Duplicate Bridge

Five tables of duplicate bridge were played Sept. 7 at the Austin Senior Center. Winners were Eunice Michaelis and Warren Behrends, first place; John Liesen and Rick Stroup, second place; Tom Flaherty and Stan Schultz, third place; Joyce Crowe and Millie Siever, fourth place; and Vandy Newman and Ron Peters, fifth place. Duplicate Bridge Clubat noon every Wednesday at the Austin Senior Center.

Duplicate Bridge is also played at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Austin Senior Center. Winners from Sept. 6 were Vandy Newman and Bud Higgins, first place; Ray Schmidt and Gail Schmidt, second place; Bill Mommsen and Dave Solomonson, third place; Gene Muchow and Ron Peters, fourth place; Connie Johnson and Jaynad Johnson, fifth place; and Theresa Baldus and Quentin Fiala, sixth place.

Duplicate Bridge is a competitive game. According to a press release, the public is welcome to attend.

American Legion Auxiliary

American Legion Auxiliary Unit No 56 of Albert Lea met at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Legion. President Bonnie Schneider opened the meeting with a hand salute to the flag already in place. The chaplain, Kim Thomas, offered prayer. A moment of silence was observed in memory of the group’s dead and taps was played. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance and one stanza of the national anthem was sung. The preamble to the American Legion Auxiliary was said. Secretary Ange Larson did roll call and gave her report from the June meeting. Treasurer Deanne Adams gave her report from June through August. The reports were placed on file.

Guests for the evening included Commander Robert Friday who informed the group of activities happening at the club including Thanksgiving dinner, the hospice pool tournament and the Legion conference in May. Karen Cibert, children and youth chairwoman, introduced Mary Jo Dorman, Katie Nielson and Diane Schultz from the Albert Lea school district. The trio thanked the group for the school supplies it donated and expressed how much its donation was appreciated by staff and parents. They also explained how the supplies are distributed.

Lucy Grippentrog, pianist, led the group in singing “Shine on Harvest Moon” and “Take me Out to the Ballgame.”

Membership is at 42 as of Sept. 1.

Cibert presented a contest to the group seeing who could guess the retail value and number of school supplies collected by the group. Lee Nolting, who guessed a retail value of $1,500; and Kim Thomas, who guessed the number of items at 500 ,won the prizes. The actual retail value was $1,766.77 and there were 699 items. Cibert will not collecthealthy after-school snacks from September through May. They can be brought into the club during this time — a box will be in the club entrance.

Blemoosch, a form of bingo, was then played. Prizes were won by Sharon Eng and Audrey Johannsen.

Ginger Friday volunteered to be the auxiliary’s representative for planning the Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Recommendations voted on and passed were donations to the Veterans Affairs gift shop, $5 bill shower, Operation Military Kids, military children National Guard, St. Cloud Veterans Affairs Health Care System and Cibert for printing and supplies.

A breakfast fundraiser for the auxiliary will be from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 30.

The fall conference is Oct. 28 and Oct. 29 in Marshall.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 2. Initiation of new members will take place. All members who have not been initiated are encouraged to attend.

The chaplain led the group in prayer and the group sang one verse of “God Bless America” before the meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.