Quilt is a gift warmly received

The Washington County Historical Society recently received a donation of a quilt that was made by the Cottage Grove Quilters for the raffle at the Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest in 1983.

The quilt was won by Linda Bergan, who remembers that on a quick trip to the store she saw "some ladies were selling tickets for a quilt celebrating Cottage Grove's Strawberry Festival." The tickets were three for a dollar and she was "quite surprised" when she learned that she had won the quilt.

Bergan and her husband moved away from Cottage Grove in the late 1980s and after a while the quilt went into storage and was not being displayed. Now, with some downsizing, she has donated the 30-year-old quilt to the Washington County Historical Society.

"The city of Cottage Grove has a bright future and a great deal of history," said Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey. "Part of this history was the fields of strawberries that dotted our community in the early days of Cottage Grove."

This year's Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest will be held at Kingston Park June 13–17. For more information about the festival, visit www.cottagegrovestrawberryfest.com.

The Washington County Historic Courthouse is accepting applications from nonprofit groups and service organizations for the 11th annual "Ice Cream Social and Amateur Talent Show" set for 4:30 p.m. to dusk on July 17.

The ice cream social is a popular summer event for local residents, and the Historic Courthouse is seeking groups to sell food and beverages or provide children's or family-friendly activities. A valid food license is required for all food and beverage sales.

Additional information and applications are available by calling the courthouse at 651-275-7075 or e-mailing historiccourthouse@co.washington.mn.us. Applications are due June 21.

The Historic Courthouse is located at 101 W. Pine St. in Stillwater.

The Washington County Fair will name a man and a woman as Washington County's Outstanding Senior Citizens at the annual "County Fair Senior Day" on Aug. 2.

Do you know of someone over the age of 70 who goes out of his or her way to help others or volunteers in their community? Nominate them for this award.

To obtain a nomination form, contact Emilie Carlson at 651-439-0293. The deadline for submitting nominations is June 18.

Free fly fishing workshops will be held the weekend of June 8-9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at William O'Brien and Wild River state parks. The workshops will be led by Park Ranger John Eret and volunteers from the Federation of Fly Fishers.

On Saturday, June 8, at William O'Brien, participants will learn about equipment used in freshwater fly fishing. They will observe demonstrations of tying imitations of native aquatic insects, including nymphs, dry flies and streamers. The workshops also will provide information on how stream conservation, watershed health and a fly fishing ethic can affect the water quality of the St. Croix River.

The morning session will consist of fundamentals, equipment and fly tying. The afternoon session will focus on casting demonstrations, with hands-on instruction in small groups. Entrance to William O'Brien State Park is free on this date as part of the Minnesota State Parks annual open house.

On Sunday at Wild River, the morning session will consist of fundamentals, equipment and fly tying. The afternoon session will focus on casting demonstrations, with hands-on instruction in small groups. There is no charge for the workshop, but an annual or daily Minnesota state park vehicle pass is required to enter the park.

Equipment will be available for use by workshop participants. No registration is required. Participants should bring lunches and snacks. The workshops are designed for ages 13 and older. They will be canceled if there is severe weather.

Ten short plays will be performed at each of the nine performances. Tickets are $16, $14 for seniors and students.

Each year Lakeshore holds a highly regarded 10-minute play writing contest. Both novice and published playwrights from around the world submit new works. Out of hundreds submitted, the 10 best are picked for performance. Content varies. Some plays may not be suitable for younger audiences.

Two local works were among this year's finalists:

• "Cabin Pressure," by William Sikorski of Birchwood Village, a comedy that asks the question: Should cellphone use on airplanes be banned even while parked at the gate?

• "High Maintenance," by Leslie L. Jones of Stillwater, another comedy in which a crowded elevator breaks down, but more than the elevator gets fixed.