Events

WINGS (Women In Northfield Giving Support) will host two events in October to introduce the public to the value of philanthropy in the community.

Ann Mulholland, vice-president of grants and programs for Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, will speak on “Collective Philanthropy” at the WINGS Fall Event, at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 25,in Room 305 of Dittmann Center at St. Olaf College. Mulholland, who previously served as deputy mayor in St. Paul, will discuss how joint giving can multiply results. She will talk about her experiences multiplying the impact of philanthropy and taking a collective approach to addressing public problems. The event is open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Kye Allums, who made history as the first openly transgender athlete to play on an NCAA Division I college basketball team, will present his story, entitled “A Transgender Athlete’s Story,” at Carleton College on Friday, Oct. 12. Sponsored by Carleton’s Gender and Sexuality Center as part of “National Coming Out Week,” this event takes place in the Great Hall beginning at 5:00 p.m., and it is free and open to the public.

Allums was born Kyler Kelcian “Kay-Kay” Allums in Florida and grew up in St. Paul, Minn. He says he identified from childhood as a man in a woman’s body but that social pressure kept him in his identity as Kay-Kay. Allums attended Centennial High School in Circle Pines and received a basketball scholarship to George Washington University, beginning his studies there in 2008. He was a star point guard for the women’s basketball team, starting 20 games for the Colonials his sophomore year.

Local amateur historian Tim Madigan will talk about the United States Dakota Conflict at the Northfield Historical Society on October 18, at 6:30 p.m. in conjunction with the NHS current exhibit, 1862 Through Rice County’s Eyes. Before entering the field of city management, Mr. Madigan was formerly a high school history and social studies in Morton, MN, the site of the start of the conflict.  He taught a local history class, and became familiar with many of the sites and events of the Conflict. He has also lived in Mankato and Faribault, cities with close ties to the conflict.

On Sunday, Oct. 28th TAB, the library's Teen Advisory Board, will create a "Harvest Festival" complete with horse drawn hayrides, apple games, face painting, treats, library laser tag, a hay bale maze, contests and live music inside and outside the library! Guitarist Randy Ferguson and musician Seth Hanson will be entertaining us from the south portico of the library!
The fun starts at 1 pm and goes until 3.

Many thanks to everyone who voted in the 2nd annual Northfield Youth Video PSA Contest.  Nearly 500 people (a record number!) cast votes to determine this year’s winner.  The top vote getter was “Wave,” produced by Chen Ye and Seth Hanson.  Chen and Seth will receive a cash prize for their win.   Click HERE to view this year’s winner.

The theme for this year’s PSA contest was “Youth Under Pressure,” with entries focusing on stress faced by youth and ways that adults can help reduce this stress.  This year’s three finalist videos can be found HERE.

“We were very excited about the quality of submissions for this year’s PSA contest,” said Zach Pruitt, Northfield Healthy Community Initiative director.  “They speak to the truly amazing talents of Northfield youth.”

The video PSA contest is sponsored by the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use.

The 2013 video contest theme will be announced in the late spring, with entries likely due in early September 2013.

The Rev. Todd Smith Lippert will officially be installed as senior minister at First United Church of Christ of Northfield during a special installation service at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at the church, 300 Union St.

The public is invited to the service, which will be led by Dr. Karen Smith, conference minister for the United Church of Christ in Minnesota, and will feature music performed by a number of the church’s choirs.

A meal hosted by the church’s Special Functions and Parish, Life and Fellowship committees will follow the service.

“Hoops and Hoops” is the theme for this month’s edition of Kids Night at the Y, set for Friday, Oct. 5, at the National Guard Armory, 519 Division St.

Kids Night at the Y—an evening of fun conducted by the Northfield Area Family YMCA—is open to children ages 3 to 10.

Kids Night features games, crafts, music and dinner. The program runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m.

YMCA members pay $10 for the first two children in the family – a fee that include dinner – and $5 for each additional child. Nonmembers pay $15 for the two children in the family, $10 for each additional child.

Additional information about Kids Night is listed in the Y’s Fall Program Brochure, which is available online at www.northfieldymca.org.

At their September 2012 board meeting, the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board approved grants to support five projects and activities designed to benefit Northfield youth.  The projects are funded through HCI’s Investing in Youth grant program. 

