The Olympics

On August 3^rd, as I was walking on the treadmill at Anytime Fitness, I had the privilege of watching the qualifying rounds for the women’s 100 meter sprint.  For the first time, a young woman from Qatar raced for her country.  Though she was injured in the race and was heartbroken, her appearance at the games is a victory.

Three countries sent women to the Olympics for the very first time this year: Saudi Arabia, Brunei, and Qatar.  For the first time, every country at the Olympics has at least one woman on their team.  During the qualifiers this morning, I saw a woman race from Libya and one from Afghanistan, in long pants, long sleeves, and a headscarf colored like the Afghani flag to protect her modesty.  I was humbled and amazed by the courage of these women, competing in an area that is traditionally reserved for the men of their country.  Even if they don’t win any medals, they are pioneers and represent the true spirit of the Olympic Games.

By the time I turn this article in to the paper to be published, the Olympics will still be going.  I’ve tried to keep track of the athletes and coaches that went to compete in the games from the state of Minnesota.  The following is a list of our representatives and the medals that have been won so far:

·         Seimone Augustus, 28, women’s basketball  (Gold Medal Game 8/11)

·         Lindsey Berg, 32, women’s volleyball  (Gold Medal Match 8/11)

·         Ali Bernard, 26, women’s wrestling – 72-kg freestyle (Did not qualify)

·         Chas Betts, 26, men’s wrestling – 84-kg Greco-Roman (Did not compete in finals)

·         Rachel Bootsma, 18, women’s swimming – 100-meter backstroke GOLD

·         Kelci Bryant, 23, women’s diving – 3-meter synchronized SILVER

·         Kara Goucher, 34, women’s track and field – marathon (11^th place)

·         Megan Kalmoe, 28, women’s rowing – quadruple sculls BRONZE

·         Kevin Love, 23, men’s basketball (Semi-final 8/10)

·         Hugh McCutcheon, 42, women’s volleyball head coach

·         Maya Moore, 23, women’s basketball (Gold Medal Game 8/11)

·         Susie Scanlan, 21, women’s fencing – individual epee BRONZE

·         Alise Post, 21, women’s cycling – BMX (Semi-finals 8/10)

·         Amanda Smock, 29, women’s track and field – triple jump (Did not compete in finals)

·         Roberto Sobalvarro, 54, women’s fencing – head coach

·         Brittany Viola, 25, women’s diving – 10-meter platform (Ranked 15 in Preliminary)

·         Lindsay Whalen, 30, women’s basketball  (Gold Medal Game 8/11)

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be taking its summer break until September.  The date of the meeting will be included in future articles.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the book club, give us a call and we can sign you up!  Everyone is welcome and they have a great time!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.