“I guess you could say naturally gifted.”
That's how Ashton Sandbulte describes his athletic — and specifically running — abilities. 
“My training for track is basically the football season and working with my dad on the farm,” said Sandbulte, son of Curt and Jessie Sandbulte.
He completed one of the most decorated track and field careers in Luverne High School history last week in the state meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School. 
He won state championships in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and anchored the 4-by-100-meter relay team, which placed second and set a school record at the state meet. 
To say that Sandbulte’s senior season was record-breaking would be an understatement. 
In the 100-meter dash, he first broke the school record his junior season and went on to break his own record four more times this season. 
Sandbulte also set the sub-section and Section 3A meet records in the 100-meter dash his senior season.
He was within four-hundredths of a second of breaking the all-time Class A state meet record in the 100 during the prelims at the state meet, establishing himself as one of the fastest high school runners ever in the state. 
“That's crazy to think about,” Sandbulte admitted. 
He also broke the school record earlier this season in the 200-meter dash and broke it twice more at this year’s state meet, in addition to being the anchor of the record-breaking 4-by-100-meter relay team. 
“Until this year I hadn’t really thought of the 200 record, but as it got closer, I knew I wanted to get it,” Sandbulte said. 
“It felt good to have such a successful state meet. There was some pressure and expectations going in,” said Sandbulte, who had the fastest 100-meter speed in the state ahead of the state meet. “It was a relief to win, to be honest.” 
The recent LHS grad began his track and field career in seventh grade and first competed at the state track meet in ninth grade. He was an alternate, and when an older member of the 4-by-400-meter relay was unable to compete, Sandbulte stepped in and ran the fastest time in the relay. 
The pandemic canceled his sophomore season in 2020. 
His final two seasons have been nothing short of historic, however. 
 
‘Coachable and team-oriented’
“Ashton has grown into an extremely coachable and team-oriented kid,” said Pete Janiszeski, LHS head track and field coach.
“Everything I asked him to do for the team this season he accepted without ever batting an eye,” Janiszeski said.
“Anything that was going to benefit his teammates he was willing to do. … As a coach, these are the things you hope to instill in your athletes and the things that make you most proud.” 
Two examples of Sandbulte’s willingness to do what’s best for the team occurred at True Team meets this season when he also ran the 400 and competed in the long jump, entering the maximum number of events in order to gain the most points for his team. 
Sandbulte ended up finishing in the Top 10 all-time for LHS in both events. 
In fact, according to Janiszeski, Sandbulte recorded Top 10 all-time LHS performances in seven different events during his career as a Cardinal: the 100, 200, 400, long jump, 4-by-100 relay, 4-by-200 relay and 4-by-400 relay. 
 
Friendly competition and good coaching
When asked what he enjoys most about track, Sandbulte, who also was a standout running back for the Cardinal football team, said he enjoys how track is both a team and an individual sport. 
“I also like how there’s a lot more interaction with the athletes from other schools,” he said. “You really get to know your competitors but it’s in a way more positive way. In football it seems like you dislike your opponents, but in track you meet more people from other schools on good terms.” 
Sandbulte gave the example of competitors from different Section 3A teams coming together for a photo at the state meet. 
Known for his flowing hair on the track, Sandbulte surprised many at the state meet when he came to race with short, dyed-blonde hair. 
He and senior teammate Eli Radtke both sported the new hairstyles to add some fun to their final track and field meet. 
“We wanted to do something fun and different, while still being respectable,” Sandbulte said, “I'm kind of known for my hair so it was funny. I started talking to some guys from other schools and they didn’t even realize it was me at first.”
Sandbulte plans to continue his track career at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota, next year, where he will also play football for the VCSU Vikings. 
When asked what he would miss most about Cardinal track, Sandbulte recognized his coaches while looking to the team’s future. 
“First, we have great coaches,” Sandbulte said,
“Coach J (Janiszeski) is known all around the area as a great coach. He’s just a well-rounded coach who knows what he’s doing. We even have kids from other schools tell us they wish they had a coach like J. That says something.” 
He also mentioned assistant coach Jodi Nelson, who works with the sprinters on the team. “She’s a great coach, too.” 
Sandbulte added that the future looks bright for the Cardinal track and field program. 
“The team will be very good in the future with a lot of talent coming up,” he said. “For how young they are, they all did very well at state.”
Whatever success the team has in the future, it may be a while until another LHS track athlete puts his or her name on the record board as many times as Sandbulte has.

