Fall Festival Update – September 6
Our Fall Festival is just 2 weeks away! The silent auction will go live on September 9th at www.32auctions.com/2026FrannyFest. We have many great items for you to bid on including a guided pheasant hunting package, a gas lawnmower, Shelby’s Pies, reserved pew for Christmas Mass and one for Easter too! Other items include household appliances, children’s games and toys and numerous gift cards. You can log on to the auction website and bid on these great items and do your part in helping to make this our most successful auction and support St. Francis Xavier! Trina Dietz has stepped up to lead the BINGO at our festival and Rick Stang will be the caller. Thank you both! BINGO will take place from 11:30am to 2:00pm in the gathering place. The price is $.50 per game and 30 games will be played, so if you come and play all 30 games it will be $15.00 per card. There will be punch cards sold for $5.00 each with 10 games, so you can play longer or shorter as you wish. Prizes are gift cards donated to the festival from various businesses in the area - Scooters, 2 St. Coffee House, Partner's Pub, Aldi's, Fleet Farm, Target, Walmart, Cold Stone, and more. Prizes will be $20 and up. More help is needed. Sign-up sheets for BINGO are found in the gathering place. This is open to middle school youth and up. It is also a great opportunity for families to work together. Join us for the fun! Gift Cards are Needed! Donations of gift cards are needed to use as prizes for BINGO at Frantober Fest! Caribou, Scooters, Starbucks, Cold Stone, Coborn's, Aldi, Target, Wal-Mart or any of our AMAZING local businesses! Any size from $5 is $100 is welcome. Attention ALL Bakers & Fall Harvesters! The Fall Festival is here! We are looking for donations of your yummy baked goods or fall canning harvest items for our festival’s Bake Sale. Some suggested items: Cookies, cakes, bars, trail mixes, candy, soup mixes, homemade egg noodles etc. Pies were a huge hit! Please mark any item that may contain nuts! All items should be covered with a clear plastic wrap for easy viewing! We will price the items for you so no need to worry about that! Items can be brought to the Gathering Place on Friday, September 18 th between 3-7 p.m. and Saturday, September 19th from 9 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Don’t forget to pickup your packets in the church over $15,000 in prizes to be given away. If you have time and want to join in the fun we are always looking for help check out the sign ups in the Gathering space.

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Fall Festival Update – August 30

Thank you for the many donations we have received for our Frantober Fest 2026! Gift baskets are always a welcome donation. Here are a few ideas for baskets you could put together: Hot cocoa, S’mores campfire, Coffee or Tea, Dog or cat treat, A variety of beer or wine basket, MN made items in a basket , Kids how to start fishing basket, BBQ basket. Please bring your donation items to church by 9-7-26 so we have enough time to photograph and enter the items into our auction website. The auction goes live on 9-9-2026. Keep your eyes open for the link and QR code coming soon!

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Attention ALL Bakers & Fall Harvesters! The Fall Festival is fast approaching!! We are looking for donations of your yummy baked goods or fall canning harvest items for our festival’s Bake Sale. Some suggested items: Cookies, cakes, bars, trail mixes, candy, soup mixes, homemade egg noodles etc. Canned goods such as salsa, spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, jams & jellies are also great sellers! All items should be covered with a clear plastic wrap for easy viewing! We will price the items for you so no need to worry about that! Items can be brought to the Gathering Place on Friday, September 18 between 3-7 p.m. and Saturday, September 19 from noon 4:00 p.m. Email with any questions: Doris Lodermeier – Lodermeiers1003@gmail.com Marlyce Plante – marlylou0814@gmail.com.

 

Don’t forget to pickup your packets in the church over $15,000 in prizes to be given away. If you have time and want to join in the fun we are always looking for help check out the sign ups in the Gathering space.

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Fall Festival Update – August 23
We are getting closer to our biggest fundraising event of the year! Franny Fest is Sunday September 20th. We are still taking your donations for the Silent Auction. We could use some items for children and teens age 12 and up. Some suggestions could be gift cards for Blacklight where they can play laser tag or do an Escape Room. Air Maxx trampoline park or gas gift cards from Kwik Trip or Holiday would also be useful. For the crafty person, there are Miniature House or room kits. Lego has come out with many new kits for flowers and animals. A teen girl may like a cross body bag while a boy may like a multi color flying disc. Any items that your teens enjoy would be greatly appreciated. Please consider donating to our churches biggest fundraiser. Any other new household items, tools or gift cards are also welcome. Thank you!
Parish Festival Packets are Available for Pick-up. The packets include a letter with information, a page with lots of opportunities to donate and contact information for some chair people, a sheet with 10 quilt raffle tickets ($2 each) and a pack of 10 "big ticket" raffle chances ($10 each). The quilt raffle proceeds will go to The St. Anthony Mission Group which meets through most of the year every other week to put together quilts and tied fleece blankets to give to those in need. The "big ticket" raffle has over $15,000 in prizes - all donated by parishioners or area businesses. Proceeds from this raffle support all parish ministries as it is part of the parish budget.

