Over the course of 2023, the Granite Falls Area Historical Society (GFHS) will be seeking to collaborate with area communities in an effort to showcase the lives and contributions of the great women of Granite Falls area history through stories, exhibits and theatrical performances.
Minnesota 4-H held the Southwest BLU and TEEL leadership workshops on February 18 at Southwest Minnesota State University for 58 youth from across our region. In February, youth from across Minnesota gathered to participate in the annual 4-H Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) and Teens Engaged in Emerging Leadership (TEEL) workshops.
Southwest Minnesota 4-H in partnership with Ridgewater College held a Junior Vet Kids Camp on February 11 at the Agricultural and Veterinary Science Department on campus in Willmar for 52 youth from Southwest Minnesota.
Cynthia Christians Reporter cchristians@cherryroad.com Granite Area Arts Council is starting a new open art class for the public to come in to enjoy. Beginning on Thursday, April 6th from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Granite Area Arts Council will be holding two open art and coffee groups. They are highly encouraging the public to come drop in for coffee, art, and conversation. It could also be a great opportunity to meet others in the community who enjoy similar hobbies.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding private nonprofit organizations (PNPs) in Minnesota that April 10 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans for economic losses caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 8-13, 2022. PNPs located in the Minnesota counties of Aitkin, Big Stone, Cass, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Morrison, Nobles, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin and Yellow Medicine are eligible to apply. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
Minnesota West Community & Technical College Business Professionals of America, Minnesota West Chapter recently participated in the 2023 Business Professionals of America (BPA) College Division State Leadership Conference. Macy DeSplinter, Business Management AS major, earned second place in the post-secondary Interview Skills judged competition. She also earned second place in the Meeting and Event Planning Concepts open event. Macy is now eligible to attend the National Leadership Conference to be held in Anaheim, CA the end of April.
The short, immersive film experience, “Eye Can’t Do This” is the brainchild of Dana Conroy, of the Granite Falls area, who is a video artist that also works at Pioneer PBS on the Postcards series. Conroy’s film was inspired by her own real life events with a Lasik eye surgery gone wrong a couple of years ago.
Photographer Corina Lee Kells and artist Krystl Louwagie hosted a joint artists’ reception at the gallery in the K.K. Berge building on Thursday, February 9th. Both artists spoke extensively about their works and what they mean to them as well as what they hope people take away from their exhibits. Kells’s exhibit is in the Emerging Artist’s gallery in the K.K. Berge building when you first walk in. On display are several photographs Kells took, mostly using herself as the model, expressing different parts and stages of both mental health struggles and addiction. Louwagie spoke about the layering techniques she used for each portrait she had up on display. She worked on multi-mixed media portraits of people in their face masks during the pandemic. Both artists say they hope their work inspires curiosity and helps them ask questions they may be hesitant to ask, especially about mental health. Both artists’ work will be on display through the end of February.