The Grand Lodge of Minnesota Masons has been doing the "Child ID" program for several years during the Minnesota State Fair, as well as other individual lodges across the state in their own communities. The members of the local Ben Franklin Lodge were glad that the wealth of experience would be available to us as we planned our own program for this year’s county fair.We are also pleased by the help and cooperation extended us by the Rock County Fair Board, Luverne Announcer, Star Herald, and local Peer Helpers group. We want everyone to know that 224 children and their parents participated during this year’s fair. See you next year. Members of Ben Franklin LodgeBob DornMaster

Hills EDA meets Aug. 12MINUTES OF THE HILLSECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUGUST 12, 2003Dana Dahlquist, President of the Hills EDA called the meeting to order at 8:55 P.M. Board present: Dana Dahlquist, Jim Jellema, Keith Elbers, and Linus Svoboda. Absent: Arlen Leenderts. Employees present: Joanne Goehle, EDA Treasurer and Connie Wiertzema, EDA Secretary. Guests present: Jolene Farley-Hills Crescent. Motion by Jellema, seconded by Svoboda to approve of the July 8th minutes. Motion carried. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Jellema to approve payment of the July expenditures. Motion carried. Chuck and Sandy Knutze signed a Housing Agreement for the purchase of Lot 2 in Park View Fourth Addition. Kerkhove and Brandt agreed to a three-month lease extension until October 9th. No further business, meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.Connie J., WiertzemaEDA Secretary(8-21)

Hills City Council meets Aug. 12MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETINGOF THE HILLS CITY COUNCILAUGUST 12, 2003Mayor Jim Jellema called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. with the following Council members present: Jim Jellema, Linus Svoboda, Dana Dahlquist, and Keith Elbers. Absent: Arlen Leenderts. Employee present: Joanne Goehle, City Treasurer; and Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk. Guests present: Rita Bode-Hills Post Office, Jim Vander Woude-DeWild Grant Reckert & Associates, Wilmer Elbers, Gerald Haak, Ron and Jan Solberg, and Jolene Farley-Hills Crescent. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Dahlquist to approve the July 8th minutes. Motion carried. Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Svoboda to approve payment of the July expenditures; and to include the W & N Construction bill of $555.83 pending justification. General $4,602.34; Park $2,354.67; Fire $1,532.71; Street $28,587.83; Legion $1,898.79; Barbershop $553.43; Sewer $2,078.43; Garbage $2,479.36; Recycling $444.00; Water $8,745.56; Baseball $82.38; Softball $302.36. Motion carried. The Council approved payment of $580.72 for building materials for the sandbox at the softball field. The Council asked Jolene Farley to inquire about expenses for publishing the City’s audit report, which was $110 more than last year. TREASURER’S REPORT:General Checking 49,660.90General Fund CD#17947, 2.5%, 12/2/03 234,392.53General Fund CD#17760, 2.5%, 3/15/05 20,477.61Sewer Fund CD#17877, 2.5%, 10/18/03 50,441.78Fire Truck Rep. Fund CD#17710, 1.75%, 1/13/04 20,051.31Hills EDA Security Deposit Account 2,466.56Hills EDA Checking 1.89Southern Hills Apts. Checking 4,945.72Southern Hills CD#17554, 2.5%, 7/20/03 0.00Southern Hills CD#17759, 2.5%, 3/15/05 5,056.71EDA CD#17850, 2.5%, 5/7/05 27,617.27EDA CD#17268, 1.75%, 1/26/04 10,454.41TOTAL $425,650.85A list of delinquent utility accounts was presented to the Council. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Dahlquist to approve of the Treasurer’s report. Motion carried. The Council approved to have a second gate valve installed on the secondary lagoon for approximately $945 plus backhoe and labor. City maintenance will be instructed to seed grass where culverts were installed, and also in the new housing additions owned by Hills EDA.Rita Bode, Hills Post Office, explained to the Council that the Postal Service has plans to replace the box section at their present location, and that once the installation is complete there is no chance of moving to the City Office building. The Council must terminate the lease or evict the Post Office from the American Legion building in order for the Postal Department to begin any relocation process. The Council tabled discussion for the September meeting. Jim Vander Woude appeared before the Council for the purpose of discussing the location of the City’s corporate limits. The Council was in agreement to relocate the corporate limits from the south line of Lots 18 and 19, to the south right-of-way of the former Illinois Central Railroad. A final updated map will be drawn up for Council approval. Jellema informed the Council of a meeting held by Rock County on August 20th at 7:00 P.M. to discuss contract law enforcement services and rates. Jellema, Svoboda and Elbers expressed interest in attending this meeting. The Clerk was instructed to contact the city attorney regarding maintenance of private properties. The Council reviewed proposals for fencing in the City’s compost and tree dump site with costs ranging from $3,400 to $4,665. The Council chose not to purchase the fence. Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Elbers to approve of Meulebroeck & Taubert’s proposal to audit the 2003 records, not to exceed $3,185.00. Motion carried. The Council approved to have Fall junk pickup, date to be announced. The Council discussed whether to lease or purchase propane tanks in order to advertise for bids. A special meeting will be held on Monday, August 18th at 6:00 P.M. to continue discussion.The Council agreed to allow Glenda Sandstede, caretaker of the American Legion building, the authority to set time slots for rentals on Thanksgiving and Christmas.For an additional $50 the Council approved of Keith Elbers’ request to use the American Legion building for two weeks prior to an auction on October 4th, due to it’s not during a busy rental month. The Council reviewed bids for painting the interior of the American Legion building; but took no action in order to obtain bids for replacing lights in the auditorium prior to painting. Ron and Jan Solberg requested a building permit to move in a home to be located along West North 2nd Street. The home will be inspected for termites. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Dahlquist to approve the permit. Motion carried. Solberg’s withdrew their plans to move in a garage at 208 South Church Avenue. Wilmer Elbers informed the Council that he misplaced the abstract for Park View Third Addition, and that he requested the Recorder’s Office to draft a new abstract. Wilmer Elbers informed the Council of an agreement approximately 30 years prior, the City Council agreed to vacate a small portion of Fifth Street, from the alley proceeding west into Hills Stainless Steel’s property and abutting up to South Water Avenue. Motion by Keith Elbers, seconded by Dana Dahlquist to approve of a Warranty Deed vacating a part of South Water Avenue and West Fifth Street to Betty Elbers. Motion carried. Gerald Haak and Wilmer Elbers presented a bill from AB Excavation for leveling their lots on June 20th (5 hrs. @$100 per hour= $500.00). According to W. Elbers and Haak, city maintenance approved this work and that fill was taken from their property to build Sixth Street, and request payment from the City. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Keith Elbers to pay $250 towards the bill. Motion carried. Tabled discussion regarding utility costs for 2004, to be discussed at the September meeting. Discussed Ward’s health insurance premium increase beginning October 1st by $212 per month. Motion by K. Elbers, seconded D. Dahlquist that the City continue to pay the same dollar amount of $884.32 per month; and that the employee pay his current share plus the $212 increase for a total of $506.78. Any further discussion will be discussed at the budget meeting. Motion carried. Motion by K. Elbers, seconded by D. Dahlquist to adjust the south lot line of Lot 11 in Block 8 of F.C. Finke’s Addition, to allow five feet south of the building and proceed west to the alley (Depot Bldg. a/k/a Patriot Academy, Grand Labs or Barbershop building). Motion carried. The Council agreed to have Martin Township’s files moved into the center meeting room within the American Legion building, in order to allow Elbers Auction Service additional rental space. The City and Community Club will also remove items from Elbers’ offices.The Council will discuss the 2004 proposed budget at the September meeting. The Council reviewed information for purchasing mosquito sprayers, but agreed that it was too late to spray for this season. Various maintenance discussion: Paint the overhead door on the City Offices; patch a hole in the street at Third Street & Elizabeth Avenue; place wood chips around the shelter house in Jacobson Park prior to the Lion’s painting the building; sweep streets; construct metal par signs and install numbers on the disc golf baskets; consider adding campsites and lengthen the current sites at Rez Park.No further discussion, meeting adjourned at 8:55 P.M.Connie J. WiertzemaCity Clerk(8-21)