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Fall Festival Update – August 16
Parish Festival Packets are Available for Pick-up. The packets include a letter with information, a page with lots of opportunities to donate and contact information for some chair people, a sheet with 10 quilt raffle tickets ($2 each) and a pack of 10 "big ticket" raffle chances ($10 each). The quilt raffle proceeds will go to The St. Anthony Mission Group which meets through most of the year every other week to put together quilts and tied fleece blankets to give to those in need. The "big ticket" raffle has over $15,000 in prizes - all donated by parishioners or area businesses. Proceeds from this raffle support all parish ministries as it is part of the parish budget. We are still in need of many helpers in a lot of areas. Sign up sheets will be out soon if not already.It is a great way to meet fellow parishioners and have a fun time! If interested in volunteering contact Margaret Stang @ 320-249-9304.

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The silent auction is shaping up nicely. We are now looking for items for the 8 to 12 year old group. Some ideas include STEM science kits, board games, arts and craft kits and sports gear. Kids like journals with gel pens, squishmallows and room decor like LED light strips or a star projector. Lego is always very popular! We are also in need of homemade items like jams and jellies, pickles, salsa and maple syrup. Wood working items, embroidered dish towels and bird houses are a big hit. Lawn games and gardening items also go over very well. Thank you for all the donations we have already received, and remember the auction goes live on 9-9-2026.

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Fall Festival Update – August 9
The silent auction is shaping up nicely. We are now looking for items for the 8 to 12 year old group. Some ideas include STEM science kits, board games, arts and craft kits and sports gear. Kids like journals with gel pens, squishmallows and room decor like LED light strips or a star projector. Lego is always very popular! We are also in need of homemade items like jams and jellies, pickles, salsa and maple syrup. Wood working items, embroidered dish towels and bird houses are a big hit. Lawn games and gardening items also go over very well. Thank you for all the donations we have already received, and remember the auction goes live on 9-9-2026.

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Parish Festival Packets are Available for Pick-up

The packets include a letter with information, a page with lots of opportunities to donate and contact information for the chair people, a sheet with 10 quilt raffle tickets ($2 each) and a pack of Big Ticket raffle chances ($10 each). The quilt raffle proceeds will go the the St. Anthony Mission Group which meets through most of the year every other week to put together quilts and tied fleece blankets to give to those in need. Proceeds from our yearly raffle support all parish ministries as it is part of the parish budget. It is a fun way to give and over 80 chances to win a prize. Thank you to the many donors that make it possible! Please get involved with the festival if you can. Your support of the parish festival is very appreciated!
 

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Fall Festival Update – July 31
Reserve the dates September 19 & 20 for a fun time visiting with fellow parishioners. We are still looking for volunteers for almost any area; kids games, bingo, cake paddle, mouse game, hamburger stand, set up and take down. If you have any good prizes for kids games, please drop them off at the church, marked for Festival kids games. Festival packets should be out soon! We are getting excited about our silent auction for this year’s Franny Fest! This week we want to focus on the 5-8 year old children. We understand that this age group is really into fidget toys. A few we have been told about are Squishy Dumplings, Needoh Cubes, 3 D Fidget toys and Slime. Also enjoyed by this group would be Joke Books, Fishing items, Magnetic Water Balloons and Walkie Talkies. Or how about a gift card to Air Maxx trampoline park, Skatin’ Place or the Children’s Museum? We would graciously accept any of these items or others that your children or grandchildren children of this age would enjoy. If you have other new household items, tools or gift cards that you would like to donate, we are still taking these as well. We want to make this our biggest auction yet! All proceeds go to our church. Thank you for your generosity!
Updaye – July 

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Fall Festival Update - July 22
GREAT NEWS! Our Festival will start on Saturday September 19 , with a bake sale after mass. Sunday, September 20 bake sale continues, along with kids games, hamburgers, beer, pop & water, bingo, cake paddle and we are hoping for the mouse game. We are also looking for volunteers to help at any of these events. Would you like to run the mouse game, it is a lot of fun!! Or maybe just have a hamburger and visit with friends, we hope to see you there. And don’t forget the Silent Auction will be in full swing! If you are wishing to volunteer in some way please call Margaret @ 320-249-9304.

 

We are getting excited about our silent auction for this year’s Franny Fest! This week we want to focus on the 5-8 year old children. We understand that this age group is really into fidget toys. A few we have been told about are Squishy Dumplings, Needoh Cubes, 3 D Fidget toys and Slime. Also enjoyed by this group would be Joke Books, Fishing items, Magnetic Water Balloons and Walkie Talkies. Or how about a gift card to Air Maxx trampoline park, Skatin’ Place or the Children’s Museum? We would graciously accept any of these items or others that your children or grandchildren children of this age would enjoy. If you have other new household items, tools or gift cards that you would like to donate, we are still taking these as well. We want to make this our biggest auction yet! All proceeds go to our church. Thank you for your generosity!

