Valley City – Hello, the Thanksgiving Holiday certainly brought a taste of winter weather!  Unlike weather in some other areas of the country, when it warms a bit, we can be grateful most of our buildings are still in tact.

Remember the Barnes County Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign is underway.  The Barnes County Salvation Army provides avenues for needy folks to get back on their feet and become self sufficient.  Please give what you can, Blessings.  To “ring the bell”, please call 701-840-1357 or 701-541-1418.

Kicking off the Holiday Season Saturday evening, a Light Parade and the Veterans’ Park Lighting Ceremony were hosted by the Valley City Chamber of Commerce.  The temperature was pretty cool though the wind subsided making a nice “crisp” night for a larger than expected crowd.  Thank you to all who made units and participated in the parade.

Hats off to our city employees who do such a great job with holiday lighting, adding more lights here and there while tweaking some existing lights elsewhere.  Along with lights and decorations on Main, Central and 8th Avenue being spectacular, Veterans Park amazes me every year.  Light colors and unique placings in the park make a drive around looking at lights worth the trip.  Oh, there are “photo ops” all around Veteran’s Park and the sitting area south of City Hall.  Enjoy!

ONLY 3% of us donate blood while over 90% of us will need blood at some time!  Every 2-seconds someone in the United States needs blood.  YOU can make a difference; call 701- 845- 4257 or 877-258-4825 to donate December 16, noon to 6:00 or December 17, 8:00 to 12:30.

Thank you to all who provide and proof material for this column.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; It is the courage to continue that counts.”      ~ Bud grant

        Blessings, Pray, be Respectful and Grateful,

Dave Carlsrud