Local Election results 2008 City of Holdingford
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Mayor Ernie Schmidt 308
write in 19
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Council 2 Openings
Kim Ebnet 188
Sue Marstein 222
Louis Walz 111
Craig Dewar87
write in 7
11/05/2008
10/26/2008
October City Events
My goodness time is speeding up. So many things have been happening.
*First a photo of the part of the. Halloween set up by the Petals to Pedals Garden club.
*The fall Area Family Picnic organized by the Lions Club was another great sucess. People still are impresed by the FREE ! good food, music and fellowship that happens at this event. Looking forward to next year.
*Herman Ebnet the City Maintenance Supervisor & employee for 34 years is retiring the end of October. His expert knowledge & interest in the welfare of the community will be missed very much.
As you can tell riding horses is something Herman enjoys a lot. Happy Trails Herman.
8/13/2008
Finishing the Community Pond
This pond/fountain is a community project that is getting real close to being finished. As you can see the fountain & pond are operational it has some plants in the pond and goldfish. Now it's adding plants around the outside and planting of grass. Last winter it was just a dream but thanks to some local companies, Polar Tank Repair and Two River Enterprises for welding up the 12'x14' stainless tank. Herman Ebnet for providing the machinery and helping move the donated rock from local land developer Tim Berschied. The Petals to Pedals Garden Club got it built. It's a nice addition one can view as you ride by on the Lake Wobegon Trail.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
7/15/2008
2008 Holdingford Daze Special Guest
Special guest at Holdingford Daze was Elaine Davis author of "Minnesota 13" she was gracious enough to donate the proceeds of her book sales that day $544 to the Holdingford Area Historical Society, with the money to go toward restoration of the old city maintenance building to be used as a history museum. It's one of the oldest buildings in town.
2008 Holdingford Daze
There are so many cool things happening around here it's hard to keep up with things. Last weekend was Holdingford Daze and it went very well. Here are photos of the Mayor and the Parade Marshals
If you like to see more parade pictures check this link out
If you like to see more parade pictures check this link out
6/13/2008
Covered Bridge Dedication
Some times local news is better. The AP has sent out the news that the covered bridge dedication is Friday the 13th WRONG ! it is tomorrow SATURDAY the 14th. Everything else you read in the Star Tribune,WCtrib, KSTP wa incorrect.
The Newsleaders Waite Park » News had it correct
Lions to celebrate state's longest-covered bridge
Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:11 PM EDT
The Holdingford Lions, on behalf of the Holdingford Community, invite the public to celebrate the dedication of the newest covered bridge in Minnesota. The dedication will take place at the bridge that is one block west of Main and Cedar Streets in Holdingford on Saturday, June 14. The day will begin at 8 a.m., with the ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. After that, 300+ bikers will participate in the Carmel Roll Ride on the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail. Invitations have been sent to Gov. Pawlenty and Garrison Keillor and state and local representatives.
The Holdingford Lions built the covered bridge on the Lake Wobegon Trail over Two Rivers River in Holdingford with the help of the U.S. Army Reserves. The Lake Wobegon Trail is used by bicyclists and walkers during the summer and by snowmobilers in the winter.
“The trail is one of the most beautiful biking/hiking trails in America with many great views, wildlife, farmland, creeks, lakes and hills,” said Joe Christensen, secretary of the Holdingford Lions.
This bridge is now the longest covered bridge in Minnesota and one of the longest covered bridges on a trail anywhere.
“The Lions feel the covered bridge will increase tourism to the community and improve our economic development,” Christensen said. “This bridge cover will also improve the safety and aesthetic quality of the bridge.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
Holdingford covered bridge covered bridge dedication
The Newsleaders Waite Park » News had it correct
Lions to celebrate state's longest-covered bridge
Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:11 PM EDT
The Holdingford Lions, on behalf of the Holdingford Community, invite the public to celebrate the dedication of the newest covered bridge in Minnesota. The dedication will take place at the bridge that is one block west of Main and Cedar Streets in Holdingford on Saturday, June 14. The day will begin at 8 a.m., with the ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. After that, 300+ bikers will participate in the Carmel Roll Ride on the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail. Invitations have been sent to Gov. Pawlenty and Garrison Keillor and state and local representatives.
The Holdingford Lions built the covered bridge on the Lake Wobegon Trail over Two Rivers River in Holdingford with the help of the U.S. Army Reserves. The Lake Wobegon Trail is used by bicyclists and walkers during the summer and by snowmobilers in the winter.
“The trail is one of the most beautiful biking/hiking trails in America with many great views, wildlife, farmland, creeks, lakes and hills,” said Joe Christensen, secretary of the Holdingford Lions.
This bridge is now the longest covered bridge in Minnesota and one of the longest covered bridges on a trail anywhere.
