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NORTH METRO: One city makes history, others may follow suit. PAGE 8
Centerville Lions celebrate 50th anniversary BY OLIVIA DECKER PRESS INTERN
The Centerville Lions Club is celebrating 50 years of meaningful friendships and serving the Centerville community. From three charter members in 1974 to 29 members in 2024, the Centerville Lions have remained a steady pillar of support for Centerville and its surrounding communities. In the last decade, the Club has donated over $120,000 to their community and Lions Foundations. A great deal has changed since the Centerville Lions inception in 1974. The COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest catalyst of change, as it forced the club to reimagine many of their traditions and events. Fifty years marks a turning point for the Centerville Lions as they figure out where they fit into society’s “new normal.” “We’ve had to change our policies to meet the needs of now,” says Lion Nancy Johnson. “We’re really trying now to cater to all generations.” Lions Clubs International is a historic organization with long-standing traditions and rules. President Lawlis said not only the Centerville Lions Club, but Lions Clubs internationally are becoming more responsive to newer generations of Lions. Lions are asking “how do we want to mold our club?” said current President Mel Lawlis. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be with all the international rules and how it’s always been.” While some of the traditions and requirements of being a Lion are shifting, the spirit of being a Lion certainly is not.
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American Legion 566 selected Police officer Shelby Bonczek and Fire Lt. and EMT Brian Gustafson for the local Outstanding Officer/Firefighter of the Year. The Minnesota American Legion also selected the two for state honors, and they are now in the running for national honors.
Officer, firefighter honored with local, state honors that go above and beyond,” explained Post Commander Scott Nordstrom. “The purpose of the award is to recognize those that are contributing a lot to the community that they serve as an officer or firefighter.”
BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
LINO LAKES — Police officer Shelby Bonczek and Fire Lt. and EMT Brian Gustafson are this year’s American Legion 566 selections for Outstanding Officer/Firefighter of the Year. Each year the Legion recognizes local police officers and firefighters from the Lino Lakes Public Safety Department. The candidates then have the chance to compete at the state and, potentially, at the national level. “It is important to recognize the officers (and firefighters)
love with the “family aspect” of the career. About halfway through her college experience at the University of Minnesota-Duluth she realized she didn’t want to go into forensics, but switched to criminology. “I didn’t want desk job. I didn’t want to do same thing every day, so I switched,” she said. “I knew I wanted to do something to help other people and somehow be connected to the medical and law side of the career field.”
Officer of the Year Bonczek joined the department in October 2021. She grew up in the Isanti area and watched her mother work in a local police departments records department for over 20 years. “I grew up going there and meeting the officers. They were like a big extended family to me,” she recalled. She said she fell in
SEE LEGION AWARD, PAGE 2
SEE LIONS ANNIVERSARY, PAGE 6
Centennial student uses apparel brand for ‘head start’ into real world Chong first tried out a drop shipping business to sell a 360 toothbrush. (Drop shipping is a business model where items bought from an online store are shipped directly to customers by the supplier or manufacturer.) “I didn’t really know what I was doing, so that failed within the first two months. I barely even got it off the ground,” Chong recalled. Chong’s second attempt was a clothing brand aimed for streetwear and gym wear. That business lasted for about a year, but ultimately didn’t work out. He guesses there was too much competition. “I really didn’t know how to market or even start a business,” he said.
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Lucas Chong, owner of Evergreen, is a senior at Centennial High School. Evergreen’s third apparel launch will happen this fall.
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17-year-old Lucas Chong, of Lino Lakes, says he wants to do something big. The Centennial High School senior has already dabbled in two business ventures and is onto his third. “I’ve always wanted to start a business,” he said. “I’ve kind of been in the business since I was 14, but when you are 14 you don’t really know much.” At the age of 14, and in the middle of the pandemic, Chong witnessed the stock market drop and learned how to trade stocks. “I saw that there was a lot of opportunity,” he said. “I guess that kind of got me into the whole business area.”
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