The Litchfield City Council heard a request last night from a couple of Baseball Association members. Brandon Nagel and Travis Eichner would like to see lights installed for the Cal Ripkin Fields.
Nagel says new lights would be very expensive to purchase and install, but there are some used poles that will be sold in the near future by Steffes Auctioneers that would make the project more affordable. He says installing lights would make baseball more flexible for families and would create better opportunities for hosting tournaments.
The Council took no formal action on the matter, but encouraged the men to work with the city administration on the matter and to contact service clubs and the school board with their idea and to begin fundraising efforts as the city would likely share in half of the cost.
Council member Darlene Kotelnicki spoke to her fellow Council members about the Veterans Administration’s interest in possibly building a community-based out-patient clinic in Litchfield. Also last night, the Litchfield City Council approved of the purchase of a Bobcat track skidloader and a John Deere tractor/snowblower/rotary broom.
The Golden Fleece Lodge #89 Charitable Foundation is hoping to construct a log picnic shelter at South Park in Litchfield in the near future. The Masons want to construct the pavilion with lumber from local trees.
Greg Langmo says one of their members left them with a generous donation that is to be used for the betterment of the community and they decided that South Park could use a shelter. He says if anyone has a hardwood tree at their home that will need to be taken down, it could be used for the project and they are going to track where each donated log is placed in the shelter.
Langmo says monetary donations towards the project would also be appreciated which will help them enhance the facility with stonework, a fireplace and picnic tables and donations for the project can be sent to the City of Litchfield as the City is the fiscal agent. He says it’s going to be an attractive, unique facility.
Langmo says they are hoping to maybe begin construction on the shelter by next fall, but for sure by 2027. He says if anyone has a tree that they would like the Masons to look at or any other questions, they may call him at 320-894-5782 or Jim Ellingson at 320-699-0317.
Ecumen of Litchfield had a good response to its pop-up shop on November 8th. Lots of people attended the special sale that day in the community room at 200 North Holcombe Avenue in Litchfield where homemade crafts and baked goods were sold.
Ecumen of Litchfield Executive Director Rosella Jorgenson says she’d like to thank everyone who came to the pop-up shop. She says they are also getting a good response again this year to their adopt-a-grandparent program where people in the community can purchase a Christmas gift for one of the Ecumen residents.
Jorgenson says the socks-for-seniors program is also underway, and last year, Dawn Doty collected enough fun socks to not only give to Ecumen residents, but to residents at Lincoln Apartments and Meeker Manor. Doty says they are looking for fun socks, preferably with the gripper soles. She says they’ve added 5 new clients recently to Adult Day, but they can use more clients, and people can try it out with a complimentary visit.
Doty says people can use Adult Day for one day a week or every day, but the minimum is 4 hours and they can also use Adult Day on Saturdays and Sundays. She says it provides their clients with activities, exercise and socialization and they can take a whirlpool bath for an extra charge, and they will soon be adding foot care. Doty says it gives caregivers a much-needed break. For more information about Adult Day, call Dawn at 320-373-6627.
Independent Living Housing Manager Hope Hagert says Ecumen has a couple more apartments available right now at Gloria Dei which provides affordable and market rate housing. She says it’s a nice transition for people who are maybe ready to leave the responsibilities of maintaining a house.
Hagert says people are welcome to visit Gloria Dei and take a tour, and they can get their names on a waiting list if they need some more time to transition into an apartment. She says she can be reached for more information at 320-373-6614. For more information about Ecumen of Litchfield in general, call 320-583-0004.
