Local News

This coming Saturday will be a busy time in Litchfield as the decorations in Central Park will officially be lit, and there will be other activities related to Small Business Saturday. The events in Central Park will take place from 3-to-5 p.m. – with carolers, a visit from Mr. & Mrs. Claus, followed by the lighting ceremony at 5:30.

The Light Up Litchfield contest is also underway and several businesses and other entities around Litchfield have entered. The official contest period is from November 30th to December 13th and people can go around the community, look at the lights and decorations and vote for their favorite.

The Litchfield Chamber’s Keep the Cheer here promotion also begins this weekend and continues through December 13th – for a chance to win cash prizes. Shoppers will receive a bingo card to be stamped at the participating businesses. You can find more details at litchfieldmn.com or on Facebook.

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The ELCA Co-op Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner is coming up on Saturday from 3:30-to-7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran at 504 North Gilman Avenue in Litchfield. The event will benefit the ELCA Co-op Youth Mission Study Tour and the Meeker Area Food Shelf.

Josie Bjorkman says the menu includes lutefisk and meatballs with white sauce or melted butter, meatballs in gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, homemade bread, lefse, flatbread, cranberries, Scandinavian sweets, coffee, water and milk. Josie says the cost of the dinner is $20; $25 for take-outs; and $10 for children 5-to-12. She says the youth will be going on a mission trip in 2026 so they are doing all kinds of fundraisers.

Owen Rick says the youth from 3 churches – Zion, 1st Lutheran of Litchfield and Trinity Lutheran – will be going on the mission trip (the location yet to be decided) and they’ve been raising funds with pie-in-the-park, breakfasts, a cookie walk and the food stand at the Meeker County Fair. Owen says they will be serving tomorrow from 3:30-to-7 p.m. – or until the lutefisk is gone.

Julie Rick says the young people and adults have been busy setting up the church and preparing Scandinavian treats. Again, the Lutefisk and Meatball dinner is tomorrow (Nov. 23) at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield from 3:30-to-7 p.m. There’s a quilt raffle – $1 per chance.

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The Salvation Army began its Red Kettle campaign in Litchfield on Monday. The kettles will be set up at Family Fare, Walmart and Running’s through Christmas Eve, and bell ringers are needed.

Rochelle Brummond says if someone is not at the kettle ringing the bell, people are less likely to donate. She says you can sign up at registertoring.com or call Heather Jeseritz at 320-699-0461.

Brummond says there is a QR code on their posters for donations, and you’re also welcome to drop off a check for the red kettle campaign at her office at the Threads of Hope store at 120 North Sibley Avenue in Litchfield. She says if the money actually goes in the local kettles, it stays in Meeker County to help people here who are in need.

Brummond says the funds they receive in the red kettle campaign helps to bridge gaps as she helps people with food, clothing and shelter and maybe in some emergency situations such as paying for a car repair. She says you can just sign up to ring the bell for an hour or whatever works in your schedule and it can be a fun activity for individuals, couples, or groups such as church groups and service club members.

Brummond says they’ve received a gold coin in one of the Litchfield kettles for several years in a row and they are able to cash it in. She says the community has been so generous over the years with their giving in the red kettle campaign.

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