Victoria Gazette - Victoria Moments

LIONS AND YOUTH FOR PEACE. For the last 30 years, Lions clubs around the world have proudly sponsored the Lions International Peace Poster Contest in local schools and youth groups. This art contest encourages young people worldwide to express their visions of peace. Kids teach us the importance of peace. In 2016, there were 24 winners chosen from approximately 600,000 entries drawn by children ages 11 to 13 from 60 countries. Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service club organization, is made up of 1.4 million men, women, and youth in 210 countries and geographical areas throughout the world.

Theme of the 2017-2018 Peace Poster Contest was "The Future of Peace." The three students above, who are students at the Victoria Elementary School, were the winners of the Victoria Lions local peace poster contest. L-r: James Gladen (3rd place), Colton Armbrust (2nd place), and Ella Keenan (1st place). Ella's poster has been submitted to the district level for further judging. In back: Lion Doug Dyer and Lion Laura O'Neill.

Lion Doug Dyer, Victoria, Minnesota

RASPBERRY BOCCE TOURNEY CHAMPS. Congratulations to Victoria's Mary Beth Ziembiec and Carver resident Mitch Kirchoff on their title of 2017 Raspberry Bocce Tourney Champions. They defeated Chanhassen's Karen Ash and the youngest-ever finalist, Chanhassen High School Senior Austin Carter, in the finals of a 32-team bocce tournament this past September. With the victory, now four-time champion Mary Beth becomes the most decorated woman in Raspberry Bocce Tourney history. Mitch, after reaching the finals for the second time, finally wins his coveted first championship.

This tourney has been held annually since 1979 and hosted by Tommy and Marilee Hutton of Victoria. Tommy is originally from Hopkins, which is known as the Raspberry Capital. Since the late 1970's, his family has hosted a block party that originally corresponded with the Hopkins Raspberry Festival Parade held each July. Each year, guests of the party would play in a co-ed bocce tournament that started out as a small "just for fun" tourney. It soon became the highlight of the gathering and has expanded over the years into the big event it is today.

Tommy Hutton, Victoria, Minnesota

LARGEST REGATTA IN THE WORLD. Ellie Loehrer, a Victoria senior at Chanhassen High School, competed at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston October 22nd. It is the world's largest regatta/rowing races. They placed 17th out of 85 boats. Ellie rows for Twin Cities Youth Rowing, Edina, MN. She signed November 8th with Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, on scholarship. The other girls in the photo are from Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Maple Grove.

Since its inception in 1965, The Head Of The Charles Regatta has attracted hundreds of thousands of rowers to the banks of the Charles River. 11,000 athletes raced this year in 66 different events. The course is three miles and runs upstream. It takes about an hour to walk. The six bridges along the course are great places to take in the action. Ellie, our daughter, is pictured above with Clemson Coach Stephen Wong. In the boat (l-r): Emily Klysen (Eden Prairie), Ellie Loehrer (Victoria), Isabella Balder (Maple Grove), Morgan Robinson (Minnetonka), Josie Lippincott (Eden Prairie). There are four rowers plus the coxswain (Josie) who is tucked down in back of the boat. The coxswain sits in the stern, facing the bow, and is responsible for steering the boat and coordinating the power and rhythm of the four towers.

Scott and Leslie Loehrer, Victoria, Minnesota

SCOUTS WORKING AT THE LIONS SPAGHETTI DINNER. We are Boy Scout Troop 337, which originated 15 to 20 years ago, and we are chartered with the Victoria Lions Club. We currently have 30 scouts in our troop and a total of 25 boy scouts who have made it to the highest rank of Eagle Scout since starting the Boy Scout Troop. The photo was taken by Julene Haasch, Advancement Chairperson and parent of Scout Codie Haasch.

Front (l-r): John Schwendinger, Ryan Sheetz, Sam Haider, Joseph Hammerschmidt, and Paul Ransom. Back: Codie Haasch, Ben Michael, Jacob Otolski, Andrew Fasching, Tom Reinitz, Nick Allen, Lorenzo Binggeli, and Logan Michael.

I took the role of Scoutmaster four years ago and continue today. Most of our scouts are now from Chaska or Chanhassen, since most of our scouts from Victoria have completed their Eagle Rank and reached the age limit on their 18th birthday. We meet as a troop three times a month, usually at an Eastern Carver County School, currently at Chaska Middle School West. The scouts organize and carry our service projects, activities, camping opportunities (include winter camping), and fundraising opportunities like the Victoria Lions Softball Tournament, past Victoria Lions Halloween activities, classic car shows, the Victoria Bandstand Opening Ceremony with a Scout Band, and many other activities within Victoria.

The Victoria Lions give us opportunities to participate in city functions as well, especially with the late Randy Miller who organized the car shows along with the Victoria Business Association. The troop is always looking for Eagle projects for the older scouts and is always welcoming new boys, starting at the age of 1, to join the troop. Interested boys can contact Committee Chair Joe Brothers at joe07.brothers88@gmail.com or myself, Scoutmaster Nick Fasching, at nnfasching@gmail.com. Thank you.

Nick Fasching, Scoutmaster, Victoria, Minnesota

MORE SCOOP IN PAPER EDITION.

JOHNSON FUNERAL HOME

Waconia 952-442-2121

Victoria’s Corner Bar. Nightly Specials and Menus. 952-443-9944