May was an excellent month for the OWLs. 23 of us Hooted our way to Norskedalen, where we were greeted with warm hospitality and a warm spring day. The Scandinavian lunch in Westby was a delicious delight. Our potluck the following week included the usual delicious lunch and a very interesting presentation by Paw’s for Independence.

Happy 5th anniversary! In June, OWLs will be 5 years old. Our first outing was in June 2012. In commemoration of our anniversary, we will repeat the wonderful evening we had on our very first outing. For those of you who remember, 5 years ago we gathered on the banks of the Mississippi River to listen to a wonderful concert by the La Crosse Concert Band. We didn’t yet understand that one of the best parts of our outings would be eating together. So with this band concert evening, we will include an excellent meal. We will re-enact our anniversary on Wednesday, June 14. We will meet at the church at 4:30pm and head for a favorite summer dining location, Huck Finns’ on the Water. They have a good selection of fish and other Wisconsin delights. After dinner and dessert, we will head to Riverfront Park for a concert by the La Crosse Concert Band. The theme for the night is “Circus Days” with many old favorites. Pack up the lawn chair and be prepared for an evening of great music. The concert is free and dinner is on your own. Since the restaurant likes a count ahead of time, please notify Brian Narveson at owls@firstlu.org or 608-526-9700 by Tuesday, June 13, if you plan to attend.

The June potluck will be one week later on Wednesday, June 21, at noon in the fellowship hall. Our speaker will be one of the rangers from the Bryce Prairie Wildlife Refuge. A unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System, it is comprised of a wetlands reserve spanning four states. Our speaker will tell us about the mission and location of the reserve, the many places we can enjoy the preserve and volunteer opportunities to help continue its success.

We look forward to seeing everyone in June!

The OWLs are a group at First that welcomes anyone, First Lutheran members or not, who are 55+. For information or to ask questions, contact Brian Narveson at owls@firstlu.org.