The G.A.R. Hall and Meeker County Museum will be hosting the monthly Civil War Roundtable discussion next Thursday. The meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 1:30.
Museum Executive Director Danelle Erickson says she spoke during the meeting last month. She says Steve Hoffbeck will be speaking next Thursday about William Colvill – a Gettysburg hero from Minnesota.
Erickson says they ask for a $3 donation for guests attending the Civil War Roundtable and it’s free for Roundtable members. She says the Museum will be getting ready for its annual meeting on December 4th – and the deadline to make dinner reservations for that is November 26th.
Erickson says the Meeker County Museum will be closed over the Thanksgiving weekend from November 27th through the 29th; and the Museum will be closed over the Christmas holiday from December 24th through January 1st. Donations to the Meeker County Historical Society are welcome any time at 308 North Marshall Avenue. The museum is usually open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10-to-4 and Saturdays from noon-to-4. For more information, go to meekercomuseum.org.
The annual Meeker County 4-H Awards Celebration was held last month at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield. The event included a meal and a special guest speaker – Kylee Sellnow.
Additionally, Meeker County 4H’ers were recognized for their accomplishments during the past
year and recognition was given to the volunteers and supporters.
Awards were as follows:
Muriel & Chester Larson Memorial Young Achiever Award Winner: Willa VanDuinen,
Independent
4-H Club Enrollment Winner: Valley Victors
Club Achievement Awards:
Danielson Hustlers, purple ribbon
Kimball Kruisers, purple ribbon
Valley Victors, purple ribbon
Dassel Lamplighters, blue ribbon
Forest City Livewires, blue ribbon
Litchfield Satellites, blue ribbon
Friend of 4-H Award: Ramsey Printing & Design, Inc.
4-H Alumni Award: Josh Carlson
4-H Volunteer of the Year Award: Jordan Niece
Lontime 4-H Volunteer: Joe & Erin Yanish
Best Set of Records:
Overall Beginner Best Set of Records: Jonathan Blunt, Forest City Livewires
Overall Intermediate Best Set of Records: Alexis Blunt, Forest City Livewires
Graduation Awards:
14 Years
Gracie Becker, Koronis Eager Beavers
Paige Frenchick, Valley Victors
Aleisha Shoutz, Forest City Livewires
Preston Welling, Koronis Eager Beavers
13 Years
Gabe Yanish, Forest City Livewires
12 Years
Vincent Lee, Danielson Hustlers
Hank Meyer, Kimball Kruisers
11 Years
Mason Overson, Danielson Hustlers
Evan Schrupp, Koronins Eager Beavers
10 Years
Andrew Soderlund, Dassel Lamplighters
5 Years
Asher Lund, Danielson Hustlers
3 Years
Shelby Dengerud, Litchfield Satellites
Educational Scholarship Awards:
Ellie Donnay, Kimball Kruisers
Henry Lemke, Valley Victors
Preston Welling, Koronis Eager Beavers
Outstanding 4-H Member Awards:
County Ambassador: Henry Lemke, Valley Victors
Animal Science: Frances Geurts, Kimball Kruisers
Expressive Arts: Elizabeth Donnay, Kimball Kruisers
Natural Science: Maisy Geurts, Kimball Kruisers
Plant & Soil Science: Sophia Rauschendorfer, Dassel Lamplighters
Mechanical Science: Cooper Overson, Danielson Hustlers
Personal Growth & Development: Audrey Frenchick, Koronis Eager Beavers
Family & Consumer Science: Chloe Richardson, Danielson Hustlers
Longtime 4-H’er: Ellie Donnay, Kimball Kruisers
Longtime 4-H’er: Preston Welling, Koronis Eager Beavers
4-H’er of the Year Award:
Regan Nyquist, Dassel Lamplighters
If you have any questions or are interested in joining 4-H, call the Meeker County
Extension Office at 320-693-5275.
Over 1,000 FFA students from Minnesota attended the National FFA Convention which began on October 29th in Indianapolis, Indiana. Several local FFA members received honors during competitions which were held at the national convention through November 1st.
Andrew Schmitz of the Eden Valley-Watkins FFA was one of 8 FFA members who participated in the pre-convention delegate committee process. Among the 9 schools receiving the Minnesota National Chapter 2-Star Chapter recognition were the Dassel-Cokato and Eden Valley-Watkins FFA Chapters.
The 2025 National Agricultural Proficiency Awards were announced at the National FFA Convention, and Minnesota had four finalists in four areas. All national finalists were interviewed by a delegation of judges prior to the announcement of the winners. The Minnesota finalists included: Agricultural Communications – Olivia Vorpagel, Southland FFA chapter; Agricultural Processing – Adreanna Kaas, Milaca FFA; Dairy Production-Placement – Porter Kuechle, Eden Valley-Watkins FFA; and Fruit & Nut Production – Cameron Addington, Cannon Falls FFA.
In the Career Development category, the Agricultural Issues Forum team from the Litchfield High School FFA chapter earned a Bronze ranking. The Conduct of Chapter Meetings team from the Dassel-Cokato FFA chapter earned a Silver ranking. The Food Science & Technology team from Dassel-Cokato also earned 11th place and a gold ranking.
Honorary American Degrees for 2025 went to 6 Minnesota residents including Judy Barka of Litchfield and Corynn Flood of Cokato. You can find out more about the awards that were given to the various chapters around Minnesota and find out more about FFA at FFA.org or MNFFA.org.