The annual Defeat of Jesse James Days Horseshoe Hunt will begin tomorrow morning, and in celebration of the Defeat of Jesse James Days’ 75th Anniversary, event organizer Tim Freeland has made some changes to the way things are usually done.
Freeland said the same antique cast-iron horseshoe has been used for the hunt since it began in 1997. This year, however, a special horseshoe has been prepared in order for the person who finds it to be able to keep it.
“This one’s a keeper trophy,” he said.
The other major change is the prize money. In honor of the 75th Anniversary, the finder of the horseshoe will win $2075.
In order to qualify for the full prize money, hunters must buy an official DJJD button, and then register it on the celebration website at djjd.org. If the horseshoe is found by someone without a registered button, they will receive $1075.
“Registration is through the roof,” Freeland said. “You’ll have some competition out there.”
The rules are relatively simple, but Freeland stressed that hunters must read the rules and regulations in the name of safety. The horseshoe is somewhere in either Northfield or Dundas, on public property. He reminded people that the Northfield School District, St. Olaf College and Carleton College are all on private property, and asked that hunters please not look there. Also, there is no digging necessary to find the horseshoe, and in some cases digging can result in disqualification. Hunters will not need a ladder, either.
“I’m not going to put it where you need to climb. There are no ladders allowed. You aren’t going to have to get up into a tree. You aren’t going to dig. That means it will be somewhere between the ground and about head level. So, there’s a hint.”
The hunt was developed to be something very specific for the people of Northfield and for those who tend to leave town during the celebration. Over the years, it has gained popularity with treasure hunters across the region, and Freeland said he is always surprised when locals tell him they do not search for the horseshoe because they don’t know Northfield history very well. While a certain amount of skill might be necessary to find it in the first few days, he said things get easier as the days progress.
“There are six clues. If we get to 4, 5 or the last one, 6, be outside. Be where you think it is at 7am. And when you hear it read on the air, or when it hits the websites, and there is that fresh information, you and your crew are already out there. Often times, it just comes down to luck.”
A daily clue to the horseshoe’s location will be shared with the community every morning at 7:00. The clue can be found at kymnradio.net, as well as the KYMN Facebook page, the Northfield News website, and on djjd.org. Jeff Johnson of the KYMN Morning Show will read the clue as well. Whoever finds the horseshoe must immediately call Tim Freeland at 507-581-5038 to verify.
The clues will be revealed every day through Labor Day or until the horseshoe is found.
Youth on Boards program trains Northfield’s young people for future board participation
As a new school year is approaching, the Northfield Youth on Boards program is once again moving forward, giving local youth a valuable view of what it is like, and what it means to serve on a board and contribute to the community.
Meleah Follen, the Youth Engagement Director with Healthy Community Initiative, which sponsors and supports the Youth on Boards program, said one of the fundamental positions that HCI takes is to help improve the support and experience that youth have throughout the community. And one of the best ways to do that, she said, is to get them involved in the process.
So, during any given year, from July through June, there can be as many as 95 Northfield Youth sitting on a non-profit board, or one of the City of Northfield’s boards or commissions. That can include the Mayor’s Youth Council, which works with the Mayor and the City Council of Northfield to identify issues important to Northfield young people, and the District Youth Council, which gathers and provides youth input to the Northfield Public Schools and Northfield School Board
Board placement happens in the spring and by July the young people who have been accepted know upon which board they will serve. Follen said each participant goes through a group orientation where they learn the important role they will have in their community, the best ways to gather input from their peers and bring that back to the boards they are sitting on to amplify youth voice, and who will be there to support them throughout the year.
Follen said they are told from the beginning that they have a voice that needs to be heard.
“They can give input on where sidewalks should go, or where bike trails should go, from their perspective. As I tell them, as they’re going through their orientation, they see the world very differently than I do. They have a very different perspective. And for most of the people that are making decisions in the city, a youth perspective is going to be really different than theirs. What they see is so valuable.”
The program can serve as an excellent training ground. Follen said past participants of the program quite often come back to Northfield and serve as full members of boards as adults. Two past participants, she said, currently sit on the board of the Youthprise Foundation in Minneapolis, one as co-chair.
For more information on the Youth on Boards program, visit healthycommunityinitiative.org.
Dogs get one more afternoon at Old Memorial Pool
One of Northfield’s most enjoyable events that is not connected with the Defeat of Jesse James Days will wrap up tomorrow, with the second of two Dog Swims at the Old Memorial Pool.
Dogs of all shapes and sizes will be allowed to swim in the pool and have some social time with other dogs tomorrow from 5-7pm. The pool is fenced in so all the dogs can be off leash while there. The kiddy pool will be available for puppies and small dogs as well.
All dogs must be current on all vaccinations for Bordetella (kennel cough), Distemper and Rabies. Humans will not be allowed in the water. In the event that the pool becomes too crowded, staff will regulate the number of dogs allowed swimming at one time.
The cost is $5 per dog.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
