The Kirsten Riley Fundraiser will be on Saturday, October 19th at Shaggy’s Bonfire and Grille – south of Litchfield on Highway 22. There will be kid’s games, snacks, silent auction, raffle and door prizes from 2-to-4 p.m. and a pulled pork sandwich meal from 4-to-8 p.m.
Kirsten’s best friend, Heidi Nelson, says Kirsten was diagnosed last November with brain cancer and eventually lung and liver cancer – going through vigorous treatment, and medical expenses.
Nelson says she’s hoping a lot of people attend the benefit and support Kirsten. She says her home and those of the other benefit organizers have looked like Christmas with all of the silent auction items they’ve been stockpiling.
Jes Ellson says Sara Miller contacted her at the fair last summer and asked if she could help with organizing the benefit for Kirsten. She says they have lots of unique silent auction items, including an African safari.
Ellson says the person who get the safari will be responsible for the travel expenses to get to Africa. She says the benefit will include face-painting, rock-painting, cookie decorating, crazy hair, pumpkin carving and lots of activities for all ages.
Kirsten’s high school classmate, Sara Miller, says there’s also an account set up for Kirsten at Mid-Country Bank so you could make a donation there if you can’t attend Saturday’s benefit. She says you can also contact her if you want to make a remote bid for items on Saturday.
Miller says she can be reached at 320-241-5649. She says Crimson Edge will perform from 5-to-8 p.m.
The Peanut Butter & Milk Festival Committee met on Tuesday evening and made final arrangements for the annual sister-city exchange trip to Hartford, Alabama. Eight Meeker County residents will be on the trip from November 2nd through the 9th.
Litchfield High School FFA students Riley Joyer, Claire Gabrielson, Lydia Schultz and Tanner Sonsalla will be chaperoned by Jim & Holly Cottington. Meeker County Dairy Princess Paige Frenchick will also be on the trip and will be accompanied by Hannah Molitor. The group will be staying with host families in Hartford and will tour various farms and businesses learning about the peanut and cotton industries, visiting the State Capitol in Montgomery and the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, and more.
Members of the group will talk about their trip during the next Peanut Butter & Milk Festival Committee meeting which will be on November 19th at 7 p.m. in the Litchfield High School Ag Room. Everyone is welcome to attend, and to get involved in the Committee.
Highway 4 will close at the railroad tracks near the Highway 4 and Highway 12 intersection in Grove City October 21st and 22nd – according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway will be replacing track.
The work will begin at 8 o’clock Monday morning and is expected to be done by the end of the day on October 22nd. Traffic will be routed on Highway 12 and County Roads 23 and 2. The dates are subject to change depending on weather and other unforeseeable circumstances.
The Minnesota State Patrol responded to a one-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon at 5:26 on Highway 15 in Kingston Township in Meeker County. It occurred at milepost 129.
A 2007 Nissan Maxima, driven by 17-year-old Owen Lewis Christopherson of Dassel, was northbound on Highway 15, and rolled. Christopherson received non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Meeker Memorial Hospital. A passenger in the vehicle, 16-year-old Erik Quentin Rieger of Dassel, received non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Meeker Memorial Hospital. Also responding to the scene were the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office, Watkins Ambulance and Kimball Fire Dept.
