Registration for the Community Acton Center’s holiday gift giving program, Operation Joy, will close this Saturday, November 18th, and the
CAC is reminding the community that they are asking for financial donations by then as well.
Hillary Lamberty of the CAC said the goal with the program is to see that every child in Northfield has a positive holiday experience. The organization is currently asking for donations, which are down this year, and volunteers to help with the program.
Every child, “ages 0-18″ as Lamberty put it, registered for Operation Joy will receive a pair of hand sewn pajamas and a book from Content Book store. The family will receive a hand sewn quilt, and a Target gift card will be given to the family for every child as well. Lamberty said the program has evolved to the gift card approach, for several reasons.
“Parents know what their kids want. They know the colors and the sizes,” she said. “It’s more dignified and empowering for the parents to be able to buy something for the kids.”
Lamberty said the program could serve as many as 1000 kids this year, and the best way to help Operation Joy right now is through a monetary donation. According to the CAC website, 100% of each donation will be used to purchase gift cards. A business that gives $500 or more will be recognized on all event materials, including community posters, the Operation Joy webpage, Facebook posts, and a thank you in the Northfield News following the event.
Those in need of assistance can register on the CAC website. Registrants will receive a confirmation postcard and an appointment time. Registration is compulsory to participate.
Lamberty said donating is easy through the CAC website.
“Registration is on our website and that is open until November 18th. That is also the day by which we would like to receive financial contributions, just for us to be able to plan how much we’re able to give, and how many kids we’re able to serve. So financial donations, by that date as well, would be incredible. Just go to the website, communityactioncenter.org, where we have a donation page. All of the information about Operation Joy – the specifics, the qualifications, all those things are in there.”
Visit communityactioncenter.org to donate and for all other information or contact them at 507-664-3550.
Operation Joy’s distribution day will be December 7th.
Human Rights Commission seeking nominations for annual humanitarian award
The Northfield Human Rights Commission is seeking nominees of people who would be good candidates for the 2023 Northfield Human Rights 
Award.
To be considered for this award, a nominee should be a local individual, group or organization that has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the advancement of human rights in the Northfield area. That could mean through volunteer work, through professional efforts, or through some other means that promotes human rights. The Human Rights Commission seeks a balanced and diverse slate of nominees that contribute to the cause of human rights in a variety of ways. All nominations should include a brief biography of the candidate as well as the reasons the nominee should receive consideration for the award.
The award will be presented during the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. community celebration in January.
Recipients from the past five years include Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann (2022), Northfield Highs School student (at the time) and advocate Rahmah Abdulai (2021), the employees of Laura Baker Services Association (2020), Community Action Center (2019) and educator Jennifer Lompart (2018). All past recipients dating back to the first Human Rights Award in 1998 may be found on an engraved plaque in the parking lot entrance of City Hall and listed on the city website.
Nomination forms are available in English and Spanish and are available at the Northfield Public Library. They can also be requested by contacting Claudia Garcia at 507-645-3078 or email her at claudia.garcia@ci.northfield.mn.us.
City Council will accept vote abstract tonight
And the Northfield City Council will meet tonight in the Council Chambers in City Hall. 
Among the items on the agenda is a presentation of the Heritage and Preservation Council’s annual report. The Council will be asked to approve the abstract for votes cast in Northfield during last week’s election, they will consider the approval of a professional service agreement with Barr Engineering for a removal study of the Ames Mill Dam, and they will review the results of the Park and Recreation Capital Investment Plan Public Engagement Survey.
As always, the city and the council are asking to hear opinions and comments from the public. Anyone who wishes to do so is invited to come to the meeting and address the council on any topic they see fit. Those wishing to voice their opinions without addressing the council should email their councilors directly or post a comment through the eComment button on the “Agendas” section of the City Council website.
Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:00.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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