News

The Litchfield School Board had visitors last night from the Litchfield High School Marching Band who reviewed their successful parade season. Band members also spoke about the cruise they enjoyed in early July to the Bahamas.

Band Director Bailey Benoit and students Brooke Caron, Jasmine Solorio, Ali Kargas and Wyatt Beecroft spoke to the Board last night. Benoit says they had 12 parades – 7 of which were competitive and they won several awards including grand champion and best color guard in several of the parades. She says there are over 120 members in the Litchfield High School Marching Band and she’s expecting the program to continue growing.

Superintendent Susan Burris reviewed the enrollment numbers last night which include 568 students at Lake Ripley Elementary, 492 in Litchfield Middle School, and 469 at Litchfield High School and in the Alternative Learning Program for a total of 1,529 students. She says there will be a School Board candidate forum on October 22nd at 7 p.m. in the Choir Room and it will be streamed live on the school’s Facebook page. Burris also thanked the board members for their service as September is School Board Appreciation Month.

Also last night, the Litchfield School Board approved of the 2024-25 Civic Arena lease with the City of Litchfield; approved of an additional food service position at Lake Ripley Elementary; and tentatively set a workshop with Barb Dorn from the Minnesota School Board Association for October 15th. The next School Board meeting will be on Wednesday, September 25th at 6 p.m.

The members of Meeker Area Partners in Prevention will be hosting a couple of events in Litchfield during Welcoming Week on September 13th and 14th. Welcoming America is a nationwide effort to make immigrants feel welcome in the country.

Meeker County Public Health Educator Chukuma Ijioma says a couple of the main goals of Public Health are to promote health and prevent diseases. He says a big part of that effort is to promote social interaction.

Ijioma says he felt welcome when he moved to the community back in January and it’s important for immigrants to feel relaxed and to feel like they are part of the community. He says there will be story time for children at the Litchfield Public Library this Friday at 10 a.m., and everyone is welcome to a party at Memorial Park in Litchfield on Saturday from 2-to-5 p.m. to kick off Welcoming Week. For more details, call Meeker County Public Health at 693-5370 or go to welcomingamerica.org.

The Shepherd of Souls Area Faith Community had a busy weekend with both the St. Philip’s Church Bazaar in Litchfield and the Fall Festival at the Church of St. Anthony in Watkins yesterday. The next two Sundays will include two more events at area churches.

Area Faith Community Events Coordinator Monica Schreiber says the St. John’s Catholic Church Fall Festival is coming up on Sunday, September 15th, from 11-to-3 at the St. John’s Education Center at 17260 U.S. Highway 12 – west of Cokato. She says there will be smoked pulled pork, hot dogs, a meat raffle, cash and quilt raffle drawings, kid’s games, a garden stand and a bake sale.

Schreiber says the Grilled Smoked Pork Chop Supper & Raffle at the Church of Our Lady in Manannah will be on Sunday, September 22nd, from 4-to-7 p.m. She says the menu includes grilled smoked pork chops, au gratin potatoes, corn, bread and dessert.

Schreiber says the cost for the meal in Manannah is $15 for adults, $6 for children 6-to-12 and free for children under 5. She says there will also be a country store and a raffle drawing.