The Litchfield Area Community Foundation is into another grant cycle. Non-profit organizations have until September 1st to apply for the latest round of grants to be used for various projects.
Missy Brock says the Foundation has two grant cycles each year and any 501c3 groups that have questions may contact any Foundation board member or email litchareaCFinfo@gmail.com. She says they have certain stipulations for organizations to qualify for the grants that they award.
Brock says the grant amounts usually range between $500 and $2,000. She says if anyone is willing to donate to the Foundation, they may go to LACFoundation.org for more details.
Tom Smith says when they are looking through the applications, they look at how each organization’s proposed project will affect the community. He says some past projects that received grants include a lead paint removal project at the Little Red Schoolhouse, the ProWorks thrift store project, the Rotary Club’s Splash Pad campaign, and a photo restoration project at the Meeker County Museum.
Smith says the Foundation recently received a popcorn stand from Granite Falls that they will be setting up at the corner of 3rd Street and Sibley Avenue in Litchfield’s Central Park which will help them raise additional funds.
Smith says other non-profit organizations will be able to work at the popcorn stand to help raise funds for their groups. He says if anyone has questions about the Litchfield Area Community Foundation, they may call the Chamber office at 693-8184.
The Meeker County Fair will open in Litchfield this Thursday and will continue through Sunday. Entry day is on Wednesday and general exhibits may be entered from noon-to-6 p.m.
All kinds of grandstand entertainment is scheduled for each day of the Meeker County Fair. There’s a tractor pull Thursday at 7 p.m. and admission is $10. Thursday is Veterans Day at the Meeker County Fair, so veterans and active military personnel will be admitted free when they show their ID at the gate.
Friday is Senior Citizens Day so there will be programs and entertainment geared toward seniors. There will be live pro wrestling in the grandstand at 5 p.m. Friday. Admission is $10. Diamond Rio will perform in the grandstand on Friday night and the concert begins at 7:30 with special guest Jake Nelson. Admission is $35.
Saturday is Kid’s Day at the Meeker County Fair with all kinds of fun activities scheduled for kids. There will be a demolition derby in the grandstand Saturday at 4 p.m. Admission is $15. The 4H Market Livestock Auction is Saturday at 5 p.m. Sunday is Sparkle Day and reigning royalty and one chaperone will be admitted for free. There will be Motokazie in the grandstand at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $15.
Meeker County 4H members will have over 2,000 exhibits on display during the fair this week. Coordinator Cassidy Martin says there are some concerns for livestock exhibitors this year due to the prevalence of the bird flu.
Martin says there are 279 4H club members and they’ve been working on their projects all year long and have been spending recent days getting their buildings spruced up at the Meeker County Fairgrounds. She says there are 8 active clubs in Meeker County – Valley Victors, Dassel Lamplighters, Litchfield Satellites, Forest City Livewires, Cosmos Comets, Danielson Hustlers, Koronis Eager Beavers and Kimball Kruisers. For more information about the 4H program in Meeker County, call 693-5275.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 2-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon at 3:42 at the intersection of County Roads 5 and 40 in Lake Andrew Township. A Toyota Highlander, driven by 29-year-old Bailey Hollerud of Fergus Falls, was southbound on Highway 5 and failed to stop at the stop sign, and collided with a Toyota RAV 4, driven by 71-year-old Darlene Hulstrand-Schroeder of Pennock, who was traveling eastbound on Highway 40. Darlene was flown by Life Link III to the St. Cloud Hospital. Bailey was taken to Rice Hospital in Willmar.
A 62-year-old New London man was killed on Sunday morning on Highway 61 near Silver Bay in Lake County. Douglas Studanski was riding a 2022 Honda Motorcycle when he went off the roadway and struck a sign. He was travelling south on Highway 61 when the crash occurred at 11:12 a.m.
A 4-vehicle crash in Wright County on Friday morning resulted in injuries for an Eden Valley man. The crash occurred at 6:53 a.m. on Highway 55 at Wright County Road 12 in Chatham Township. All vehicles were eastbound when they collided.
58-year-old David Kent Nelson of Eden Valley was driving a 2004 Saturn Vue. He received non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Buffalo Hospital. Also receiving non-life-threatening injuries were 38-year-old Cory Christopher Slentz of Albertville who was driving a 2015 Ford F250, and 51-year-old Shannon Dale Dukowitz of Annandale. She was driving a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. Neither Dukowitz nor Slentz were transported. 17-year-old Porter James Pribyl of Maple Lake was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban and was not injured.