The boys in Ann Jerdee's seventh grade class at St. Dominic School conducted a "Hats for Haiti" fundraising drive. Students who paid a minimum of $1 were allowed to wear a hat throughout the school day on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. The project was enthusiastically embraced by the student body and a total of $587.65 was raised.

Donations to the fundraiser ranged from $1 - $100.

All proceeds were donated to Catholic Charities who will insure the funds are used in the Haiti reliefe efforts.

For more information about St. Dominic School, please visit our website: school.churchofstdominic.org or call us at (507) 645-8136.

Studying for tests and writing papers are no longer the only ways for some St. Olaf students to earn their grades. They’re also visiting residents at the Northfield Retirement Center, teaching local elementary school students how to reduce their waste, and working at the Community Action Center (like Alexandra Mastny, at right).

These are just several of the ways the Civic Engagement Program pairs students and community members. Since fall 2008, St. Olaf has offered about eight civic engagement classes per semester, each designed to promote academically relevant activities that serve the needs of the community.

Read more at stolaf.edu ...

 According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, several local waterways,  Wolf Creek, Heath Creek, Rice Creek (Spring Brook), and the Cannon River, are on the Minnesota list of impaired waters. In view of this, The Bridgewater Township Planning Commission invites the public to a review of stream protection measures at their meeting on Saturday, February 13, from 8:30-11:30 at the Bridgewater Town Hall, 500 Railway Street, Dundas.

Earlier this season, the Northfield Skating School had the opportunity to host two skating programs with Northfield's PRIMEtime collaborative. Staff and skaters shared the excitement of on and off-ice activities as we introduced over 80 new skaters to the rink during two field trips. View more photos on the Northfield Skating School website.

Last weekend, WINGS, one of Northfield’s prominent charities, celebrated its 10th year in existence, kicking off its second decade with a pledge to donate $10,000 this year to a focused cause based on perceived community needs. 

Are you itching to get your hands in the dirt and start planting again? As the seed catalogs start to fill the mail box, the desire to plan the perfect garden takes hold in many of us. No matter that there's still two feet of snow and ice between us and the soil - the desire is still there.

With those desires in mind, Just Food Co-op is offering two gardening classes on February 13th taught by Sara Morrison. Sara owns The Backyard Grocery, a garden consulting company in Bayport, MN. Sara's goal is to help clients find "a garden that makes sense for their physical space, cooking and food preferences, lifestyle, and personal needs."

The Northfield High School is putting on Student Directed One-Acts this weekend on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

On Friday the Contented Cow is hosting Carey Langer at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Son of a Gun CD Release Party at 8:30. Goodsell Observatory at Carleton is having an Open House from 7-9 p.m. The Tavern Lounge is hosting Joe Meyer.

Join the Friends of the Northfield Public Library for their annual meeting Tuesday, March 9th. The short annual meeting will begin at 7pm followed by a talk with Minnesota Book Award finalist Cary Griffith at 7:30!

Adventure writer Cary Griffith's new book "Opening Goliath: Danger and Discovert in Caving" recounts riveting and life-threatening tales of exploration in the limestone caves of southeastern Minnesota and the man-made caves of St. Paul.

No charge. In the Northfield Public Library's meeting room.  Local bookstore Monkey See, Monkey Read will bring Griffith's books for purchase and he will sign copies after his talk.

For handicapped assistance please call the library.

www.northfieldlibraryfriends.org 

A recent Los Angeles Times opinion piece about mistakes journalists have made with large numbers ("But who's counting?") quotes longtime Northfield resident Lynn Steen, St. Olaf professor emeritus of mathematics. "Generally people do not have sufficient experience with large numbers to have any intuitive sense of their size," he told the paper.

"They have no 'anchor' to distinguish a million from a billion the way they might 'feel' the difference between $10 and $10,000. So mistakes easily slip by unnoticed."

The Northfield Arts Guild is currently looking for musicians to play in the pit orchestra for the musical Chicago.  Players of the following instrumental parts are needed: saxophone, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, violin, banjo.  Performance dates are February 12-14, 19-21, and 26-28. 

Interested musicians should call the Northfield Arts Guild at 507-645-8877 and leave contact information.

 The Northfield Area Foundation funded seventeen (17) projects on Wednesday, January 28th. They range from basic needs to arts enrichment. The full list is found at http://northfieldareafoundation.org/ Three efforts stood out to me as historical markers of 2010 in the United States.

Grab your Guide! The February edition of the Northfield Entertainment Guide is on the streets and online at northfieldguide.com – a full month of happenings and the RESULTS of the 2009 BEST OF NORTHFIELD READER'S CHOICE.

The three major parties will hold precinct caucuses, kicking off the 2010 election Tuesday evening, beginning at 7:00. This is the first step in nominating candidates for the legislature and constitutional offices and in determining party platforms. Residents of Northfield and surrounding townships eligible to vote in Minnesota by November 2, 2010, may participate. For more information about what happens at a caucus visit: http://www.lwvmn.org/EdFund/caucus.asp  Republican and Independence parties will meet at the Northfield High School, Democratic party at the Northfield Middle School.  To check on the location of your caucus, visit:

 Today, while volunteering in Northfield Historical Society shop, I had a chance to look at the important new exhibit on view at the museum, illustrating the 50year history of the Northfield Arts Guild.  Photos and artifacts depict the many performances, exhibits, and activities NAG has presented in Northfield since its founding in 1959 when some visionary Northfielders began to create a place “where all art forms could be learned and presented in a community based center.” Today NAG programs classes, productions and exhibits in two historic buildings. We’re fortunate to have this extraordinary resource in our community.

Attention! Please note that the 3rd Annual Defeat of Groundhog Day show at the Rueb has been cancelled!

On Friday, Alexandra Jamieson will present a convocation in Skinner Chapel at Carleton at 10:50 a.m. Occasional Jazz is playing the Contented Cow from 4:30-6:30 p.m., followed by Spruce Top Review from 7-10. The Tavern Lounge is hosting The Bellered Yellers from 7-11. Posaunenstadt!, a faculty recital for trombones, is happening in Concert Hall at Carleton from 8-9:30 p.m.