A heartfelt gift is available for Valentine’s Day through a community organization focused on ending poverty in the Luverne area.
Luv1LuvAll is offering a heart-shaped, decorated sugar cookie for $5. The Valentine’s Day offering replaces the poinsettia sales the group conducted during the Christmas holiday.
New chairperson Holly Anderson-Wessels said the timeline change is a better fit for the organization whose focus is to fill gaps in services for area residents.
“Christmas is such a busy time so we decided to try something different,” she said. “It’s our only fundraiser … Valentine’s Day seemed like a natural fit.”
The group is working with local dessert baker Victoria Stearns of Luverne, whose business “Cakes & Bakes” focuses on dessert creations.
After taste testing various cookie recipes, Anderson-Wessels said they settled on a traditional cookie recipe with white and pink frosting.
“We didn’t want to go too crazy,” she said. “We wanted something everybody would like.”
The 5-by-6-inch cookies will be baked by Stearns and packaged with a ribbon and a gift card by the Luv1LuvAll committee.
Orders are currently being taking through the Luverne Area Chamber.
Pickup of the cookies is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, in the community room at the Southwest Health and Human Services building on Roundwind Road in Luverne.
The Cookies for a Cause event is also being organized at Luverne Public Schools.
According to Luv1LuvAll committee member and elementary counselor Marie Atkinson-Smeins, flyers were sent home to families and the elementary student council will educate students and staff to the cookie fundraiser’s purpose.
The student councils at the middle-high school are planning to offer the cookie sale to students and staff next week.
High school council president Griffen Jarchow said Cookies for a Cause reprises Valentine’s Day gift-giving at the school plus allows the students to serve outside of the school’s walls.
Profits from the cookie sale will be used to further the focuses of the organization’s various task forces.
Anderson-Wessels said the group’s funding is primarily through grants, with the local fundraising effort used to fill any gaps in fulfilling any of the various activities.
Luv1LuvAll has five task forces involved in narrowing the gap for anyone facing poverty situations in various identified areas. The focus groups include dental care access, brain health, one-stop resource guide, housing and opioid use.
The group welcomes new members to join the task forces. More information about the group can be found on its social media site, Luv1LuvAll.
The $5 Valentine’s Day cookies can be ordered through the Luverne Area Chamber through Saturday, Feb. 5. Call 283-4061 or stop by the Chamber office located in the county’s veterans museum building. Payment by cash, check or credit card is due at the time of the order.
As an added incentive, anyone placing an order will be placed in a drawing for a Golden Ticket Date Night: a $50 gift card to Sterling’s Bar and Grille in Luverne and two movie tickets.

New Vision will demolish the iconic wooden grain elevator in Beaver Creek this spring and replace it with a new office and scale in time for harvest this fall.
“It’s not safe for our customers, employees and the community,” said New Vision CEO Matt Ashton. “It’s long past its prime and needs to be removed.”
Pieces of tin and debris have been falling off in the wind, and the Beaver Creek City Council approved a permit at their Jan. 12 meeting for demolition and new construction.
The project is estimated to cost roughly $400,000, including demolition costs.
“We want to reinvest in Beaver Creek to serve our customers long-term,” Ashton said. “It’s important to upgrade that facility to help our membership there.”
The 16-by-24 office structure will house an office, bathroom and utility room, plus a break room for customers and employees.
The new 11-by-75-foot in-ground truck scale will be positioned to make it easier for customers to get in and out with grain.
The new construction will be located on the same site as the existing woodhouse once it’s torn down.
The 125-foot-tall wooden elevator hasn’t stored grain for over a decade; it was being used only for its office and scale.
New Vision put up the three new bins — with a total grain storage capacity of 1.1 million bushels — 15 to 20 years ago.
Ashton said the office facility will offer technology at the bins not previously available in Beaver Creek.
“Automation in the new office will allow one person to run the three bins – the pits, legs and conveyer,” he said.
“Also, there’s a grain probe at the scale, which will make the process faster for customers.”
The current grain sampling process involves a coffee can scoop from the pit that’s tested for weight, moisture and quality.
If there’s spoiled grain, it’s discovered as the grain goes into the bin, too late to isolate it.
Ashton said New Vision in Beaver Creek typically accommodates 50,000 to 70,000 bushels of grain per day during harvest.
“We hope with the new scale we’ll be able to see more traffic,” Ashton said. “We want to be able to better serve our customers.”
A crane and wrecking ball will move on site in Beaver Creek this spring for demolition crews to begin work in March or April
 
New Vision to remove 1980s grain bins in Hills
Meanwhile, New Vision is planning to tear down four steel grain bins in Hills.
Ashton said the bins, built in 1984 and 1989, were last used for the 2020 harvest.
“It was labor intensive – took a lot of people to unload and clean the bins each year,” he said.
“They needed repairs, and the recommendation was to close that part of our business in Hills.
The four steel bins had a combined grain storage capacity of 600,000 bushels.
All grain now runs through the New Vision terminal north of Hills. It has a 5-million-bushel capacity and accepts grain year-round.
The bin site property in Hills will be planted to grass and eventually offered for sale.

