West news briefs: Edina Reads features Minneapolis author

Minneapolis author and teacher Paulette Alden, who wrote the novel "The Answer to Your Question," is the Edina Reads speaker from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday at the Fireside Room in the lower level of the Edina Public Library.

Alden's book explores how well we're able to know those we love, why our deepest attachments are not always predictable ones, and the mystery of why we do the things we do. Books will be available for purchase.

For more information, visit Edina Reads on Facebook.

Ever wondered what your family heirloom or garage sale find is worth? You can find out at the sixth annual Antique Appraisal Saturday at the Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square. Registration is a must because the event sells out.

Cost is $10 per item, with a limit of three items per person. To register, send your check payable to Edina Historical Society, 4711 West 70th St., Edina, MN 55435. Include a brief description of each item. To receive confirmation of registration, please include your e-mail and phone number.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and appraisals begin at 10 a.m. by local appraisers Bonnie Lindberg and James Marrinan. Because of time limitations, appraisers cannot review dolls, watches or jewelry. Please bring only items you can safely carry yourself.

The event is sponsored by the Waters Senior Living. All proceeds benefit the Edina Historical Society.

Nine candidates are running for four seats on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The forum will be rebroadcast on Edina 16 and will be available for online viewing on the city's website, edinamn.gov. For more information, visit www.lwvedina.org.

The Church of St. Patrick is holding its 27th annual garage sale today through Friday at the corner of Valley View Road and Gleason Road.

The giant sale features 20,000 square feet of furniture, household goods, antiques, jewelry, clothing and more.

Sale hours are today from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with a $5 admission fee. Thursday hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday hours are from 8:30 a.m. to noon for a half-price sale and noon to 3 p.m. for a $3-per-bag sale. For more information, call 952-941-3164.

The Edina Public Art Committee rents sculptures and other public art and displays it in different parts of the city for a year at a time. Buying Spaulding, who sits outside Salut, will cost $7,650.

Checks payable to the Edina Community Foundation, with reference to "Spaulding," will be collected at Salut or can be mailed to the Edina Community Foundation at 5280 Grandview Square, Suite 101, Edina, MN 55436.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Auxiliary's annual harvest sale and quilt raffle will be held the weekend of Sept. 28-29. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The event will feature dried floral arrangements, wreaths, textile arts and other items created by the auxiliary's members. A full-size quilt handmade by auxiliary quilters will be raffled.

Also underway at the arboretum:

• "Scarecrows in the Garden," an exhibit of handmade scarecrows, will be on display Sept. 21 to Nov. 3.

• A pumpkin display is planned Oct. 7 to Nov. 10.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is located at 3675 Arboretum Dr. in Chanhassen.

Rotary District 5950, which includes central Minnesota and Minneapolis, will hold an overnight disaster relief fundraiser for Shelterbox, an organization that provides emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world affected by disasters.

The Rotary and CampFire Minnesota will hold the event from Sept. 28-29 at Camp Tanadoona in Chanhassen, allowing groups to tent out overnight and experience what it might be like to prepare for, respond to and live through a natural disaster. Cost to register is $25 and includes entertainment and meals.

Chanhassen Rotary Foundation is a fiscal sponsor of this event. For more information, go to www.Rotary5950.org.

The Deephaven Historical Society will host a tour of Big Island in Lake Minnetonka from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22.

The historic Lady of the Lake paddle wheeler will tour around island, and Paul Maravelas, who is writing a book about Big Island, will discuss its history, especially when it was home to an amusement park in the early 1900s.

Boarding of the boat begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Excelsior city docks. Tickets are $10 for society members and $15 for nonmembers. For reservations or more information, call Nan Nicolle at 952-473-3682.

An all-you-can-eat Belgian waffle dinner catered by Dad's Belgian Waffle will be offered from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at the Lenox Community Center, 6715 Minnetonka Blvd. in St. Louis Park.

The dinner is sponsored by the St. Louis Park Senior Program. Handmade crafts and fresh baked goodies will also be available. For more information, call 952-928-6444.

The Plymouth Arts Council will hold auditions Wednesday for its production, "Crosswords."

The auditions for the volunteer five-member cast take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Black Box Theater of the Plymouth Creek Center. For more information, contact Travis Karlen at tkarlen@plymouthmn.gov or 763-509-5223. Rehearsals take place throughout October and November.

Performances for the locally written comedy take place Nov. 14-17. Shows will start at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. A 20 percent discount is available for groups of five or more. To buy tickets, call 763-509-5200 or 763-509-5280. More information is available at www.plymouthartscouncil.org.

ReSale 101, a store run by Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP), is celebrating its second anniversary of serving struggling families in the western suburbs.

The anniversary sale includes: 25 percent off men's clothing Wednesday; 25 percent off books, CDs and DVDs Thursday; 25 percent off housewares and vintage on Friday; and 25 percent off women's clothing on Saturday.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.

To donate, go to www.iocp.org/donate-2 for a list of accepted items.

Chris Freytag, a local and nationally recognized fitness expert, will kick off the fifth-annual "WALK! with Aegis Therapies" event next week in Wayzata.

The fitness and wellness event for active seniors will take place at 1 p.m. Monday at Golden Living Center–Hillcrest of Wayzata, at 15409 Wayzata Blvd. in Wayzata. Participants will walk a planned route outside the center, followed by a motivational healthy living talk by Freytag.

The Minnetonka Rotary Club will sponsor a charity golf outing on Saturday at Glen Lake Golf Course, 14350 County Road 62 in Minnetonka.

The event, called Birdies and Beers, will raise money for youth projects in Hopkins and Minnetonka.

The event's shotgun start will be at 2 p.m., with registration starting at 1 p.m.

To register, go to minnetonka-rotary.ticketbud.com/golf-outing.

The Steamboat Minnehaha is offering fall foliage cruises on weekends throughout September, departing from Excelsior's city dock for hourlong trips along the shoreline of Lake Minnetonka.

For more information, go to www.steamboatminnehaha.org.