Allan and Edna Baer
The family of Allan and Edna Baer has generously contributed to the Lake Park-Audubon Dollars for Scholars program by establishing an Endowed Scholarship through West Central Initiative in their parents' name. This year a $2500 scholarship will be awarded to a member of the Lake Park Audubon Class of 2015.
Allan and Edna Baer were first generation immigrants from Canada. In 1960 they landed on an abandoned farm in Lake Park, Minnesota, absolutely penniless. Allan borrowed $3000 from his brothers to start the farming operation. With 13 children, and one on the way, times were very lean those first years. From 1960-1965, Allan worked an assortment of jobs while the Baer children ran the farm, including hand milking 20 cows, before and after school. In 1965, with the help of Melvin Rogness and the State Bank of Lake Park, Allan and Edna started in the egg business with 12,000 laying hens. By the time they retired in 1983, Baers Poultry Ranch Inc. had 320,000 layers. Allan and Edna Baer were firm believers in the value of hard work and instilled a strong work ethic in all of their children. The business has expanded through the years, and today four of their children and 11 of their grandchildren operate a sprawling farming enterprise that Allan and Edna would be proud of.
Allan and Edna Baer also believed in the value of education. Although each only had an 8th grade education, Allan and Edna were adamant that all of their children would graduate from high school. From the early 60s through the 70s all of their children accomplished that goal and graduated, 10 of them from Lake Park High School: Ruth-1960, Miriam-1962, James-1963, Myrtle-infant death, Naomi-1965, Moses-1966, Mark-1967, Luke-1968, Zenas-1969, Amon-1971, Amos- 1972, Joel-1974, Jona-1975, Elam-1977, Eden-1978.
The Lake Park- Audubon Dollars for Scholars Chapter would like to thank the Baer family for this generous scholarship in honor of their parents.
