Duplicate Bridge

Duplicate Bridge was played at five and a half tables Sept. 10 at the Senior Center in Austin. Winners were Vandy Newman and Ron Peters, first place; Loren Cleland and Dave Ring, second place; Gail and Ray Schmidt, third place; Lorraine Lippert and Harriet Oldenberg, fourth place; and Edna Knobbe and Kathy Liesen, fifth place.

Duplicate Bridge was played at four and a half tables Sept. 11 at the Senior Center in Austin. Winners were Eunice Michaelis and Dave Ring, first place; Julie Prochnow and Lorraine Quinlivan, second place; Millie Siever and Loren Cleland, third place; and Romelle Enderson and Gus Brandt, fourth place.

Duplicate Bridge is played at 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and at noon Wednesdays. Players come from Adams, Austin, Albert Lea, Rose Creek, Northwood and Mason City. All bridge players are welcome to come play. Those who need a partner can call 507-437-2750.

First Lutheran Church Women

First Lutheran Church Women met at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 14 in Bethany Hall with prelude music provided by Cindy Gandrud. Jo Hanson, co-president, welcomed members and guests.

Devotions were given by Hanson. She read a devotion based on Psalm 28 from Guideposts, Strength and Grace, “Who helps the helper?” She said women’s roles are assisting and nurturing and can be exhausting. Our Lord is there ready to help the helper — ready to give us help and the strength to go on.”

Hanson led the group in reading the FLCW purpose statement. She announced that circle roll call would take place at the Sept. 11 meeting.

Janice Lestrud introduced the guest speaker, the Rev. Kent Otterman, chaplain at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea and pastor at Round Prairie and Faith Lutheran churches. He led the group in singing “Amazing Grace.” Otterman is a full time employee of Good Samaritan Society and a part-time employee/pastor of Round Prairie and Faith Lutheran churches. Good Samaritan has three facilities on its campus that he works with — Good Samaritan Care Center with 85 beds, Hidden Creek Assisted Living with 24 rooms and Bancroft Estates Independent Living with 42 rooms. In his position, he provides spiritual encouragement to residents, has daily chapel services Monday through Friday, has a 2 p.m. Sunday service and Wednesday Bible study. Music is a big part of his ministry — visiting with residents and playing hymns they request. He gives spiritual support to the families as well and has done many funerals for residents. He noted it is great to have Peace and Power available for the residents. He closed with singing “In Times Like These.”

Hanson called the business meeting to order. The secretary’s minutes from the March 13 meeting were approved as printed by a motion from Cindy Gandrud and second by Nancy Jenson. Cindy Gandrud, treasurer, presented the treasurer’s report.  She reviewed the first two quarterly reports. Corresponding Secretary Bonnie Trampel read a request for funds from St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, a thank you and request for funds from Youth For Christ, a thank you from First Lutheran Church for the group’s monetary gift to the radio fund and a thank you for the monetary gift from the Southeast Minnesota Women’s Synod, along with reminders of the fall conference and the triennial gathering, which will take place from July 16 to 19 in Phoenix.

Newsletters were received from MN Adult and Teen Challenge, Youth For Christ and from the Satres. Bonnie Schneider has set Oct. 29-31 as the dates for the lefse bake.

The group has a grocery cart outside the office for school supplies. There is a list of supplies needed for the LWR van kits in the cart. Lists of local school supplies needed are in the local stores. There is a need for chairpersons for the salad luncheon, the May tea and for Holidays Ahead 2020. The group will also need FLCW officers and board members for 2020.

Following the business meeting the group sang the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” during which the offering was received. Hanson gave the Offering Prayer.

Hanson thanked ushers Wanda Dorman and Janice Lestrud; greeters Karen Hovde and Bonnie Trampel; hostesses co-chairwomen Janice Brandt and Kathy Olson, and their committee of Lorraine Browman, Maxine Hanson, Marge Moine, Jackie Groe and Rhodette Groe.

Caring and Sharing chairwomen Bonnie Schneider and Cheryl Moran and their committee served six funerals in July.

The meeting closed with the Table Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer.

Tops MN Chapter 979

July division winner was Lois Goodnature, Division 4.

Weekly best loser was Aisha Heard, week one; Heard, week two; and Goodnature, week four.  Weekly incentive winners were Shirley Schuster, Pat Sorenson and Fern Rockwell.

Challenge winners were Darlene Kenison, Mary Louise Wirkus and Pat Sorenson.

Showers to celebrate continuous losses or maintenance took place for Nancy Jenson, 10 weeks; and Mary Loise Wirkus and Darlene Hauge, 10 weeks.

Bingo winner was Sorenson, who won $12.

Elections took place. Officers for the next year will be Sorenson, leader; Rosie Leegaard, co-leader; Betty Johnson, secretary; Hauge, treasurer; and Laureen Hohansee, co-treasurer.

Loser lotto contest winners were Goodnature and Hohansee, who won $11.50 each.

Summer holiday contest winners were Hohansee, Katie Koziolek, Schuster and Sandy Oudekerk.

August division winners were Heard, Division 3; and Hohansee, Division 4.

Weekly best loser was Koziolek, week one; Schuster, week two; and Heard, week three.

Hohansee had four weeks of weightloss.

Weekly incentive winners were Betty Gavle, Hohansee, Judy Thorson, Fern Rockwell and Nancy Jensen.

A shower took place for Daniel Wirkus for 15 weeks of loss or maintenance.

The group welcomed new member Kris Heine.

Challenge winners were Rockwell, Koziolek, Goodnature and Johnson.

The team who loses the most weight is the winner and guests at the group picnic. The winner was team one. The losing team, team two, provides the food at the picnic.

Tops — take off pounds sensibly — is a nonprofit weight loss support group. There is no diet plan, but support with others on the journey to health and wellness. Tops MN Chapter 979 meets at 9 a.m. Thursdays in the Albert Lea Senior Center in Skyline Plaza to weigh in and learn about healthy lifestyles.