Generations will purchase the Grand Prairie Events building from Mike and Wanda Jarchow after approving the proposal by a vote of 124-2 on Monday.
“It’s not what we dreamed of, but it’s going to be wonderful for Generations,” said George Bonnema, president of the group formerly known as Rock County Senior Citizens.
“I’m happy. … And I’m happy for Mike. I really appreciate what he put into it. It was a growing business before COVID hit.”
Generations will pay $975,000 for the 11,500-square-foot building that the Jarchows opened in 2016 as a 500-person capacity event center.
While that sounds like a high price tag for a non-profit organization, Bonnema said the deal makes sense.
“… versus building a new building for $4.5 million. … For $975,000, there’s no way we can come close to building a new building like that, with that type of quality in the core area of downtown,” he said.
“Who would have expected building prices to sky-rocket the way they have? The price really made construction unattainable.”
 
Finally, a solution to years-old problems
The Grand Prairie location addresses space and structural concerns of the current Lincoln Street location that Generations members have been working on for nearly two years.
Now they’ll have a commercial kitchen, including a walk-in cooler and freezer, and updated surroundings to accommodate a growing group of noon meal-site diners.
Meal site coordinator Lynette Hoiland will use the existing Grand Prairie Events business office.
The kitchen wall between the kitchen and event space will need a serving window, and the northeast corner of the building will accommodate office space for ACE of Southwest Minnesota.
ACE (formerly RSVP) leases space from Generations and will relocate to office space in the northeast corner of the Grand Prairie building that is currently a bridal room and storage space.
The ACE office will have a private entrance to the east.
Other than the east side modifications, Bonnema said the Grand Prairie Events interior and exterior won’t change.
“We want to keep that elegant appearance that it is now,” he said.
“To me the biggest barrier that we have right now for moving the Generations organization forward is the building that we’re in. There’s nothing welcoming about it. We’ve gotten rid of clutter, but we can’t do anything about eight refrigerators and freezers in the room.”
He said Generations may even use the Grand Prairie Events colors and logo on the sign. “Instead of Grand Prairie Events it might be Generations Events,” he said. “We can at least use the G.”
 
Generations Events will honor Grand Prairie Events commitments
With contractors’ summer schedules already filled, Bonnema said the group won’t seek contractors until later this year, and work won’t begin on the kitchen and ACE office until this winter.
Further, he said Generations will honor Jarchow’s existing commitments (more than a dozen) on the books between now and the end of the year.
The building purchase includes tables, chairs, linens, utensils and everything currently needed for event hosting.
As one of Generations’ commitments to the community, Bonnema said having space for community gatherings is something the group has long wanted but hasn’t had space for.
“It’s sustainability for us, which is necessary,” he said about event rentals. “But also, we are planning to have activities in there during the afternoons or mornings.”
 
Fundraising continues, revenue comes in
In cash and commitments, the group has already raised roughly $500,000 toward a new facility, and it benefited from CARES Act funds targeted for non-profits.
Once Generations moves into the Grand Prairie Events building, it will demolish the Lincoln house and sell the current kitchen/dining space, which Bonnema said he’s already had offers on.
While money is coming, funds are needed immediately to close on the new space this summer.
For Bonnema and Generations members, it’s good to finally have a plan.
“It feels like a milestone after treading water for so long. Now we have something definite, and I think that’s exciting for everyone involved,” he said.
“And I think it’s exciting for the community, because it’s not for us … It’s for the next generations. We’re never going to run out of old people; I keep saying that.”
In addition to Bonnema, Generations board members include Carlene Boll, Marlin Buus, Mary Gehrke, Judy Fenske, Connie Frahm, Roger Henderson, Lynette Hoiland, Betty Mann, Renae Reu, Bruce Thalhuber and Ken Vos.
For information about how to support the project, Bonnema can be reached at 507-227-0682, flowergb@iw.net or by mail,  801 West Warren, Luverne, 56156.
 
 
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Generations kitchen doubles output during pandemic
Despite the COVID setbacks, Generations has served more meals than it has in decades — nearly doubling meal numbers.
In-house diners were numbering in the teens and 20s prior to COVID; now meal production is at nearly 200 per day.
They’re delivered daily to Pipestone, Worthington and Adrian, as well as to Luverne residents. Meals are also delivered to Hardwick, Jasper, Hills and Beaver Creek twice weekly. Frozen meals are offered to supplement hot meals on the off days.
The suggested price per meal is $5, and people with limited resources can call site coordinator Lynette Hoiland at 507-283-9846 for options.
Meals are reserved a day in advance.
The menu is posted weekly in the Star Herald and daily on KQAD AM and on Facebook at “Generations formerly Luverne Senior Citizens.”
Bonnema said there is no word yet on when in-person dining will resume.
“That is a concern from a social perspective,” he said. “They’re really missing that social opportunity of dining in person.
“There have been lots and lots of studies about how people’s health has been affected by isolation. … The food is there, but it’s no fun to eat alone.”

