Apple Festival, Stagecoach Days, has it been eleven years already?

One of my favorite celebrations is taking place this weekend. Almelund is celebrating their 19th annual Apple Festival. I love this festival for so many reasons. Obviously fresh, perfect apples can be purchased and taken home (or in our case eaten in the car on the way home). There are wonderful treats made with apples including my favorite fresh apple turnovers. There are other really neat things to take in besides eating. For instance, there is the old school house museum with restored log cabins you can tour. There is an organ grinder, and a movie shown in the old barn. You can even take a ride on a Model T around Almelund. There is arts and crafts booths where you can find some really neat goods. I know one of the complaints has always been that the festival takes place during a Viking game. But honestly, the crowds are always great and the weather is usually spectacular. The festival is this Sunday and runs from 11:00 to 4 PM and is located in Downtown Almelund.

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This weekend Wyoming is having their annual Stagecoach Days celebration. On Friday night in Goodview Park there is a community movie in the park. The movie is “The Lorax” and it begins at dusk. On Saturday, there is a 1/2 marathon, a 5K run/walk, a pancake breakfast and a custom car and motorcycle show. There are inflatables for the kids as well as mini golf and train rides. There is live music and yes, even a booya. I love booya. On Saturday night, head back to Goodview Park for a fireworks show. Stagecoach Days has been growing in popularity each year, and this year is packed with more events and more fun than ever before.

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As I write this, my calendar says 9/11. Can you believe it has been 11 years since the day that forever changed the United States? I (like you I am sure) remember it like it was yesterday. I remember first hearing about it on a local radio station. I remember telling my boss at the time about it and him laughing. I remember ultimately convincing him to take a long lunch early so we could go to a cafe and watch it unfold on televion. The cafe was silent. Not a person was talking, no food was being cooked, no coffee being poured. I also rember a newscaster for some reason compared the event to the Viet Nam war. My boss was a Viet Nam Vet, and was so furious hearing that, that he made us go back to work. I like many of you made a phone call to my wife. Something inside just made me want to reach out and connect. That day was surreal. I was wiring a roof top air conditioning unit on the roof of a building in Minneapolis and can vividly remember looking around at a totally empty sky. I am sure each and every one of you have your own stories about that day. I remember always wondering why there was such a big fuss over where were you when JFK was shot. I totally get it now. I hope and pray our kids do not have one of those moments.

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So we are neck deep in road construction here in Lindstrom. Everywhere you look, there are big trucks hauling and excavators digging. I have spoken to many, many people recently about the construction. The overwhelming majority is very negative about the whole project. I certainly feel for the businesses, heck I am one. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder, what good can possibly come out of being negative? I am not trying to be pious here or even deep for that matter. I just have reached a point in my life where I accept what has been given to me and try to make the best out of it. Believe me, I know the businesses are asking how do we make something good out of having no customers? Not an easy answer by any means. But I do know that being negative publicly doesn’t help either. I have faith. Faith the community will help our businesses and keep them here for many years to come. Faith that our leaders have made the right decision and this road will be a good thing (eventually). It is time to put our noses to the grindstone and dig deep to help one another. I love Lindstrom. I know alot of other people do as well. It’s time now to show it.

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This is going to sound ridiculous, so please bear with me. Ever since my Dad passed away I have always (always) carried with me a small metal figurine that was my Dad’s. The statue is about 3 inches high and is St. Nicholas. No, not Santa, but the religous St. Nicholas. You know how sometimes you remember someone by seeing something that reminds you of them? Well that little statue was my daily reminder of how much my dad meant in my life. It was always in my pocket, and when I would dig for change or my keys, my hand would touch the statue immediately reminding me of my dad. Well one day, while I was coaching my baseball team, a player noticed the statue and inquired about it. Other players overheard and thought it was pretty neat. Being a somewhat superstitious team, we decided to let the kids who were waiting to bat hold the statue for good luck. If I ever forgot to hand it to the first batter, the team would let me know. It became part of our team and our ritual. Well as it turns out, our last game was in Center City at Moody Field by the cemetery. We played a hard fought game but ended losing in the sixth inning. Afterwards, with all of the end of the season emotion and commotion, the statue was mistakenly left at the field. I realized it that night and drove to the field the next day. It was gone. Two other sets of players and their moms even went to look for the statue. So, to make a long story even longer, I have a request. If you or maybe your child came home with a shiny statue of St. Nicholas, could you please return it? It would mean the world to me (and our team).