The Arc Mower County hosted the eight annual Taste of Mower County on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, at the Holiday Inn and Austin Conference Center.

There were six home chefs and six restaurant/professional chefs in attendance. We received 62 silent auction items and 16 live auction items that were donated by very generous individuals and businesses.

Sponsors: Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center, Reichel Foods, Worlein Funeral Home, Cardinal of Minnesota, Bremer Bank, Cedars Senior Living Community, Heartman Insurance, Kwik Trip, Medicap Pharmacy, Medgaarden’s Southwest Sales, First Farmers and Merchants Bank and Accentra Credit Union

Home Chefs:  Kelley Sandvik – Third Place Appetizer, Raycy Edwin, Alison Witiak, Beth Jensen, Kathi Finley – First Place Desserts, Lou Hanson – Third Place Desserts

Restaurant/Professional Chefs:  Holiday Inn – Second Place Desserts, Cedar Valley Services – Second Place Appetizer, Lansing Corners Supper Club – First Place Appetizer and Third Place Entrée, Sweet’s Restaurant, Cedars Senior Living Community​ – Second Place Entrée and Wolf’s Den.

Auction Item Donors: 1910 Fresh Mexican Kitchen, Applebee’s, Andrea Enfield, Angry Hog Brewery and Taproom, Annette Huffman, Austin Daily Herald, Austin Eagles Club – Aerie 703, Buck Hill, Cedars Senior Living Community, Cinemagic Theatres, Courtesy Corporation – McDonald’s, Dawn Helgeson, Drs. Elrod Green and Heimer, DDS, Francis Heer, Games People Play, Great Clips, Great Lakes Aquarium, H and R Block, Heath Studio’s and Tattoo, Highly Defined Beauty Emporium, Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center, Holiday Inn Maple Grove, Hoversten, Johnson, Beckman and Hovey, LLP Law Office, Hoot and Ole’s Tavern, Ivy’s Ink, Jason and Laura Maschka, Jane Brown Farms – Sayles Families, Joelle Long, Justin and Crystal Steinbach, KAUS Radio, Kirk and Wendy Rolfson, Kuehn Motor Company, Lansing Corners Supper Club, Larry Jensen, Laura Tjomsland, LeRoy City Lines, Lou’s Forever Framing, Mall of America, Marilyn Huffman and Kim Osmundson, Maschka’s Raised Gardens, Med City Mobility, Metropolis Resort Chaos Waterpark, Michelle Jensen, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Twins​​, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Mona Lukes, Nicol’s Complete Auto, Nelson Dental, North Shore Scenic Railroad, Paul and Joanne Worlein, Peggy Young, People First Aktion Club, Piggy Blue’s BBQ, Pizza Hut, Potach and Mitchel Dental, Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort, Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Roger Mallan, Runnings, Rydjor Bike Shop, Sarah Wermager, Science Museum of Minnesota, Senegence – Kallie White, Spam Museum, Stadheim Jewelers, Sterling Main Street, Steve and Kathy Earl, Steve and Kelley Sandvik, Steve’s Pizza, Style Lounge Salon, Sweet Reads, Sweet’s Hotel, Restaurant and Lounge, The Bakery, Tom and Doreen Gillard, Tom and Tricia Weichmann, Twice Is Nice, Utz Vineyards/Runde Graphics and Whitnei Photography​

Special Thanks to: Jessica Hovde and Staff at the Austin Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Axel Gumbel who was the Master of Ceremonies, Al Smith who was the Auctioneer for the Live Auction, Terry Schmidt for the wonderful music, Apollo Liquors and Superette who provided the wine and craft beer tasting and Photographer Mark Lingl for the awesome photos, Taste of Mower County Planning Committee:  Dawn Helgeson, Michelle Jensen, Crystal Steinbach, Alicia Westendorf, Geri Tollefson, John Gray, Axel Gumbel and Laura Tjomsland and Volunteers:  Aubrey Birk, Jennifer Douty, Andrew Douty, Susan Huffman, Sarah Jensen, Barb Keist, Roger Mallan, Steve Mallan, Lola Olson, Roy Rolfson, Michele Tate and Stephanie Wagner.

All of the proceeds from this even support our advocacy and recreational and educational activities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in the Mower County area.

“Sometimes the greatest gift you can give another person is to simply include them,” said by Dawn Helgeson, Executive Director of The Arc Mower County.

Upcoming Events

• Halloween Spooktacular Dance and Costume Contest: Tuesday, Oct. 30

• Special Olympics Bowling and Open Center: Wednesday, Oct. 31

• Karaoke: Thursday, Nov. 1

• Community Connections Mystery Trip: Saturday, Nov. 3

• Arc/4-H Adventure Club Kick-Off Night: Monday, Nov. 5

• Kitchen Creations: Tuesday, Nov. 6

• Special Olympics Bowling: Wednesday, Nov. 7

• Self-Advocates Minnesota Meeting: Thursday, Nov. 8

• Friendsgiving: Friday, Nov. 9

View the complete activity calendar at http://bit.ly/2ETIAOn.