“The Lions feel the covered bridge will increase tourism to the community and improve our economic development,” Christensen said. “This bridge cover will also improve the safety and aesthetic quality of the bridge.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
Holdingford covered bridge covered bridge dedication
5/23/2008
Longest Covered Bridge
It's officially 186 feet 1.5 inches long. Longest covered bridge in Holdingford and the State of Minnesota Haven't seen it- ridden or run on it yet ?
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities covered bridge
5/10/2008
Megan Huls a Minnesota Vixen
Megan Huls, from Holdingford has signed on with the Minnesota Vixen — one of 35 teams in the National Women’s Football Association. She is one of 4 women in the St. Cloud area to be on the team.
For more of the story, St. Cloud Times
Times photo by Seungjae Seo; sseo@stcloudtimes.com Football players Megan Huls, Michele Braun, Erica Mois, and Lyssa Heimbecher are in the Minnesota Vixen women’s tackle football team based in of Minneapolis. All four are from the St. Cloud area.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
For more of the story, St. Cloud Times
Times photo by Seungjae Seo; sseo@stcloudtimes.com Football players Megan Huls, Michele Braun, Erica Mois, and Lyssa Heimbecher are in the Minnesota Vixen women’s tackle football team based in of Minneapolis. All four are from the St. Cloud area.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
5/06/2008
Covered Bridge Grew 20 Feet
[photo from MankatoFreePress] News Scoop, the Holdingford covered bridge has been advertised as being 164 feet long , The covered bridge will actually be 186 feet long when finished. Cool. according to Lt. Hayes from the US Army Reserve's 492nd Engineer Company.Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities covered bridge
5/03/2008
Covered Bridge Project Started
Great start on the bridge project, NO SNOW ! 40 degrees and windy but people can deal with that. There are about 40 people planting trees along the trail, another group staining boards for the bridge, that was donated by Valspar, and of course the Army Reserves are doing a great job on the bridge. Pictures with be coming later.
4/30/2008
Minnesota's Longest Covered Bridge
Work to begin in Holdingford on state's longest covered bridge
submitted article
Construction will begin Friday, May 2, on the covering of the bridge on the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail over Two Rivers-River in Holdingford. When completed this will be the longest covered bridge in Minnesota.
The Lake Wobegon Trail is used by bicyclists and walkers during the summer and by snowmobilers in the winter. This is a great attraction for Holdingford. The trail in the area is one of the most beautiful biking and hiking trails in America with many great views, farmland, lakes, creeks, wildlife and hills. The Lions Club members feel that this project will increase tourism to the community and improve our economic development. A cover will also improve the safety and aesthetic appeal of the bridge.
The Holdingford Lions have spearheaded this project with the cooperation of the City of Holdingford, Stearns County Parks, the Lake Wobegon Trail Association and many other organizations. The US Army Reserve's 367th Engineer Battalion will provide the labor for building the cover. For the past several weeks parts have been prefabricated in Mankato. On May 2 the parts will be
shipped to Holdingford and the actual construction will begin. It is estimated that it will take three weekends to complete the work
On May 3,the Holdingford community will hold a community work day. Some people will be planting trees along. the trail south of the bridge. Other people will be staining the cedar siding and still other people will be painting the railroad boxcar at the city's trailhead park. Along with the Lions Club, the Holdingford Garden Club, the Holdingford High School Student Council and FFA, the St. Joseph Society, the Five Parish Youth Group, Helping Hands Outreach and many individuals will work on these projects.
Materials for the bridge cover are being paid by local contributions. Many individuals and organizations have contributed already. Most notable are payments or pledges from the Holdingford, Albany and St. Stephen Lions, Holdingford American Legion, Holdingford Commercial Club, Lake Wobegon Trail Association and individual Lions.
In the near future an entry park will be created. This will provide parking and a handicapped accessible sidewalk a short distance from the bridge. The Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission has awarded the city $3,000 to provide
information at this entry park Cooperating with the city and the Holdingford Lions in creating this park will be the Holdingford Area Historical Society and the Holdingford Garden Club.
The idea of covering the old railroad bridge over Two, Rivers River began at the same time as the railroad was being converted into the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail. The City of Holdingford, under the direction of Mayor Rosemary Scepaniak, applied for a grant but was not successful. A brief comment was made to a Lions Club member who mentioned it to the club as a possible project. Another Lion was retiring from the Army and had worked on similar projects in the service. In 2005 the project began to take shape. During 2006 old plans and grant papers were found and evaluated. An architect was hired and discussions began with the Army Reserves. In February of 2007 the Stearns County Board of Commissioners and in March 2007 the US Army Reserves approved the project.
submitted article
Construction will begin Friday, May 2, on the covering of the bridge on the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail over Two Rivers-River in Holdingford. When completed this will be the longest covered bridge in Minnesota.
