Hundreds of children and their families attended the free Santa's Workshop event in Waterville on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Dozens of volunteers elves helped the children shop for gifts for their family members and received free books, hats, mittens, ornaments, and treats.
Of course, Santa Claus was there and was ready to smile for photos with those brave enough to crawl up on his lap.
Pick up a copy of the Dec. 13, 2018 Life or Enterprise for more on the event.

Thirty-nine young people participated in the Sakatah Trail Sno-Cruisers' snowmobile training program in Waterville on Saturday, Dec. 8.
The number of people who took the class snowballed from last year's six participants.
Pick up a copy of the Dec 13 Life or Enterprise to learn more.

Robert "Bob" Victor Oser, age 93 of Waseca died on Friday, November 30, 2018 at Lake Shore Inn in Waseca.
Born on November 11, 1925 in Chicago, IL, he was the son of Leroy and Frances (Petress) Oser of Peoria, IL. In December of 1943, he enlisted in the Navy and was sent to the South Pacific. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and reenlisted and was sent to the First Marine Division and was assigned to Peking, China for 2 years. He returned to Peoria and graduated from Bradley University.

National Newspaper Association President Andrew Johnson alerted NNA members on Monday that there will be no mail delivery on Wednesday, Dec. 5 because the United States Postal Service will be observing a national day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush.
As a result, post office retail and services will be closed. Suel Printing Co. newspapers (Montgomery Messenger, Lake Region LIFE, Elysian Enterprise and The New Prague Times), which are mailed on Wednesday afternoon, may be delayed.
The closure will not affect newspapers delivered by local newspaper carriers.

Wayne Clarence Roemhildt age 78 of Elysian died on Saturday, December 1, 2018 while pursuing his passion of deer hunting in rural Albert Lea.

Raymond Allen Hansen, age 95 of Waterville passed away on Wednesday, November 28, 2018.

Awards have been released by WEM fall sports head coaches. In cross country, junior Tucker Rients and eight grader Addison Peed were named the Most Valuable Runners. In football, junior Brant Melchert was named the team MVP. In volleyball senior MaeLea Harmon was named MVP for the second straight year.

The three fall sports at WEM had tremendous seasons. The football team won the Blue Sub-District Championship. The volleyball team won the Gopher Conference and placed second in the Section 2A Tourney. The WEM/JWP girls cross country team won the Gopher Conference and the boys team placed second.

A recount for the second Elysian City Council position was held Monday, Nov. 26 at Elysian City Hall. The numbers remained the same as they had during the Nov. 6 general election. Bryan Suemnick has been voted into the council with 163 votes, one more than Bobby Houlihan. Suemnick will join newly elected Mayor Tom McBroom, re-elected council member Dennis Schnoor and Mary Opsahl on the city council. The fourth council position will be determined by the current council at a later meeting. For more on the Elysian Council check out the Nov. 29 edition of the LIFE/Enterprise.

Stage-four cancer doesn't stop him.
Jeff Dahle of Morristown is an Ironman.
The 56-year-old, who tipped the scale at 425 pounds just six years ago, completed his sixth Ironman in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday, November 24.
“I’m not your normal triathlete,” laughed Dahle. “I used to be the one who would drive by a runner in and yell out the window, ‘Don’t you have something better to do?’”
But that all changed in 2012
Read more of Dahle's story in the November 29, 2018, edition of the Life or Enterprise.

Le Sueur County will be honored Monday, Dec. 3 during the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) Annual Meeting in Bloomington.
MCIT announced last week that Le Sueur County has been selected as the 2018 County of the Year.
"The county has distinguished itself in the areas of loss control, risk management, claims administration, and responsiveness to MCIT," MCIT Executive Director Robyn M. Sykes said. "MCIT commends the county's commitment to managing exposures that jeopardize employees and citizens of the county to loss."

Le Sueur County has a furry, four-legged crime fighter.
The county’s newest K-9, “Jett”, started work on November 20.
The county secured Jett, a purebred German Shepherd, last autumn when he was around nine-weeks-old. Jett was bred locally from Kozie Shepherds in southern Minnesota and attended his K9 academy with Le Sueur County Deputy Joe Kern at Performance Kennels in Buffalo. Nationally Certified K9 Trainer, Steve Pearson, was responsible for training Jett.

Joanne ‘Jo’ Marie Workman (nee Goltz) of Burnsville passed away on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina.
Jo was born March 30, 1940 and raised on a turkey farm in Waterville, Minnesota. After high school, Joanne attended nursing school and entered the workforce as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She was a nurse for over 40 years, 26 of those spent at Oxboro Clinic in Bloomington.

Richard Chambers, Jr., age 70 of Waterville, died surrounded by his family at his home on Thursday, November 22, 2018.
Richard “Dick” Chambers Jr, also known as “Red”, was raised and lived in Waterville, MN. He was drafted and served in Vietnam. We won’t forget the sacrifice he made for his country and future family. Early on he worked for Komatz Construction and then made a career at Farm Bureau Insurance. Later in life he also became a hobby farmer. He loved to help my brother with the field work whenever he could.

A new meal option is available in Waterville for those ages 60 and older who would benefit from others cooking healthy meals for them.
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) opened a new Senior Dining location at The Village in Waterville on Monday, November 12. The kitchen and dining site will provide hot, nutritious meals that will be available not only at the community center at noon, but also by delivery right to the doors of area residents, a service known locally as Meals on Wheels.

A Celebration of Life for Mr. Rolland “Rollie” Eugene Downhour, was held at Bayou Oaks Baptist Church in Monroe, LA Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Interment with military honors followed at Loch Arbor Baptist Cemetery in Monroe LA, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home.