Wright/Cromwell News

11/17/2008

Wright/Cromwell News by Jennie K. Hanson November 17, 2008

Boy, the weeks just go flying by.  It seems that things just keep us so busy that the times flies.  I hope you are getting some time to relax and enjoy life though.  I guess I stay busy because I love it. 

Erin and Nate Johnson had a beautiful baby boy born on Nov 3rd, 2008.  Hayden Jaymes Johnson weighed in at 7 lbs 8 oz and was 21 inches long. Both Mom and Hayden are doing well. Crystal Jordan and Bonnie Suhonen were there on the 3rd to welcome Hayden then on the 5th Doug Suhonen with Jesse Jordan, Wyatt, Grace, and Lillia drove to Winger to see Hayden and welcome him into the family.

Grandparents are Doug and Bonnie Suhonen of Wright, LeRoy and Nancy Johnson of Winger, Great Grandparents are Vera Suhonen of Wright, Marjorie Hladky of Monticello and also Clifford and Alice Fischer of McIntosh ( all in Minnesota).

I heard that a certain gal celebrated her 46th birthday by getting bifocals.  Wow, that’s a real reality check!

Our new exchange son, Arsalan Khan, is now settled in with us and seems to be doing well.  Arsalan is a 15 year-old Junior at Cromwell-Wright School from Pakistan.  Last night, November 12th, we went to the Villa Vista for my regular program night there.  Arsalan told about his country and showed several things from there.  We looked at samples of the currency, and he put on his traditional outfit that is worn for special celebrations in Pakistan.  The currency exchange now is 90 Rupees equals one US Dollar.  It was 70 to 1 earlier this year, so Pakistan is also experiencing inflation.  Arsalan will be doing many volunteer hours during his 10 month stay in the USA as part of the scholarship grant from the AYUSA Student Exchange Program, so if you would like to have him come and speak to your group, let me know and we will try to come.

AYUSA is a non-profit organization that promotes global learning and leadership by creating opportunities for international high school students to experience life in America. Since 1980, AYUSA has provided opportunities for more than 40,000 students from around the world to live and study through our programs.

AYUSA believes the best way to experience another culture is by opening your heart and home to a young person from another country. When you host an AYUSA exchange student, your family and community gain the opportunity to learn about another culture while you obtain the chance to share your American values and traditions.

To learn more about the benefits of hosting a high school exchange student: Call 888.552.9872.  As a host family, you will become part of the worldwide AYUSA family, a proud leader in student exchange programs. AYUSA is a leader for many reasons: AYUSA students are carefully selected – Only the best and brightest students can become AYUSA students. Students are evaluated for their grades, social and intellectual maturity, willingness to live in the United States, and leadership qualities. Every student is able to speak, read, and write in English.

AYUSA students come from over 75 different countries.  AYUSA supports host families every step of the way – From student selection and school registration to academic and supportive counseling for each exchange student and host family.

I have been driving for many years… I would think I should have noticed the little secret

on my dashboard that was staring me in the face the whole time...I didn’t...and I bet you

didn’t either… Have you ever rented or borrowed a car and when arriving at the gas station wondered ...mmm, which side is the gas filler cap? My normal solution was to stick my head out the window, strain my neck and look, try to see in the side mirrors or even get out of the car!  Well ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to share with you my little secret so you will no longer look like Ace Ventura on your way to the gas station or put your neck at risk of discomfort or injury.

If you look at your gas gauge, you will see a small icon of a gas pump?  The handle of the gas pump will extend out on either the left or right side of the gas pump?  If your tank is on the left, the handle will be on the left? If your tank is on the right, the handle will be on the right.  It is that simple!

The members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Wright are having a Pork Dinner and all the trimmings, from 3 PM to 7 PM on Saturday, December 6th as a World Hunger/Area Tri-Community Food Shelf Event.  This dinner is in memory of Ken Peterson and his many efforts for World Hunger.  It is also a Thrivent Matching Funds Event for the Local Food Shelf part of the proceeds.  Come and join your friends and neighbors at this special event.  There will be special music and Ken’s family has volunteered to do the serving.  A Free Will Offering will be taken at the door.

