Dusting Off the Archives

News from Verndale's Past

40 Years Ago, October 2, 1985

• Dedication services were held last Sunday at the newly enlarged and remolded Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Verndale. The new log addition encompasses an extra 20 feet to the front and right side of the former building. The basement was also enlarged, allowing for a new, larger kitchen, enlarged fellowship room, restrooms and two more Sunday School rooms. Planning began over four years ago and ground was broken on July 6, 1982. Most of the work has been done by the congregation on a pay-as-you-go-basis.

• Painting of the museum this fall was the major topic of discussion by the 18 historical society members meeting at the Virgil Seaton home last Thursday evening. Saturday was designated as the first work day to scrape old paint and repair windows in preparation for painting. Henry Heeren from the Minnesota State Historical Society had met earlier that week with the building committee and indicated that it would contribute $2000 toward the project and insulating the building.

• An important meeting for Aldrich area residents has been called for tonight, Wednesday, October 2 at 8 p.m., at the city hall (former school). Aldrich’s city council has been considering selling the property and a group of Aldrich residents, opposing that proposal, has been formed and will be seeking input and ways to keep the building for use as a community center. Tom Bilek has been named chairman and Ernie Mainhardt vice chair and Peggy Geray, secretary-treasurer. Four committees will be named: membership, fundraising, publicity and project committee. They will be looking for new members.

• Jerry Lehner last week received the Golden Musket Award for the 20 years he has served as volunteer for the gun safety classes for youth. Doing the honors was Orv Meyer, area safety specialist for the DNR, while Ken Soring, new game warden from Wadena, looked on as shown in the photo. Jerry has also served as a volunteer for many years in the snowmobile safety classes for area youth.

15 Years Ago, September 30, 2010

• On Wednesday, September 15, Bishop John F. Kinney, the ninth and current bishop of the St. Cloud Catholic Diocese, visited St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Wadena. St. Ann’s has recently become a center of activity for tornado relief efforts, as well as the new location for the Wadena-Deer Creek early childhood and preschool classes. With this in mind, the diocese saw fit for contributions to be made at St. Ann’s parish. Bishop Kinney and Father Enneking presented funds in the amount of $10,000 from Catholic Charities USA, a recovery and disaster charity that has also aided victims of Hurricane Katrina.

• Someone asked three women recently if they still got along? The idea that they might not get along hadn’t ever occurred to them. That’s because for Linda Moore, Adele Lausten and Rhonda Koehler, who created a new home care company, getting along with each other has never been an issue. The business the women started is called Lake Country Home Care, LLC, and it is based out of New York Mills. They started the business because the area hospitals were not able to serve homebound clients because of reimbursement issues.

• The Verndale School’s homecoming coronation was held on Monday evening, September 27. King Dan Kneisl and Queen Faith Kern will reign over the week-long homecoming festivities which culminate with the football game on Friday night against the Eagle Valley Rebels.

• The Hillcrest Lutheran Academy Comets showed their speed against the Pirates on Friday night. That, combined with injuries, poor tackling and mistakes of the Pirates, led to their 55-6 win over the home team. Hillcrest would score six touchdowns in the first half to give them a 41-0 lead at halftime.

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