Wright/Cromwell news

Even if our schools are closed, there is some school news to report, as we congratulate Emaleigh Olesiak, who competed in the Minnesota Academy of Science state fair held virtually in March. This was Emaleigh’s first state event, and she won a Silver Award for her project “Air Air Everywhere,” for excellence in STEM research.

We also congratulate Katelynne Schatz for being named Employee of the Year at the College of St. Scholastica and also the top student employee of the year in the state of Minnesota. Katelynne is a senior English and secondary education major from Kettle River, and she has worked for the Rose Warner Writing Center under the supervision of center director Steve Backus for three years.

In the nominating process, Backus praised her communication skills, welcoming personality, and poised and mature demeanor. He called her hardworking, honest, fair and dependable. Katelynne plans to become an English teacher. Katelynn is the daughter of Jodi Sloan Schatz and the late Blaine Schatz and the granddaughter of Jim and Lynne Sloan and the late Carolyn and Karl Schatz. Congratulations.

Congratulations are also in order to our former pastor, Brandi Hacker Bailie, and her husband, Paul, on the birth of their first child, James Ryan, on April 27.

Happy belated birthday to Elouise Lucking, who turned 90 on May 4. She was born at home in southwest Minnesota. She rode horses when she was young, as her family had Shetland ponies. She also loved gardening. She married Richard Lucking in 1956. She worked and taught school. She has three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Elouise liked baking, painting and doing yard work or anything outdoors. She attributes her long life to no smoking, no drinking, no worrying and her faith in God. Send cards to Elouise at 1220 Villa Court Drive, Cromwell MN 55726.

Aurelia Hemmila will be celebrating a birthday May 18. Sends cards to her at 22027 420th St., Unit 6, McGregor MN 55760. Cards and letters are sure appreciated by all residents of our care centers.

The annual mother-daughter tea and luncheon at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church has been canceled for this year.

There will be a Ruby’s Pantry distribution Thursday, May 14 outside the Cromwell Pavilion. Folks are asked to stay in their vehicles, and drive up as directed to the main side door, where volunteers will put your shares into your vehicles. You do not need to bring your own boxes until further notice.

I know I’m a contributor to several area newspapers, but I can honestly say that the May 1 issue of the Pine Knot News was exceptional, as they had a lot of news articles, including an article written by Clarence Badger that was especially interesting, since I knew his mother Mae and his uncle, Jasper Beseman, who was from Wright. Stories like this sure bring back some wonderful memories. I grew up on a farm in Red Clover Township just one mile north and one mile east of Cromwell. I was born just a couple of weeks after World War II ended in August of 1945. I often wondered what my parents were thinking, bringing a child into the world with such a terrible war going on. But then, my sister was born in 1940 and a brother in 1943, so life has a way of overcoming difficult times and going on. After the war ended, things improved in the United States and around the world, and I’m sure they will again after this terrible virus is cured or at least controlled.

That’s all the news from the Edge of Wright. Stay safe.