By Vivian (Makela) Sazama What is the meaning of life? Why do I exist? What is my purpose in life? What is life all about anyway? These are questions that many of us may have asked, or maybe are still asking. They are questions that Bob Cummings of Frazee faced as a young man. He is quick to say that he sought the answers through means that many young men and women would use. He sought answers through drink, parties, money, nice cars, nice clothes, and the company of young la

Kensington native, 90, continues to investigate the legendary Runestone By Julie Parent When asked what the secret is to a long life, Ralph Gunderson, replied, “I don’t really know.” However, it is clear being an active senior citizen with a passion for obtaining information about The Kensington Runestone is key to his longevity. Ralph Gunderson holding his witching rod. Contributed photo Ralph was born in the small town of Kensington, Minn. The 90-year-old described his chi

LeSueur woman has helped hundreds of people with their family history By Patricia Buschette Sally Olson of LeSueur became interested in genealogy at a very young age, and she remains passionate about it to this day. But she hasn’t just climbed up her own family tree... Sally has also helped hundreds of people in their own geneaology journies. “My mother dragged us to cemeteries to water and trim the grass all summer long,” she explained. “As she watered plants on family grave

By Dawn Timbs, Staples World reporter This article is reprinted with permission by Staples World. For the past 100 years, the Poplar Ladies Birthday Club has served not only as a social outlet for women in Poplar Township (in Cass County), but as a service organization whose motto is to “Help One Another.” Pictured above, in a photo from 1942, are early members of the Poplar Birthday Club. Many familiar names were written below the photo, including Chapin, Granby, Johnson

St. Cloud man was a baby, living at Pearl Harbor, the day of the attack By Nikki Rajala Editors Note: There are words in this article that are deemed offensive today but were kept in the article as they are historical, direct quotes from 1945 “Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, 9:45 am, near Hickam Field “I was just fixing coffee at 8 a.m. when the first bomb dropped in the Navy Yard a half mile away. I rushed out thinking a plane had crashed and saw about 20 Japanese planes in the air, f

Battle Lake man, originally reluctant, has called square dances for nearly 50 years By Carol Stender Larry Johansen of Battle Lake loves dancing, but he wasn’t keen on the square dance lessons his wife, Pat, scheduled for them. Larry and Pat Johansen. Larry began dating Pat when he was 15. They were regulars at the “Dane Hall” and have been dancing ever since. Contributed photo In fact, he thought it was dumb. “But I went anyways,” Larry said. “And I did have fun.” Eventually

Athletes and coaches from the former 212 Conference come together for reminisce about the old days By Scott Thoma Over a 47-year span, the 212 Conference produced some outstanding professional and collegiate athletes, as well as highly-successful coaches. Several former 212 Conference athletes and coaches met at Cactus Jack’s in Stewart last year. The group has been meeting four times a year, giving them a chance to reminisce about the old days and form friendships with forme

By Nikki Rajala “Mom told me, ‘Your dog Spot saved my life!’” Dorothy Bernardy said. Dorothy Bernardy of Little Falls has worked with therapy dogs since 2007. Her dog Spot was rated as a complex dog, the highest level of pet therapy training, by the Central Minnesota Therapy Animal Association (CMTAA). Dorothy Bernardy holds Spot, a Chihuahua, her first therapy dog. Photo courtesy of Dorothy Bernardy “One night I came from work late and Mom had waited to join me for supper

Check out July's stories from all over Minnesota and North Dakota below. All the great local advertisers can be in these full papers, along with the puzzle, jokes, recipes, and more for you and your friends to enjoy. Lindbergh Edition All around Mille Lacs Lake and specially tailored to the areas near Brainerd, St. Cloud, Little Falls, Princeton. ‘Saving the last three bullets’; ‘Your dog saved my life’. Prairie Edition Focusing on Willmar, Marshall, Appleton, and nearby area

Check out June's stories from all over Minnesota and North Dakota below. All the great local advertisers can be in these full papers, along with the puzzle, jokes, recipes, and more for you and your friends to enjoy. Lindbergh Edition All around Mille Lacs Lake and specially tailored to the areas near Brainerd, St. Cloud, Little Falls, Princeton. Coming to America; After high school graduation, I… Prairie Edition Focusing on Willmar, Marshall, Appleton, and nearby areas. A sp

