Todd-WadenaTodd-Wadena ourierC Volume 24 • Issue 2 • December 2014

Call 218.756.2131 Call 218.756.2131 for advertising in next month’s issuefor advertising in next month’s issue

FREE

by Karin L. Nauberkarin@inhnews.com

“Jingle jingle jingle...” It could be the sound of the loose change in your pocket. It could also be the sound of those same coins “jingling” into a Salvation Army Christmas Kettle, prompted by the sound of a Salva-tion Army bell being rung by a vol-unteer to raise money for the com-munity. Every Christmas season in many cities around the world, you will see (and hear) a Salvation Army volun-teer ringing their bell to draw your attention to the worthy causes they support in their respective commu-nities. Todd County Chaplain David Greaver became involved with the Salvation Army in 1997 in Crow Wing County. He brought that servant attitude with him when he began to work with the Salvation Army in Todd County. The Salvation Army is an in-ternational movement which is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible and its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gos-pel of Jesus Christ and to meet hu-man needs in His name without dis-crimination. That is the part where the bell ringers come in to play. They help raise funds to meet the needs of hu-mans. The Salvation Army helps meet the various needs of humans in many ways throughout the year. “They may help when a tragedy occurs such as a fl ood. Volunteers might go pack sand bags or set up canteens to cook foods. They might serve coffee or provide portable housing or set a church up with cots

for victims,” said Greaver. Enos Schwartzentruber, who volunteers for the local Salvation Army, also shared many of the things that are done in Todd County with the limited budget they have. They help victims of fi res and provide resources for people such as prescriptions, clothing or other immediate needs. “We can help transients with up to two nights in a motel. The kettle funds go for things like that,” said Schwartzentruber. There is a motel in St. Cloud that has been converted and can also be used to host someone up to 30 days while they work with the person to help get them back on their feet. The Salvation Army has helped people with their heating bills, act-ing as a supplement in a time of need. It has helped people with diapers for babies or food from Co-borns in an emergency situation. It has even helped with providing gas vouchers for someone to get to and from a doctor’s appointment. Schwarzentruber told about the back to school project which annu-ally provides backpacks and sup-plies for children. This alone is a $1500 annual expense. When the devastating tornado hit Wadena a few years back, Sal-vation Army volunteers spent three weeks in the area serving food to volunteers and families who had lost everything. Volunteers also took food and drinks around to those who were actively working on cleanup around the city. They have helped people in do-mestic situations by providing them a safe place and connecting them with services. “We are an active organization

Salvation Army reaching out one ‘ring’ at a time

The Salvation Army is currently in need of volunteers to serve as bell ringers during the holiday season.

by Karin L. Nauberkarin@inhnews.com

“Were you at the big party on Satur-day? Yeah, we were all trashed, it was a lot of fun!”

A Monday morning might sound like this in a high school hallway. But how much of it is reality?

“Helping our children choose to be chemical free,” is the motto for the Wadena County Chemical Health Awareness and Multi-Drug Prevention program (CHAMP).

Using positive messages about the re-ality of teen useage of alcohol and other drugs, the message is clear: Instead of fo-cusing on the negative, let’s use positve messages about our children who are making good and healthy choices.

In 2008, Wadena County launched the MOST of US campaign through their public health department to highlight the difference between the reality and the perceptions about teen drinking. The re-search based campaign is funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Part of that research shows that “most kids overes-timate the extent to which their peers are using alco-hol. Once they know the facts that their peers aren’t all using alcohol they cut their alcohol use because they want to be like the biggest share of the crowd.”

So maybe it just “sounds cool” to be part of the big party group when in reality, that group is much smaller and getting smaller.

The campaign is based on the results of the MOST of US survey of high schools in the target communi-ties.

Helping Wadena County children choose to be chemical free

CHAMP: Chemical Health Awareness and Multi-Drug Prevention in Wadena County

Keeping Wadena County children alcohol and drug-free is one of the goals of the CHAMP Coalition.

by Karin L. Nauberkarin@inhnews.com

“People used to handle their problems, now they want to cover them up with drugs or alcohol,” a perspective from an 81-year-old Clarissa woman. “Everyone is doing it...” “Studies show...” With all the sound bites, propa-ganda, faulty perceptions and ev-erything else surrounding drug and alcohol use and abuse, it is hard to separate the fact from the fi ction when it comes to who is using and who is not; how often and if they are even using anything at all. Todd County Citizens Against Drugs Coalition (CAD) was formed in 2005 to address the meth issue which was a drug that was impact-ing Todd County as well as the state of Minnesota as a whole at that time. The coalition was originally

formed in the Todd County Sher-iff’s Department to help combat the use and educate the citizens of the county about the dangers of meth. Later it became a part of the Todd County Public Health department. Since that time a lot has changed with the coalition. In 2010 the co-alition was not very active, but was still meeting monthly and discuss-ing ways to address the issues of alcohol use among teens. Around that time, the Minnesota Student Survey showed that there was an alcohol abuse problem in the Long Prairie-Grey Eagle and Browerville schools which was above the state averages. A Planning and Implementation grant was applied for and received through the Minnesota Department of Human Services to address the abuse. The coalition was sort of “reformed” under the guidance of the Todd County Public Health De-

partment to implement the grant re-quirements. A big part of the focus now is youth alcohol prevention and changing the perspectives of not only the community, but also of the young people. The program, instead of focus-ing on the high numbers of those who were using, switched the focus to the positive choices that many of the students in the two school dis-tricts are making on a regular basis. David Determan is the local coalition coordinator of the Youth Alcohol Prevention part of the pro-gram and helped with the reforming of the coalition. According to Lynn Halmrast, Region 3 prevention coordinator, “We know the grant funding is about communities transforming...and at the core of this change pro

Todd County Citizens Against Drugs

Changing lives by changing perceptions

Continued on page 8

Continued on page 9

Continued on page 10

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 2

From Todd County Dairy FarmersFrom November 24 until December 19

when shopping at our local grocery stores for dairy products, enter to win a

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Todd County ADA

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According to weather forecast-ers, the winter of 2014–15 will see below-normal temperatures for about three-quarters of the nation. That means snow blowers could be getting a workout this winter. The Outdoor Power Equipment Insti-tute (OPEI) offers the following safety tips to assist homeowners, contractors and business owners as they power up their snow removal equipment. • Make sure your snow blower is in good working order, before the fi rst fl akes fall. Change the oil. Install a new spark plug and in-spect the belts to be sure they are in good working order. If you forgot to drain the fuel last winter before storing your snow blower, drain the tank now. Check the auger (always in the “off” position) and adjust any cables. Make sure it starts. • Review your owner’s manual. Read your owner’s manual and review safe handling procedures from your manufacturer. • Before it snows, clear the path-ways you intend to use. Snow can

sometimes hide objects that might clog the chute of a snow blower, or cause damage to the machine or people nearby. Remove doormats, sleds, boards, wires, and other de-bris from the pathways you intend to clear. • Use the right fuel. It’s impor-tant to have the proper fuel on hand, as fi lling stations may be closed if there is a power outage after a snowstorm. Store fuel properly and buy the type of fuel recommended by your equipment’s manufacturer. It is illegal to use any fuel with more than 10% ethanol content in outdoor power equipment. • Handle fuel carefully. Use non-spill containers with spouts. Fill up the fuel tank outside before you start the engine and while the engine is cold. Never add fuel to a running or hot engine. Store fuel in a clean, dry, ventilated area, and never near a pilot light, stove, or heat source. Never smoke around fuel. • Dress properly for the job. Wear adequate winter garments and

