Free Breakfast and Lunch Available for Local Youth This Summer

Issue #279

05 Jun

In this Marshall Area Insider issue…

🌧️ Marshall, MN Weather - Light rain with a high of 75

🗞️ Plum Creek Reports Strong Year, Cautions on Threats to Statewide Services

🗞️ Free Breakfast and Lunch Available for Local Youth This Summer

📣 Want to get your business in the Marshall Area Insider? Let’s talk!

📌 Know of other local events not listed? Send us the details!

Plum Creek Reports Strong Year, Cautions on Threats to Statewide Services

Lyon County commissioners were encouraged this week to show support for statewide library resources, as part of an annual update from the Plum Creek Library System (PCLS).

Director Elizabeth Hoffman outlined concerns raised by local library users regarding potential federal funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

While Plum Creek itself does not receive direct IMLS funding, the impact of such cuts could still be significant due to their effect on statewide services provided by Minitex — Minnesota’s publicly funded library consortium.

In 2023, Minitex received $1.69 million in IMLS funding to support resources such as a statewide library catalog, interlibrary loan services, and online research tools.

These services are widely used by residents throughout the Plum Creek region, with patrons borrowing approximately 11,000 items annually through the interlibrary loan system and lending out a similar number to other libraries across the state.

Minitex also supports statewide access to digital databases used extensively by schools and the public. One highlighted resource is the LearningExpress Library, which provides test prep, job search support, and U.S. citizenship preparation.

To advocate for continued funding, Hoffman shared a letter from the Plum Creek Library Board encouraging county officials to speak in support of Minitex programs.

Despite the funding concerns, PCLS also reported positive developments. All library directors within the Plum Creek system recently completed training on material selection, led by Marshall-Lyon County Library Director Michele Leininger.

Additionally, the system successfully purchased a new delivery van through a cooperative purchasing process that allowed for the acquisition without cutting staff or impacting the budget — a significant improvement compared to past challenges.

Free Breakfast and Lunch Available for Local Youth This Summer

Marshall Public Schools will once again offer free breakfasts and lunches to local children through its participation in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), beginning Monday at Southview Elementary.

This effort is part of a longstanding initiative to ensure students have access to nutritious meals during the summer break.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Minnesota Department of Education, the SFSP provides no-cost meals to children ages 1 to 18, with no registration required.

Meals will be available during two separate sessions in June and July.

For students enrolled in summer school, meals will be served Monday through Thursday from June 9 to June 26. Breakfast will be available from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11:00 a.m. to noon.

A second session will run July 7 to July 24, following the same weekday schedule and serving times.

Community youth who are not attending summer school are also invited to participate. For them, breakfast will be offered from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m., and lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m. on the same dates.

There will be no meal service or classes on Thursday, June 19.

All meals will follow the USDA’s nutritional guidelines to ensure students receive balanced, healthy options. The program is designed not only to reduce summer hunger but also to support learning readiness and help families stretch their food budgets.

Marshall Public Schools has been a consistent participant in the SFSP, offering meals at sites aligned with summer school programming.

For the 2025 summer sessions, Southview Elementary will serve as the central site. Visitors are asked to use the school's main entrance when arriving for a meal.

Upcoming Area Events

 🗓️ Have an event to add? Send us the details!

Thursday, June 5th

  • Makers Market in Granite Falls from 5-8 PM, with live music by Clark Machtemes

Saturday, June 7th
Monday, June 9th

  • The History and Significance of Juneteenth at the Marshall-Lyon County Library at 6:30 PM

Thursday, June 12th
Friday, June 13th
Saturday, June 14th

  • Ribfest in Echo, MN at Echo Community Park

    • Rib meal will be ready ay 4:00 PM

  • Lucan Pretzel Days in the Lucan City Park

    • all day Saturday

    • Enjoy Bounce houses, petting zoo, kids pedal pull, firemans breakfast feed, lions bbq supper friday night. Baseball tournament and more

  • Movie Club: classic movie screening with snacks and discussion at the Marshall-Lyon County Library at 11 AM

Tuesday, June 17th

  • Walk for Memories – Dementia Awareness Event at Marshall Area YMCA from 4:00 to 7:00 PM

    • What to Wear: Purple, to show support for dementia awareness

    • Free to attend, no registration needed

    • First 200 attendees get a swag bag

    • Includes vendor booths, live music, giveaways, drawings, and food for purchase

    • T-shirts available for sale

    • Donations: Free-will donations accepted, benefiting the Marshall Area Dementia Awareness Network (checks payable to A.C.E. of SW MN)

    • More Info: Visit the Facebook pages for Marshall Area Dementia Awareness Network, Act on Alzheimer’s Marshall, or A.C.E. of SW MN – Lyon/Lincoln County

    • Contact: Jane Nelson Como at 507-829-1143 for questions.

Tuesday, June 17th - Thursday, June 19th

  • MADAN's Dementia Awareness Week Hosted by: Boulder Creek Assisted Living (Memory Care)

    • Event: Virtual Dementia Tours (by appointment only) from 11 AM - 3 PM

    • To Schedule: Call Jan at 507-929-1234

Wednesday, June 18th

  • Poet Cassie Williams at the Marshall-Lyon County Library at noon

Thursday, June 19th - Saturday, June 21st
Saturday, June 21st

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 2pm

Sunday, June 22nd

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 2pm

Monday, June 23rd

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 7 PM

Thursday, June 26th

  • The Spoon Man Entertainer at the Marshall-Lyon County Library at 10:30 AM

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 7 PM

Friday, June 27th

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 7 PM

Sunday, June 28th

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 2pm

Sunday, June 29th

  • Marshall Area Stage Company's 2025 Summer Musical "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka" at 2pm

Thursday, July 3rd

  • Makers Market in Granite Falls from 5-8 PM, with live music

Thursday, July 10th

  • Ivanhoe Community Pork Chop Feed Fundraise at Gilson Field in Ivanhoe

    • Serving from 5 to 7:30 PM or until gone

    • Free Will Donation

    • All proceeds will go to Lincoln County Relay for Life & American Cancer Society

    • Menu: Pork Chops, Baked Beans, Macaroni & Cheese, Ice Cream, Pop & Water

Special Community Events

  • SAIL: Stay Active & Independent For Life brought to you by A.C.E. of SW MN

    • a total of 24 classes every Tuesday and Thursday

    • from April 29 - July 17 from 9:30 - 10:30 AM at the YMCA in Marshall

  • Vacation Bible School (VBS)

    • Swan Lake Evangelical Free Church - June 8-March 12

    • VBS at Echo Alliance Church - June 15-19 from 6:30 - 7:45 PM

      • SCUBA: Diving into Friendship with God

      • Registration is at 6 PM on Sunday June 15th

      • Pre-K through 5th/ 6th grade

      • Parents are welcome to sit in with their kids or join the adult class during that time.

      • For more information call Pastor Marty at 507-925-4176

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