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Over the last month or so, we have been soliciting the public for school donations.  The donations would be handed out (discreetly) to those among us who are in trying times and are struggling a little.  Well, I am proud to say that your contributions have successfully packed 100 backpacks with school supplies that will be handed out this week.  Unbelievable.  I love this place.  You never cease to amaze me with your generosity and caringness.  Do you realize how happy you have just made 100 students in the Chisago Lakes School district?  I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Thank you also to the great folks at Family Pathways in Chisago City for gathering, packing and dispersing the supplies.

Keeping on the subject of feeling good, I have another chance for you to do good in this world.  I recently joined a group of people who call themselves “A Brush with Kindness”.  I had the pleasure of working with them last year on a project in Chisago City.  They are a faith based Chisago County non-profit group that centers on helping those less fortunate fix up their homes.  

I have school aged children who keep us very busy, so when a group asks me to join, I usually politely decline.  But there is something about this group.  The volunteer work they do is honestly done out of love.  You can see the Lord at work in each and every one of them.  It is a priveledge to be part of the group.
So why am I telling you about a group that I am part of?  Because simply, we need you.  We have between six and nine jobs that we are taking on in September.  Our mission week runs September 20 - 27.  We are in need of volunteers.  If you would like to donate a day, a week, an hour, we would love to have you.  Until you try it, you will never know the satisfaction of helping your neighbor.  To see the gratitude and utter joy they exude is..well priceless.  
We are also looking for those of you who might have worked in the trades and would like to be a project manager for a project.  Maybe you were in the roofing industry, maybe you were a general contractor, we want you.  If your body is a little beat up from years of hard work, that is okay.  We would welcome your wisdom and direction.  Please give us a call to get involved at 651-361-0229 or visit www.ecmabwk.org.  Thank you.

Here at the Press, we have some wonderful specials to take advantage of right now.  You may have read my article a few weeks back about small businesses. We are changing the way we do things here. While we still value our regular advertisers and welcome any size advertiser, we are trying to actively reach out to smaller businesses.  The reason?  These businesses obviously have smaller budgets - thus in turn, they have less to spend on promoting their businesses.  Without promotion - a business has a tough row to hoe.  We want to help those businesses get their word out so they can grow their business.  If they grow their business, that means our area grows, which signifies progress.  Progress is good.  Please give us a call if you would like to advertise - because we certainly would like to help you.

Thank you for all the wonderful donations for the homeless shelter.  I just had some great people drop off seven giant bags of clothing from a friend who recently passed.  

Someone recently asked me why I take the time to collect and donate to the homeless. It got me thinking, I think I figured it out.  I can vividly remember living in Red Wing ay back in the 70’s.  As a family, we had no money.  We were not broke, but we definitely did not have money to spare.  We were content and happy.  Around Christmas every year, my mom would take her two boys shopping.  We would buy clothing, toys, and other presents.  My mom would then take us home, wrap the presents (with our help), and pack them in the car.  Then during the day, when people were at work, she would drive us around town and she would leave bags of presents on needy people’s door steps.  All on her dime.  Dang I miss her.  Pretty easy to see who was my role model.  Please keep your donations coming.  God bless.

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