Camp Love’s Embrace
Every summer, campers at Shetek Lutheran Ministries (www.shetek.org) are encouraged to share an offering to support other ministries. Through their generosity over the years, campers have donated over $27,500 to Christian organizations. This past summer, campers gave donations totaling $775 to Camp Love’s Embrace (CLE). This annual camp is held at Shetek Lutheran Ministries (SLM) and is an overnight children’s grief camp for children ages 7-14 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, grandparent, best friend, or other person of significance in their lives. In May of 2003, the first Camp Love’s Embrace was held at the Lakota Retreat Center on beautiful Lake Shetek near Slayton, Minnesota. Now, an annual event, the camp is FREE to any child who attends, as it continues to be funded by the generous contributions of individuals, churches, businesses, and corporations. The 18th annual camp will be held Friday, April 24th – Sunday, April 26th, 2020 at the Lakota Retreat Center at Shetek Lutheran Ministries. Find out more at www.camplovesembrace.com
Good Neighbor Christmas Tree
With the beautiful fall soon to be behind us and Christmas fast approaching, it is once again time to announce plans for the Annual Good Neighbor Christmas Tree sponsored by Minnwest Bank. People’s generous donations of toys, games, books and clothes have provided a happy Christmas to many children in past years.
There will be a Good Neighbor Christmas Tree set up in both Slayton and Lake Wilson’s bank lobbies. Tags will decorate these trees, each tag is marked boy or girl and with a suggested age group. Any new or unused gift will be appreciated by these children. Purchased items should be brought to the banks unwrapped.
Minnwest Bank hopes that our communities will respond to the need of our area children and purchase an item for the Good Neighbor Tree. Gifts should be returned to either Slayton or Lake Wilson offices by Monday December 2, 2019. All gifts will be anonymously distributed to the area’s needy children through the Murray County Christmas Project.
Make it your goal this year to spread some holiday joy to area boys and girls. Minnwest Bank’s Good Neighbor Tree provides everyone with an opportunity to take part in the spirit of Christmas, GIVING.
Holiday Open House Features International Celebrations
The Dinehart Holt House, at 2812 Linden Ave. in Slayton, will be decked out with trees decorated by local organizations and businesses again this holiday season. This year’s theme is International Holiday Traditions. The Open House celebration will be Sunday November 10 from 1-4 PM.
Walk through the elaborately decorated home, view the local decorating talent and learn about holiday traditions from around the world. Then enjoy holiday treats made from recipes from several countries. Coffee and cider will also be served.
As a special addition this year, professional musician Rebby Lee, of Dundee, will be performing on the grand piano. Get in the holiday spirit with a trip to the Dinehart Holt House. This event is free and open to the public. Free will donations are joyfully accepted.
The house is open to view throughout the season during regular museum hours. Stop in at the museum or call ahead and staff will have it open. The house is also a great venue to rent for a private holiday party or organizations. All local non-profit organizations may rent the house on a donation basis.
For more information or to schedule a rental contact us at, museum@co.murray.mn.us or call 507-836-6533
Holiday Open House Features International Celebrations
The Dinehart Holt House, at 2812 Linden Ave. in Slayton, will be decked out with trees decorated by local organizations and businesses again this holiday season. This year’s theme is International Holiday Traditions. The Open House celebration will be Sunday November 10 from 1-4 PM.
Walk through the elaborately decorated home, view the local decorating talent and learn about holiday traditions from around the world. Then enjoy holiday treats made from recipes from several countries. Coffee and cider will also be served.
As a special addition this year, professional musician Rebby Lee, of Dundee, will be performing on the grand piano. Get in the holiday spirit with a trip to the Dinehart Holt House. This event is free and open to the public. Free will donations are joyfully accepted.
The house is open to view throughout the season during regular museum hours. Stop in at the museum or call ahead and staff will have it open. The house is also a great venue to rent for a private holiday party or organizations. All local non-profit organizations may rent the house on a donation basis.
For more information or to schedule a rental contact us at, museum@co.murray.mn.us or call 507-836-6533
Dinehart Lunchbox Lectures Take a Turn Toward the Twenties
The 2019-2020 Murray County Historical Society Dinehart Lunchbox Lecture Series will feature wide ranging topics, many relevant to discovering the 1920’s in Murray County, the SW Region, and Minnesota. All lectures will be at NOON at the 4-H building on the Murray County Fairgrounds unless otherwise noted. Cost is $3.00 and MCHS MEMBERS FREE. Bring your lunch. We supply coffee, tea, or cocoa.