H-BC School Board meets July 14Hills-Beaver Creek Dist. 671Minutes7-14-03The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met at 7:30 pm in the library in Hills. Board members present were DeBoer, Harnack, Esselink, Boeve, Larson, Leuthold, and Baker. Also in attendance was Superintendent Deragisch. Chairman Harnack called the meeting to order. Visitors at the meeting were Amy Christensen, Jeanette VandenHoek, and Jolene Farley of The Crescent. Patriot Pride: Jeanette VandenHoek reported to the Board on the students’ trip to Costa Rica. Correction to the minutes of the last meeting. Change of wording of motion should state: motion by Esselink, second by Larson, and carried to pay for half of the cost of agrilime for 2 loads. Minutes stand approved as sent with the change of wording in the motion. Motion by DeBoer, second by Esselink, and carried to request bids for fuel oil and LP gas. Motion by Larson, second by Baker, and carried to cooperate with Luverne School District for milk and bread bids. Motion by Leuthold, second by DeBoer, and carried to name the Exchange State Bank of Hills as the official depository of funds.Motion by Esselink, second by Baker, and carried to name The Hills Crescent as the official publisher. Motion by Baker, second by Larson, and carried to approve membership to MSBA. Motion by DeBoer, second by Leuthold, and carried to approve the following election dates. August 12 – last day to publish notice of filing dates August 16 – last day to post notice of filing dates August 26 – candidate filings for school board open at 8:00 am September 6 – candidate filings close at 5:00 pm November 4 – school board electionA meeting of the Personnel Committee will be arranged at a later date by Superintendent Deragisch. The Building and Grounds Committee will meet July 21 at 7:30 pm. Plans were finalized for the Summer MSBA Convention. Dates to remember: August 11 School board meeting 7:30 pm August 13-15 MSBA convention August 25 School board meeting 6:30 pm in Beaver Creek August 26-27 Staff Workshop August 26 Staff picnicAgenda items for next meeting will include an update from the foreman of the building project.Meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm.Ann Boeve, Clerk(8-21)

Four seniors will form the nucleus of the 2003 Hills-Beaver Creek girls’ volleyball team. They are (from left) Amanda Olson, Erin Boeve and Melissa Sandstede. Alissa Hoyme is not pictured.By John RittenhouseWith an experienced group of girls and one of the area’s most dominating players heading the list, all the pieces appear to be in place for Hills-Beaver Creek to have an outstanding 2003 volleyball season.During his pre-season interview, H-BC second-year coach Curt Doorneweerd revealed a 10-player roster (four seniors and six juniors) that he will use to start the season.The roster is loaded with experience as eight of the players lettered for the Patriots last season, and it includes the name of one of Southwest Minnesota’s best hitters in Erin Boeve.Having a combination of battle-tested athletes and an established go-to player has given Doorneweerd a fresh sense of optimism and no reason to believe the 2003 Patriots will not improve on their 10-12-3 record in 2002."We have a lot of girls who received a lot of court time last year," he said. "Experience, by far and away, is one of our biggest strengths. We also have a proven player in Erin Boeve, who is a very good leader. All of the girls get along with each other well, which is another plus. And they all want to play volleyball. I think we can have a very good year."The Patriots didn’t have a bad campaign in 2002.They struggled in Red Rock Conference play, going 4-7 and finishing eighth in the league, but H-BC won enough games to earn the third seed for the South Section 3A Tournament.Then, in a big upset, No. 6 Edgerton stunned the Patriots by knocking them out of the tournament with a 3-2 setback in the quarterfinals.The loss to Edgerton left Doorneweerd with a bad taste in his mouth, and he took it upon himself to become a better coach."I couldn’t wait for practice to start this year so I could forget about last year," the coach said. "We (Doorneweerd and his assistant coach, Greg Leenderts) learned a lot last season, and one of the things was we didn’t know as much about volleyball as we thought we did. Since then we’ve traveled to watch different teams play and attended coaching clinics to learn more about what’s going on."One of the coaching staff’s first duties in 2003 is to find replacements for five seniors who played key roles for the 2002 squad.Sarah Rozeboom will be the toughest player to replace. An all-around performer, Rozeboom’s play grabbed the attention of the coaches who nominated her to receive honorable mention on the All-RRC roster.Jody Rentschler, Melissa