What's New

"Annie" Auditions at the Lofte

The Lofte Community Theatre will be holding auditions for its summer musical,

"Annie"

at 2pm and 7pm on Sunday, May 8,
and
7pm on Monday, May 9.

There are six roles available for girls ages 7-13.  It is suggested that children come to the Sunday afternoon audition session.  There are roles for eight men and eight women of various ages.  A complete cast list can be found on the Lofte website, www.Lofte.com.

The production will be directed by Kevin Colbert.  Those who audition should bring a prepared song of no more than one minute in length.  An accompanist is provided.  Dress comfortably and wear appropriate shoes for dancing.  If necessary, callbacks will be held between May 10 and May 12.

Rehearsals will begin as early as June 6.

Production dates for the play are July 22-August 7.

If further information is needed, please email Artistic Director Kevin Colbert at
LofteDirector@Lofte.com.

A Health Fair for Body, Mind, and Spirit!
Sponsored by Health & Healing Ministry

Saturday, April 30, 2011

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

First Lutheran Church
1025 Ave D
Plattsmouth, NE

A Health Fair for Plattsmouth and the surrounding communities to come and discover health-related opportunities are in the area.

Participate and receive health screening information particular to age group and gender.

Health information and much more for Kids, Women, Men, Teens, and Seniors.

Pulmonary Function Testing

Kidney Early Evaluation Program will be present and free to everyone with hypertenstion, diabeties, protein in the urine, or any early kidney disorder.

Plant Sale

Louisville Vol Firemen's Auxiliary
Help us raise money for scholarships, and other events that we help support! 

Saturday, May 7th  9-2p.m.

Louisville Fire Station

Large selection of bedding and garden plants

From Jumbo Annual 6 Paks, Vegetable plants, Herb planters, Baskets, Vines, Perennials, Grass and Much Much More!

Plants are grown locally by Janet's Jungle in Fremont, NE

www.janetsjungle.com

Pre-Orders are due by April 25th! You can drop orders off at Blake's Pharmacy, Louisville City Office, or any Auxiliary member.

http://www.janetsjungle.com/images3/louisville_secondary_page.html

Any questions please contact:

Teri McClun 234.4161 or Candy McClun 234.4995

lvfdauxiliary@gmail.com

MARCH of DIMES' WALK for BABIES

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies
by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
We're looking for walkers and sponsors for the health of these
precious babies!

Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small and
often very sick. Our team is walking in March for Babies because
we want to do something about this. I know you care, too. That's
why I'm asking you to join us. It's easy..use this link and sign up....
http://www.marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?seid=1508329

If you can't walk with us, please help by donating to our team. You
can do so right on this page. Thank you for helping us give all babies
a healthy start!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Mahoney State Park
28500 West Park Hwy
Ashland, NE 68003

Walk Distance: 3 miles
Registration Time: 9:00 AM
Start Time: 10:00 AM

Chapter: Northeast Division
Phone: (402) 496-7111

Click on the link below to sign up!
http://www.marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?seid=1508329

There will be free admission to the park, free parking, free
breakfast (Krispy Kreme & Starbucks) and lunch.  For
the kids a big top tent will be full of carnival games to
play.  Entertainment after the walk will be the String Beans
Band (kids band). The lunch is being provided by Arby's and
Blue Bunny ice cream for a cool treat!

"Team Dannielle"

Dannielle was born at 28 weeks.  She weighed 1lb 13oz and
was 14" long. Today Dannielle weighs 13lbs and 23" long.

She has come a long way thanks to the March of Dimes and
their research.

Thanks!
Jason, Teri & Dannielle McClun

Questions: TeamDannielle@yahoo.com or contact
Jason & Teri McClun 402.234.4161

SUITEHEARTS @ MAHONEY

The story revolves around two newlywed couples who are mistakenly double-booked in the same honeymoon suite.  The Taylor's are very young, naive and visiting the big city for the first time.  The Bellamy's are older and have a more jaded outlook on life and romance.  With the help of a meddlesome bellboy, the couples find themselves in some impossible, but hilarious situations.  Adult audience members will all see a little of them-selves in each of these characters as they learn the difference between
a wedding and a marriage.