footwear that can handle slippery sur-faces. Put on safety glasses, and avoid loose fi tting clothing that could get caught in moving parts. Tie back long hair. • Operate your snow blower in vis-ible conditions. Nev-er operate the snow blower without good visibility or light. • Aim carefully and avoid people and cars. Never throw snow toward people or cars. Do not al-low anyone to stand in front of your snow blower. Keep chil-dren or pets away from your snow blower when it is op-erating. • Use extreme

caution on slopes and hills. Do not clear snow across the face of slopes. Be cautious when changing direc-tions on slopes. Do not attempt to clear steep slopes. • Turn OFF your snow blower if you need to clear a clog or repair it. If you have to repair your machine, remove debris or unclog built up snow, always turn off your snow blower. Wait for all moving parts to come to a complete stop. Discon-nect the spark plug wire or power cord. KEY SAFETY TIP: Never put your hands inside the auger or chute. Use a clean out tool (or stick) to unclog wet snow or debris from your snow blower. Your hands should never go inside the auger or chute. • Know where your cord is. If you have an electric powered snow blower, be aware of where the pow-er cord is at all times. Avoid trip-ping. Do not run over the power cord.

Snow blower safety starts before you power up your equipment Why shop at a locally owned business fi rst? The following ten

reasons show how more money spent at local businesses is rein-vested in your community creating diversity and helping the com-munity maintain or create its unique appeal. 1. Shopping local creates jobs. Shops in our town create local employment and self-employment. These people in turn spend in the local community. 2. Local independent shops invest more in our communities. Local businesses are proportionately more generous in their support of local charities, schools and community events. Supporting local shops means a fi nancial impact on your community. 3. Local shops sell a wide range of great products at afford-able prices. Many people fall out of the habit of shopping locally and are then surprised by the range of products and gifts available. 4. Shopping local saves you money. Out of town shops have done a good job of convincing us that local business equals ex-pensive. If you add travel, fees to transfer items and your time, the overall cost is often much higher. 5. Shopping local retains our communities. People don’t like losing shops and services in small towns but don’t equate this to how they spend their money. 6. Shopping local retains our distinctiveness. Independent shops create distinctive shopping experiences and stock different products. Local businesses respond quickly to the needs of local customers, stocking products to meet the changing population needs. 7. Shopping local saves the environment. Local shops often stock a high percentage of local sourced goods which do not require long car and bus journeys, helping reduce our global footprint. 8. Local shops are for everyone. Most people can get to their local shops easily and this is especially important for the elderly and young generations and those without transportation. 9. Local shops value you more. Evidence from numerous sur-veys show people receive better customer care and service locally. These businesses survive by their reputation and repeat business, which means you get a higher standard of service. 10. Shopping local saves services. Private and public sector ser-vices tend to cluster around shops. As shops disappear so do hair-dressers, banks, restaurants, etc.

SO SHOP SMART. SHOP LOCAL.

Ten Reasons to Shop Local

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 3

2014 Todd County Transfer Station Product Price List

320-594-2210 • 1 mile South of Browerville on Hwy. 71 “We’re not just the dump anymore!”

HOURS:Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. • Sat. 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Garbage (Assorted material that is not specifically identified on this list)ALL GARBAGE MUST BE WEIGHED Furniture (Including couches, chairs, mattress, box springs) ............................................................$5.00

Brown Goods (VCRs, Stereos, etc...) .........................................................................$5.00 Computer monitor/TVs .............................................................................................$10.00 Bulbs Ballast ..........................................................................................................................$5.00 Fluorescent bulbs over 4 feet ...............................................................................................................$1.00 under 4 feet .............................................................................................................$1.00 Mercury Vapor ........................................................................................................$5.00

White Goods (Refrigerators, Freezers, Dishwashers, Microwaves, ranges, washers, dryers, furnaces, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, water heaters, water coolers ...............$7.00Camper Refrigerators ...........................................................................................$50.00

Tires (Prices double if tires are on the rim) Passenger .....................................................................................................................$2.00 Pickup (large 4 ply) .....................................................................................................$3.00 Truck (20” or larger diameter) ....................................................................................$5.00 Large quantity (car, pickup, tractor) price per ton ...........$150.00 (.075 cents per pound) Demolition (As defined in Minnesota State Statutes) Large quantity (10 yards or more at landfill) price per yard ......................................$8.00 Demolition (Transfer Station) price per yard............................................................$10.00 Concrete (Separate load at landfill) price per yard .....................................................$4.00 Concrete (Transfer Station) price per yard .................................................................$8.00 Demolition landfill gate fee ........................................................................................$5.00 Stumps (price per yard at Landfill ..............................................................................$4.00 Demolition Containers Rent per day ............................................................................................................$5.00 Mileage per mile charge round trip ........................................................................$2.50 Todd County min charge per trip ........................................................................$50.00 Prices DO NOT include Sales Tax

Free Items (Brush, leaves, grass clippings, auto batteries & scrap iron) ............................................................................................ FREE

HHW (Household Hazardous Waste)-Open May to SeptemberPaints, automotive products, pesticides and anything with Signal words (caution, warning, danger and poison) on label. ........................................................................................... FREE

*17% State Solid Waste Tax

TODD COUNTY RESIDENTS RECYCLINGPlastics Glass Tin & Aluminum

ONLY #1 & #2 PLASTICCONTAINERS WITH NECKS

Must be CleanCaps & Rings Removed

No Oil Jugs - No StyrofoamNO OTHER PLASTICS

NO PLASTIC BAGS: Grocery,Salt or Dog Food

FOOD, BEVERAGE GLASS& CONTAINER GLASS

Must be Clean - NO LidsNO BROKEN GLASS

NO Window Glass, Ceramic, Porcelain,

Mirrors or Light Bulbs

TIN FOOD CANSMust be Clean

ALUMINUM Beverage Cans

NO Aluminum Foil Containers

CorrugatedCardboard

Newspapers &Newspapers

Junk Mail & Misc. Paper

Broken DownBundle Securely

NO Waxed CardboardNO STYROFOAM

Of ce Paper, Phone Books, Computer Paper, Junk Mail,Pop, Cereal & Cake Boxes

ARE Accepted for Recyclingbut you Must Remove Plastic

From Inside the Box

Paper Products Do Not Need To Be In Orange BagsBundle Securely or Place in Paper Grocery Bag and Tie or Tape Closed.

ONLY THE ITEMS LISTED ARE RECYCLING IN THE TODD COUNTY RECY-CLING PROGRAM. QUESTIONS ABOUT RECYCLING? CALL 320-594-2210.

