Items sought for high school athletics exhibit

The Washington County Historic Courthouse and the Washington County Historical Society are working together to mount an exhibit on the history of high school athletics in Washington County.

The groups' members are looking for photographs, artifacts, news clippings, uniforms and equipment to help present the story for the public and are hoping to receive items representing all the high schools in the county.

The exhibit will be in the vault exhibit area of the Historic Courthouse in Stillwater and will run from mid-March to mid-October.

Those who have items that they would be willing to have on display from March through October of this year should contact Carolyn at the Historic Courthouse, 651-275-7077 or e-mail historiccourthouse@co. washington.mn.us.

Final selection of display items will be made during the week of Feb. 14. Exhibit items will be returned to their owners when the exhibit is taken down in October.

Rotary Club all set for Winter Plunge Teams are now forming in Forest Lake in anticipation of the Winter Plunge, a group fundraising effort put on by the city's Rotary Club. The plunge itself takes place at noon on Saturday, Feb. 23, at lakeside beach in Forest Lake.

The Rotary Club of Forest Lake has joined with other local organizations to help jointly raise funds by allowing participants, or plungers, to jump into the lake. For information on participating, raising funds by plunging or pledging one or more plungers, go to the Rotary Club's website at

Hiking, snowshoeing offered by candlelight A candlelight hike and snowshoe trek begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, at Afton State Park, 6959 Peller Av. S. in Hastings.

People of all ages and abilities are welcome to enjoy the candlelit trail, which is 3 miles long and suitable for beginner-level snowshoers and hikers. Call 651-436-5391 for information about equipment rental.

If there is not enough snow for snowshoes, the trail will still be illuminated for hiking. In case of bad weather, this event may be changed or canceled.

Theater company to present a whodunit Three more performances of the Murder Mystery Company's award-winning show, "Murder at the Masquerade," are scheduled at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1910 S. Greeley St. in Stillwater.

The performances are at 7 p.m. on Feb. 2, 3 and 16.

To purchase tickets, call 888-643-2583 or go to www.startribune.com/a2007.

Wedding fair to showcase vendors The St. Croix Valley Wedding Showcase takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Washington County Historic Courthouse, 101 W. Pine St., Stillwater.

Providers of wedding goods and services -- including photography, accessories, venues, food, bar service, wedding stylist/planners, stationery, limos, deejays and more -- will be available. There will also be samples of cake and wedding fare. Pop and water, chair massages and a photo booth are also included.

Wedding attire from Raffine Bridal will be featured in the second-floor courtroom.

The cost of the event is $7 at the door. All proceeds are directed to restoration and operation of the Washington County Historic Courthouse.

Two weekends of music at Irish pub Charlie's Irish Pub at Water Street Inn, 101 Water St. S. in Stillwater, is planning two weekends of live Irish music.

Tom Dahill and Ginny Johnson perform from 7:30-11:30p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1, and Saturday, Feb. 2. Dahill and Johnson have command of many instruments between them, including an Irish button accordion, concertina, uilleann pipes, fiddle, whistle, bodhran and guitar.

Paul & Lorraine will perform from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, and Saturday, Feb. 9. They like to take requests and will play almost anything, if they know about half of it.

Author plans program on memoir at library Ernie Gunderson, who recently published a memoir of his mother's life entitled "Hartland to Capitol Hill: The Journey of a Wounded Healer," will present a program at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, at Lake Elmo Public Library, 3537 Lake Elmo Av. N., Lake Elmo.

The book is based on an unpublished memoir written by Gunderson's mother, Mary, before she died in 2000.

The daughter of Danish immigrants, Mary Gunderson's memoir describes settling in rural Minnesota just before the Great Depression. Hartland is the small town where her early memories began. She describes her career as a country schoolteacher in the 1940s, then her life married to a farmer and raising 11 children, two of whom succumb to mental illness and suicide.