Southeast Minnesota Whitetail Unlimited presented a check for $1,000 to Marissa Klein, who is suffering from a rare form of cancer. The money was raised during the SE Whitetail Unlimited banquet held recently at Good Times in Caledonia. Presenting the check to Marissa is Joyce Betz, who serves on the board of directors. “The benefit raffle for Marissa was kind of a last-minute event added to our banquet. Our board of directors felt it was a very worthwhile thing to do, and so did those attending our banquet, as they really gave from their hearts,” Betz said. Other board members include Jake Hauser, Mark Schwebach and Bill Schiltz. A community-wide benefit for Marissa is scheduled for Jan. 16. Details of the event and a story about Marissa’s courageous battle will be in the Jan. 6 issue of The Argus.                                                Submitted photo   

The Caledonia Area Elementary School third, fourth and fifth graders had their winter concert Dec. 14. In the top photo fourth graders Rachel Welsh, Ebony Shannon and Ethan Traff used various facial expressions. At left, members of the select choir concentrated on a song. They are in front from left, Cayley Twite, Sarah Petersen, Madison Zehnder and Marcy Englund. Second row, Alyssa Meiners and Andrew Marschall. Back row, Andrew Vick and Ezekiel Ott.   
                         Photos by Zach Thomas 

Peggy Landsom, center, presented nearly $10,000 in checks to the Semcac Food Shelf and Houston County Care and Share. The money was raised during the Houston County Festival of Trees, held recently in Spring Grove. Iyla Mulvenna, at left, accepted  the check for the Semcac Food Shelf in the amount of $5,759. Jan Palen, at right, accepted the check for Care and Share in the amount of $3,948.50. A number of other non-profit organizations in the county also received donations from money raised during the Festival of Trees, although the Food Shelf and Care and Share received the most generous gifts. The quilt raffle brought in $1,811, according to Landsom. “We had an excellent fundraising event,” Landsom said. “We had volunteers helping from throughout Houston County. The more money we can raise each year, the more money we can donate to worthy causes like the Food Shelf and Care and Share.”                    Photo by Charlie Warner