History 21 The Podcast! - 4.16 The East Bethel Air Force Base

In 1957, East Bethel was incorporated in preparation for the construction of a new Air Force Base. This mini-history of the new village recounts the story — with all its twists and turns — of the almost-built base and the various events surrounding the establishment of East Bethel.

Host Rebecca Desens, ACHS Director, and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.

East Bethel Booster Club

In 1957, the former township of Bethel was incorporated as the Village of East Bethel to become the largest village in Anoka County and Minnesota. At almost 48 square miles, the new East Bethel contained 12 lakes, no set “Main Street” or business district, Hwy 65, and many plans and dreams for future growth. A small group of individuals who advocated for incorporation suddenly achieved their aim and needed a new mission. On June 10, 1957, the East Bethel Booster Club was born.

The history of the Booster Club is unbreakably tied to the ups and downs in the early years of the Village of East Bethel. Their influence in the city’s history is remembered each year at East Bethel Booster Days.

The History of East Bethel and its Booster Club can be booked as a program from ACHS.

Library Minute

As summer winds down, many turn their attention to going back to school. Regardless of your age, whether you are the student or the parent of a student, getting back into the school mindset can be daunting. Plus, summer barbecues and lazy days on the lake may have contributed to what’s called the “summer slide” – academic regression that takes place over the summer.

Ease the transition by brushing up on skills via the resource HelpNow, from Brainfuse. It can be accessed via internet browser, or you can download the app.

It offers robust educational support for virtually all ages. There’s even a section called “Summer Camp” designed to get learners back up to speed for the coming school year. The SkillSurfer feature also offers learners the ability to brush up on various subjects, including life skills such as financial planning.

Keep this resource in your back pocket throughout the school year, too. There are live online tutors available (en Español también) to help daily from 1pm-11pm.

For the college-bound student, HelpNow offers test prep for a variety of exams, and even offers FAFSA application tutors. There are also tools for exploring majors and careers based on an individual’s interests.

The Adult Learner section offers prep resources for High School Equivalency as well as US Citizenship tests. It also offers resources for learning more about Microsoft Office, writing resumes, and searching for jobs.

To find HelpNow on ACL’s website, click Research & Learn Online, then click on HelpNow in the alphabetical list of resources.