A program is being developed by a local electric cooperative to connect communities with resources for economic and community development.
Sioux Valley Energy calls the program REVIVE 2030.
Once developed, REVIVE 2030 will work with individual communities within the cooperative’s footprint on various projects.
Rock and Pipestone counties are part of the cooperative’s service area and are included in the program’s development.
City, county and civic leaders from both counties were invited to participate in an information-gathering, focus-group meeting. Just under 40 people attended the Jan. 20 meeting at the Hardwick Community Center.
“REVIVE is not a check-writing program,” said Tim McCarthy, SVE’s general manager and chief executive officer. “What we want this to be is a partnership between Sioux Valley and our communities out there and we want you to have skin in the game with us so we can all move forward together.”
A similar gathering of community members from South Dakota took place in November in Colton, South Dakota, the main headquarters for Sioux Valley Energy.
From the first meeting, SVE deciphered the best way to move forward was to hire an economic and community development professional to assist area communities through the REVIVE 2030 program.
McCarthy said economic development is second nature to SVE due to the need for more electricity within their 6,000-square-foot territory that includes urban as well as rural communities. He’s noticed the disparity between municipalities within the SVE region.
“We don’t want our other members outside of this area that is more organized toward economic development to ever be forgotten,” he said. “What is it that you guys need that will help you build your communities?”
Representatives from Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) from Chatfield, Minnesota, led both the large and small group focus sessions, asking participants to answer a series of questions about current needs, assets, resources and recent road blocks that have hindered economic development.
SVE officials will take the information from the brainstorming session and summarize the findings into categories. The information will then be shared back with the individuals who attended the meeting.
McCarthy said once priorities are set and an economic development professional is hired, individual community meetings could take place and more specific needs identified within each specific community.
“We want this to be customizable,” he said.
The SVE territory encompasses 6,000 square miles with about 6,200 miles of electrical lines throughout Rock and Pipestone counties in Minnesota and Minnehaha, Lake, Moody, Brookings and a portion of Kingsbury counties in South Dakota.

H-BC chili cook-off Feb. 4
The Hills-Beaver Creek FFA Chapter will host a Chili Cook-off Friday, Feb. 4, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Vote for the hottest chili, judges’ choice and fan favorite. The event, which includes a silent auction, raises funds for the chapter’s trip to the state convention this spring and the national convention this fall.
 
Free bake-at-home pizzas distributed Feb. 12
The Christian Motorcyclist Association will offer free bake-at-home Luverne Pizza Ranch pizzas at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at Living Rock Church on East Main Street in Luverne. The drive-through style event is CMA’s gesture to “share the love of Jesus” with the community.
This year, more than 400 pizzas are available until they’re gone to anyone in the community who wants one. No sign-up necessary. Call 605-366-9942 if there are questions.
 
Tack swap March 5 at Rock Ranch
A tack swap benefit is planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Rock Ranch near Hills. Organizers are seeking individuals interested in selling horse-related items or sharing business or service information by reserving a booth. The free-will donation event is a fundraiser for two area 4-H families: Mark and Lisa Ehlers of Luverne and Wyatt and the late Tanya Fey of Woodstock. Call Kris Vanderbrink at 507-350-9209 to reserve a booth.
 
Winter Carnival postponed
Luverne Music Boosters Winter Carnival, which was scheduled for Jan. 22, is tentatively rescheduled for Saturday, March 5.
 
Free tax preparation
AARP volunteers will offer free tax preparation for low-income and seniors at the Rock County Library on Mondays starting Feb. 9 through April 15. Call 507-449-5040 for appointments. Bring documents, including last year’s tax return and a form of identification to document social security number. Masks required.

 Online mental health classes
NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) will offer free online mental health classes for January and February.
 Among them are suicide prevention classes called QPR – Question, Persuade and Refer — plus a special one for ag communities.
The classes are designed for family members and caregivers, persons living with a mental illness, service providers and also for the general public. Go to namimn.org and click on “Classes.”
 