Free food offered May 20
New Life Celebration Church will offer free food at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 20, at the Generations Building on East Lincoln Street in Luverne. Vehicles should enter the west parking lot from Lincoln Street and drive to the double glass doors on the west side of the building where volunteers will load groceries into cars. Walkers should receive their pre-packaged groceries on the east side of the building. Call 507-283-4366.
 
Free food for seniors May 20
Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors 60 and older, sponsored by A.C.E. of SW MN, will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 20, as a drive-through distribution in the parking lot at 319 E. Lincoln, Luverne. Call Linda Wenzel at 283-5064 for more information, pre-registration required, if not already enrolled.
 
Hospice auction volunteers sign up by May 20
The Annual Hospice Dinner and Auction typically held in April is being planned for Aug. 28 to allow for expanded Minnesota COVID-19 guidelines.  More details will be announced this summer. Volunteers are needed to help with his event. If interested email: helen.saum@sanfordhealth.org or call 283-1805 by May 20.  
 
H-BC concert May 21
The Hills-Beaver Creek High School concert featuring the ninth- through 12th-grade band, choir and drumlines will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 21. The concert will also be live-streamed through the H-BC Patriots Facebook page.
 
Shredding event May 22
St. Catherine Church Luverne will bring Dakota Shred It to Luverne from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 22, at Luverne Laundry on the corner of Main Street and Highway 75.
 
Wednesday night free community meal
The Luverne United Methodist Church will host its monthly free community meal at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, with a pickup option available. Call 507-283-4529
 
Memorial Day programs
The Hardwick American Legion Post #478 Memorial Day Program will be at 10 a.m. Monday, May 31, at the Veteran’s Memorial. The program includes a speech by Matt Niessink, staff sergeant and recruiter at Luverne National Guard, a reading by Chance Tunnissen, 2021 Boy Stater and music by Maddie Oye.  
TheMinnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will host a 30-minute virtual Memorial Day program, “Reflections: Memorial Day 2021,” at 8 p.m. Monday, May 31, on TPT’s Minnesota Channel.
 
Parade entries sought by May 31
Entries are being sought for the Hills Friendship Days parade 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 12. Pre-registration deadline is Monday, May 31, to kaelbers@alliancecom.net or by calling Keith at 507-962-3433 or Annette at 507-962-3432. Questions can be directed to same email address and phone numbers.
 
Community Education announcements
Luverne Community Education will offer the following activities and classes in coming weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to sign up. See comed.isd2184.net to view the brochure and list of offerings.
 Kids currently in grades 1-3 can sign up for Paint and Snack Classes on May 27, June 24 and July 22.  Sign up for one class or for all 3. Fee is $33 per class.
Defensive Driving Classes allows adults 55 years of age and older to save on insurance premiums. The Beginning Class – June 10 and 17 (4 hours each evening). Refresher 4-Hour Classes are May 27, Aug. 19.
Sign up for Get Fit, Stay Fit on May 26 with tips and advice from Physical Therapist, Michelle Schuman. Fee is $5.
 
Crisis Center needs board members
The Southwest Crisis Center is seeking passionate community members to serve on its Board of Directors. The group encourages applications from people of diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and professional skills to oversee the organization's general operations. For more information, visit mnswcc.org or email sara@mnswcc.org.
 
Take and Make bird treat kits
Stop by the Luverne Area Chamber at 213 East Luverne Street to pick up one or more Take and Make bird treat kits. Kits are free, but a $5 to $10 donation is welcome to benefit Project Food Forest in Rock County. (Or donate online at https://donorbox.org/support-pff)

Friday was the last day of school for Deb Mitchell, the Discovery Time preschool and Early Childhood Family Education teacher with Luverne Public Schools for the past 17 years. She put in more than 40 years in education. Preschoolers bid “Miss Debbie” an early goodbye and “Happy Retirement” with sidewalk paintings Thursday afternoon.