Fagerness, Angie Sjaarda and Angie Bush are the other senior members of the 2002 team. Doorneweerd said they all started matches for H-BC during the season.Although last year’s seniors logged a lot of court time, Doorneweerd found some opportunities to play his underclassmen in matches. By doing so, the coach gave himself the opportunity to lead an experienced team into battle in 2003.Boeve, one of the team’s four seniors, will be one of the area’s most experienced players this fall. The 6-0 hitter has played varsity volleyball since she was in the eighth grade. Boeve, who will play college volleyball at Iowa State University, made the All-RRC team as a junior.Boeve is the lone full-time starter returning to the fold, but two other current players drew starting assignments for H-BC during the course of last season.Senior Melinda Sandstede and junior Brittney Roozenboom shared setting duties for H-BC as the 2002 season progressed. Both 5-6 girls are competing for the starting setter position this fall. The one who doesn’t win the setting job will be asked to play as a hitter.Seniors Amanda Olson and Alissa Hoyme are projected hitters returning to the team with varsity letters from last season.The 5-9 Olson received a lot of playing time last fall, and is expected to play an expanded role for the team in 2003. The 5-8 Hoyme will get the chance to help the Patriots at the net this year as well.Juniors Kelly Mulder, Cassi Tilstra and Melinda Feucht round out the returning letter winners from 2002.The 6-0 Mulder and 5-8 Tilstra played as hitters in a lot of matches as sophomores for H-BC.Feucht, a 5-7 hitter, is expected to emerge as a key player for the Patriots in 2003.Rounding out the pre-season roster are juniors Diedre Vanden Bussche and Ashley Bosch.Vanden Bussche is a 5-4 hitter. Bosch is a 5-5 hitter.Doorneweerd will fill out his varsity roster with some underclassmen as the season progresses, but naming those players is not at the top of his priority list right now.At this point in time, the coach is more concerned with turning his juniors and seniors into a successful team."I think we definitely have the potential to improve on last year’s record," he said. "It all depends on how hard the girls work in practice and how they perform on the court."Doorneweerd lists defending champion Westbrook-Walnut Grove, Fulda and Southwest Christian as the teams to beat in the RRC. The coach said Southwest Star Concept could be a sleeper team to keep an eye on.If things progress as planned, the Patriots could find themselves in the hunt for a RRC title, too."We have the potential to finish in the top four teams in the conference," Doorneweerd said. "That’s my personal goal to reach as a coach. I think we can do that well or exceed that this year."

Seven runners who ran in last year’s Section 3A meet return to the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton cross country program this fall. They are (from left) Derek Haak, Mya Mann, Kale Wiertzema, Lee Jackson and Tyler Bush. Not pictured are Amanda Tilstra and Todd Alberty.By John RittenhouseAfter experiencing a historic 2002 campaign, the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton boys’ cross country team is looking to produce an encore performance this fall.With many of the athletes returning to a program that won its first Section 3A championship and competed in its first state meet, the Patriots will open the 2003 season as one of Southwest Minnesota’s top contenders for more postseason glory.Tom Goehle, H-BC-E-E’s head coach, realizes the Patriot boys will be a team other area squads will be trying to knock off this fall. He knows his boys will be a targeted team at every meet they compete in, but the Patriot coach is more concerned with how his athletes accept the challenge rather than worrying about the competition."We definitely have the potential to have a good year, but it will take a lot of hard work, and we’ll have to stay injury free to get back to where we were last year," he said. "The big thing is these guys have tasted success, and they are not afraid to work hard for it."Hard work paid off for the Patriots in 2002, when they won their second consecutive Red Rock Conference championship before nipping Canby-Minneota-Lincoln HI 63-64 to secure the section team title. H-BC-E-E turned in a solid effort at state, placing sixth in a 16-team Class A field to cap a spectacular year.Goehle will have to tap the talent from a 20-athlete roster (two seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, one freshman, one eighth-grader and eight seventh-graders) to bring the program more success in 2003. The roster features seven returning letter winners and five boys