OCTOBER 1, 2008 - INTER-COUNTY LEADER - NORTHERN CURRENTS, SECTION B - PAGE 23
Auditions for youth roles for “A Christmas Story” set ST. CROIX FALLS - Festival Theatre will hold auditions on Saturday, Oct. 11, for youth roles in the holiday show “A Christmas Story.” “The roles are for the young Ralphie Parker, his brother, friends, and classmates who range in age from 6 to 11,” said Danette Olsen of Festival Theatre. “We anticipated casting at least five boys and two girls, but it is likely that we will also cast three to five extras who will help establish playground and classroom scenes. We may be double-casting a few roles to help our young actors accommodate a very busy rehearsal and performance calendar.” Registration is required to audition and all the details can be received by sending an e-mail request to boxoffice@festivaltheatre.org. On Wednesday, Oct. 8, a required orientation will take place at 4:30 p.m. to explain the rehearsal and performance schedule, to help young actors know what to expect during the audition process and to answer family questions about participation. For actors auditioning for the first time at Festival Theatre a 30-minute audition workshop will be held immediately following the orientation. St. Croix Festival Theatre is located in downtown St. Croix Falls, at 210 North Washington Street. For more information or to register for auditions, call the Festival Festival Theatre’s 2003 production of Jean ShepTheatre Box Office at 715-483-3387.- submitted erd’s “A Christmas Story.” - Photo submitted
Nutrition Education program receives Award MADISON – The Cooperative Extension Wisconsin tion educators made Nutrition Education Program recently received the more than 317,000 2008 Regent Academic Staff Excellence Award. The contacts with diprogram was selected based on demonstrated excelverse, food stamp-ellence, initiative and creativity, and outstanding individuals igible achievement. and families. “The Regent Award is the highest recognition be“The Wisconsin stowed on members of the UW System academic staff. Nutrition Education These winners all embody the hard work, dedication Program and our acand ‘out of the box’ thinking of our talented UW Sysademic colleagues tem academic staff,” said committee chair Regent who teach in the Eileen Connolly-Keesler. “The board is pleased to community make a honor a group that helps to strengthen and invigorate difference in the lives not only our UW institutions, but the communities of families from which they serve.” Academic staff members and proevery racial and ethgrams from each of the 15 UW System institutions nic group in Wisconwere nominated for this year’s awards. sin,” said Associate WNEP provides knowledge and skills that enhance Dean/Associate Dithe quality of life for limited-resource families, youth Shirley Crowe is the WNEP rector of Cooperative and adults in 64 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. In Polk nutriton educator from the Extension Yvonne County, the nutrition program works with young fam- Polk County UW-Extension Of- Roulhac Horton. ilies enrolled in the Women, Infant, and Children feed- fice. – Photo submitted “Through this proing program to help them plan nutritious meals for gram, limited retheir growing families, says Mary Lestrud, coordinasource families and tor of the program. Shirley Crowe, nutrition educator, individuals receive is known throughout the county for her compassionate hope and education to help themselves in their time of and knowledgeable work to educate families who need in urban, suburban and rural Wisconsin.” often struggle to make ends meet. She also works with The program is made possible through partnerships children in the Unity, Frederic, and Clayton school dis- with federal, state and county governments, as well as tricts. Lestrud says, “UW Extension’s collaboration with more than 750 local agencies. Cooperative Extenwith other agencies and programs is essential to close sion is a division of the University of Wisconsin-Extenthe hunger gap in our county and to educate the next sion, and offers research-based educational programs generation about healthy eating.” in each of Wisconsin’s counties. More information WNEP educational programming strives to help about the WNEP program and Cooperative Extension clientele change attitudes and behaviors to improve is available online at http://www.uwex.edu/ces. - subnutritional well-being. In 2006-2007, the Wisconsin Nu- mitted trition Education Program’s community-based nutri-
Mystery equipment Dick Macho, Siren, is wondering if any of the Leader readers can identify this piece of farm equipment he has on the south side of his yard. It dates back to the early 1900s. A number of people have asked Macho what it is. He knows, but he won’t tell. If you know what it was used for, please let the Leader know by e-mailing theleader@centurytel.net. – Photo by Nancy Jappe