St. Anthony Historical Society tornado book release and annual meeting

The St. Anthony Village Historical Society will hold its annual meeting and a book release party, Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 am-noon, at St. Anthony City Hall, 3301 Silver Lake Road NE. The event is free and open to the public.

There will be a brief meeting and then a time of sharing memories of the F-3 tornado that struck St. Anthony on April 26, 1984. There will also be a signing for the society’s new book, “Hit the Deck and Pray, the 1984 St. Anthony Tornado,” by Gail D. Olson. The historical society commissioned the book, which is a collection of stories about those affected by the devastating tornado.

Olson, a freelance writer, has worked as a community newspaper reporter, advertising copywriter, playwright, and writing teacher. “Hit the Deck and Pray” is the fourth book she has written for the St. Anthony Village Historical Society. The book’s designer, Mary Henry, is an art educator, graphic designer, and photographer. “Hit the Deck and Pray” is the second book she has designed for the historical society, after the children’s book, “More Pigs than People”.