Congratulations to the new officers of Buckham West’s Board of Directors. These individuals were elected at the January 11th meeting and include: John Bellingham, chair, Julie Carver, vice-chair, Winnie Hughes, treasurer and Sheri Eichhorn, secretary. In addition to these four individuals the remaining directors include: John Battles, Shermayne Cross, Kenn Dubbels, George Galvin, Mary Niermann, Isabell O’Connor, John Slettedahl and Wally Wetzel. We thank them for their willingness to serve and look forward to a great year.

 

Book Club

We are interested in resuming our book club at Buckham West and are holding an organizational meeting on Tuesday, January 31st at 10:00 a.m.   Please join us as we make plans for future meetings. If you have questions or comments ahead of time, give Brenda a call.

 

Author Program

Author Elsie Slinger moved to Faribault in the 1980’s to work at the Faribault Daily News.  During her career she wrote for the Kenyon Leader, owned the Blooming Prairie Herald, and helped her husband with his electric contracting business. Elsie has combined her journalism experience with her interest in local history, writing her first book “Murder, Mysteries and Misfortune in Rice County” and second book “Faribault’s Forgotten Gems”. In Elsie’s words: [These stories] are important parts of the history of Faribault.  I think it’s good for people to revisit what has happened before them, so they can understand what’s going on today. Everyone’s story is worthwhile and everyone has a story…. it’s just waiting to get out.

On Wednesday, January 25th at 1:30pm, Elsie will join us at Buckham West to talk about her books. This author program is free and open to the public, but we ask that you sign up in advance by calling Buckham West at 332-7357. There will be books available for purchase at this event.

Ms. Slinger’s books:

  • “Murder, Mysteries & Misfortune in Rice County”

Elsie Slinger’s first book, published in 2020, provides a deep dark look into the history of Rice County tragedies. The 239-page anthology contains research, newspaper excerpts, photos, and interviews with surviving family and friends.            Learn about Northfield’s trilogy of murder, Lonsdale’s three bank robberies, Faribault’s long-unsolved murder, Morristown’s experience in thuggery and more.

 

  • “Faribault’s Forgotten Gems”

Slinger’s recently released second book tells important stories of “forgotten people, organizations and businesses”.   Including Tom Lieb “the best athlete to come out of Faribault”, the Works Progress Administration mural located at the MN Academy for the Deaf, and stories of local events and the people behind them.

 

Great Courses

Openings remain for Buckham West’s winter Great Courses series titled “America in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era”. Great Courses is a series of college-level courses covering a wide range of topics.   This program is presented by experts in the field and will be facilitated locally by Bob Irby. This program will be a video viewing and discussion format held for 6 sessions. You are welcome to join this group on Thursday, January 9th at 1:30pm

 

Plastic Recycling

The Faribault Lions Club will be at Buckham West to accept your donation of household plastic bags. On Wednesday, January 18th between 9:30-11:00am, volunteers from their group will be on hand to accept a variety of household plastics.  This Plastic Recycling Project is a fund-raiser for community projects.

The plastics must be clean, dry and free from food and another residue. Please do not bring bags in on other days, as we will not be storing them here

 

Stay in touch

If you would like to keep receiving our e-newsletter, we are now asking for all current members to please renew their membership for 2023. All those that have paid their dues by February 1st will then continue to have their name on our current mailing list. If you aren’t sure that your membership is up-to-date, please stop in and we will check into it.  Dues for 2023 are $40 per person.

 

Upcoming Holiday

In honor of the Martin Luther King holiday, there will be no noon meal served on Monday, Jan. 16th.  This includes the congregate and curbside meals, as well as Meals on Wheels.  Please know that these meals will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 17th.

Buckham West will be open, however, for its normal schedule of activities.