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Rep. Dan Schoen - E-Update - October 29, 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Friends,

 

You know the old saying: Minnesota has two seasons – winter and road construction. This year, winter seems to be coming early and road construction is hanging around a little longer than usual.

 

Folks in District 54A know this too well. Drivers are encountering gridlock on Highway 61 north of Interstate 494. I’ve contacted MnDOT, and have been told that there is a median guard rail project underway on that stretch of road. Work on the project should be wrapped up in another two to three weeks.

 

I do have some information that should prove helpful in planning your commute. MnDOT tells me that the contractor in charge of the project can close a single lane in the northbound direction during the week with the exception of between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. or a single lane in the southbound direction with the exception of between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

 

Just a couple of weeks more, and then we can blame the snow for our long commutes!

 

Help for the holidays

 

St. Paul Park’s Friends in Need Food Shelf is gearing up to help area families that may find themselves in need of a little cheer this holiday season by launching its “Share the Joy” program.

 

Those who find themselves struggling to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas properly are encouraged to come into the food shelf between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28, or 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. No appointment is necessary. Please bring a picture ID and a proof of address (like a bill) and be prepared to list some gift ideas for your children (around $30 per child). There they will be given a piece of colored paper that will serve as receipt.

For those who registered for Thanksgiving help, distribution of food baskets will be from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the back door of American Legion Post 98 on Broadway in St. Paul Park. You will need to bring your ID, a current bill and the colored paper you received when you signed up.

For those who registered for help at Christmas time, they can pick up their gifts at the Cottage Grove National Guard Armory between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., on Saturday, Dec. 14. They will need once again to bring in an ID, a current bill and the colored paper they were given when they signed up.

There are two ways that you can help Friends in Need aid these families at Thanksgiving. The easiest way is to donate $40 to help defray the costs of the food baskets. Please send your check to Friends in Need Food Shelf, P.O. Box 6, Cottage Grove, MN 55016.

The other way is to purchase the food yourself and assemble your own basket. If you choose to do that, let Friends in Need Food Shelf know by Nov. 14. It should be dropped off at American Legion Post 98 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24.

To adopt a child or family, contact your local church or call Kris at 651-458-3044 after Nov. 1. Let her know how many children you want to sponsor (at around $30 per child), and she will match you up with someone. If you are going through your church, we hope to have the children’s names out to the churches by Nov. 12. On Saturday, Dec. 14, please bring your gifts to the Cottage Grove National Guard Armory between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. They should be gift wrapped and marked with the child’s name and family number. If you have a family, please put all the gifts in a large garbage bag and mark it clearly with their family number.

There are other ways you can help out. Share the Joy will need volunteers for both the Thanksgiving Basket program (7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at the St. Paul Park American Legion Post) and the Christmas program (8 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Cottage Grove National Guard Armory).

 It is the perfect way to help ensure that we all have a happy holiday.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Dan