Dusting off the Archives

News from Verndale's Past

40 Years Ago, August 14, 1985

• The tenth anniversary of the Wadena County Child Protection Team was observed last week Thursday with a noon luncheon at the Pine Cove Inn north of Wadena. It included present and past members of the team and guests. Mike Downy of Community Corrections emceed the program, identifying August 7, 1975 as the initiation date for the team. He called on Joyce Kopp, Wadena Police Chief, the only current member who was on the original team.

• Superintendent Jim Madsen said of the three he interviewed for the industrial arts position, he recommended John Hardin from Illinois. He’s had one year of experience. Also recommended by both Madsen and Arlene Ferrian, elementary principal, was Lyle Haroldson who has had four years experience, most recently at Middle River. It was noted that he is certified as a volleyball coach and was recommended to head that sport as well as teach elementary. Both were approved.

• The Boyds of rural Verndale have been “family” for over two weeks to Toshika Tanaka of Omuta, Japan, and have enjoyed every minute of it despite communication difficulties. Pictured are Terry Boyd, son Phillip, Heather, Charlotte, Toshika­—wearing a Verndale T-shirt which she’ll take back to Japan—and Angie, wearing the kimona Toshika brought with her. It’s cut to fit all sizes of people, full around, and if it’s too long, the extra length is merely tucked away under the cummerbund-type belt. They posed beside the Boyd’s backyard swimming pool where the youngsters spend much of their time on hot summer days.

• Float entries by local businesses were based on song themes. The Verndale Sun’s newsmobile, was based on the song, “In My Merry Oldsmobile”, which placed second. Gary Van Dam, who conducted the float, chauffeured Sun Editor Mary Tangeman. Earl’s Discount, complete with can-can girls, completed the old-time bar room scene of gambling with Earl Flores and Jim Winkels. Roger Crowe of Verndale Surplus raised his hand to demonstrate the height of the Hereford Bull, winning third place.

15 Years Ago, August 12, 2010

• St. Frederick’s Catholic Church will be celebrating their 100th Anniversary of the establishment of their parish this month. In the early years those of the Catholic faith did not have a regular meeting place in Verndale. Visiting priests from Belle Prairie or Father Ignatius Tomazin from the White Earth Indian Reservation made infrequent visits to Verndale to serve the religious needs of Catholics. When available, mass was held in private homes with these missionary priests prior to 1881.

• The Lady Pirates Volleyball Team had their float set up as a beach volleyball court which was appropriate for the warm weather during Straw Hat and Sunbonnet Days. The 2010 Pirates Football Team made their presence known as they arrived on four wheelers and dirt bikes as they rolled through the parade route.

• The welcome signs that border Wadena weren’t quite welcoming enough to some Wadena City Council members. Some additional verbiage was proposed for the signs posted at each of the five entrances to the city. A sub-committee which included Mayor Wayne Wolden met to discuss an entirely different matter altogether, and ended up on the topic of making the signs more detailed and inviting. The signs were installed four years ago and cost just shy of $50,000. More landscaping is planned for the individual sites. The project had been previously started and then put on hold after June’s tornadoes, and will be resumed as funding and volunteers are available.

• It has been one year on July 24 since Peter Achermann left home and never returned. Not a trace of him, other than the car he was driving, has been found since. His family has been left to wonder what happened, where is he, is he alive or dead? They cannot follow his written institution about his funeral because they are all hoping for a miracle. The reward offered was raised to $20,000 for information concerning Peter’s whereabouts or who took him.

Subscribe to get more of your current news!