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A few area residents are organizing a prayer and petition rally to take place Monday evening outside City Hall on Clark Street. 

The event is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. 

“Let’s gather and pray for our community, leaders and those who have been most affected by the COVID-19 virus through sickness, economics, mental health and more,” a flier for the event states. “Let us also petition our mayor and council to open up our community, let businesses thrive again, and the rest of us go back to living.” 

Debbie Proulx, who is organizing the rally with fellow New Life Christian Church members Sue Foss and Jenny Williams, said the women are particularly concerned with small businesses in the area that are closed under Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s executive orders or who are only able to offer reduced services. 

“If we don’t have our small businesses — they’ve got to be hurting,” Proulx said.

She referenced the small town of Lakefield, with a population of 1,700, where this week the City Council passed a resolution 3-2 stating the council would not stand in the way of businesses that choose to reopen and declared it a “constitutional and business-friendly community.” 

“We want to say, “Hey, city of Albert Lea, will you rally behind your small businesses and let them open without letting them have any consequences if they have their business ready to open?” Proulx said. 

She said organizers have contacted area church leaders and business owners to attend, and anyone else who would like to participate is welcome.

“We may or may not accomplish our mission, but hopefully these small businesses can get some uplift,” Proulx said.

She said people in attendance will be encouraged to practice safe distance practices.