I wanted to recognize Kristie Franken and Tammy Moeller for the wonderful job they have done with the Children of Divorce class offered at the United Methodist Church of Luverne. This is the second class they have offered, with a wonderful impact on the children. With divorce rates as high as they are, it is great to have this opportunity for the children to share their feelings with one another. They understand that this is not something that has happened only to them, that they can love both parents without thinking they are hurting one of their parents’ feelings. Our children didn’t decide to get divorced, we as parents did. The hardest thing to hear a young child say is that "I am divorced," not "my parents are divorced." We always assume they will be fine, that kids are so resilient. They do accept divorce and live with it. But living in two different homes a week as some do or only two months in the summer like others is a lot to put on a child. Mary Gehrke also spoke with the parents to help us understand our children’s feelings. Maybe that outburst is not just a bratty child but someone so confused and stuck in the middle between two people they love. I strongly recommend this class whether you are recently divorced or have been divorced for years. Just think of all the adjustment we ask our children to make: dating, remarriage, blending families. They may seem fine and probably are, but I think it is great for them to have others to talk to so they know they are not alone in this situation we have created for them.Michelle UshijimaLuverne

As we approach this season of thanksgiving, please let me thank the citizens of southwest Minnesota on behalf of those who cannot.The people of southwest Minnesota were extraordinarily generous to the Red Cross during and after the onslaught of hurricanes in Florida and the Southeast this fall, sending donations to the National Disaster Fund via the 800 number, the Internet, or through the Chapter Office. Those donations helped make it possible for the Red Cross to send 33,000 volunteers to serve more than 10,000,000 meals, open 1,750 shelters, and house 427,000 victims.On behalf of the more than 53,000 families you so generously and anonymously helped, thank you for your donations to the American Red Cross. The Southwest Minnesota Chapter of the American Red Cross, with the help of generous donors throughout southwest Minnesota, continues to assist local residents with their needs following disaster, which this past year included house fires, explosions, windstorms and flooded apartments. All Red Cross assistance is a gift to the recipient, and again, on behalf of those local disaster victims who have been helped by the generous residents of southwest Minnesota, thank you for your donations to the local Red Cross.Carol MorganExecutive DirectorSouthwest Minnesota Chapter – American Red Cross

I really wonder about the letter to the editor posted Nov. 11 in the Star Herald which stated that God has protected us as a nation. Oh really?Sure, as a nation we are still here but there are other non-Christian nations that have existed longer than the United States. Their God or Gods must be protecting them, too.How about the lives lost on Sept. 11? Where was God then? Or how about the poor, the hungry, or others that have misfortune and do not prosper? Darn, I forgot. God has a plan for everyone that we cannot possibly understand. Finally, when terrorists detonate a nuclear device on American soil, will God protect us from the radioactive fallout? I sure hope so.Dan MogckSioux Falls, S.D.

'Tis that time of year. Summer is long gone, the school year is going strong, and the first good snowstorm is just around the corner, maybe. Some retailers have had Christmas merchandise on the shelves for weeks already. Thanksgiving officially kicks off the holiday season. In the next several weeks we will gather with family and friends to eat turkey, exchange gifts and maybe put a lampshade on our head, using New Year’s Day to settle in and nap. Then the long days of winter will descend upon us.So what are we all thankful for this year? The tremendous gift of family and friends is at the top of the list. The important people around you that care for you as you care for them. A nice home to eat a great meal in is also up there. A life that allows us the freedom to celebrate with those people in a nice house while eating good food.I am thankful for volunteers. Not the type that work in a hospital or work for a charity, as important as they are. I am thankful for those that volunteer to put on a uniform, take up arms and travel across the world in pursuit of those that would take all the good from our lives if given the opportunity.This year, as in many others, these volunteers will be gathering to go on dangerous missions, sleeping wherever they can whenever they can grab a wink and feasting on Meals Ready to Eat. There are those in the war zones, but don’t forget those at overseas bases on remote assignments. From the Korean demilitarized zone to ships on the seas, there are so many men and women that will not have a good holiday season this year. As great as the friends and comrades you serve with can be, they just don’t replace family during the holidays.Back here in the states and at bases around the world there will be too many tables with an empty spot. That spot where a parent should be, but is not. Young kids that don’t understand where dad is and why he is gone will ask that painful question and may still not comprehend the answer. Parents and spouses will see that spot and wonder when and if their loved one will be coming home.It is a rare breed that volunteers for this life. It is the persons who want to serve their country in a way that puts their very lives in danger. They are still signing up, even as we are at war, and they know they may very well end up in the combat zone. They are a special slice of America, joining so many that have gone before them.So I can say that along with my kids, my family, my friends and my life here, these volunteer heroes are what I am thankful for on Thanksgiving 2004. With all of the trouble in the world I know that I can feel safe with people like this defending our country. Godspeed to all who choose to help keep my kids safe.Curtis Hendel,Adrian