It was like Christmas in June for Betty Mann Tuesday evening, June 14, when a pickup load of nutcrackers rolled into the parking lot at the Rock County History Center.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. In all, she counted 134, all of them German collectibles, plus an assortment of vintage German ornaments.
The Northfield donor, Marvin Farmer, had worked for Midwest of Cannon Falls, a gifts and collectibles wholesaler that’s no longer in business.
“Verl and I were familiar with the company, because years ago we had purchased nutcrackers from them,” Mann said.
She explained that the collectible nutcrackers were produced in limited supply, and Farmer would keep one back every time he learned they were going to stop making it.
The donation includes nutcrackers of all sizes, the largest at about 6 feet tall and the smallest at several inches, and Mann said only three are duplicates to the ones in the History Center’s current collection.
In an already crowded display room of more than 4,000 nutcrackers, Mann said it will take some “rearranging” to expand and make room for new pieces — or in this case, very old pieces.
“Some of these pieces were made in the German Democratic Republic, and some say West Germany,” she said. “So, you know that’s from the time the wall was up.”
The pieces are currently spread over two large tables for sorting, and they’ll be displayed with the other German collections, such as Steinbach, Christian Albrecht, Erzgebirge and Seiffen.
When asked if the latest addition would put Luverne closer to having the largest nutcracker collection in the world, Mann said that’s not her goal.
“We just want people to be able to come in and see them and enjoy them,” she said.
In 2016 Mann donated her personal collection of roughly 2,500 nutcrackers to the History Center after tourists who had heard about them were asking to view them in her home.
Community consultant Roger Brooks later told Luverne leaders that the nutcrackers are the “hook” that brings travelers into town, and he recommended focusing on nutcrackers for the town’s “branding” campaign.
Meanwhile hundreds of people from all over the United States and world have come to see them.
“They know about us on the East Coast and on the West Coast, and they come from Australia, Africa, some places in South America, Japan,” Mann said. “And they come specifically to see the nutcrackers.”
She said she’s proud of the display, but she’s even more pleased that once people see the nutcrackers, they’re compelled to tour the rest of the museum and learn about Rock County and its communities.
“That’s been my goal all along — to get people to come into the museum,” she said. “
“Quite often when they leave, they’re talking not about the nutcrackers; they’re talking about the claim shanty, and the Luverne Thirty Automobile and the buffalo and all the other historic items we have there.”

Diana Ouverson could have retired 10 years ago, but she liked her job so much she stayed.
“I love my job. Period. I love kids. I love people,” Ouverson said Friday, her last day with the Luverne School District. “It’s going to be very difficult leaving.”
As Luverne Middle School-High School secretary, Ouverson has come to know thousands of students and their families.
Considering an average 90 students per graduating class, that’s nearly 4,000 students over the past 41 years of her career in the school office.
And many of them she’s nurtured on their path to graduation.
“Seniors are my babies, I almost cry when I see these kids graduate,” Ouverson said. “I’ve wondered, ‘Are they going to make it, or aren’t they?’ And I’m so thrilled when I see a kid who thinks he’s not going to make it and they do.”
 
Middle child
Diana Chapin grew up in Hardwick in a large family, the middle child among nine children of Hubert and Helen Chapin.
“I learned to work, believe me,” she said about household chores, a big garden and tending to younger siblings.
“We were a very poor family, and we never knew we were poor. We heated one room in the winter and covered doors to other rooms with blankets.”
When she was old enough, she babysat and worked at the bowling alley setting pins.
“You sit in the back and the bowling ball would come flying at you,” she said. “I did that for 10 cents a line, with my dad sitting next to me in the next line.”
She said these lessons in hard work served her well in her career, when she claimed fewer than 10 sick days in four decades.
 