Starring in the production are Director Kevin Colbert from Weeping Water, Shari Hoelker from Omaha, Marikita Payne, Emma Hoffman and Adam Kovar all of Lincoln and Dave Hibler of Manley.

The last performance dates are April 22 and 23.

Curtain times are 7:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays; 2pm on Sundays.

Tickets $8 for adults and $6 for children.

Please call Mahoney State Park for reservations:  (402) 944-2523 ext. 7122.

A state park sticker or day pass is required to enter the park.

Spring Affair:  Plant Sale Celebrates 25thYear

The midwest's largest plant sale is also the longest-running, as Spring Affair celebrates its 25th anniversary on April 23, 2011. Many of the plants that gardeners find at Spring Affair can't be found anywhere else locally."It's the place to find that unusual plant you've been looking for," according to Spring AffairCoordinator Connie Paxton.

Plants are selected for regional suitability, uniqueness and by popular demand. They are provided by Bluebird Nursery, Inc. of Clarkson, NE. More than 900 plant varieties will be available - perennials, herbs, native plants, temperennials, vines and a variety of trees and shrubs - something for everyone.

The 25th Annual Spring Affair plant sale is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday, April 23 at the Lancaster Event Center, 84th and Havelock in Lincoln.

Admission to the sale is free.

The plant sale, plant talks and vendors of garden art, sculptures, furniture and other items are all under one roof in Pavilion I, on the northeast edge of the Lancaster Event Center.

Plenty of parking is available just north of the building.  Plant talks will be held throughout the day. Presenters include Mark Canney on "Shades ofSilver"; Luann Finke on"Sunny Silver Solutions"; and Stacy Adams on caring for plants - "I Got It ... Now What?".

Informational "Talk-abouts," 20-minute presentations on various plant groups, will be offered throughout the day. These talks will be held among the plant tables and focus on herbs, plants for sun, temperennials, grasses and woody plants.

The Spring Affair Preview Party will be held Friday night, April 22. To register for the dinner or for more information, call Kit Keller at 402/489-2238.Spring Affair is sponsored by Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc.

Proceeds from Spring Affair sustain the Arboretum's mission and fund critical programs and services.For more information or to get a copy of the newsletter, call 402/472-2971, or visitspringaffair.unl.edu.

Global Water for Food Conference in Lincoln May 1-4

Sunday, May. 1, through May. 4
Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, 333 S. 13th Street, Lincoln, NE

International experts will explore potential solutions for growing more food with limited water to feed the world's rapidly growing population at the third annual global Water for Food Conference May 1-4.

"Paths to Solutions" is the theme of this year's conference at Lincoln's Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, hosted by the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The conference fosters international dialogue on key issues related to the use of water for agriculture. It provides opportunities
to learn from speakers with extensive experience and perspectives from diverse cultures.

Registration is $250, which includes all conference events, materials and meals. Online registration, schedule and the latest information on speakers are available at the conference website: . http://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/wff2011

"This conference attracts experts from across Nebraska and around the world who are committed to developing solutions to one of mankind's great challenges: how to feed a rapidly growing global population with finite amounts of land and water," said James B. Milliken, University of Nebraska president. "The University of Nebraska's Water for Food Institute, which builds on the university's long history in water research and policy
analysis, is taking a leadership role in this important international issue."

