Brainerd Lakes Real Estate News

                                               photo by Hawknose Harlequin

Announcing. that in response to the slow market in housing, the Weyerhaeuser Company's Deerwood Minnesota plant would be indefinitely closed.  Also, closing production will be the oriented strand board plants that are located in Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada and Wawa, Ontario, Canada.

     The Deerwood, Mn, plant employs 158 workers and produces engineered strand lumber. Steven Rogel, Weyerhaeuser chairman, president and chief executive officer said in a news release "The decline in North American housing starts has reduced demand for wood products, requiring us to rationalize our supply of OSB and engineered wood."

     Lisa Paxton, chamber chief executive offices said, "Any time this happens it's a surprise, we know the housing market has been a challenge."

      This closing puts even more area workers into the unemployment ranks and likely more homes on the "For Sale" side of life.

 Since some of you are super crafty, I thought we should have a contest on pumpkin carving.  Enter your photos or the kids  pumpkin photos, and after the October 31st date, the team at Re$ale Design will pick the winner and list them in a blog update.  Remember like Drew Carey, the points don't count - it is strictly for fun.  Here is our non-competing entry and one from Peggy Trowbridge Fillippone from About.com and her instructions on pumpkin carving .

Our entry was carved by my daughter, Ashley Bast, local Brainerd Lakes Area artist  and a member of the team at Re$ale Design and Home Staging. We are starting on our season of Holiday decorating and event planning.  If you would like something out of the ordinary for your home or parties this year - contact Re$ale Design and Home Staging. We have a staff of experienced servers and know how to put the WOW in decorations.  Planning a theme wedding? Hosting a Holiday  party at your home? Do you just need ideas?

                                             Office decor and so much more! 

  Pumpkin carved by Ashley Bast

                                                              pumpkin by Peggy Trowbridge Fillippone

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  We recently had a  Red Ribbon Week  in the Brainerd Lakes Area of Minnesota which culminated with a community forum at the Heritage Assembly of God Church in Baxter.  The forum was sponsored by the Operations ARMMS,  which stands for Addressing, Responding, Managing Meth and other Substances.  This was formerly known as the Meth Coalition.

     Rose Hauge, Crow Wing County substance abuse prevention specialist said that in a 2004 survey of Crow Wing County high school seniors: 15 percent of males and 9.6 percent of females had used marijuana in the past 30 days, 39.9 percent of males and 40.6 percent of females had used alcohol in the last 30 days and 6 percent of males and 1 percent of females had used methamphetamine in the past 12 months.  Hauge said Crow Wing County numbers were lower that most other Minnesota counties. By the time they get to their college years these numbers  increase.

                                                                                                               photo by SuperFantastic 

     The community forum  addressed all  forms of substance abuse and addictions.

     We are surrounded by addicts and they are ourselves, our neighbors and our children. Alcohol, tobacco products, prescription and illegal drugs are all capable of provoking an additive response in our bodies.  We have a growing problem with meth labs setups and gang activity.  Our bars are busy at all times of the day and  all days of the week.  This is the reason we need to gather together in support of the Teen Challenge Program  which is coming to the Brainerd Lakes Area.  We have a problem here and they have a proven track record of success.

    Red Ribbon Week is this week in the Brainerd Lakes Area of Minnesota and will culminate with a community forum from 6:30 - 8:30 pm on October 25 at the Heritage Assembly of God Church in Baxter.  The forum is sponsored by the Operations ARMMS,  which stands for Addressing, Responding, Managing Meth and other Substances.  This was formerly know as the Meth Coalition.

     Rose Hauge, Crow Wing County substance abuse prevention specialist said that in a 2004 survey of Crow Wing County high school seniors 15 percent of males and 9.6 percent of females had used marijuana in the past 30 days, 39.9 percent of males and 40.6 percent of females had used alcohol in the last 30 days and 6 percent of males and 1 percent of females had used methamphetamine in the past 12 months.  Hauge said those numbers were lower that most other Minnesota counties. By the time they get to the college years the numbers  increase.

     The community forum will address all substance abuse and addictions.

     We are surrounded by addicts and they are ourselves, our neighbors and our children.. Alcohol, tobacco products, prescription and illegal drugs are all capable of provoking an additive response in our bodies.   Our bars are busy at all times of the day and  all days of the week.  This is the reason we need to gather together in support of the Teen Challenge Program coming to the Brainerd Lakes Area.  We have a problem here and they have a proven track record of success.

      Vote Yes!!!
 

     Congratulations to Koreann on her selection as 2007 Youth Volunteer of the Year for the Brainerd Lakes Area. Koreann will be honored at the annual Distinguished Service Awards Banquet on November 1, 2007 at he Cragun's Resort Legacy Pavilion on the Legacy Golf Course. this award is sponsored by Brainerd Community Actions. the Brainerd Jaycees and the Brainerd Daily Dispatch. 

