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If you happened to miss the Search last weekend, you missed our Kids camps section. Don't worry, we have included it in this edition of the Press. The section features four color pages filled with all kinds of different camps and summer entertainment for your kids. We have included some interesting stories to go along with these ads.

Summer camp has changed since I was a child. Maybe I should re-word that, the summer camp stigma has changed since I was young. Back then, if you were sent to summer camp, you basically were being punished. Maybe your parents needed a little alone time so off you went to spend a summer with strangers. Now it is completely different. There are so many camps offering so much fun for kids, it is more like a vacation than a punishment. There are very specific camps these days. There are horse camps, baseball camps, art camps, dance camps, basically anything your child has a passion for, they probably have a camp for it.

I hope you enjoy the camps section, we think it is a great supplement to our paper.

Thanks to all of our readers who have taken advantage of our early renewal offer so far. On page two (look left) you will find our coupon that will save you $1.50 off an already lower than retail price. All we ask is you fill out the form and send it in with your payment. This year you will notice we have added a line on the coupon. We are asking for our reader's email addresses. We are trying to build a database of our readers with the intention of starting something very innovative and beneficial to our readers. If you could please include your email as legibly as possible we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for reading.

We also have another great offer for our loyal readers. If you refer a new subscriber and they sign up for a year's subscription, we would like to offer you either St. Paul Saints tickets or tickets to ride the Osceola Train. Make sure that whomever you refer tells us who referred them.

Chisago-Isanti County Heartland Express has started a new inbound and outbound service and I think you might be interested. A few weeks ago the two counties agreed to implement extension routes that will take you to connecting stops to St. Paul. I know quite a few people that work in St. Paul and reside in our area, so I would urge you to look into this new route.

There are two pick-up spots where you can ride the bus, County Rd. 17 & 35W, St. Bridgets in Lindstrom. Heatland Express drops you off at stops where a coach bus then picks you up to go to St.Paul. You board the warm bus and relax as you pass other drivers who are stressed from driving in rush hour traffic. You can read the paper (preferably the County Press) drink your coffee or close your eyes. Sounds delightful doesn't it? The bus takes riders to downtown St. Paul and the best part?  How does $4 one-way sound? Compare that to a quarter tank of gas...easy decision. For more information you can call 763-689-8131 or email [email protected].

On Saturday, the North Branch Chamber of Commerce would like to invite you to their annual Community Connections Expo. Held at the North Branch High School, the expo features over 150 local businesses who would love nothing more that to explain how their business can help your business or home. There will be door prizes given away as well as free seminars on gardening. Bring the kids and try some of the interactive exhibits dedicated just for them. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free.

Deanna Alsaker and the good folks at Recycled Wardrobes are once again doing their prom dress event. I have written about this before, but it is worth mentioning again. From now until prom, all prom dresses are only $25. These are dresses that have been donated recently and are still trendy. You don't have to worry about a whole rack of puffy sleeve dresses that unfortunately were popular in 1987. I have seen some of the prom dresses and they are all in great shape. I don't have to go into the whole times are hard for everyone speech again, but at $25 a dress, this has made prom a possibility for a lot more girls. Recycled Wardrobes is located behind Plastic Products in Lindstrom and now on Main street in North Branch next to the barber shop.

Getting back to the kids camp section, did you notice that huge ad for the LEGO Expo in May? It is going to be held at the convention center in Minneapolis and is over 175,000 square feet of LEGO fun. If your family is like mine, you have at least one LEGO fanatic if not more. It just so happens that I have some tickets to the event, and I would like to offer them to you. If you are not a subscriber but have thought about subscribing, I would like to offer you two tickets to the LEGO Expo for subscribing. They are valued at $18 per ticket and supplies are limited. Just call us here at the Press at 651-257-5115 to subscribe and we will get you some LEGO tickets.

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