Misc

The public is invited to tour Northfield Hospital & Clinics’ new Cancer Care & Infusion Center Monday, May 7, 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Visitors will have an opportunity to see the new clinic space, meet the staff and enjoy refreshments. Northfield Hospital’s new Sleep Center, the Breast Care Center and the relocated Kaleidoscope gift shop will also be open for tour.

At their April 2012 board meeting, the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board approved mini-grants to support eight projects and activities designed to benefit Northfield youth.  Funded projects included:

Writers’ Workshop Poetry Book.  ARTech students participating in the Writers’ Workshop group are compiling prose and poetry they have authored throughout the school year and are putting it into one publication, a poetry book.  Several copies of this journal will be given to the Key and area businesses who have hosted the writers during writing sessions this school year.

Latino Play Festival.  Students in the ESL (English as a Second Language) Performing Arts class at Northfield High School have spent the year writing and preparing plays.  Planned performances will be held at Carleton College and at the Northfield High School.  There will also be special performances for middle school students.  Evening performances at the Northfield High School are scheduled for May 11th and 12th.

Rachel Matney and Fritz Bogott are the March/April 2012 recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative’s “Making a Difference” award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

After reading reports about the achievement gap in Minnesota and Northfield, Matney started thinking of local solutions.  She wondered:  are there willing and interested volunteers in Northfield who could be asked to assist in closing this gap?

She approached her husband, Fritz Bogott, with the question, and they sprang into action.  They contacted Northfield Public Schools, HCI, St. Olaf College and Carleton College.  Bogott reported that from the first meeting, the enthusiasm from the partners was “irrepressible.”   A new pilot initiative – Accelerate Northfield – was born, aiming to recruit volunteers to work in the Northfield schools primarily with youth who are struggling academically.  Matney and Bogott have played key roles in designing the Accelerate Northfield model and recruiting community volunteers.

The Rice County Dollars and $ense program was featured on the front page of Wednesday’s Northfield News. In case you missed the article, check it out HERE.

The Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) is proud to partner on this new financial literacy program for local youth.  Dollars and $ense is funded by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education through the College Access Challenge Grant Program (a federal program that seeks to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education).

NPR station WBUR in Boston has a story today about students at the College of William and Mary attempting to break Carleton's spooning record. The image accompanying the story is from Northfield.org's June 2010 story about Carleton's record, written by Maia Rodriguez. The story, about how the attempt to break the spooning record has diverted attention from Friday's planned "Kony 2012" events on the William and Mary campus, is not entirely complimentary about the "attention span" of college students. What do you think of the story? It should be noted that Carleton's record-breaking feat in 2010 took place on the day before final exams began, and provided a much needed break from the stress of studying for finals.

Three-year old spayed, healty female needs a new home.  Gentle, submissive and shy, she is good with kids, her own cats and well-behaved dogs.  She loves to walk in the woods.  Her medium length hair is soft, does not tangle and never smells doggy.  She is mid-sized, around 40 pounds, house-trained and very sweet.  She has done agility training, and clicker training.  Loves to work for treats and toys.  I am moving, and can’t take her with me.  I’m looking for a responsible owner who lives here in Northfield who can adopt her and give her a good home. $50 re-homing fee includes bed, leash, dog bowls, etc. 

Call Linda, (507) 581-0925 if you’d like to meet her.

Start planning your summer schedule with Northfield Public Schools Community Services.

Summer classes for ages birth to senior are available online for viewing as you begin planning your summer. Brochure will be mailed and registration will begin on April 20.

There are many new classes as well as old favorites. Adult class highlights include Introduction to Archery (also for youth), Adult Tennis Lessons, Online Marketing with YouTube & Video, Creative Container Gardening, and an iPad series. Youth class highlights include Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Lessons, Game On, Princess Camp, Yucky Science Favorites, and Clay & Canvas Creations.

Visit Community Services online or call 507.664.3649 to view all classes or get more information.

You can check them out (literally) at the Northfield Public Library!

The Friends of the Library are celebrating National Library Week by rolling out their newest donation to library users. Nook Color e-reader’s loaded with popular titles are now available to check out, just like a regular book, for 3 weeks. Four readers are currently available with 4 more in process. Nook 1 & 2 are loaded with Bestsellers, Nook 3 contains Mysteries, and Nook 4 has new, Non-Fiction titles.