The Lake Wobegon Trail is used by bicyclists and walkers during the summer and by snowmobilers in the winter. This is a great attraction for Holdingford. The trail in the area is one of the most beautiful biking and hiking trails in America with many great views, farmland, lakes, creeks, wildlife and hills. The Lions Club members feel that this project will increase tourism to the community and improve our economic development. A cover will also improve the safety and aesthetic appeal of the bridge.
The Holdingford Lions have spearheaded this project with the cooperation of the City of Holdingford, Stearns County Parks, the Lake Wobegon Trail Association and many other organizations. The US Army Reserve's 367th Engineer Battalion will provide the labor for building the cover. For the past several weeks parts have been prefabricated in Mankato. On May 2 the parts will be
shipped to Holdingford and the actual construction will begin. It is estimated that it will take three weekends to complete the work
On May 3,the Holdingford community will hold a community work day. Some people will be planting trees along. the trail south of the bridge. Other people will be staining the cedar siding and still other people will be painting the railroad boxcar at the city's trailhead park. Along with the Lions Club, the Holdingford Garden Club, the Holdingford High School Student Council and FFA, the St. Joseph Society, the Five Parish Youth Group, Helping Hands Outreach and many individuals will work on these projects.
Materials for the bridge cover are being paid by local contributions. Many individuals and organizations have contributed already. Most notable are payments or pledges from the Holdingford, Albany and St. Stephen Lions, Holdingford American Legion, Holdingford Commercial Club, Lake Wobegon Trail Association and individual Lions.
In the near future an entry park will be created. This will provide parking and a handicapped accessible sidewalk a short distance from the bridge. The Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission has awarded the city $3,000 to provide
information at this entry park Cooperating with the city and the Holdingford Lions in creating this park will be the Holdingford Area Historical Society and the Holdingford Garden Club.
The idea of covering the old railroad bridge over Two, Rivers River began at the same time as the railroad was being converted into the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail. The City of Holdingford, under the direction of Mayor Rosemary Scepaniak, applied for a grant but was not successful. A brief comment was made to a Lions Club member who mentioned it to the club as a possible project. Another Lion was retiring from the Army and had worked on similar projects in the service. In 2005 the project began to take shape. During 2006 old plans and grant papers were found and evaluated. An architect was hired and discussions began with the Army Reserves. In February of 2007 the Stearns County Board of Commissioners and in March 2007 the US Army Reserves approved the project.
4/06/2008
10 tips to Lower Your Water Bill
10 WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER
In the Kitchen
1. Only run the dishwasher when it's full and necessary. Use the 'short' cycle if your machine has that option.
2. Take a break from dishes on the weekend - use paper products instead.
3. Don't use the garbage disposal; toss scraps in the garbage bin instead.
4. Rinse produce with a bowl of water rather than running the faucet. Use leftover water for plants.
In the Bathroom
5. Put timers in your family bathrooms to encourage shorter showers. Reducing your time in the shower by one minute will save hundreds of gallons per household each month.
6. Replace older shower heads with new low-flow models. Pre 1992 showerheads 5 gallons of water a minute after 1992, showerheads legally required no more than 2.5 gallons of water can buy showerhead that puts out as little as 1.0 gallons of water per minute and still offers an enjoyable shower). The average person uses a shower for 10 minutes per day
7. Only flush the toilet when necessary.
8. Place a bucket in the shower to collect water while it heats up. Use the water on plants or to flush the toilet.
9. Running water faucets use 2-3 gallons per minute. Men should consider using an electric shaver or turning off the water while they shave. Or grow a beard.
10. Put some food dye in the back of the toilet tank. If the dye appears in the toilet bowl within 15 minutes, your toilet is leaking and should be fixed.
In the Kitchen
1. Only run the dishwasher when it's full and necessary. Use the 'short' cycle if your machine has that option.
2. Take a break from dishes on the weekend - use paper products instead.
3. Don't use the garbage disposal; toss scraps in the garbage bin instead.
4. Rinse produce with a bowl of water rather than running the faucet. Use leftover water for plants.
In the Bathroom
5. Put timers in your family bathrooms to encourage shorter showers. Reducing your time in the shower by one minute will save hundreds of gallons per household each month.
6. Replace older shower heads with new low-flow models. Pre 1992 showerheads 5 gallons of water a minute after 1992, showerheads legally required no more than 2.5 gallons of water can buy showerhead that puts out as little as 1.0 gallons of water per minute and still offers an enjoyable shower). The average person uses a shower for 10 minutes per day
7. Only flush the toilet when necessary.
8. Place a bucket in the shower to collect water while it heats up. Use the water on plants or to flush the toilet.
9. Running water faucets use 2-3 gallons per minute. Men should consider using an electric shaver or turning off the water while they shave. Or grow a beard.
