The Meeker County Fair will begin next Thursday – August 1st and will continue through August 4th. Meeker County 4H members have been busy getting their projects ready for the fair and getting their exhibit areas cleaned up in time for the fair.
Extension Educator Cassidy Martin, who coordinates the Meeker County 4H program, says there are 279 4H members who will display over 2,000 exhibits during the fair in Litchfield next week. She says they will bring in their projects earlier next week for judging and the ribbons they receive are based on more than just how they appear as the 4H goes through a judge’s interview.
Martin says it’s important for people to patronize the 4H Dining Hall at the Meeker County Fair as the proceeds help to fund the 4H program, and they also depend on the generous people who participate in the dairy and market auctions during the Meeker County Fair. She says young people may join 4H at any time of the year, but it’s ideal to join around October 1st when they begin their year. For more 4H information, call the Meeker County Extension office at 693-5275.
On Thursday afternoon at 12:48, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a man who had suffered significant burns. Meeker County Deputies, Dassel Fire & Rescue, Mayo Ambulance and Lifelink III responded to the scene at a residence in the 27500 block of 742nd Avenue in Dassel Township.
Deputies learned that 53-year-old Jeremy Hirsch of Winsted was assisting family with yard clean up. Hirsch was attempting to burn a brush pile using an accelerant. The fire started and came back on the victim causing severe burns over a significant portion of his body. Hirsch was flown by LifeLink III from the scene to Hennepin County Medical Center where he is being treated for his burns. The full extent of his injuries was not determined at the scene. This incident was determined to be accidental.
On Thursday evening at 6:45, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a man who was injured on a job site. Meeker County Deputies, Hutchinson Fire & Rescue, Alina Ambulance and Lifelink III responded to the scene in the 67000 block of CSAH 18 in Ellsworth Township. Deputies learned that 37-year-old Peter Mollema of Slayton was conducting fiber optic work, when he fell into a pit, landing on a grounding rod, which impaled his leg. Mollema was flown by LifeLink III from the scene to the St. Cloud Hospital where he’s being treated for his injuries.
The 17th annual Meeker Memorial Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament is coming up on August 9th at 11 a.m. at the Litchfield Golf Club. The funds raised this year will be designated for a safe room in the hospital’s emergency room.
Meeker Memorial CEO Mary Ellen Wells people may register for the golf tournament on the hospital’s website which is meekermemorial.org. She says there is an area in the ER right now for some of their patients that is considered a safe room, but it needs updates.
Wells says they would also like to develop a triage room in the ER, and there are other building plans being considered at Meeker Memorial with more information being released later this year. She says they just inked a deal on Tuesday for St. Cloud Orthopedics to provide joint replacement surgeries at Meeker Memorial Hospital 4 days a week as Dr. Walker has gone back to Hutchinson.
Wells says Meeker Memorial is also excited to welcome a new family physician – Dr. Leif Olson – who will start in October. She says October will mark one year since she began at Meeker Memorial as interim CEO. She was named CEO earlier this year. Wells says she came out of retirement after 40 years in health care and says Litchfield is such a wonderful community and Meeker Memorial is a phenomenal hospital with so much potential.