Imagine you are sitting in a wooded park on the shore of a picturesque lake. The strains of classical music - Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Verdi - performed by a world-class orchestra float to you on the mid-summer breeze.

Are you at Tanglewood Park outside of Boston?

Or maybe the Telluride Music Fest in the Rocky Mountains.

Nope.

You're in Staples and it's July, 1969.

The first undertaking of the newly formed Staples Fine Arts Council was a performance by the Minnesota Orchestra at Dower Lake Park on July 20, 1969.

Sally Gorton, one of the original council members, remembers asking one of the violinists how his fine instrument might be affected by being outdoors.

"I can adapt to it. Being here is a joy," he responded, Gorton remembers.

Gorton described the picnic served by the lake - turkeys barbecuing on spits, canoes filled with ice to keep salads and fruits cold. Ann Engberg, an instructor in the food preparation program at the technical college, organized the meal.

The council arranged for buses to pick up people at Staples Elementary School, the Mary Rondorf Home, the Senior Citizens Day Center and Lincoln Model School and bring them to the park. Police and fire department personnel directed traffic.

Gorton also remembered that the Jaycees sponsored a fireworks display across the lake accompanied by patriotic music by the orchestra.

"We went door-to-door selling tickets," Gorton said, adding that the group also went to area resorts with tickets. The price was $2 for an adult and 50 cents for a student.

The rates changed slightly for their second event. They added a $1 ticket for high school students for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in October that same year at the Staples High School Auditorium.

These two world-class performances were just the beginning for the fledgling group. The next few years saw the return of the Minnesota Orchestra and perfor- in the Round, Shakespeare in the Streets, Children's Theatre, St. Olaf Orchestra, St. John's Choir and many more individual performers and local talent shows.

Engberg organized diners with some of the events, a job later taken over by Bruce Hayenga.

The council also organized bus trips to arts events in the Twin Cities, such as the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and Children's Theatre.

Gorton grew up in Kansas City and was impressed by the arts activities.

"It endeared me to the community," she said. "To see all this happen in this itty bitty town was an absolute feat. Staples is a most remarkable little hamlet."

"Everybody worked so hard. It gave me a sense of community and a closeness to every one of those people who saw a solid need to see the arts come to our rural area. They did something about it," Gorton continued.

Why did it all start? What was the impetus for creating an arts council in Staples?

That story belongs to Dr. Duane Lund. He was superintendent of Staples Public Schools when he called the first organizational meeting.

"We were working hard to bring in new people to fill jobs," Lund said. "At that time, the problem was sometimes with the wives who thought Staples was too small with nothing for them to do."

"There were some good people we just didn't get. That was true of the school and other employers," he continued.

Looking back, Lund says with certainty that the economic development strategy worked. He thinks it helped a lot in bringing people to work and live in Staples.

Lund was the Staples Fine Arts Council's first president. Other officers were Mark Evans, vice president; Kris Sanda, secretary and Rev. William Butterfield.

Among those attending the first couple of meetings, according to secretary's minutes, were Bob Moon, Ed Perry, Russ Norberg, June Longbella, Marge Lelwica, Richard Hegre, Harry Peterson, Michael Blessing, Noel Stendahl, Alice Stendahl, Penny Lundgren, Bev Nelsen, JoAnn Easthouse, Kathryn Richardson, Virginia Hegre, Grace LeVasseur, Fran Reese, Gail Kress, Shirley Eddy, Richard Donat, Rev. Ray Ewing, Marion Stone, Vernon Drake, Peter Briant, Daisy Uhrich, Sally Gorton, JoAnn Bergsrud and Shorty Blessing.

By 1973 the group organized as its own non-profit corporation with the name Staples Arts Council. They continued to offer three to six events per year, but started to slow down a bit in the mid-1980s.

For a time it functioned with the school district as the Staples Motley CAPP (Comprehensive Arts Planning Program), a collaborative between the school and community.

A surge came in 1990 and 1991 as the group was instrumental in raising funds for the building of Centennial Auditorium.

"The auditorium wouldn't be here if the CAPP committee hadn't pushed hard," said Stan Carlson.

In addition to promoting the passage of a $1.2 million bond issue, the group raised over $300,000 in private funds for the performing arts theater. That amount eventually grew to over $350,000.

The Minnesota Opera's performance of "The Magic Flute" opened the new auditorium Sept. 26, 1991, followed by a variety of shows for adults and children.

By 2002 the school district's financial situation required that the relationship with CAPP be changed. Once again, an organization meeting was called, including CAPP and other area arts-related organizations.

The result was the renewal of the Staples Arts Council non-profit corporation, but with the new name of Staples Motley Area Arts Council. Gorton still serves on this newest incarnation.

"We've had set backs, but there's a spirit that comes to the surface," Gorton

said, referring both to the

council and the community. "We see obstacles as stepping

stones to make things better for our community."

"I do feel that we still have that core sense of values in this town that doesn't exist in other towns, the need to bring (the arts) to everybody, our friends and neighbors, to share a sense of pride and accomplishment," she continued.

The council is celebrating its 40th Anniversary with a local connection at the first concert in the 2009- 10 series.

Ruby Boots will perform Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Auditorium. The Schimpp sisters, Dawn, Andrea and Heather, backed by piano man Gary Timbs and other musicians will deliver an edgy blend of contemporary folk, country and gospel.

Tickets are available at Centennial Auditorium Box Office at 218-894-5416 or 800-213-6877.