Back to school
She graduated from Luverne High School in 1965 and returned to the district in 1981 after her two sons, Chad (LHS class of 1988) and Matthew (LHS ’93), were in school.
Gregg Gropel hired her in the Community Education office and in 1983, a position opened in the Luverne High School counselor’s office.
She first worked under superintendent Norm Miller. Other superintendents since then have included George Maurer, Vince Schafer, Gary Fisher and the current Craig Oftedahl.
The first principals she worked with were Jim Harner and John Rath (middle school and high school). “Harner and Rath, they were such a team.”
After that Harner and Fisher were middle school and high school principals.
Donna Judson was hired as both middle school and high school principal.
Ryan Johnson replaced her as both middle school and high school principal.
And most recently Jason Phelps came on as middle school principal to work with Johnson as high school principal.
 
Hemming gowns and running mimeographs
This spring her grandson, Matthew (son of Chad and Christine McClure) was among the graduating seniors, and she had a front row seat for the occasion, since it was her job to assist students and staff with commencement details.
“I did caps, gowns, the lineup, the seating arrangements,” she said.
“We used to use old choir gowns, and I used to hand-stitch them — hem them up or let them down or fix zippers.”
Her other duties comprise a list too long to mention.
Among other things, she answered phones, greeted visitors, entered grades, set up new families in the district, set up lockers, mailed out student handbooks, tracked purchase orders and made sure deliveries were accounted for and dispersed to teachers and staff who needed them.
Meanwhile she kept up with changing technology.
“In the beginning, teachers handed me their grades and I wrote them on a transcript,” Ouverson recalled.
“When computers started in the Harner years, it was a big deal. We used to crank the mimeograph machine for copies.  … Things have changed so much.”
What hasn’t changed, she said, is the way she treats people.
“You need to treat people fair and nice, no matter what. If they have issues or whatever, you still treat them fairly,” she said.
“If a student comes through here tardy every single day, I still great him with a ‘Good morning. I’m so glad you made it to school today.’ I don’t scold them for being late.”
She said she felt like she had an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students, and she said she’s confident her replacement, Tami (VerSteeg) Bergman, will do the same.
“She is going to be so perfect for this job,” Ouverson said. “And she and Becky (Banck) are the perfect team. … They treat kids so wonderfully. They’re friendly and nice with everyone.”
At 74, Ouverson said she looks forward to more free time for exercise, playing cards – Ma Jongh (which she just learned), bridge and pinochle — and spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren.
“I love to travel, and one of my favorite things to do is bake,” she said. “I’m looking forward to doing more of these things, too.”
And she’s going to try not to miss her job.
“It was a great career. More than I ever thought I would deserve,” she said.

