed to offer the border city legislation in the 2001 session.

It was then introduced by Mulder in the House Jan. 18. Lesewski introduced it in the Senate Jan. 25.

In the House, the first step was to get the Luverne legislation passed out of the Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee to the House Tax Committee. The Luverne legislation was given a hearing Feb. 5 in the Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee. Prior to the committee meeting, Flaherty and Hood lobbied key members of the committee and met with the chair. Mulder, Luverne Mayor Glen Gust and lobbyist Corey Elmer presented the information and successfully got it referred to the House Tax Committee.
The bill was sent to the House Tax Committee, chaired by Rep. Ron Abrams (R-Minnetonka). Mulder, Gust and Luverne City Administrator Matt Hylen met with Abrams to discuss the legislation. Abrams indicated sympathy with Luverne’s situation but didn’t indicate that he would support the legislation to extend the law to Luverne.

The lobbyis's strategy was to use Mulder's relationship with Abrams and work with Gust to convince Abrams of Luverne’s need for the legislation.

In the Senate, the Luverne legislation was referred directly to the Senate Tax Committee's Income and Sales Tax Budget Division. The bill was heard April 5. Lesewski and Luverne City Council member Keith Erickson testified in support of the legislation. Prior to the meeting, the lobbyists met with key members of the committee to explain the legislation and get support.

At that hearing, several committee members spoke in favor of the legislation. The committee discussed the legislation and laid it over. Somewhat out of the ordinary, the Senate Property Tax Budget Division also heard the bill April 20, which is where the bill has been heard in the past. The bill was discussed and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Tax Bill. Later, both divisions of the Tax Committee released their respective lists containing their recommendations regarding what bills or provisions should be included in the Omnibus Tax Bill. Both lists contained the Luverne legislation.

However, despite the recommendations, Sen. Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis) did not include the Luverne legislation in the Senate draft of the tax bill. Lobbyists then worked with Lesewski, John Hottinger (DFL-Mankato), and Sen. Jim Vickerman (DFL-Tracy) to determine the best approach and timing for adding the provision.

The decision was made to offer the legislation as an amendment to the Senate Tax Bill on the Senate floor. Lesewski engaged the help of Vickerman because of his position as a ranking majority member of the Senate to offer Luverne's amendment.

On May 11, the Senate Tax Bill was heard on the floor. Vickerman offered the Luverne amendment. Pogemiller stated his continued and unwavering opposition to it. The Senate voted to add the legislation to its Omnibus Tax Bill. The Senate was swayed by the comments of several DFL and Republican senators, from both Greater Minnesota and the metropolitan area, who spoke in favor of the amendment.

In the House, Mulder succeeded in getting the support of Abrams, which was the key to the inclusion of the Luverne legislation in the House Tax Bill. As a result, both the House and Senate tax bills contained the Luverne provision, which is a significant achievement.

The tax conference committee, or working group, spent several weeks negotiating the differences between the two tax bills. Luverne's local legislators, lobbyists and Gust aggressively lobbied for the legislation, and in the end it was included in the final tax bill. The language that passed allocates $175,000 for tax reductions or offsets, a reduction of $8,000 from the original request, and allows for up to three areas to be designated as border city development zones.

By Lori Ehde
The first class of all day every day kindergartners is about to start first grade, and by all reports, they will be better prepared for first grade than those who attended kindergarten part-time.

Kindergarten teacher Mary Jacobson thanked School Board members at their Thursday, July 26, meeting for deciding to fund all day every day kindergarten another year.

She said some of the problems teachers feared turned out to be no problem, and many of the benefits they anticipated did happen.

"Stamina wasn't a problem at all," Jacobson said. "Having a full day allowed us to break into things slowly. In other years we've had to hit the ground running the very first day."

She said the consistency of a daily routine was most beneficial. "We didn't have to go back and do a lot of reteaching," she said. "The curriculum flowed a lot better for us that way."

