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7 Second Avenue Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
“Minnesota’s Oldest Weekly Newspaper”
Vol. 161, No. 35
Sauk Rapids, Benton County, Minnesota 56379
A continuation of the Frontiersman, The Free Press, Sauk Rapids Sentinel and St. Cloud Sentinel.
and Family Fun D Day ay
(USPS 482-240)
December 9, 2015
A 57-year career Lenger waitressing at 75 years young by NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
ST. CLOUD – In 1959, as Mattel was releasing Barbie and the United States was welcoming Alaska and Hawaii into the union, Donna Lenger, who grew up in and graduated from Sauk Rapids, was starting her first job as a waitress. Now at 75, Donna is still making the rounds to her section and welcoming customers into Brigitte’s Café four days, 20 hours, a week. “I love it,” said Lenger of her waitressing life. “But they’ve made it so easy for me. I love to come to work.” Lenger’s sister was also a waitress, and that is how she decided she wanted to give the table-to-table serPHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER vice a shot. Her first job was Sauk Rapids Ambassadors Kelsey Christensen (left, at Inga’s Café in downtown clockwise), Tana Hendrickson, Nikki Bukowski and Mrs. St. Cloud. She moved around Benton County Sarah Schmidt sat with Santa Bob Mager after with the café as it traveled to the kids’ bingo event at the VFW Post No. 6992. both Seventh and Ninth Avenues before switching jobs More photos on page 2 and coming to Brigitte’s. Except for a short stint working at Betty’s Fried Chicken in
Kansas, the two area cafes are the only ones Lenger has ever worked in. “I knew Brigitte from waiting on her when she’d come in for coffee. She said she was going to get married and buy a café and offered me a job. She was a special lady, and beautiful,” Lenger said. “She was beautiful inside and out. She was a loving, giving person. It made me want to work for her.” That was 36 years ago. Brigitte’s Café is one of the last family-owned restaurants in St. Cloud. It was named after Brigitte Schneider, a German woman who came to this country at the age of 19 to be married. Brigitte had been a waitress at the former Fred’s Café, before purchasing the restaurant in 1960 and eventually changing
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Customers frequently return to Brigitte’s Café to be waited on by Donna Lenger. Lenger has been working as a waitress for 57 years.
Armed man arrested Beauchamp to serve Jaycees on national level for burglary
had been reported stolen from a garage in Sauk Rapids earlier last week. Stirn was placed SAUK RAPIDS – A St. in the Benton County Jail to James man is under arrest be arraigned for the above after allegedly burglarizing a charges. Sauk Rapids home. As a result of the arrest, The Sauk Rapids Po- search warrants were executlice Department has charged ed on suspected properties 32-year-old Derek Goodwin linked to Stirn to further inStirn for burglary in the first vestigation of other thefts and degree, unlawful possession burglaries in the Sauk Rapids of a firearm and and Benton County harming a public area. safety dog after he Police encourwas apprehended age homeowners as he ran and carto lock their cars, ried property from a garages and homes home. and to be alert and Officers from dial 911 if citizens Sauk Rapids, Sartell Derek Stirn see suspicious acand Benton County tivity. responded Dec. 4 afStirn has been ter 2:30 a.m. to the 900 block arrested numerous times. He of Oak Crest Drive in Sauk was charged with second deRapids after a citizen had re- gree drug possession and inported they believed someone tent to sell in Stearns County was burglarizing a neighbor’s Aug. 21, and in a separate inhome. The police K9 appre- cident in Benton County Sept. hended and detained Stirn 21 was charged with fleeing until he could be restrained by police and possession of stoofficers. Stirn was also in pos- len property. session of a handgun, which by NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
by ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
The Sauk Rapids Jaycees are one of several volunteer organizations in the area, and they are beginning to receive national attention. The Jaycees is a leadership organization that engages volunteers ages 18 to 40 through project management and social entrepreneurship, ultimately hoping to build leadership skills and make a positive impact in communities. In September, Juanita Beauchamp, membership vice president of the Sauk Rapids chapter and 2015 Minnesota Jaycees President, was elected to serve as one of six 2016 national vice presidents. “Sauk Rapids has never had a national vice president come from their chapter, and only a handful of state presidents. The fact that she’s the state president and a woman, and she’s going to be a national vice presi-
Lenger continued on pg. 3
