Murray Cookie Booth
Saturday, February 27
9am-12pm
Murray Building & Supply
*
Sunday, February 28th
12:30 - 4:30 pm
If you would like someone to deliver cookies to your house,
email troop40201@outlook.com to arrange a convenient time.
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Help the Conestoga Girl Scout Troop help the homeless.
Scouts are also making Blessing Bags for the Open Door Mission.
We are still in need of personal/travel size toiletries, i.e. shampoo,
soap, deodorant, shaving cream, disposable razors, feminine hygiene products, lotions, etc.
You can drop donations off at any cookie booth.
A box will also be available for dropoffs at 1212 Beaver Lake Blvd.
FOUND
If you lost your address book, you may have left it at the Murray, NE post office.
One was found there, so stop in to identify and claim it.
Window hours:
MONDAY through FRIDAY
8 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
8 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
SUNDAY and HOLIDAYS
Closed
Phone: 402-235-2166
MURRAY FREEDOM FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Your 'FREE-WILL' DONATION is
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE!
Proceeds of this event will be used for this year's
4th of July FREEDOM FESTIVAL in Murray.
1 TICKET = $1.00
6 TICKETS = $5.00
See any CHS choir student to purchase a raffle ticket.
Prizes include:
Pizza Hut Pizzas
Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake
Firehouse Grille gift certificate
Babe's Hometown BBQ gift certificate
Mary Kay
Girl Scout Cookies
Couger Spirit crocheted afghan
PLUS MANY MORE!!!
. Children who study music tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills than their peers who do not participate in music lessons.
. Schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2% graduation rate and 93.9% attendance rate compared to schools without music education, which average 72.9% graduation and 84.9% attendance.
.A Stanford study shows that music engages areas of the brain which are involved with focus, making predictions and updating events in our memory.
. Early music training dramatically enhances children's abstract reasoning skills. These findings indicate that music uniquely enhances higher brain functions required for mathematics, chess, science, and engineering.
. The College Entrance Examinatin Board found that students involved in public school music programs scored 107 points higher on the SAT's that students with no participation.
EVERYONE WELCOME!
The next meeting of the Murray Freedom Festival volunteers is
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
7 p.m.
106 Main St.
(Meetings are the 1st Tuesday of each month, same time and place, so mark your calendars!)
Come and see what we're planning for this year's 4th of July event!
A HAPPY MESSAGE from the
EASTER BUNNY:
The GIRL SCOUTS have offered to help me with the Easter Egg Hunt in Murray on March 19th at Tyson Park!
More details to follow here next week.
Thanks, Girls! You deserve a BUNCH of CARROTS!!
2016 Personal Finance Challenge in Video Sent to Schools
Total of $14,000 in NEST Scholarships to Winning Teams
Lincoln, Neb. (Feb. 1, 2016) – Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg, the president of the Nebraska Council on Economic Education, and a high school business teacher are featured in a new video being sent to Nebraska school administrators and business teachers to promote competition in the 2016 Personal Finance Challenge for high school students.
For the fourth year, the Treasurer’s Office will provide a total of $14,000 in scholarships through the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) to students on the top three winning teams. Teachers of the three winning teams will receive iPads this year.
Joining Treasurer Stenberg in the video are Josh Hinrichs, a business teacher at Lincoln Southwest High School, and Jennifer Davidson, president of the Nebraska Council on Economic Education, the sponsor of the Personal Finance Challenge.
The video, which is 2 minutes and 48 seconds long, was filmed in the Drawing Room of the Governor’s Residence by the Office of University Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The video can be accessed athttp://mediahub.unl.edu/media/4978.
The Personal Finance Challenge starts with an online competition March 21 through April 1 and follows with face-to-face regional competitions April 16 in Lincoln, Omaha, and Curtis. Five teams from each region will be invited to take part in the regional competitions.
The winning team will go on to compete in the national competition May 6 in Kansas City, Missouri. Nebraska’s representative at the national competition last year was a team from Concordia High School in Omaha.
“This statewide competition encourages high school students to learn about personal finance to help them become smart consumers, investors, and community leaders .The competition also fits in well with my financial literacy initiative offered free through Nebraska NEST Financial Scholars to every high school in the state,” Treasurer Stenberg said.
“The Nebraska NEST Financial Scholars online program offers an ideal way for high school students to prepare for the Finance Challenge. The two complement each other perfectly and provide students with the incentive and the knowledge to live out their dreams as financially responsible adults,” he added. “As the chief financial officer of the state, I am committed to helping young people acquire the financial knowledge necessary to be able to contribute to the economic well-being of our state and to their own financial well-being and the financial well-being of their own families.”
Davidson said 837 high school students participated in the online portion of the Finance Challenge last year. The online test focuses on money management, credit, spending, savings, and investing. Details about this year’s competition can be found athttps://financechallenge.unl.edu/Nebraska/Welcome.
“I look forward to crowning the 2016 champions,” said Davidson. “The Finance Challenge is an incredible opportunity for students to study these important topics and understand how to better prepare themselves to be financially self-sufficient when they leave high school and move on to college and the workforce. I anticipate the spring online competition to be fierce. We had incredible participation in the fall practice session with more than 1,250 students. The NEST student scholarships and iPads for winning teachers are wonderful incentives.”