Longtime Hardwick area residents Wes and Patti Pierson will be featured in Saturday evening’s Hardwick Jubilee Days parade.
Anna Haas, representing the Community Club, asked the Piersons if they would do the honor.
“They have been a staple in this community for many, many years and have been actively involved with the community as a whole,” Haas said.
Wes Pierson and Patti Kirby both grew up in the Hardwick area, attended grade school in Hardwick through eighth grade, and graduated from Luverne High School in 1958 and 1963 respectively.
They married, moved away, had three children and forged careers elsewhere before returning to Patti’s childhood home outside of Hardwick decades later in retirement.
Each has fond memories of Hardwick’s frequent holiday celebrations and activities such as city crews piling snow on Main Street for tobogganing, years of playing fast pitch softball and ultimately meeting each other.
“Activities in Hardwick were awfully good,” Patti recalled. “It was fun, fun times.”
Wes, now 81, met Patti when he was 19 and delivering eggs to the Kirby family a couple miles east of Hardwick.
“I asked her mom if I could take her out — if I had someone chaperone us — and she told me to come back when Pat was 16 (which was a couple of years away). So, I did. I think her dad thought I would forget about her,” Wes said.
The couple married in 1964 (when Patti turned 19) in the Blue Mound Lutheran Church south of Hardwick.
 The day after the wedding, they left for Camp Huachuca in Arizona, where Wes began his three-year stint in the Army. They later moved to Washington, D.C., where Wes finished his military service at the Pentagon.
In the military, Wes was a computer operations specialist, a career he pursued with IBM in Minneapolis and the Minnesota League of Credit Unions until his retirement in 2003.
Patti often found employment with each of Wes’ employers, including his retirement years at Glen’s Food Center and Teal’s Market, where he worked in accounting and she was a cashier.
The couple has experienced some health setbacks, most recently with Patti undergoing chemo treatments for ovarian cancer.
They’re no strangers to hardships and heartache, however, after all three of their children have died over the years – Michelle in infancy in 1967, Allen in a motorcycle accident in 1990, and Suzanne from cancer in 2011.
The Piersons have two adult grandchildren who live in Seattle.
The Hardwick community has embraced the Piersons. They most recently help the couple with mowing and other chores at their acreage.
The 7 p.m. parade featuring the Piersons on Saturday is among several events planned for Jubilee Days.
Jubilee events kick off Saturday afternoon with a 1 p.m. bean bag tournament. Other events include:
•A cruise-in from 2 to 4 p.m. on Main Street.
•Community meal from 2 to 10 p.m. at the Green Lantern Bar back patio.
•Axe throwing begins at 4 p.m.
•Free inflatables from 4 to 7 p.m.
•Face painting from 4 to 7 p.m.
•Music on Main with Ron and Jane Cote from 5 to 7 p.m.
•Pedal pull from children ages 4 to 11 begins after the parade.
•Hay bale toss for guys and gals also begins after the parade.
•Live music by Casey Muessigman is from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Jubilee Days concludes Sunday with an outdoor community worship service at 10:30 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church parking lot. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs.

The Sanford Luverne hospice program is on the verge of several major changes.
Staff and volunteers were notified in mid-April that home health services will be based out of Windom and hospice services will be based out of Luverne.
Current home care staff will transition to employment through Good Samaritan Society, which Sanford now owns, and they will no longer provide hospice services after the transition later this summer.
The hospice cottages in Luverne and Worthington will continue operating as they do now, and nursing services will be provided by the current staff of the Worthington program.
Sanford Hospice Luverne will expand to an 11-county group of hospice programs under the Sanford umbrella.
Although nurses and staff were told the effects of the transitions will be minimal, several longtime hospice professionals in Luverne are leaving their positions.
 
Exodus of longtime staff
Hospice volunteer coordinator Helen Saum, who has been with the program for 26 years, has accepted a position at the Minnesota Veterans Home. Her last day was Friday.
Hospice social worker Jill Roeman, who has been with the Luverne program 20 years, has accepted a job with Avera in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Her last day is Thursday, June 23.
Hospice registered nurse Tammy Moeller was told her position will be eliminated, and she will assume a position at Sanford Luverne in employee health.
Hospice RN Brandi Gaul resigned to work at a local nursing home.
Hospice registered nurse Sara Lanoue, who has been with hospice in Luverne for 24 years, will work for Sanford under Good Samaritan Home Health Care.
Lanoue said she’s committed to providing quality care, but she’s apprehensive about the coming changes.
“I have greatly appreciated being part of the hospice community and being able to care for friends, neighbors and families,” she said.
“But I’m heartbroken. Absolutely heartbroken. I’m sure the new staff are wonderful providers, and my hope is for our amazing community to welcome them and build community connections.”
She said that’s the key for a successful program.
“Continuum of care is what results from building relationships with care providers who know your story and your history and the things that are important to you about your care. … The program is what you see because of the people and passion we have for this.”
She said the hospice home health care component is an important piece of the overall hospice care program. “We’ve been a dual program since Day 1, home health and hospice.”
 