who ran in the post-season meets, but the list is missing the names of two runners who made impacts at the varsity level last fall.Zach Hadler, the 2002 team’s lone senior, will leave big shoes to fill. He was the team’s No. 2 runner last year, making the All-RRC team by placing second at the meet. Hadler placed eighth in the section field before placing 60th at state.The Patriots also face the possibility of replacing Greg Van Batavia, who made the All-RRC team (eighth), placed 16th at the section meet and 92nd at state. A junior, Van Batavia is concentrating on football this fall. Only a change of heart on his part would get him back into the cross country program.H-BC-E-E does have its No. 1 runner from 2002 back in the ranks.Junior Tyler Bush, who won the RRC individual title, placed third at the section meet and made the All-State Team with a 15th-place performance in Northfield, will be the leader of the team.Bush will be pushed by seniors Todd Alberty and Lee Jackson and juniors Kale Wiertzema and Derek Haak, the other returning members of last year’s state-qualifying team.Wiertzema and Alberty made the All-RRC team last season, placing fifth and sixth individually at the league meet. Wiertzema placed 17th in the section field and 76th at state. Alberty finished 26th in the section field and 87th at state.Jackson made a contribution to last year’s section title by being the fifth Patriot to finish the race by placing 22nd overall. Jackson placed 108th at state. Haak placed 38th and 150th at the section and state attractions individually.The way things stand right now, five boys are battling for two open positions on the varsity squad.Juniors Jared Drenth and Michael Bos lettered for H-BC-E-E in 2002. They will be challenged by freshmen Kerry Fink, John Sandbulte and Devin DeBoer, three more veterans of the program.Freshman Adam Finke and eighth-grader Grant Hoogendoorn could develop into varsity contenders before the season is complete.Seventh-graders Dustin Verhey, Tyler Larson, Cody Penning, Terrence Reid, Brady Leuthold, B.J. Kruse, Tom Nolte and Derek Denth round out the roster."Our goals are to win the conference, and the kids want to get back to state," Goehle said. "That’s easier said than done. It probably will be harder to get back to state than it was getting there last season. If we do get back, we would like to place higher as a team than we did last year. You always want to do a little better than you did the year before."The H-BC-E-E girls should be an improved team in 2003.After going through a stretch of years being unable to field a complete team, Goehle feels the girls will have a chance to field a varsity squad at the end of this season."We will definitely field a varsity team this season," he said. "Early on, we’ll have the girls compete as junior high and junior varsity teams. As the year progresses, we’ll have kids running as junior varsity and varsity teams."The Patriots will enter the season with an eight-athlete roster consisting of one junior, three freshmen, three eighth-graders and one seventh-grader. Two of the girls lettered for H-BC-E-E last season, and another has lettered for the Patriots in the past.H-BC-E-E lost two athletes (senior exchange student Corinna Braun and Edgerton athlete Erika Fransen, who elected not to compete this year) that ran in the section meet last fall.The Patriots return two runners with section experience from 2002, and six girls who are loaded with potential that could make a big impact on the program this fall.Junior Cassi Tilstra and freshmen Amanda Tilstra and Mya Mann will be key figures in the fold.Amanda Tilstra and Mann finished 58th and 65th respectively during last year’s section meet. Cassi Tilstra, who also plays volleyball, has lettered for Goehle in the past. Scheduling conflicts forced Cassi to miss some big meets last season."In Cassi Tilstra, Amanda Tilstra and Mya Mann, we have a great nucleus," Goehle said. "They are three of the better 800- and 1,600-meter runners I’ve had since I’ve been coaching. With a little training, they will be great cross country runners. They should be some of the toughest runners in the area this year."Four first-year program members with past track and field experience round out the 2003 roster.Freshman Amanda Connors, eighth-graders Jocelyn Bucher, Ashley Bucher and Jill Weitgenant and seventh-grader Rayna Sandoval will be key members of the girls program now and in the future."The younger girls have a lot of potential and they are hardworkers. Mix them in with the three older girls, and we should be in good shape. I would like to see our girls win the RRC title. I think that is a legitimate goal this year," Goehle said.

