NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALETHE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage:DATE OF MORTGAGE: 07/14/2004MORTGAGOR(S): Heidi Aanenson, a single person, Chad Van Surksum, a single person. MORTGAGEE: Homeland Mortgage, LLCDATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: Recorded July 26, 2004, Rock County Recorder, Document No. 159393.ASSIGNMENTS OF MORTGAGE: Assigned to: First Federal Savings Bank Dated: July 14, 2004, Recorded July 26, 2004, Rock County Recorder, Document No. 159394. Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Dated: July 14, 2004, Recorded July 26, 2004, Rock County Recorder, Document No. 159395.LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: All of Lots Nine (9) and Ten (10) in Block Fifteen (15), Original Plat, in the City of Beaver Creek, Rock County, Minnesota. COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: RockORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $135,000.00AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, INCLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID BY MORTGAGEE: $141,563.56.That prior to the commencement of this mortgage foreclosure proceeding Mortgagee/Assignee of Mortgagee complied with all notice requirements as required by statute; that no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof;PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows:DATE AND TIME OF SALE: Thursday, July 13, 2006, 10:00 a.m.PLACE OF SALE: Front Steps of Rock County Law Enforcement Center, City of Luverneto pay the debt then secured by said Mortgage, and taxes, if any, on said premises, and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law subject to redemption within 6 months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or assigns.MORTGAGOR(S) RELEASED FROM FINANCIAL OBLIGATION ON MORTGAGE: NONE THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 581.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED. Dated: May 09,2006Minnesota Housing Finance AgencyAssignee of MortgageePeterson, Fram & Bergman, P.A.By: Michael T. OberleAttorneys for:Minnesota Housing Finance AgencyAssignee of Mortgagee50 E. 5th St., Suite 300St.Paul, MN 55101(651) 291-8955 THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR.(5-18, 5-25, 6-1, 6-8, 6-15, 6-22)

Cruise-in and auto show scheduled for Buffalo DaysThis year’s Buffalo Days will keep car enthusiasts busy both Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, June 2nd, there will be a collector car cruise-in on Luverne’s Main Street.Any type of collectible, plus street rods, classics, muscle cars, Corvettes, cycles and trucks are encouraged to participate.Larry Goebel, who has played for the cruise-in for several years, will be out of town for this year’s event, but his music will still be there with Bob Cook taking a turn at the controls.A poker walk has also been set up through Luverne Merchants with great prizes to be given away.The event will run from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. Food and refreshments will also be available.Saturday, June 3rd, the Buffalo Days Auto Show will be at the Luverne City Park.Car classes will include 1900-1949, 1950-1959, 1960-1969, 1970-1979, 1980-1989, and 1990 and newer.There will also be a separate category for Corvettes and Camaros.There will be three categories for pickups including 1900-1959, 1960-1979, and 1980 and newer.There will also be special awards for Best Engine Compartment, Best Paint and Best of Show.Registration will be at the City Park from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The show will run from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Awards will be presented at 3:30 p.m.Participants who would like to drive their collector vehicles in the Buffalo Days Parade on Saturday, June 3, should contact the Luverne Chamber of Commerce by May 31st at 507-283-4061. Parade time is 10 a.m., and cars participating in the parade will meet on Freeman Street at 9:30 a.m.Jim gets his degreeBack in 1970, the soon-to-become-famous photographer Jim Brandenburg, a Luverne native, wanted to get an early start on his photographic career and left the University of Minnesota Duluth with 12 credits short of a degree.Last Saturday, the former National Geographic photographer and noted wildlife photographer received his degree.The University of Minnesota Duluth awarded the artist an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at their 2006 commencement ceremonies.Congratulations, Jim!Over 25 years of filling sandboxesAn Optimist Club tradition, which was started more than 25 years ago, was continued on Monday.Seven Optimist Club members, along with the help of four Luverne hockey players, filled 18 sandboxes around Luverne.In the past, one dump truck was enough sand to satisfy the needs of the community, but for the second year in a row, the volunteers had to make a second trip to refill the truck with another half load of sand. Optimist member Keith Aanenson said the need for the additional sand is primarily due to the increasing size of the modern sandboxes.In past years the typical sandbox or plastic turtle would require one or two wheelbarrows of sand. According to Keith, some of the new mega-boxes can take six or seven wheelbarrows of sand to fill.The regular Optimist Club meeting followed the sandbox fill, so the Optimist State’s Lt. Governor was in town for the meeting and followed the volunteers around to observe the project.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