The regional face-to-face team competitions take place after students complete individual online tests in their home schools and their scores are averaged for a team score. First-place winners will be chosen at each of the three regional competition sites, and then each team’s average online test score will be used to determine first-, second-, and third-place winners statewide.
The Nebraska Educational Savings Trust, a division of the State Treasurer’s Office, will award a total of $14,000 to the winners, who usually compete in teams of four. Members of the first-place team will each receive a $2,000 contribution to a NEST college savings account. Members of the second-place team will each receive a $1,000 NEST account, and members of the third-place team will each receive a $500 college savings account.
Treasurer Stenberg, Storm Chasers
Encourage 7th, 8th Graders
to Enter NEST
‘Why I Want to Go to College’ Writing Contest
Scholarships Totaling $14,000 to Be Awarded
Lincoln, Neb. (Jan. 13, 2015) – Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg is encouraging seventh and eighth graders to enter the 14th annual “Why I Want to Go to College” writing contest for a chance to win a Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) scholarship and a ticket to the May 1 Storm Chasers game at Werner Park in Papillion.
The annual writing contest is sponsored by the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office and the Omaha Storm Chasers.
Three winners will be chosen in each of Nebraska’s three U.S. Congressional districts, and three winners will be selected from outside Nebraska. First-place winners will each receive a $2,000 contribution to a NEST college savings plan. Second-place winners will each receive a $1,000 contribution to a NEST plan, and third-place winners will each receive a $500 contribution to a NEST plan. Nebraska winners and their families will receive tickets to the May 1 game.
“The writing contest is an ideal opportunity for seventh- and eighth-grade students to reflect on their educational goals and their future career possibilities. At the same time, the contest is an opportunity for students to practice good writing skills, to learn to express themselves clearly and persuasively, and to begin saving for college or to add to their existing savings,” Stenberg said.
Stenberg asked school administrators, teachers, and parents to encourage students to enter the contest and to learn more about saving for college. Students in public schools, private schools, and home schools are invited to enter.
“Families easily can save for college for their children and grandchildren through the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust, the state-sponsored college savings program that allows for tax-free investments and tax-free qualified withdrawals. Nebraska account owners qualify for up to $10,000 a year in state income tax deductions,” Stenberg said.
A total of 1,064 entries was received last year. As in the past, preliminary judging will be done by students and faculty in the College of Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and final selections will be made by Treasurer Stenberg.
Entries are due March 18, 2016.
Contest rules are available athttps://treasurer.nebraska.gov/csp/scholarships/essay/college/2016/contest-announcement
The following rules apply to entries:
· Must be focused on the student’s educational goals and dreams for the future.
· Must be student’s original work.
· Must be typed, double spaced on 8 ½ X 11-inch paper.
· Must be accompanied by required cover sheet.
· Must be no more than 750 words in length.
· Must be postmarked by March 18, 2016. Winners will be notified in late April.
· Mail entries to Megan Burdek, Omaha Storm Chasers, 12356 Ballpark Way, Papillion, NE 68046.
***
About NEST
NEST is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan that provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, the TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan, and the State Farm College Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. First National Bank serves as the Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. More than 69,000 families in Nebraska and more than 232,000 nationwide are saving for their children’s higher education through NEST. For more information, visit www.NEST529.com or treasurer.nebraska.gov.
Lofte Annual Meeting
and
Volunteer Recognition, February 28
The Lofte Community Theatre in Manley has announced that it will hold its annual meeting and volunteer recognition event on Sunday, February 28 at 2pm. 2016 marks the 40th season for the theater and this year is being touted as the “Ruby Jubilee.”
The Board of Directors invites anyone who has volunteered their time (ushers, parkers, actors, set-builders, etc.) made a donation or even attended a show over the years. This is a family-friendly event and children are welcome. Refreshments will be served.
Lofte Artistic Director Kevin Colbert says, “The memories of the last forty years are like a tidal wave, so many people, so many stories and so much history. However, my greatest satisfaction is seeing the family and friends of a performer rush the stage after a show and tell an actor how much they enjoyed a performance. It’s a feeling of self worth that can last someone a lifetime.”
Lofte Treasurer Ken Patry will present financials. Ticket Booth Manager, Jean Colbert will give an attendance report. Elections will be held for board vacancies. Kevin Colbert will review 2015 and present previews of 2016 and 2017 seasons. The Lofte will also acknowledge the three most valued volunteers for the past year.
IRISH MUSIC CONCERT
Greenblatt & Seay's Schoolhouse Performance Series features a concert of Irish music on Sunday, March 13, at 2:30 PM, in the Old Avoca, Nebraska Schoolhouse. Greenblatt & Seay & Friends will be singing and playing a variety of instruments, including fiddle, pennywhistle, folk harp, guitar, hammered dulcimer, and recorders. Traditional Irish tunes will be featured, along with some Greenblatt & Seay originals inspired by the great Irish traditions.
Greenblatt & Seay have been playing and singing together since the night they met, decades ago. Their performance on March 13 will include the championship fiddling styles of Deborah Greenblatt, and the fancy whistle-playing of David Seay.
