Meetings
Parkinson’s Support Group will meet at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, at Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
Free food for seniors Oct. 5
Nutrition Assistance Program for seniors 60 and older, sponsored by A.C.E. of SW MN, will be from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, with drive-thru distribution in the parking lot off Maple Street at the new office location on the east side of Generations Event Center. Pre-registration is required. Call Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064.
Shredding truck Oct. 7
St. Catherine Carmelites will host the Dakota Shred-It truck from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Luverne Laundry Room parking lot. Freewill donations are accepted. Watch your paper being shredded on the truck monitor. No need to remove staples or paperclips.
Rock the Edge hosts annual food drive Oct. 8
Rock The Edge will host the 8th Annual Citywide Food Drive on Sunday, Oct. 8. Youth will be canvassing the city of Luverne beginning at 3 p.m. Please place non-perishable food items in a bag and place on your porch or outside your front door (please, no out-of-date
items). Help us help others.
Community Ed
Call 507-283-4724 to register.
Learn how to find the answers about your ancestry at Beginning Genealogy on Oct. 9. Fee is $10.
Taking Defensive Driving Classes allows adults 55 years of age and older to save on insurance premiums. After the beginning 8-hour class, every 3 years drivers take a 4-hour refresher class. The schedule for Luverne classes follows:
Refresher 4-Hour Classes –Oct. 9, Nov. 13, or Dec. 11; Beginner 8-Hour Class Feb. 5 and 12 (4 hours each evening)
Learn how to use Google Sheets to create spreadsheets for work or home at Google Sheets for Awesome Beginners on Oct. 10. This is a virtual class offered through Zoom on Oct. 10. Join us at Community Education or attend from your home or office. Fee is $20.
Children 0-5 years along with parents are invited to use the Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom for Outdoor Play Time on Oct. 18. There is a morning or evening session. No fee, but registration required.
Register by Oct. 18: Students (grades K-6) can learn to decorate Halloween-themed cookies like a professional at B's Bakehouse on Oct. 28. Fee is $35.
72nd Annual DFL Chuckwagon Feed Oct. 10
The Rock County DFL will host its 72nd Annual Chuckwagon Feed from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Take 16 Brewing Company, 509 E. Main Street in Luverne.
All proceeds from the Chuckwagon Feed will go to support Democratic Farm-Labor candidates.
Bloodmobile in Jasper Oct. 11
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will accept donations from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Make an appointment at redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767. A blood donor card or driver’s license are required at check-in.
‘Paint the Prairie Purple’ Oct. 8-13
To help raise awareness and show support for the Dementia Awareness Walk on Oct. 14, organizers encourage “Paint the Prairie Purple” during the week of Oct. 8-13. Pictures of decorated home and business exteriors can be sent to ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us
The event is sponsored by SW MN Dementia Awareness Network (SWDAN).
Dementia Walk Oct. 14
The Dementia Awareness Walk is Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Luverne City Park. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with the walk at 10 a.m.
One hundred percent of the funds raised will remain local and be used to increase awareness and to promote dementia education.
In case of inclement weather, the walk will take place at the Generations Event Center in Luverne.
For more information or to register contact Linda Wenzel at A.C.E. of SW MN, 507-283-5064.
Caregivers classes Oct. 17-Nov. 21
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota will provide Powerful Tools for Caregivers classes beginning Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 9:30-11 a.m. Classes will be held consecutively each Tuesday until Nov. 21. There is no cost to attend, however donations are accepted. Pre-registration is required.
For more information or to register contact Linda Wenzel at A.C.E. of SW MN, 507-283-5064.
CoffeeBreak Storyhour meets Tuesdays
CoffeeBreak meets at 9:30 a.m. each Tuesday to study the Bible, starting with Mark 9-16.
StoryHour is for children 3 years old through kindergarten. Nursery is available for the littlest ones. There is no charge or no prior Bible knowledge is necessary. All faiths and all ages are welcome. Call Kristi Stroeh at 507-227-5102 with questions, or email kristi.stroeh@hotmail.com
Census info needed for preschoolers
Families new to the community are encouraged to call Luverne Community Education at 507-283-4724 with information on children ages 0 up to kindergarten.
The district uses the information for planning purposes and to alert families about school opportunities. Families with 4-year-olds not yet screened for preschool should call to schedule a screening prior to kindergarten.
SAIL classes continue in Beaver Creek
SAIL classes meet from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. every Monday through Wednesday through Oct. 25 in the Beaver Creek City Council Meeting Room. The free classes, Stay Active and Independent for Life, improve strength and balance. Call A.C.E. of SW MN manager Linda Wenzel, 507-283-5064 or A.C.E. volunteer Nancy Lange, 605-838-5915.
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Story Time with Bronwyn is 10:30 a.m. Fridays through Nov. 17.
Books on Tap takes place at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at Take 16 in Luverne.
The 50 State Challenge for adults and older teens is currently underway where patrons are encouraged to read a book set in one of each of the 50 states through Jan. 1, 2024.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration is at 6 p.m.
Kits available at library
Libraries in the Plum Creek Library System have Storytelling Kits in a wide range of subjects from ABCs to Zoos. Each of the more than 130 kits contains a variety of materials based on the kit’s theme. Some include Wonderbooks, puppets, music CDs and DVDs. Various learning activities can also be found in the kits.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging loved ones to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
STEAM kits are also available checkout. Motion, lights, hydropower, robotics and magnets are among the kits.
Food Shelf evening hours
The Rock County Food Shelf is open for an additional evening shift from 5 to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Call Mary at 507-227-5548 or Katie at 507-227-3531.
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.