Viewpoint: No better time to plan for summer

Talk about it

It might seem a little strange to read about summer fun and strawberries on a cold December day in Cottage Grove, but believe it or not there is a whole group of volunteers dedicated to thinking about strawberries 365 days a year. The annual Cottage Grove Strawberry Festival will be here before we know it, which is why the Strawberry Fest Committee is hard at work planning and preparing to make the 2009 event the best we’ve ever had. Be sure to mark your calendars for the week of June 15 so you can share in the fun.  

Our 2008 event was a huge success. We are hoping to build on that success as we get things ready for 2009. The festival committee is broken up into subcommittees that handle everything from food vendors, live music, community stage events, the pet show and everything else you find when you bring your family to Kingston park for a day (or two) of fun. We also have a terrific partnership with our city staff, the Saint Paul Park/Newport Lions, who run the beer garden, many other nonprofit organizations, and numerous local businesses whose support is critical to the event. The subcommittee leaders are now looking to add volunteers who may want to help with a particular event or activity. 

In my view, volunteers and community organizers are one of the greatest assets any community has. We are extremely lucky to live in a city where so many people value community service and involvement. As president of the festival committee, I am in constant awe at the level of passion I see from our committee members when it comes to this event. I can’t thank them enough for all they do in sharing their spirit of community service with all of our Strawberry Festival visitors. 

If you would like to add your voice and talent to Strawberry Fest 2009, or know someone who would, please contact me via phone at (651) 459-6336 or via e-mail at jaymanoh@aol.com. You are also welcome to attend one of our committee meetings if you feel like “kicking the tires” a little before jumping on board. We meet the first and third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Cottage Grove City Hall, with our next meeting scheduled for Jan. 5.

 A friend once told me, if you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito. Whether you can dedicate a few hours or a few minutes each week to Strawberry Fest, I encourage you to get involved.

Justin Olsen is president of the Strawberry Festival Committee.

Tags: strawberry fest, cottage grove, justin olsen, opinion, viewpoint