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To expanded opportunities for students.

Thanks to an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant, Albert Lea Area Schools has started after school classes at each of the elementary schools to provide more learning opportunities and to help students catch-up on learning during non-school hours.

Under the direction of Scott Hanna, experiential learning coordinator for the district, the classes aim to inspire creativity in math, science, music and physical education and to provide social interactions.

Classes have included everything from leather crafting and bracelet making to cooking, Legos, yoga, play dough an orienteering.

Hanna has additional plans for older students.

We look forward to hearing about the student growth from these classes and thank those who are making them possible. We urge parents to advantage of the opportunity.

To a foundation coming to Albert Lea to renovate homes for homeless veterans and veterans struggling with addictions.

We were pleased to hear news last week that a foundation with ties to both Texas and North Carolina has chosen Albert Lea as its first city in Minnesota to expand its projects aimed at benefiting veterans.

The Chapman House Foundation is purchasing one house in Albert Lea with plans in the works for others in upcoming months.

Foundation founder Kevin Chapman said he was looking for another state to expand in when he came across Albert Lea while in Minnesota. He liked the community, and the foundation board quickly jumped on board.

The foundation is starting in Albert Lea with a property at 604 Giles Place, which was previously the site of a fire. The city cleared the fire debris and took the house down to the studs. It will be renovated on both the inside and outside and when finished will house three veterans. Other houses are expected to follow.

The foundation will work with local Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, and literature will be distributed to hospitals about the project to reach veterans and promote the opportunity.

We are excited for the opportunity to fix up a few houses in Albert Lea and even more excited for the goal of this foundation to help veterans who may be struggling with homelessness or addiction.

Veterans have sacrificed so much for our nation, and they deserve this type of support.

To blood donors.

Hats off to all of the blood donors in the area as January is known as National Blood Donor Month.

These individuals sacrifice time and effort to donate blood regularly, oftentimes every few months.

We thank them for their selfless and life-saving efforts.

We never know when we might be in need of blood ourselves because of something such as a crash or other event, so we thank these individuals and encourage others who are able to do so to join in on the effort. It will literally save lives.