Victoria Gazette - Victoria Moments

HAPPY 95TH BIRTHDAY.

Lloyd Bonkoski of Victoria was born on June 11th, 1921, which means he will soon be 95 years old. Lloyd and his wife Susie are having a birthday party on Saturday, June 11th, 2016, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at their home. The address is 8142 Victoria Drive.

Says Lloyd, "We would enjoy your company on this day. Stop in for a beer and a bite and some good music and say hello."

BILL THE JUGGLER will be at the Victoria Library on Monday, June 20th, at 1:00 p.m. The event is part of our Children's Summer Performers.

Kathy Perschmann

Carver County Library System.

PURPLE PARAPHERNALIA. It became a moment for a lot of Victoria people because anytime we traveled east on Hwy 5, we drove past this wall of purple paraphernalia on the fence in front of Prince's Studio in Chanhassen. Prince died on Thursday, April 21st, at the age of 57, and every day afterwards there were crowds of people either pinning something to the fence or walking past the fence or just standing there in contemplation, sometimes in the rain. It was like a giant cemetery, until Friday, May 20th, when the wall of purple was taken down. ~S.O.

NAT'L SCHOLASTIC & WRITING AWARD.

James Farner of Victoria, who is a senior at Holy Family Catholic High School, was recognized as a National Silver Medalist for his science fiction and fantasy piece entitled, "In Her Name."

Students across the country and from places abroad submitted 320,000 works of art and writing to the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Of those thousands of works, nearly 18,000 earned Regional Gold Keys and advanced to New York City for national adjudication.

Of those Gold Key works, just 2,400 (or 1%) received National Medals. James is one of the 1%.

This creative writing showcased James' vivid imagination and transported readers to another world. His work details the journey of the protagonist, Pandora, "one of the strongest magic users known throughout the Empire, who is interrupted as she grieves for her mentor, Ryugin. She reluctantly faces a dragon on the ruling Council's behalf, but her real struggle is coming to grips with the expectations of her late teacher and discovering who she is now."

This fall James plans to attend the University of Oklahoma and major in English.

Laura Podergois, HFCHS

Victoria, Minnesota

GENEROUS VICTORIA LIONS. The Victoria Lions wrote out several checks in May in support of community people, events, and organizations. One of the checks was made out to Chaska Middle School East for $2,000 -- earmarked to help pay for books at the school.

Seated (l-r): Briana Ramos, Lizzie Rocheford, Ethan Bouchey. Standing: Bridgette Linn, Leslie Geissler (teacher of Language Arts), Victoria Lion Doug Dyer, Linda Dierk (Media Specialist), Logan Anderson, and Lily Skelskey.

Doug Dyer

Victoria, Minnesota

VICTORIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL celebrated the retirement of three cherished staff people on Friday, May 13th, at the Crooked Pint in Chaska. Linda McClay, left, a paraprofessional, has worked in the District for 19 years. Donna Brengman, center, has been a school social worker in the District for 16.5 years. Sue Morrissey, right, has worked in the District for 23 years as a band director. All three have worked at Victoria Elementary School since its doors opened in 2005. Thanks for all of your years of service, ladies, and all that you have done for our children.

Kim Nielsen

Victoria, Minnesota

1ST PLACE AT ST. LOUIS PARK. The Chanhassen Storm 12AAA baseball team took 1st place in the St. Louis Park Tournament on May 20th-22nd. Wins were against St. Louis Park, New Ulm, Forrest Lake, and Lakeville South.

Front (l-r): Blake Eiden (Victoria), Charlie Kleinsteuber (Victoria). Middle: Assistant Coach Chad Kamann, Josh Costello (Victoria), Michael Rivera (Victoria), Adam Hanson, Dean Kamann, Assistant Coach Chaz Kleinsteuber (Victoria). Back: Assistant Coach Tony Hanson, Tommy Hanson, Maddox Johnston, Mason Windschitl, Alex Carstens (Victoria), Thomas Humbert (Victoria), Head Coach David Windschitl, Josh Kirchoff.