The 2014 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey found that the percent of high school students who smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days dropped from 18.1 percent in 2011 to 10.6 percent in 2014. This decline in cigarette smoking, the steepest ever recorded by the Minnesota youth survey, follows extensive efforts to curb cigarette smoking including a 2013 tobacco tax, bans on indoor smoking, and tighter restrictions on youth access to to-bacco products. Minnesota also saw de-clines between 2011 and 2014 in the use of chewing tobacco and cigars, according to the survey. However, for the fi rst time, the survey also asked about e-cigarette use and found that 12.9 percent of high school students used or tried an electronic cigarette in the past 30 days. The survey found that 28 per-cent of high school students reported ever having tried an e-cigarette. “These new fi ndings indicate that our statewide efforts to reduce and prevent con-ventional tobacco use among Minnesota children are working,” said Minnesota De-partment of Health Commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “At the same time, we are seeing a wild-west approach toward e-cigarettes, which allows tobacco companies unlimited marketing access to young men and wom-en. This has led to increasing numbers of Minnesota high school and middle school students using e-cigarettes.” Many young people are being exposed to nicotine, which is highly addictive, through e-cigarettes. An estimated 85,900 Minne-sota public school students in grades 6-12 have tried e-cigarettes, and 38,400 reported using them in the past 30 days. Nicotine is known to harm adolescent brain devel-opment. Nearly one-fourth of high school students who have tried an e-cigarette have never tried another tobacco product.

M i n n e s o t a high school stu-dents are exposed to a wide range of e-cigarette marketing tactics previously used to sell cigarettes. More than half of high school stu-dents, 57 percent, saw e-cigarette ads on TV in the past 30 days. About half, 48 percent, saw ads in convenience stores. Students also saw e-ciga-rettes in ads on the Internet, maga-zines and bill-boards, and in the hands of actors in movies or on TV.

Retailers have also started selling candy fl a-vored e-cigarette products. “I have a sense of déjà vu about e-ciga-rettes,” Ehlinger said. “Tobacco companies are using old and well-tested marketing techniques to introduce children to a new product that delivers nicotine and poten-tially leads to the burden of addiction. We need to take a hard look at what actions we can take at local and state levels to stop this trend,” Ehlinger said. E-cigarettes are having such an impact in high schools that though the percent of high school students using any of the con-ventional tobacco products in the past 30 days fell from 25.8 percent in 2011 to 19.3 percent in 2014, the overall rate of tobacco use including e-cigarettes stayed about the same at 24.2 percent. E-cigarettes are often cheap to buy, can be purchased on the Internet, and are avail-able in an array of fruit and candy fl avors. E-cigarettes are not regulated by the FDA and the overall health risks are unknown. The 2014 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Sur-vey included many questions about new products, especially electronic cigarettes, as well as traditional conventional tobacco products. Public schools and classrooms across the state were selected at random and invited to participate. Overall, 4,243 students in grades 6 through 12 took the survey. Minnesota youth also continued to use menthol cigarettes. Menthol masks the harshness and irritation that new smokers may feel. Nearly half of high school smok-ers (44.3 percent) usually smoke menthols. In contrast, only 22.0 percent of Minnesota adult smokers usually smoke menthols. For more information on e-cigarettes, visit http://www.health.state.mn.us/eciga-rettes.

Cigarette use among high school students drops to 10.6%

The percentage of high school students who smoke cigarettes has dropped to 10.6 percent.

Artists, of any artistic discipline, who desire to improve their online presence and want to connect to more opportuni-ties, communities, and conversations, both locally and regionally are invited to attend a free workshop to learn how to use the newly redesigned Mn Artists.org’s web-site. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, December 2, from 6-8 p.m. at the Nation-al Joint Powers Alliance building at 202 12th St NE, Staples. A light dinner will be served at 5:30, with networking opportu-nities from 8- 9 p.m. MnArtists.org is a dynamic online com-munity dedicated to supporting and im-proving the quality of art and artists in the Midwest through responsive arts reporting and criticism, and by creating access to, and connections with, collaborators, infl u-encers, and audiences around the country. MnArtists has undergone a major redesign that launched in November 2014. This workshop will show artists how to best use the new site’s professional devel-

opment tools. Artists will be given you a tour of the redesigned MnArtists.org site, learn how to create an artist profi le com-plete with work samples, and leave the session having created their new web pro-fi le. The workshop and dinner is free, but registration is required due to space avail-able. To register go to www.fwac.org or call 877-654-2166 or e-mail vicki.fwac@arvig.net When registering, please indi-cate your discipline, level of technological experience and if a laptop is needed. This artist professional development opportunity is provided by a generous grant from the McKnight Foundation and Mn Artists.org As one of 11 regional arts councils in Minnesota, the Five Wings Arts Council encourages and promotes arts creation, appreciation, and education through grant programs and technical assistance to en-hance the quality of life for Minnesota residents in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena Counties.

Mn Artists.org and Five Wings Arts Council provides free workshop for artists

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 4

Dahlman Abstract Company

320-732-3997 Fax: 320-732-6162

332 Central Ave Long Prairie ( Located next to the Post Office )

SERVING TODD COUNTY WITH COMPLETE

ABSTRACTING SERVICES

Incorporated since 1958

Dr. Peter Brenny

Dentist218-894-2755Emergency and new patients welcome.

Central Minnesota

Electric, Inc.

Complete Professional

Wiring Service

John Wippler& Al Poser

The Affordable Professionals

320-632-3946320-749-2449

Doug’s excavating, inc.Doug Kaiser

15961 County 65 • Long Prairie, MN 56347

320-732-2935 • Cell: 877-836-8661320-732-2935 • Cell: 877-836-8661Call for FREE Estimates!

Water LinesBasementsDemolitionFinal GradesDrivewaysFill Sand

Dozer WorkDump Truck

HaulingSeptic Systems

FootingsBlack Dirt

Statema Backhoe Service, LLC Free Estimates

From design to installation Compliance inspections

Licensed-Bonded-Insured

•Site Prep

•Basements

•Waterlines

•Driveways

•Landscaping

•Black Dirt

•Gravel

•Fill Dirt

• Clearing & Grading

•Ditch Cleaning

• Snow Plowing-Commercial &

Residential

• Construction & Abandonment of

Manure Pits

Andy Statema 320-594-2912

Toll Free 888-594-6347

MPCA Certified Septic Systems

Staples

Thread Shed II218-895-5023

Sauk Centre

Thread Shed III320-352-2829

Stop by one of the 3 Thread Sheds Today!

Clothing for Everyone, Household Items, Tools, Toys & Misc.

THREAD SHEDSBrowerville

Thread Shed I320-594-6456

Twardowski Excavating, Inc.From Design to Installation

• Dozer Work• Trackhoe Excavator Work• Dump Truck Hauling• Bobcat Work• Demolition• Driveways• Basements• Black Dirt• Fill Dirt• Waterlines

SEPTIC SYSTEMS

Chad TwardowskiLong Prairie

Cell: 320-760-1127Home: 320-732-3809

• Licensed Bonded Insured •FREE Estimates

24 Hour Emergency Service

www.east-westrealty.com

Long Prairie ~ 320-732-2222Bill Nelson, Broker

One’s sure to have your name on it!Arlen Muenzhuber ~ Jamie Flan ~ Mona LaDue ~ Brandon Kelly

If you’re looking to buy,stop in and see one of our sales agents.

