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A huge thank you goes out to the organizers of the Apple Festival and Shafer Days.  Both the events were very well attended and the weekend weather was perfect.  

Shafer Days moved its date up this year and I think that made a huge difference. It was warm, beautiful and a great time to get out with your families.

Apple Fest is always a popular event and the fact that there was no afternoon Vikings game to clash with the event and you could tell. There were people everywhere. It was a great day to enjoy apples, sausage and of course apple turnovers.
Thanks to both evensts’  organizers, I know you don’t hear this much, but you ARE appreciated!

Last week Tony Buettner from the Blue Zone Project came to speak to a couple of people at the PAC. Okay, I am joking about the number, it was more like 450 or so.  Very impressive turnout for any event, much less a middle of the week event.  A blue zone is a concept used to identify a demographic geographic area of the world where people live measurably longer lives.  Sometimes people are living as much as 14 years longer than you and I.  Tony explained to the audience how they studied different cities with longevity and low mortality rates and incorporated that into a plan for participating towns and cities.  Buettner explained how they ave implemented their findings in some cities in the United States and to date the results have been astounding.  Life expectancies have grown, exercising has increased, smoking has decreased and the cities have added too many positive additions to list.  

Buettner was brought here through the ABC Committee and the response he received was overwhelmingly positive.  The hope is for Chisago Lakes to become a Blue Zone community.  I for one would love to see this come to fruition.   Please see the story on page 2 for a recap of the meeting.

Speaking of the community, there is a neat event taking place September 27.  There will be a ribbon cutting of another section of the Swedish Immigrant Regional Bike Trail.  The section opening is at the new Tern Avenue parking lot a couple blocks north of the sculpture park (you get to use the roundabout finally!).  The walk will celebrate the opening of the trail and also will cap off many of your 30 day “Walk  your city” challenge.  The ceremony and the walk begins at 5:30 p.m., Bring your walking shoes or bike.

I would like to personally thank each and every one of you who have donated your unwanted clothing to the homeless shelter.  It has been appreciated more than you and I could ever imagine.  There is a chance for us to shift our focus  more locally.  The good folks who run the Kids Outerwear Fair are in need of your coats, hats, mittens, scarves, boots and blankets that you no longer wear.  These items will be given away to very deserving families who otherwise would go without this winter.  Your donations can be dropped off at Lindstrom Trinity Lutheran Church or here at the Press. Thanks so much for your continued generosity.

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