Tis the season to consider giving and we had two different speakers to day to remind us that giving is both a local and a national responsibility. Heidi Funk returned from the United Way to update us on the situation in Mississippi where the Brainerd connection to hurricane relief was established. Heidi has been in contact with the officials at Long Beach and has received many phone calls encouraging us to continue to support this small devastated community.

The new drive is called “Holiday Caring in a Box” and will help bring Christmas to the children. We have been encouraged to fill a shoe box with things one child would enjoy, wrap it up and label it with gender and age and drop it off at the United Way Office from December 1st through the 15th.

Bonnie Sahf was here to encourage us to help the Salvation Army give through its three main holiday drives. These include the Angel Tree (taking a tag, buying clothes, wrapping them and getting them back to the Salvation Army for distribution). Tags can be picked up at many store locations.

You can also contribute to the Food Basket drive and Toys for Kids. Bonnie encouraged us to get involved since she believes that many more people will be using these programs this year due to number of new families in the area as well as the high cost of home heat. Last year 983 children received Christmas toys and 600 food baskets were distributed. She also took this opportunity to compliment the bell ringers.

Only one person has been hired to ring bells so far. Our kettle at Herberger’s on Friday the 18th raised $329, the most of any kettle that day!! President Clausen is confident that with the continued support of our members, we will emerge victorious in the contest.

Gerry retired from the DNR where he spent his time working in both enforcement and training. He spent his last years working at Camp Ripley. His sponsor in Sertoma was Dick Stuntman.

Gerry has been married to his wife Dorothy for 32 years and they have two grown children. His hobbies include fishing, hunting and travel and his most embarrassing moment involved a long car trip across Montana.

• John Raboin has opened up the Raboin Dental Clinic and Charlie Bartles is now running Its About Time Hair Transplants.
• Jason Bertram is now officially known as Gopher Boy
• Jinny Haugen got a hot pants at the Rookie Party fine
• Clausen attributed his non dance participation at the rookie party to being of the persuasion that needs a lot more alcohol to be cool on the dance floor.
• Does the ABC in ABC collision stand for Adult Books & Cinema? Enquiring minds want to know.
• We were glad to learn in the video that Heidi showed us that the local landmark (the very old friendship tree) in Long Beach, Mississippi, survived and is growing.