Of mine explosions and eternityIt happened again last week. News stories filled with the heroic efforts to save miners trapped by a sudden mishap far below the ground where most folks walk. This time, the mine was in Australia — and they lived. Just a few months ago, the nation held its breath while rescuers tried to save 13 miners closer to home, finding 12 of the men dead and one barely hanging on. The rescue attempt, I hear, was the stuff of movies — common men working day and night, employing all their skills not to mine West Virginia coal, but to mine miners. My great-grandfather was a West Virginia miner — and for him, the rescue attempt was unsuccessful. An explosion, a cave-in, a long wait … then the bad air came. Today, mining is far safer. But despite all the advances in safety technology, accidents are inevitable. And folks ask why anyone would enter such a dangerous profession.But look around. We all live just one breath away from eternity. Think of our truckers or farmers, surrounded by countless opportunities for a catastrophic accident. What of those who work with high voltage that can arc or chemicals that can explode? What of the infectious diseases that threaten our hospitals — or even the escaped bull that dashes into the path of an unsuspecting shopper’s car, killing her before she gets her groceries home? The possibility for sudden death is more obvious in a mine. But despite its camouflage in the ordinary flow of everyday life, that possibility is no less real for any of us. When my great-grandfather, who died in 1927, and one of his fellow miners left notes describing the bad air, awareness of death’s approach, his dreams for his children’s future. But most of all, he testified — repeatedly — of his hope in the Lord. He assured his family and those of the handful who were with him that they "had plenty of time to make peace with the Lord." Not everyone has time to search his soul before the end comes. Not everyone can leave a note assuring loved ones that he is in Christ. Not everyone is blessed with daily reminders that death is near. But we each live in the shadow of death as surely as if we wore helmets with lights on them and carried a canary to work. And one day the floor of our mine will rumble, the dust will rise, and our end will come. The question is, will we be ready to leave this world? Will we be sure of meeting the Lord in heaven? Now is the time; this is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 1:6; Isaiah 55:6-7). Rather than waiting until the ground shudders, find your peace with Christ now. And when that day does come, you can face it without fear. In Christ, God has redeemed you. "In life and in death, you are His." (Ps. 32:6-7)

Keep Those Crabs HappyI risk being called a parrot for repeating myself, but I want to make a point of saying that now is the time to spray flowering crab trees to prevent the leaf loss resulting from scab infection … prevention is our only option! The systemic fungicide we sell here at the greenhouse does a great job … if it gets applied at the right time! For gardeners who have a hard time keeping pace with weed infestation, a product called Preen is your ally. Preen is a pre-emergent herbicide you can use around most vegetable and flowering plants to prevent weed germination … once the weeds are present, you have to clean the area for this product to be effective, because it only prevents germination. It will not have any effect on weeds that are already growing. I do not use Preen on my gardens. I prefer to mulch with grass clippings. I eliminate the weeds, provide a clean surface to walk on when the soil is moist, and build the soil by adding humus when I till the mulch in. I realize that every gardener’s options are different, so … Preen verses the hoe … your choice. The weather forecast sounds like it might get warm enough to plant beans and other warm season crops … Hurray! My tomatoes in their wall of waters are doing great, so I’m feeling like I have a little head start … I’ll let you know when I get my first ripe tomato. When setting out transplants, protecting them for about a week will give you a much happier plant and a much higher survival rate. I always feel doing the work one time should be adequate, so having to replant never makes me happy. One gallon milk jugs are my favorite protector … remove the cap, cut around three sides of the bottom, fold the bottom back, set it over the plant and put some soil on the folded out bottom to keep the wind from blowing it away. I usually leave the jugs on until the plants are trying to get out of the hole on top … then I know that they have taken root and are ready to brave the elements. Can’t think of any way I’d rather recycle my milk jugs!

