Not because I wasn’t glad to be at the Bountiful Basket Food Shelf’s Pancake Breakfast this morning, but because I don’t want my campaign to become a collection of “look at me volunteering,” “look at me donating,” or “look at me attending another fundraiser” posts.
That’s not why I was there.
I was there because organizations like Bountiful Basket Food Shelf are quietly doing the work that holds communities together. Every week they make sure families have food on the table. They rely on volunteers, donations, local businesses, civic groups like the Cologne Lions, and neighbors who simply choose to help.
If you want to make Carver County stronger, support the people already doing the work.
– Volunteer a few hours.
– Donate food or money.
– Attend their fundraisers.
– Tell others about their mission.
As county leaders, we should be asking, “How do we help organizations like this succeed?” Government can’t – and shouldn’t – do everything. But it should be a strong partner that removes barriers, builds relationships, and helps connect people with the resources they need.
To me, that’s one of the most important responsibilities of a county commissioner.
Budgets matter. Roads matter. Public safety matters.
But at the end of the day, our job is bigger than managing county government.
Our job is to help build a stronger community.
Thank you to everyone at Bountiful Basket Food Shelf and the Cologne Lions for a great breakfast and, more importantly, for everything you do the other 364 days of the year.