MARL Class VII and Alumni Make It Happen

Donna Boonstra and Glenn Groth welcome guests and share
their MARL Class VII experience at the MARL Leadership
Banquet-Rochester.

Kudos to MARL Class VII and the MARL Alumni for coming together to make the MARL Leadership Seminar and Banquet-Rochester a great experience. Often class participants mention that interacting with MARL Alumni really enhances the MARL experience for them. The MARL Alumni came through nicely at the Rochester Seminar. Alumni Steve and Linda Fruechte donated bison rib-eye steaks produced on their farm for the banquet meal. MARL Board Chair Jim Checkel paid for Class VII's and guest's meals at the Hubbell House.

Alumni Ron Pagel and Colleen Moe were emcees at the banquet where ninety six people attended including the Mayor of Rochester and the President of Riverland Community College. Alumni Ralph and Mena Kaehler helped arrange tours/speakers for the class and served as bus tour guides. Alumnus Shelly DePestel gave a tour of her family's dairy operation.

MARL Class VII also pitched in to make good things happen. Janet Kubat-Willette helped set up a tour of the Rochester Post Bulletin/Agri News printing presses and production department. Donna Boonstra and Glenn Groth welcomed banquet guests and shared class experiences with them. Dianne Bettin and Chelsea Russell worked with their classmates, Alumni Rick Smith and others to have a fundraising auction. This fun, after banquet tradition started by Class VI raised $2,500 for MARL. Class VII will use $1,500 of the proceeds to purchase treasures in Ecuador for their post-graduation auction on March 28 in Chaska. Class VII generously donated $1,000 of the total to the Curt Watson - MARL Endowment. Class VII's contribution added to the proceeds generated by the work of Jim O'Connor, Rick Smith, Jim Checkel and board member Ruth Meirick during the banquet to bring the endowment total to nearly $21,000.

For sure the MARL Alumni in the Windom area are gearing up to be involved in the MARL Leadership Banquet-Windom scheduled for January 23, 2014. You are invited, so mark your calendar now.

Click here to: Contribute to End of Year MARL Appeal. December 31, 2013 is the deadline for 2013 tax deductions.


Class VII Participant Joan Lee (far right) enjoyed learning about
her international study destination, Ecuador, from Mayo Clinic
Dr. Andres Acosta-Cardenasand his wife Soledad.

Generosity Abounds at MARL

Renville County Farm Bureau delivered on their challenge to match the next $5,000 donated to the Curt Watson - MARL Endowment. This generous gift now brings the endowment balance to almost $20,000. Endowments help ensure that MARL will be able to accomplish it's mission long into the future. Only the interest on the endowment can be spent for MARL's annual operating expenses. Curt Watson's son Eric and daughter in-law Danielle have proposed a goal of $100,000 for this endowment. Thank you everyone for your generosity.

 Click here to be take to the secure MARL online contribution site. 

Remember to leave a note in the comment section as to whether your donation is for the endowment or for the MARL end of year funding appeal. The deadline for a 2013 tax deduction is 12/31/13. 

Renville County Farm Bureau President Joe Sullivan, Danielle Watson
and Eric Watson present the challenge matching $5,000 check to MARL
Board Chair Jim Checkel, Executive Direcotor Dan Hoffman
and Program Leader Mike Liepold.


 

 

Mike Liepold Receives Award-You Are Invited To Rochester

 

MARL Program Leader Mike Liepold (left) receiving the 2013 MFBF Outstanding
Extension Educator Award from MFBF President Kevin Paap . (Photo courtesy of the MFBF.)

Congratulations to MARL Program Leader Mike Liepold for receiving the 2013 Outstanding Extension Educator Award at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) Annual Meeting. The photo above shows Mike  receiving the award from MN Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Paap in Minneapolis on November 22. Mike has been the MARL Program Leader for the past 13 years.

MARL Alumnus, MARL Board Member and SE MN Area Program Director for the
Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) Ruth Meirick is picture above writing a message
to the family of Curt Watson while being the first donor to answer the Renville County
Farm Bureau Federation's dollar match challenge at the MFBF 2013 Annual Meeting,
 

You Are Invited To The MARL Leadership Banquet-Rochester On December 11

The next MARL Leadership Banquet-Rochester is quickly approaching and will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center in Rochester, MN. The social begins at 6:00 PM with the banquet meal following at 7:00 PM. MARL Alumni Ron Pagel and Colleen Moe will emcee the program following the banquet meal. MARL Alumnus and former Winona County Commissioner Mena Kaehler will introduce the key note speaker Winona County Planning and Environmental Services Director Jason Gilman. Mr. Gilman plans to share his experiences relating to leadership, issues and policy development regarding silica sand mining.

MARL Alumnus Steve Fruechte and his wife Linda have informed MARL Board Chair Jim Checkel they will be donating the buffalo rib-eye steaks for the banquet meal.

It is time for a meal count. Your RSVP is requested by noon on Tuesday, December 3. Please click on this link to RSVP and pay for your meal:
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1158/interior.aspx?sid=1158&gid=1&pgid=537&cid=1207