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The Lord has surrounded me with good friends, neighbors, small towns and family. I was blessed with six children at Naeve Hospital. We were fortunate enough to have one foster child, in addition to two foreign exchange students who are all still involved in our lives.

I’ve lived over 80 years; I’ve seen the bad and the good in our country as did my great-grandmother, grandmother, my mother and sister. My sister worked at Naeve Hospital, Wilson & Co., and Streater Industries, which employed 900 people. Three of my brothers worked at Wilson & Co. All six of my brothers and other relatives served in the military. I went to school in Albert Lea — what a beautiful town. We had everything in Albert Lea due to factories giving jobs to shop the local establishments. Main Street had businesses, theaters, a root beer stand, roller skating, bowling alleys, banks, gas stations, parks, etc.

The people were able to provide for their large families, sometimes with two jobs. The farmers were able to grow and have machinery dealers. There were elevators for the crops. Our town was a growing town that could provide anything shoppers wanted to buy. Costs for groceries and gas were reasonably priced. Few had to ask the government for assistance for living.

We learned to work hard to pay our bills and help others in the community. Many churches in the Albert Lea and surrounding areas were filled on Sundays.

Baptisms, confirmations and weddings made many articles for the Tribune. Church is so important. The Bible tells us how to live, but we are not perfect.

We are sinners, but we have Jesus. You have the privilege of deciding what you want to be, what you want to do with your life.

Do we want socialism or what our nation was founded on?

Thank you, Donald Trump, for saying, “America first, America always.” Also saying, “In America we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life. Our motto is ‘In God we trust.’”

Mavis Jacobs-Hanson
Albert Lea