To people with a positive attitude in spite of the long winter.

It has been enjoyable to see people having fun in the snow on social media in the last few weeks as winter continues to drag on. Whether it has been Makenna Friehl of Albert Lea, whose video has been circulating of her sledding down the hill in a canoe, or the city of Albert Lea’s Facebook posts about missing the pool, these kind of posts are a bright spot in the monotony of storms our area has been facing recently. Hang in there. Spring is right around the corner!

 

To the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 16 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 447.

Thank you to the local DAV and VFW organizations that help loan out equipment such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, walkers, lift chairs, canes and crutches to people in need.

The equipment is held in two storage units off of South Broadway Avenue throughout the year and is given out as needed to people who contact veteran Larry Weigel. We appreciate Weigel’s dedication to this effort, along with all others who assist. This type of equipment is often quite expensive, so this gesture is a huge help to many people in the community.

 

To Shopko’s optical services remaining in Albert Lea.

Though the Albert Lea Shopko will close its doors in May, we are pleased to hear the company’s optical center will stay open in Albert Lea in a new location.

The optical center will move to the strip mall near Walmart off of Leland Drive and is slated to open April 29.

Many people utilize these services, so we are grateful they will be sticking around.

 

To school bus drivers.

We have thanked many people in recent weeks who work in unfavorable conditions at this time of year, and we can’t forget to thank school bus drivers, who often face less-than-preferred conditions as they transport our area’s students to and from school. For a job that requires much responsibility, it often goes unthanked.

We thank the drivers who are dedicated to their jobs, and we encourage you take a few extra minutes Wednesday to thank the drivers you see on School Bus Driver Appreciation Day across Minnesota.