There are some anniversaries that are come and go without any real significance. But then there are some that deserve special attention.
Such is the case with an anniversary I celebrated last week when I hit the six year mark of owning the Steele County Times. This one is special to me because of the amazing success we have achieved during that time period.

In Alec Ille’s first state appearance, the sophomore finished with a time of 17 minutes and 38 seconds. While the finish fell beneath his goal, Ille and Coach John Bruns were happy for the experience. 
Running as Blooming Prairie’s first state cross-country runner since 2006, Ille had good support throughout the season, as well as at the state tournament, receiving a host of hugs and congratulations upon finishing his race. 

Using money raised from their annual Corn Drive, the Triton FFA Chapter delivered 1,105 pounds of food to the Dodge County Food Shelf in Kasson.
Each year the chapter solicits donation of corn and soybeans from area farmers as well as cash. The crops are then sold to the elevator with the money raised funding FFA projects throughout the year.

Habitat for Humanity is making a difference for another Dodge County family, but not in its typical way. For the first time in the county’s history, a family is moving out of a Habitat house and a new family is moving in. 

An eighth grade confirmation group from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kasson put on an appreciation dinner for Dodge County law enforcement officials to show them that they appreciates all they do for the community on Nov 4. 
The smoked pork sandwich dinner was hosted for the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Kasson and West Concord police departments. 

The Dodge Center Chamber of Commerce heard from one of their own last week as Mark Murch, with Scanlon, Murch and Associates, Whitewater Tax & Consulting, Inc. talked to the group about small business accounting.
The basic theme of his presentation was that “you may know your business but does your business entity reflect what is best for you.”

At the end of World War II, several West Concord families asked that a Catholic parish be started in town. Their wish was granted and in March of 1945, the first mass for a West Concord Catholic parish was held in a storefront on Main St. known as the Shuster building.

Five students at Kenyon-Wanamingo Middle School have been selected for the Minnesota 7th and 8th Grade Boys’ and Girls’ Honors Choirs. The selections were made by the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota.
Students selected included Tate Erlandson, Daniel Cruz and John Helland. Seventh graders were Clay Stevenson and McKenzie Clemons.
One hundred forty girls and 140 boys were selected from throughout Minnesota.

Juniors Eslin Smit and Hildur Gunnarsdottir have loved their experience so far at Kasson-Mantorville High School and can’t wait for the experiences they are yet to have. 
The two foreign exchange students arrived in the United States this past August and will stay the remainder of the school year and head back to their home countries in June.