Community Ed
Call Cindy at Community Ed, 507-283-4724, to register for classes.
Community Ed website is http://www.isd2184.net/Communit_Ed/index.htmlWinter Session of Student Driver Education begins Jan. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. The fee is $355, which includes 30 hours of classroom and six hours of behind the wheel instruction.
Register by Feb. 1 for Pretty Princess Gala on Feb. 15, a fundraiser event sponsored by the FFLCA club for girls age 4 through grade 3, featuring a tea party, manicures, crafts, photo shoot and more. Fee is $20.
First Aid/CPR/AED Certification Class is Feb. 3.  Fee is $58. Do the online portion ahead of Feb. 3 at redcrosslerarning.com and take that certificate to class. Manikin practice and written test will be Feb. 3.
Valentine’s Day Kids in the Kitchen is Feb. 3 for students in grades K-5. Fee is $16 (or $28 for two).
Softball Camp begins on Feb. 10 for six sessions for girls in grades K-8 who are interested in being catchers and pitchers to learn and practice their skills (experienced or inexperienced). Sign up by Feb. 1 at the lower fee of $60.
Valentine Painting for students in grades 1-4 will meet Feb. 10 at Coffey Contemporary Arts to create a painting and enjoy yummy snacks. Fee is $33.
Try your hand on a pottery wheel at Give Spinning a Try on Feb. 12 for grades 5 through adult. You will have plenty of time to play with the clay. Fee is $15. (If you do want to take your piece of clay home at the end of class, bring $10 to give to instructor.)
Defensive Driving Refresher 4-hour class is Feb. 17 for those who have taken the beginning 8-hour class and need to renew certification.
Register by Feb. 25 for “Footloose” performed at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre on March 26. Fee is $115/person for a chartered bus trip.
Students ages 3-12 years old will learn to play the orff instruments (smaller version of xylophone) at Melodious Mallets. Class begins Feb. 4 and culminates with the Luverne Street Music Spring Showcase in May. Fee is $100 for 16 lessons.
Register by Feb. 9 for the ACT Prep class that begins Feb.24 for juniors and seniors. Fee is $125.

 Happenings at the Rock County Library
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com
The 2022 Winter Reading Program, “Catch a Keeper at your Library,” is currently under way and goes through March 31. Read or listen to 12 books checked out from the Rock County Library and win a fabulous prize. Winter Reading Bingo will also be played. Bingo sheets are available now at the library.
Who says kids get to have all the fun? An Adult Show and Tell will take place at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 17, at Take 16. Bring an item (or items) to tell us about or perhaps a story or two. It will be a fun and relaxing evening of sharing tales of local brews.
Bring your creative selves to Bad Art Night at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 17, at Take 16, and compete to see who can make the worst piece of art with provided supplies. The less artistic ability you have, the better. Prizes will be awarded.
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.
 
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.
 
Goehle gym open Sundays through March 27
The Hugo Goehle gymnasium in Hills is open for public recreation from 1 to 3 p.m. Sundays now through March 27.
 
Nominations sought for Rock County Hall of Fame
The Rock County Historical Society’s Hall of Fame Committee is seeking nominations for the 2022 induction of current and former residents.
Nominees must have a significant identity with Rock County and have made an exceptional contribution to society, achieved exceptional success, and brought honor and prestige beyond the borders of Minnesota.
Nominations are accepted now through Feb. 28, 2022. Forms are available at The History Center, Luverne Area Chamber or online at www.rockcountyhistorical.com or www.luvernechamber.com. An awards presentation is scheduled for July 17, 2022.