The Community Luminary Committee is looking for clean, empty, clear plastic milk jugs to make our street luminaries for the holiday event.  You can drop them off in the small stand outside the Pavilion.  Thanks for your help!

Another event planned for the Luminary event (December 20th) is that we are creating an ice skating rink at the Pavilion Park.  Skating that night is scheduled for 5:30 – 8:30 with hot cocoa and cookies.  Should be lots of fun, and the rink will be available for the rest of the winter.

The Cromwell United Methodist Church would like to thank everyone for making our Harvest Ham Dinner a huge success!

The Carlton County Council on Aging meets Monday, November 24, at the Grace Baptist Church, 601 – 14th Street, Cloquet from 9:30 – 11:00.  Cheryl Blue, Consultant, MN DHS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, will be the guest speaker with Lisa Shepherd as the interpreter.  Cheryl Blue will be speaking on “Do You Have Hearing Loss?” Everyone is welcome to attend.  For more information, call Volunteer Services at 218-879-9238.

Our sympathy to the family of Uno Rentola, 94, who died on November 6th, 2008.  Uno was a retired farmer and Christmas Tree grower.  He is survived by his wife, Ann and two sons, Roger and Annette and Rodney and Pam, 3 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Northland Funeral Home in Cloquet on November 22, at 11 AM. 

I got an email from Molly Asp and she writes:  “I hope you are doing well.  I had a fabulous time in Hawaii.  I didn’t get a chance to call Curtis up, but I am very jealous of the magical place he gets to live in.  Thanks for the advice on Pearl Harbor.  We got there early and were able to get right in.  They said it was a slow day.  What a somber experience, but possibly the best memorial I’ve ever been to.  It was put together very well.  Take care, Molly Asp”.

On Friday, October 31st, 2008, William (Bill) R. Asp, a 2001 graduate of Cromwell-Wright High School, was sworn into the Minnesota State Bar Association by the Minnesota Supreme Court at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul.  This ceremony enables Bill to practice law as an attorney in the state of Minnesota.  Bill received his Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in May; graduating magna cum laude, and he took the Minnesota State Bar exam in July.  He is now working as an Attorney at Law in private wealth planning for the law firm of Best & Flanagan LLP in Minneapolis.  Bill and his wife, Leah, reside in Bloomington, MN.  For more information on Bill, or Best and Flanagan LLP, visit their website at http://www.bestlaw.com.  I went to the website and it’s pretty neat.  Give it a try.

Did you know the difference between a lawyer and an attorney?  Well, an attorney is a person who has passed the bar exam and a lawyer hasn’t passed it yet, so Bill’s family is sure proud of his attorney status now!  And so are we! 

St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wright, will be having a Children’s Christmas Program on Dec. 20th at 4:30pm.  The Sunday School would like to welcome the community to attend the “traditional” Children’s Christmas Service.  They are very excited about this, as it is the first Sunday School program in almost 10 years.  The children have been working very hard on their lines and songs.

Robin Lake, daughter of Sharon (Dahlberg) and David Lake was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Sorority on Sunday, November 16, 2008, which was also her birthday.  Robin is a Senior at St. Scholastica and is majoring in Nursing.

And now for the answers to last weeks “WAR” trivia questions. 

1.  What horse’s 27-year career as a stud produced a grandson named Seabiscuit?  Man O’War 2.  What was Civil War Union General William Tecumseh Sherman’s 3-word opinion of war?  “War is H---”3.  Castor oil, Vitamin C, and duct tape are just 3 of the suggested ways of getting rid of what contagious skin lesion? “Warts” 4.  What’s the most commonly used word for a male witch?  “Warlock”5.  Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign served as the basis for what 1993 documentary?  “The War Room” 6.  Who was Little Orphan Annie’s benefactor? “Daddy Warbucks” Did you get them all?

That’s all the news from Lake Happyhuntinghunters and Hello to the exchange students in our area.