Community calendar: April 20 edition

Thursday, April 20

• Retailers monthly meeting, 7 a.m. at Boondocks Cafe in Wadena.
• he Frazee Event Center will be hosting a community blood drive for Vitalant from 2:30 to 6:15 p.m, sponsored by Neighbor to Neighbor. To schedule an appointment please contact Mary at 218-849-0645 or go online to donors.vitalant.org and use the blood drive code FRAZEE.
• The Otter Tail County Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee and 2023 EM Summit Design Team will host their 9th Annual Emergency Management Summit, "Operation Prep Kit," from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls. Learn about the roles of the whole community in emergency and disaster response and recovery operations, how your organization can be part of the effort, and steps you can take to be ready.As always, it’s okay to join us when you can and stay for the parts that most interest you, then leave when you need to. Register online at eventbrite.com. For more information call 218-998-8067 or send an email to pwaletzk@co.ottertail.mn.us.
• Missy Hermes, education coordinator for the Otter Tail County Historical Society, will be giving a 6:30 p.m. presentation, "Otter Tail County History in Hats," at the New York Mills Public Library. This presentation will focus on some of the fascinating people, events, hatmakers and hats in Otter Tail County's history. Free and open to all, but preregistration is encouraged; call the New York Mills Public Library at 218-385-2436 to sign up.

Saturday, April 22

• Come to the Frazee Event Center from 1 to 7 p.m. and enjoy a "Polka Fest," with not just one, but two polka bands playing, the Matt Hodak and Julie Lee bands. Cost is $5 per person, and there will be food available for purchase.
• Come to the Comet Theater in Perham at 1 p.m. for a sensory-friendly presentation of the 2023 film, "The Super Mario Brothers Movie," in celebration of Autism Awareness Month. Hosted by Empowering Kids of Perham, this event is free and open to the public, though seating is limited.
• The Ottertail chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host an afternoon of Sportsman's Bingo at the Woodshed Bar and Grill in Ottertail. Doors open at 3 p.m., with bingo starting at 4 p.m. Cost is $60 for 10 games. Call Dwayne at 218-205-8931 or William at 218-298-1615 for more information.
• The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center's 2023 Live Music Series continues with a concert by Eric Peltoniemi, which starts at 7:30 p.m. All are invited! Since the early 1970s in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minnesota, and Finland, Eric Peltoniemi has worked multiple sides of the music world as a singer/songwriter, guitarist, lyricist, and composer for the music theater, and for three decades an executive at acclaimed indie roots label, Red House Records. His original songs have been covered and recorded by a number of artists, including Robin & Linda Williams; Claudia Schmidt; Gordon Bok, Anne Mayo Muir & Ed Trickett; NYC cabaret singer Lisa Asher; and young Finnish folk star, Topi Saha, to name a few. Adult tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door (members get a $2 discount); student admission is $5. Buy tickets online at kulcher.org, or at the door. Cash bar and light refreshments will be available; doors open at 7 p.m. Call the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339 with any questions.
• Mick Sterling will present “Beautiful Vision: The Essential Songs of Van Morrison” at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage of Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre. This show features the most popular of Morrison's hits, such as "Brown-Eyed Girl," "Iinto the Mystic," "Domino" and "Wild Nights" along with classics like "Street Choir," Wavelength" and more, performed by a spectacular 13-piece band. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students; they may be purchased online at dlccc.org/holmes-theatre.html, by phone at 218-844-7469 or in person at the Holmes Box Office, which is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday as well as for two hours prior to the start of the show. ("Beautiful Vision" is replacing the originally scheduled "3 Stars Born," which has been postponed until next season at the Holmes due to "unforeseen circumstances." Tickets originally purchased for that show will be honored, or you may contact the theater for a refund.)

Sunday, April 23

• Sign up as a team for Drastic Measures Brewing's Puzzle Party, which runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at the brewery, 101 Jefferson St. South, Wadena. Call 218-632-2900 for more information.
• Author Darrell J. Pedersen will celebrate the release of his new book, "Campfire in the Basement," from 2-4 p.m. at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter. Enjoy a presentation from the author at 3 p.m. along with special refreshments and autographed copies of his book. This will be the first public presentation of Pedersen's debut book. The event is free and open to the public and made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. For further information on the author visit darrelljpedersen.com .
• The M State Concert Band, Chamber Chorale and Concert Choir are joining forces for a combined spring performance on the college’s Fergus Falls campus. Led by M State Band Director Jim Iverson and Choir Director Laura Quaintance, the spring concert will be held at 1:30 p.m. in Legacy Hall. Over 100 instrumentalists and singers from the college and Fergus Falls area communities will perform.
• A town hall meeting, titled "Save Our Children's Innocence," will be held at the Verndale Community Center (109 1st Ave. SE) at 2 p.m., with a panel of guest speakers discussing pending state legislation on abortion, mandated ethnic studies in schools, class size limits and more. This meeting is not paid for by any political party or candidate. For more information, please contact Don Line at 218-640-6800.

