Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Wright News

11/17/2004

by Jennie K. Hanson November 17, 2004

Hi, we have been having some great weather lately, but I’m sure that the snow can’t be too far off.  At least, most people are looking forward to the snow.

Jennie Waisanen, Ramona Goranson, Sara and Elisabeth Kachinski, and Linda Lehti attended the Brainerd Zone Fall Rally at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in McGregor.  The speaker was Rev. William Zeige with a message on “Turn ‘Right’ at the ‘Why’ in the Road.” Bible study was lead by Rev. Mark Kleckner.  Baby items were collected and given to the local office of American Indian Family and Children’s Services.  They will be used for newborn babies placed in foster homes.

There was a joint voters meeting at Our Savior’s and St. John’s in November.

The Mary and Martha Society met at Nina Harts with Pastor Koopman leading the Bible Study.

The Wright Area Homemakers will be holding a Cookie Sale at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday December 4th starting at 9 AM.

Both the girls and boys basketball teams have started practice and the games will soon start.

The Kids After School Program would like to thank Trudy Holm, Marlene Almquist, The Gronner Family, Mary Jo Hedin Family, The Kolodge Family and the Pfisthner Family for their recent donations.  The ASP is always in need of craft items, games, puzzles and books and of course financial donations. There are usually over 30 kids that stay after school each evening and there have been as many as 60 kids at one time.  Volunteers are also appreciated.

I was lucky enough to run into Saralee Richards the other night in Cloquet. She looks great and is so thankful to be cancer-free.  Let’s hope and pray that her life can return to normal now.

Helen Von De Linde is in the hospital at this writing.  She is suffering with congestive heart failure and fluid on the lungs.

The Area Clothing Depot will hold their Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, December 11th with cake, coffee and several drawings. They will be closed on December 25th, 28th, and January 1st.

The Co-op Store Board met on November 11th and it was decided to have the annual Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, December 18th.  There will be a drawing for a gift certificate and also coffee and goodies all day.  You can sign up for the drawing from December 1st to the 18th.

There will be NO SCHOOL on November 25th, 26th, and 29th.  The first trimester ended on November 24th, so look for Report Cards shortly after that.

Have you ever been on a sight-seeing bus trip?  Well, Bob and I have been on several and at our age, it seems the most economical and the best way to travel.  There is a bus trip going to New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D. C.  on April 4 - 14th.  If you are interested, please call me and I will get you the details.

Last week I was subbing at Cromwell School and I had some of the kids in 7th and 9th grades write letters to our soldiers training to go to Iraq. These guys are Seth, Trace, and Trent Mowers and Robbie Larson.  The letters were very well done and I just thought it would be nice to share excerpts from some of these letters.  We can be very proud of our students and give them a lot of credit for how serious they were in their letters to “Our Troops”.

Tom S.: Thank you so much for your commitment to Cromwell, to Wright, to Minnesota and to our country!  I know you don’t know me, but I am thanking you deeply for your commitment.  How’s the food?  How’s the training?  I hope you can get some decent food over there!  If you don’t send me back a request for junk food (if it would help).  Again, I greatly appreciate your guy’s courage, commitment and bravery of what you’re sacrificing for this country!

Alivia A.: How are you doing?  I’m fine.  It must be hot down there.  It is pretty cold up here.  My cousin Nick Peterson might go in May.  I think. This would be his 2nd time going over to Iraq.  He said that he misses everybody when he is over there.  I can’t wait till basketball starts.  It is going to be fun.

Ashley C.: Thank U so, so much 4 dedicating your time 2 fight 4 the USA.

Jordan S.: Is training hard?  What kind of guns do you get to shoot?  Be careful in Iraq.  I hope very much that you come home safely. Micah J.: You missed a lot of deer hunting.  When are you coming back? What kind of weapons do you use?

Megan H.: How are you doing?  How is the weather in Texas?  It’s cold here, of course cause it’s November.  Happy Veteran’s Day!  We were told you guys aren’t deployed to Iraq until February.  What kind of stuff do you do to pass the time until leaving?  You probably heard George Bush got re-elected as president.  I think it is really great that your two other brothers, Robby and you are serving.  Do you miss your family and Cromwell?  That’s a dumb question because more than likely, you do.  I read a news paper article about you guys yesterday.  It was about how you guys have wanted to serve for a while.  Well, that is pretty much all I have to say for now.  So be brave and strong.

Amanda R.: I just wanted to say thank you for serving our country to protect us and to keep our freedom.

Jade H.: I hope that things are going great.  I’m having a blast hunting. Thank you for what you are doing.  I know it must be hard down there.  Our town sure misses you, but I know it was your decision to go down there.

Tyler E.: I hope you are having fun.  That would be really fun to shoot an M-4 and M-60 and a 50 Caliber.  Someday I am going to join the Army. Ryan H.: I hope you have a Happy Veteran’s Day!  I am doing very well in school.  I am getting A’s in almost every class except Life Skills.  I hope you get back soon!

