WELCOME — There will be a fundraiser for the Welcome Summer Festival from 5:30-7:30 p.m. tonight at the Welcome Legion Hall. The menu will include smoked pork chops, baked potato, green bean casserole, and a dinner roll. The cost will be a free will donation with a $12 minimum suggested. Proceeds will help defray expenses for the Welcome Summer Festival which will be held July 15-17, 2022. If anyone is unable to attend but would like to donate, please mail donations to Box 402, Welcome, MN 56181. Sounds like good food and a great cause.

Condolences to the families of Welcome area residents, Leone Peterson and Maryann Philipp, who passed away. They will be missed.

There will be a silent auction/spaghetti supper benefit for the McDonald family who lost their home in Welcome to a fire on Feb. 5, at MCW High School in Sherburn. Bidding will begin at 3 p.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. Winning bidders need not be present to win. The spaghetti supper begins at 4:30 p.m.

Because of the pandemic there has been a lowering of blood donations across the country. There are Red Cross blood drives scheduled for February in the area. I would suggest making an appointment early since some of the drives fill up and no walk-ins are allowed due to pandemic protocols. For more information and to locate a blood drive in the area and at a time you can donate, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), go online to www.redcrossblood.org or text BLOODAPP to 90999. Planned sites are Feb. 15-17 in Fairmont, Feb. 21 in Trimont, and Feb. 28 in Welcome.