CEYLON — Today is the first of July. Summer started on June 21. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday. Some businesses are also closed on Monday, July 3, to give their employees a long weekend. Check on times before you go to some places of business.

For instance, the Lake Belt Bar and Grill will only be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and be closed Tuesday for July 4th.

Ceylon Area Historical Society Museum will be open from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, July 2. Check out all the interesting items in the museum from the town, school, area and legion. This is a very nicely organized museum. Thanks for opening on Sunday. Do you have visitors that would like to visit the museum this holiday weekend?

The congregation at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wilbert will have services at 10 a.m. this Sunday, July 2, and during the summer months until Labor Day instead of their usual 9:30 a.m. service time.

The WELCA ladies group at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Ceylon will meet 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 5, at the church. All members are urged to attend.

Condolences to the family of Sara (Thiesse) Zabel who passed away in June. She is a former area resident with relatives still in the area. Gone too soon. She will be missed.

Tuesday coffee hours in July will begin 8:30-10 a.m. July 11, at the Regional Worship Center in Sherburn, just south of I-90. Please note there will not be coffee hours on July 4. Join friends and neighbors for a cup of coffee, goodies and great fellowship.

Thursday Coffee Lovers group meets 8:30-10 a.m. each Thursday in the back room of the Lake Belt Bar and Grill in Ceylon. Area men and women are welcome to join them.

Upcoming events include:

* A special celebration for the retirement of Pastor Reimers will be held as a joint service with Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Ceylon at 10:30 a.m. July 16, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wilbert, with communion. Our Savior’s will not have a Saturday service that weekend. A light lunch will be scheduled for after the service. A program will be held at 1:30 p.m. with a hymn sing and speakers from friends and colleagues.

* An American Red Cross blood drive will be held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 21 at St. Paul’s UCC Church in Welcome. A blood drive will also be held 1-7 p.m. July 24 at St. Vianney in Fairmont. To make an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), go online

at www.redcrossblood.org or text BLOOD APP to 90999.

* The summer auction in Ceylon will be held July 22 and items of machinery may be brought in starting July 13. For more information, contact Howell Auctioneers.

* The Lake Belt Bar and Grill in Ceylon is planning some special days this summer like a 1st year celebration in July and a cornhole type tournament in August. For information, check out their Facebook page.