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Thank you so very much for attending the 2011 Relay For Life at the Threshing Grounds. This year's event raised over $93,000! I am having a hard time writing this because I am at a loss for words. The organizers did such a fabulous job in making such a moving event absolutely perfect. God bless all of those who took part, especially those who have been affected by cancer.

Another huge thank you to all the volunteers who helped with Sunday's triathlon. There were about 1,800 athletes that took part in the triathlon. There were also 261 kids that took part in the kids triathlon on Saturday.

Everywhere you looked, there were blue and yellow volunteer shirts. It was just awesome to see how excited they were, and believe me, the racers were very appreciative of all the volunteers.

The weather was picture perfect, with clouds in the morning and the sun breaking out during the run portion of the race. Normally, the weather is blistering from beginning to end, so this was a nice change.

I could not believe all the sizes and shapes of people participating in the race. Really makes you feel like a lazy bum when you see people gutting it out all day. Of course, the winner came as no surprise to anyone. David Thompson won again this year finishing the race in four hours flat. If you saw David cross the finish line, you would be blown away on how he doesn't even look tired. Congratulations to David and to all the local participants for a great day of racing.

Thanks also to Tangi and Lori from the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. These two have worked around the clock for weeks leading up to the triathlon and they deserve a big hand.

This weekend, grab the family and head out to Center City. Center City Days begins on Friday and runs through Sunday. What is happening at Center City Days you ask? On Friday there is an ice cream social at Central Bank during the day. At 5:30 p.m., you are invited to take in the kiddie parade which will begin at the Chisago Lake Lutheran Church. Immediately following the kiddie parade, you are invited to a community pot luck at Water Tower Park. You are encouraged to bring a pot of food to share with everyone. At 7 p.m. in the Center City Fire hall, there will be community Bingo and root beer floats.

Saturday there will be a craft fair in the Swedish Mall parking lot that begins at 9 a.m. There will be kids games from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well. The Porterhouse will once again be hosting their annual corn and burger feed. At noon, there will be a waterball competition pitting teams of firefighters against each other, at Marine Dock. Also at noon, you can play cribbage in a tournament at Al's Center Saloon.

There will be music all day and night on the stage between the fire hall and Porterhouse. Cloggers kick off the stage entertainment at noon. It all wraps up with Shirts and Skins taking the stage at 8 p.m.

Sunday, there is a pancake breakfast at the fire hall that begins at 7 a.m. and runs until noon. Finally, you will love looking at old and classic cars from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

We are nearing the end of the Harmony in the Park concert series. You only have three more chance to take in one of these great concerts. Your next chance will be next Wednesday. You are in luck, the Beatles tribute band will be playing and there is also a community corn feed prior to the concert. This is one of the most popular concerts of the summer. Hopefully we will see you out there.

Speaking about harmony in the Park, I have had a few calls regarding heat and the concerts. Some concerned readers have voiced their concern about pets and small children running around in the extreme heat. If we are having more of these high temps and you would like to take in a concert, maybe leaving Fido home in the air conditioning would be a better choice. If you plan on bringing your children (believe me, it is more than encouraged), please make sure to keep an eye on them. By that I mean, watch them to make sure they do not become heat exhausted and make sure they are drinking lots of water.

I am proud to say that Bob Porter, a Chisago Lakes historian who writes for the Press, is releasing his newest book. Bob's book titled "Ki-chi-saga and The Town of Chisago Lake" is now on sale and can be purchased at Gordy's Pharmacy in Center City, Chisago Drug in Chisago City, and the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce building in Lindstrom.

Bob is a terrific writer who is one of the best researchers in the state. Pick up a copy today.

Ki Chi Saga Days is just around the corner and that means it is time to register for events. Food/craft vendors, 5K runners, Little Miss entrants need to get their essays submitted, and garage sales are just a few events that you will need to register early for. Look for entry forms in this edition of the Press.

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