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Tomorrow we say goodbye to a good friend.  This is not an obituary, but rather Laurie Doughty is retiring.  Laurie has faithfully served the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber for years and has served with three different executive directors.  I have had the pleasure of knowing Laurie for years and years and there is not a nicer person around.  She and her boyfriend Dan are moving closer to family up in the Pequot Lakes Area.  They are super excited to start this next chapter in their lives which makes saying goodbye a little easier.

Good luck to Laurie and Dan and thank you for all you have done for the Chamber and for the community. You will be missed.  If you would like to say goodbye, I know this is short notice, but there is a party planned (social distant) for Friday, March 19 all day at the Chamber Office here in Lindstrom.

March is Foodshare Month.  For a short time you can double your impact and fight hunger.  All this week you can double your donation thanks to Allina Health Cambridge Medical Center. As part of their commitment to our community, they will be matching gifts up to $2500 through March 21.  Let’s get out and ake a donation to our local food shelf.  It’s so easy to do and what costs us just a little bit means so much to those in need.  Chisago City Family Pathways food shelf is located at 10586 Liberty Lane.  You can call them at 651-257-1308.  Family Pathways main office is at 6413 Oak St. North Branch, MN 55056 to send a donation. Thanks for giving.

As we get closer to spring and warm weather is finally creeping in, the pandemic numbers will decrease much like they did last summer.  This time we will have the help of a vaccine to press down the numbers as more and more Minnesotans get vaccinated.  

Think what you will about the vaccine, but when you log into the state updates daily, you can’t argue something is working here.  Especially when you see the COVID numbers in the retirement community and how they have plummeted.   This has been one awful journey we have all taken over the last year.  I as all of you are ready for change.  

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