Briefs 7-15-08

A newly-formed bike club, called Spencer Pedal Power, would like to invite any bicyclist to its weekly Tuesday night bike ride. Plan to arrive at the Spencer Middle School parking lot at 6:30 p.m. to leave on a 6:45 p.m. ride. All bikers in and around Spencer are welcome to participate.

Prairie Lakes field trip

All are welcome to attend the Prairie Lakes Audubon Chapter field trip at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Lost Island Nature Center located three miles north of Ruthven in Huston County Park. A "bring your own sack lunch" picnic will be followed by a tour and nature hike presented by Naturalist Miriam Patten. Carpoolers meet at the east end of the Great Lakes Mall parking lot in Spirit Lake at 5:45 p.m.

YMCA schedules summer dance party

Students entering or exiting seventh or eighth grade in Spencer are invited to a YMCA Summer Dance Party, 8-10 p.m. Friday, July 25, at the Spencer Family YMCA tennis courts. Cost is $3 for members and $5 for non-members. Dress code will be enforced, meaning no clothing considered obscene, drug or alcohol related, or criminal or vulgar in nature will be allowed. Visible undergarments and midriff tops also will not be allowed. A live DJ will be on hand and refreshments will be for sale. The admission is a one-time entry. Once the middle school student leaves, they will not be allowed back in. In the case of severe weather, the event will be moved indoors at the YMCA.

Eric Taylor at Shaky Tree

Shaky Tree Coffee will be hosting Eric Taylor Wednesday, July 16. This sage musician is also a lyrical genius and master of the guitar. If you're not familiar with Taylor by name, you've probably heard his songs performed by people such as Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett. If you missed him the first time he was in Spencer, now is your chance. His show begins at 7:30 p.m. There is a cover charge.

Okoboji Women's Connection

Join the fun as Okoboji Women's Connection has a "Bargain Basement Babes" luncheon at the Inn at Okoboji at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16. Following a style show of found bargains, Ilene Dirks will tell how she selected life in her talk, "From Lonely Only to Life." Each woman will receive play money to spend on clothes for the style show and a bargain centerpiece will be given away at each table. All reservations will be honored. Cancellations must be in by Sunday evening, July 13 at (712) 338-4318.

* For reservations, call Kay at 262-8911 or Darlene at 262-2769.

Clay County Toy Show

The Clay County Toy Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 19 and from 12-5 p.m. Sunday, July 20 at the Southpark Mall. Collectors and toy fans will enjoy the variety of collectibles, farm toys, toy trucks, NASCAR, Coke products and much more memorabilia on display to buy, sell or trade.

Iowa Lakes Genealogy Society to meet

The Iowa Lakes Genealogy Society will meet at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19 at the Higgins Museum for a sack lunch and then our meeting and a tour of the facilities. We will then go to the Gardner Cabin in Arnolds Park. To carpool from Spencer, be at the parking lot south of the library before noon.

Willie Nelson to play Arnolds Park

Willie Nelson and family will be performing on Saturday, July 19 at Preservation Plaza in the Park at Arnolds Park. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.arnoldspark.com, the Arnolds Park Amusement Park ticket booth and all Ticketmaster locations.

Spencer Family YMCA kids carnival

The Spencer Family YMCA will be hosting its annual carnival Friday, July 25 at the YMCA. It is open to all Spencer kids in kindergarten through sixth grades only. All playground parks will be closed that day and will meet at the YMCA. Also, any child in Kids Kamp or childcare at the YMCA will be able to attend. Kids can purchase tickets at the YMCA or through any park counselor.

* Questions may be directed to Sara Morrow at 262-3782 or smorrow@spencerymca.org.