10. Put some food dye in the back of the toilet tank. If the dye appears in the toilet bowl within 15 minutes, your toilet is leaking and should be fixed.
3/24/2008
3/16/2008
Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon
The St. Cloud River Runners
are sponsoring the "First Annual Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon" it will start 7:00 a.m. on May 10, 2008 at the Holdingford Trail Head on the Lake Wobegon Trail.
The race is run entirely on the Lake Wobegon Trail. Runners will head north from the Holdingford Trail Head for .86 miles and then back through the town of Holdingford and the towns of Albany, Avon, and St. Joseph. The race finishes at the trail head in St. Joseph.
The trail is primarily rural except as it passes through the four small towns along the route. Many people feel that the trail from Holdingford to St. Joseph is the prettiest portion of the Lake Wobegon Trail.
They were going to limit it to 50 runners but I see that has been raised to 100 and the race field is full.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Marathon
are sponsoring the "First Annual Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon" it will start 7:00 a.m. on May 10, 2008 at the Holdingford Trail Head on the Lake Wobegon Trail.
The race is run entirely on the Lake Wobegon Trail. Runners will head north from the Holdingford Trail Head for .86 miles and then back through the town of Holdingford and the towns of Albany, Avon, and St. Joseph. The race finishes at the trail head in St. Joseph.
The trail is primarily rural except as it passes through the four small towns along the route. Many people feel that the trail from Holdingford to St. Joseph is the prettiest portion of the Lake Wobegon Trail.
They were going to limit it to 50 runners but I see that has been raised to 100 and the race field is full.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Marathon
2/26/2008
Stearns County Dairy Princess Candidate
Congratulations and good luck to Stearns County Dairy Princess Candidate Alicia Dobis, 18,of Holdingford she is the daughter of Allan and Brenda Dobis of Holdingford. She attends Holdingford High School. Her sponsor is Holdingford Mill Inc.
The Freeport Community Center will be a flurry of activity all day on Saturday as 13 young ladies will vie for Stearns County Dairy Princess titles.
The day will begin early for the candidates, with judging throughout the day. Dinner will begin at 7:30 p.m. and coronation will begin around 9 p.m.
This is the 54th Annual Stearns County Dairy Princess Pageant. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Stearns County Dairy Princess Candidate
The Freeport Community Center will be a flurry of activity all day on Saturday as 13 young ladies will vie for Stearns County Dairy Princess titles.
The day will begin early for the candidates, with judging throughout the day. Dinner will begin at 7:30 p.m. and coronation will begin around 9 p.m.
This is the 54th Annual Stearns County Dairy Princess Pageant. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Stearns County Dairy Princess Candidate
2/15/2008
June 14 - 2008 Caramel Roll Ride
Start planning those spring bike rides. Here is a big one for the area.
June 14 - 2008 Caramel Roll Ride
This year starting from Holdingford the Route: From the Holdingford covered bridge bikers can go south to Albany or north to the Mississippi River or both.
Some details
Distances: 14, 28, or 47 Miles
Number of Riders expected 300
Prices: $15 Adults - $10 under 16 before May 31, $5 more after May 31.
Description of Ride: The proceeds from this ride will go to cover the costs of building the Holdingford Covered bridge where we will have a 9 am ribbon cutting and party after the ride.
For registering and more information contact
Sponsor: Lake Wobegon Trail Assn
Phone: 1-320-293-9364
Website: www.lakewobegontrails.com
Cliff Borgerding Ride Organizer
Address: 33504 Shorewood Dr
City, State, Zip: Avon, Mn. 56310
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Caramel Roll Ride bicycle rides
June 14 - 2008 Caramel Roll Ride
This year starting from Holdingford the Route: From the Holdingford covered bridge bikers can go south to Albany or north to the Mississippi River or both.
Some details
Distances: 14, 28, or 47 Miles
Number of Riders expected 300
Prices: $15 Adults - $10 under 16 before May 31, $5 more after May 31.
Description of Ride: The proceeds from this ride will go to cover the costs of building the Holdingford Covered bridge where we will have a 9 am ribbon cutting and party after the ride.