Strike a balance between caring for self and being ‘Woman of the Year’I dropped in on the Rock County Women’s Expo 2006 Thursday in the basement of United Methodist Church, Luverne.I know — an event in a church basement doesn’t sound riveting, but it really is worth taking a little time to attend.There were chocolate samples, non-alcoholic drinks, massages, hair styling, nail treatments, health screenings and more for free. Plus, local businesses donate exciting door prizes.The idea is for women in the community to set aside time for themselves to pamper themselves.In fact, that was the topic of featured speaker, Karla Harmon, who spoke on "A Makeover of You."The point of her presentation is that women — who are accomplished multi-taskers — tend to take on too many responsibilities for their families, churches, neighbors, etc.The pressure to do too much with too little time takes a toll on us physically — causing tension headaches, high blood pressure, gastric problems and a compromised immune system.Harmon provided tips for recognizing anxiety and choosing appropriate responses when we start to fret about things we can’t change.Her overall point, though, was to prevent anxiety in the first place by making ourselves priorities in our busy schedules."If people think healthier, they act healthier and they actually are healthier," Harmon said."We may want to carve out an hour for ourselves, but our first thought is, ‘Nope. That’s selfish. There are other things I can do with my time.’ … But we need to value ourselves."It wasn’t information that was entirely new to me, but I took notes anyway because it all sounded so good and helpful.But I found it ironic that her speech came on the heels of presenting the 2006 Woman of Excellence, Ruth Rodgers.Nomination letters for the four women considered for the award included nice phrases like, "She’s always upbeat" and "She has a positive outlook." But by and large, the women were singled out for selfless volunteerism in their communities and various causes.I left the church basement that day with a box full of chocolates, notebook full of tips on caring for myself, and nomination letters for selfless women.As with most things in life, I thought it best to take them all in moderation. I hoped that Ruth finds time for herself amid all her volunteering, and I hope that those of us smart enough to find time for ourselves don’t forget there’s personal value in doing things for others.Congratulations to Ruth and to all the nominees for the award, and congratulations to the women who made time for themselves Thursday to attend the Expo.May we all find just the right balance between selfish and selfless living.

Coming off a state championship season in cross country, it’s no surprise the Adrian girls’ track team has experienced success in distance races this spring.When one considers whom the Dragons are running well with, and whom they are emerging as an area power without, the situation draws attention.My interest was captured after Adrian turned in a stunning performance at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in Sioux Falls nearly two weeks ago.The Lady Dragons set three school records during the course of the meet, with the 3,200-meter relay team leading the charge by winning what AHS co-coach Doug Petersen said was the first meet title at the event in his 20-plus years of coaching at AHS.Throw in a school record-setting performance from the 1,600-meter medley relay (since this race is no longer staged in Minnesota meets, it’s an event AHS competes in once a year), and a sixth-place effort in the 1,600-meter relay, and you get the feeling Adrian competed pretty well at an attraction many coaches compare with Minnesota’s state meet."We ran really well at Howard Wood," understated Petersen."I can’t remember a time when we set three school records at the same meet before that one."Adrian’s success can be directly linked to a talented group of underclassmen who have many more good years in front of them.Senior Jolene Reisdorfer and junior Emily Thier did fill two of the four spots on the medley and 1,600 relays in Sioux Falls, but it’s freshmen Erica Thier, Kourtney Kramer, Leslie Stover and seventh-grader Hailee Heitkamp who give the Dragons a promising future.The youngsters are strong competitors individually, but they are even better when they pool their talents in the 3,200-meter relay.Thier and Stover, who were vital contributors to Adrian’s cross country success last fall, are double-edged swords.Thier will be the favorite in the 400-meter dash at the sub-section meet next week, and she has the ability to advance to state in that event down the road.Stover, who Petersen said logged a lot of miles over the winter, set a school record that stood