Continuum of care
Hospice social worker Jill Roemen agreed.
“We were such a good team together,” she said Monday. “Home care often transitions to hospice and the cottage, and having the same nurses and staff involved provides a continuum of care.”
By August, when patients transition to new staff, they will be cared for by different nurses.
Stan Williamson recently lost his wife, Karen, to cancer, and they utilized hospice home care and the hospice cottage during her final days.
“They’re such great people,” he said Monday. “I could call Sara (Lanoue) anytime with any question I had when Karen was at home. And when it was time for her to come to the cottage, she helped us get her there.”
Williamson’s parents, Elmo and Dorothy, also were under hospice care in Luverne during their final days (2008 and 2017), with hospice at the nursing home and The Cottage.
Stan said he had built relationships with local nurses, staff and volunteers when each of his parents passed away, and by the time Karen needed hospice services, they had developed relationships and trust with their caregivers.
Lanoue said the Williamsons “epitomize” the value of local caregivers in the hospice program. “They trusted us because of their experience with us during the care of their other family members.”
“We are living in this community and are taking care of our friends, neighbors, church family … we are caring for our own,” she said. “We are truly serving one another, and how important and valuable that is.”
 
Community connections
Hospice Chaplain Pastor Phil Booe of St. John Lutheran Church has worked with parishioners in hospice programs in other parts of the country, and he said Luverne’s program is special.
“What struck me as unique about Luverne’s hospice program is how connected the staff is to the community,” he said.
“These are your neighbors and friends. … Significant, too, was the fact that the same nurses who cared for patients in the home health program were there to continue care for those who ended up transitioning into hospice.”
He said he was also impressed by the community support for hospice.
“The regular outpouring of financial support from the community demonstrates just how impactful and appreciated hospice has been in Luverne,” he said.
Booe has been volunteer hospice chaplain since January.
“In the six months since, I've been able to see firsthand the passion each nurse and staff member has for this program,” he said. “I pray God continues to bless Luverne’s hospice program for the sake of those patients and families who are so well served by it.” 
 
Cottage and its donations stay in Luverne
Roemen said she and many other Sanford staff members hope that longtime staff are recognized for their contributions.
For example, Saum raised a net $1.2 million over the past 25 years through the annual hospice charity banquet and auction.
“The work she has done for the program is amazing and we’re so grateful for her and her team of volunteers,” Lanoue said. “There will be other banquets, but without Helen, will it be the same?”
Roemen said it’s important to clear up rumors about the donated money.
“The funds that were donated to The Cottage will stay in Luverne,” she said. “And there will still be a hospice program in Luverne. It just won’t be the same people.”
Lanoue said she hopes the success of the Luverne hospice program continues.
“We want hospice to continue to be a valued part of the community,” she said.
“It won’t be the same people, but we want to see it continue and we’re hopeful these new faces and staff will be able to continue providing care.”
Since 1993, the program has served more than 1,800 patients. Since the Cottage opened in 1998, it has served nearly 800 patients.
Dillon Hinker, director of Sanford Home and Community-Based Services, offered the following statement Monday in response to the Star Herald’s question about why the changes are being implemented.
“Sanford Health is honored to care for hospice patients in Luverne and surrounding areas. To streamline operations, we are consolidating the Sanford Hospice locations in Worthington and Canby with Sanford Luverne Hospice. These businesses will operate from the Luverne location and Sanford Hospice caregivers will continue to care for our hospice patients and families.”

