Thanks to all of our racers for a great race this year in Spring Valley! It was windy, hot day, but you gave it your all!
Congratulations to our winners!
Tools for Economic Growth in Spring Valley, Minnesota.
by Chris Hahn
by Chris Hahn
by Chris Hahn
Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
It’s happening @ and for your library.
Because the library is where it’s happening.
Anyone who may think that the public library is just a snore, a place where being quiet is the norm, where nothing ever happens may be completely surprised by the long list of noises and events that occur at that building down the street.
Take, for example, storytime. Oh, the excitement, the exuberance, the giggles. After everyone over 21 has had their coffee, but before 11:00 a.m. – kiddos rounding the story tree in the children’s section to hear a book being read to them, followed by an activity related to the characters of the book. Two more sessions left in May, on Friday, May 3 and 17 at 10:30 a.m. for the preschoolers in one’s life. And after that come preparations for the “Adventure at Your Library” children’s summer reading program from June 3 through July 26 – including Will Bjorndal appearing on June 5, Chad Lewis bringing Minnesota folklore on June 12, and the Eagle Bluff raptor naturalists presenting on June 26, with all programs scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
For the grownups, there’s local author Steve Harris visiting on April 30 at 6:00 p.m., children’s author Michael Hall stopping at SVPL on May 9 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Minnesota Author Tour – the littles may certainly be interested as well, Nancy Vaillancourt presenting on the Hooded History of the Ku Klux Klan in southeast Minnesota in the 1920’s on May 21 at 6:00 p.m., and the library staff taking suggestions as to whom to host in the future through the Southeast Libraries Cooperating vetted presenter program.
What’s happening for the library? According to Friends of the Spring Valley Public Library President Sarah Hansen, there’s plenty. Like, plenty to do and learn. She and the Friends are going to offer classes for the public to enjoy as a fundraiser for the library, beginning with Beginning – she’ll be facilitating two enrichment classes, the first being Beginning Organic Gardening, which is set for the first two Saturdays in May from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Preserving the Harvest, slated for the first two Saturdays in June from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. — and she anticipates that the Friends will continue to bring educational experiences forward throughout the fall, including an introduction to crocheting class that will allow anyone who’d like to be in the loop about looping to do so.
Furthermore, there’s what’s happening @ and for the library one Wednesday a month as summer arrives and evolves into early fall, as the library or the Friends will be seen downtown at a booth during Wednesdays on Broadway, with the Friends sometimes selling ice cream and other items to help raise money for the library’s needs and raise awareness of its available services. Wednesdays on Broadway, a town celebration and farmers’ market with information hosted on the Spring Valley Economic Development Authority’s website at https://springvalleyeda.org/wednesdays-on-broadway-spring-valley-mn/ or the Wednesdays on Broadway Facebook page, will be the place to find Hansen and Friends on June 19, July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.
For more information on library events, log onto the library’s website at www.springvalley.lib.mn.us, stop in at the library on Jefferson Street, or call 507-346-2100.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
by Chris Hahn
Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
There’s no question that little Al Batt was for the birds.
But later in life, he’ll tell you that he’s not easily bugged and that he probably isn’t an owl.
“I love flowers, nature, and birds. I love box elder bugs!” declared obvious nature enthusiast Batt, quipping that most people find box elder bugs annoying and adding, “The neat thing about box elder bugs is that when they die on their backs, they cross their legs like they’re in a casket.”
Batt addressed the gathering at Good Earth Village’s (GEV) March Lunch and Learn event, sharing his tales of life, birdwatching and even bug-watching as he told about the time when he, as just a boy, was able to stand still enough to become a human birdfeeder and perch, and about the disconnect between the bird sounds used in the old westerns that he watched on television and the actual birds’ true calls, citing, “Turkey vultures have a rough and rocky flight, but eagles have a nice and smooth flight. I didn’t see an eagle until I was older. You know, you watch all those westerns on TV, and you hear what you think is an eagle — Matt Dillon got shot 21 times in the same shoulder during that series — but the bald eagles all started to sound like redtail hawks. Recently, there’s been a campaign to get the right birdsong dubbed into golf tournaments.”
His chat with the GEV Lunch and Learn attendees included perusals of the habits of various birds, such as a quick inventory of the birds returning to Minnesota after an extremely mild winter. “There’s pelicans here now. I do a Christmas bird count, and they can stay here on the open water and can get fish. They’re like Lutherans at a lutefisk feed. Then there’s the great horned owls on their eggs. They do not build their own nests. They are horrible renters – they take a nest someone else built and wreck it. They move almost as much as Pa Ingalls.”