for 17 years in the 3,200-meter run at the Howard Wood Relays. The 3,200 is her best individual event, but Stover may run in the 1,600 in the postseason.Heitkamp, another member of the title-earning cross country squad, could finish sixth or better at the section meet in the 3,200, according to Petersen.Kramer has been the biggest surprise in the Adrian camp and could emerge as Luverne’s Lexi Heitkamp’s top challenger in the 800-meter run during the postseason.As good as they are individually, the three freshmen and seventh-grader form a potent 3,200-meter relay.They displayed their promise at the Dakota Relays, where they set a school standard and established Minnesota’s second best time of the season with their championship effort of 9:55.1.The success of the four younger girls in the 3,200-meter relay has kept one of Petersen’s top prospects early in the spring out of the race.Junior Megan Henning, who was the second AHS runner to reach the finish-line during the state cross country meet last fall, has been unable to retain her leg with a relay she helped lead to a second-place finish at the section meet last season.Henning has run well in the open 3,200, and Petersen thinks she can earn a medal in that event at the section meet.As well as AHS has competed in the 3,200-meter relay this spring, there’s no doubt in my mind that the squad would be even better with a healthy freshman Morgan Lynn.Unfortunately for area track fans, they will not get to see Lynn run the rest of this spring. Tendonitis has limited Lynn to one meet appearance (she won the 1,600-meter run and led the 1,600-meter relay to victory at a meet in Slayton in early April), and she’s not expected to return to the track this spring.Then again, there’s no need to feel sorry for the girl who placed third individually at the state cross country meet last season.Lynn has three more years of high school eligibility left, which will give her and a bunch of other talented underclassmen a lot more chances to run away from their opponents in years to come."I see some big things coming to us in the next couple of years," Petersen concluded.

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETINGOF THE HILLS CITY COUNCILAPRIL 11, 2006Mayor Jim Jellema called the meeting to order with the following council members present: Jim Jellema, Keith Elbers, Pete Hoff, Ross Metzger, and Linus Svoboda. Employees present: Joanne Goehle, City Treasurer; Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk; and Wayne Ward, City Maintenance. Guests: Gene Scheerhorn; Richard Bakken-Rock County Commissioner; and Lexi Moore-Hills Crescent.Motion by Elbers, seconded by Svoboda to approve the minutes of March 14th. Motion carried. Reviewed copies of the audited 2005 Reporting Form for the Hills Fire Relief Association. The fire chief and treasurer will be invited to attend a council meeting. Reviewed the City and Fire Department expenditures. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Hoff to approve payment of the March expenditures, with the exception of reimbursement to the Fire Relief Association for light bulbs $7.52. Motion carried. March expenditures: General $60,576.59; Park $739.87; Fire $37.65; Street $1,661.83; Legion $368.29; Sewer $1,016.99; Garbage $1,949.82; Recycling $2.00; Water $3,753.98; Law Enforcement $9,746.50. Motion carried. General Checking 55,077.41General Fund CD#18924, 3.55%, 6/9/05 (prev. #18614) 251,002.85General Fund CD#19056 (prev. #188764) 4.25%, 9/15/06 124,865.21Fire Truck Replacement CD#19200, 4.150%, 12/9/06 3,000.00Hills EDA Security Deposit Account .04Hills EDA Checking – Acct. #1248 5,593.49EDA CD#18870, 3.25%, 5/7/06 76,869.87EDA CD#19293 (prev. CD#19164) 4.5%, 2/14/07 35,713.74EDA CD#19165, 4.25%, 11/15/06 138,000.00Motion by Metzger, seconded by Elbers to refund a utility deposit to Cory and Vicki Busswitz, and to approve the Treasurer’s report. Motion carried. Gene Scheerhorn inquired whether it is necessary to replace the sidewalk in front of his commercial building. Council members reviewed the sidewalk prior to the meeting and agreed with Scheerhorn that his sidewalk is in good condition and no replacement is necessary. Richard Bakken, Rock County Commissioner, attended the meeting to inquire whether the Council had any grievances, also to discuss use of the Heartland Express bus. The Council questioned winter maintenance of County Hwy 6, and future maintenance of State Hwy 270 becoming a county highway. Bakken informed the Council that there is a commitment from the County Highway Department that they will begin snow removal and sanding efforts on County Highway 6, with a one hour earlier start time. State Hwy. 270 is not maintained by the County at this time, but possibly in the near future.Regarding