SAIL classes in Luverne
SAIL classes are being offered every Monday and Wednesday morning now until Aug. 27 at Poplar Creek Estates, 201 Oak Drive, Luverne, on Mondays from 9-10 a.m. and Wednesdays from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Class leaders are A.C.E. Volunteers Kris Waknitz and Diane Noyes.
SAIL classes are also being offered every Monday and Thursday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. until Aug. 28 at the American Reformed Church Social Hall in Luverne, 304 N. Fairview Dr. Class leaders are A.C.E. Volunteers Francis Ladd and Corey Ziegler.
There is no cost to attend these classes, however donations will be accepted. For information or to register, contact Linda Wenzel, 507-283-5064.
Citywide food drive June 22
First Presbyterian Church of Luverne will be doing a citywide food drive for the Rock County Food Shelf at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 22. Place donations in a plastic bag by your front door or steps and drivers will come by to pick them up. Checks made out to the Food Shelf are also accepted.
Touch a Truck Nite – Rescheduled!
Touch a Truck Nite has been rescheduled to Tuesday, June 24. Discover the vehicles that keep our community safe and running at this free family fun event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the south lot at the Luverne Elementary School. A hotdog meal fundraiser for the Rock County Historical Society will be served; freewill donations are accepted.
UMC hosts free meal June 25
The United Methodist Church will host its free community meal at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, in the church fellowship hall in Luverne. All are welcome. A pickup option is available. Call 507-283-4529.
Events offered at Blue Mounds State Park
Oh no! Some of the animals at Blue Mounds State Park have lost their eggs! Stop by the naturalist’s table to help our egg-laying residents refill their nests from 2-4 p.m. Friday, June 20, at Whose Egg is That? Nature Cart. Activity takes about 5-10 minutes. Meet at the Amphitheater.
Minnesota’s raptors are a diverse group of birds. Discover how eagles, hawks, owls and vultures use their unique adaptations to conquer the sky and fulfill their ecological roles from 7-7:45 p.m. Friday, June 20, at Predators of the Sky. Along the way we will learn some key identification tips to increase your confidence in naming these captivating birds of prey. Bring a chair, as seating is limited.
Programs will be canceled in the event of poor weather conditions. Call the park at 507-283-6051 or check the online Events Calendar by scanning the QR code. If you need an accommodation, please contact park staff at bluemounds.statepark@state.mn.us or call, two weeks prior to the event.
Mobile Dental Clinic is June 26
Children’s Dental Services will be in Luverne Thursday, June 26, at the Southwest Health and Human Services community room.
The clinic provides dental care for children and adults in Rock County on a monthly basis.
Call 1-866-543-6009 or 1-612-746-1530 to schedule an appointment.
Eden Lutheran Church annual service June 29
The Eden Lutheran Church of rural Jasper built in 1893 will hold its
annual service at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 29. The church is located two miles east and one mile north of Jasper.
Pastor Mark Jamison will officiate using the order of service from the black Lutheran hymnal. Steve Weets will be the organist.
The church closed in 1923, but in 1940 Clara Miller thought there should be annual services to take a collection for church upkeep and the cemetery. The annual services have continued since.
There is a potluck noon meal served from the tent. At the tolling of the 1 p.m. bell there will be an afternoon business meeting. More
coffee and refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome to attend. The church will be cleaned at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 28. Coffee and sweets will be served after the cleaning.
For more information please call Andrea at 605-553-6357.
July 4 event at The Lake
The Davis Lake Triathlon will be at The Lake Friday, July 4, with the Minnow Race at 8:30 a.m. – individual or team relay; and 9:15 a.m. for the Shark Race – individual or team relay. Both races are open to all ages. Registration and more info
https://runsignup.com/Race/MN/Luverne/DavisLakeTriathlon. A 20 percent coupon code is available at checkout, use “DLT20” to receive your discount.
Nutcracker events July 12
Saturday, July 12, various events will be offered at the Luverne City Park. Beginning between 5-6 a.m. is the self-paced half marathon walk (City Park, Ashby Trail, and Luverne Loop.) At 6:30 a.m. are the half marathon and half marathon relay. The Nutcracker half mile for ages 9-14 begins at 9 a.m. The Nutcracker short half mile (approximately 1/3 mile) for ages 2-8 begins at 9:20 a.m. Just for Nuts half mile, relay or individual, will begin at 9:40 a.m. (as many team members as you want.) Costumes are required; cash prizes to winner and best costumes. Registration and more info
https://runsignup.com/Race/MN/Luverne/NutcrackerHalf Use “Nutcracker20” at checkout to receive a discount.
