Project Lunchbox

THUMBS UP: The United Way of the Brown County Area is teaming up with a few generous partners to start a new and very needed program this school year, Project Lunchbox.

Project Lunchbox provides food over the weekend for students who might otherwise go hungry. It is a sad fact that for some students, the breakfast and lunch programs at school are their main source of nutrition during the week. When they go home for the weekend, there might not be enough for them to eat at home.

Project Lunchbox provides these students, who qualify for free or reduced price lunches and whose families sign up for the program, with a bag of snacks and meals to take home on Friday to see them through the weekend.

The United Way originated the program; the Rotary Club of New Ulm applied for a Rotary grant to purchase the shelving and other equipment needed; Jensen Motors was one of the earliest to donate, and Christensen Farms is the first year program sponsor, covering the cost of the food. Volunteer crews will pack and deliver the food to the schools, where teachers can slip them into students backpacks before they head home for the weekend.

If you would like to help, please contact the United Way of New Ulm.

Fixing RR crossings

THUMBS UP: Motorists in New Ulm can be grateful to the Farmers Cooperative of Hanska, which is addressing a big problem by fixing railroad crossings owned by the Co-op on Valley Street. The state of the railroad crossings in New Ulm, which are the responsibility of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, have been a hazard to motorists for some time. The Co-op is receiving a city revolving loan to fix one of its crossings. Let’s hope the railroad follows through on its promise to fix the rest of them.