Thumbs up to College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University students for contributing toward responsible drinking behaviors with a “Stop at Buzzed” campaign.

The watchwords encourage college-age students to think twice about going too far by reminding them it’s more fun — meaning fewer regrets later — when you’re able to remember the good times the next morning.

Some of the tactics used by the campaign are remindful of anti-smoking ads that intend to make the more irresponsible offenders feel stupid or out of touch. One poster warns “nicknames last forever,” showing a young woman with her face in a garbage can referred to as “Puking Princess.”

That one may be counter-productive to some drinkers, but jarring to others.

The effectiveness of the “Stop at Buzzed” campaign is debated, but regardless of the methods used to enforce the mantra, it’s hard to argue that it’s not a good idea to stop imbibing when the room begins to spin and words are being slurred.



Wordless workshop speaks volumes

Thumbs up to the Silent Retreat held this week for nearly 100 area students enrolled in American Sign Language courses at their schools.

The workshop let students from all over the region practice the signing skills they’ve been learning, pick up new skills and experience a deaf culture.

The ASL classes are made possible through Project SOCRATES, a consortium of 28 school districts, 34 libraries and four educational cooperatives that provides telecommunications and Internet access to its members.

The value of learning sign language continues to grow. Not only can signers communicate with deaf people, but sign language can be used to communicate with everyone from babies and toddlers who haven’t yet learned spoken language to the elderly who are gradually losing their hearing. One of the students who participated in the Silent Retreat said sign language has opened the door of communication between her and her hard-of-hearing father.



Airshows amazing attractions

Thumbs up to Mankato officials for aggressively pursuing a major air show at the city’s airport.

City officials were at a Las Vegas trade show a couple of months ago trying to land one of the three premiere airshow attractions. The Air Force Thunderbirds, Navy Blue Angels and Canadian Forces Snowbirds may have Mankato in their sights.

A Mankato airshow won’t be until 2009, but the elite squadrons are in high demand across North America and getting a commitment from one of them as soon as possible is important.

It would be a major coup to get any of them here. Airshows are wildly popular and Mankato hasn’t had one for years.

The show would also be a way for Mankato to show off the many improvements it’s made at the airport in recent years, including a new terminal and a major runway expansion and upgrade.



Pemberton puts community back into school

Thumbs up to the group of former Pemberton school students who revived the school in the small town closed years ago into a thriving community center and day care.

The city of 300 residents has helped transform an old school building to house a day care, city offices, library, gymnasium and community room. The school was closed about 15 years ago and sat vacant for 12 years.

But some community leaders and former students worked with the school and city to complete an $885,000 renovation of the building. It offers the community a place for gathering and offers parents with young children a safe place to leave them for the day as parents commute to Mankato for work.

The group hopes to help pay for the project through the rental of space for weddings and parties. All in all, it’s a great use of an old school building in a small town that can use a community gathering place for families.