Memorial Day, the day on which those who died in active military service are remembered, was not forgotten. Out of 22 veterans organizations in Fillmore, Houston and Mower Counties, including American Legions, VFWs, and the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, the majority of organizations canceled their programs amid concerns relating to the coronavirus and social … [Read more...]
Spring Grove resident Darrell Sinclair proof that life is a verb
Numerous sites on the world wide web defend the notion that life is a verb and not a noun. One such website, MBS Performance Counseling, argues that “life, as a noun, is a limiting way to define our existence.” Listening to 93-year-old Darrell Sinclair’s stories illustrates that he was an active participant in his life. Sinclair did not wait around for life to happen. He lived … [Read more...]
Former high school journalist at Fillmore County Journal publishes children’s book
“Let’s go on an adventure.” “Dr. Stephanie Thorson-Olesen is a psychologist who lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. She believes that life is an adventure, and the world was meant to be explored! Plus, she is a professor and loves learning and teaching about lifespan development. She created this developmentally stimulating story for the children in her … [Read more...]
Food shelves continue to provide in the midst of the pandemic
Area food shelves have been busy implementing new procedures due to COVID-19. Normally, these food shelves operate on a consumer choice model where shoppers select items themselves (with a limit on high demand items like protein). Now, workers and volunteers are prepacking items to be picked up at the door or curbside. Some prepacked boxes are also purchased from Channel … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Journal Teacher of the Year 2020 announced
Although the 2019-2020 school year has not exactly gone as planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that did not stop the Fillmore County Journal and the sponsors of the Teacher of the Year Award from presenting a very deserving educator, Gerri Nielsen, of Fillmore Central Schools, with the Golden Apple Award for Teacher of the Year 2020. Nielsen grew up in Rushford, Minn., and … [Read more...]
COVID-19 strands missionary in Honduras
When Bonnie Davids traveled to the Nueva Esperanza, or New Hope school, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, for a mission trip, the Preston native had no reason to expect that it would be any different from her previous visits. This was Davids’ seventh mission trip to the school, and she was looking forward to ministering to the students and their families again. She arrived in Honduras … [Read more...]
Kappers’ Big Red Barn expands home milk deliveries
The Kappers family has always churned out creative ideas for their dairy. “Bob always had a plan. He’s an outside of the box thinker,” said Jeanette Kappers proudly in a 2017 Journal feature. Nestled into the community of Chatfield, the micro-dairy operates with the complete on-site production, processing, and packaging of their milk, as well as value-added products. In … [Read more...]
Liberty Project – Boy Scout Troop 43 flag installation
Imagine an early morning peek out the window, cup of coffee in hand, being greeted by an orderly row of American flags ribboning a course through your neighborhood. Perhaps this sight inspires your mantra for the day or solidifies an attitude of respect and reflection for a day that’s been chosen to honor our country. Boy Scout Troop 43 of Chatfield is anticipating it’s sixth … [Read more...]
Phillips retires
When most people retire from a job, they get to turn in their keys to the office, walk out the door, and start enjoying every day like it’s a Saturday. When a person owns a business, it doesn’t work like that. If they want to retire, they have to find a buyer, which can take many years. David Phillips, who just turned 65 in February, has been looking forward to … [Read more...]
Facing COVID-19
“Early last week, I received a call from my daughter, who is a physical therapist at a local hospital, telling me they were running low on face masks. My other daughter, also a physical therapist in home health, also mentioned they were very low on masks. Then shortly after that conversation, Pastor Dan (Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, Minn.) shared a post on the church … [Read more...]