the Heartland bus, Bakken inquired, for cost effective purposes, if a one-day-per-week shopping trip to Luverne for Hills residents, combined with the Tuff residents, is feasible. The Council agreed that the purpose of this bus is to serve the elderly, and the funding is mainly through state and federal funds, therefore the elderly in all cities of Rock County should have use of the bus just as much as those in Luverne. Bakken estimated the funding as such, $7,000 to $8,000 from the County and bus fees; and the remaining costs through State and Federal funding. Bakken informed the Council that he is meeting with the Beaver Creek City Council and local cell phone service tonight to discuss proposals for a cell phone tower near Beaver Creek. Another item that the Council discussed with Bakken was the construction of a new County Sheriff’s Office, and agreed that a new sheriff’s office is needed, but questioned why the County Commissioners proceeded with the project when it was voted down by the people. Bakken explained that the Commissioners tried the most democratic way, but sometimes to get things done, you just do it. Motion by Hoff, seconded by Metzger to invest the $5,000 from the sale of the fire tanker truck into the fire truck replacement fund CD. This was discussed and agreed to with Martin Township at a previous meeting. Motion carried. Jeff Bass, Fire Chief, stopped in to present a bill from Heiman Fire Equipment. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Svoboda to pay Heiman $32,435.86 through FEMA grant funds. Motion carried. City maintenance was instructed to submit information to Rock County in order to obtain a seal coating bid to include all city streets. The Council reserves the right to reject any and all bids. The Council approved to spend up to $4,000 for rock around the lagoons.Motion by Metzger, seconded by Hoff, to proceed with the sidewalk replacement project along east Main Avenue, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, excluding that portion in front of Blue Chip Book Binding. Verhey Construction will be contacted to begin the project, with a completion date being prior to Friendship Days, June 9th. Council approved to have items within the Legion kitchen, which are no longer useful, to be sold on auction or junked. Motion by Hoff, seconded by Svoboda to donate an additional $1,000 to the Hills Community Club for band costs for the Friendship Days parade, and that this is the last donation that the City of Hills will make toward the 2006 Friendship Days celebration. Beaver Creek and Steen also donated toward band costs. Motion carried. Spring junk pickup for the city residents of Hills is scheduled for May 20th.A Rock County household hazardous waste collection is scheduled for May 9th from 4:00-6:00 p.m., located at the Hills city shop. Discussed complaints of debris from the recycling buildings. A wire fence will be installed on top of the cardboard recycling area; and the pop cans must be removed. The Board of Review meeting for the City of Hills is scheduled for May 9th from 6:30-7:00 p.m.The procedure for negotiating employee salaries and benefits with committee members was discussed. Due to the concern that little to no information was shared with the entire Council, or the employees, prior to a committee member making a motion. Council members outside the committee were under the assumption that an agreement was reached between the committee and the employees prior to bringing it to the table. Mayor Jellema suggested that another meeting be scheduled to discuss this matter. No further discussion, meeting adjourned at 8:08 P.M./s/ Connie J. WiertzemaCity Clerk(5-18)

Hills-Beaver Creek Dist. 671Minutes4-24-06The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met for its semimonthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the library in Hills.Board members present were Leuthold, DeBoer, Harnack, Boeve, Esselink, Fransman. Baker was absent. Superintendent Deragisch and Principal Holthaus were also in attendance. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Esselink. Visitors to the meeting were recognized by the chairman. Visitors were Lexi Moore of The Crescent and representatives of the Hills Community Club regarding the Hills Friendship Days volunteer schedule and schedule of events for June 9, 10, 11. Motion by Fransman, second by Leuthold, and carried to approve the agenda with the addition of item 6.4 Computer Purchases. Patriot Pride: oSuccessful blood drive at Hills with comments from their staff about how mature our students were during the blood drive. oProm went well and students were good. The students were to be commended for such a good job.oAfter-prom activities were enjoyed by students with thanks to