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Can I get you a cup of coffee? |
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I often think I should be more profound in my column each week, but then I kind of like this opportunity to have a chat with you folks as if we were sitting at the kitchen table. And from what I hear, you like that too.
I’m betting that our favorite subject this week would be the weather. We finally have spring and it feels so good to go outside without the heavy jacket. Don’t you agree? I see that some of you, over the weekend, even moved on to summer attire. I’m not sure we’re ready for tank tops and shorts, but if that’s what makes you feel good, go for it.
One of the things I wanted to remind the young ladies of North Branch about is the upcoming Midsummer pageant. It will be changed this year - the 50th year of the event - to an ambassador program. In the past the community has chosen a queen and two princesses to represent them. Basically, in the new program, all three girls will share the same status, beautifully and wonderfully representing our town throughout the state at many different events. Midsummer will be June 17 - 22 this year. If you would like to be a young woman representing our community, you can still register by attending a meeting tonight, April 23, at Legion Hall at 7 p.m.
Did you see the story about the donation of an ambulance to the Harris Fire Department? I talked with Lakes Region EMS director Aarron Reinert about that recently. He said because the ambulance service gets new vehicles on a regular bases, they offer the old ones to local law enforcement or fire departments. The vehicles are about four years old and usually have 200,000 plus miles. Trade-in value is small, but the vehicles are still very usable, as EMS has maintained them up to the day they give them away. He said rather than trade them in for a few thousand dollars, they find these vehicles are worth far more to other agencies. Last year EMS donated one to the Chisago County Sheriff’s Department which is now being used for the SWAT program. This year, the Harris First Responders asked for the vehicle. New, an ambulance costs $120,000-$140,000, Reinert said. Donating them helps keep up their mission to the community, he added.
Now I have to be a grandma. Saturday I went to the first birthday party of my only granddaughter. As I have with the births of many of my grandchildren, one year ago I told you about the entrance of this pretty little girl on a pretty April day.
Now, she’s a lively toddler, running, climbing, mastering eating with great dexterity. And, like one-year-olds everywhere, she was given the opportunity to really enjoy her birthday, including some watermelon. And so, because I’m a dutiful grandmother, I thought I’d share a photo of that moment. And of course, she’ll thank me for it one day, right?
Finally, I’d like to say goodbye to our sports reporter Steve Morris. He’s been the Generation Y component of our office staff, the connection to the younger community and a reminder of how we all once had dreams and aspirations. I wish him luck as he moves into another aspect of journalism. I hope he’ll always remember his time with us here at the ECM Post Review.
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