By Mark HaugenA guy has to make certain sacrifices when he gets married, and for me they were my golf clubs and my shotgun (and some might say my sanity.)It's not that my wife asked me to give them up. It's just that life gets in the way of having all the fun I want sometimes. Things like work and kids make you prioritize what you're going to do with your free time. Much of my spare time now is spent reading, writing, gardening and running, all pretty time-consuming hobbies as well.So while many of you have been out downing pheasants and plunking deer this fall, I've been doing those other things. But that doesn't mean I and others don't enjoy reading about your hunting exploits and seeing the fruits (or rather meats) of your labor.With that in mind, I encourage you hunters to send us pictures of your successful hunts. Tell us where, when and with what you tamed the wild beast and we'll share it with the readers.As a kid growing up on a farm outside of Canton, S.D., I was seldom without at least a .22 in tow. Rabbits, gophers and birds were aplenty in our groves and pasture, and the creek running through it made it a good enough wildlife environment for my buddy and me to run a trap line.The occasional mink, muskrat or skunk was stupid enough to stumble into one of our sets. The fur company in Canton rewarded us with a couple bucks or a five spot even.This was all fine and good until my friend's cat proved to be too curious and not smart enough to keep its foot out of one of our traps. I remember the tears in Travis' eyes as we extricated his cat.It put a quick end to our years-long hobby, especially when his older sister learned of her cat's misfortune. And that darn cat limped around on three legs for several more years to continually remind us of our amateur trapping skills.Now I stick to fishing, and if a cat is stupid enough to dive into the water and bite on my hook, then he deserves what he gets. At least I won't feel as guilty about that one.

By Lori EhdeSteve Kollmann’s formula for successful teaching is to build students’ self esteem while having fun."I try to create an atmosphere in my class where everyone has fun," said Kollmann, who was named 2005 Teacher of the Year during Education Week activities Monday."We do a lot of different activities so everyone can feel good about themselves."Kollmann said he hopes those classroom experiences carry over into other areas of his students’ lives — both physically and emotionally."I hope the skills they learn here will carry over into a lifetime of physical activity," he said."I try to make all the kids feel good about themselves. To some kids, phy ed is the highlight of their day. They may not excel in the classroom, but in my class they all have a chance to excel."Kollmann was named Teacher of the Year during a ceremony after school Monday in the elementary commons.Teacher of the Year for 2004, Sandy Klosterbuer, announced Kollmann as the new selection."Many consider this educator to be a constant source of encouragement and enthusiasm," she began.She said Kollmann takes pride in his work and treats students with respect."This educator has been a great ambassador for the Luverne Public Schools for over 30 years," Klosterbuer said. "He is greatly respected by not only the students and the community here in Luverne, but by past students and athletes in surrounding communities."Kollmann said he’s surprised he qualified for the honor, since he hasn’t lived in Luverne for years."This is totally awesome and really unexpected," he said accepting his plaque. "…Teaching physical education doesn’t always get the respect it deserves."Kollmann, who plans to retire after this school year, thanked his peers for the honor."I really feel part of a very, very good team," he said. "Thank you all for being part of that team and helping me achieve this."Elementary physical education teacher Dan Amborn was particularly pleased to see Kollmann named Teacher of the Year."He’s an incredible human being … extremely positive," Amborn said after Monday’s ceremony. "He cares deeply about each and every one of the kids."Amborn said Kollmann has been a mentor for him through the years."The kind of human being that he is makes him a wonderful ambassador for the school system and whatever organization he’s involved in," Amborn said.

My favorite quote is by Charles Swindoll on attitude. He writes, "Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it."At the Tollfeson Publishing we’ve seen some unexpected changes in the past year, and I’m proud to say our attitudes are in the right place.Our advertising director, graphic designer, copy editor, Hills Crescent editor and Star Herald sports editor all made career changes in the course of a few months.While we’ve missed these key players, I’m proud to say we’ve embraced the changes as opportunities to explore new directions.The positive approach has a lot to do with our new people: oMark Haugen at the sports desk, oEsther Frakes at the copy desk, oChristine Mann in advertising sales, and oLexi Moore halftime at the Crescent helm and half-time in graphic design.They’re a stellar crew and we’re lucky to have them on board.With their enthusiasm, a remaining core of talented experience, plus an ambitious newspaper consultant on board, we’re looking at all kinds of ways to improve. Our goal is to be a better business in the community and present a better product to our readers and advertisers.Our Star Herald sports readers will notice the biggest changes. In addition to presenting his own writing style and page design, Mark will add a new dimension to that section with a weekly column and a new format for bowling and pool league results.In the news department the changes will be more subtle, but still noticeable.oThe B Section now leads with a feature story or photo package. Those soft-news items take a lot of work, and we’re proud of the end result, so we’re giving them more visibility.oThe inside pages of the A Section will showcase contributing local writers on a more regular basis. We’ll be hearing from our public officials on city, county and school on timely topics in their own words with their own little mug shots attached to the write-ups.This won’t replace our already popular columnists, such as librarian Glenda Bremer, historian Betty Mann and On the Rock pastor columns. It also won’t replace our regular news coverage of local government.oThe Opinion Page will lead with weekly editorials, in addition to usual columns Sara and I take turns writing. Our writers will work on the editorials together, and the goal is to both encourage dialog and stimulate thought processes, or, as with this week’s editorial, to advocate positive activity in the community.As always, we welcome input from all our readers on ideas for editorials, or better yet, original letters to the editor.oRemember When will have shorter entries from old newspapers and more of them, with an emphasis on including more local names that appeared in the news back then. Along those same lines, Mark is planning to introduce a sports version of Remember When in his pages.oThe Dining and Entertainment Page that used to appear only in the Announcer now also appears in the Star Herald, as does the Dial-A-Specialist listing. These advertisers make our Star Herald pages more newsworthy, and in turn, their placement on our news pages adds value to their messages.We’re still the same business that’s brought you news for the past 130 years, but stay tuned for exciting new reasons to keep reading.

