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On Saturday, June 22, Albert Lea was on the map with the well-planned and tremendously executed Simply Built Rigs All-American Truck Show. The Freeborn County Fairgrounds was alive with hundreds of people, mostly young people, from all over. People came from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska and as far away as Philadelphia and Canada.

The blacktop roadways of the fairgrounds, including underneath the Grandstand, were lined with beautiful displays of pickup trucks of all sizes, colors, heights and makes. The place was buzzing with the sounds of 507 Country music band, engines, mufflers, people talking, laughing and cheering. It was the place to be!

Food vendors with a wide variety of menus and merchandise and vendors of all sorts filled the venue, and it was an amazing, spectacular show.

The day wrapped up with hundreds of spectators filling the seats of the Grandstand cheering on their favorite burnout contestants. The burnout competition was opened with the National Anthem and a word of prayer. Everyone in the Grandstand stood to their feet, removed their hats and turned toward the huge American flag waving in the air. Every single person with whom I had the opportunity to interact was respectful, upbeat, positive and happy to be there. That really blessed me.

What blessed and impressed me the most was that the entire event, from start to finish, was put on by three young champion entrepreneurs from our community. Sonny Jensen assembled an all-star team of go getters. This entire team shined brightly and represented all of us in exemplary ways. These young, motivated, success-driven, hardworking champions are to be commended for their hard work and diligent efforts. It paid off big time for our great community!

To Sonny Jensen and your team of champions, from the bottom of my heart — thank you! I love you all, and I remain in your corner!

George Marin
Albert Lea