Library happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
A children’s Summer Reading Program, “Level Up at Your Library,” is underway. The eight-week program is open to children ages infant through teen who may earn fun prizes and a chance to attend an end of summer pizza party based on the number of books read.
Plaza Storytimes is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the Plaza on Main in Luverne. A special story will be read.
Travel Storytime with Bronwyn takes place at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays through July at the city parks in Hills and Hardwick: July 9 and July 23 in Hills, and June 25, July 16 and July 30 in Hardwick.
Three Afternoon Movie events are scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesdays, July 22 and Aug. 19 in the library basement. Movies (in order of viewing) are “The LEGO Movie,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” and “The Wild Robot.”
Snacks and a drink will be provided.
Arts and Craft Wednesdays will occur from 3 to 4 p.m. July 2, July 9, July 16 and July 23 at the library. The event is open to children ages kindergarten through fourth-grade.
All Day Scavenger Hunts are scheduled for Tuesdays June 24, July 8 and Aug. 12. A list of scavenger items is hidden throughout the library where finders can earn prizes. The hunt is open to all ages.
The Spoon Man will perform at 3 p.m. Friday, June 27, at the library. Jim Cruise has played the spoons for more than 35 years and has traveled the U.S. The event is open to all ages.
The Rad Zoo will be at the library at 6 p.m. Monday, June 30. Attendees will be able to touch various reptiles while learning interesting facts.
Park Storytime occurs at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays at various parks in Luverne. Along with a book reading, music and fun activities take place each week. Dates and park locations include:
•July 3, Veterans.
•July 10, Hawkinson.
•July 17, Evergreen.
•July 24: Kolbert.
•July 31, Evergreen.
Teens in Action (grades 5-12) takes place at the library at 4 p.m. Thursdays in July for game playing and socializing.
Climb Theatre will conduct an interactive play, “The Tortoise and the Hare: Rematch,” at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, at the library. The event is open to everyone.
Curtis Hed Magic Show takes place at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, at the library. Comedian and magician Curtis Hed has been performing for more than 40 years. The event is open to all ages.
Adult Spelling Bee will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 31, at Take 16 in Luverne. This debut event will take words from the Scripps National Spelling Bee lists and lists of commonly misspelled words. Teams up to four can complete. Teams must register and are eligible to purchase extra chances for a donation to the Friends of the Library.
Games and Puzzles takes place Tuesday, Aug 5, at the library. All ages are welcome to play games or work on puzzles from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Trivia Night is the first Thursday of each month at Take 16 Brewing Co. in Luverne. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the trivia beginning at 7 p.m.
Books on Tap book club meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month.
Al-Anon meets on Wednesdays
An Al-Anon group will meet each Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the library at United Methodist Church in Luverne. Use the back northwest door for entrance.
Community Ed
Register for the following classes and activities by calling the Community Education office at 507-283-4724.
Play Dates at the Park give parents and their children birth to five years an opportunity to connect informally by meeting at the City Park at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25, July 9, 16, 23, 30, and Aug. 6, 13. No fee, but please call Community Ed to register.
Soccer League meets for four weeks starting on Aug. 5. Children ages 4 through grade 7 as attended during the 24-25 school year may play. After June 9, registrations accepted only if open spots on rosters, and fee will be $60. Final date to register will be Monday, July 7!
Taking Defensive Driving classes allows adults 55 years of age and
older to save on insurance premiums. You are able to take a four-hour class to receive the discount, and then repeat the class every three years to continue receiving the discount. An eight-hour class is no longer required for beginners. The schedule for Luverne classes follows: Four-Hour Classes –Aug. 11.
Slice of Faith offered last Sunday of each month
All are invited to join in an evening of worship, Bible study and pizza. This will be offered the last Sunday of each month through May at the Luverne Pizza Ranch starting at 4 p.m. Enjoy prayer, sharing God’s word, conversation and a delicious buffet! Cost for the pizza buffet will be each participant’s own expense.
ATLAS to host GriefShare
ATLAS of Rock County is hosting a spring session of GriefShare support groups from 6:30-8 p.m. Mondays through May 26 in the ATLAS community center in Luverne. All are welcome to join as it is discovered what is “normal” in grief. The weekly meetings will feature a 30-minute video, followed by discussion, fellowship, and time to work through the participant guide book. This is free of charge. Call or email Matt with questions, 507-227-2569; mdnath1989@gmail.com
Grief Support Group meets once a month
A grief support group meets from noon to 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month in the Blue Mound Room at Sanford Luverne Medical Center, 1600 N. Kniss Avenue. There is no fee to attend. Feel free to bring your own refreshments. Contact Ryan Ostgaard with questions, 605-312-5504.
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.
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.
