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Backpack drive supports kids in need

Lake Area Bank is currently holding a backpack drive to collect school supplies for children in need. Each bank location, including in Forest Lake at 91 South Lake St., will collect new supplies through Aug. 11 for donation to the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul. These supplies will be distributed to children in the program to begin the school year with basic tools needed to be successful students.
Donated items can be dropped off at any Lake Area Bank location including Forest Lake, White Bear Lake, Stillwater, Hugo, and Lindstrom. Items can also be dropped at Lake Area Mortgage in Shoreview. For details of the campaign along with a list of school supply needs, visit www.lakeareabank.com.

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School Board approves bond and levy ballot questions

On Aug. 3, the Forest Lake Area School Board approved ballot questions for a $750 per pupil operating levy increase and a $9 million arts and athletics facilities bond, both of which will go to the voters on Nov. 7 of this year.
The board heard details regarding a survey of 500 residents performed by the Morris Leatherman Company concerning whether or not a levy or bond would be supported by the community, and the information was enough to convince board members that both measures had a chance for approval.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“Forest Lake is a great place to survey, as we see only a 3 percent non-response rate compared to the industry average of 25,” Morris Leatherman Company president Bill Morris said during the meeting. “Our results show that there is no stop sign on anything. We found that a referendum is definitely doable if carefully orchestrated. It will, however, be more of

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Changing lives with reading, math tutors

The Minnesota Reading Corps and Math Corps need 2,000 full- and part-time tutors to meet their goals of helping all Minnesota children become proficient readers by the end of third grade and proficient math students by the end of eighth grade.
Bloomington’s Robert Mowatt is one of 1,700 tutors who enabled 30,000 struggling readers and math students to improve their skills in Minnesota last year.broadstreet.zone(48036);
Mowatt has overcome an amazing personal struggle to become a tutor. After 40-plus years of a corrections career, he retired, only to suffer a stroke six years ago, losing his ability to read.
“The only word I could read was ‘the,’” he said.
After nine months of rehabilitation, his reading ability returned, and he realized more than ever the importance of reading.
He heard about Minnesota Reading Corps and its success. He applied, went through the interview, passed the background check and was assigned to Hillcrest Elementary School in Bloomington,

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