For registering and more information contact
Sponsor: Lake Wobegon Trail Assn
Phone: 1-320-293-9364
Website: www.lakewobegontrails.com
Cliff Borgerding Ride Organizer
Address: 33504 Shorewood Dr
City, State, Zip: Avon, Mn. 56310
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Caramel Roll Ride bicycle rides
2/12/2008
Open Position City Maintenance Worker
Ad for City Maintenance Worker
City Of Holdingford
2008
The City of Holdingford is seeking to fill the position of City Maintenance Worker. This position is a full time 40 hour per week hourly paid position. Requirements include a high school diploma, a valid CDL (class ‘B’) Minnesota driver’s License, willing to obtain a Class “D” Water Operator’s license, a Class “B” Wastewater Operator’s License, Type IV Bio Solids License, are required. Applicant must agree to and successfully pass a background check. Must pass a physical and drug testing. Responsibilities of this position include the operation and maintenance of the municipal water and wastewater systems, snow removal, maintaining streets, City buildings and parks, operation and maintenance of city vehicles and all other related equipment, physically demanding labor, frequently lifting 70 pounds or more, and any other duties assigned by the City Council. Must possess good public relations skills. Must have a flexible schedule and be willing to be on call to work some evenings, early mornings, and weekends. Response time: 15 minutes. Competitive wage dependent upon qualifications; health insurance and PERA program benefits available. For a job description and job application call the Holdingford City Clerk’s Office at 320-746-2966 or email at clerk@holdingfordmn.us . Completed Resumes and Job Applications are being accepted until March 15, 2008. The City of Holdingford is an equal opportunity employer.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities City Maintenance Worker Position
City Of Holdingford
2008
The City of Holdingford is seeking to fill the position of City Maintenance Worker. This position is a full time 40 hour per week hourly paid position. Requirements include a high school diploma, a valid CDL (class ‘B’) Minnesota driver’s License, willing to obtain a Class “D” Water Operator’s license, a Class “B” Wastewater Operator’s License, Type IV Bio Solids License, are required. Applicant must agree to and successfully pass a background check. Must pass a physical and drug testing. Responsibilities of this position include the operation and maintenance of the municipal water and wastewater systems, snow removal, maintaining streets, City buildings and parks, operation and maintenance of city vehicles and all other related equipment, physically demanding labor, frequently lifting 70 pounds or more, and any other duties assigned by the City Council. Must possess good public relations skills. Must have a flexible schedule and be willing to be on call to work some evenings, early mornings, and weekends. Response time: 15 minutes. Competitive wage dependent upon qualifications; health insurance and PERA program benefits available. For a job description and job application call the Holdingford City Clerk’s Office at 320-746-2966 or email at clerk@holdingfordmn.us . Completed Resumes and Job Applications are being accepted until March 15, 2008. The City of Holdingford is an equal opportunity employer.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities City Maintenance Worker Position
2/06/2008
1/15/2008
Stearns County Municipal League Meeting
The City of Holdingford is hosting the Stearns County Municipal League's Semi-Annual Meeting 6:30 pm Jan. 15.08 at Holdingford City Hall
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
Holdingford Fire and Rescue Dept Given Award
From Mayor Schmit's Report: On behalf of the Community I would like to congratulate the Holdingford Fire and Rescue Department for being awarded the “Link To The Community Award” from Life Link Helicopter service. They were nominated because of their professionalism and creativity in getting an injured person on board a helicopter back in September, thereby saving a life. The award reads “In recognition of your dedication to patient care, outstanding teamwork and commitment to the good of the community. It is our privilege to work along side you.” Flight Supervisor, Life Link III. And also on behalf of the community, I would like to thank all the members of the Fire and Rescue Department for the great job they do for this community, we are lucky to have such a dedicated group of people. Thank You!
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities
1/13/2008
Millions (a lottery story) web site
Here is a link to the Paul La Blanc and Jordan Katon movie Millions (a lottery story) website. It has a little trailer to the movie
The following is the plot summary on the movie from the Internet Movie Database
"For many Americans, winning the lottery represents the ultimate dream come true. Rags to riches stories and their sordid flip side - tales of millions wasted by undisciplined winners - are common fodder for the tabloids and TV news outlets. But the public is rarely, if ever allowed more than a superficial glimpse into the world of instant, unexpected wealth. Millions (a lottery story) follows the lives of six different big money winners to enable audiences to see in detail just how dramatically life-changing the experience can be for the average person. From the farms of the Midwest and the heart of the Bible belt to the hurricane-riddled retirement communities of South Florida, Millions documents the true stories of people as rich in personality as they are (or once were) in material wealth. By using the everyday lives of its subjects the film gains insights into such diverse subjects as fame, growing old, the plight of the small farmer, and the role of evangelical Christianity in contemporary society. Millions paints a vivid picture of how extraordinary circumstances can deeply affect one's identity, and tells a poignant story of luck, loss and redemption."
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Holdingford Millionaires Movie
The following is the plot summary on the movie from the Internet Movie Database
"For many Americans, winning the lottery represents the ultimate dream come true. Rags to riches stories and their sordid flip side - tales of millions wasted by undisciplined winners - are common fodder for the tabloids and TV news outlets. But the public is rarely, if ever allowed more than a superficial glimpse into the world of instant, unexpected wealth. Millions (a lottery story) follows the lives of six different big money winners to enable audiences to see in detail just how dramatically life-changing the experience can be for the average person. From the farms of the Midwest and the heart of the Bible belt to the hurricane-riddled retirement communities of South Florida, Millions documents the true stories of people as rich in personality as they are (or once were) in material wealth. By using the everyday lives of its subjects the film gains insights into such diverse subjects as fame, growing old, the plight of the small farmer, and the role of evangelical Christianity in contemporary society. Millions paints a vivid picture of how extraordinary circumstances can deeply affect one's identity, and tells a poignant story of luck, loss and redemption."
