Polka Fest!

Saturday evening my internship committee hosted a Polka Fest fundraiser to help cover my stipend and expenses for the year. A very well-known local polka band provided music: Ray Sands and the Polka Dots have toured internationally and have appeared on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion radio show.





Several other amazing musicians also shared their talent, including a children's choir with representation from the eight congregations I serve.

Sadly, I didn't get to learn to polka, but I did dance a waltz (or tried to, anyway) with a lovely gentleman named Ralph. With a five- or six-week Sunday morning rotation, I haven't made it to all of my churches yet, so it was a delight to meet more people from the various congregations.

As an added bonus, my parents and my grandma came to join in the festivities! My parents were in Minnesota for the unfortunate purpose of attending two funerals this weekend, so they were close enough to come hang out for a couple hours. It was quite a treat, since I no longer have the luxury of visiting them regularly.

We had some very talented dancers in our midst! (I wasn't really trying to be artistic with this photo. I just don't like using easily identifiable pictures of people without their permission, so my options were limited. But it looks kind-of cool with the sunset, no?)





We all enjoyed the crisp fall day, along with brats, root beer floats, and other goodies.





Even Sami got to enjoy the fun indirectly. Whatever smells I brought home on my coat (brats would be my guess), she was a fan. She settled right in for the night.