The first lecture kicks off on Thursday November 14 at noon with the story of one woman’s journey from a Chandler-Lake Wilson farm kid to Methodist minister to journalist for a small-town newspaper. Pastor Kathy Miller Brandt will tell stories of her journey and the people she has met along the way. She graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University and then received her Master’s in Divinity and in Christian education in Nashville, Tennessee. Ordained as a Methodist minister in 1985, Kathy went on to serve in churches throughout Minnesota and also spent 10 years as a nursing home chaplain. Kathy retired from the ministry in in 2018 and began a new career working for the Westbrook Walnut Grove Sentinel Tribune. She reports, “I’m having a blast!”
Thurs. November 14, 2019- Life at a Small Town Paper —Kathy Miller Brandt, Windom
Thurs. December 12, 2019- The Sara Wakefield Story of 1862 —Phyllis Cole-Dai, Brookings, SD
Thurs. January 9, 2020- Women’s Suffrage: From Seneca Falls to Slayton —Rose Schmit, MCHS
Thurs. Feb. 13, 2020– Ardent Spirits: The Women’s Christian Temperance Union—Janet Timmerman, MCHS
Thurs. March 12– The [not so] Invisible Nation: The KKK in SW Minnesota, Dr. Anita Talsma Gaul, Minnesota West College, Worthington.
Tues. April 7-Minnesota’s Wild and Wooly Prohibition Days, Arn Kind with Historical Experiences. Note date change. Collaboration with the Slayton Public Library.
USDA Opens 2020 Enrollment for Dairy Margin Coverage Program; Ends Dec. 13, 2019
Dairy producers can now enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for calendar year 2020. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) opened signup for the program that helps producers manage economic risk brought on by milk price and feed cost disparities.
The DMC program offers reasonably priced protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. The deadline to enroll in DMC for 2020 is Dec. 13, 2019.
Dairy farmers earned more than $300 million dollars from the program in 2019 so far. Producers are encouraged to take advantage of this very important risk management tool for 2020.
All producers who want 2020 coverage, even those who took advantage of the 25 percent premium discount by locking in the coverage level for five years of margin protection coverage are required to visit the office during this signup period to pay the annual administrative fee.
Dairy producers should definitely consider coverage for 2020 as even the slightest drop in the margin can trigger payments.
More Information
The 2018 Farm Bill created DMC, improving on the previous safety net for dairy producers. DMC is one of many programs that FSA and other USDA agencies are implementing to support America’s farmers.
For more information on enrolling in DMC and taking advantage of an online dairy decision tool that assists producers in selecting coverage for 2020, visit the DMC webpage at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/dairy-margin-coverage-program/index
For additional questions and assistance, contact your local USDA service center. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-locator.
Good News
By: John Stenen
A story was written many years ago of a sixteen year old girl, the daughter of a poor farmer, who had made her way to Memphis, where for the first time in her life she saw electric lights, trolley cars, moving pictures, and heard a radio. She was intelligent but had not heard of the leading world leaders of her day. Many were amazed that this young lady was so ignorant and did not even know who Hitler was.
What amazes me is the fact that millions of children today, living in such an ‘enlightened’ nation as ours, know nothing about Jesus Christ. They know all about the movie, music, and sport stars but nothing of the most important person in all of history. Their eternal destiny depends on what they do with Jesus Christ. Nothing in all of life is more important than this: because what we do with Jesus Christ, determines whether we go to heaven or hell.
Two thousand years ago God came to this earth as a little babe born in Bethlehem, born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, showed us throughout His ministry the great love that God the Father has for each and every one of us. He was our example of how we are to live our life here on earth. He died in our place on the cross, and there shed His blood to redeem us, to purchase us back to God; -at least for those of us who by faith receive Him into our hearts and surrender our lives unto Him, and confess Him as Lord. (Romans 10:9-10). Through Jesus Christ, God has opened up heaven- everlasting life for all who accept Jesus Christ. (John 3:16).