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Holdingford Millionaires Movie
1/12/2008
Lake Wobegon Trail Visitors Guide Winter 2007-2008
Check out this link to the" Lake Wobegon Trail Visitors Guide Winter 2007-2008" for this story on Holdingford's Petals to Pedals Garden Club fountain project.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Lake Wobegon Trail
1/11/2008
Millions (A Lottery Story)
The independent film "Millions (A Lottery Story" I had made a post on it after it first came out last year, although I still haven't had a chance to see it. It has hit the big time as far as I am concerned, now that my favorite movie reviewer Roger Ebert has reviewed it. Following is Mr Ebert's review of the movie. I am in particularly pleased with the way he wrote about the Holdingford people, as my wife and I moved here 40 years ago when I started teaching and raised our family here. I know the Holdingford folks in the movie and the other local winners, they are all good down to earth people,and everyone around here is happy for their good fortune. Below is the review.
By Roger Ebert
'Millions (A Lottery Story)" is not so much about six lottery winners as about six+people who I watched with growing fascination and affection. What did I expect when the movie began? Former millionaires now on Skid Row, I suppose, contrasted with misers counting their compound interest and intercut with bizarre misadventures. What I found were people who, if I may say so, are utterly unfazed by their sudden wealth, and who have developed strategies for coping not with wealth or poverty, but with life. They all seem happy, and it has nothing to do with the lottery.
The movie follows four kitchen workers from a Minnesota high school and two New Yorkers who were once famous because they were the first to win $5 million at the dawn of the lottery and became the stars of television ads. The Minnesotans, 16 altogether, split up $95,450,000 on a shared Powerball ticket, which works out to $5,965,625 apiece, a figure none of them ever once mentions.
They're from Holdingford, Minn., a town which Garrison Keillor himself once called "the Lake Wobegon-ist town in Minnesota." The town is so typical of his monologues that not only are the high schoolers' grades above average, but the interstate highway makes a four-mile detour just to avoid it. Of the four women we meet, all come from large families (I'm talking like 11 or 16 kids), all worked hard on family dairy farms, many still keep dairy cattle as a second job, and none of them quit their jobs in the high school kitchen.
Phylis Breth is most eloquent about staying on the job. "These are my best friends, and I love my work." She is a dishwasher and uses a little laugh to end many sentences. "I've got bad knees, I've had four surgeries, and this job keeps you going. On days when they serve mashed potatoes or cheese, it gets pretty hectic." Like some of the others, she bought a new house, not a mansion, just comfy, and she finally has what she long dreamed of, a refrigerator with an ice-cube maker. She still hits all the garage sales, pouncing on a $2 ice cream scoop.
Of the New Yorkers, who won in the early 1970s, Lou Eisenberg lives in retirement in West Palm Beach, Fla., in a very basic condo. All of his winnings are gone, and he gets by on Social Security and a small pension. But he has a girlfriend, knows people everywhere he goes, bets at the dog track daily. He spent every lottery check almost as it came in. Why didn't he invest for the future? "I never thought I would live to be 76."
The other, Curtis Sharp, has also run through his winnings. Some of them went to invest in a company claiming to make an electric automobile that could run forever without ever being recharged. At one point the company was valued at "billions," he assures us, before the government came in and charged the organizer with selling fraudulent stock. Curtis still believes the guy was on the level: "Someday that investment is going to pay off." Having been "a drinker and fornicator," he moved to Nashville to buy a beer joint. Then he saw the light, found Jesus, and is a preacher.
The two of them became famous for their New York Lotto commercials. "A Jew and a black man," Lou says. "A good fit." Curtis was known for his bowler hats and collected 100. Before winning, Lou had owned a beauty shop, but something came over him one day, he developed panic attacks and found he could not speak or look people in the eye. He got a job at $240 a week screwing in light bulbs. The Lotto saved him: "It was like a shot in the arm." It sure was. We see clips of him gabbing away on TV with Johnny Carson, Regis Philbin, Ted Koppel and Sammy Davis Jr.
At times in this film I am reminded of work by documentary maker Errol Morris. The director, Paul La Blanc, has the same ear for the American vernacular and the same eye for obsessions. Take Phylis Breth, for example. Many women clean house for days before letting a camera crew into their homes, but let's say her housekeeping is not Wobegonian. But then we meet her daughter Susan, the opposite. As she provides a tour of her orderly pantry shelves, ticking off "1994 pickles...last year's tomato juice," she proudly shows us that most of her preserves are in jars that originally held the retail version of the same substances. Her homemade salsa is in a salsa jar, for example, with the original label still on.