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Fall Festival Update - July 11

Thank you for the Silent Auction items that have already been donated. Remember we are looking for new items to help make the Silent Auction a success! We are also always in need of baskets for display.If you or your business would like to contribute, we would greatly appreciate any donations. For gift certificates be sure they are use full for a few months or into 2027. Some ideas include: Gift cards to Coborn’s, Manea’s, liquor stores, nail salons, and coffee shops or your favorite restaurant. Gift cards to Bad Habit Brewery, Pantown Brewery, Beaver Island Brewery or a winery. Also, bottlesof wine. Gift cards or tickets to local events, including Milk & Honey Cider, The Paramount, GREAT Theater and The Ledge Amphitheater. Tickets to sporting events, such as the Wild, Twins, Timberwolves, Viking or local college sports. Rounds of golf or golf gift certificates.Guided hunting or even a guided fishing package. Every donation, big or small, helps us create a successful auction while supporting our church. Thank you for your generosity and support!

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Fall Festival Update  – July 4
Thank you to the many people who have already responded by making donations for the 2026 Frantober Fest Silent Auction. We are accepting donations and starting the process of building the list of items available. For prizes we are looking at new items. Think of something you would like to give as a gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or Christmas. You can also think of something you would want or need. Others have the same wants and needs. The purchase fulfills your need and makes for a great gift to the parish. If you're traveling around this summer and visiting a winery or distillery - a bottle of wine or liquor from a Minnesota maker (or further away) make for great gifts for those who enjoy trying such things. What is the latest gadget or electronic device that people are talking about. YETI and Stanley (and other makers) of water bottles or coolers have products that draw a lot of interest. If you are a dish towel maker or quilter or do woodwork - your talents make wonderful things and draw many bids. If you are a beekeeper or gardener and have honey or jams or jelly - those are sought after too. Questions - please contact Silent Auction Chair-persons - Candice Koopmeiners (320-654-1350), George or Marcy Reisdorf (320-333-5996), or Ray & Connie Pogatshnik (320 250-7382).

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Parish Festival Plans - May 31, 2026

For our festival to move on, it will need help and leadership. It is down to a small event, but still needs guidance. We are doing the raffle, silent auction, and bake sale. I'm looking to service groups to consider other events - KC's doing beer, burgers, and brats. Christian Woman??? Will we have BINGO for a couple of hours again? IF no one comes forward, it does tell us something and the parish will need to make the call to shorten the event up even more. Again, I'm not able to go to battle on this one, so my prayers are for some "new life" to join in with their leadership. Right now I am planning a meeting for Tuesday, June 2 at 4:30pm in the gathering place. Questions, call me - 320-252-1363 or email tofferdahl@stfrancissartell.org - Tom.

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Parish Festival Plans - May 24, 2026

My time is running out people, my last day of work is June 30. When I leave employment, my time will be spent taking care of me and spending time with family as I continue my cancer fight. For our festival to move on, it will need help and leadership. It is down to a small event, but still needs guidance. We are doing the raffle, silent auction, and bake sale. I'm looking to service groups to consider other events - KC's doing beer, burgers, and brats. Christian Woman??? Will we have BINGO for a couple of hours again? IF no one comes forward, it does tell us something and the parish will need to make the call to shorten the event up even more. Again, I'm not able to go to battle on this one, so my prayers are for some "new life" to join in with their leadership. Right now I am planning a meeting for Tuesday, June 2 at 4:30pm in the gathering place. Questions, call me - 320-252-1363 or email tofferdahl@stfrancissartell.org - Tom.

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Parish Festival Plans - May 17, 2026
Though the gathering was small and by speaking with individuals over the last couple of weeks, some ideas have popped up that seem doable. This will require some "chips" to fall into place. Our festival will be the weekend of Sept 19/20 . With a 10:30am Mass, it was agreed that changing from a breakfast to a burger/brat/hot dog lunch would be a good idea. Serving from 11:00am to 1:30pm? And, moving to a straight beer and soft drink stand. This will rely on a couple of things. Will the KC's move from breakfast to lunch and lead this charge. Will we find a leader to see beer at a stand and some soft drinks/water at another? There is also some discussion of our Christian Women bringing back a "taco-in-a bag' stand. Raffle prize asks went out last week and we've received 3 or 4 new donors - and hoping all prior donors will continue. More would be merrier as they say! Thank you to those who have offered who continue and thanks to the new givers! Silent auction items - please be considering what you may give or how you can contribute to something big. We recently given a Troy-Build Lawn Mower that will make someone happy come September! Possible prizes are endless - looking for new items, hand-crafted pieces and more. Marlyce and Doris have re-committed to the Bake Sale, and we're hoping to have Bingo for a couple hours on Sunday afternoon. That being said, some leadership people are needed for over-all guidance. Due to health reasons, I'm not going to be able to help as I have in the past and will be stepping down from my position at St. Francis Xavier on June 30th. I will continue to be a parish member and consult as I am able, but physically I'm not able to keep up the pace of my work here and in extra activities like the festival, KC’s and other volunteer activities. Going forward, my time will be spent keeping as well as possible and spending time with my family and those close to me. This is not my festival. It is not a staff festival. It is a parish festival. Our festival is so compact now that it is very manageable , but it still needs a person or 2 to organize, follow-up and lead the effort. At one time, it was 9 couples when we had a day and a half event. We have down-sized. 2 couples or individuals could lead the way. Please see me if you're up for a leadership role. Tom - 320-252-1363.