Author: GetHooked

Reed McFarlane, Lake of the Woods Schools, was recognized by The Minnesota Educational Facilities Management Professionals Association (MASMS) and awarded the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual conference held on October 3, 2019.

This award is in recognition of Mr. McFarlane’s outstanding dedication and commitment to educational facilities.

The Minnesota Educational Facilities Management Professionals (also known as MASMS) is a professional organization committed to promoting excellence in the operation and care of educational facilities.  It is a group of over 900 individuals in the areas of facilities/grounds/health & safety/operations for Minnesota K-12 and Higher Education organizations. It is a member-oriented, problem solving, professional group committed to facilities management.

IS YOUR STAFF PREPARED TO DELIVER GREAT SERVICE THAT BRINGS CUSTOMERS BACK?

But, what if your staff doesn’t speak her native language? What happens when a disabled customer faces barriers to entering your facility? Can your staff identify and meet the needs of all your customers? The fact is anyone who interacts with customers on a daily basis knows that creating a positive, respectful service experience takes work. This is where At Your Service can help. We’ve combined current research on customer service excellence with cultural awareness training to create an extraordinary multicultural, multi-faceted program for staff training.

BENEFITS

• Learn how to establish a connection, and genuinely engage with multicultural customers
• Build Skills to identify and respond to customer needs and expectations
• Discover how to manage their own attitudes- even in difficult situations
• Gain strategies to deliver exceptional service that drives repeat business

Date: Wednesday, October 02, 2019
With two-session opportunities: 8-12pm or 2-6pm
With a minimum of 10 participants per session

Workshop Location:
Lake of the Woods Arena
Community Room
234 15^th Ave. SW
Baudette, MN 56623

To register contact:
Ryan Zemek at the Lake of the Woods EDA
via email rzemek@hrdc.org via telephone: 218-333-6541
Deadline to Sign-Up is Sept. 25^th, 2019!

Whether returning to their hometown or to a favorite family vacation spot, for many Minnesotans the Fourth of July holiday is a chance to head north to celebrate our nation’s independence with parades, fireworks, and spending time at the lake. This year as part of Lake of the Woods Fourth of July week festivities, the community will celebrate the opening of the Lake of the Woods International Arena with a Community Skate and BBQ dinner.

This event will be the first opportunity for many community members and alumni to tour the new arena, which was built thanks to a generous $6-million-dollar anonymous donation and a continuing community capital campaign. The new state-of-the-art arena will be home to the Lake of the Woods youth hockey and high school programs but also act as the hub for a variety of community uses. In order to ensure the proper management and success of the new facility the Arena Board recently hired their first management employee, Samantha Lyon.

After a successful nonprofit career in Boston, Mass., Sam came home to the Lake of the Woods community in December of 2018 expecting to stay in the area for a short time as she looked to find employment in the Cities. While she didn’t expect to stay home very long, the opportunity to be the first arena director was too appealing to pass up. Sam grew up playing hockey for Lake of the Woods and was energized by the opportunity to give back to her hometown and help the organization with her organizational development and leadership skills.

“I am excited about the potential of the new arena to serve the community through hockey and a variety of other community uses. Part of what I was looking for was to be the Executive Director of a small nonprofit that would provide me the opportunity to perform a diversity of roles in meeting the mission of the organization.”

In addition to her professional pursuits, Sam has taken advantage of returning home by embracing the pace of life offered in Lake of the Woods County. For Sam, this includes gathering fresh asparagus and morel mushrooms, coaching 12U softball, spending evenings on the lake, and appreciating the magic of the Northwoods.

“Living in the area has been energizing, the pace of life allows you to relax and spend your time on activities you really enjoy.”

If you’ll be around the area for the Fourth of July, come to the First Community Skate in the new arena on July 6 th at 5pm. The event will include a ribbon cutting, community photo, open skating, and a smoked brat dinner compliments of Lakewood’s Food.

TIMELINE:

Open Skating: 5p-8p
Some skates will be available to rent!

Commemorative Big Group Photo: 5:15p*
*We’d like to mark the opening of the new rink with a big group photo. All are encouraged to join, so get there early if you want to be in the picture!

BBQ Dinner: 5:30p-7p – Featuring locally smoked brats from Lake of the Woods Smokehouse!
Adults – $10
Kids – $8
*** Bring your 4th of July Button for a $2 discount!

For more information, contact Samantha Lyons at  (218) 434-0307 or slyon@lwarena.com or check them out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lwcommunityarena/. 

Since 1998, Gary and Pam Larson’s Furniture Gallery has provided home furnishing to the Lake of the Woods area featuring  big city style and selection with small town service and prices. The Furniture Gallery is known for their fantastic styles and unmatched selection, drawing customers from as far as two hours away! Pam says,

“I wish I had a dollar over the years for every time I get asked “What’s a big store like this doing in a small town?”  I just laugh and say go big, or go home! My thought is more is more! I knew in order to be successful in this type of business, you had to have good inventory, good competitive prices and wonderful showroom displays.”

Pam grew up in a large family in the Baudette area. After graduation, life took her to Port Charlotte Florida, where she became a certified Interior Designer and worked for the next 17 years in the furniture and design Industry.  14 of those years were with Bacons Furniture Gallery, who is now one of the leading furniture and design stores in S.W. Fl.

Upon moving home to Baudette in 1997 to help with aging parents, the Larson’s saw a unique opportunity in a 22,000 sq. feet former school building. The old Lake of the Woods school building came up for sale and Pam saw this as perfect opportunity to put her 17 years of experience in the furniture business to use. Now 20 years later, the Furniture Gallery continues to provide the area with unmatched quality and selection. In addition to the Furniture Gallery, Gary Larson is also the owner and operator of Baudette Builders, Inc.  

Her advice for prospective Lake of the Woods entrepreneurs:

“Successful entrepreneurship involves taking risks…. One of my favorite quotes from “Zig Ziglar” is “your attitude, not aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

While their businesses keep them very busy, the Larson’s also enjoy the benefits of living in Lake of the Woods County including the world class outdoor amenities such as boating and fishing on one of the largest lakes in the country,  the diverse friendly people, and living right on the Canadian border.

“ I get to look right across the rainy river from my kitchen window and say “that’s another country”!  We are so blessed living in God’s country.”

The Furniture Gallery is located at 111 3rd St NE, Baudette, MN 56623. For more information, visit their website at http://www.baudettefurnituregallery.net/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/baudettefurnituregallery/