     Koreann lives quite a busy life as she is a member of the A Cappella Choir, Windfall ( a select singing group), and the symphonic and jazz bands.  She also accompanies the Concert Chorale  on piano for rehearsals and performances. Her youth group is blessed by her services as well as the Salvation Army, Soup Kitchen and the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center.   Miss Martin is also involved with the Brainerd Area Youth Ministries, Kamp Kimchee and Toys for Tots.   My daughter Allison and I  had the pleasure of working with her on the Little Miss and Mister Pageant for the Fourth of July.

     She deserves this award and I know she will continue on in her volunteer services.

                                                                                                                       photo by Hamed Saber
 

Benson Minnesota is a friendly, progressive community rich in history located at the crossroads of US Hwy 12, MN Hwy 29 & MN Hwy 9 in West Central Minnesota.   Residents and visitors enjoy the quality of life a small town provides with modern technology available at their fingertips.   Benson offers one of the finest 18 hole golf courses in Western Minnesota, unlimited hunting and outdoor recreation and unique shopping opportunities combined with a knowledgeable, proactive business community making Benson an ideal destination for a family vacation, a good place to start or expand a business and raise a family. 

     What a great town and now they are famous for having the first poultry litter-fired power plant in the United States.  More than 250 people and dignitaries attended the ceremonial Grand Opening.  The 55 megawatt Fibromenn plant uses turkey litter as its main fuel. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said that they should be proud to host such a unique nationally renowned plant.  Pawlenty stated "There's gold in that there turkey manure."

     Maybe if they come up with something similar for horse manure, I could talk my husband into adding on to our herd of 12. 

                                                                                                                                      photo by drench
 

photo by Cicadajet - Flickr

St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls, Minnesota has under gone a large expansion project.  They have added a three story 60,000 square foot patient care addtion located in front of the hospital entrance.  The price tag for this was $22 Million.

     The existing hospital was 150,000 square feet and the addition is now built on the site of the former business offices.

      Sunday, October 21st, the hospital hosted a ribbon cutting, blessing and dedication from 12:30- 4 PM.  Guided tours of the new patient care addition were conducted and refreshments were served.

     This addition will be a great asset to the community of Little Falls and the smaller towns and outlying areas around it. 

photo by vieilles_annonces 

This year's event is titled "Falling Into Fashion" and will be held on October 23 at Breezy Point Resort.  The social hour starts at 5:30 PM followed by a dinner at 6:30 PM with the fashion show starting at 7:30 PM.  Tickets are $30.00 per person.  For your dinner reservations call Penny Stumvoll at 218-963-4793.

     The proceeds from this year's event will be given to support the Mounted Eagles which is a Brainerd area therapeutic riding program, Nisswa Parks and Recreation, and the Crisis Line Referral Service.

      The Nisswa Area Women meet monthly and their goal is to help each other improve their own lives and to improve others' lives in the lakes area communities.  The club membership is composed of women ages eighteen years and up.

    photo by lauralemur - Flickr

It is time once again for our annual outerwear drive.  For the past sixteen years Crystal Cleaners, Kinship Partners, and BL Broadcasting have partnered to obtain winter outerwear for families in need.  This year they are estimating that  it will take 1200 coats  to fill the need.  They especially are looking for boys coats for ages 7-12.  Adult coats also will be distributed and will be received at Crystal Cleaners.

     Donations may be dropped off at Crystal Cleaners in Brainerd, where they will be cleaned.

      Coats will be distributed 1-6 PM on November 2 and again  9 AM-1 PM on November 3 at the former home of World on Wheels.  This is located near the Brainerd Area Civic Center, Grab-A-Java and the old entrance to the Arboretum in Brainerd.

     For more information call 218-829-4606.
 

  Minnesota is home to more than 2,600 Timber Wolves.  If you want a little wolf fun and some great educational facts on wolves - visit the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota.  Ely is located  way up in Northern Minnesota near the Canadian border. Ely is known as the “Canoeing capital of the world.” It rests in the heart of the Superior National Forest, 15 miles south of the Canadian border and only minutes away from the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Wolf Center website is full of activities for children and adults along with a wolf cam. They also do tele-conference education for schools which is a great  way to be in the classroom and in the International Wolf Center simultaneously

     Tours of the facility are held May through October.  They also offer twilight wolf howl tours.  Try your very best imitation of a wolf howl and then wait, because if your imitation was even close a member of the pack may answer you back.

      We have wolves in the Brainerd Lakes Area, but have coyotes in much higher numbers.  There is a pack that roams on our property and late in the evening, we can hear their eerie howls and yaps as they communicate with each other. Last winter we gave them a road killed deer to eat and by spring there were only the hooves left.

 Listed below are some of the remaining activities for this winter that you and your family members can still participate in.  Don't they sound like an unusual kind of fun?

Join us for one-of-a-kind wolf experiences in northern Minnesota and wolf hot spots across North America. Led by informative and personable wolf experts, these programs provide just the right combination of education and recreation.

Mush with Dogs, Howl with Wolves - Family Adventure!
December 29 to 31    Seats left: 11
January 12 to 14, 2008    Seats left: 12

Mush with Dogs, Howl with Wolves
January 25 to 27, 2008    Seats left: 14

Wolves and Wilderness by Dogsled
February 2 to 6, 2008    Seats left: 7