Featured speakers will include Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Anil Jain, managing director, Jain Irrigation Ltd. of India; Anders Berntell, executive director, Stockholm International Water Institute; Pasquale Steduto, principal officer, United Nations/FAO Water; Andras Szollosi-Nagy, rector, UNESCO-IHE Institute for WaterEducation; and others. More than 30 speakers and panelists will discuss diverse approaches to
meeting the challenge of producing enough food with limited water supplies. Sessions will include panel discussions featuring agricultural producers from several countries; a CEO panel offering industry perspectives on water for food challenges; technical sessions on "Quantitative Food Security: Yield Gaps, Water and Nitrogen Productivity," "Maximizing
Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture," and "Evaluation of Aquifer Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa" and a case study on "Securing Water for Agriculture: California's High-Stakes Challenge."

The 2010 conference drew more than 300 representatives from universities, agriculture, industry, government and nongovernmental organizations worldwide and more are expected this year. The conference is the pre-eminent event of the university's Water for Food Institute, a research, policy and education institute established in 2010 and committed to efficiently
using the world's limited freshwater to ensure a reliable food supply. Participants in the 2011 Water for Food Conference will help inform the institute's work. "The University of Nebraska is proud to join with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to host what is surely becoming the leading conference in the world focused on the strategic use of water for food,"
Milliken said.

HARMONICA WORKSHOP / CONCERT

David Seay, Master Artist with the Nebraska Arts Council, will be presenting a

Harmonica Workshop/Concert

Sunday, May 8
2:30 PM
Old Avoca Schoolhouse
Avoca, Nebraska

The concert will be downstairs in The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, and  followed by light refreshments, and a jam session with the performers.  Avoca is in southern Cass County, Nebraska, on the 13 C Spur,  one mile south of Highway 34.

Admission is $5.00 for adults, and $1.00 for children and students.

Decent 10 hole diatonic harmonicas in the key of C will be available for purchase for $3.00 each so everyone can join in the fun.  For more information, write to Greenblatt & Seay, The Old Schoolhouse, P.O. Box 671, Avoca, Nebraska, 68307 or call 402-275-3221, or e-mail them atdebby@greenblattandseay.com.

The historic Old Avoca Schoolhouse was built in 1925, and has been the home of the Schoolhouse Performance Series since 1990.  Music lessons, workshops, fiddle camps, and field trips are offered by Schoolhouse residents, Greenblatt & Seay and
are available by appointment.

Avoca is in southern Cass County, Nebraska, on the 13 C Spur, one mile south of
Highway 34 and three miles east of Highway 50. For more information, write to
Greenblatt & Seay, P.O. Box 671, Avoca, NE, 68307, or call 402-275-3221, or
e-mail them at g-s@greenblattandseay.com, or visit their web site at
www.greenblattandseay.com.

###

Workshop for Folks Who Have Never Fiddled

For folks who have never played a fiddle or violin, and are brave
enough to try, come to the

Schoolhouse Fiddle Workshop for Folks Who Have Never Fiddled.

Championship fiddler and fiddle book author, Deborah Greenblatt,
will share some hints about beginning fiddling, shopping for a fiddle,
reading music, playing by ear, etc.  Fiddles will be available for
participants to play, and source lists and advice for further study will
be provided.

The Workshop takes place on Saturday, May 14, 2011, 1 PM - 3 PM,
in the Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, Nebraska. 
Pre-registration is required, enrollment is limted, and there is a $20.00 fee.

For more information, call 402-275-3221, or send an e-mail to
debby@greenblattandseay.com.

###

SCHOOLHOUSE FIDDLE CAMP REGISTRATION is OPEN NOW

Registration is now open for the 2011 Schoolhouse Fiddle Camps, in the Old Avoca Schoolhouse, in Avoca, Nebraska.

Deborah Greenblatt, championship fiddler, author of many fiddle collections, will help the campers get in touch with their inner fiddler.  The course of study during the Schoolhouse Fiddle Camps will be designed specifically for the individual campers who sign up.

