CREST adapting

To the Editor:

In the midst of our fast-changing world, CREST has found the basic needs of our aging and caregiver populations have not changed but are intensified. Isolation is the culprit that has given CREST an opportunity to modify our services to better meet the challenge.

Services formerly provided through caregiver support groups or classes to learn about preventing falls are now handled through one-on-one telephone conversations. Even though our CREST volunteers are unable to enter homes to assist with light housekeeping, they are still active. Friendly visiting in the home with lonely seniors also has turned into telephone calls by volunteers to check in and provide a new form of support.

With the loosening of shelter-at-home guidelines, CREST volunteers are again expanding transportation, ranging from medical appointments to the ever-popular beauty shop appointments and grocery shopping trips. The future for CREST volunteers and participants is still hazy, but we know the basic needs will remain.

With the new adaptations in place, CREST is ready to welcome new caregivers to our support groups, seniors to our Live in Home services, and volunteers to help with these opportunities. Our office is now open and located at 820 Winnebago Ave. in Fairmont, or you can call us at (507) 235-3833.

Rob Stauter,

CREST director

Fairmont

Hagedorn serves all of us

To the Editor:

That was a slick example of dirty politics by Dan Woodring of Wells and the 16 other DFL friends and neighbors in the letter to the editor of July 7 entitled “We are your neighbors.” Calling our congressman, Jim Hagedorn, a smearer when the only smearing going on was from you is a great example of deceit that the DFL Party dispenses regularly while acting like sweet little angels. The voting public of the First District is much smarter than that and surely sees through your campaign advertisement for Dan Feehan.

I know Jim Hagedorn. He is a kind, caring gentleman who does not care what party you belong to if you are his constituent in southern Minnesota. Republican, DFL, or any party or no party, if you want what is best for the people of this area, he is ready to work with you. He has at no time cast negative comments about his DFL neighbors in the First District for any reason. It is just not in his nature to do that.

His comments on Facebook were about the rioting, looting and arson that is still tearing our nation apart, and was destroying the beautiful Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul at the time of the writing. The reference to Black Lives Matter is that they obviously could care less about our black neighbors, and that the group, and I would include ANTIFA in there, are little better than anarchists and insurrectionists. Peaceful protesting is one thing, but when you cross that line and harm people and property, then that is terrible for all Minnesotans.

Sadly, it is clear that the state DFL Party supports these hate groups, and especially in the persons of Gov. Walz, AG Ellison, Fifth District Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and the mayor of St Paul. They allowed five nights of criminal mayhem to occur before they reluctantly stopped it, after President Trump threatened to take action. Dan Feehan takes special pride in that the above DFL politicians support him — does he want that in the First District?

Congressman Hagedorn knows that the people of southern Minnesota do not want that to come here, and especially in this district’s bigger cities such as Mankato and Rochester. He stands against this insane violence that harms his neighbors of the DFL and all his neighbors, as he clearly states in his Facebook post, and is doing his duty as your representative when he publicly says so.

If Jim’s DFL or independent neighbors are perplexed and wondering why the DFL Party, and those running for office under its banner (i.e. Dan Feehan), seems to want this to continue to occur and don’t feel truly represented, then he would welcome that you crossed over for the immediate future and allowed him to continue to represent their interests, until perhaps the DFL people wake up and realize the pain and suffering they are causing all of us

The Minnesota primary is Tuesday, Aug. 11, and the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Congressman Hagedorn, I believe, would love to represent all of us in the First District and reaches out his hand in friendship to the orphans of the DFL Party, and those who have voted for them in the past and are wondering why they are not being represented now.

Jack H. Hansen

Fairmont