Rotary Club

Congratulations to the Rotary Club’s 31 members on their recognition as Paul Harris Fellows. The recognition acknowledges individuals who have contributed or have had someone make a contribution in their name of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. In this case, an anonymous donor had contributed $1,000 on behalf of every Rotarian in the district.

We agree with Jim Nelson of the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club, who said that an awful lot of good is done with the funding they receive. From helping with Habitat for Humanity building projects to volunteering at the Triathlon and helping Options pregnancy center, the club does so much. Their deep-seated love and respect for their community are clearly seen.

School board

The Fairmont School board took a close look this week at the district’s membership in the Minnesota State High School League. It seems the board had concerns about potential fee hikes, but our question is why?

Services provided by the MSHSL include scholarships for Triple-A winners, training for activities directors, administrative website assistance, and more. It’s not just beneficial for sports but for things like the math league and speech as well.

With all those benefits, last year’s fee of $4,624 still seems like a good deal. Even if the fee rises we don’t see the downside, considering all that the district gets in return.

Community Center

The Fairmont Area Community Center got a big boost this week, with the announcement of a $4.5 million pledge from the Rosen and Krahmer families in partnership with the Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont. That initial private funding will kick off a capital campaign for the construction and operation of the proposed community center.

We are grateful that a cooperative effort between the city and private donors was a viable option, and we appreciate all involved for their desire to better both Fairmont and Martin County.

Lakes Foundation

It was good to hear from Mike Katzenmeyer at the recent Fairmont City Council meeting this week. Katzenmeyer shared some of the history of the Foundation before diving into the importance of stewardship. Considering that Fairmont is billed as the City of Lakes, it only makes sense that we all do our part to promote their health and safety.