She said she's curious to hear from first-grade teachers this year about how prepared the students are for first grade.

"We were really able to build a solid foundation," Jacobson said. "We had a lot of kids who were reading by the end of the year. They were so excited."

Parents Teresa Hup and Karen Wohnoutka attended the meeting to share their observations with board members.

Wohnoutka's son attended every-other-day kindergarten two years ago, and her daughter attended every day last year.

"Kaitlin didn't appear to be as tired going every day as Joe did when he was going every other day," she said.

An assessment designed to measure skills in young students backed up casual observations with measurable data.

By the end of the year, for example, 28 students showed a high mastery of the reading curriculum, compared with only seven students the year before.

Similarly, only nine students this year showed poor mastery of material compared with 27 students last year.

"Obviously, many more students are able to master the curriculum placed before them," Elementary Principal Melody Tenhoff said.

"This could be just a bright class of kids, but it wouldn't have made that big a difference in the test scores."

Remodeling update
In other business Thursday, Superintendent Vince Schaefer told board members the middle school-high school remodeling project is continuing on schedule.

Ceiling grid work is being installed in the hallways, and tile and electrical work is going in. That means lighting will soon be available again in hallways, and the acoustical ceilings will be in place before school starts.

"The lunchroom and kitchen is the site of a lot of activity," Schaefer said, referring to installation of a new oven and rewiring there.

The $1 million project includes a new heating, cooling and ventilation system and replacing the 50-year-old electrical service.

At the same time, lighting and ceiling panels are being replaced in first-floor corridors.

"We're hoping the work will be complete by the start of school," he said. "Any details left undone by Sept. 4 will not impede the start of classes."

In other business Thursday, the board...
Took action on new school year business, including bus driver compensation and substitute teacher pay.
Bus drivers will receive $52 per day for regular routes. Last year they received $50. Substitute teacher rate increased from $70 to $85, which is more competitive with area districts.
Agreed to let administrative staff work on a fair way to make the new elementary breakfast program available to all students.
Accepted Bruce Gluf's resignation as cross country coach.
Approved the coaching assignments for 2001-02. Coaches are still needed for head boys' hockey, head cross country, eighth-grade boys' basketball, assistant track, assistant baseball, assistant girls' varsity and ninth-grade girls' basketball.
Approved a leave of absence for paraprofessional Sharon Oksness so she can travel to Rome with her church group. She'll miss seven working days.

By Lori Ehde
"Music speaks to the soul," said organist and pianist Lorraine Olson. "It just does something for you that's hard to express in words."

This love of music has kept Olson at the Grace Lutheran keyboard for more than 50 years.

She started playing the organ for Grace fresh out of college when two local Lutheran congregations merged in 1951.

Since then, she's played for two services every Sunday, except for a few years when the church held only one service.

"I have been blessed with good health, so I've never had to call in sick," she said. "However, when I want to be gone, my substitute organist, Marybeth Binford is very competent and willing to fill in for me."

In her 50 years of musical ministry Olson has played for an estimated 800 funerals and 700 weddings.

"You don't start something as a life commitment, but the years go by, and it's become my life," Olson said.

"Life has revolved around my work, my family, my church and my music."

In a 1985 Star Herald interview she said, "Next to God and my family, playing the organ is the closest thing to my heart."

Weddings, she said, are the most joyful and the most challenging.

"It's a happy time for the people involved, and my husband and I are usually included at such special things as grooms' dinners," Olson said in the 1985 story.

Weddings, however, can be demanding because of rehearsal commitments with various soloists and because her family had to adjust to the weekend commitments.

Some funerals also stand out as poignant memories as she often played for family and friends during difficult times.

Olson said she particularly recalls a service for a polio victim in the early 1950s. "It was a scary time," Olson said.

"The Qualley boy had died, and no soloist would sing. My husband said, ' don't want you to play.' But we moved the piano out on the front porch of the Johnson Funeral Home (at Crawford and Kniss) and had the service outside."

