Letter to the Editor, Posted: 7/19/05
TO THE EDITOR:
I am a part of the Almelund Threshing Company, an organization that puts on a show once a year. It takes a tremendous amount of planning and hard work. For the past three years we have been fortunate to have residents of the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility come to work at our show grounds. They are a part of a work program that allows them to go out and work under supervision as a part of their rehabilitation. The program is called Institution Community Work Crews. These guys help out many other nonprofit community projects, such as parks, restoration of historical sites. We are able to utilize this resource because of the Chisago County Historical Society and their involvement with our grounds. I wrote this last weekend when I came home from working at the grounds.
It was 98 degrees in the shade, 109 heat index. I didnít hear any complaints from the guys, they continued to work. It was suggested the story need to be shared:
A young man touched my life today. For this I am thankful. I am a better person because of the brief time we spent together. This young man is a resident of the correctional facility. He was intuitive, articulate, very sensitive, a joy with his ability to communicate and share feelings and thoughts. I asked him how he felt about being at Almelund. His reply was, ěI want to work worthy of the respect your people have given me. The sum total of everyoneís efforts is amazing.î I must commend any program in which he has been involved to bring him to where he is today. Aside from the programs and so called rehab, from somewhere deep inside this guy there is a great spirit that is going to inspire anyone with whom he comes in contact when he is released. I have to believe he has come a long way in his lifeís journey. I donít know his crime, nor do I want to know. I just know at this time he was able, in just a brief visit, to restore my beliefs in our correctional system and mostly in the human spirit to heal and ultimately inspire. I could see his supervisor, ěThe Bossî was very proud of him. It made my heart sing!
It seems as though this program of allowing these guys to be in contact with families, children, just normal people making their way and sacrificing a Saturday so that in a few weeks other families will be able to share and understand some our heritage, is a success. They are making an impact in our organization and we appreciate the hard work they do beyond words. To all of them we say, ěThank you.î
LaVonne Johnson
The Almelund
Threshing Show
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