In our community, and throughout the nation, local, state and federal government employees serve and protect us. Public servants deserve our appreciation daily, but Public Service Recognition Week, May 6-12, is a time set aside to honor our men and women in government. Public service is a calling to serve one’s fellow Americans and Public Service Recognition Week is a week for honoring those who followed that calling.

Our diverse workforce at the federal, state and local levels consists of highly talented individuals with a strong drive to improve the lives of the American people. They ensure a clean environment, safeguard the food we eat, protect our communities from violence, stabilize and grow the economy, come to our rescue after disasters and teach our children, to name a few ways public servants make our lives better.

The week is an excellent time to reflect on the hard work and dedication of our government workforce. Please join me in thanking our public servants for the important work they do for our community. Remember, they are there to serve you!

Personally I enjoyed serving the public as a University of Minnesota Extension educator in several southern Minnesota counties for 34 years and in Rice County for 10 years as their household and business hazardous waste coordinator and recycling educator. We always tried to do our best in delivering programs to improve the quality of life for our constituents because, of course, we were taxpayers too!

Roger Wilkowske

Faribault