Please view the Winter Wonderland albums on YOU SPOTTED
and rate them so that they stay out on the main page. If
you can't find them use Winter Wonderland as a search
tag. There are three separate albums.
 The
Hawthorn Inn and Suites is an excellent place to put
your holiday visitors when your house is overflowing.
The following is a customer review: "My husband and I
stayed here in June 2004 on our way home from Wyoming.
Just happened to see it and decided to stop. We're so
glad we did. The room was excellent, the staff was
probably the nicest of any hotel we stayed at on the
entire trip, the pool and hot tub were great. Even the
Lobby was beautiful. If we get that way again, we will
make it a point to stay there. A lot of hotels offer
"Continental Breakfast". It was quite a nice surprise to
find eggs, sausage, muffins, juice, pancakes, coffee,
etc. We would recommend this hotel to anyone, anytime,
anywhere. Thanks for a great night!"
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It
was very appropriate to meet the new head of the
Salvation Army, Major Jeff Strickler. Jeff gave
us
some background on the Salvation Army including an
introduction to Founder William Booth who decided
that he was going to dedicate his life to the ideal
that all human beings deserve the basic necessities.
He combined this with a religious career and by 1878
the organization had taken on its military structure
and was well on its way to its current position in
the world where local organizations strive to meet
the needs of the community. In Brainerd the Army
provides Sunday School and Church services, youth
groups, nursing home-hospital-group home visits, the
Soup Kitchen, and financial assistance in the form
of rent payments, emergency lodging, heating
assistance, transportation, prescription medical
assistance, and the Christmas activities. Overall
the Salvation Army has seen a fifteen percent
increase in requests for services including many
first time requests. The Soup Kitchen shows a 10 %
increase alone. Last year's 725 Christmas food
basket deliveries are expected to go way over one
thousand this year. Major Strickler spent the last
ten years ministering to youth in the St. Paul area.
Both he and his wife are officers (ministers). They
are very happy to be working in the Brainerd area.
He remarked, "We appreciate Sertoma's help and I am
looking forward to seeing Winter Wonderland." 
Kristine
Hoheisel was today's honored Sertoman. She joined Sertoma when
she moved here from the Twin Cities area because it seemed like
a great way to meet people. Her activities included a stint as
secretary and working with the rookies, the sponsorship
committee and the membership committee. Kristine has two very
active children these days and is not able to volunteer as much,
but continues her Sertoma membership. She and Brent have been
married for four years and enjoy outdoor activities with the
kids. They would like to sell their house and build a new one.
Kristine is the general manager at Hawthorn Inn and Suites. They
are located in Baxter and bill themselves as a quiet place that
leans toward the corporate visitor. They have 25 staff members.
Kristine manages to hold the line when the hotel is full of
noisy youngsters for hockey events and send them all to bed by
ten. She got talked into advertising the the ubiquitous Mr.
Raboin who sits at her table. Everyone sympathized with her most
embarrassing moment which involved Halloween and some very loud
remarks by her young son.