Opal Swanson accompanied her son, Steve, of Woodbury to Iowa City, Iowa, Friday to attend the rehearsal dinner of Opal’s grandson, Peter Herr and his bride-to-be, Betsy Decker, and their wedding on Saturday afternoon. Others attending were David and Nancy Sandager and Chris; Jenny and Chad Nelson and children; Stuart and Marj Swanson, Greer, S.C.; the Lance Swansons, Sioux City; and Pat Swanson, Woodbury. Erma Schubbe returned home last week after spending a week with her children, the Paul Randall family, Stillwater, and the Tom Schubbe family, Afton. Luella Schlueter attended funeral services Monday afternoon for her cousin, Alvin Heetland, 85, at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, S.D.Steve and Marilyn VanWyhe, Steen, and Vi VanWyhe traveled to Denver, Colo., to spend some time with Vi’s sister, Benola Pettingill, and daughter, Bonnie Slothower, while also touring Rocky Mountain State Park and Estes Park. Paul and Bertha Thompson attended the 60th wedding anniversary open house for Bud and Dorothy Larson in Sioux Falls on Sunday. Callie, Curtis and Billy Horsman have been spending the past couple of weeks with their grandmother, Theresa Brandon, at Owatonna. They expect to return on Saturday.Monday evening Betty Elbers attended the Volunteer Hospice picnic in Luverne. Bob and Twila Kirsch attended the 7th year birthday party for Riley Lentz Sunday in Windom. Sheldon and Ellie Sandager and their sons and families attended the wedding over the weekend of a friend, Bob Waterbury, in Herrick, S.D.Wednesday evening, Betty Elbers went to Sioux Center, Iowa, to have dinner with the Vander Haar cousins. Wilmer was at Knoxville, Iowa, to attend the National Races on Thursday. Bob and Twila Kirsch attended the 60th wedding anniversary for Bud and Dorothy Larson in Sioux Falls.Last Tuesday, Eva Cragoe, Beaver Creek, who is 91 years old, entertained at dinner for the following: Jane Schubert, Clare and Isaac; Jim Sandager, West Des Moines, Iowa; and Vic and Fran Sandager. Jane and children left Thursday for their home in Tanzania after spending several weeks here. Tuesday of last week, Mitchell Elbers and Sam Belden, Valley Springs, S.D., spent the night in the Wilmer and Betty Elbers home. Reinard and Gisile Irps of Germany spent Saturday and Sunday in the Vic and Fran Sandager home and then visited with other Sandager family members. Betty Elbers went to Edgerton Saturday to visit her mother, Jessie Boeve, at Edgebrook Care Center. Dick and Audrey Heidensen spent from Monday until Friday at their son, Steve and Bev’s resort at Battle Lake. They also went to Alexandria to see Dick’s aunt who is 91 years old and got to take their granddaughter, Jenne, out to lunch. Two natives from Mongolia visited the farm of Glen and Ann Boeve on Saturday. They wanted to see how the farmers in our country carried on their farm work. We’ll have more on that next week.