We have many listings...

Vanguard Insurance Services,Inc.

Independent Agent • Joe Pesta Agency529 Lake St. S. P.O. Box 28, Long Prairie, MN 56347

320-732-6629 Fax: 320-732-1907

•Auto •Home •Life •Health •Farm

•Business

Knotty PineKnotty PineBallroomBallroom

FOR ALL YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

• Banquets• Weddings• Graduations

LIVE MUSIC • BEER• SET-UPS320-594-2248Blake Dixon - Owner

Located 1 mile South of Browerville on Hwy. 71RESERVE YOUR 2014 DATES NOW!

National Do Not Call List

1-888-382-1222Your name remains on the

list for five years.or register at

www.ftc.gov/donotcall

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 5

BARB’S PET BOARDING

• Climate Controlled Inside Runs or Outdoor Kennels• Pets Exercise in Large Fenced Areas

Often Throughout The Day• Sunday Pickup Available

Located on Hwy. 27 - 1 1/4 miles West of Hwy. 71(Between Sauk Centre & Long Prairie)

Barb Graves 320-732-3636

Noska Plumbing & Heating

Master Plumbers #PM003101 • Well Contractors #00143

Free Estimates

Complete Sales & Service• Furnaces • Water Pumps

• Water Softeners • Air Conditioners320-594-6366 • Doug Noska

Browerville

FEED - SEED - FERTILIZER

Pro Ag ServiceClarissa (218) 756-2112 • Eagle Bend (218) 738 2552

DrywallTilingTaping

FramingRoofing

Lic # BC634520

Noska Construction LLC

Grant Noska27476 County 26

Browerville, MN 56438

320-630-3638

Browerville & Clarissa • 218-756-2226Long Prairie • 320-732-6922 Eagle Bend • 218-738-3462

Todd County Veterinary Clinic

Large & Small Animals

Dr. J.J. SauerDr. J.R. Pieper • Dr. C.W. Hanvy

Heating & Cooling Systems • Sheetmetal WorkWater Pumps

Plumbing Supplies & Fixtures For The Do-it-Yourselfer

GIZAPLUMBING & HEATING

EST. 1934

MARV GIZA GREG GIZA061803PM 062674PM

218-894-2284 • after hours: 218-894-1127115 5th St. NE, Staples, MN

FREE CLASSIFIEDSCall 218.756.2131 to place your FREE Line Classifi ed for Non-Businesses.

$9 • 20 words • additional words 20¢For Business Ads

WANTED TO BUY

Standing Timber, all species.Specializing in selective

harvesting. We also do clear-cuts

Baum’s Custom Logging & Firewood Sales

Burtrum, MNOffi ce: 320-285-3565

320-815-1863

RFARM EQUIPMENT REPAIR

Bakke's epair & Radiator Shop

e-mail: tony.bakke@yahoo.com

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8-5:30 p.m. • Sat. 8-noonHours: Mon.-Fri. 8-5:30 p.m. • Sat. 8-noon300 Hwy. 71 • Eagle Bend • 218-738-5892300 Hwy. 71 • Eagle Bend • 218-738-5892

Tony's cell: 320-808-0221Tony's cell: 320-808-0221

WE FIX ANY COLOR TRACTOR!WE FIX ANY COLOR TRACTOR!

Visit our website:

www.inhnews.com

CALL US WITH NEWS218-756-2131

Steidl, Zwieg & Associates

®

®

Area of Focus -

Investment advisory services and products are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser.

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC.

© 2014 Ameriprise Financial, Inc., All rights reserved.

305 N. Bridge St.P.O. Box 154Clarissa, MN

56440

Open Since1988

Business218-756-2256

Dan’sDan’sSNOWMOBILE AND ATV SALVAGESNOWMOBILE AND ATV SALVAGE

Used Parts forATVs and Snowmobiles

Largest selection of Used Parts in Central Minnesota

www.danssalvage.com

NEED GOOD HAY? Small squares upland grass–$3; Large rounds 5x5 upland grass alfalfa mixed 5¢ lb. Can deliver. Frank 218-894-2243 Cell 320-533-0086.

WE

WA

NT

YO

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PH

OTO

S!

Show Off Show Off

Your CatchYour Catch

Wit h Us!Wit h Us!Send your photo to:

news@inhnews.comor bring it in & we will publish it.

INDEPENDENTNDEPENDENT

NEWS HEREWS HERALDALD310 West Main Street • Clarissa

609 North Main Street • Browerville121 Farwell St. • Verndale • P.O. Box 188 • Clarissa, MN 56440

218-756-2131 • 218-445-6397 • 320-594-2911

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 6

EECUSTOM CUSTOM SMOKEHOUSESMOKEHOUSE EEBBQ EATERYBBQ EATERYEEFRESH CUT FRESH CUT MEATS MEATS EECATERINGCATERING

Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.Serving starts 11 a.m.

(Hwy. 10 West) • Wadena, MN

TYLER TYLER EHRMANTRAUTEHRMANTRAUT{218} {218} 632632 66666666

Clarissa Drug218-756-2242

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

From Rick, Jane, Cindy, Kathy, Carrie & Gina

Will be closed Christmas Day& Sat., Dec. 27

Reg. Hours: M-F 8-5:30Sat. 8-noon

Life insurance can help protect your family, your dreams and your lifestyle today. As your needs change, it can also offer tax advantages and a source of potential income for you in retirement.

Contact us about an insurance checkup today!

Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Thrivent Financial representatives are licensed insurance agents/producers of Thrivent. For additional important information, visit Thrivent.com/disclosures. Thrivent Financial and its representatives and employees cannot provide legal, accounting, or tax advice or services. Work with your Thrivent Financial representative and, as appropriate, your attorney and tax professional for additional information.

28145F N4-14

INSURANCECHECKUP

MAKE LIFE WORK FOR YOU

Robert M. MuellerCLTC®, FICFinancial Associate

Office: 218-894-2161Toll-free: 888-602-4942

Konetzko’s Meat MarketBrowerville • 320-594-2915

Wishing Everyone A Merriest of Holidays!

We look forward to doing business with you in 2014.

