Ole Pappy

Volunteers making things happen

 There’s a group that is doing its level best to help the senior citizens of the area — and they’re doing it through the use of volunteers. The group, called, A.C.E. (No, not Ace is the place ... but ... Advocate, Connect, Educate) has had 2,305 active volunteers recording 278,501 hours of service at 350 active stations.

“This is an equivalent to nearly 1,345 full-time employees,” said Executive Director Michelle Bloemhoefner. Rebekah Reynolds took over as ACE coordinator in Lyon County in January and told the board, “It’s been very, very encouraging how many volunteers we’ve had.”

The group is dedicated to helping the senior citizens of Lyon County. Exercise classes are among the ways ACE serves the county. As for volunteers in Lyon County, Peer Counseling has had 10 volunteers; Kitchen Table Food Shelf in Marshall seven volunteers; Minneota Senior Center 17 volunteers; Lyon County Special Events 16 hours; Hill Street Place 23 volunteers and the Alzheimer’s Education 10 volunteers; plus various others.

As a total, 71 volunteer hours have been donated for 5,445 hours of service in 16 locations. Reynolds said 11 persons in Minneota took the class to help people learn about falling and how to prevent it. “They were very, very happy with that class and want more of them,” Reynolds said. Minneota people were happy to have the class to help them and it sure is nice to have so many people volunteer to help.

Other classes manned by volunteers include helping with dementia, Alzheimer’s and hospice services. “We’ve been getting a lot of support and we’ve been helping a lot of people,” said Reynolds.

THE Lyon County board this week decided they need backups to all records on the county level. Since the county’s marriage licenses, military discharges, Torrens documents and surveyor records have never been replicated, the county board approved a contract with Fidlar Technologies of Davenport, IA to digitalize all records. The cost of $61,567 will come out of the Recorder’s Technology Fund. THE COUNTY Board also heard a request for an increase in the Marshall/County Library budget.

“We’re asking for an increase of two percent or $35,765 in the Marshall-Lyon County Library budget. The total request would be $67,319,” said Library Director Michele Leininger. She said the library will add one assistant librarian for 22 hours per week and, “This will allow us to significantly increase service to customers throughout the county.”

LAUGH A LITTLE: No ticket A man was driving well above the speed limit when a police car suddenly emerged from behind, sirens blaring. Thinking he outpaced the cop, the man pushed his accelerator to the floor. His speed rose to 60 — then up to 90. Finally, the man thought, what the heck, and pulled over, ready to receive a speeding ticket. The police officer got out, leaned over the man and said: “Listen, Mister, I have had a really lousy day, and I just want to go home.

Give me a good excuse and I’ll let you go.” The man thought for a moment and said: “Three weeks ago my wife ran off with a police officer. When I saw your car in my mirror, I thought you were that officer and were trying to give her back to me.” The office let him go without a ticket.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: As my Ole Pappy used to say, “Don’t dwell on the past — but when you need a memory, the past is a good place to go!” Ole Pappy always said I’d have my memories with him long after he was gone. He was so right! Thanks Ole Pappy!

Byron Higgin

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The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492