Fiddle Camp for Beginners is Monday, June 13 - Friday, June 17.  This 5 day camp includes some of the basics and fun of fiddling, such as performing in public, practice techniques, reading music, playing y ear, and jamming.  Fiddling styles include bluegrass, Cajun, Irish, Klezmer, old-time, and newly composed tunes by the campers.  Movement and singing are included in the experience.

Fiddle Camp for Intermediate/Advanced Fiddlers is Monday, July 11 - Friday, July 15.  Campers will discuss picking tunes for contests, performing in public, practice techniques, reading music, playing by ear, playing for dancers, back-up fiddling, arranging twin fiddle pieces , and jamming. Many fiddling styles will be represented, including original compositions by the campers.  Campers can sign up for all 5 days, or just 2 days, or just one day of Intermediate camp.

Monday & Tuesday is for reading fiddlers/violinists who want to read more tunes. This mini-camp is perfect for fiddlers who want to improve their music reading skills, and for classically trained violinists, violists, and cellists who are interested in various fiddling styles. Using sheet music in standard notation, these campers will get to improve their sight reading, and experience the fun of playing fiddle tunes at the same time! Fiddling styles included in the sessions will be tailored to the interest of the campers who register.

Wednesday & Thursday is for fiddlers/violinists who want to learn tunes by ear. This mini-camp is designed to jump-start your ability to pick up tunes quickly by ear, and to make them stick! Tunes used will reflect various styles, meters, tempos, and difficulty levels.

Friday is for fiddlers who "just wanna have fun". This mini camp includes jamming, modulating, singing, dancing, experimenting, sharing, improvising, and playing fiddle related instruments.

Each day is scheduled from 9 AM - 1 PM.  Registration is available on line at
www.greenblattandseay.com.

For more information, contact Deborah Greenblatt at debby@greenblattandseay.com.

The Otoe County Genealogical Society will be the local host society
for the 34th Annual Nebraska State Genealogical Society conference
that will be held at the Nebraska City First United Methodist Church
from May 6th through the 7th.  The conference will feature nationally-renown speaker, Gail Blankenau, whose presentations include: Breaking through
with Land Records, Introduction to German Parish Records, Dating and
Identifying Your 19th Century Photographs, Keeping Up with the Joneses...
and Smiths, and Rich Resources for Poor Ancestors.

Cost for the 2-day conference is $75.00 and for a 1-day session is $40.00.

Registration information for the conference can be found on the Otoe County Genealogical Society's main web page.

HOW to SUBMIT ARTICLES for this NEWSLETTER...

Event announcements and advertising can be an enormous expense when
you're wanting or needing to get the word out.  If you've checked into regular
newspaper pricing lately for such items, you'll know what I'm talking about.  So
why spend your hard-earned money, when you can accomplish the same thing
right here - FREE - on your local news website?

Below is a list of categories that will cost you absolutely nothing, except the
time to submit it, (which you'd have to do with a regular newspaper anyway):

Wedding / Engagement Announcements and Photos
Birth Announcements
Letters to the Editor
Birthday Greeting
Upcoming Events
Cards of Thanks
Lost and Found
Obituaries
Recipes
and So Much More.

That's right!  These are all items that can appear FREE of CHARGE
in each Wednesday's Murray Newsletter and/or Calendar!

All YOU have to do is send the information to us - it's that simple!

Deadline for submissions to each week's Wednesday Newsletter is
NO LATER THAN NOON on the prior MONDAY and it's so easy to submit
your news.

1.)  You may call your information to 402-235-2926,
Leave a voice mail with your name phone number.

2.)  Email your story to Editor@MurrayNebraska.com
NO 'zip' files, please, and send photos in jpg format, if possible,
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Editor, MurrayNebraska.com
201 N How Ave, Murray, NE, 68409-8403. 
(When mailing items you'd like to get back, please enclose a self-addressed,
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Remember to include 'who, what, when, where and why', along with any other
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Thanks for helping to keep YOUR Murray Newsletter fresh and up-to-date!

www.MurrayNebraska.com

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