If there is one thing the Holdingford ladies are sure of, it's that their winnings will send their children through college. Apart from that, they carry on as before. Sue's husband Donny is known as the "Wood Man," because if you have a fallen tree, he comes around and cuts it into firewood. With pride, he shows a shed jammed with logs. The Breths heat their home all winter with wood in a climate that goes to 30 below. "I've burned wood all my life, and I will keep on burning wood as long as the good Lord lets me," he says.
Getting to know these people, I realized I knew others exactly like them. The women could come from my Downstate family. Giving me a recipe once, my Aunt Mary said, "One tater for everybody, one for the pot, and one for fear of company." For fear. Perfect. I wrote it down as part of the recipe.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Roger Ebert Roger Ebert Millions (A Lottery Story)
By Roger Ebert
'Millions (A Lottery Story)" is not so much about six lottery winners as about six+people who I watched with growing fascination and affection. What did I expect when the movie began? Former millionaires now on Skid Row, I suppose, contrasted with misers counting their compound interest and intercut with bizarre misadventures. What I found were people who, if I may say so, are utterly unfazed by their sudden wealth, and who have developed strategies for coping not with wealth or poverty, but with life. They all seem happy, and it has nothing to do with the lottery.
The movie follows four kitchen workers from a Minnesota high school and two New Yorkers who were once famous because they were the first to win $5 million at the dawn of the lottery and became the stars of television ads. The Minnesotans, 16 altogether, split up $95,450,000 on a shared Powerball ticket, which works out to $5,965,625 apiece, a figure none of them ever once mentions.
They're from Holdingford, Minn., a town which Garrison Keillor himself once called "the Lake Wobegon-ist town in Minnesota." The town is so typical of his monologues that not only are the high schoolers' grades above average, but the interstate highway makes a four-mile detour just to avoid it. Of the four women we meet, all come from large families (I'm talking like 11 or 16 kids), all worked hard on family dairy farms, many still keep dairy cattle as a second job, and none of them quit their jobs in the high school kitchen.
Phylis Breth is most eloquent about staying on the job. "These are my best friends, and I love my work." She is a dishwasher and uses a little laugh to end many sentences. "I've got bad knees, I've had four surgeries, and this job keeps you going. On days when they serve mashed potatoes or cheese, it gets pretty hectic." Like some of the others, she bought a new house, not a mansion, just comfy, and she finally has what she long dreamed of, a refrigerator with an ice-cube maker. She still hits all the garage sales, pouncing on a $2 ice cream scoop.
Of the New Yorkers, who won in the early 1970s, Lou Eisenberg lives in retirement in West Palm Beach, Fla., in a very basic condo. All of his winnings are gone, and he gets by on Social Security and a small pension. But he has a girlfriend, knows people everywhere he goes, bets at the dog track daily. He spent every lottery check almost as it came in. Why didn't he invest for the future? "I never thought I would live to be 76."
The other, Curtis Sharp, has also run through his winnings. Some of them went to invest in a company claiming to make an electric automobile that could run forever without ever being recharged. At one point the company was valued at "billions," he assures us, before the government came in and charged the organizer with selling fraudulent stock. Curtis still believes the guy was on the level: "Someday that investment is going to pay off." Having been "a drinker and fornicator," he moved to Nashville to buy a beer joint. Then he saw the light, found Jesus, and is a preacher.
The two of them became famous for their New York Lotto commercials. "A Jew and a black man," Lou says. "A good fit." Curtis was known for his bowler hats and collected 100. Before winning, Lou had owned a beauty shop, but something came over him one day, he developed panic attacks and found he could not speak or look people in the eye. He got a job at $240 a week screwing in light bulbs. The Lotto saved him: "It was like a shot in the arm." It sure was. We see clips of him gabbing away on TV with Johnny Carson, Regis Philbin, Ted Koppel and Sammy Davis Jr.
At times in this film I am reminded of work by documentary maker Errol Morris. The director, Paul La Blanc, has the same ear for the American vernacular and the same eye for obsessions. Take Phylis Breth, for example. Many women clean house for days before letting a camera crew into their homes, but let's say her housekeeping is not Wobegonian. But then we meet her daughter Susan, the opposite. As she provides a tour of her orderly pantry shelves, ticking off "1994 pickles...last year's tomato juice," she proudly shows us that most of her preserves are in jars that originally held the retail version of the same substances. Her homemade salsa is in a salsa jar, for example, with the original label still on.
If there is one thing the Holdingford ladies are sure of, it's that their winnings will send their children through college. Apart from that, they carry on as before. Sue's husband Donny is known as the "Wood Man," because if you have a fallen tree, he comes around and cuts it into firewood. With pride, he shows a shed jammed with logs. The Breths heat their home all winter with wood in a climate that goes to 30 below. "I've burned wood all my life, and I will keep on burning wood as long as the good Lord lets me," he says.