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com

Facebook. A place to connect with friends and family, advertise a business, upload pictures or play a game and the only place I know of where you can write on a “wall” and not get scolded by parents. On February 4, 2004 a Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg, then 19-years-old, and his friends Edu-ardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes launched Thefacebook.com, forever changing social media and connect-ing with friends and family. Zuckerberg was known for the site FaceMash. That site almost got him expelled from Harvard because he hacked into nine dormitory house pages, bypassing the security and took the identifi cation photos which he loaded onto the site. On Face-Mash random pictures would come up side-by-side and you would rate who was better looking. In just four hours the site had 450 visitors and 22,000 photo views. That site was the second he had created after CourseGraph which had 2000 users from Harvard inputting course infor-mation in that service which helped him to learn how to build new things and set up a developer ecosystem that aided in the foundation of Face-book. After launching Thefacebook, Harvard seniors Cameron and Ty-ler Winklevoss and Divya Narendra claimed that Zuckerberg stole their idea. They claimed they had hired on Zuckerberg to make a social net-working site for Harvard students called the HarvardConnection, later changed to ConnectU. They fi led a lawsuit that was settled in 2008 for 1.2 million in shares of the company. Facebook wasn’t always open to everyone. When the site launched in 2004, it was only open to Har-vard students. Then it expanded to Columbia, Yale and Stanford uni-versities before being opened to all universities in the United States and Canada. It required a college e-mail address to register. That is when Sean Parker, co-founder of the music sharing site Napster, came aboard and they moved their opera-tions to Palo Alto, California and received their fi rst investment from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. In 2005 the company dropped “the” from the title and purchased the domain name Facebook.com for $200,000. They also launched the high school version of the web-site which required an invitation to join. The membership had expanded to several big companies including Apple and Microsoft. On September 26, 2006 the site was opened to any-one over 13 and had a valid email address. And the “Like” button was launched in 2010. The company moved to Menlo Park, California in early 2011. In May of 2012 the company was valued at $104 billion, the largest valuation for a newly listed public company when they began to sell

stocks. Facebook is one of two sites that is most frequently visited online coming in second to Google. Facebook had opened the door to staying connected with everyone, but not without some drawbacks. It has been a gateway for cyber bul-lying, cyber stalking, people have lost jobs because of what they said on their pages being exposed, lewd content among many other things. Approximately 20,000 profi les are taken offl ine by Facebook for these infractions along with spam and un-derage use to boost their security ef-forts. “How on earth did we stalk our exes, remember our co-worker’s birthdays, bug our friends and play a rousing game of Scrabulous before Facebook?,” said Entertainment Weekly on its “best of” list. “I like that I can keep in touch with friends from years ago that 10 to 15 years ago I never would have been able to. But I really hate the fact that it is desensitizing youth. The majority of their interaction is online and they are not interacting the way they should. One of my kids had a phase where he would meet girls online, chat and then felt like he knew that person will enough to travel to neighboring towns and meet them. Not safe. And that’s just the top of the ol’ ice berg,” said Jes-sica Zacharias from Otter Tail, Min-nesota. “I like it because it’s easier to connect with friends and fam-ily through changing duty stations around the globe. What I dislike about it is it’s easier for people to fi nd out things about you that you never intended for them to know due to Facebook constantly chang-ing their platforms sharing policies and privacy procedures,” said Teresa Dunn of Spokane, Washington. Facebook did have to face the Federal Trade Commission in 2011 for failing to keep privacy promises and has stepped up their defenses since. The National Security Agency has supposedly been viewing Face-book profi les since 2010. Creepy.

So Facebook isn’t perfect and they are constantly updating and changing the site to make it more secure and user friendly. Many have the app for their phones and are con-nected at all times. They are creating new features and updating existing ones constantly. They have almost 6000 employ-ees and 1.19 billion monthly active users. According to Facebook’s sta-tistics, in 2013, the most talked about person on the site was Pope Francis, the biggest relationship status was “engaged” or “married,” the most talked about movie was The Conjur-ing and most talked about book was Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander by Phil Robertson just to name a few. Facebook has also been the center of pop culture with the movie The Social Network (which Zuckerberg has claimed also is inaccurate), the book by Ben Mezrich The Acciden-

tal Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook and has been the center of many television parodies. Zuckerberg is now 29 and worth $19 billion dollars. He is selling 41.4 million shares of stock in his com-pany worth $2.61 billion to help pay for taxes. “Like” it or not, Facebook has changed the way we all communi-cate and stay connected.

The origin and how it changed communication

Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook when he was 19 and a sophomore at Harvard. He is now 29 and worth $19 billion.

— photo from biography.com

Facebook’s Like Button was launched in 2010. Facebook is liked by 107,319,126 people. If you like too many things to quickly, an error message will display saying you have to stop liking for fi ve minutes.

America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders is now launching in 40 states, with more than $500,000 worth of scholarships available. Sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, the program provides $1,500 col-lege scholarships to students pursu-ing a degree related to agriculture. Starting November 15, high school seniors and college students in Min-nesota and other eligible states can apply for this opportunity. Farmers know the rewards of a career in agriculture, but many of today’s youth may not. Luckily, there is an abundance of evidence that agriculture is a smart career choice. According to the USDA, nearly 55,000 jobs in agriculture are available every year. Many of the nation’s largest land-grant institu-tions, such as Penn State and Texas A&M University, report job place-ment rates above 90% for their ag students. Grow Ag Leaders helps engage future generations in agriculture by raising awareness of the broad range of career opportunities in the indus-try and by supporting their college education. The program was created in response to farmer requests to keep rural youth involved in agri-culture. Farmers can participate in the program by encouraging stu-dents in their community to apply for a scholarship and by endorsing their application. Because farmers

play a crucial role in the industry, each applicant is required to obtain endorsements from at least three lo-cal farmers. “We want to encourage ambi-tious and talented students to pur-sue careers in this growing fi eld,” said Elizabeth Vancil, Youth and Community Outreach manager at Monsanto. “As students who grew up in rural areas learn more about what agriculture has become, they are realizing that it is a fascinating, hi-tech industry, with job growth, job security, and high wages. These young people are seeing that there are emerging opportunities for a new generation of innovative young farmers, engineers, implement de-signers, marketing specialists and seed scientists.” Grow Ag Leaders is part of the overall America’s Farmers cam-paign, which highlights the vital role played by farmers, through programs designed to support rural communities. Farmers interested in promoting the program and en-dorsing students’ scholarship ap-plications can learn how at GrowA-gLeaders.com. The scholarships are administered by the National FFA Organization, but FFA membership is not required to apply. Students have until February 1, 2015 to com-plete the application online at FFA.org/scholarships.

America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders launches in Minnesota

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 7

1. MEASUREMENTS: What does a quadricenten-nial represent? 2. MEDICINE: Which vitamin is essential in blood clotting? 3. U.S. STATES: Which U.S. state has a license plate that proclaims, “Land of Lincoln”? 4. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which one of the seven dwarfs in the 1937 fi lm “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” did not have a beard? 5. HISTORY: What were known as “liberty steaks” during World War II in America? 6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many limbs does a squid have? 7. LITERATURE: What is the name of the boy raised by wolves in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book”? 8. GAMES: What is known as skeet? 9. MOVIES: How many roles did Peter Sellers play in the movie “Dr. Strangelove”? 10. FOOD AND DRINK: Which young French wine is released annually on the third Thursday in November?

(c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

Trivia Answers

1. A celebration marking 400 years; 2. Vitamin K; 3. Illinois; 4. Dopey; 5. Ham-burgers; 6. 10; 7. Mowgli; 8. Trapshooting; 9. Three; 10. Beau-jolais nouveau

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 8

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365 days a year,” said Greaver. We want to help people understand that the only money we really receive is through the red kettles. All the money received during the red ket-tle campaign stays in Todd County except for 1% that is used for staff-ing/administration and 9% for di-saster relief programs. The other 90% stays right here.” Last year the kettles in Todd County raised $5664.77 which gave the Todd County branch a budget of $5000. When you hear of all the things that are done with that mon-ey, it is clear that the money is spent very frugally and does a lot of good. Schwartzentruber said they are aiming for $7000 this year. “If we raise more we can peti-tion for a higher budget which gives us more money to do more,” said Greaver. “If there is an emergency need and it is a genuine need, we fi nd a way to help.”

