Dusting Off the Archives
- Trinity Gruenberg
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
News from Verndale's Past
40 Years Ago, December 4, 1985
• That jolly old man, Santa Claus, will be making his initial visit to Verndale this Saturday, December 7. He’s scheduled to arrive at First National Bank’s annual appreciation day at the Community Center at 12:30 p.m. Attendance prizes and door prizes will also be given to those registering: a $100 savings bond for adults and radios for students.
• Chosen as officers at the recent meeting of the volunteer firemen were: Wayne Mills, secretary; Duane (Butch) David, chief; Rodney Bounds, assistant chief; and Mark Callahan, treasurer.
• The 80 to 90 people involved in producing this year’s Christmas Extravaganza will be needing to put in some intense hours of practice with so many interruptions due to inclement weather. The next week and a half will require almost total commitment from those involved. Tickets for this year’s performances are now on sale locally at First National Bank, Barb’s Cards and Gifts and The Verndale Sun. The format will be entirely different this year, however, featuring music, dance and comedy with colorful costumes, as usual, promising to be exciting and entertaining for everyone.
• At its October monthly meeting, the Verndale FFA Chapter elected officers for the 1985-86 school year. They are: Ken Moyer-president, Mike Willis-vice president, Loren Horsager-reporter, Peter Schmitz-treasurer, Phillip Schmitz-sentinel, Synette Plautz and Steve Carlson-officer at large and alternates.
15 Years Ago, September 23, 2010
• The Verndale City Council has rescinded the termination of Verndale’s former chief of police, accepted his letter of resignation and approved a settlement agreement with him in the amount of $13,860. All of this was approved by the council, in two separate motions, during a special meeting on Monday night, November 29. The first approved motion by Council Member Bruce Koppenhaver, involved rescinding the Tuesday, July 6 motion to terminate Jeff Jares and accept his resignation. And the second by Council Member Jim Runyan, approved the settlement agreement as drawn up by the League of Minnesota Cities attorney and initiated by Jares.
• Art and Wally Harms along with Tim Harms, future owner of Harms Manufacturing, celebrated the brothers retirement on October 30 with a party filled with good food, music, friends and neighbors. The party was held at the shop’s newly constructed addition for storage space and a new office. Art and Wally’s father, Henry Harms, and his wife, Olga, moved from Redfield, South Dakota to Bertha in 1929. He purchased property in town and opened the Hank’s Blacksmith Shop, shoeing horses and fixing everything except the break of dawn and a broken heart. The building now owned by Chad Hurtig still has Hank’s name etched in the brick above the door.
• This Christmas season the Verndale Lions and Lionesses have a lot in store for the town of Verndale. The two organizations work closely together on projects for the community like a youth outreach program, the Diabetes Foundation, eye banks and service dogs for those who lack necessary assistance. The groups take into consideration the local needs to be met, as well as programs that bring the community members together. One such event is a Christmas Lighting to be held December 15 at 6 p.m. All houses with their Christmas lights lit will have an opportunity to be judged for cash prizes.
• The year 2010 marked the 35th annul Wadena Christmas Festival, held this year at the Memorial Auditorium at the Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary. Music, food and performing artists were featured at the festival, as well as over 80 vendors for the arts and crafts sale.