Olson said many have played a role in making her career memorable.

"It's been an incredible experience working with many pastors, choir directors and soloists," she said. "All of them have been wonderful to me."

Choir director Dolly Talbert said she's appreciated working with Olson in the church's music department.

"I don't think anybody has a clue what that woman does. The hours of practicing, just for morning service," Talbert said. "She doesn't just walk in on Sunday morning, open her book and play."

Talbert said Olson's talent has benefited Grace's music department.

"She's a gifted accompanist and organist. She's just a fine musician," Talbert said.

She also described Olson as a dedicated worker.

"She will work on the music and do whatever it takes to get it right - to make it all come together," Talbert said.

"She's always willing to go the extra mile. For special events, she'll write the brass parts if there aren't any."

Olson said she enjoys the personal rewards of the job.

"It's my ministry," she said. "It' a God-given privilege."

She said she's particularly fond of music for special services, such as Easter sunrise service and Christmas events.

"Planning the traditional 5 o'clock Christmas Eve service at Grace has been one of my greatest joys," she said. "I just love Christmas music," she said.

A career highlight she noted is the hymn festival she prepared last fall. "It was something I've always wanted to do," she said.

Other highlights include playing for the Messiah performed by the community chorus and Luverne High School.

"One of the biggest thrills was playing for Miss America, Dorothy Benham, at a wedding," Olson said. "I've also enjoyed playing for [local professional opera singer] Emily Lodine. There are countless talented people in our community."

In addition to her work through church, Olson has shared her joy of music with numerous piano students through the years, currently instructing 25 pupils.

Olson said being the Grace Lutheran Church organist for 50 years has been a blessing and a privilege.

"I have been blessed to work in a place and a position that I absolutely love," she said.

"I want to share my love of music. It's a way to carry out ministry and an absolute joy to lead the congregation in worship and praise."

Olson said she's considered retirement, but not very seriously.

"I look forward to every Sunday, and I can't remember a Sunday when I didn't want to get up and go to church," she said.

"When that time comes, it's time to quit."

By Lori Ehde
The Rock County Fair started Wednesday for 4-H and open class participants, and today is the official kick-off for exhibits, events and midway rides.

According to Fair Board Treasurer Scott Beers, several new attractions are lined up this year for the annual event.

He said history buffs and farm professionals will particularly enjoy the "Trailing the Farm" display Friday and Saturday.

The 24-foot air-conditioned trailer will feature miniature farm equipment from the 1950s and Ô60s compared with a miniature modern farm operation.

The exhibit, which is free to the public, will be south of the Commercial Building from noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Another new display comes to the fair courtesy of Luverne's Ed Woodley. The "Hit and Miss" small engine Display will be under the tent from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Midway entertainment this year will be provided by Midwest Rides from Golden Valley. The operation offers a new wristband promotion for Saturday afternoon. For a set amount (not available at this printing), fair-goers can enjoy unlimited rides from 1 to 5 p.m. "I guess you can ride 'til you throw up," Beers joked.

New to the beer garden this year will be Kristy's Rockets, performing from 9 p.m. to midnight Friday. Kelly Demuth, owner of Kelly's Roadhouse Bar, Hills, is the band leader.

New grandstand entertainment this year will be the Garden Tractor Pull, sponsored by Sioux Valley Southwestern Electric Cooperative. Participants can register just prior to the event, which starts at 7 p.m. Friday.

Thursday night grandstand entertainment is the Johnny Holm Show, which will make its third appearance at the Rock County Fair.

Enduro Races are scheduled for Saturday's grandstand event. As of Monday, 42 racers had signed up. According to Beers, that's more than he's ever had pre-registered six days prior to the event.

In addition to snow cones, ice cream, cotton candy and corn dogs, fair diners can also enjoy nightly meals from the 4-H eat stand.

The Rock-Nobles Cattleman's Association will sponsor a beef feed at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, and the Rock County Pork Producers' pork feed will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

See Monday's Announcer for a complete listing of Rock County Fair activities.