They are currently looking for volunteers to ring the bells. While they have some stand alone or counter kettles at many businesses in the county, Greaver said that the kettles where there is a bell ringer have a two times higher response. Some of the places where there are bell ringers are at Coborns and the SAVE Store in Long Prairie and Ernie’s in Staples. There is also a stand up kettle at the Dairy Queen and at the Super America in Staples. Some businesses have chal-lenged their employees to raise funds or to volunteer to ring the bells. Some businesses form unique challenges to help raise more funds. On a personal note, my chal-lenge to the citizens of Todd Coun-ty is for each citizen to donate $1. That would raise approximately $25,000. Just think what could be done with that!

If you would like to donate or volunteer to ring a bell, you can call Greaver at 320-732-2157 which is the non-emergency number for the Todd County Sheriff’s offi ce. Schwartzentruber said, “I like the fact that it’s a non-denomina-tional organization for the good of the community. You can go to any church or no church at all and still be involved.” The kettle campaign starts the week of Thanksgiving and wraps up around the fi rst of the new year. If you would like to donate, you can either stop at one of the kettles or send donations to the Salvation Army/Todd County, c/o the Todd County Sheriff’s Offi ce, 115 3rd Street South, Long Prairie 56347. In the memo of the check or mon-ey order, designate it for the Todd County Salvation Army.

Salvation Army....continued from front

The winter holidays are gener-ally perceived as “the most wonder-ful time of the year.” But for those who are facing grief after the death of a loved one, the holidays may in-stead be a time fi lled with pain and sadness. Even those for whom grief is not as fresh, the holidays may serve as an annual reminder of the loss—not only of that person, but of tradition and celebration. Bereavement professionals working in hospice understand how diffi cult this season can be. They support families coping with loss all year long. Bereavement coun-selors stress the importance of mak-ing decisions that feel right to the grieving person, and giving oneself permission to make new or differ-ent choices at the holidays. Experts in Grief offer some tips: Be Willing to Change Tradi-tions. Holidays often center on certain traditions and rituals. For some, continuing these traditions without a loved one may be an important way to continue sharing their memory. For others, it may be more comforting to develop new rituals to help lessen the pain and immediacy of the loss. Help Reduce Stress. While the holidays can be fi lled with mean-ing, they can also be fi lled with pressure and stress because of addi-tional tasks such as shopping, bak-

ing and decorating. Grieving people should be encouraged to prioritize what needs to be done, and focus on those projects that may bring them pleasure. Perhaps the gift list can be pared down, cards need not be sent out, or another family member can cook the family dinner this year. Remember those Who Have Died. The holidays can bring op-portunities to remember the person who has died in a way that is per-sonally meaningful. Some families choose to participate in holiday events at a local hospice. Others may choose to share special family stories over a meal. Some may fi nd that making a donation to a special charity or volunteering time to help others in need may be a comforting way to honor their loved one. Hospice professionals know the importance of providing emotional and spiritual support to those who are grieving but most importantly, they remind us that a person griev-ing should do what’s most comfort-able for him or her during this time of year. To learn more about grief and loss or about hospice, contact Dan Peterson or Diane Leaders at Lega-cy Home Health and Hospice, 632-1335. More information on grief and the ways hospice can help patients and families is available at www.MomentsOfLife.org.

Grief during the holidays

The Lakewood Health System Foundation and the Lakewood Hos-pice and Palliative Care programs would like to invite everyone to their 19th annual Season of Lights light-ing ceremony. The Season of Lights is an op-portunity to sponsor an illuminated tree light to remember and celebrate special individuals and loved ones. White lights are $10, amber lights are $15, blue lights are $20, red lights are $25, and star lights are $50. Donations will be accepted anytime. All donations will be dedi-cated to the continuation of Lake-wood’s Care Center, Hospice and Palliative Care programs. The lighting ceremony will take place at Lakewood Health System Senior Campus in Staples. The pro-gram will be on Tuesday, December 9, at 6 p.m. at the Lakewood Health System Care Center. Refreshments

will be served after the ceremony. The Season of Lights is spon-sored by the Lakewood Health System Foundation, as well as the Hospice and Palliative Care pro-grams, which dedicate themselves to improving the quality of life by providing resources, care and un-derstanding for people with terminal illnesses, their caregivers and fami-lies. The mission of the Lakewood Health System Foundation is to pro-vide the opportunity to preserve and enhance health and wellness for the communities it serves by encourag-ing the support of the Foundation through charitable gifts. For more information about Sea-son of Lights or other donation op-portunities through the Lakewood Health System Foundation, visit www.lakewoodhealthsystem.com or call Heidi Chapman, Foundation Di-rector at 218-894-8503.

19th Annual Season of Lights

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Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 9

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CHAMP is a community non-partisan coalition of leaders and their mission is to “improve and enhance the health, safety and quality of life for our children and community by reducing substance use and abuse. The CHAMP Coalition is an organization dedi-cated to decreasing the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs among youth in Wadena County. Mem-bers include representatives from local government, schools, social agencies, faith-based organizations, parents, the community at large and students.”

According to their literature, “The coalition pro-vides strategic direction and broad-based community support for the countywide implementation of evi-dence-based, environmental prevention in Wadena County.

“They have created strong collaborative relation-ships between schools, city and county governments and community-based organizations. Collaboration has fostered the sharing of resources, information dissemination, established programs to prevent sub-stance use and successful implementation of sub-stance use prevention curriculum in all public schools in Wadena County. Collectively our efforts are help-ing prevent substance use and abuse.”

Some of the things that the coalition has helped with have been the establishment of Social Host Or-dinances in the cities of Verndale and Wadena.

A SHO, at a minimum makes it a misdeameanor to knowledgeably “host” an event or gathering where alcohol is being served to minors. This is different than other laws and ordinances related to the selling of alcohol to minors.

The coalition has several goals, but the two main ones are to:

1. Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities to support the efforts of community co-alitions to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.

2. Reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time among adults by addressing the factors in a com-munity that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of sub-stance abuse.

Lofty goals, but as American Scientist Margaret Mead once so thoughtfully stated, “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that is all who ever have.”

The CHAMP group recently received a $625,000 Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant to help support and promote their goals.

At the Wadena County Board of Commissioners October 14 meeting, the board passed a motion to ac-cept the grant.

During the meeting, praise was given to several individuals including Community Health Specialists Laure Laughlin, the DFC grant coordinator, and Hei-

di Happel and partnering agencies including schoolscountywide as well as law enforcement/court staff.

According to the Verndale Sun coverage of thatcounty board meeting, “The award includes $125,000per year for fi ve years effective Tuesday, September30, through Sunday, September 29, 2019.”

Wadena County Public Health Director CindyPederson said that the “CHAMP coalition is a strongcoalition. Our schools and law enforcement are alsodoing a lot of additional activities; the schools aredoing curriculum for us, law enforcement is doingthings like compliance checks, that kind of thing. So,we really have had a lot of support with this grant.”