Getting to know these people, I realized I knew others exactly like them. The women could come from my Downstate family. Giving me a recipe once, my Aunt Mary said, "One tater for everybody, one for the pot, and one for fear of company." For fear. Perfect. I wrote it down as part of the recipe.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Roger Ebert Roger Ebert Millions (A Lottery Story)
1/10/2008
Getting Older - Healthy Aging
Since about one third of the people living in Holdingford are considered elderly I thought it would be appropriate to promote healthy aging. I got this list from Changing Aging blog is a good read.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities aging in a small town
10 New Years Resolutions for Successful Aging
Do you have New Year’s resolutions for successful aging you’d like to share?
We’re all aging right now. And although genes dictate a lot, we also have a lot of control in how we age.
Here are 10 resolutions for traveling the path of successful aging.
Get a Physical: Find out what your health is like today. What health risk factors do you have? Work on a plan to address them.
Exercise Your Brain and Body: Physical exercise (30 to 60 minutes of fast walking a couple times a week) has been proven to reduce the risk of dementia. It also makes you feel a lot better when those endorphins are pumping.
Make Meaningful Connections: You just feel better when you have someone you can share with. Animals count.
Do Work You Enjoy: Even if you’re retired, and you didn’t like the work you did, now you have time to do work you enjoy. Work also means volunteering.
Nurture Your Spirituality: The mind-spirit-body connection works together. Spiritual experiences give greater vibrancy and meaning to our daily lives.
Learn and Teach: The people who always seem most vibrant are those who are continually learning. Often those are the same people who help others grow by sharing that knowledge. That sharing feels good, too.
Define Your Legacy: How do you want to be remembered when you leave this earth? Write it down. Act upon what you write.
Smoking: STOP.
Eat Smartly: Mayo Clinic specialist Dr. Edward Cregan says emphasize green leafy vegetables, four to six servings of fruit each day, fish and poultry rather than red meat (in moderation), and attention to unsaturated fats such as olive and canola oil. You don’t have to be a total vegetarian, just be sensible.
Plan: Where do you want to live when you are 100? Will home be your home now or somewhere else? If you need care, who will provide it? You can make options realities with planning.
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities aging in a small town
1/01/2008
Holdingford awarded $10,000 grant by Initiative Foundation
The city of Holdingford awarded $10,000 grant by Initiative Foundation
The city of Holdingford through Healthy Community Planning Program was granted $10,000 in support of the following community projects:
*Assist Holdingford Lions Club covered bridge project on Lake Wobegon trail.
*Holdingford Lioness Club in conjunction with the City of Holdingford and Holding Township compile a Welcome Packet for new residents in the Holdingford Area. Lioness Club will also develop and distribute brochures about the community of the City of Holdingford and Holding Township, to new residents moving into area.
*Holdingford Area Historical Society
Holdingford Area Historical Society will be incorporated as a non-profit organization. Historical Society will be incorporated as a non-profit organization, to be officially recognized by the MN Historical Society. Secure rights to a one room schoolhouse from the holdingford area, plans and have blueprint for foundation for schoolhouse.
*Petals to Pedals Garden Club
Two park benches will be installed between fountain and "Triangle Garden."Install fountain, electric outlets for fountain and for Christmas decoration. Expand wild flower garden at trailhead: benches, holding pond for fountain, lawn in front of garden.
*Healthy Community Planning Steering Committee
Construction of skate board park in Veterans Memorial Park, as Eagle Scout project
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Initiative Foundation
The city of Holdingford through Healthy Community Planning Program was granted $10,000 in support of the following community projects:
*Assist Holdingford Lions Club covered bridge project on Lake Wobegon trail.
*Holdingford Lioness Club in conjunction with the City of Holdingford and Holding Township compile a Welcome Packet for new residents in the Holdingford Area. Lioness Club will also develop and distribute brochures about the community of the City of Holdingford and Holding Township, to new residents moving into area.
*Holdingford Area Historical Society
Holdingford Area Historical Society will be incorporated as a non-profit organization. Historical Society will be incorporated as a non-profit organization, to be officially recognized by the MN Historical Society. Secure rights to a one room schoolhouse from the holdingford area, plans and have blueprint for foundation for schoolhouse.
*Petals to Pedals Garden Club
Two park benches will be installed between fountain and "Triangle Garden."Install fountain, electric outlets for fountain and for Christmas decoration. Expand wild flower garden at trailhead: benches, holding pond for fountain, lawn in front of garden.
*Healthy Community Planning Steering Committee
Construction of skate board park in Veterans Memorial Park, as Eagle Scout project
Tags: Holdingford Minnesota Stearns County small cities Initiative Foundation
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