February - time marches on

February – presidents, hearts and flowers, and even a groundhog. Time marches on and the Fosston Community Library Arts Association continues its mission of promoting visual, performing, and creative arts in the Fosston community and the surrounding area. At its annual meeting in January the FCLAA elected the following officers: president – Sarah Steinbrenner; vice president – Barbara Johnson; secretary – JoAnn Papke; and treasurer – Molly Peltier. Additional board members are Abby Pearson, Dawn Skeie-Crane, Maggie Stewart, and Jason Steinbrenner, as well as new board member Kate More, who is the daughter of Cyndee Hoialmen Robison, the organization’s first president. In addition, outgoing president Bonnie Stewart has been contracted to serve the FLCAA as a part-time executive director. The Art of the Dress display is now in the Sorenson Gallery. Come in and see (but don’t touch) some beautiful vintage wedding dresses. The gallery is open during normal library hours. On Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. there will be a virtual presentation featuring Minnesota author William Kent Krueger, who writes the Cork O’Connor mystery series set in various locales around the state. He has written several stand-alone novels as well. His last nine novels were New York Times bestsellers. Krueger did a live presentation at the Fosston Library several years ago and was very enjoyable. His topic for this presentation will be the importance of books in a world of chaos. The program will be on the LARL Facebook page, and if you miss it on Feb. 16, a recording will be available later. On-line storytime presentations are available on the Facebook page as well. Also for the little ones, “Love Monster” craft kits are available free of charge at the library on a first come-first served basis. For the adults, the Book Blizzard reading challenge continues through the end of the month. Read four books for a chance at a prize. Reading logs are available at the library or you can register on-line. Remember that the library will be closed on Presidents Day, Monday, February 15.

The Art of the Dress

Wedding fashions from years gone by:

January 2021!

2021 – a new year! Whether it is better than 2020 remains to be seen; we can only hope so. Last January no one would have predicted how the past year would unfold. Despite many challenges, the Fosston Community Library Arts Association, together with the Lake Agassiz Regional Library, continues its mission of investing in our community by fostering an environment for creative expression by bringing culture, lifelong learning and a spirit of inspiration to our community. On Wednesday, January 13, the FCLAA will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. If you are a member of the FCLAA or if you are interested in becoming one, you are welcome at attend. The FCLAA board is responsible for overseeing the various areas of programing at the arts center, in the areas of music, lectures, gallery and theater. In addition, there is a property committee. These five committees are always interested in having new members, so if you would like to be involved in the promoting the arts in our local area, you are welcome to join. This year’s meeting will be held virtually, so if you would like to attend, please e-mail hello@fclaa.org and you will be sent a link to the meeting. In library news, the winter Book Blizzard will run from January 1 – February 28. Pick up a reading log at the library or try the virtual Books Like Us Challenge at larl.org/bookblizzard . For every four books you read (or listen to) you will have a chance to win a fabulous prize. If you are going to be reading anyway, you might as well sign up. The gallery exhibit “Art of the Dress” is still on hold because of COVID-19 guidelines. Hopefully, the gallery may reopen sometime this month. Remember, if you do not feel comfortable coming into the library in person, library staff is willing to do home deliveries within Fosston city limits. Call the library at 435-1320 with your requests or simply ask the librarian to pick something out for you. Also, there are story time kits available for checkout with several different themes with both books and activities. If your little ones are missing the library story time, this is the do-it-yourself version. The FCLAA wants to thank everyone who attended the online Christmas production and gives a special thank you to director Abby Pearson, her cast and crew. Everyone has had to learn to be adaptable this past year. The library will be closed on Monday, January 18, in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

December is here!

And once again we have December, proving anew that time goes fast even when we are not having fun. I know this pandemic is getting tiresome with all the restrictions and changes to our lives, but time marches on, and we will get through this. Through the magic of technology, the Fosston Community Library Arts Association has some upcoming events to help you take your mind off your troubles. The theater production of “Every Christmas Story Ever Told and Then Some” has been rescheduled for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18-19, and will be a livestream performance. Here is a little synopsis: “Instead of performing Charles Dicken’s beloved holiday classic for the umpteenth time, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told – plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung.” It should be great fun. Watch for details on the FCLAA website and Facebook page on how to watch. The Lake Agassiz Regional Library system, with funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, is sponsoring a virtual presentation by author Lin Enger on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. Enger will discuss his new book American Gospel, which explores the United States’s obsession with apocalypse and the ways which religious extremists use fear and lies to manipulate. He is a Minnesota author and currently teaches English at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He is the brother of novelist Leif Enger. The presentation can be accessed by going to the LARL Facebook page. The other good news is that the library continues to be open its regular hours. Curbside pickup is also available if you do not feel comfortable going inside. While there is currently no preschool storytime, Storytime to Go kits are available for checkout. Each kit contains five books plus some related activities or crafts. For more information feel free to call the library at 435-1320. The Sorenson Gallery is currently closed. The Art of the Dress exhibit has been rescheduled for January. And, of course, the library will be closed on December 24 and 25 for Christmas. It will also close at 5 on New Year’s Eve and will be closed New Year’s Day.