Joy C.: I hope you are okay.  We all miss you.  My grandpa was in WW2 and he says that of all the things he missed, he missed his family and friends the most.  He also said it was worth it to serve his country.  We all hope you come home safely and we are glad that you are serving our country. Kimberly B.:  Good Luck in Iraq!!  You guys will be great soldiers. That’s just a sample of what the kids wrote to our soldiers.  I hope you enjoyed their letters and their feelings for our military.

That’s all the news from Lake Visittheclothingdepot and Hello to all the Kinnunen’s.

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

WRIGHT NEWS

11/09/2004

BY Jennie K. Hanson November 9, 2004

What does Aili Kinnunen have in common with Raggedy Ann, Pollyanna, Tarzan of the Apes, Mary Jane Candies, Doublemint gum, Alkaline dry cell batteries, stainless steel, passport photos, the traffic light, the Tango dress, the Missouri Waltz, and the celebration of Mother’s Day?  Well they were all invented or established in 1914.  Yes, that’s 90 years ago, and this is also the year that Aili Kinnenun was born.  Gilbert and Dawn Kinnunen invite all of Aili’s friends, neighbors and relatives to come and help her celebrate her 90th Birthday at the Moose Lake Community Center at 313 Elm Avenue in Moose Lake on November 20th, 2 - 4 PM.  You will be treated to cake, pulla, candy, nuts coffee and cider.

If you are unable to attend, you can send her a card at 3722 Horizon Drive, Room #4, Barnum, MN, 55707

There are days when I write the “Wright News”, and then there are days that I write the “Wrong News”.  That’s what happened last week when I said that Aili’s 90th birthday party was on the 14th when it actually is the 20th. Just thought I better set the record straight.

Seven hundred ten meals were served at the annual Bethany Lutheran Hunter’s Supper on November 5th, 2004.  Wow, what a fantastic job the gals and guys did in planning and pulling off this huge event.  It seems that this supper just keeps getting bigger and better every year.

The annual Christmas Family Night at the Villa Vista will be held early this year.  It will be on November 30th at 6:30 PM.  Please take the time to attend if you have family or friends living at the Villa Vista.  This is always a very festive way to start the holiday season.

The area Homemakers Club will be holding a Cookie Sale at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Saturday, December 4th at 9 AM.  This is in place of their annual bazaar that they used to hold at the firehall.

Ramona Goranson celebrated her birthday with friends on the 10th of November.  Her actual birthday was on November 3rd.

The Cromwell Community Craft Sale was a huge success with over 500 people in attendance.  There was also a record number of crafters (72 or 74) this year and they had to use both the big and little gyms.  I don’t know how each crafter did on sales, but the Cub Scouts took admission and also sold out on all their popcorn so thanks to everyone who bought popcorn and gave extra donations at the admission table.  It was really great to see Terry Riley from Floodwood there, too.

Our prayers and sympathy go out this week to the family of Eleanor Jennie Harp Wells Edstrom.  She died at the Community Memorial Nursing Home in Cloquet, MN on Sunday, November 7, 2004 at 90 years of age.  Her funeral was held at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Cloquet on November 11, 2004. Eleanor is survived by her two sons, Roger and Ramona Harp and Gary and Carmen Wells and two daughters-in-law, Naomi Wells and Myrna Wells-Ulland; 16 grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren.  Our sincere sympathy is extended to her family, as she will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Former Cromwellian, Shirley Eichenwald Maki was featured in an article in the “Constellation” a newspaper distributed to high schools around the area.

Shirley is the ATHENS (Advancing Technology and Healthcare Education) Project Director at St. Scholastica.  Shirley has been a pioneer in the medical records department as well.  For decades St. Scholastica has enjoyed a national reputation for leadership and innovation in Medical Records Science.  Shirley has been a big part of this leadership.  Congratulations on this honor.

November 14th - 20th is American Education Week.  In honor of this the Hjalmer Alto Auxiliary honored the teachers and staff with apples and cards of thanks.  This would also be a great time to send a card of thanks to your favorite teacher or to your children’s teachers.  No one knows how hard these folks work until you have walked a mile in his or her footsteps.

Twenty members of the Carlton County Retired Educators enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Cromwell-Wright School on November 9th.  They also held their regular business meeting and heard the K- 2nd graders sing a songs for them.

The next meeting will be in April of 2005.

Samantha Smith, daughter of Gail and James Smith came in 13th in the State cross-country Meet in Northfield, Minnesota on November 6th, 2004.  Alexa Grones, daughter of Jon and Memory Grones came in 87th.

There will be a Thanksgiving Eve Service at Bethany Lutheran Church in Cromwell on Wednesday, November 24th at 7 PM.

There will be No School on November 25th, 26th and 29th in observance of Thanksgiving.  The 29th is a teacher In-Service Day. The first trimester ends on November 24th.  Then looking forward a bit, there will be No School on December 23rd - January 2nd for Christmas Break.

I’d like to close with this advice: Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.  Plan more than you can do, then do it.

That’s all the news from Lake YoubetterstartyourChristmasshopping and Hello to Newlyweds Sean and Tricia Jankowski.