Hal Doing Well — Hooray!

On February 27, 2009March 25, 2011 By rutlandramblingsIn Life In GeneralLeave a comment

As many of you know, Hal Nelson has been in the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Burn Unit since last October. Many well-wishers have visited his caring bridge site to keep in touch with him. Today’s Fargo Forum features an article about the “Rock” and if you missed it follow this link to read the full article — and don’t miss hearing his voice at the Forum site in their ‘Related Content’ link.

Check out the Minneapolis WCCO-TV news broadcast from Friday, February 27, that covered Hal’s story.

Rutland Residents at Inauguration Events

On February 9, 2009April 2, 2011 By rutlandramblingsIn Life In General, Rutland HistoryLeave a comment

Rutland residents Bill Anderson and Pam Gulleson were among the thousands who attended the Inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C., in January. Accompanying them were Lowell Wyum of Forman and Lance Gulleson of Lisbon. They have provided several photos from the inauguration events and photos taken at the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in which Bill Anderson is pointing at some names. Bill sends along this information: “Larry Dyer and Larry Greene served with me in the US Marine infantry platoon I commanded in Vietnam, and were killed in action on February 4, 1970, brother Paul’s 21st birthday and a day I will never forget. They were both only 19 years old. Cleo Levang was from Forman and graduated from Sargent Central High School in 1964. He was in the Marines, too, and was killed in action on January 5, 1967. He was only 20 years old. I thought that our national leaders had learned the lessons of Vietnam, but Iraq showed us that you are not likely to learn the lessons if you never showed up for the class. Anyway, we had a great time in Washington. It was a trip of a lifetime and I am really glad that I went. There were millions of happy, hopeful, positive and optimistic Americans there on Inauguration Day, very pleased that a dark chapter in American history was coming to a close and that a new day was dawning for the American people, and the people of the world. Well, that’s enough preaching.”

Rutland Fitness Center a Huge Success!

On January 21, 2009March 25, 2011 By rutlandramblingsIn American Legion, Rutland Fitness CenterLeave a comment

The Rutland Fitness Center has now officially been open for over a year — and it has shown! Several community members have shed pounds and “buffed up” and some of the equipment has worn out. The two new treadmills are fully paid for and a new ‘industrial style’ elliptical machine may be coming in the future. In addition, there have been aerobics classes available two times a week and yoga classes are held once every two weeks. If there is sufficient interest, the classes may be expanded and offered at other times and days. (Check the Rutland ND website for the class calendar).

The Rutland Fitness Center occupies the American Legion building and there is an agreement to continue to utilize the facility. The Center pays an annual fee for the building use and to help with some improvements. Shingles were replaced last year with the Center obtaining a small grant and contributing $500 to help with some expenses incurred with that project.

Congratulations and keep up the good work!

The Rooster Crows – December 26, 2008

On December 26, 2008May 4, 2019 By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster Crows, Rutland HistoryLeave a comment

By Bill Anderson

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor dark of night may stay this faithful courier from the swift completion of his appointed rounds. Attaining age 63 and 30 years of service allows the courier to turn his rounds over to another and retire, however. Louis Siemieniewski pulled his Jeep off his U.S. Postal Service rural route on Wednesday, November 26, the day before Thanksgiving, and hung up the mail bag for good. Louis started delivering mail back in 1980, as temporary substitute for Ray Murray on the Cayuga and Rutland routes. When Ray retired a few years later, Louis moved up to the full-time position. He turned 63 in October, and his 2 years of service in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam era were added to his years with the Postal Service to give him the 30 years of Federal service needed for retirement. A 1963 graduate of RHS, Louis has also been an avid outdoorsman since youth, and has been a Hunter Safety Instructor for over 30 years. He said that, from now on, whenever the snow starts to fall and the wind starts to blow, he is just going to open his drapes, sit in his recliner, look out the window and smile. The Rutland community extends congratulations and best wishes to a native son on his well deserved retirement. Jim Lunneborg of rural Rutland has taken over Louis’s old route, which now includes addresses with the Forman, Rutland, Havana and Cayuga ZIP codes.

Attorney Trent Mahler has been practicing his profession in Rutland since Monday, December 8, co-officing with Bill Anderson at 316 First Street, here. Trent is a native of Milnor, having graduated from High School there in 1985. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Moorhead State University in 1989. Following several years as program director with WDAY TV News in Fargo, Trent enrolled in Law School at the University of North Dakota and obtained his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1999. One of his classmates was Rutland native Daniel Narum, now a District Court Judge. Prior to returning to his home territory, Attorney Mahler served as a prosecutor in the Cass County States Attorney’s Office, as a partner with Kessel, Splitt & Mahler in Lamoure, and as an Assistant Attorney General in the office of North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. He and Attorney Anderson are not partners, but will be sharing office space as he establishes his practice here. Trent’s parents are Curt & Vi Mahler of rural Milnor. Welcome to Rutland, Trent.

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City Hall Improvements

On December 8, 2008March 25, 2011 By rutlandramblingsIn Rutland Community ClubLeave a comment

Last week, the Rutland Community Club approved soliciting bids for labor to construct handicapped accessible restrooms and to add a storage room to City Hall. Bids will be due and opened at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 15. Anyone who is interested in the project should contact Kathy Brakke at 724-3467.

Kids Helping Other Kids

On December 4, 2008March 31, 2011 By rutlandramblingsIn Nordland Lutheran ChurchLeave a comment

Church School at Nordland Lutheran Church was a little different on Wednesday. I walked in to a room full of shoeboxes, stuffed animals, bags of candy, toys, pencils, notebooks, toothbrushes, toothpaste and lots of other things. Hilary, one of the teachers, was talking to the children about other children who have no toys or even toothbrushes to brush their teeth. When asked if they would like to help children like that, there was a resounding enthusiastic “Yes!”.

Everyone in the Sunday School had a special job to do whether it was putting a variety of hard candy in plastic bags, or placing little toys or other things in the shoeboxes. The children puzzled over what would be appropriate for the different age levels of children they were giving to and there was constant chatter and laughter. The shoeboxes were gaily wrapped in Christmas paper & labeled with gender and age of child.

The project these children were helping with is called “Operation Christmas Child”. These shoeboxes, filled with small toys and personal items that we all take for granted, will be delivered to children in third world countries who will cherish these gifts. The children also placed pictures, of themselves and other people who had made donations, in the boxes so the recipients could see who sent them.

This seemed like a wonderful learning experience for these children. They are already talking about what the shoeboxes will be filled with next year. [Carolyn Christensen]