The Southwest Minnesota CEO (Creating Entrepreneur Opportunities) chapter in Rock County is one of three CEO chapters of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship program in Minnesota.
Recently Midland’s executive director Austin Brooks and national program manager Amy Tarr visited this year’s class of 14 students in Luverne. The organizers were impressed at what the three-year-old program has created, and so are we.
The Star Herald attended the early morning session with students who were dressed in suits and office attire, and we couldn’t help but be impressed as they answered questions about the area and who has left them with lasting impressions.
The program brings plenty of learning to the table through classroom work, visits to local businesses and discussions with local leaders.
Each student was articulate and sincere and has developed a network of local individuals to help them succeed in the future and also right now.
The success was on display Wednesday as each of the students from Luverne, Hills, Adrian, Pipestone and Edgerton opened their individual businesses to the public during the CEO Trade Show at Grand Prairie Events.
Brooks and Tarr asked if the students would continue their businesses after the class ends. Several said they would — others were doubtful.
“It’s OK to be an entrepreneur and work for someone else,” Brooks said. “But act as if you own it.”
If our future workforce acts on these CEO lessons, we will have some pretty exceptional workers in our midst.
At Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary, fifth-graders are introduced to the same it’s-OK-to-fail lessons that are emphasized with the older students. They’re told to learn from mistakes and push forward. These students will have their own in-house trade show Monday.
Teacher Dylan Gehrke added a “Shark Tank” experience where his 23 students shared the numbers behind creating a business and strike an investment deal with the panel of “investors.”
The experience for both the elementary and high school students of creating products or selling of services is priceless — as is the return of these students to their home towns years from now.

I’ve known people over the years who guard their volunteer time at Redeemed Remnants like it’s a meeting with the Queen. 
Now I know why.
Redeemed Remnants is the resale/thrift store that generates finances for ATLAS of Rock County. ATLAS offers free Christian counseling and other services to people in need.
As chairman of the ATLAS board, I’ve been volunteering at Redeemed Remnants to gain a better understanding of how the business works.
And wow, does it work.
Spending time in “the back room” at Redeemed Remnants is like hanging out in a beehive, or, maybe with a flock of humming birds.
A few weeks ago following the Luverne city-wide rummage sales, donations in the reception area reached halfway to the very tall ceiling. I returned a few days later to find the pile of boxes and bags gone. In record time, the donations had been sorted, cleaned, organized, hauled, stored, repaired, placed and delivered. 
The people who volunteer at Redeemed Remnants are sharp, capable, talented and, of course, hardworking. Committing to volunteer at Redeemed Remnants is serious business.
It’s also a boatload of fun. Nothing beats unpacking a box of donated lingerie or holding up a large “what do you think this might be?”
It’s fun to greet people in the alley to thank them for their donation. It’s fun to go through boxes trying to imagine the kind of person the donor might be.
“Hmmm …maybe works in a bank…lost some weight…has a kid in Luverne High School?”
It’s fun watching customers browsing and finding treasures. “Look! An old-fashioned lemon squeezer!”
It’s fun working at the cash register and helping people admire their purchases. “Wow! All this for just $24! You won’t find these prices at the mall!”
It’s fun evaluating whether or not an article of donated clothing goes in the “keep, good or bale” bin.
“Smells fresh? In style? In season? Nearly perfect condition? Yep! It’s a keeper!”
Of course the most fun is break time. Sitting down for a cup of coffee. Choosing one of the 400 treats on the break room table.
And then, enjoying a conversation with a few wonderful, dedicated people and learning the reason they guard their volunteer time at Redeemed Remnants like it’s a meeting with the Queen – “Because it’s fun!”

Meinerts: Force seatbelt, mask wearing 'is infringing on my freedom'
To the Editor:
In response to Alan Harnack’s May 6 letter to the editor, I guess we have to go back to basic grade school vocabulary class.
Freedom: noun – “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.”
Socialism: noun – “a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”
In Marxist theory, “it’s a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of communism.”
Yes, being forced to wear a seatbelt and mask is infringing on my freedom.
Alan, your logic sounds very much like socialism, and yes, that leads to communism. If you as a business owner decide on a policy, that is fine.
There are plenty of patriotic stores that don’t want to take away our freedom and that is where we will shop.
I love my freedom and will fight for yours. I am very thankful for all who wore the military helmets and fought for our freedom and the oath they took to uphold the constitution of this great country - a document that states we will secure the blessings of liberty.
Liberty: noun - the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life.
God bless America!
Todd Meinerts,
Luverne

It seems that I have come to a point in my life where my short-term memory forgets to work.
Over my working career I usually begin my day with a daily to-do list. The list generally serves two purposes: first, it gives me achievement goals for the day; but mostly, it helps remind me of smaller tasks  I may forget over the course of the day.
Just recently I was writing one such note to myself before I headed to work for the day. None of the tasks on the list were all that important, but if I didn’t write them down I would surely forget them.
Once at the office, I was going to pull out my to-do list when I realized I forgot my to-do list at home. Who would have thought I need to write myself a note reminding me to bring my to-do list to work?
 