On a bitterly cold day last year in February, a small group of bundled-up CMA members gave away more than 350 free frozen pizzas.
In the Living Rock Church parking lot on East Main Street in Luverne, the Christian Motorcyclists handed pizzas to motorists through rolled down windows of heated automobiles.
And they were grateful, according to CMA member JoAnn Vanderburg.
“Some allowed CMA  members to pray with them when they picked up their pizza,” she said.
“And a lot of people were thinking of others. They asked, ‘Can I take one for my neighbor? Can I take one for a friend or family member?’ It was beautiful.”
The other beautiful thing, she said, was that the event had the indirect result of raising money for the group’s annual “Run for the Son” ministry.
CMA used to buy Papa Murphy’s reduced-rate pizzas and sell them for a profit during the week prior to the Super Bowl.
Last year, amid the pandemic, Vanderburg said it didn’t feel right.
“We prayed about it but decided we weren’t comfortable doing that,” she said. “God has really blessed us, and we pitched in together to buy the pizzas to give away.”
 Which they did.
But others who had also been blessed last year decided they would donate anyway, despite the free offer.
“God is amazing,” Vanderburg said about the outpouring. “People just handed us money — tens, twenties, fifties, hundred dollar bills. We were completely blown away.”
When it was over, they found themselves with $1,000.
In their last pizza fundraiser they netted less than $400.
Meanwhile, CMA members learned that Pizza Ranch in Luverne also offers bake-at-home frozen pizzas, so they’re gearing up for the 2022 event that will also support a local business.
They’re buying the reduced rate pizzas from the Luverne restaurant and again will give them away, free of charge, to anyone who wants one.
“We’re not asking for any donations because we truly want to bless the community,” Vanderburg said. “If there are funds raised, we’ll see. … We get to be God’s hands and feet and see what he will do.”
The pizza giveaway will start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at Living Rock Church on East Main Street in Luverne. CMA youth will be on hand to help out.
The drive-through-style event is CMA’s gesture to “share the love of Jesus” with the community.
This year more than 400 pizzas are available – until they’re gone – to anyone in the community who wants one. No signup necessary. Call 605-366-9942 if there are questions.

January is National Blood Donor Month and the nation’s blood supply remains at one of its lowest levels in recent years.
In recent weeks, blood centers across the country have reported less than a one-day’s supply of blood of certain critical blood types — a dangerously low level.
If the nation’s blood supply does not stabilize soon, life-saving blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed.
Today, the country confronts new challenges as COVID-19 cases surge and winter storms threaten to further disrupt the blood supply.
As these concerns compound, blood centers nationwide continue to face a decline in donor turnout, blood drive cancellations, staffing challenges and donor eligibility misinformation. Yet the need for blood remains constant.
Blood components have a short shelf life, and the blood supply needs to be constantly replenished. Blood can take up to three days to be tested, processed and made available for patients, so it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency.
In the United States more than 16 million units of blood and blood products are transfused annually with more than 45,000 units needed daily.
Blood donations are needed now to avert the need to postpone potential lifesaving treatments. Some hospitals have already been forced to alter treatment for some patients or cancel some patient surgeries due to blood supply challenges.
American Association of Blood and Biotherapies, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross are joining together to urge eligible, healthy individuals to contact their local blood center and make an appointment to donate blood today. 
Local businesses are asked to encourage their employees, including those working remotely, to find their local blood donation center and schedule an appointment to donate throughout 2022.
Doing so is essential to maintaining the stability of the nation’s blood supply, which ensures that life-saving medical treatments are available for patients. 
The blood community relies on the generosity of blood donors to help save lives throughout the year.
Please contact the Red Cross to find a local blood collection site and to schedule an appointment to donate. Call 1.800.RED CROSS or go online to www.RedCrossBlood.org

Last week, in the middle of our news meeting, I stood up and paced to the other side of the desk.
“My Apple Watch told me it was time to stand,” I told my puzzled co-workers. “So, I stood.”
I knew what they were thinking. “If your watch told you to jump off a cliff, would you?”
I wouldn’t go that far, but I have become a slave of sorts to the demands of my wristwatch.
It reminds me to take more steps, to go to bed on time and to breathe mindfully. (A little blue flower on the watch face expands and contracts with each successful inhale and exhale in a series.)
Walking, standing, sleeping and breathing are things we do naturally, but many of us need help with fitness.
And it seems simple challenges and patronizing accolades do help.
“You did it! You met another hour toward your stand goal!”
Thursday night while relaxing on the couch, my watch vibrated.
“You’re so close!” was the message, with the image of my partially closed Move Ring. “You can close your rings! An 11-minute brisk walk should do it.”
So, I lugged myself into the garage, wearing pajama pants and slippers, for some brisk laps around the vehicles.
Sure enough, before I knew it, my watch announced the Move Ring had closed.
Shortly after that, because I had met my Stand Goal and Exercise Goal earlier in the day, the watch face exploded with fireworks-like rainbow rings, all three ceremoniously closing at once.
My day was complete.
It shouldn’t be surprising that I thrive on the system of goals and rewards.
I was the 6-year-old who practiced piano songs dutifully for the weekly reward of a shiny star sticker on each page.
I clung desperately to the monkey bar in the flexed arm hang test for my sixth-grade Presidential Physical Fitness patch.
I often obliged “double-dog-dare-yous” just to prove I could. (The electric fence was a learning experience).
It should be no surprise, then, to discover the success of my Apple Watch in motivating better behavior.
It tracks daily, weekly, monthly and yearly achievements on easy-to-read, interactive charts, rewarding cumulative good behavior.
If I complete seven qualifying workouts in a week, for example, I get an “award.” High quality graphics of gleaming medals appear in my profile data.
But I get chided for slacking in effort or frequency. “Your Move arrow is trending down this week.”
Yet, each day begins with encouragement. “You rocked yesterday’s workout! Keep it up today!” Or “Let’s do better than we did yesterday.”
Given all this encouragement and tracking, I should have long ago achieved my weight and fitness goals.
But, alas, my Apple Watch doesn’t yet know that when it tells me to stand, I often get up and walk to the fridge for a snack.

