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To this year’s Outstanding Senior Citizens.

Congratulations to Albert Leans Joe LaFrance and Lioba Forman, who this year were recognized with the 2024 Outstanding Senior Citizen Award for their service to the community.
LaFrance has been instrumental in starting up a meal program at First Lutheran Church once a week that feeds 180 people. This started during the pandemic and has continued ever since.

We thank LaFrance for helping to fill this need, along with all others who assist.

Forman has helped fundraise for local charities for decades, collects eye glasses and other items to support the community as part of a local Lions Club and was even honored as the District Lion of the Year. She also volunteers and raises funds to send underprivileged girls to camp through the Tri-T organization and shops with them for new camp clothes.

She helps with foster care needs, providing a new backpack of supplies and clothes for children entering foster care, and also volunteers at the Senior Center and for meals at Senior Tower occasionally, among others.

We echo Forman’s remarks after receiving the award that encouraged people to volunteer in the community.

Find a cause you’re interested in, and dive in. You’ll be glad you did.

To this year’s inductees into the Freeborn County Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Congratulations to Hill’s Gardens and agriculture instructor Pam Koenen, who were inducted Wednesday into the Freeborn County Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Both have set great examples in the world of agriculture and are much-deserved recipients of this recognition.

Hill’s in the beginning was relied on for produce but now is relied on for plant, garden and landscape needs, as well as gift and decorative items.

Koenen has helped grow the agriculture program at Alden-Conger as an Ag instructor and FFA adviser and has made an unquestionable difference in the lives of her students.

For both of these inductees, we hope you know that your contributions have not gone unnoticed, and our community is better because of your efforts.

Congratulations on the recognition. Your influence will be felt for many years to come.