Grand opening

Joe Plut, retired Central Lakes College English and humanities instructor, has a room named for him at Prairie Bay Restaurant, Baxter. The porch area has been remodeled into the Joe Plut Reading Room, decorated with books and paintings. The Joe Plut Reading Room grand opening is Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Prairie Bay. Joe will sign copies of his book, "Conversations with Jon Hassler," from 6 to 9 p.m., with a half-hour program from 7 to 7:30. The restaurant and bar will be open. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served. Guests may make reservations for dinner, mentioning the reservation in conjunction with the "grand opening." The banquet room will be open for those not attending the Reading Room celebration. A drawing for a copy of Jon Hassler's hardbound 1987 novel, "Grand Opening," will be at 9 p.m.

Photo by Steve Kohls, Brainerd Dispatch

Rose Ensemble workshop

Members of The Rose Ensemble gave a one-hour workshop today in the Central Lakes College Music Rehearsal Hall on the Brainerd campus. The group will perform "Songs of Temperance and Temptation: 100 Years of Restraint and Revelry in Minnesota" at 7 p.m., today in Chalberg Theatreas part of the Cultural Arts Series. Theshow is a musical exploration of the humor and history behind Prohibition and Minnesota’s long-standing love/hate relationship with the pub. Concert tickets: $12, available for purchase directly from The Rose Ensemble. Available online athttps://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=ec5468c01613c31eb131a07f2c8c288d.To purchase by telephone, call 651-225-4340, before 5 p.m.

Exporting opportunities

Exports are an important driver of business growth, and small companies have a lot to gain by selling products and services in foreign markets. But with limited staff, finances, and expertise, owners are often hesitant to pursue international opportunities. Backed by a State Trade and Export Promotion grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Minnesota Trade Office and Minnesota Department of Agriculture are offering more programs in the coming year to help small businesses expand sales into foreign markets. Join us on Monday, November 14, to learn more about opportunities available and how your company can participate in planned trade missions, trade shows, and conferences at reduced rates, and get reimbursement for export credit insurance for overseas sales. This one hour event will be held on the Brainerd Campus of Central Lakes College, Business & Industry Center, 501 W College Drive, Door #6, Room E203 on November 14th at 8:30 am. Join us for coffee and rolls and the program will begin at 9:00 am. Please call or email to reserve your spot by November 10: 218-855-8140, jplatta@clcmn.edu The event is funded in part through a grant award with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Training grant

Central Lakes College President Larry Lundblad (right) joined Dan Swenson, CEO of CentraCare Health System at Long Prairie to sign a $178,406 Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Grant through which CLC will train 279 employees at the facility. The third signer was Paul Moe, executive director of MJSP and the Workforce Development Division of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Moe said the three-year grant project will incorporate "Transforming Care at the Bedside" principles throughout CentraCare. Other objecives are to better serve the Hispanic population and medical management of specific staff-created projects to sustain a patient-centered energy. Nurses, emergency medical technicians, medical technicians, and medical transcriptionists will learn techniques to improve quality and safety of patient care using a national program developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The project's total value is $423,312 based on a $238,343 private-sector match (including in-kind), $6,563 from CLC and the $178,406 from the people of Minnesota. This the 19th MJSP grant since 1998 for CLC, said Rebecca Best, dean of workforce, regional and economic development. Eloise Thorson, customized trainer at CLC, is project coordinator.

'Voyageur Skies'

Mark Seeley, author and climatologist, will join photographer Don Breneman to present "Voyageur Skies: Weather and the Wilderness in Minnesota's National Park," a free, public program, on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College. The event is sponsored by the Brainerd Area Environmental Learning Network and the Center for Lifelong Learning at CLC. The presenters will share their thoughts regarding "Voyageur Skies," their book, which features a history of the park, its seasons, lakes, wildlife, and climate. You'll have time to ask questions and meet both, with books available for purchase and signing.

Italy trip meeting

An informational meeting for the next Central Lakes College travel study trip to Italy will be held Monday, Nov. 21 from 7 to 8 p.m. in room E 354 (Lecture Hall) of the Brainerd campus. The Italian Renaissance Experience, led by English and Humanities instructor Michael Soderlund, will travel to Rome, Florence, and Venice from May 17-28, 2012. The study trip will explore the art and culture of the Italian Renaissance. While students enrolled at the college have first priority for enrollment, any remaining room on the trip will be made available to community members after student registration has ended. For information, e-mail Michael Soderlund at msoderlu@clcmn.edu or phone 218-855-8152.

Faith vs. fear

As a result of local anti-poverty initiatives, Central Lakes College speech instructor Kari Frisch is participating in a world-wide project to end hunger. She is involved with the Hunger and Agriculture Griots Project, a program designed to train passionate volunteers into powerful spokespersons in the fight against hunger. It is sponsored by the World Food Program, WFP-USA and ONE. Her "Service for CLC" blog http://serviceforclc.blogspot.com/ explains the activity. Kari is taking a six-week online "Groit" course, which includes access to cutting-edge articles, videos, lectures and fact sheets about global hunger and sustainable agriculture, as well as skill-building tutorials. In West Africa, a Griot is a storyteller, a singer, a history keeper and an agent of cultural change. As a participant Kari has agreed to organize her own action project to educate and mobilize peers, learn to write letters to the editor and to use new media tools for advocacy, and refine public speaking and presentation skills. She is attempting to recruit at least 11 more and to create a social network buzz at the 11th hour through a "Team11" concept, focusing on 11-11-11 as a day for donors to give non-perishable food items to local food shelves. One may also donate food globally by playing a game at freerice.com and recruit 11 other people. "One of the largest lessons I've learned about myself from the class so far," Kari said, "was that I was going to have to rely on faith versus fear."