Scott Gottschalk of Kimball will be embarking on his No Boundaries Tour on May 25th. The 120,000-mile ride in 120 days has a goal of raising $1.2-million to fight human trafficking.
Gottschalk says the ride will begin in Miami which is one of the worst cities in the U.S. for this type of crime and the kick-off event will include some big-name recording artists and speakers. He says he got so passionate about human trafficking after seeing the movie “The Sound of Freedom” and decided that he had to do something about it.
Gottschalk says he’s hoping to set a new Guiness Book record and he will be tracked by satellite to make sure he’s not exceeding speed limits, etc. He says he has arrangements with Harley-Davidson dealerships throughout his route as the oil and transmission fluid will need to be changed overnight every 5 days and the tires will need to be change every 10 days.
Gottschalk says he’s been preparing for this ride for 4 years which has included physical and mental training and his goal is to finish the ride on September 18th at Vikingland Harley-Davidson with a celebration – shortly after his 70th birthday which is on September 16th.
Donations toward the No Boundaries Tour can be made at NBTRide.com and Scott would welcome phone calls throughout his ride as he will be able to have hands-free conversations through his helmet at 320-894-5900.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Woodland Centers is available for people who are experiencing mental health issues. John Salgado Maldonado says with the changing of seasons, there can be an increase in mental health issues. He says it’s important to have a routine when the seasons change.
Maldonado says it’s good to have someone that you can talk to and if someone is alone, make an effort to reach out to them and make sure they’re doing well. He says it’s a good idea to know who to contact in case there is a mental health emergency. Woodland Centers has a phone number you can call 24/7 if you feel you need help: 1-800-432-8781. Maldonado says Woodland Centers is always working with Meeker Cares. He says they will be planning a future activity and that information will be circulated soon.
The Litchfield School Board has approved of a special education position at Litchfield Middle School for the 2025-26 school year. Supt. Susan Burris says there are two grade levels in which more than 25% of the class is in need of special education.
Burris says 80% of the position would be reimbursed, and the remaining 20% could be funded with savings from other areas. The motion passed on a 5-to-1 vote with Greg Mathews opposed as he wanted to know what specific cuts would be made to fund this position before voting in favor of it.
The Litchfield School Board has accepted a bid of $211,800 for the Sun Room renovation project at Lake Ripley Elementary School from KNB Contracting. Business Manager Jesse Johnson says this is a special education-type of room for students with unique needs and there are funds in the construction budget to cover the costs. He says there were 7 bids and they came in well below the estimate. The Board approved of a low quote of $114,880.48 from Culinex for the Middle School freezer and dry storage unit on a 5-to-1 vote with Mathews opposed.
The Board approved of a revision to Bill King’s leave-of-absence request to allow him to have a 2-year leave, but to be able to return to teaching after one year, if he chooses.
The Litchfield School Board approved of a resolution accepting donations including approximately $2,000 from Resoneticse for two vices for the Litchfield High School metal shop; $500 from the VFW for the Litchfield High School Robotics program; and $50 from the Bob Groskreutz memorial fund for Litchfield High School athletics.