In a recent poll, I heard among many of today’s young adults that, “Religion and patriotism is not important to them.” Imagine that! What determines their eternal destiny and whether or not we will continue to live in a free, sovereign nation - or become like all the other socialist and communist nations (that have murdered millions and millions of their own people and keep their people in economic and political bondage) means little or nothing to them.
To those of you who teach or have taught your children the Bible and have instilled patriotism into their lives – Thank you! They will grow to be responsible citizens living a life that is pleasing to God, and through all eternity you and your children will be together.
United Way of Southwest Minnesota Celebrates Jumpstart’s Read for the Record
United Way of Southwest Minnesota is participating in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. This year marks the fourteenth anniversary of the program. Thank you, Omu!, by Oge Mora, will be read by community volunteers to PreK – 2nd grade students at schools, libraries, preschools, and child care centers in Lyon, Lincoln, Murray, Yellow Medicine and portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles, and Redwood counties on Thursday, November 7, 2019.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is an annual reading celebration that highlights the need for quality early education in America by mobilizing adults and children to set a record for the largest shared reading experience. Participating locations will receive a copy of the book as a gift to their classroom, library, or child care center from United Way of Southwest Minnesota.
“This is a great way for community members to engage with our youngest learners,” said Shelby Otto, Community Engagement and Education Coordinator. “As a former teacher, I really enjoyed Read for the Record and my students did, too. I encourage the public to volunteer to read at a participating location.”
Schools participating are: Bert Raney (Granite Falls), Canby, Clarkfield Charter, Hendricks Public School, Holy Redeemer (Marshall), Lake Benton, Lakeview (Cottonwood), Lincoln Elementary (Ivanhoe), Lynd, Marshall (Park Side), Milroy Public School (November 8), Minneota, Murray County Central (Slayton), Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Samuel Lutheran (Marshall), St. Edward’s (Minneota), St. Mary’s (Tracy), St. Peter’s (Canby), Stevens Elementary (Dawson-Boyd), Tracy Public School, and Westbrook-Walnut Grove.
Libraries participating are: Canby, Clarkfield, Fulda, Hendricks, Marshall-Lyon County, Slayton (November 8), Tyler, and Westbrook.
Child Care and Preschool Centers participating are: Head Start (Canby and Marshall), Li’l Diggers Daycare (Lynd), Marshall Area Child Care, Marshall Little Cubs Preschool, Puddle Jumpers Learning Center (Granite Falls), SMSU Childcare, St. Stephen Preschool (Marshall), Stepping Stones Childcare and Preschool (Marshall), Wonder World Preschool (Slayton), Wee Care Preschool (Marshall). Thank You, Omu! will also be read on the radio at 1:30 p.m. on November 7 on 1400 KMHL.
We are still looking for volunteers! Volunteers can sign up to read by visiting our website, www.UnitedWaySWMN.org, and clicking the blue ‘Volunteer’ tab or by emailing Shelby at Shelby.Otto@UnitedWaySWMN.org.
Since the campaign’s inception in 2006, more than twenty million people have joined local Jumpstart’s Read for the Record reading celebrations. Learn more about Jumpstart’s Read for the Record at www.jstart.org/readfortherecord.
Slayton Fire Department’s New Pumper Truck
On Saturday, October 12th the Slayton Fire Department took delivery of a 2019 Freightliner Pumper. The new truck will be replacing the 1975 Chevrolet Pumper that was rated to pump 750 gallons of water per minute. The new pumper has the capability of pumping 1250 gallons per minute and carries 1000 gallons of water on it. This truck was designed and built solely for the Slayton Fire Department. The truck committee sat down with sales representatives from Heiman Fire and Rosenbauer Group to come up with this amazing truck. This truck comes with many options that we haven’t had in the past. We are able to transport five firefighters to a scene in this truck, and three of them are able to don their Self Contained Breathing Apparatus while responding. Our operators are now able to operate the truck in a controlled environment out of all the elements with the cab enclosure design, This truck has the ability to carry more equipment and materials than our others do.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to the residents of Slayton and surrounding townships for allowing us to purchase this much needed piece of equipment. Without the continued support of the community we wouldn’t be able to be the outstanding organization that we are. Please keep your eyes open for the new apparatus to be out and about in the community. The Slayton Fire Department will celebrate 125 years of service to Slayton and the surrounding communities in 2020. The fire department is currently planning events to celebrate this achievement.
