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My Point of View by Robert Hoffman

We have a fair week ahead. Fair, with the chance of being great! The Freeborn County Fair is a great week spent together, and this year’s fair looks to maybe be one of the best we’ve ever shared. The fair board and all the teams involved with the past year’s construction and improvements have done an amazing job and the fairgrounds look spectacular. Thanks to all involved and a job well done.

This fair week looks to be a great week ahead.

The Freeborn County Republicans booth, under the Grandstand, will be one of the most entertaining places to stop and visit again all week long. We look forward to seeing everyone that walks through on their way to and from visiting the animals, getting food and enjoying some pretty amazing shows together.

We are in the same spot, right in the very middle of the space under the Grandstand and will be there all week to visit with. Like we always have, we will be handing out candy and stickers while visiting with everyone at our booth. We have thousands of American flag stickers to pass out and our red candy bowl is full of Smarties and the blue candy bowl full of Dum-Dums.

Our Congressman Brad Finstad, Sen. Gene Dornink and State Reps. Peggy Bennett and Patty Mueller may each stop by throughout the week, and our local team is there open to close every day. Come say hi a few different times while you are enjoying the fair this week. We need to hear what’s on your mind. It may be a fair week ahead, but it has been a rough few months. Tell us how you’re doing.

Let’s figure out what we can do. We’re in this together, we understand. (Ask us how we’re doing, but be careful, we may answer you.)

We are also taking a straw poll this week to see who Freeborn County wants to see as our presidential candidate. There are currently 12 people running! Along with stickers, candy, guest visitors, great conversation and a straw poll, we are asking for donations. The fundraising we do throughout the year is important and appreciated. We have pins for any donations and T-shirts for any donations over $20. Thanks ahead of time for any cash under $20 donated and for any check for over $20.

We are handing out our invites for our annual picnic at Edgewater Bay Pavilion that is on Monday evening, Aug. 14. Our county picnic is always well attended and this year’s guest speaker, Congressman Brad Finstad, will have a lot to tell us about after a very busy year. Our local caterer has an amazing menu of pulled pork sandwiches and cheesecake for dessert. This evening at Edgewater is a great time to say thank you to one another and to our local team of volunteers. The picnic is a week after the fair is over, too, so we’ll have our appetites back by then. Last, we will set a date for our later summer Adopt a Highway cleanup along Interstate 90 at the Highway 13 interchange. By then we could use an extra afternoon of exercise.

There is a great chance for a good fair week. Stop by and say “hi,” grab a flag sticker to wear, tell us how you’re doing, drop off a donation, pick up an invite to the picnic and be sure to tell the fair board and their team how nice everything looks and how much you enjoyed the Freeborn County Fair this year, especially the lively bunch at the Republican’s booth.

Robert Hoffman is chairman of the Freeborn County GOP Party.