Funded projects included:

Fred Guterl, an award-winning journalist who is the executive editor of Scientific American magazine, will appear at the Carleton College Gould Library Athenaeum on Friday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m. in support of his latest book, “The Fate of the Species: Why the Human Race May Cause Its Own Extinction and How We Can Stop It” (Bloomsbury USA, 2012). The book, which will be available for purchase at the event, describes the current environmental catastrophe caused by human inventions and future threats to our civilization. The event is free and open to the public.

Northfield Retirement Community (NRC) has announced the details of its Youth Volunteer Autumn Event. The event will take place on Saturday, October 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. on the Northfield Retirement Community campus. As in the past, this gathering will bring together community members, youth groups, families and others to form meaningful connections, encourage community involvement and enrich the lives of both NRC residents and volunteers.

This autumn’s event marks the fourth Youth Volunteer Event held at NRC. The seasonal events have become a tradition for both residents and volunteers, and many families and groups have carved out a place for the events as permanent parts of their calendars. “Last spring we were thrilled to have a great turnout, and we look forward to seeing attendance grow with this event,” said Milosha Malecha, director of activities and volunteer opportunities at NRC. “We are pleased to see that so many people have come to value these wonderful opportunities to bridge generational gaps while having a significant positive impact on our campus.”

Michael Duffy, a veteran journalist who is the executive editor and Washington bureau chief for TIME Magazine, will present Carleton College’s weekly convocation on Friday, Sept. 28 at 10:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel. Duffy  will speak about his decades of experience covering national politics and his current position overseeing TIME’s coverage of national affairs. Convocation is free and open to the public; the addresses are also steamed live online and later archived. To view this and previous convocations, visit apps.carleton.edu/events/convocations/.

Duffy joined TIME in 1985 as its Pentagon correspondent and has since written over 50 stories featured on the magazine’s cover. He has served off and on as Washington bureau chief since 1997. Duffy’s work has covered Congress and the White House as well as national security issues. An Ohio native and Oberlin College alumnus, Duffy worked as a staff writer at Defense Week magazine before taking the job at TIME.

Shawn Otto, an acclaimed author, filmmaker and noted science advocate, whose book “Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America” (Rodale Books, 2011) is the winner of the 2012 Minnesota Book Award for general nonfiction, will appear at the Carleton College Weitz Center for Creativity Cinema on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. The event is part of a state-wide tour featuring Minnesota Book Award winners and is co-sponsored by Carleton’s Gould Library, St. Olaf College’s Rolvaag Library, and the Northfield Public Library. Otto will presentation will discuss his award-winning book, which argues that American society is rejecting science at the very time we most need it. Copies of “Fool Me Twice” will be available for purchase at the event. Otto’s presentation is free and open to the public.

Register now for the Knights’ Gauntlet, a four-mile obstacle course race through the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum on Saturday, Sept. 22.

A portion of the proceeds benefits the Northfield Area Family YMCA.

This event is intended for teams of four. You will need your team to help you through most obstacles. However, if you do not have a team or can only find a couple of people you can register and run the race with 1-3 people. If you do not have a team now and would like to be put on one please email Sam at stwito@carleton.edu.

In keeping with River Valley Eye Professionals’ commitment to education, the company will hold two additional educational programs on glaucoma in September as part of its 2012 Eye Health Lecture Series. David K. Hakes, OD, says, “We are looking forward to connecting with community members and letting people know about such an important issue.” Lectures are free and will be held Wednesday, September 19, at 2:00 p.m. at the Three Links Apartments (805 Forest Avenue) and Thursday, September 27, at 2:00 p.m. at the Park Ridge Apartments (905 Forest Avenue). No RSVP is required and all are encouraged to attend. Dr. Hakes and Dena L. McGee, OD, will lead the seminars and will be available to answer questions.

The League of Women Voters Northfield-Cannon Falls invites the public to attend its fall kick-off meeting, “Voting No: When Should We Amend the Minnesota Constitution?”

The event will take place September 27 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at St John’s Lutheran Church, 500 3rd St. W. in Northfield. It is free, and open to all.

Two presenters will provide a closer look at the two constitutional amendments on the ballot in November.