dent, is a big deserves this deal. Women recognition.” weren’t alBeauchamp lowed to vote became a in the Jaycees member of until 1988,” the Sauk Rapsaid Keri ids chapter Fisher, 2015 in 2004, but national vice the chapter president. first started in Fisher the 1970s, 50 came to Sauk years after the Rapids restart of the nacently to visit tional Jaycees with Mayor organization. Brad GunderThroughout Juanita Beauchamp son and with the commuBeauchamp nity, the Jayand her team. Fisher and cees carry out various funBeauchamp also made a vis- draisers and events to raise it to the state capitol to talk money for the organization. with legislators. These events include every“It was nice to have her thing from food drives and in town to share her knowl- holiday baskets to helping at edge and give support,” the Benton County Fair and Beauchamp said. Wingfest. Fisher shared the news A fundraiser Beauchamp of the local recognition. enjoys is the sandbox fill, “This is big news com- where sand is donated to fill ing out of the Sauk Rapids sandboxes for children. Durchapter. Nothing like this ing the fundraiser, the Jayhas happened from this cees also collect food and chapter,” Fisher said. “She monetary donations for the
food shelf. Although the Jaycees have various fundraisers, the money is often given as scholarships and to gain more members. “We are always looking for more members. At one point, we had 50 members locally, but currently have 16,” Beauchamp said. “It fluctuates. Statewide, there are about 1,400 members.” Locally a Junior Jaycees for children ages 7 ton 17 is in development. The hope for is for junior members to become a part of the national Jaycee organization as adults. “Our mission statement is to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change,” Beauchamp said. “Our hope is that members go on to serve in leadership roles elsewhere when their time with us is done. We want our members to serve in a larger capacity. We are building the leaders to have a solid foundation.”
one man, two roles Martens Marten ns serves as principal principal, president of MSHSL board by NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – As your daughter laces up her hockey skates before hitting the ice or your son practices his lines for this year’s production of the one act play, Erich Martens, the Sauk Rapids-Rice High School principal, prepares to usher the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) into its 100th year as a non-profit organization serving yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s youth. “We are celebrating 100 years right now,” Martens said. “It’s a really neat experience to be a part of this celebration and to be able to look back and then forward to the future. It isn’t something evPHOTO SUBMITTED eryone gets to experience.” As part of the board of directors for the MSHSL, Erich Martens, who began his Martens, SRRHS principal, gave a speech following Governor career in the Sauk RapidsMark Dayton at last year’s MSHSL Hall of Fame banquet.
Rice district in 1992 as a math teacher, has come a long way over the years and now juggles two passions by fulfilling both duties as a high school principal and as the president of the MSHSL board of directors. “A lot of hours, there’s just no other way,” said Martens of how he handles the responsibility. “You have to put in the time. I do a lot of conversation and reading and try to stay up to speed as much as possible. In the same way a school board of directors operates, a lot of the information is shared from the staff at the MSHSL. The information is disseminated to us, and we have the opportunity to ask questions of them. It’s incumbent on us to stay up to speed on the things that are on the forefront in the organization.” The MSHSL is a nonprofit organization of al-
most 500 public and private schools, which has been serving more than 200,000 high school youth in Minnesota since 1916. MSHSL’s mission is to provide equitable and uniform opportunities for high schoolers. It hopes to teach students valuable lessons through participation in extracurricular activities. The league also supports its member schools by offering training and programs to help coaches and schools relay the organization’s messages about sportsmanship, chemical health and academics. It also oversees approximately 4,500 registered contest officials and judges. Extracurricular activities have always been something that gets Martens excited. As a student at New Ulm High School, he was involved in almost everything including football, basketball, baseball, and then track, choir, band, student council, National Honor Society and even participated in the school’s musi-
cal.
Eventually Martens coached football and basketball and was the head basketball coach at SRRHS for six seasons. When his career accelerated and he became a principal (first at Sauk Centre in 1999, then SRRHS in 2004) Martens looked for a way to become involved in the organizational side of activities. He was involved in the localized region committees before being elected to the MSHSL board of directors. “The Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals has two spots on the board of directors. One is a representative from an AA school, the other from a single A. I was one of six candidates and was elected by my peers to take the position on the board. There are a total of 20 members who sit on the board of directors each with
Martens continued on pg. 3