Briefs: Touch-A-Truck day planned at New Brighton playground

The Eagles Nest Indoor Playground in New Brighton will host a "Touch-A-Truck" event in its parking lot from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday for kids who love big trucks and other equipment. A fire truck, a snowplow, a police car, a tandem plow truck and many more vehicles will be on hand. There also will be games and activities in the playground's gymnasium, with games such as red light, green light and a coloring contest. A race-car craft also can be made for $1.

The event is free with admission to the Eagles Nest Indoor Playground, which is $5 for kids ages 12 months to 12 years (parents get in free). The playground is located at 400 10th St. NW. in new Brighton. For more information go to www.ci.new-brighton.mn.us.

Parks and rec gears up fall programs New Brighton Parks and Recreation is sponsoring a range of classes this fall for kids and adults alike. Here's a sampling:

•Aquatics, including swimming lessons, water aerobics and water polo, at the city's new Highview pool, at 2300 7th St. NW, and its St. Anthony Community Services Pool, at 3303 33rd Av. NE. Open swim Mondays are 7:10-8:15 p.m. at St. Anthony. Swimming lessons begin Nov. 15 on Monday and Wednesday nights, and on Nov. 16 for Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Starting the week of Nov. 15, water aerobics will run from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and water polo from 8-10 p.m. on Mondays at St. Anthony pool, and water aerobics will run from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at the St. Anthony pool.

•Adult pick-up soccer. Teams will be set at game time and change every week. For ages 16 and up, beginners and experienced players alike. 6-7:30 p.m. Fridays from Nov. 5-April 8. $110 for the season or $8 per drop-in game.

•Soccer mini camp for ages 3-7. An introduction for kids ages 3-7 to learn basic soccer skills, rules and strategies at Highview Middle School Gym. $49. Tuesday and Thursday classes from Oct. 28-Nov. 16 will have sessions from 6-6:45 p.m. for ages 3-4 and from 6:45-7:45 p.m. for ages 5-7. Saturday classes Oct. 30-Dec. 18 will have sessions from 8:45-9:30 a.m. for ages 3-4 and from 9:30-10:30 a.m. for ages 5-7.

Manthis honored for junior golf work The PGA of America will present the 2010 Junior Golf Leader Award for the Minnesota Section of the PGA to Ken Manthis of Brightwood Hills Golf Course in New Brighton.

The award is for outstanding contributions in the promotion and development of junior golfing.

It's the second time Manthis has received the award. He also was honored in 2003 for his work at the Bridges Golf Course in Mounds View.

Seminar for dementia patients' caregivers The Wellstead of Rogers, an assisted living and Alzheimer's care facility, is hosting a seminar on "Coping with Alzheimer's and Dementia" from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nov. 3.

The seminar is aimed at caregivers, families and friends of Alzheimer's and dementia patients, as well as health care professionals. It will be presented at the Wellstead at 20600 S. Diamond Lake Road in Rogers.

•Joe Gaugler of the University of Minnesota Center on the Aging, who will discuss "Alzheimer's Disease: What it is and what can be done."

•Allison Bakke, founder of Above and Beyond Senior Services, who will discuss "How To Work Through Life's Daily Struggles."

•Ashley Brooks-Danso, from the Minnesota/North Dakota Alzheimer's Association, who will discuss "How to Partner with your Doctor."

The cost of registration is a food donation to CROSS, and respite care will be available on-site for caregivers.

For more information on respite care and the programs, call 763-428-1981. Deadline for reservations is Oct. 29. For more information on the Wellstead, go to www.wellsteadofrogers.com.

The theme of the event, which starts at 4:30 p.m., is "We Believe in the Communion of Saints." The festival will include a broad range of hymns plus creative and personal reflections on the music.

Admission is free, but there will be a free-will offering. St. James is located at 6700 46th Place N. in Crystal. For more information, call 763-537-3653.

Reuse campaign urges residents to buy used Hennepin County is encouraging residents to buy and use second-hand merchandise by offering a coupon program that runs through the end of November.

The "Choose to Reuse Today" campaign features a coupon book, available at county service centers and libraries, among other locations, which shoppers can use to get discounts on used goods at participating stores.

County officials said that buying used saves money, stimulates the economy and helps the environment by reducing the energy needed to produce brand-new items.

Writing seminars at Hennepin libraries The Hennepin County Library is offering several writing seminars through its "First Pages" program to help people realize some of their personal writing ambitions.

The workshops, presented in collaboration with the Loft Literary Center and funded with money from the state's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, include:

•"What Would You Like to Write?" 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Ridgedale Library. This is a beginning writing class to help decide where your interests lie, with writing exercises in fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry.

•"Character Creation," 2 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Sumner Library. This program is especially for kids in grades 4-6. The class will cover how a writer develops a character that can capture a reader's imagination.

•"Start Your Memoir - For Writers 55 and Older," 3 p.m. Nov. 6. at the Wayzata Library. This is a chance to get started writing your personal history, family history or any story you want to tell. Basic elements of memoir writing will be discussed, and the class will include exercises to get you started.

Registration is required for all of these classes. For more information on these and other seminars at other county libraries, go to www.hclib.org.