This grant is focused on prevention activities.“This is really primary prevention...this is reallylooking at how to prevent use from starting in the fi rstplace. So, it’s kind of that other end of the spectrum,”said Pederson.

There are CHAMP youth groups in all the schoolsin Wadena County.

Like the Todd County Citizens Against Drugs Co-alition, the CHAMP coalition was started as a methtask force, but later changed to a multi-drug preven-tion force to address a broader array of issues.

As in Todd County, alcohol is found to be the sub-stance that is generally abused by the youth in Wade-na County.

One of the statistics shared at the meeting showeda “signifi cant increase in compliance when it comesto alcohol and tobacco compliance checks. For exam-ple, original alcohol compliance checks of businessesin the county showed 55 percent and 54 percent withoriginal tobacco compliance. By contrast, in 2013,the compliance rate went up to 82 percent for alcoholand 87 percent for tobacco. “We are not powerless against the challenge ofdrug use among young people here in Wadena Coun-ty” said Laughlin. “Research shows that prevention isthe most effective tool we have to reduce the terribleconsequences associated with drug use among youngpeople. This new funding will allow the CHAMP Co-alition to help place more young people on the pathtoward success and enable them to live healthier andsafer lives.” The CHAMP Coalition will specifi cally work toaddress youth substance use. They will achieve theirgoals by collaborating with local law enforcementto reduce underage access to alcohol and tobacco,provide Hazelden’s evidence-based Project North-land and Class Action curriculum to Wadena CountySchool Districts, and address underage alcohol andits consequences. CHAMP will also work to increaseawareness of the dangers of underage alcohol, tobac-co and other substance use, and collaborate with localorganizations and agencies working to increase youthassets in the youth of Wadena County.

Preventing Septic System Freeze-up Problems

Minnesota winters can bring se-vere cold and many of us in rural areas have concerns about our sep-tic systems freezing up, especially when we have little snow cover. There are a few things that we as home owners can do to reduce the risk of septic system freeze-up. • Repair leaky water fi xtures in-side your home. Dripping sinks and toilets can cause ice to form in the sewer line from your house to the septic tank. • Place straw mulch (8-12 inches thick) over your sewer pipes, septic tank and drainfi eld to help insulate the soils from freezing. • Allow yourself the luxury of taking longer showers and baths during cold spells. Keeping the liq-uids in your septic tank warm will help alleviate some freeze- up prob-lems. • If your system has any cracked or missing inspection pipes or caps over the tank and drainfi eld, replace them. This situation delivers cold air directly into your septic system and can cause it to freeze up. If your septic system has had a history of freezing up in previous winters, there may be some inher-

ent problems with the septic system that should be addressed. A sewer professional should be able to trou-ble shoot many of these issues – in-cluding: • Repair of sagging or settled pipes that trap water. • Installation of insulation over shallow tanks and inlet/outlet pipes • Regular maintenance including pumping of tanks and cleaning of drainfi eld distribution lines. • Older drainfi elds often become “water logged” and no longer drain effi ciently creating a freeze-up po-tential. Finally, here are a few more tips: • Keep the turf over your drain-fi eld in good shape. A thick green lawn does a terrifi c job of insulating your drainfi eld. • Do not park cars, boats, camp-ers etc. on your drainfi eld. Compac-tion from heavy vehicles allows frost to go deeper into the soil and parked vehicles prevent snow from making contact with the ground. Snow is a great insulator! Hopefully, we’ll get our share of snow this winter and few of us will have any problems. But if you do have issues, contact your local septic system maintainer for assis-tance. We hope you have a trouble free winter.

Todd County Newsby Todd County Planning & Zoning CHAMP....

continued from front

Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 10

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SUNSET GARDENS MEMORY CARESUNSET GARDENS MEMORY CARESunset Gardens provides a secure environment for persons with memory loss, allowing residents to move about freely and explore without restrictions, which is intended to provide for a "calm, relax-ing, homelike environment". It includes an enclosed courtyard where residents are able to enjoy the outdoors as well. All of the same Assisted Living Services included.

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Happy Happy Holidays!Holidays!

From the Residents &

Staff at

cess is positive, effective leader-ship. Todd County citizens may not fully realize the opportunity they have been blessed with in, fi rst, get-ting the grant and second with hav-ing David Determan as the young man who has accepted the chal-lenge and responsibility of leading that charge.” Halmrast, who attends most of the monthly coalition meetings for CAD, said that Determan would be encouraged if the communities would “buy in” to these prevention methods and come to the meetings. “The challenge that I see for Todd County citizens is they will continue to take this special op-portunity for granted...and they will never know what could have been accomplished if they got on board and helped this dedicated and tal-ented young leader,” said Halmrast.

Currently there are several mem-bers on the coalition board who are stepping up their involvement with the coalition by attending training sessions and opportunities for the coalition to continue after the grant is over. Karin Nauber recently became the coalition chair and Steve Com-merford is the new co-chair. Working along with Determan, they are hoping to make an impact for good in all of Todd County, not just in the areas of focus for the Youth Alcohol Prevention grant. Part of that working together in-cludes working with the Long Prai-rie Area Chamber of Commerce in the purchase of an electronic message board which is located on Highway 71 and Central Avenue in Long Prairie. The sign is being used to not only list community an-

nouncements and chamber business ads, but also to run the many “Truth Is” positive messages from the co-alition.The “Truth Is” media campaign is designed to correct misperceptions and to tell the truth about what’s happening in the community. “Most students are making healthy choices, most parents are setting rules and expectations and most community members support efforts to reduce the harmful effects of underage drinking,” said Deter-man. With a vision of seeing our county as a “community free from the impact of substance abuse,” the coalition is working on social host ordinance policies and has already had the city of Long Prairie adopt a policy. The coalition assists local youth groups to create change within the community around youth alcohol use through strategies such as limit-ing the availability and accessibility to alcohol by youth, strengthening the local policies and ordinances to address underage drinking and changing community norms con-cerning tolerance of sales and use by minors. CAD is an organization open to all interested citizens in Todd County including, but not limited to: parents, youth, business com-munity, media, schools, youth serv-ing organizations, law enforcement agencies, spiritual and fraternal organizations, civic and volunteer groups, healthcare progressionals and state and local government. For more information, you can contact Determan or any coalition member or visit the website at: http://www.cadcoalition.com. You can contact Determan at 320-732-4271.

