■ Thursday, Feb. 2, is Groundhog Day. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks. If he doesn’t, winter will soon end.
■ The Annandale Improvement Club will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at Classic Hall Event Center, Annandale. After the business meeting, inspirational speaker Marge Lundeen will discuss "What I Want to be When I Grow Up." The RSVP period is past.
■ The Marketplace, Annandale, will host registered dietician Julie Starke, Thursday, Feb. 2, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for an interactive grocery store tour designed to introduce the basics of making healthier choices. Learn how to read nutrition fact panels, ingredient lists and label icons. Call 763-684-7025 to register.
■ The Central Minnesota Wellness Expo will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. The expo will feature local experts exhibiting and speaking on a variety of topics including health, fitness, financial well-being, and incorporating wellness into your overall life. The Red Cross will have a blood-mobile on site.
■ Maple Lake’s third annual Arctic Plunge Costume Contest will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Maple Lake. For more information or to sign up, call Shannon Veches at 763-286-9945 or see the ad on 2B.
■ The 24th annual Kingston Lions Fishing Contest has been canceled Saturday, Feb. 4, because of unsafe ice conditions. Instead, the Kingston Lions Club is planning to have drawings for the fishing contest prizes at the Kingston Community Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
■ The Annandale History Club will meet at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, at the Senior Dining Site in Annandale City Hall. The speaker will be Aloys Olson, who will tell of her experience on Antiques Roadshow. All are welcome.
■ Precinct caucuses will be held the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 7, in Minnesota. See next week’s Advocate for more on the caucuses. See the story on page 1A.
■ American Legion Post 131 will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb 7, at the post in Maple Lake. The auxiliary meets at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb, 16, and the Sons of Legion members group meets at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9. New members are welcome.
■ The Annandale Christian Women’s Club will meet Thursday, Feb. 9, at 9:30 a.m. at Reichel’s Event Center, Annandale. Gayle Gilbertson of Aitkin, will speak on "Finding Balance in your Life." The Wright Ringers are returning to provide bell music. For reservations, call Sheree at 320-963-6625 or email bruce.skr.74@charter.net.
■ The Annandale Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Chamber Social beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at Reichel’s Event Center in Annandale. All chamber and prospective chamber members are welcome. There is no charge. For more information call Dan Zahler, 274-8800 or Mike Zieska, 274-8283.
■ A preschool open house for the 2012-13 school year will be held Thursday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., at the Annandale Community Education Center. See the ad on page 10A.
■ The 24th annual St. Cloud Sportmen’s Show will be held Friday to Sunday, Feb. 10, 11, 12, at the St. Cloud Civic Center. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Go to www.stcoudsportshow.com for more information.
■ The Annandale Conservation Club’s Youth Fishing Contest for youngsters age 15 and under will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, off the south access to Pleasant Lake. Prizes will be awarded. Registration begins at 10 a.m. See the brief in this issue.
■ The 29th annual South Haven Sportsman’s Club Fishing Contest will be held Saturday, Feb. 11, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the Lake Francis Public Beach. Proceeds will go to local conservation projects, prizes will be awarded.
■ The Serra Club of Wright County is having a fundraiser chow mein dinner on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Gathering Space in the new St. Michael Catholic Church, 11300 Frankfort Parkway NE., St. Michael. Serving will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the door. Money raised will be used to support and promote vocations.
■ Lake Maria State Park, Minnesota Wolkssport Association and the Friends of Lake Maria will hold a Valentine’s Day Candlelight Snowshoe-Walk Saturday, Feb. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the park. A limited number of snowshoes will be available. Call the park at 763-878-2325 for more information.
■ The Annandale All-Night Graduation Party organization will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at Annandale City Hall. Help provide a memorable, safe and worry-free night for Annandale High School seniors on graduation night. Open to parents of high school students. The group meets the second Monday of the month. Contact Laurie Knudson, senior chair, at 612-308-8749 or laurie.knudson@gmail.com.
■ Tuesday, Feb. 14, is Valentine’s Day. See next week’s Advocate for more on the day.
■ The Adoption Support Group will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the Monticello Community Center. All adoptive and prospective adoptive parents from Wright and Sherburne counties are welcome. Child care is available. For more information, call 763-241-2602 or 763-684-2318.
■ The Wright County Lyme Support Group will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, in the Maple Room of Annandale Evangelical Free Church, located on Highway 55 East. The group meets the second Tuesday of the month. For more information, call pastor Art Stenberg, 763-682-3868.
■ The Wellness on Wheels van will be at the Marketplace in Annandale from 2 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb 16. The Wright County Human Services van provides a number of health services and screenings at no or reduced costs, including immunizations. For more information or an appointment, call 1-800-362-3667, ext. 7717. The van will be at the Marketplace in Cokato on Thursday, Feb. 23. It will be at Roger’s BP station in Maple Lake on Tuesday, Feb. 28. It’s at the Clearwater Coborn’s on Monday, Feb. 6. The van does not go out in poor weather conditions.
■ The Maple Lake Community Theater will perform Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland beginning Friday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Maple Lake High School Auditorium. For more performance times and ticket information see the ad on 3B.
■ The next Fare For All food distribution will be from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Annandale City Hall. Volunteers may help from 9 a.m. to noon. Fare For All is a monthly program that provides groceries to anyone for a reduced price. For more information contact Sandy Holthaus at 236-5604.
■ Monday, Feb. 20, is Presidents Day. There is no school in the Annandale district and some government agencies and businesses are closed.
List your community event in this Update. Fax it to 274-2301 or e-mail it to news@annandaleadvocate.com.