the great job done by the junior class parents.Elementary report was given by Mr. Holthaus.High School report was presented by Superintendent Deragisch. The minutes of the last meeting were approved as sent out. Motion by Boeve, second by Harnack, and carried to approve a five year contract with SW/WC for the Trillion Network. Motion by Leuthold, second by Boeve, and carried to approve with regrets the resignation of bus aide Gertrude Hup and bus driver Dick Hup. The board thanks them for their dedicated service to the district.Motion by DeBoer, second by Fransman, and carried to approve with regrets the resignation of Josh Hogberg at the end of the 2005-06 school year. The board thanks him for his service to the district.Motion by Leuthold, second by Boeve, and carried to approve the purchase of 90 new computers at $799.00 per computer.Legislative update was given by Gary Esselink and Mr. Deragisch.First reading for policy #611 – Home schooling and policy #612.1 – Development of Parental Involvement Policies for Title I Programs. An update was given on the health insurance plan. Dates to Remember: May 8 School Board meeting 7:30 p.m. May 22 School Board meeting 7:30 p.m. May 26 Graduation 7:00 p.m.Agenda items for next meeting: Second reading of policies #611 and #612.1Meeting adjourned at 8:43 p.m.Lloyd DeBoer, Clerk(5-18)

May is such a busy month in the lives of families, especially those that have kids in the local school systems and community education programs.I don’t have kids in those areas, but my job at the paper keeps me involved in many of those activities. My May calendar is full, with events during the days, the evenings and often in my dreams as well.I have had to choose, based on space available in the paper, which events I would cover, which would get photos and stories and which might only be mentioned in the community calendar.I would imagine that families go through a similar process. If they watch the high school concert, do they skip the elementary – or do they have to do both? If they attend graduation, must they also be at baccalaureate?During the School Board meeting last week it was mentioned that the H-BC Awards Banquet attendance has fallen drastically over time, to the point that few of the award recipients even show up.This kind of broke my heart. I know that schedules are tight, but this banquet is a celebration of the hard work and dedication that the students, both in athletics and academics, have put in over the past year. We are very lucky to live in a community where the student body is excited to participate – we as a community should be even more excited to celebrate their accomplishments.Not just when they are winning and losing the games or performing, but always.During the award banquet athletic letter winners are named, teams are recognized, academic achievements and scholarships are awarded.In life, the process is always more fun than the reward – but it is the reward that we strive for, thus making the process necessary.It is not fair to think the students would show up excited for this event if the parents and community members aren’t excited. Teenagers learn from example. If mom and dad don’t think this evening is important enough to put on the calendar, chances are the kids don’t think so either. This, in my opinion, is a mini-tragedy at the end of a successful school year.This evening should be the inspiration for younger students. Those not getting an award should still be there, so that they can set goals for next year. If done correctly and with honor, the evening should encourage the entire student body to strive to achieve greater things in the years to come.I can remember my first awards banquet at Madison High School. I was a freshman getting a track letterman’s award. It was a three-hour event with dinner and LOTS of awards. I watched my teammates and upperclassmen get scholarships, plaques and honors I didn’t even know existed. That night I went home with a goal – next year I wanted to be a three sport letter winner.As I watched the winners get their plaques for excelling in three sports, I saw the pride on the faces of everyone in the building. The community, the parents, the coaches, the administration were all proud of these students for their commitment to athletics at our school.The athletes had worked hard to perform well in three sports and more than likely had spent more hours in the gym and on the field than they had at home. They deserved to be honored.Next Wednesday when I show up at the gym to take photos of the brightest and strongest Patriots, I hope to see every chair full. I want to hear the cheers these students deserve. Story ideas or comments can be emailed to Lexi Moore at lexim@star-herald.com or called in at 962-3561.