November - Let Us Be Thanksful

November – let us be thankful for what we have in these uncertain times, and especially that the Fosston Community Library Arts Association is continuing to function, and the Fosston Library continues to be open for its normal schedule. If you have been in the library, you may not even have noticed that there is a new employee. Jill Rose is not new to the Fosston Library, having worked as a sub here (also in Gonvick and Bagley) for seven years. Now, however, she will be here on a regular basis. After growing up in Illinois and living in Missouri, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, Jill and her husband David, who has Rosewood Construction, moved to Minnesota in 2003, hoping to find a place where winter was really winter and not mud season. Apparently, they found what they wanted, as they have lived on their place north of Gonvick since 2006. A graduate of Central Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois, Jill worked at Deer Creek Church in University Park, Illinois, as an administrative assistant before her marriage. She homeschooled her five children, who are now all young adults. She enjoys reading and sewing, and her favorite part of working at the library is helping people find what they are looking for. Beginning November 9, the Art of the Dress will be in the Sorenson Gallery. This unique collection of wedding dresses from the late 1800s and early 1900s is sponsored by the East Polk County Heritage Center. The FCLAA winter theater production has seen a change as to the play. “Every Christmas Story Even Told (and Then Some!” will be presented in December. The cast of three has been selected and rehearsals will begin soon. Watch for more information about dates and tickets. Although the library is unable to hold the large scale used book sale normally held in October, there are still many used books for sale. Look for the table in the lobby as well as the shelves right inside the door. Nothing costs more than a dollar. While you are in the library, be sure to notice the new tables and chairs, donated by Ultima Bank. The 30-inch round tables make social distancing easy, and they are quite attractive. Lake Agassiz Regional Library is sponsoring two Legacy events during November. On Friday, Nov. 13, at 10 a.m., Lalo’s Lunchbox will provide comedy and sing-alongs for children aged three and up. Then on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m., Professor Emeritus Dr. Mark Chekola from MSUM will share about the Red River Rainbow Seniors oral history project entitled “Breaking Barriers: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains. Just a reminder: The library will be closed for Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. It will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, but will be open regular hours on Friday, Nov. 27.

October's bright blue weather?

October is here. I am hoping for a month of bright blue weather and no snow yet, although I seem to remember the last couple of years, winter seemed to start in October. I cannot really predict the weather, but I can tell you about some of the happenings at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center. A theater production is planned for December, with tryouts to be held on Thursday, October 8, at 7 p.m. “Dixie Swim Club” has a small cast of five, all female roles. If you are interested in auditioning, come with a short monologue prepared. You may contact Abby Pearson at 218-280-0595 for more information. Laura Schmeling’s paintings will be in the Sorenson Gallery until the end of the month. There will be a giveaway of one of her prints. Stop by and vote for your favorite, entering your choice in the ballot box. You may be a winner, but not unless you enter. Good news at the library – hours of opening are finally back to normal. To refresh your memory, that means Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday, 12 noon – 8 p.m.; Thursday, 12 noon – 6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. If you would like some materials from the library, but are not comfortable coming in to get them, home delivery is available within Fosston city limits. You may request specific books or trust the library staff to choose something for you. Call the library (435-1320) for more information or to make a request. For some years now, the library system has been privileged to offer several author visits, concerts, and other special programs as part of the Legacy series. This fall is no exception, the difference being that this year all the events are available on-line. The first of these is the opportunity to create loop earrings with Sister Beads. Beginning Oct. 13, pick up the necessary supplies from your library, then access the instructional video at larl.org. The instructor on the video is Tawny Trottier Cale, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as well as a descendent of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the Spirit Lake Nation. On Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. journalist Sierra Crane Murdoch will be available to discuss her book, Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Search for Justice. It is the story of a murder on an Indian reservation and a portrait of the woman who becomes obsessed with solving it. On Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. there is another presentation about a murder: Secrets of the Congdon Mansion by author Joe Kimball, who covered the story as a reporter for the Star Tribune. These Facebook Live events may be found at facebook.com/larlmn/live/ One last bit of information: The library will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12, for a staff workshop (virtual, of course).

Laura Stewart Schmeling