The Manfred house atop the Blue Mounds State Park is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to efforts of the nonprofit group, Save the Manfred House.
“Obviously our group is pleased with the recognition both for cultural importance it has and the design significance of it,” said Tom Brakke, a member of Save the Manfred House. “That recognition is fantastic and supports our mission in wanting to save it.”
The designation, announced June 3, means it would qualify for grant funding. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources owns the structure and recognizes the historic designation.
“It is a tribute of recognition to the significance of the place especially relative to Mr. Manfred’s writing,” said Bob Welsh, DNR Resource and Asset Management Section Manager.
“We will proceed through a thorough review as is required when making any kind of alterations to historic structures and we are prepared to mitigate in whatever way is necessary.”
The house is deemed unsafe due to moisture issues affecting structural integrity, and the Minnesota DNR decided to dismantle the building, leaving behind a portion of the home’s footprint as the base for a Fred Manfred landmark.
For background, Welsh said the DNR in 2019 hired an architectural and engineering consulting firm to evaluate the Manfred house and surrounding area, and to develop three conceptual designs for the future use of the area as the “Eagle Rock Vista” trailhead and day-use facility.
“A final design for the trailhead facility includes elements from all three of the concepts,” Welsh said. 
Save the Manfred House
News of the DNR’s plans to dismantle the house prompted friends, family members and colleagues of Manfred to form the Save the Manfred House in 2019 to prevent demolition.
First on their agenda was to get the structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and they hired historic architect Rolf Anderson to submit the nomination.
The nomination included some background on the regionally acclaimed author who built the house.
“Frederick Manfred was larger than life. At six feet nine inches tall, he was a towering figure. His lifelong goal to produce a body of work that gave voice to an entire region over a span of 200 years was perhaps larger than life as well, and a remarkable literary achievement,” Anderson wrote in the nomination.
“The Manfred House on the Blue Mounds was also a remarkable achievement. Perhaps it is not surprising that someone who was so closely connected to land would wish to build a house that was equally united with the land. The result was a design both bold and extraordinary in concept with its incorporation of living rock and integration with the natural landscape. The Manfred House represents one of Minnesota’s most unique and powerful architectural expressions in residential design.”
Brakke and other advocates of saving the house are now urging state officials to pursue new funding avenues that the historic designation provides.
“We hope the recognition and possible funding sources will prompt the DNR to get a qualified historical architect to properly assess it,” Brakke said.
 
DNR recognizes
Manfred’s significance
In response to public interest, Welsh said the design process is carefully considering Manfred’s cultural and historic significance.
“The DNR is working with the consulting firm to incorporate elements of the former Manfred House into the design in an attempt to balance recreational opportunities, natural resource protection, and the significance of the place that inspired Mr. Manfred's writings,” Welsh said.
“Specifically, the consultant has been asked to propose an alternative that incorporates Mr. Manfred's writing room. Feedback from the public has included comments that the DNR ‘should at least save the writing room.’ The DNR will be reviewing the consultant's revised concept design and will share it with the public when ready.”
 
History of house
Fred Manfred built the house in 1961 and he and his family lived there until the 1970s when financial difficulties forced a sale to the state.
It served for many years as a park interpretive center, but closed in 2016.
In 2017 the state began considering options for repairing it, and estimates were more than $400,000.
However, at that time there were more pressing capital emergencies, such as contaminated park water and addressing flood destruction of 2014 that blew out the dam and drained the lake.

Meetings
Grand Prairie Cemetery Association annual meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, at the cemetery. If it rains, the location will be the office room of Orv and Sons Plumbing in Ellsworth.
 
Adult reading program begins
The Adult Summer Reading Program is currently underway at the Rock County Library. For every five books read between now and Aug. 15, an entry may be placed in the drawing to win one of four gift baskets. The program is open to ages 18 and older and includes e-books and e-audiobooks.
 
Free Community Meal June 22
The United Methodist Church will host its Free Community Meal at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. A pick-up option is available. Call 507-283-4529.
 
Eden Lutheran Church annual service June 26
The Eden Lutheran Church of rural Jasper will meet for its 82nd annual service at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 26, at the church two miles east and 1 mile north of Jasper. A potluck meal will follow under a tent. Volunteers are needed to clean the church at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 25. Call Beverly Hunstad, 507-348-4126.
 
 
Dental clinics June 29 and 30
#Luv1LuvAll Rock County Oral Health Task Force will host mobile dental clinics in Luverne Wednesday, June 29, and Thursday, June 30, at the Rock County Health and Human Services community room. This clinic provides dental care for adults and children ages 0 to over 100. Call 612-746-1530 to schedule an appointment. All forms of insurance accepted.
 
