Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
40 Years Ago, April 3, 1985
• School Secretary Ruth Anderson accepted a $100 check from Wayne Mills, treasurer of the Verndale Boosters, which was to be applied toward the school scholarship fund which will be matched by the Carl Lind family foundation. Deadline for contributions toward this fund was April 1. Total monies received from the community, to be matched by the Lind foundation amounted to $1010.
• Verndale’s Knowledge Bowl team will be participating in the Education Cooperative Service Unit-Five fourth annual Regional Knowledge Bowl Competition on April 3, 1985 at Cragun’s Conference Center at Brainerd. Representing Verndale are Jim Schereck, Dean Dahlvang-group spokesman, Scott Trosen, alternate; Jon Schereck and Jeff Olson. Verndale is one of 22 teams competing.
• Rehearsals have begun for the Miss Verndale Pageant which is less than three weeks away. It is to be held on April 20. Maurie Finck demonstrated to dances in the opening production number what he expected the participants to do. They spent most of Saturday practicing in readiness for the big event.
• The Clarinet Choir won eligibility in the State Regional Contest to be held in May after receiving a superior rating at the District 24 Solo-Ensemble Contest. Members of the group are: Debbie Scheller, Sarah Schwanz, Tonya Peterson, Barbara Leonard, Shari McClue, Melissa Richter, Pam Kotz, Susan Kopischke, Jennifer Ninneman and Tammy Hahn.
15 Years Ago, April 8, 2010
• “Rules and stereotypes are made to be broken,” is a quote from an up and coming female boxer from rural Verndale, 15-year-old Kira Ollila, who is in her first year of becoming a pugilist herself. Having only two bouts under her belt so far, Ollila is 2-0 with her first bout going the distance and wining the decision. Her second bout on March 27 ended in the first round with a technical knock out. This teenager lives, breathes, and dreams about nothing other than boxing. According to Ollila, the goals she most often dreams about is one day competing in the Olympics. Women’s boxing will be introduced for the first time at the 2012 Olympics.
• Food and fellowship brought many from the area to Donovan’s Hall this past Saturday night, March 27, to the annual Wadena County Dairy Princess Banquet. County Chairman Dan Middendorf emceed the event and dairy farmer dads cleaned up nice to escort in their candidate daughters. Kelsie Trosen was crowned the 2010 Wadena County Dairy Princess and will be eligible to compete for one of the 12 Princess Kay finalist positions during the Princess Kay May event training seminar May 14-16 at the College of St. Ben’s. Amanda Meech and Sara Bain-Richter were crowned as the Wadena County Ambassadors and will work at the county level.
• Spring practice is underway in Verndale for the Pirates baseball team. This year there is a change in the head coaching position as Matthew Parker takes over the helm for the Pirates and tries to steer them through the waters to reach their destination. Previously, Parker was the assistant coach for the Pirates for four years. With only two returning seniors, Colby Schmidt and Clay Cottrell, Parker has to dig a little deeper into the crew to get his starting nine which includes six juniors, four freshmen and one eighth grader.
• This year’s Lady Pirates softball team has a new head coach with Dan Johnson taking over for his first year. The Lady Pirates have seven returning players which include five seniors: Heather Hejhal, Brittany Kern, Jamie Kern, Crystal Haskin and Amanda Kasperson; four juniors, two sophomores and one freshman. They lost two senior players from last year’s team in the pitcher and catcher positions which they are trying to fill from this year’s crew.
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