The concert will be downstairs, and followed by light refreshments, and a chance to chat and even jam with the performers. Avoca is in southern Cass County, Nebraska, on the 13 C Spur, one mile south of Highway 34.
Admission is $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for students and senior citizens, and $1.00 for children. Seating is limited.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.
Wednesday, March 9 - Friday, March 11, 9 AM - 1 PM, Schoolhouse Celtic Fiddling Camp, The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, NE. Pre-register athttp://www.greenblattandseay.com/schoolhouse_fiddle_camp_signup-celtic.shtml
Sunday, March 13, 2:30 PM, Schoolhouse Performance Series, Greenblatt & Seay performing Irish Music, The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, NE
Sunday, April 10, 2:30 PM, Schoolhouse Performance series, “Wedding Do’s and Don’ts”, with Greenblatt & Seay and Friends, The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, NE
Sunday, May 8, 2:30 PM, Schoolhouse Performance series, “The Feminist Manifesto”, with Greenblatt & Seay and Friends, The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, NE
Sunday, June 12, 1:30 PM & 3 PM, Greenblatt & Seay, In Concert, Scandinavian Festival, Elmwood Park, FREE
Monday, June 13 - Friday, June 17, 9 AM - 1 PM, Schoolhouse Fiddle Camp for Beginners, The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, NE. Register at http://www.greenblattandseay.com/schoolhouse_fiddle_camp_signup-summer.shtml
Monday, July 11 - Friday, July 15, 9 AM - 1 PM, Schoolhouse Fiddle Camp for Intermediate and Advanced Fiddlers, The Old Avoca Schoolhouse, Avoca, NE. Register at http://www.greenblattandseay.com/schoolhouse_fiddle_camp_signup-summer.shtml
SCHOOLHOUSE CELTIC FIDDLING CAMP
The Old Avoca Schoolhouse in Avoca, Nebraska will be hosting a special "Schoolhouse Celtic Fiddling Camp", for fiddlers, violists, mandolinists, guitarists, and ukulele players. Music from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will be featured. The sessions will be led by championship fiddler and author, Deborah Greenblatt. Each participant will receive a copy of Deborah's latest publication, the Celtic Fiddler's Song Book.
The camp will be on Wednesday, March 9 - Friday, March 11, from 9 AM to 1 PM. You can sign up for 1 day, or 2 days, or all 3 days.
On Wednesday, participants will be mostly reading tunes, using sheet music in standard notation. We'll be learning melodies, harmonies, and chords. You will be improving your sight reading, and experiencing fiddling fun.
On Thursday, we will be mostly playing tunes by ear, so feel free to bring your recording gadgets. Sheet music versions of the tunes will be provided for you by the end of the day, just in case your ears need the help.
On Friday, we will be mostly jamming, modulating, singing, dancing, experimenting, sharing, and playing fiddle related instruments.
One day: $60.00
Two days: $110.00 ($55 per day)
Three days: $150.00 fee for 3 days. ($50 per day)
For more information, and to register, click on the following link:
http://www.greenblattandseay.com/schoolhouse_fiddle_camp_signup-celtic.shtml
Enrollment for the "Schoolhouse Celtic Fiddling Camp" is limited. If you have any questions, please e-mail Deborah, debby@greenblattanseay.com.
ARE YOU 55+
and
LOOKING FOR PART-TIME WORK?
The following is an employment opportunity available to older adults in Cass County.
Experience Works is a national, non-profit organization funded by the US Dept of Labor to administer the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which assists people 55 and older in getting updated training to assist in returning to the workforce. This is a federally funded program and offers a no-cost employment service to older adults who qualify. Once accepted into the program, individuals are placed in a training site in or near their community, where they gain on the job experience while working 20-21 hours/week at $8/hour. We also help with skill assessments, computer training, resumes, cover letters, job search, etc. The goal is that through the training and job search assistance we gain help older adults gain good jobs in or around their communities.
Phone: 402-441-1654
Fax: 402-441-6038
stephanie_mahony@experienceworks.org
Nebraska Tollfree Number: 1-877-314-7526
www.KeepCassCountyBeautiful.org
Community Sustaining Sponsors 2016
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
2016 Community Sustaining Sponsor
HOW TO SUBMIT ARTICLES TO THIS NEWSLETTER...
Below is a list of categories that we are happy to post, (at NO COST to you!), in the weekly Murray online newsletter:
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.
There are 3 ways you can submit your articles:
1) You may call your information to 402-235-2926 and leave a voice mail with your name and phone number.
2) Email your story with your name, contact info and story, (in plain text) to: Editor@MurrayNebraska.com.
Send photos ONLY in .jpg format, no larger than 450 pixels wide to the e-address above with your story in plain text.
3) Send items via the U.S. postal service to: 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, stamped envelope.)
Remember to include 'who, what, when, where and why', along with any other helpful details, such as a contact person and phone.
DO NOT SEND 'ZIP' FILES!
Again, you must have your name and contact information included with the information.
Thanks for helping to keep YOUR Murray Newsletter fresh and up-to-date!
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