‘Service Over Self’
Camp July 20 at Inspiration Hills
Rock the Edge is coordinating a Service-Over-Self-inspired work day on July 20 at Inspiration Hills Camp in Inwood, Iowa. Youth who have completed grades 8 through 12 are welcome to register, with adult volunteers also needed. Deadline to register is July 14. Email rocktheedgemn@gmail.com for more information and/or to request a registration form or call 507-283-2316 with questions.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Magician “Magic Zac” is rescheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 28.
Storytime @ the Park will be 10:30 a.m. Thursdays in various parks in Luverne.  Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. Dates and parks are:
•June 23, Veteran’s Memorial.
•June 30, Hawkinson.
•July 7, Luverne City.
•July 14, Kolbert.
•July 21, Veteran’s Memorial.
•July 28, Hawkinson.
Teens in Action (grades 5-12) will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursdays. A different activity will be featured each week beginning June 16.
Movie and snacks for Camp Rock begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 21. The movie is 1 hr. 37 min., rated G. All ages are welcome.
Michael Albert and POP ART program will be Friday, July 15. Registration is required.
Movie and Snacks for The Lorax begins 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 19. The movie is 1 hr. 35 min., rated G. All ages are welcome.
A naturalist from Prairie Ecology Bus Center will present the program “Animals Can Do What?” from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, for grades K-4.
The summer reading program, “Camp iRead: Read Beyond the Beaten Path,” continues to Aug. 1.
Readers in grades K-4 who completed all eight weeks of the summer program will be invited to an End of Summer Pizza Party at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4.
Teens (grades 5-12) who complete a bingo card will be invited to a pizza/prize party at 3 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 5.
Storytime @ the Park will be 10:30 a.m. Thursdays. Locations and start date will be released at a later date.
Seed library is open and available to anyone in the public who wants to plant a garden. Flowers, fruit and vegetable seeds are available for free.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
 
Register by July 14 for Luverne
Community Ed
Community Education office will be closed for two weeks, from July 15-29. Please watch registration deadlines carefully.
Register now for Discovery Time preschool starting in September for children 3-5 years of age. Early Learning Scholarships may be available to those who qualify.
CPR & Ambulance Tour is June 28. Learn the steps for hands-only CPR, plus see an ambulance and all its equipment. Fee is $5
 Friday morning Adventure Day Camps are at the fairgrounds for students who completed grades 1-4. July 8 is “Cows, Pigs, Pets, Oh My!” August 5 is “Blast Off!” Fee is $15/day.
Missoula Children’s Theatre returns to Luverne on August 15-20! There are openings yet for participants ages Kdg (as attended during 21-22 school year) through age 7 and ages 12 - 18 to take part in the live production of Hansel & Gretel.  Fee is $35 paid by July 14.
Participants who attended grade 5 this past school year through adult are welcome to reserve Open Studio two-hour blocks of time on July 9 or August 6. Fee is $25 and covers all materials, glaze and firing.
 
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.

Crews with Dean Schneider Construction, Clear Lake, Iowa, started work Tuesday morning in the former W-2 Quality Meats building on the corner of Main Street and Highway 75 in Luverne to convert the building to a new Fareway Meat Market. Pictured are (from left) project manager Tyler Bryant, Kelley Hadaway, Andy Curely, Fareway Design Project Manager Mark DeYong, Caleb Hoselton, Terry Hansen and Todd Wendell. Construction is anticipated to wrap up later this summer. Fareway is leasing the building from Luverne Properties for at least two years with the option to purchase it if all goes well.

Another project funded by the 2184 Campaign was completed Monday when Pride Neon Sign Company of Sioux Falls hung a 20-by-20-foot “L” to the outside of the performing arts center stage wall at Luverne Public Schools. Workers placed a paper template on the wall before affixing the anchor bolts for the Old English script letter made from aluminum. Electricians will complete the wiring for backlighting the “L” that will be visible to motorists entering Luverne on North Highway 75. The 2184 Campaign is a fundraising effort by the Luverne Education Legacy Fund (LELF), formerly the Luverne School Foundation. The campaign sponsors enhancements in a partnership with Luverne Public Schools for academic initiatives, Cardinal activities, fine arts, campus beautification and alumni recognition.