Dusting Off the Archives
- Trinity Gruenberg
- Dec 23
- 3 min read
News from Verndale's Past
40 Years Ago, December 25, 1985
• Verndale played host to a convention held last weekend for the Mrs. Santa Clauses, who assembled to list their gripes. They were opposed to the color red, and opted for purple. They declared “Plump is in” and asked for various items such as a cook stove, automatic poopper-scooper, a moped and more. They welcomed the “real Mrs. Santa” (Alyce Seaton). At the conclusion of their program they performed a dance.
• Kim Trosen and Rhonda Colby were two of 12 young area women who helped create a Christmas fantasy for this year’s Extravaganza. They strutted their parts as Deb Trosen sang “My Favorite Things”, and remained to grace the stage as Maurie and Marlene Finck danced a waltz.
• The BHV Raiders from Verndale who participated in the wrestling tournament hosted in Verndale last week on Saturday were: Ken Moyer who won first place, Wade Kern who finished third, Rodney VanRoekel who lost to a first place opponent, Kevin Baker who was pinned and Loren Horsager who placed fourth in the heavyweight division.
• “O My Stars—It’s Christmas!” was a musical fantasy presented by students in the third through sixth grades last Monday evening. It was a colorful story about Andro (Troy Derby), a young star who sang so badly it ruined the entire performance. As a result he was forced to leave the choir believing he had no gift worth of serving The Lord. But soon, there was a great rustling in the heavens and Andro was sent toward Earth. He learned he had been appointed to be the Star of Bethlehem, enabling him to witness the birth of the Christ Child, and he helps direct worshipers to Him.
15 Years Ago, December 23, 2010
• Verndale’s current postmaster, Scott Lynne, grew up in Fridley. He has been postmaster in Verndale since May 3, 1993 and has been with USPS since January 5, 1985. In 1984, Lynne was attending the U of M (Minneapolis) for mechanical engineering and computer science. He had to take off a quarter here and there while he worked as a security guard to pay for his tuition, books, etc. At the suggestion of a friend he applied to USPS and he was hired as a distribution clerk. Shortly after being hired, he and a group of new clerks were sent to work for six weeks at an air mail facility due to a strike at FedEx. And so his career begin.
• On December 17, the Verndale Elementary held their Christmas Concert which started off with the kindergarten class entertaining the crowd with their rendition of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. Two sixth graders waltzed along to their song selection of “Reindeer Shouldn’t Waltz”.
• The Verndale girls basketball played two games this past week and came away with one win and one loss. The girls lost to a tough Pine River-Backus team and beat New York Mills. The Pirates faced PRB on Monday night. The Pirates were lead in scoring by Teresa Moenkedick and Elizabeth Johnson as both ended with 11 points. Lizzy Yungbauer added eight, and Ashley Richter contributed four.
• Dear Santa, I did a good deed. I helped my mommy clean my kitty’s litter box and I helped by daddy and my brother shovel snow. I love Christmas! What I want for Christmas is a 62 inch flat screen TV. P.S. How old are you and your reindeer? Love, Madison Olson.