by Kim Taveirne, University of Minnesota Extension One of my favorite holiday tra-ditions is the selection of our fresh cut Christmas tree. We often traipse through snow fi lled fi elds in bit-terly cold weather to fi nd that per-fect tree. The end result is worth the frosted nose and rosy cheeks. Cut and placed in water immediately, our trees remain healthy, fragrant and don’t suffer from extensive needle loss throughout the holiday season. If you have never cut your own tree, visit the Minnesota De-partment of Agriculture website at www.minnesotagrown.com or www.pickyourownchristmastree.org to fi nd local growers. If you are pur-chasing a pre-cut tree, ask when it was cut, where it came from and how it was shipped. Find a vendor that carries Minnesota grown trees that were harvested and transported shortly before they reached the tree lot. Test the freshness of the tree by bending a needle or thumping the base of the tree on the ground. A bent needle should spring back, not break. When thumped, few needles should fall. If the tree fails either of these tests, it is too dry and you should keep looking. Whether you select a long nee-dled White pine, a short needled spruce, or a soft needled fi r, there are steps you can take to prolong tree health and reduce needle drop this holiday season. Species selec-tion can also impact lasting fresh-ness. Scotch Pines are full, short nee-dled trees that have excellent needle retention and are fragrant. The nee-dles change from green to shades of yellow in the autumn, and are of-ten sprayed with artifi cial colorant to make them look greener. White Pines have blue/green, soft, fl exible needles, and are reputed to cause

fewer allergic reactions than other Christmas tree species. They also have great needle retention, and an excellent fragrance. The Norway pine is Minnesota’s state tree. They have longer needles than the white pine, and have good needle reten-tion. Spruce trees typically don’t have great needle retention, and their fragrance has been described as “unexceptional”. However, their short, stiff, sharp needles may dis-courage house cat antics around and within the tree. Fir trees (Balsam, Fraser and Canaan) have fl at, dark green needles that are retained well, and are marvelously fragrant. They have an open branch arrangement that is great for decorating, how-ever, the tips are fl exible, and limit the use of heavy ornaments. More important than tree spe-cies is the care that you give your tree after you leave the tree lot or farm. If you don’t intend to bring your tree in immediately, store it in an unheated garage or in a spot protected from sun and wind. When you bring the tree inside, remove the bottom 1” of the trunk to al-low the tree to more easily absorb water. Position the tree away from heat sources and place in a sturdy stand with a large water reservoir. You don’t need a commercial pre-servative to prolong freshness, just plenty of water. Fresh trees can use one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter each day, so be sure to use a tree stand that holds enough wa-ter for a 24-hour period. If the stand goes dry, water uptake will stop and your tree will dry out rapidly. Check the water level 2-3 times per day for the fi rst few days and daily after that, always keeping the water level above that base of the tree. Wishing you a warm and bright holiday season! Until next time, happy decorating!

Growing GreenCaring for your fresh cut tree

Changing lives.........continued from front

Seven CAD Coalition members attended the Positive Community Norms training in Deerwood October 7-8. Those attending were: Lynn Halmrast, Region 3 Prevention Coordinator; Ruth Khamas-si, coalition member; Megan Beaudry, coalition member; Karin Nauber, coalition member; Sev Blenkush, coalition member; David Determan, coalition coordinator. Not pictured: Katherine Macke-danz, coalition member.

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Todd-Wadena Courier – December 2014 – Page 11

Opening presents can be fun, but are more toys really what the child in your life needs? This holiday season, parents and grandparents are being en-couraged to give a gift that will greatly impact their child’s or grandchild’s future. “The sooner families begin fi nancing a child’s college edu-cation the better. Time is defi -nitely on your side if you start early,” said Robert Stern, Pro-gram Manager for the Minne-sota College Savings Plan, the state’s offi cial 529 plan. According to U.S. News & World Report, tuition and fees average $31,381 per year at pri-vate colleges for the 2014-2015 school year. At public colleges, out-of-state students will pay an average of $19,867 per year while in-state students will pay an average of $8,709 per year. Tuition at The University of Minnesota, the school where the majority of the Minnesota College Savings Plan’s account holders ultimately send their students, is $13,626 for legal residents of Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Manitoba; and $20,876 for all others for the 2014-2015 school year. “Plan changes made earlier this year make now the best time in our plan’s history to open an account,” said Stern. “Fees are now less than one-third of one percent, making our plan one of the least expensive 529 plans in

the country. We have also added four new fund options, and in-creased the contribution limit for each account to $350,000.” All earnings in the plan’s investments grow tax-free as long as the funds are used for qualifi ed expenses at any col-lege, university, trade or career school in the nation and some foreign countries. Accounts can be opened with as little as $25, and there is no limit to the num-ber of accounts a child can have in his or her name. The account owner has total control over the account at all times; and if the intended recipient decides not to go to college, the account can be transferred to another family member. The Minnesota College Sav-ings Plan is managed by TIAA- CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI). TFI is part of the TIAA-CREF group of companies, with over $6 billion in combined as-sets under management. To learn more about the Minnesota College Savings Plan, visit www.mnsaves.org. To speak with a Minnesota representative about opening an account, call 952-830-3127 or 877-338-4646 and ask for Chris McLeod, Tuition Financ-ing Consultant. To arrange an interview with Robert Stern, Program Manager for the Min-nesota College Savings Plan, contact Rachel M. Anderson, Publicist, at 952-240-2513 or rachel@rmapublicity.com.

College tuition dollars—A holiday gift that will keep on giving for years to come

Pretzel Turtles “Quick and easy turtle candies!”Ingredients: 20 small mini pretzels 20 chocolate covered caramel can-dies 20 pecan halvesDirections: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Arrange the pretzels in a single lay-er on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel. Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Cookie Dough Truffl es “The fl avorful fi lling at the cen-ter of these yummy candies tastes like genuine chocolate chip cookie dough…without the worry of raw eggs. That’s what makes them so appealing. Plus, they’re easy to make. Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract 2 cups all-purpose fl our 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened con-densed milk 1/2 cup miniature semisweet choco-late chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1-1/2 pounds dark chocolate candy coating, coarsely choppedDirections: In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fl uffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add fl our, al-ternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until fi rm. In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir

until smooth. Dip balls in coating; al-low excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until fi rm, about 15 minutes. If desired, remelt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in the re-frigerator. Yield: 5-1/2 dozen.

Caramel Marshmallow Treats “These sweets really appeal to kids...plus, they can help make them!”Ingredients: 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened con-densed milk 1 package (14 ounces) caramels 1 cup butter, cubed 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract Rice Krispies, coarsely crushed 1 package (16 ounces) large marsh-mallowsDirections: Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside. In a large saucepan, cook and stir the milk, caramels and butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Place Rice Krispies in a shal-low bowl. With a toothpick, dip each marshmallow into warm caramel mix-ture; turn to coat. Press bottoms into Rice Krispies; place treats on prepared pans. Let stand until set. Yield: 5 doz-en.

Chocolate Caramel Candy “This dazzling treat tastes like a Snickers bar, but has homemade fl avor beyond compare.”Ingredients: 2 teaspoons butter 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/4 cup creamy peanut butterFilling: 1/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1-1/2 cups marshmallow creme 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract 1-1/2 cups chopped salted peanutsCaramel Layer: 1 package (14 ounces) caramels 1/4 cup heavy whipping creamIcing: 1 cup (6 ounces) milk chocolate chips 1/4 cup butterscotch chips 1/4 cup creamy peanut butterDirections: Line a 13x9-in. pan with foil; but-ter foil with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread into pre-pared pan. Refrigerate until set. For fi lling, in a small heavy sauce-pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and milk; bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook and stir 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallow creme, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Add peanuts. Spread over fi rst layer. Refrigerate un-til set. For caramel layer, in a small heavy saucepan, combine caramels and cream; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Cook and stir 4 minutes. Spread over fi lling. Refrigerate until set. For icing, in another saucepan, combine chips and peanut butter; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour over the caramel layer. Refriger-ate at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cutting. Remove from pan and cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 8 dozen.

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