Local Relay For Life Kickoff Set for March 9

The event is open to community members in Hopkins, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park and surrounding areas.

Support St. Louis Park Nonprofits on Give to the Max Day

Today, Nov. 15, cities around the state and country will try to raise as much money as possible in 24 hours.

How You Can Help Those Braving Sandy’s Storm on the East Coast: Twin Cities Give Back

From world travelers to day-traders, we’re feeling the impact of Hurricane Sandy on our lives here in the Upper Midwest. Here are a few ways to help those in the storm’s path.

More than 60 million people will feel some sort of direct impact from Hurricane Sandy and the other storm systems swirling in the Northeastern United States. Nationwide, however, the “Frankenstorm” impact is spreading, from the shutdown of Wall Street today to canceled travel plans all around the country. According to AccuWeather.com CEO Barry Myers, "Sandy is a hurricane wrapped in a winter storm." Many Twin Cities residents often look at their computer screen or television and wonder, “What can I do to help?” Such is our nature. Here are a few ideas.  This is a developing list. Red Cross The Red Cross has started a preventative campaign in areas of the Northeast, using SMS and sound trucks to provide early warning messages. Emergency …

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SLP Firefighters, Police Raise Money for Burn Victims

The two departments held a charity softball game earlier this month.

The St. Louis Park Fire Department and SLP Police Department turned a friendly rivalry into some much needed money for three local charities. Local firefighters and police officers raised more than $400 for the Hennepin County Medical Center Burn Center, the St.Louis Park Community Foundation and the children’s reading initiative of the Nicollet Foundation during a Sept. 9 charity softball game. Money was donated to HCMC on Friday (see photo above).

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Michael Rose

9:12 am on Monday, September 24, 2012

Hats off to all involved!   more ›

(PHOTOS) St. Louis Park Gives Back

The St. Louis Park Community Foundation hosted "Give Back Day" on Saturday.

Members of various St. Louis Park nonprofits—as well as friends, family and other community members—gathered at the Park Tavern on Saturday to celebrate philanthropy. The annual "Give Back Day" allowed the St. Louis Park Community Foundation to honor local groups such as St. Louis Friends of the Arts and Children First—both by telling others of their good deeds, and giving them donations. Attendees also got in the action, as a number of door prizes were handed out. There was also free food and free bowling, both of which were a hit with youngsters.

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Editor's Notebook

(PHOTO) Preschoolers Give to STEP

Some young students recently helped out at St. Louis Park's food shelf.

Debbie Ruff, a teacher at Kids' Place at the Central Community Center in St. Louis Park, was nice enough to share the above photo of some of her preschoolers helping out at the St. Louis Park Emergency Program recently. Ruff said her classroom had been collecting food for a month and they were "so excited to walk the food to STEP so they could help those in need." STEP is a great place to help out at, especially during the holiday season. Last year, I was fortunate enough to be able to help them distribute 450 food baskets to families in need during their annual December drive. Hopefully, I'll be able to help out again this year. If you want to help STEP, visit their website, or call volunteer coordinator Kate Burggraff at 952-925-4899, …

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PHOTO: St. Louis Park School Gives Back

Aquila Elementary recently donated 172 pairs of pajamas to kids in need.

Students and staff at Aquila Elementary were able to do a lot of good in December as they donated 172 pairs of pajamas (pictured below) to local crisis nurseries, the St. Louis Park school district reported Friday.

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Editor's Notebook

SLIDESHOW: Holiday Food Baskets Distributed Across St. Louis Park

The St. Louis Park Emergency Program helped 450 local households in need on Saturday morning.

With the help of about 40 volunteers, nearly 450 St. Louis Park residents got some much needed holiday help Saturday morning. It was the St. Louis Park Emergency Program's annual December food basket distribution. Food was distributed in two ways: Some volunteers — myself included — drove around the community and brought food to people's doors. However, the majority of the 450 baskets were given to residents that drove up to an Edgewood Avenue warehouse, where volunteers and STEP staff set up two lanes lined with boxes of food. The food was then quickly and efficiently loaded into cars, and residents drove off with holiday meals. I had the pleasure of bringing meals right to people, and doing so with Gail Miller, a lifelong St. Louis Park…

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Community Band Gives the Gift of Music

Jim Rhodes' Gift of Music program puts instruments in the hands of those who need them most — young people.

The band and orchestra's storage room at St. Louis Park High School is filled floor to ceiling with instruments of all kinds. Though it may seem like nothing else could possibly fit, the school still keeps two large shelves vacant to hold instruments donated to the St. Louis Park Community Band's Gift of Music program.  "Those are all instruments that are ready to be given," Gift of Music director Jim Rhodes said as he proudly pointed to the filled-up corner of the storage room recently. "All the way over to the drum kit."  Rhodes, a long-time saxophone player in the community band, started Gift of Music during the economic crisis of the early 1990s. A parent called him asking if he knew where she might find her child an affordable …

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'Give Back Day' Full of Family Fun in the Park

The St. Louis Park Community Foundation's annual "Give Back Day" was at the Park Tavern on Saturday.

A large crowd of St. Louis Park residents filled the Park Tavern Saturday for free food and bowling, but they were also there to celebrate a good cause. It was the St. Louis Park Community Foundation's annual "Give Back Day," and the foundation did just that, to the tune of $12,000 in grants to various local nonprofits. St. Louis Park native and Fox 9 TV anchor Jeff Passolt was a guest speaker, and Park Tavern owner Phil Weber provided free food, drinks and bowling for those who came. It was the first time "Give Back Day" was ever held at the Park Tavern, and foundation members said it was a blast — and that they'd love to come back next year.

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