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 As you probably know, I am a bit slow when it comes to keeping pace with new viewing options on TV. I finally have joined the NETFLIX crowd. I haven’t binge-watched anything yet, but I have watched four movies over the course of the first week of NEXFLIX.
As it turns out, there are a number of benefits to having NETFLIX. I call it the NETFLIX diet. I didn’t realize I had signed up for the diet; it just happened.
The NETFLIX diet helped me reduce my nightly unnecessary calorie intake by several hundred calories each time I watched one of those four movies.
With no commercial interruption during the movies, I didn’t make any trips to the kitchen to find something to snack on.
Who would have known watching a movie could be so healthy for you?

Dispatch report
May 7
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported he is out of gas.
•Complainant eastbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 14, Luverne, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant reported a possible missing person.
•Complainant on E. Luverne Street reported a vehicle repo.
May 8
•Complainant on 21st Street, Jasper, requested assistance from a deputy.
•Complainant on Adams and Oakley reported fireworks debris in the park.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported issue with tenant.
•Complainant westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 18, Luverne.
•Complainant westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 16, Luverne, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant southbound on Highway 23, Jasper, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on N. Freeman Avenue reported an open door at location.
•Complainant on E. Crawford reported a child was hit by a car.
May 9
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported harassing communications.
•Complainant on County Highway 4, Luverne, reported an attempted break-in.
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 12, Luverne, reported a drunk driver.
May 10
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 10, Luverne, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant reported a suspicious mailing.
•A deputy was flagged down by motorist looking for friend in the area of N. Kniss Avenue and Barck Avenue.
•Complainant reported fire at location near Adrian.
•Complainant on E. Lincoln Street reported that she feels she was scammed.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue and Adams Avenue reported a car and pedestrian accident.
•Complainant on E. Veterans Drive reported that she was tailgated.
•Complainant reported camera outage.
May 11
•Complainant on 60th Avenue, Hills, reported a scam.
•Complainant on E. Main Street reported threats at location.
•Pipestone County requested assistance in locating individual.
•Complainant on W. Lincoln Street requested to make a complaint.
•Complainant on W. Main Street assisted other department.
May 12
•Complainant on U.S. Highway 75, mile marker 4.5, Luverne, reported debris on roadway.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue and W. Fletcher Street reported property damage.
•Complainant on U.S. Highway 75 and 191st Street, Hardwick, reported an erratic driver.
•Deputy assisted motorist on Highway 75 and 241st Street, Hardwick.
•Complainant on N. Spring Street reported loud television noise.
May 13
•Complainant on E. Main Street reported a parking issue.
•Complainant eastbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 7, Beaver Creek, reported a piece of steel on the roadway.
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 12, Luverne, reported erratic driving.
In addition, officers responded to 3 motor vehicle accidents, 1 deer accident, 1 vehicle in ditch, 8 escorts, 17 ambulance runs, 2 paper services, 12 animal complaints, 3 fingerprint requests, 9 burn permits, 1 alarm, 4 drug court tests, 9 purchase and carry permits, 3 stalled vehicles, 12 traffic stops, 12 abandoned 911 calls, 2 tests, 1 welfare check, 1 OFP, 1 report of cattle out and 1 follow-up.

Personnel with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent a day last week improving native grasses at the Touch the Sky Prairie (pictured) through a May 10 controlled burn. The fire management helps rejuvenate about 400 acres of natural prairie grass and rid the northern tallgrass prairie of invasive plants and brush. Prescribed burn specialist Eric Earhart said weather conditions were ideal for the annual burn that also included nearby private lands. The burn especially targets thistles. “It makes our thistle control way easier,” he said. “We really try to limit our herbicide applications.”
 
On May 12, the ideal weather conditions also allowed the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to complete the annual burn at Blue Mounds State Park. According to park manager Chris Ingebretsen, 330 acres (including a portion of the bison range) were burned. He said while some wildlife nests were destroyed in the fire, the birds generally are able to re-establish a nest in a new area. “Long term it doesn’t really impact them unless it rains too much this spring. The area will be a better place (for nesting) with the fire.”