Duplicate Bridge

Duplicate Bridge was played Nov. 11 at the Senior Center in Austin. Winners were Larry Crowe and Bill Momsen, first place; Joyce Crowe and Lorraine Quinlivan, second place;  Gail and Ray Schmidt, third place; Jim Fisher and John Leisen, fourth place; and Lorraine Lipperet and Ron Peters, fifth place.

Duplicate was played Nov. 12 at the Senior Center in Austin. Winners were Sharon Schneider and Stan Schultz, first place; Eunice Michaelis and Dave Ring, second place; Gail and Ray Schmidt, third place; Vandy Newman and Ron Peters, fourth place; and Larry Crowe and Jim Fisher, fifth place.

Duplicate Bridge is played at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and at noon on Wednesdays. Players come from Adams, Austin, Albert Lea, Rose Creek, Northwood and Mason City. All bridge players are welcome to come and play. 

The Duplicate Bridge Christmas party is scheduled for Dec. 12 in the craft room of the Austin Senior Center. Lunch provided by the club will start at 11 a.m. 

 

Freeborn American Legion Auxiliary

The Freeborn American Legion Auxiliary No. 552 had its regular meeting Oct. 20 at the Freeborn Legion Hall. President Sandy Anderson called the meeting to order. The Pledge of Allegiance and the auxiliary pledge were recited. The secretary and treasurer reports were given and approved. The per capita dues and the junior dues were motioned to be paid and motion carried.

Reports were given on the amount of money raised through the no-bake fundraiser and the poppy fund. These fundraisers help the group support veterans programs.

Donations were made to the following: $5 bill Shower, ALA Hospital, Christmas Gift Shop, Department President’s Project, District President’s Project, Junior Department President’s Project and the Junior District President’s Project.

It was decided to order the same number of poppies as last year. The Treasurer will take care of this.

The group still has five members who have not yet renewed their memberships for this year. Anderson will add a note to the next newsletter.

Anderson asked the group if they should send out veteran appreciation cards again this year to the members of the Freeborn American Legion. The group agreed to. Anderson will take care of this.

Santa/Hospice tree lighting/Christmas potluck and Bingo party will be on Dec. 2 at Freeborn Legion Hall. Santa will arrive at 3 p.m., and this is sponsored by the Freeborn American Legion. The auxiliary will serve coffee and cookies while Santa is there. At 4:30 p.m., the Hospice tree lighting ceremony will take place with the reading of the names to be remembered. The auxiliary pot luck will follow at approximately 5 p.m., and bingo will begin at approximately 6 p.m. The entire community is invited to these events.

 

American Legion Auxiliary No. 56

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 56 of Albert Lea met on Nov. 7 in the Legion Events Center. President Bonnie Schneider opened the meeting with the usual ceremonies. The preamble of the American Legion auxiliary was repeated by all. Carol Smith offered the opening prayer. Angie Larson read the minutes of the previous meeting. Minutes were approved with one date correction. Deanne Adams gave the treasurer’s report. The report was put on file for audit.

Karen Cibert introduced the speaker, Mary Jo Dorman from the Albert Lea School District. She updated the group on the projects the auxiliary is involved in, such as the school snacks and school supplies. She also talked about the food for backpack program to provide meals for children over the weekend. There are eight different race/ethnicity groups in the Albert Lea School District. There are 262 English learner students, 645 special education students, 1,780 free/reduced price lunch students and 300 students presently receiving food packets in their backpacks each weekend. In addition, there are 24 homeless students in the district. Churches in the district are working with the school district to provide food packets for the backpacks each week. Dorman is an avid believer in early reading and providing books to children. She gave each member a book with the homework assignment to read and/or give it to a child.

Cibert, chairwoman of children and youth, asked to continue bringing in the after school snacks until May, as well as pop tabs, Country Hearth bread and Box Tops for Education, etc. Soup labels are no longer accepted. Angie Larson, education chairwoman, reported that she will be sending apples to the area schools and bus drivers for Education Week, Nov. 12 to 16. Betty Anderson read a list of items that people should carry in their car for winter driving safety. Bonnie Schneider, membership chairman, reported that approximately 250 people have paid their 2019 dues.

Adams asked the group to continue to keep track of service hours to veterans. She will need reports before April.

Schneider reminded members of the group breakfast fundraiser from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 30. A sign-up sheet for workers was passed around. She also announced that the Bakeless Bake Sale would continue through Dec. 1. Donations may be sent to Bonnie Schneider, 813 Maplehill Drive, B3, Albert Lea, MN 56007 or dropped off at the Legion Club.

Schneider informed the group that dues may have to be raised next year to keep veteran, youth and community programs going.

There are patterns available for making items for the veterans hospital. Minnesota has four VA medical centers and five state veterans homes where these items are needed and distributed.

Recommendations for disbursement of funds were presented and approved for: St. Cloud Health Care System, Hospice tree, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, Presbyterian and Salvation Army food shelves and American Legion Auxiliary emergency fund.

For the time being, the group will suspend sending coupons to our troops. The auxiliary will support local people in service with care packages instead.

The quarter drawing was won by Audrey Johannsen. Lunch was served by Kim Thomas and Lynn Koza. The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. April 4.

Carol Smith closed the meeting with prayer.