Anoka County

Event today aims to aid parents on kids' safety

A free seminar titled "Teachable Safety Skills: Myths and Facts" will be offered from 7-8:30 p.m. today, May 15, at the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, 13301 Hanson Blvd. NW in Andover.

The seminar is hosted by Safe Kids Anoka County and will be presented by Alison Feigh from the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. Feigh says the presentation will focus on strategies that work when parents talk to children and teens about personal safety.

For further information about Safe Kids Anoka County, go to www.safekidsanoka.org.

Safety camp for kids set for June 11-12

The Anoka County Sheriff 's Office, along with the Andover and Ham Lake fire departments, will hold a safety camp for kids who will be entering fourth and fifth grades in the fall.

It will run June 11-12 at the Andover Community Center and cover bike, water and animal safety as well as drugs and bullying prevention.

The cost is $30 and applications are due by May 20. Registration forms are available online at www.anokacounty.us/crimewatch or call 763- 767- 4664.

Mental Wellness walk set for Saturday

Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park will be the setting for the fourth annual Mental Wellness 5K Walk on Saturday, May 18. May is Mental Health Month, and the walk is sponsored by the Mental Wellness Campaign for Anoka County.

The walk will begin at 11 a.m. at Pavilion 3 at the park, which is located at 9750 Egret Blvd. in Coon Rapids. On-site registration will be available beginning at 10 a.m.

The registration fee is $15 for individuals and $25 for families. In addition to on-site registration, you can preregister at http://mwcac.org/calendar_walkregis ter.html.

Proceeds will be used to support outreach activities of the Mental Wellness Campaign, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase awareness that mental health is as important as physical health.

Elk River Schools

Sixth-grader wins national poster contest

Alexis Wagenfeld, a sixth-grader at Salk Middle School in Elk River, has won the seventh annual National Magnet Schools Poster Contest. The announcement was made last week at the Magnet Schools of America (MSA) National Conference in Tulsa, Okla.

Wagenfeld's poster was selected last month as the best in the nation among all STEM middle schools. It then came out on top in voting that included the national elementary and high school poster winners. She will receive a $100 prize and have her work featured on MSA's promotional material.

The contest is an initiative to highlight and promote magnet schools across the country. The theme this year was Magnet Schools Transforming America Today for a Stronger Tomorrow.

Fridley

City festival to feature pie-baking contest

Organizers will host a pie- baking contest as part of Fridley's annual city celebration, the '49er Days Festival. The grand prize is $1,000.

Medtronic and the Fridley '49er Days Festival Committee will put on the 2013 event, which runs June 27-29. Financial One Credit Union and Bakers Square are sponsoring the pie-baking event, with the credit union providing the grand prize money. Anyone age 18 and older may enter. You do not need to be a Fridley resident. Entrants cannot be professional bakers and all elements of the pie must be made from scratch. Pies will be judged on taste, texture and originality.

The contest will be held June 29. Entries will be judged by Bakers Square staff. Participants may sign up through the Parks & Recreation on-line registration. The city's website is http://www.ci.fridley.mn.us/. The activity number to use to sign up is 349490-1.

Fridley Schools

StarGazers gala arts fundraiser is Saturday

The annual StarGazers gala, a fundraiser to support arts programs in the Fridley School District, will be held Saturday, May 18, at the Fridley Middle School, 6100 W. Moore Lake Dr.

The event has been dubbed "dinnertainment," because it will include dinner, a show and a live auction. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m. and dinner seating will start at 6:15.

The theme of this year's program is "Magic to Magical" and the show will feature David Stahl, a magician who has performed for three presidents, has appeared on a number of TV networks, and graduated from Fridley High School in 1977.

In addition to Stahl's appearance, there will be jazz, drumming, and dance performances by student ensembles, acts by school district staff, student musical solos, and a musical quartet from the Fridley Community Theater. Acts are focused on the magic theme.

Tickets are $25 for dinner and the show. For ticket reservations, call the ticket hotline at 763-502-5077 or e-mail fridleystargazers@gmail.com. For general information, call 763-502-5401.

Blaine

Blaine Triathon will include swim portion

The second annual Blaine Triathon this Saturday will include all three race components. Late ice-out on Sunrise Lake had organizers worried that they might need to cancel the .3-mile swim at Lakeside Commons Beach. Water temperatures have been in the 50s. Racers' wetsuits need to meet the 5-millimeter limitations.

The race also includes a 16.7-mile bike ride and a 3.5-mile run. There are 350 participants signed up for the event, which is full.

Robbinsdale

Prostate cancer support group to meet

A prostate cancer support group will meet at 5:30 p.m. next Wednesday, May 22, at the North Memorial Outpatient Center, 3435 W. Broadway, Robbinsdale. Oncologist Ross McBride will discuss CYBERKNIFE, a robotic, noninvasive radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Snacks will be served and wives and friends are welcome. For further information, call Steve Rocklein at 612-388-3588.

Robbinsdale Schools

District names teacher of the year

Jill Bryan, of Sonnesyn Elementary School in New Hope, has been named Teacher of the Year for Robbinsdale Area Schools. The announcement was made last Wednesday during a reception at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School.

Leia Ward, principal of Sonnesyn, said of the fifth-grade teacher: "I could not be more pleased that Jill Bryan is being recognized for her talents as she is a truly gifted educator."

Bryan wrote recently about her philosophy of teaching: "I hope that everyone feels as inspired by their work as I do by mine. While my plate is constantly overflowing, I am grounded in the work I do with students every day, the colleagues that share their passion for teaching and the knowledge that I can make the difference for a child every day I go to work."