Ramsey Resident - 2009 - January/February

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~ Public Notice ~I.NN~OTA : Master ~aturalist Program ~ Coming to Ramsey M<>iER.. .. .. NATUI2.ALI6T If you enjoy learning about the natural world, sharing that knowl- edge with others, and supporting con- servation and parks; you may want to consider becoming a Minnesota Master Naturalist. Volunteer Master Naturalist's are a motivated group of fun and interesting people: teachers, retired professionals, nature guides, hunters, farmers, and...YOU! The Minnesota Master ~ Naturalist Volunteer Training Course consists of 40 hours of training in a variety of methods; lectures, power point presentations, hands-on ac- tivities, videos, and field trips that provide the participants with informa- tion on Minnesota's natural history. The course is designed to be a general overview of Minnesota's three eco- logical biomes. Business Spotlight This course will be offered in the evenings at Ramsey Municipal Center starting on February 6, 2008, and lasting 9 weeks. The University of Minnesota requires a fee for this course and scholarships are avail- able. For more information, please visit www.minnesotamasternaturalist. org or call Ramsey Parks Supervisor, Mark Riverblood at 763-433-9853. Ramsey Business Spotlight New to the Ramsey Resident is the Ramsey Business Spotlight. This is an opportunity for the Ramsey Economic Development Authority and the City Council to recognize the unique accomplishments and success of businesses in Ramsey. Be sure to check out this new section of the newsletter in each edition! This editions' spotlight is on Wells Catering. Bob and Opal Wells founded Wells Catering in 1975 and were the only original employees. As the company started to draw more business, Bob and Opal's son George Wells, and his long-time friend Mike Auspos, became increasingly involved in its operation and expan- sion. Seven years ago, George and Mil(e decided to mal(e Wells Catering Service their full-time career. Their first major investment was a move to Ramsey's Sunfish Commons complex where a larger l(itchen allowed them to more efficiently prepare food and serve a greater number of customers. After five years the Sunfish Commons location, the business began to outgrow the kitchen and the owners started to think about further expansion. As Mike and George lool(ed for a larger space, they real- ized that they could better serve their customers by providing an elegant event center. This led to the pur- chase, refurbishing and transforma- tion of JR's Entertainment Center into the current home of Wells Catering Service, which now comfortably accommodates 250 people. With a larger l(itchen and a staff of 25, Wells Catering now serves an average of 300 corporate lunches throughout the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Mon- day through Friday. Every Saturday, their staff serves three wedding par- ties and creates memorable meals for various other events. Wells Catering Service has increased its business volume which has enabled it to contribute to organi- zations in and around Ramsey. The event center hosts the weekly meet- ings of the Ramsey Rotary Club, the Ramsey Lions Club and the Ramsey Networl(ing Club. Wells Cater- ing Service has donated meals to Ramsey's Habitat for Humanity, the Taste of Elk River, the Taste of Ano- ka, the Taste of Blaine, the Ramsey Fire Department's Safety Camp, the Abused Women's Shelter of Min- neapolis, and provided Thanksgiving Dinner to the Anol(a County Food Shelf. Because of the business's tremendous community involvement, Wells catering received the Youth First Community of Promise Partner of Promise award in 2006 and the Ramsey Business of the Year award in 2007. Wells Catering Service is located at 6139 West Highway 10, Ramsey, MN 55303 and its website is: www.wellscatering.com. 8 www.ci.ramsey.mn.us