Vink: 'Thank you, Luverne'
To the Editor:
Luverne — Love the Life! I am grateful for a small city the size of Luverne, yet with its many amenities.
As young parents it was good to raise our children in quality schools and recreation, and soon more child care is coming.
Now as aging people we appreciate its many advantages — the Generations meals, the public wheelchair transportation, ambulance lift assistance. The wider cares — dental and eye care, grocery and drugstore, car care, pool and fitness, the local clinic, hospital, nursing homes, hospice care.
The city includes a variety of churches, and we value online worship. Political diversity — at the last presidential election, the signs in the yards were evenly split.
The downtown is adequate for daily necessities, banking, insurance, and more. The city provides fun celebrations, walking paths, trees, and many services. The extras bring joy, like the library, local newspaper, History Center, Green Earth productions, Palace Theater, and cultural events.
Thank you, Luverne, for being our Home Town.
Janice Vink,
Luverne
Meinerts: Have you ever thought ...?
To the Editor:
Ever wonder how you would have reacted to the Nazis when they were rounding up people for their concentration camps?
Ever thought about how you would have responded to segregation in America?
Will you have the fortitude to stand up for Jesus when the time comes?
Your response to this Covid nonsense will tell you all you need toknow.
God help America.
Todd Meinerts,
Luverne

I am learning that as you get older it’s not just your birthday that tells you and others that you’re getting older.
While my birthday is down the road a bit and Mary’s is just around the corner, it seems the signs of our advancing ages are popping up all too often.
Our middle child is turning 40 this month, and our oldest grandson is graduating from high school this year.
After months of Joe Namath, Jimmy Walker, Nature Boy Rick Flare and countless other over-the-hill sports and television celebrities pimping Medicare enrollment, Mary and I started the Medicare enrollment process.
What little we knew about the Medicare enrollment process is that you have a six-month window to enroll – three  months before and three months after your 65th birthday.
My advice, just from personal experience, is to start the process on the 90th day before you turn 65.
As you will learn, and what many of you already know, is that the enrollment process doesn’t happen overnight. It almost takes that long for someone to answer the Medicare hotline.
After someone in the know told me to do so, our first call was to 1-800-MEDICARE. I know if you count the letters like I did, you’ll realize that there are too many letters for a phone number. The number is really 1-800-MEDICAR – you’re left with an extra E.
This is where the first hiccup happened. After what not only seemed like a long time — and it actually was — someone from the MEDICARE hotline answered. The person on the other end of the line didn’t sound like she was from the Midwest.
Imagine my demeaner after finally getting through, and mind you we had our ducks in a row. In my best Minnesota Nice voice, I told the person on the other end that we would like to enroll in Medicare.
While I was prepared for whatever information they might need, she did throw me a curve when she said we needed to call the Social Security Office to do that.
I told her we didn’t want to sign up for Social Security; we want to enroll in Medicare. Back and forth that conversation went, and finally she gave me the number to call Social Security and hung up.
We started the enrollment process shortly after supper, so by the time the Medicare hotline lady passed us off to the Social Security hotline number, it was nearing 7:30.
It was 8:40 when Zane answered the Social Security phone. As it turns out, Zane was officed in California and was easy to understand and helpful.
Just to move this along, after two phone calls and over an hour and a half of time on the phone, we were not yet enrolled in Medicare.
What Zane did do for us, however, was to set up a phone appointment two weeks from now with the Sioux Falls Social Security office to enroll in Medicare.
I know you’re probably saying to yourself, “Why didn’t they just go online to enroll?”
My nicest Minnesota Nice response to your more-than-fair question is, “We TRIED enrolling online.”
That is another column all to itself.
Stay tuned.