Kummrow named grand marshal

Long-time School Board member Tom Kummrow will be leading this year’s homecoming parade in the 1929 Ford Model A coupe that he just got on the road.

Kummrow has been on the board since 1985 and was chosen to be grand marshal by the Fergus Falls High School Student Council, in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the district.

Kummrow, who is not running for re-election, says he’s “very humbled” to be honored by the students.

Congratulations, royalty

Congratulations to King Josh Campion and Queen Aly Erickson, who are reigning over the Otter homecoming festivities this week.  Please visit www.isd544.org to see all the scheduled events. The homecoming parade will begin at 2 p.m. Friday and run its traditional route from the Middle School parking lot down Randolph Avenue, turning south on Friberg Avenue and continuing through downtown on Lincoln Avenue.

Football team a ‘class act’

If you’re a high school football fan, you have to be excited about this year’s Otters and our team’s 5-0 record. But whether you’re a football fan or not, you can be proud of the team’s reputation and the way it is exemplifying that Otters ARE Always Otters. We ask all our students to live up to the Otter standards of being Accountable, Respectful and Enthusiastic. Both the players and the fans have taken this to heart, judging from a Sartell fan’s comments following his team’s loss to Fergus Falls on Sept. 12.

His remarks were published on the Web site of the St. Cloud Daily: “The (Sartell) Sabres got beat fair and square. The Fergus Falls players on the field were humble and great sports. They were thrilled to beat the Sabres but in no way took joy out of rubbing their noses in it. Otter fans approached us several times on the way out of the stands and made comments like, "I think we just got you on a down day," which I can't even say is true. Fergus is a quality team that played a well-executed game. I hope we see them in playoffs ... it would be an honor to beat a class act like Fergus Falls.”

Whether our teams win or lose, we can always aspire to be a class act.

Otter fans can take the bus

The Fergus Falls Athletic Department is offering a free shuttle bus service for senior citizens and all Otter Fans on Friday, Oct. 3, for the homecoming game with Little Falls. The bus will run from Grace United Methodist Church on Friberg Avenue to the football field from 5:45-7 p.m. and return to the church after the game. Fans can buy game tickets before boarding the bus.

Walk-to-School-Day

On Oct. 8, nearly 1,500 schools in 48 states are encouraging students to get to school without a car as part of Walk-to-School Day. Around the world, the day will involve more than three million walkers. Our district encourages participation, but remember that safety is always the first concern when walking or biking. Parents, please consider walking or biking with your child.

Why promote walking and biking to school? Being active at a young age encourages children to develop into lifelong walkers and bikers. In 1969, 50 percent of American children walked to school, but by 2004 that number had dropped to 14 percent. Walking or biking to and from school is an easy way for children to build activity into their lives and meet the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week. Visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Web site to read more about this program and others.