West metro town briefs: Brase, others to speak to Republican seniors on Sept. 2

Twila Brase, president and co-founder of Citizens' Council for Health Freedom, will be the featured speaker at the Republican Seniors of Minnesota luncheon meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Also appearing will be Janet Beihoffer, who represents Minnesota on the Republican National Committee, as well as several political candidates.

The Republican Seniors of Minnesota meet on the first Tuesday of each month, starting at 10 a.m., at Poor Richard's Commonhouse, 8301 Normandale Blvd.

To try to combat the spread of prescription-painkiller and heroin abuse, the Eden Prairie Police Department is offering free medication disposal bags for residents to dispose of unused medications.

The new program, sponsored by the Eden Prairie Crime Prevention Fund, will have medication disposal bags available for pickup from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the police department, 8080 Mitchell Road.

The program was started because of the dramatic increase in heroin use in the Twin Cities over the past few years.

People who become heroin addicts often start by taking prescribed painkillers.

Golden Valley Lutheran Church will hold its third annual block party from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14.

The free event is the church's way of reaching out to local residents and the greater community with an afternoon of food, games, music, fellowship and fun.

Activities and prizes for all ages will include inflatables, carnival games, music, crafts, face painting, treat walk, three-legged races, American Bible Challenge games, bingo and free food and beverages.

The event will take place outside the church at 5501 Glenwood Av., and will include an open house in the church's newly expanded building.

The church is a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Join other volunteers from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove or during the same time period Saturday, Sept. 6, at Crow-Hassan Park Reserve in Rogers.

Volunteers will help park staffers collect hundreds of pounds of wildflower seed for prairie restoration and enhancement projects. Training and collection bags will be provided.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old or be accompanied by an adult. Groups are welcome, but each group must have at least one adult per eight youths.

This program is for ages 12 and over. A permission form is needed for participation by minors. To register, call 763-559-6706.

For more information, go to www.threeriversparks.org/events/Groups/prairie-seed-collection.aspx.

Saturday's 4 p.m. mass will be followed by a pork chop dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Music by the Wagon Wheelers will start at 6 p.m., and there will be a children's movie night.

Sunday masses will be held at 8 and 10:30 a.m., with Belgian waffles served at the church from 8 a.m. to noon.

The weekend will also include a silent auction of sports memorabilia and other items, a car raffle, a beanbag tournament, bingo, a food and beverage tent, and a pie-eating contest and many other things to do both days.

The church is at 607 Maple Av. in Waverly.

More information can be found at www.stmarys-waverly.net.