Nerstrand Celebrates 15th Annual EWCS Event
Nerstrand School's first Community Celebration took place fifteen years ago when Larry Long spent a week in residency at the school. The students and staff of Nerstrand have carried out celebrations every year since the first, earning them the notoriety of holding the longest continuous EWCS celebration on record! Following the elders' interviews, the writing and rehearsal of the elders' songs become a major part of the school's music curriculum until the staging of the EWCS celebration each year. The work of student artists decorate the gymnasium and the evening starts off with a performance by the Nerstrand Community Band, comprised of current 5th graders, school alums, parents, and community members. It will be standing room only when the curtain goes up on Thursday, April 25th at 6:45 p.m. in the Nerstrand School gymnasium.
The community members being honored at this year's celebration are:
- Larry Richie - Larry has volunteered at least weekly at Nerstrand School for the past 14 years. He is a former dairy farmer who is now beginning to raise beef cattle on his organic family farm near Medford, MN.
- Bill Sartor - Raised on a farm near the Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, his professional career was spent at Foldcraft Industries in Kenyon, MN. Since retirement, Bill has provided leadership to several charities in the area.