Monday, April 24

• Hospice of the Red River Valley is hosting a free 5 p.m. class at the Fergus Falls Public Library. "Journeying Through Grief" is designed for those who are recently bereaved. It is intended for adults 18 years and older who have experienced the recent loss of a loved one. This class will help you better understand the grief process, explore methods of self-care and embrace and carry memories with you as you move forward. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required; please sign up at least one day prior to the class date by visiting hrrv.org/grief-support .
• Wadena's Just For Kix program will present its spring show, "Making Magic Happen," at Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary School, starting at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $4 fo4r adults and $2 for students; cost is $6 for adults and $4 for students at the door (kids age 5 and under are admitted free of charge). There will be some fun, Disney-inspired dances, as well as some solos and dancing moms. Come celebrate the end of a great dance season!

Tuesday, April 25

• There will be bingo at the Wadena Senior Center from 1:15 to 4 p.m. Open to the public.
• The Knob Hill Sportsmans Club will host a Minnesota Permit to Carry class from 5 to 9 p.m. Class is beginner-friendly, and open to those looking to get a new license, renew their old one, or get a multi-state license. Call or text Mike at 320-212-3516 to register. Walk-ins are welcome, but RSVPs are helpful. Cost is $80, due at the start of class.

• Wadena-Deer Creek Public Schools' 2023 Day of Caring is a day set aside for WDC High School students to give back to their community by volunteering to help elderly, disabled or residents with outdoor clean-up projects. Students will rake leaves, clean out flower beds, wash first-floor windows as a community service in Wadena, Deer Creek, Bluffton and areas in between. There is no cost to get your name added to the list. Call 218-632-2444 and leave a message with your name, address, phone number and a brief description of what you would like help with. Requests are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• The Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a special "On the Rocks" session of its popular Women's EDGE speaker series at Spanky's Stone Hearth in rural Frazee, from 6 to 8 p.m. This evening presentation will feature Heather Manley, founder and CEO of Minnesota's own Crooked Water Spirits, who will provide guests with samples of some of her distillery's finest spirits. Tickets are $50 each, and may be purchased by calling the Chamber at 218-847-9202. Each ticket includes appetizers, sampling and presentation; cocktails and entrees may be purchased from Spanky's menu separately.

Thursday, April 27

• Members of the Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band will be performing not just one, but two shows in Pelican Rapids — a 6:30 p.m. concert at the high school (310 S. Broadway), and an 8:10 p.m. concert at VFW Post 5252 (29 1st Ave. NW). Both performances are free and open to the public.

Saturday, April 29

• The Knob Hill Sportsmans Club's 34th annual Wildlife Conservation Banquet will take place in the 4-H building at the Wadena County Fairgrounds in Wadena, starting with a social at 4 p.m. Dinner will served at 6 p.m., with the program to follow.

Recurring/multi-day events

• Wadena County Republicans meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month at Larry’s Family Pizza in Wadena. Dinner and visiting at 5:30 p.m., with speakers and a business meeting at 6:30 p.m. Call 218-894-1899 for more information.
• Celebrate Recovery program will be held at the Verndale Family Life Church, 402 Clark Dr. NE, from 6-8 p.m. every Sunday. Childcare provided if needed. For more information please call 218-445-5568.
• All area home-schooled students are invited to the Otter Cove Children's Museum, 105 W. Lincoln Ave., Fergus Falls, from 9 a.m. to noon every Friday, for a "Homeschool Hangout" event. For more information call 218-998-5437 or email ottercoveff@gmail.com .
• Wadena Area Food Shelf open 10 a.m. to noon, Mondays and Thursdays. Contact them at 218-631-7605. Located at 205 Aldrich Ave SE, Wadena.
• Verndale Area Food Shelf is open 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Thursday; and 5-7 p.m. every first Thursday at 402 NE Clark Dr. Contact the director at 218-445-5568.
• Cards and Farkel, 1-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the Wadena Senior Center. Closed Friday-Sunday. Call 218-631-4077 for more information.
• Sit-n-Stitch, a weekly gathering of area fiber artists, will be held every Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. All ages and experience levels welcome. No cost to participate.
• Wadena Open Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at 8 p.m. Tuesdays (book meeting); 7 p.m., Wednesdays; and 10 a.m. Sundays, at 421 NW 4th St., Wadena.
• Narcotics Anonymous meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesdays, at 421 NW 4th St, Wadena.
• Wadena City Library story time is in-person at the library at 10 a.m. You can listen to a few stories and make a craft or eat a snack.
• Matinee movies at the Cozy Theatre in Wadena are $6 on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, every Tuesday is Bargain Night; all seats are $5.
• Meat raffle and horse racing every Wednesday at Wadena Elks Lodge #2386, 210 Jefferson St. South, downtown Wadena.
• The Wadena Lions Club meets the second and fourth Monday pf each month at 6 p.m. in Elks Lodge 2386, 210 Jefferson St. S., Wadena (except in December and during the summer, when picnics will be held in the Lions Shelter in Sunnybrook Park, mostly on the second Monday of the month).
• The New York Mills Public Library (located at 30 Main Ave. North) will host a used book sale in its meeting room, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. every Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays, whenever the meeting room is not in use for other activities. All items one dollar; must be paid in cash or by check only (no cards). Sponsored by the Friends of the Library; all proceeds directly benefit the NYM Public Library.