By Jim Palmer Every year or so we like to give our readers a little writing assignment. We ask a question and give readers the opportunity to answer the question in the form of a submitted article. Earlier this spring, we asked readers the following question: “What did you do the summer after graduation?” We had a good response. Submissions can be found in each edition of the Senior Perspective. There are a wide variety of stories in all five editions and there are different

By Tedi Schmoll of Ogilvie By Tedi Schmoll of Ogilvie I’m not too sure of the exact date, but I remember the event like yesterday. Just think how many times there has been a trauma in your own life, you know you can recall it vividly. We were over at the blue farm, Martin and I, and we intended to put in some corner posts. “Mom,” the kids had said to me, “if you want to raise sheep, you have to put up fence ‘cuz we are not going to chase sheep anymore, we’re done being sheep

St. Cloud Woman's road to US citizenship By Karen Flaten “I left Germany onboard a ship on June 4, 1952, and arrived in the United States on June 14, 1952 – Flag Day!” exclaimed Marie Boom of St. Cloud. “I will always remember that. I am proud to be a naturalized citizen and I respect the flag.” Marie Boom, 85 (left) and younger sister Gertrude, 77 (right), took this picture together last September. The two woman came to the United States from Germany on June 14, 1952. Contr

By Rachel Barduson of Alexandria I remember one particular “first day of summer” when I had just finished the second or third grade. Of course, the first day of summer was the last day of school. On this particular day I remember that I had decided that it would be the summer that I would start digging a hole to China. You know, where all of the starving children were. You see, any time I was stubborn about not cleaning my plate at the dinner table, mom or dad would remind me

By Tim King Perhaps I shouldn’t be writing about this now. After all, winter is finished and summer is just over the horizon. I should, instead, write about Beardsly, in Big Stone County, rather than Tower and Embarrass in St. Louis County. But the subject has been nagging me since a friendly mechanic at my favorite gas station had the courtesy to pump the gas for my car last Feb. 2, Groundhog Day of 2026. “I was there,” he told me. “It was like a party.” It’s hard to imagine

DL woman fascinated to learn more about her great-grandfather, who fought in Civil War By Vivian (Makela) Sazama “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” –Abraham Lincoln For Carol Grina of Detroit Lakes it has been a joy to review her Great Grandfather’s extensive documentation of his Civil War history and later, homesteading in Otter Tail County. Carol Grina of Detroit Lakes cherishes the informatio

By Nancy Leasman of Long Prairie I lost the Turkish puzzle ring I had worn on my right pinky finger for about 20 years. It was a gift from my middle child. It had replaced one my brother had given me in high school – one I had also lost. A Turkish puzzle ring is made of interlocking rings, usually four but sometimes eight, that when assembled form one ring. Legend has it that a ring such as this was also a loyalty or fidelity ring. Given by a man to a woman who, if she remove

Carol Horsman of Waite Park captured this sweet moment of a tiny, spotted fawn resting quietly in the brush. Sharon Bandas of Silver Lake captured this lovely garden view, featuring delicate purple creeping phlox blooming among the rocks right alongside the season’s first bright red tulips. Kristi Flachmeyer of Litchfield captured this close-up of a unique purple flower featuring striking, speckled petals. Sharon Sannerud of Granite Falls photographed this incredibly vibrant,

Article written and provided by Jessica Landucci, Au.D., CCC-A, at St. Cloud ENT Jessica Landucci, Au.D., CCC-A, at St. Cloud ENT. Contributed photo Patients often ask whether wearing hearing aids will make their hearing worse over time. The good news is that when hearing aids are properly evaluated, fit and programmed specifically for an individual’s hearing loss, they do not cause further damage to hearing. In fact, hearing aids are designed to amplify sounds comfortably an

By Jan Stadtherr Dear fellow golden-agers! If you’re over 65, you may have entered a new chapter of your life as I did in April. Are you squinting as you read this and the letters look like hieroglyphics? Can’t see the road signs as you drive, especially at night? Those are some of the first signs you may need to have your cataracts removed. Ah, yes! Many of my friends have had the procedure done and they say, “There’s nothing to it! Everything will be brighter!” The surgery