Thursday, April 25, 2013
The ceremony recognized young people who are having a positive impact on the St. Louis Park community.
A total of 15 teenagers making a positive impact on the St. Louis Park community were honored Tuesday evening, April 22, during the 24th annual Caring Youth Recognition. Mayor Jeff Jacobs was on hand for the festivities, saying he "never gets tired of hearing these stories" of young people volunteering to make St. Louis Park a better community. "It's coming to events like this and meeting these kids that gives me extraordinary faith and extraordinary hope in our future," Jacobs said. The 2013 recipients are as follows: The Caring Young Awards have been around since 1990, when Doris and Roland Larson started the program through Westwood Lutheran Church. Its purpose is to encourage and reward young people in St. Louis Park who both care for…
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Minnesota is home to five chapters of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, an organization that donates thousands of service hours to various groups each year.
Raising money to build a research lab at the University of Minnesota. Knitting hats for babies through Bundles of Love. Playing Bingo at veterans’ homes. These are just some of the initiatives led by members of Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA), a non-collegiate, international sorority that has a large following in Minnesota. In the fall of 1960, Golden Valley resident Mona Peck tagged along with a friend to an event hosted by the Minnesota chapter of ESA. Today, after more than 50 years of membership, it’s safe to say that Peck has spent the majority of her life giving to others through events hosted by the international organization. Peck’s friend, St. Louis Park resident Birdie Elkofska, also shares Peck’s dedication to ESA. “I think ESA is a …
Friday, September 21, 2012
Renee Langlois will be spending two-years in Azerbaijan working with children.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Michael Rose
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Friday, September 21, 2012
On Saturday, St. Louis Park native Renee Langlois will be embarking on a unique two-year journey. The 25-year-old Park graduate, who currently lives in Virginia, will be flying to Azerbaijan, where she will be working with kids as a member of the Peace Corps. "I wanted to work with children in a war-torn area ... I've always kind of wondered what it's like for the kids over there," she said. "How can I improve little things in their lives?" The former Soviet state has had a long standing conflict with neighboring Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. In addition, Azerbaijan is a predominantly Muslim country, something Langlois said she will have to adjust to. She said she wants to immerse herself in the culture, so this means learning…
Friday, August 24, 2012
Renae Kuehl volunteered at the Eco Experience building on Thursday.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Zac Farber
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Friday, August 24, 2012
On the first day of the Minnesota State Fair, after chowing down on a pronto pup, master recycler Renae Kuehl of St. Louis Park has stationed herself behind a compost tub filled with earthworms in the Eco Experience building. A shy, young girl approaches, peering down at the wet mush of leaves in various stages of decomposition. “What do you think, do worms eat garbage?” Kuehl asks the girl. When the girl nods “No” from beneath a green foam visor, an exaggerated look of surprise forms on Kuehl’s face and she launches into a succinct lesson in the art of composting. The girl looks somewhat overwhelmed, but when Kuehl repeats her question about worms’ dietary habits, the visor goes up and then down, and its owner receives a "Reuse, Recycle" …
Friday, August 17, 2012
Employees volunteered their time on Thursday.
Employees from Home Depot in St. Louis Park volunteered their time on Thursday afternoon to build a new deck outside the Meadowbrook Collaborative. The collaborative, which started in 1993 and aims to help provide resources and support for residents in the area, is currently celebrating an awareness month. Home Depot employees also chipped in by painting the basement, and they said they plan to come back in the spring to build a new backyard deck, too.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
More than 60 local youth help out at the St. Louis Park nature center.
Jokingly, St. Louis Park councilman Jake Spano said it was the best view the public would get of City Council all year. That's because more than 20 local kids packed in front of the council's desk on Monday night, garnering recognition for their work as Westwood Hills Nature Center Junior Naturalists. In total, 66 youngsters in grades 7-12 have worked at the nature center this summer. By the end of the season, they will have volunteered more than 1,600 hours. Several of the older volunteers have been involved for up to six years. Junior Naturalists can work in one of five areas: Mayor Jeff Jacobs said the Junior Naturalists really help Westwood be the great place that it is. “This is one of my favorite parts of the year,” he said of Monday…
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Zamzam Abdirahman wants to work as a doctor in Africa.
Zamzam Abdirahman had quite the senior year at St. Louis Park High School. She served as the student co-chair of Children First, was a Caring Youth honoree, and received the Rose Rees Peace Award. But for the soon-to-be freshman at the University of Minnesota, the best appears to be ahead. Abdirahman plans to work on her pre-med requirements at the university next year, with designs on later going to medical school and—eventually—practicing in Africa. "I think that’s the area that most needs help," she said. Abdirahman would know—she was born in Somalia and lived there for about six years. She talks frequently with family back home, and while they're OK these days, she hears stories about others in the country who struggle to find food and…
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Three residents were honored Monday with the new award.
Mayor Jeff Jacobs said the three people honored at Monday's City Council meeting "personify what it means to be a St. Louis Park resident.” The council announced the inaugural recipients of the city's new "Outstanding Citizen" award: Ann Thomas, Bob Ramsey and Todd Brewer. “There is a spirit in St. Louis Park that exists almost nowhere else," Jacobs said. “It’s a chance for the community to thank just a few of the people who have done remarkable things.” Here is a brief look at the accomplishments of the three award winners: Thomas stared “Day One,” which is an event put together to welcome high school students back to school in a unique way, showing local teenagers they are valued and that school is important. She has also raised money …
Thursday, March 8, 2012
A new study shows 55 percent of teens feel they are more aware of other people's needs as a result of social media sites.
I was one of the first of my friends and family members to jump on the Facebook bandwagon when it was launched for college students in February 2004. It was the talk of the campus. My roommate and I would peruse our pages for hours: chatting, poking, adding friends and checking out the latest gossip. Sadly, I remember the first time you were able to add multiple photos. It was thrilling. These days my use of social media has expanded to include Twitter, however my engagement in the sphere has definitely declined. But, I'm no longer a teenager, and I'm of the generation that remembers the Internet becoming the "new thing." While I may not be as engaged as I once was, this is apparently not the case for most teens. A new study from World …
Monday, February 13, 2012
A local couple has organized a massive food packing event at a St. Louis Park church for seven years.
By day, Dwight and Janis Peterson lead busy lives. Dwight Peterson works as an IT manager and his wife, Janis, works as an administrative assistant. By night, the two devote their time to organizing one of the biggest and most successful volunteer events at Westwood Lutheran Church. The couple spearheads an annual food-packing event for those in need in Tanzania. “When our church started a partnership with a church in Tanzania, my wife and I were fortunate enough to travel to the church to start building a relationship,” Dwight Peterson said. “What we experienced was quite emotional.” The Petersons were able to see first hand the need for food in the poverty-stricken area. According to UNICEF, there are about 2.5 million orphans in …
Mike Hindin
10:42 am on Friday, May 24, 2013
These are amazing young men and women who represent many more of our community's children who are building our community and a better world. The future looks good. more ›