By Jolene Farley
Twenty-two-year-old Steen resident Eric Vahl has tried to make a difference for adults and children struggling to survive in the former Soviet Union.

Vahl has traveled there for the past three summers with the non-denominational Josh McDowell Ministries, visiting different areas each time.

The Josh McDowell Ministries leads two trips a year, winter and summer, to Russia and the surrounding republics.

Ministry volunteers deliver food, medicine, vitamins and other items to needy children and families.
Vahl first heard of the mission trips listening to Christian radio while attending college. He sent for more information but had decided not to go on the trip. A phone call from the ministry changed his mind.

"They described it as Russian kids going to orphanages because parents couldn't provide for them," said Vahl. "Fathers killing themselves. I guess that touched my heart, and I decided to go deliver humanitarian aid, food, teddy bears to kids in the orphanages."

Steen Reformed Church, the church Vahl attends, made up about 50 Samaritan Purses, or boxes filled with toys, socks, hats, gloves and sometimes candy, to send on the trip with him.

"It was kind of neat," said Vahl. "The first year I went over I actually got to hand them to the kids."

One of the initial roadblocks in Vahl's decision to go on the trip was he was required to pay his own travel expenses of about $3,000. Some trip participants solicit funds, but Vahl decided to raise the money himself by working.

"If they wanted to go to church camp, they worked until they raised money," said Vahl's mother Rose.

On his first trip, Vahl flew into Minsk and was bused to the republic of Belarus, formerly a part of the Soviet Union.

The next summer he flew into Kiev and was bused to the Ukraine.

This summer on June 22 Vahl flew into Moscow and boarded another plane to Novakuznetsk, Siberia, for operation Carelift 2001. He returned July 4.

Vahl flew across four time zones with a difference of 14 hours before arriving at his destination of Novakuznetsk.

His group of 25 people was allowed to catch up on sleep the first day. The next day, however, they began their visits, with the first stop at an orphanage.

Many parents in the Commonwealth place their children in orphanages because they are unable to feed them, according to Vahl.

The government orphanages are usually two stories, with about eight rooms and 40 to 100 children. Government funding is usually at least a month behind even though institutions are allowed only 60 cents per child for food.

Children in the orphanages are categorized according to age. When they reach the designated age, they are moved to another orphanage.

Many children looked younger than their actual age, according to Vahl. He speculated that the cause is poor nutrition.

"It was not uncommon, you would think 4 or 5 [years old] and you would ask the director and the child would be maybe 10," said Vahl. "It would just blow your mind."

In the baby orphanages there would be two or three adults to care for 30 babies. Cribs had no sheets, just square cloths directly under the baby. The only attention the babies received was when they had to be changed, if they were wet or soiled, and fed.

The caregivers would run the baby under the faucet and put some clean pants on them, then wrap them up tightly in a blanket, which allowed little movement for the child, according to Vahl.

"It was disturbing, seeing all the children without parents," said Vahl. "Our main objective was to go there and shed a little love on their life."

The group also visited a medium-security prison, an elder-care facility and a government hospice facility, where drug cabinets were totally empty, according to Vahl. Many hospice patients began crying when the group gave them books.

"They were happy to see us," said Vahl. "Someone cared enough to give them something, someone they didn't even know."

After the Soviet Union collapsed, the Commonwealth of Independent States was formed.

The Russian government has changed hands more than once. Although the economy faltered after becoming a free market society, the 1998 devaluation of the ruble brought on an economic crisis. Millions of people now struggle to survive.

Mafia is also a tremendous problem, according to Vahl. The Mafia controls everything, including the government, and is involved in the sale of drugs. About 20 percent of the population controls 80 percent of the wealth.

Many older Russians were taught during the "Cold War" period that Americans were the enemy.

One commented about the mission group, "It is sure strange, you Americans come way over here and give gifts to our children and we were taught you were our enemies."