Congratulations MARL Class VII

 

Congratulations to MARL Class VII. On March 28, 2014 the class officially graduated and advanced to being MARL Alumni. This impressive class of leaders demonstrated and further developed their leadership skills over the past two years while being involved with MARL. On graduation night it was clear Class VII had used their talents to assemble a very organized and successful auction. 

 

Congratulations Class VII on your leadership development journey and welcome to the MARL Alumni. Thank you for being a great class and giving so much of yourselves to advance your skills and the MARL organization. I am certain we will hear from and see this class being involved in many alumni activities, organizations and leadership roles around Minnesota in the future. More information about this class and MARL is available by clicking here: www.MARLprogram.org.

New MARL Donor

Absolute Energy President Rick Schwarck (fifth from left) was instrumental in a
generous contribution to MARL from Absolute Energy L.L.C. of St. Ansgar, Iowa.

MARL Alumni, Jim O'Connor, Rick Smith and Darrell Ingvaldson joined MARL Executive Director Dan Hoffman for a presentation to the Absolute Energy Board about the importance of investing in agriculture and rural leadership development. According to Absolute Energy President Rick Schwarck the ethanol company obtains seventy percent of the corn it uses from Minnesota and they want to be involved in Minnesota. Thank you Absolute energy for being a new MARL donor. The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association is also a MARL Funding Partner and MARL welcomes Minnesota ethanol and bio-fuel companies and cooperatives to join with Absolute Energy to be MARL Funding Partners.
(photo courtesy of Darrell Ingvaldson and Ardis Jensen)

 

It Is Time

It is time to nominate qualified candidates for MARL Class VIII. Do you know someone in your business, organization or community that has demonstrated leadership and appears ready to learn, grow and move to the next level? Click on the Fact Sheet link below to learn more about MARL and Class VIII. Then move on to the Class VIII Brochure and Nomination Form, print it out, fill in the nomination information and mail it to Southwest Minnesota State University. You may also place the information requested on the nomination form and email it to SMSU.MARL@smsu.edu.


Click on these links for more information:
Class VIII Fact Sheet

Class VIII Brochure and Nomination Form
Class VIII Application Form


Please direct interested MARL Class VIII Candidates to the MARL web site at www.MARLprogram.org. Once there click on "Participate in the Next Class." Applications for MARL Class VIII are due on or before March 14, 2014.

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

Challenge For You

MARL Alum and Renville County Farm Bureau Federation President Joe Sullivan called me with a challenge. The challenge Joe offered will help give tribute to Curt Watson, his family and help fund the Curt Watson - MARL Endowment.

According to Joe, the Renville County Farm Bureau Federation will match dollar for dollar your contribution to the Curt Watson - MARL Endowment up to the first $5,000.00. Just stop by the booth at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting this Friday or Saturday to contribute and leverage your investment in ag and rural leadership development. A large message board will be on display for you to write a message to the Watson family.

Curt Watson

If you would rather contribute electronically or can not stop by the booth, please go to www.MARLprogram.org and click on Curt Watson - MARL Endowment.