Furthermore, he shared with the audience about the time that he, a youngster, got sprayed by a skunk and was immediately thrown into the bathtub, after which calls were put out on the party line for anyone who had tomato juice to bring it to de-stench a very small boy who hadn’t quite learned the difference between a skunk and a kitty or other critter. And raccoons…he told how “they have a mask like you wear the grease under your eyes when you’re playing football to stop the glare.” “Raccoons like to put their paws over their eyes…science studied us, and you know how when we’re little and we cover our eyes and think ‘You can’t see me?’ Little kids and raccoons are the same.”
Tales of how his grandparents immigrated to the United States and lost everything upon arrival also filtered in through the tree-filled stories with which he captivated his listeners, and at the end, he extended his thanks to them, saying, “If we’re lucky in life, we’re given a great gift. It has been an honor to be in your company. Enjoy the birds – no matter what the bird is, a beautiful bird gets us out of our heads. And I hope, as you slide down the banister of life, the slivers are all going the same direction.”
Upcoming GEV Lunch and Learn events feature Tuesday luncheon hour speakers who have messages of hope and interest – the April 16 event welcomes Mark Swanson, regional director and interim chief executive officer of Growing Hope Globally, which “provides an opportunity for Christians to make a lasting impact on global hunger, linking the grassroots energy and commitment of rural communities in the U.S. with the capability and desire of smallholder farmers in developing countries,” and the May 16 event is an opportunity to hear Teresa Waldof share about her book, “Wilhelm’s Way: The Inspiring Story of the Iowa Chemist Who Saved the Manhattan Project,” recounting “the contributions to the war effort of Dr. Harley Wilhelm and the Ames Project division of the Manhattan Project during World War II.”
GEV’s Lunch and Learns begin at 11:00 a.m. at Log Lodge as attendees check in, followed by lunch being served at 11:30 a.m. The day’s presentation starts at 12:15 p.m. and lasts until approximately 1:30 p.m., with time for questions and answers included. Registration before each event is appreciated to assist GEV staff in planning lunch. For more information, log onto the GEV website at www.goodearthvillage.org.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
by Chris Hahn
by Chris Hahn
Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, March 21, 2024. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
The Spring Valley Kiwanis Club has honored Ryley Guy as a Kiwanis Academic Award recipient. She is the daughter of Lyman and Jill Guy of rural Spring Valley.
The Kingsland senior is active in numerous extracurricular activities. “I am involved in basketball, golf, Student Council, FFA, National Honor Society (NHS), and I am the senior class secretary. Of these activities, I would have to say that FFA is my favorite because the activities are really fun, and I enjoy doing them with my friends. In the past, I have participated in most of the clubs listed above, as well as Key Club, softball and volleyball. My favorite subject would have to be history or sociology, and my least favorite is definitely math.”
The 18-year-old keeps busy with work and friends after school. “Outside of school, I am not really involved in anything besides volunteer things for school clubs. I work at the Rochester Golf & Country Club, and the thing I like most about it is the fact that I get to be outside during my shifts. In my spare time, I like to go golfing, skiing, shopping, and I like to hang out with my friends. My favorite movie is “Grown Ups,’ and my favorite books are definitely the ‘Harry Potter’ series. I listen to all different kinds of music, but my favorite genre is rap, and my favorite music artists are 21 Savage and the Weekend.” She added, “I could live off of any sort of Mexican food for the rest of my life. A food that is really gross to me would be shrimp. My biggest pet peeve is acrylic nails that are long and square. One really bad habit I have is twirling my hair, and a bad hobby I have is going to Crumbl Cookie almost every week.” Finally, she noted, “If I could travel to any country in the world, I would go to Italy so that I could visit the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. If I could travel to any state, I would go to Hawaii because it is beautiful, and I would like to visit the Volcanoes National Park.”
Ryley related, “The three people I admire most are my mom, dad, and my older sister Morgan. I admire my parents because they work very hard to provide for my siblings and I, and they always take time to do fun stuff with us. I also admire them because they are very motivating when it comes to passions and dreams, and they always encourage me to do my best, so I hope that I am like them someday. I admire my sister Morgan because she is really smart and outgoing, and she encourages me to look for opportunities outside of my comfort zone.” If she could do one thing to change the world, she’d “make college free because it is so expensive.”
Her plans after graduating aren’t quite settled, but she knows that she wants to make a mark on the corporate world. “I’m not entirely sure of what I want to become after I graduate, but as of now, I’m hoping that I will become a corporate business law counselor or manage a large business corporation. When I was a little kid, I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon because I was obsessed with Grey’s Anatomy.”
The Kiwanis recognized Ryley and her parents during the March 13 noon luncheon meeting. The Kiwanis meet at the Spring Valley Community Center each Wednesday and welcome individuals who would like to become members.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
to save your favourite homes and more
Enter your email address and we will send you a link to change your password.