Want to see what titles are available? Type “Northfield Nook” in the search box of our online catalog: www.northfield.mn.info. Interested in taking home a Nook?  You’ll need a library card, a photo ID, and be 18 years of age or older.

Thanks to a Minnesota Legacy Grant via the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council and with the support of the Friends & Foundation of the Library our 2012 performers will be especially varied and enjoyable.  Books & Stars is free, family friendly outdoor summer performances featuring music and comedy for all ages.  Booker, the Book Bus will be on hand again for you to check out and return Northfield Public Library materials. 

See the attached poster for information.  There is a new Books & Stars information blog with links to the performers websites and more information.  http://booksandstars2012.blogspot.com/

The 51th Great Northfield, Minnesota Book Raid, the Northfield Hospital Auxiliary's annual book sale, will be Tuesday, April 24, to Saturday, April 28, at the Northfield Ice Arena, South Highway 3, Northfield.

Book donations, including CDs, DVDs, and videotapes, are welcome at the arena beginning over the next two weeks. Volunteers will be on site to receive donations   Monday-Friday, April 9-13, 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.; Monday through Friday, April 16- 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays April 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, April 21, the last day for donations, 9 a.m. to noon.

Sale hours will be 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, April 25-April 27; and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

The hospital auxiliary is dedicating funds raised this year to the expanded Cancer Care Infusion Center at Northfield Hospital.

Up to 15 paid, full-time AmeriCorps positions will be available working with youth and families in the Northfield community for 2012-13.

Click HERE for information on the current postings, including contacts and the processes for applying.  Questions?  Contact HCI (507.664.3524; info@northfieldhci.org).

Positions currently accepting applications:

• AmeriCorps VISTA with Growing Up Healthy
• AmeriCorps VISTA with the HealthFinders Collaborative
• Accelerate Northfield VISTA
• VISTA with Northfield TORCH (Tackling Obstacles and Raising College Hopes)
• Reading Corps Tutor — Greenvale Park Elementary School
• Reading Corps Tutor — Sibley Elementary School
• Math Enrichment Corps Tutor — Northfield Middle School (two positions!)
• Math Enrichment Corps Tutor — Greenvale Park Elementary School
• LINKing Youth & Families VISTA
• Promise Fellows — up to six positions at school and community sites

Did you know that Northfield’s own Laura Baker Services Association is 114 years old? What about the history of the woman who started it, Laura Baker herself? This month’s issue of the Northfield Entertainment Guide features a great article by local writer-Susan Hvistendal-on LBSA, chronicling the organization’s journey throughout the century from it’s amazingly progressive roots to its extraordinary impact today.

Malt-O-Meal announced the regional testing of a new hot breakfast cereal flavor: Smoky Chipotle.  Chipotle will join existing hot cereal flavors Original, Chocolate, and Maple & Brown Sugar.  MOM spokeswoman April Sloof explained their decision to expand the flavor line-up:

"The flavor preferences of the average American are evolving over time and we here at M-O-M pride ourselves at staying at the forefront of American haute hot cuisine.  As the melting pot of America changes, so to will the Malt-O-Meal breakfast pot."

"The new 'Smoky Chipotle' cereal features a strong Southwest pepper flavor and hints of liquid smoke, just like the porridge your Mom used to make.  We think it harkens back to a simpler time, a time where kids were free to bicycle among the cactii without helmets on."

The new flavor will be appearing on store shelves soon as Northfield has been selected as one of the test markets.

The Community Action Center is seeking nominations for election to its Board of Directors. You may nominate yourself or someone else by completing an application and including a letter addressing the nominee’s skills, background, term availability and interest in serving on the Board. Nominations will be reviewed for upcoming vacancies and will be maintained for future consideration.

Tired of mowing? Let award-winning author Evelyn Hadden help you rethink your yard. Evelyn's talk showcases many beautiful no-mow yards as she discusses how to create and maintain landscapes with less or no lawn. Hadden presents an inspiring array of case studies---no-mow designs by everyday gardeners plus ideas from landscape professionals that you can adapt to your own yard. You'll see lively grass gardens, shady havens, elegant edibles, lawnless stroll gardens, low-care living carpets, and more.

She'll suggest easy places to begin shrinking your lawn, ways to combine plants based on their growth habits, large-scale landscape features using trees and shrubs, designs for lawnless play areas, and strategies for designing away work and letting nature do more of the work. You'll learn about alternative lawns that need less or no mowing, watering, and fertilizing.