Toddler and infant clothes and equipment are in need for SHAREThe drop off for SHARE this year will be at Sharkee’s Dec. 8 and 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.One item that the group is putting out a special request for is infant and toddler new and gently used clothes and equipment.In 2003, SHARE provided 148 families, consisting of 180 children and 187 adults with groceries, clothing and toys.If you would like to know more about the program, contact Nancy Kaczrowski at 283-9261.What should retailers expect for this Christmas season?Economic woes appear to be continuing into the Christmas season for many retailers.According to Myvesta, a non-profit group that tracks economic trends, Americans plan to spend 14.3 percent less this year than in 2003.Last year holiday spending was $834 per average American, compared with $716 this year.Nearly half of the American population, 48 percent, plan to spend less that $500.Here are some tips for smart shopping. Start shopping now. The more time you allow yourself, the better decisions you will make.Carry only two credit cards. Use one with a zero balance for purchases you will pay off in full. Use the other low-interest-rate card for purchases you will pay off over the next three to six months.Record all your purchases in your checkbook register. Even if you don’t write a check, subtract the amount of the purchase. That way, when the bill arrives, the money will be in your checking account to pay the bill in full.Avoid "buy now, pay later" offers. They encourage you to buy things you can’t afford.And most importantly, buy your Christmas gifts from Luverne retailers. Shopping in Sioux Falls may seem like a good idea, but when you factor in the high price of gas and the obligatory lunch you indulge in, you’re better off keeping your money local.Have you given blood in the last 56 days?That’s how often you can and should give, if you:
are 17 years of age
weigh at least 110 pounds
are considered to be in good health.A typical adult has 10-12 pints of blood, and 4.5 million patients need a blood transfusion every year.If you want to donate, the American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in town from 1 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22, at Grace Lutheran Church or from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, at Hills Beaver Creek High School.Absentee voting was also bigWe have reported the big voter turnout in recent editions, but it turns out that absentee voting was also big.According to Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, the 2004 general election was the biggest absentee voter turnout in the history of Minnesota elections.Over 231,000 people, about 8.2 percent of the voters, cast their vote by absentee ballot. That number is more that twice the number of absentee votes two years ago.Going back to the last presidential election in 2000, which would be a fairer comparison, 164,000 voters, or 6.7 percent, chose the absentee version.As we reported two weeks ago, 77 percent of voters voted in this year’s general election in Minnesota, the highest in the nation for the third consecutive election.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

By Lori EhdeNobles-Rock Public Health officials want area residents to know there is still flu vaccine available.It won’t be available at all to the general, mostly healthy public, but Nobles-Rock Public Health Nurse Virginia Hibma said it’s important for at-risk individuals to be vaccinated."Rock and Nobles counties are sitting pretty good right now," said Hibma, who is the vaccine coordinator for Nobles-Rock Public Health."Large numbers of people at risk have already been done, and we’re encouraging anyone else in the high-risk group who’s deferred to get their shots."She said some health care workers and day-care providers have been holding off so that other more needy patients could be done first."There’s been a lot of ‘Minnesota Nice’ … People who could be at risk have waited, but now we’re encouraging them to please go ahead and get it," Hibma said.Those who qualify are: oPeople 65 years of age or olderoPeople living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilitiesoPeople with chronic health problems (including those younger than 65), such as heart, lung, kidney or diabetic conditionsoPregnant womenoChildren and teens who take aspirinoInfants 6 to 23 months of ageoPeople who live in the same household with children under 6 months of age or who provide care to children under 6 months of age outside the home.Hibma said the flu vaccine shortage this year was caused by a sterilization problem with Chairon, the drug company in Liverpool, England, that produces half the flu vaccine used in the United States.The U.S. manufacturer Aventis, continued its production, but because the process needs to start several months in advance, there’s no way to catch up with demand.Hibma said health care agencies in the state of Minnesota have worked hard to make sure available doses were evenly distributed to the highest-risk individuals first."There’s been great cooperation with all the hospitals and clinics in both (Nobles and Rock) counties, and we’re grateful for that," she said.The flu season typically starts in late December or early January, so Hibma said time will tell whether vaccinations so far are effective.