Rutland, ND

As many of you have already heard, Hal Nelson of Rutland was seriously injured Saturday, October 18, when his house exploded.  If you missed the broadcast you can view it at WDAY-TV which shows what little is left of his home. You can link to Hal’s CaringBridge site to keep updated on his steps to recovery or to post your words and thoughts for Hal and his family.

A benefit fund has been established for Hal to help him with the costs that will be incurred on his road to recovery.  Donations can be sent to any Sargent County Bank (link for address) with a memo area notation “Hal Nelson Benefit.”  Cash donations are being accepted in a donation jar at the Rutland General Store as well for the Fund. 

This is the last chance to help with the lefse rolling for Uff-Da Day.  Four more sessions will be held this week (Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.).   This year we may just make the 4000.  As of last week, 3002 have already been made.  With four more sessions, 4000 is definitely within reach.  Once the lefse is ready, then the krumkake and sandbagel making crews will be hard at work. The next three weeks there will be a lot of harder working residents preparing for the big celebration!

The lefse crew is working steadily to produce an abundant supply for the upcoming Uff-Da Day sales and meal.  As of last Thursday, the gang has produced just over 1700 lefse.  There will be additional lefse rolling sessions this month every Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  There will be a late night session on Wednesday, September 10, at 8:00 p.m.  Anyone who wants to help out is welcome to come and join the workers at City Hall any of those dates and times. (The photo is courtesy of Wikipedia; the crew here makes perfectly round lefse!)

A “Run Around Bag” (sewing) class will be held Wednesday, September 24, starting at 10:00 a.m.  Arlene Stilley will teach the session held at the Rutland General Store.  Cost is $10.00 plus supplies.  A minimum of five students will be needed otherwise the class will be cancelled (class size will be limited).

Quilting classes may be held again this year.  A quilt class information sign-up sheet is at the material cutting counter in the Rutland General Store.  Sign up if you are interested!

With all the lefse and cooking that this community is preparing for UffDa Days it’s time to think about keeping in shape (or getting back in my case)! The Rutland Fitness Center is up and running with Aerobics classes. They will be held Thursday, August 21, Monday August 25 and Thursday August 28 at 6:00 p.m. If you are serious to get back into the groove, plan on attending the Aerobic classes every Thursday, 6 p.m., September through April (Jen will lead the evening classes). For the early birds, there will also be a 6:00 A.M. session from September through April (Rachel will lead these!).

Dates and times for yoga classes and circuit training classes will be announced in the near future. All aerobics and yoga classes will be at City Hall. Circuit trainings will be at the Fitness Center. The classes are only $3.00 each session unless you are already a member of the Fitness Center — which means you can attend them for free. Let’s get in shape before UffDa and then all those holiday treats that seem to follow in November and December!!!

Yesterday, my family and I attended the 11th Annual “Youth Day” held at the John Narum Memorial Trap & Rifle Range near Silver Lake.  The event drew about 190 youth and their families from throughout the area.  Activities included trap shooting, archery, BB gun, 22 rifles and casting with rod & reel (into small swimming pools) and a coin scramble.  This was the first time we attended and we were all extremely impressed with the event and the size of the crowd.  The three hours flew by quickly and wrapped up with an impressive raffle of about 45 door prizes of hunting vests, decoys, bow sets, rifles, shotguns and BB guns and other items.  All the winners were full of smiles.  That included my son who won a 12 gauge shotgun that weighs considerably more than he does.  He is now looking forward to growing up so he can use that gun.  This annual event is sponsored by the Rutland Sportsman’s Club, Sargent County Pheasants Forever, and the Windy Mound Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.  Many “thank you’s” are in order from my son and I’m sure from all the other proud winners.  Congratulations to all the winners and a Big Thank You to everyone involved in helping with this event — which I understand is the largest youth event of its kind in the Upper Midwest.

Well, you know UffDa Day is not far off when the rolling pins are steaming along.  Last Thursday’s crews managed to get a good start of about 470 produced.  There will be more groups this week starting with Monday, August 25, 8 p.m. session.  Tuesday - and maybe Thursday - more will gather to work toward the goal of 4000.  This is the 24th year for Uff Da and let’s hope we don’t all burn out so that we can make it 25 years.  I wonder what else happens during that 8 p.m. rolling session???  Guess I’ll have to go just to find out. Stay tuned.

This evening, my family and I attended the Rutland Children’s Summer Theater presentation of “Willabella Witch’s Last Spell.”  We had a very enjoyable time attending the program which demonstrated the talents of 18 Rutland youth.  Willabella had quite a dilemma and she was visited by several well-known characters — the Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel and their entourages (princes, 7 dwarfs). There must have been 75-80 people in the audience who seemed to find the play entertaining to say the least.  I managed to get a couple snapshots from tonight’s presentation.  I know others got some better shots and I’ll try to get some soon.  If you are interested, there will be another performance on Sunday, August 17, 7 p.m. at Rutland City Hall.  Adult tickets are only $5.00.  It’s a great way to spend an evening!

A rolling pin is a cylindrical food preparation utensil used to shape and flatten dough.  Oh, how so many Rutland women know the best use of a rolling pin (other than as a weapon!) is to roll out the lefse.  Uff Da Day is only sixty days away!  So little time and so much to do.  This will be the 24th Annual Rutland Uff Da Day.  It’s time to get rolling.  We will be called again to help to make nearly the 4,000 lefse (along with all the other goodies).   Committee Chairs are getting calls to help get the ball rolling.  It’s time to rally the troops and get together for some fun while we work toward another community event.  (According to some cookbooks, heavy wooden roller type rolling pins are best used on kitchen helpers when frustrated, and not on dough.  Let’s hope it doesn’t come to this!)

County Fairs are a great opportunity for county residents to showcase their garden produce, craft, food or sewing item that was made by them.  Tonight, for the first time, I went to enter some items into the Sargent County Fair.  Being a “city girl” I never entered anything in Minnesota but now that I’m a “country girl” I finally got my act together!  My boys - age 7 and 5 - also had some projects to enter.  My 7-year-old did his project about a month ago - which meant he didn’t have many K’Nex pieces to work with for some time. 

The kids look forward to returning on Saturday to find their projects and also participate in Fair events like the tractor pedal pull.  Even if none of us get any other recognition, the sense of self achievement and pride is something they have discovered this year. 

Don’t forget to come to the Fair and to stop by the Food Building (the white building).  The Rutland Park Board is there again this year as another means to raise funds for our town.  Stop in to say “Hi.” I’ll be in the kitchen Sunday so I’m hoping it won’t be too hot this weekend!  See you there!!!