Coffee & Conversation
Every Monday, 10:30-11:30 AM
St. Charles Public Library
**Special Guest: Hanna Elshoff on Monday, December 12**

Looking for something to do on a cold winter day?  The St. Charles Public Library is offering free coffee, hot chocolate, and apple cider every Monday morning, 10:30am – 11:30am as part of the ongoing Coffee & Conversation program.  Drop by the library for a hot beverage and a chat with your fellow community members.

While Coffee & Conversation is held every Monday morning, occasionally the program will feature a special guest.  On Monday, December 12, Hanna Elshoff will visit the St. Charles Public Library to speak on her experience touring the United States on her electric assist bicycle at the age of 72.  Elshoff documented her trip in her book, “Hanna’s Dream Ride.”

Coffee & Conversation Kickoff with Doug Ohman
Monday, November 21
10:30 – 11:30 AM
St. Charles Public Library

Starting on Monday, November 21, the St. Charles Public Library is launching our Coffee & Conversation program.  Join us at the library every Monday morning at 10:30am for some free coffee. To kick the program off, we have invited special guest speaker Doug Ohman to present “Hidden in Plain View: Cemeteries of Minnesota.”

Doug Ohman is a popular speaker, historian, author and entertaining storyteller.  He is also an expert photographer with deep Minnesota roots.  Living in Minnesota with his wife Krin, Ohman has spent the last 30 years uncovering and bringing Minnesota’s history to life in a fun and casual style.

In his visit to the St. Charles Public Library, Ohman will go into depth on cemeteries of Minnesota.  Walk along with Ohman as he shows photographs of cemeteries and uncovers stories of the long forgotten.  Learn where the only Revolutionary War soldier to die in Minnesota is buried.  Learn the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard, and much more.

Hubert’s Men: The Forgotten Dynasty of St. Charles High Schoo, 1926-1931
Presented by Thomas E. Wright, MD
Wednesday, November 16
6:30 PM
St. Charles Public Library

Dr. Thomas Wright, 1973 graduate of St. Charles High School, recently returned to his hometown roots by researching an era of local history that many have forgotten.  In his mini-monograph, “Hubert’s Men: the Forgotten Dynasty of St. Charles High School, 1926-1931,” Wright delves into the history of Coach Walter Hubert and his student athletes.

On Wednesday, November 16 at 6:30pm, Wright will be at the St. Charles Public Library to present on his research.  He will delve into the story of an amazing coach, his winning program, and its impact upon the student athletes of a small town.  Wright will also provide details on records accomplished, the lives of the athletes, and his search for the truth behind the (now missing) 1928 basketball.

Join us at the St. Charles Public Library for a fun evening of local sports history; an evening that will shine a spotlight on an era in which St. Charles athletes dominated the region in sports.

Budgeting 101 with Emma Koolpe
Tuesday, October 18 at 6 PM
St. Charles Public Library

Emma Koolpe is the founder of Budget-Squirrel, a small business dedicated to financial literacy.  On Tuesday, October 18 at 6pm, Koolpe will hold a class on Budgeting 101 at the St. Charles Public Library.  The class is free, although pre-registration is required.  Click here to register: https://forms.gle/yakcDCaWRmRMPx4X9.

A personal budget is a financial plan that allocates future income toward expenses, savings, and debt repayment.  “Where does the money go?” is a common dilemma faced by many individuals and households when it comes to budgeting and money management.

Effective money management starts with a goal and a step-by-step plan for saving and spending.  Financial goals should be realistic, be specific, have a timeframe, and imply an action to be taken.  This lesson will encourage students to take the time and effort to develop their own personal financial goals and budget.

Emma Koolpe is a graduate of Vassar College with a degree in Mathematics, graduating with honors.  She is currently pursuing her Masters at the University of Minnesota.  In addition to her business, Koolpe teaches for the Rochester Public School District, plus provides tutoring for local dyslexic children.  Above all, Koolpe is extremely passionate about education and helping those in need.

To learn more about Koolpe, visit her website at https://budget-squirrel.com.

Weekly Story Times
Wednesdays at 10:30 AM
St. Charles Public Library

Join us at the St. Charles Public Library on Wednesdays at 10:30 AM for story time.

Family Game Night
Every Week on Thursdays, 6 – 8 PM
St. Charles Public Library

Looking for something to do on a Thursday evening?  Drop by the St. Charles Public Library for board games, cards, or puzzles.  Game nights are held throughout the fall on Thursdays from 6 – 8 PM.  Challenge your family, challenge your friends, challenge your neighbors.

Can’t make it on Thursday evenings?  No problem.  The library has the board games, cards, and puzzles available for people to use at any time.

Saturday, October 1
Cookies for Kids: 10:30am – 1pm
Story Time with Jenny Baertsch: 11am
St. Charles Public Library

The St. Charles Public Library is hosting its annual Cookies for Kids event on Saturday, October 1.   Visit the library between 10:30am to 1pm to claim a free cookie.  While there, check out everything your local library has to offer.

This year, the Cookies for Kids event will include a visit from local author Jenny Baertsch.  At 11am on Saturday, October 1, Baertsch will read the first two chapters of her children’s book, “Junkyard Tough: A ‘Tale of Bravery.’”

Following the reading, Baertsch will lead a discussion on the book’s main theme of bravery, as well as what it means to be an author and illustrator.  Kids will also be able to take home coloring sheets of the book’s illustrations.

Q & A with Amanda Lynn
Wednesday, September 21, 6:30 PM
St. Charles Public Library

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month.  To shine a spotlight on the issue, the St. Charles Public Library will host a Q & A session with local author Amanda Lynn on Wednesday, September 21, at 6:30 PM.  Lynn’s recently published memoir, “Shattered Reality,” details her sister’s suicide and its aftermath.  People will be able to meet Lynn, purchase the book, ask questions, and join the ongoing conversation on suicide and mental health.

On November 14th, 2007, Amanda Lynn received a call from her mother that she refers to as the 9/11 of her world.  Her 19-year-old sister, Josie, took her life by suicide. From that moment forward, everything about her life drastically changed.  When a tragedy such as this happens, there is often this internal split—the “before you” and the “after you.”

“Shattered Reality” is about the last decision Josie made on this earth and the impact that decision had on Lynn’s life moving forward.  It encapsulates entries from Josie’s journal to better understand what she was struggling with—which, oftentimes, was a completely normal part of adolescence.  Her words describe thoughts and feelings that a majority of society can relate to, and yet the voice in her head told her something different.

This powerful memoir is about the transformative process of grief and loss. It is about the ‘chapters’ of Amanda’s life and how they’ve unfolded through the years. It is about healing and picking up the pieces of a shattered reality that no longer exists.