Our weather continues to be hot and dry. The lawns have turned brown or are in the process. The field crops are beginning to show signs of stress. All of this adds to our daily chores. Instead of basking in the sun we are watering our plants and special things that we want to survive the summer heat. Even though we think of August as a time of rest and relaxation, a glance back in year’s past there have been many noteworthy things that have been accomplished during this "lazy" month. For example, it was in August 1492 that Columbus set sail on his voyage of discovery which brought him to our shores. It was Aug. 1, 1873, that the first cable streetcar was put into service on Clay Street in San Francisco, Calif. It was in August 1903 that the first coast-to-coast automobile trip, which began in San Francisco in May, ended in New York City. It was in August 1945 World War II ended in the Pacific. This can be a real challenge for us, especially when the thermometer reaches a little over 100 degrees as it did on Saturday. What worthwhile thing will we accomplish this August?The news is very scarce this week as I left for St. Cloud on Sunday for a three-day meeting.I have one correction from last week’s column, however. It was Laurie Van Der Weerd who graduated from the Mayo School of Health and Sciences with a degree in radiology technologist on Aug. 8 instead of her brother, Lance. Sorry about that!I have a personal help wanted request I need help with. About 12 of my white and buff colored pet cats either got lost, strayed or were stolen on Friday evening, Aug. 15. They have never left my yard before and I miss them very much. I would appreciate it if anyone has seen them, dead or alive, please return them to me.I will catch up with the Steen news next week, I hope!Every once in awhile when I am looking through things, something catches my eye. This title that caught my eye was, "What I would do if I were 21 again!" Of course I couldn’t resist reading it. After doing so, I thought that my list would have been quite different. However, I will share this with you and you can do as I did, make your own list. Who knows, perhaps you have already accomplished everything you had intended to do. This was written by Ruth Smeltzer. oI would speak so directly that there would be no danger of my being misunderstood. oI would be extremely careful not to appear to notice physical defects in others. oI would not be a borrower of small things. One can easily forget to return them. oI would remember my creator in the days of my youth. That would bring present pleasure and eternal happiness.oI would cultivate the ability to tell the exact truth.oI would be careful about making promises, but when I did, I would keep them to the letter. oI would use one hour a day for concentrated reading or study, even though it might not all be done at the same time. oIn taking directions from my employer I would be sure of understanding them. I would ask to be allowed to repeat them orally if they were incorrect, so there would be no chance of a mistake. oI would not grieve over lost opportunities but would try to create new ones. I would do more than I was paid for. If I had intentionally or unintentionally offended anyone I would ask for forgiveness, however hard it might be. oI would take success humbly and failure bravely. All of us have had our ups and downs in our lives and no matter how much we might like to go back and remedy them we cannot do it. I did find a few words of advice that might help all of us through whatever problems we face in the future. It is called "The Five Point Plan." Great leaders in every era of man’s history meticulously disciplined themselves in fundamentals like this proven five point plan: 1) Do one thing at a time; 2) know the problem; 3) Learn to listen; 4. learn to ask questions; and 5) learn to tell sense from nonsense

"How much is that doggie," villagers asked. The Tedd Larson family evaded the Village with beautiful little puppies. They were all about the same cream color and alike in size. Good, too, for they didn’t bark, just content to be in Hanna, Lucy, Trisha and Tedd’s arms with Lance watching over the puppies in the basket. The dogs are yellow Labs and up for sale. They’re going to make six families very happy.Our garden has produced well. Deb made beet pickles and salsa, Alice cucumber pickles, and sweet corn has been delicious. The corn is not a product of our garden but of Howard and Heidi VanWyhe. We froze six dozen ears plus we have had corn at most meals the last few weeks. We learned a good trick from Martha that some of us were not aware of. Use your angel food cake pan. Place the ear of corn on middle of the funnel and all corn will fall into the pan. A good idea for Heloise.Music of the concertina was played throughout our dinner hour. Cletus Gabliesch of New Ulm did the honor. We clapped and tapped our toes to the music. He told a few jokes that I fail to remember, ate his dinner, packed up and he was gone to the next nursing home in the area.Our dining room window provides us with a wonderful countryside view. At night we viewed Mars and always the moon rising. Sometimes, big and round and others, just a strip. This time we heard an airplane and all ran to the windows. We could almost see the crop dusting pilot as the plane swooped down right before our windows to take another sweep at the field. There was no wind and it was a beautiful sight to see the spray come from the jets of the low flying plane. One end of the field, then the other end, meeting in the middle. The whole process was a quick one and the field was done and the plane flew away north.Ruby has learned to drive Emil’s electric cart back and forth from Tuff Home to the Village for visits. Caregiver Deb has a birthday. Mary took 300 ears of corn to her sister near Omaha and she didn’t even stay to help her put it in the freezer. There have been visitors from near and far. Children to see Emil, the Richard Sundem’s of Sioux Falls, the Sandager daughter, Jane and family, were here and left for home. Joan Sequendo came and Sequendo dug the potatoes in our garden. The Lester Hymn Singers were here, 35 or so. We do enjoy their concerts. There’s therapy three days a week, bingo two afternoons a week. Caregiver Jennifer’s little brother and sister have done the calling. Lots to do.I’ll keep you posted.