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Letters to the Editor

Thanks garden club supporters

To the editor: Thank you to all who supported the Fort Dodge Federated Garden Club’s recent annual Plants and Treasures sale. An amazing crowd of enthusiastic shoppers bought a large percentage of our plants during the first 45 minutes. Congratulations to Barb Messerly, who won the raffle for the beautiful hanging planter donated by Jeff Becker. Thanks to Becker Florists and Garden Center, the businesses who graciously allowed us to post fliers in their restaurants and stores, the Lions Club for making their facility available to us, the Messenger and AlphaMedia for publicity, ...

Producer touts benefits of beef

To the editor: As a beef producer in Webster County, this is an excellent time to inform everyone that May is Beef Month where we acknowledge those farmers/ranchers who supply us with this wholesome tasty protein source. Did you know that 85 percent of the land in the U.S. is unsuitable for raising fruits/vegetables, but is adequate for growing grass? The human stomach can’t digest grass forages, but cattle can consume it and convert into the high protein meat that helps sustain our bodies. Beef also is an excellent source of iron, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, and other essential ...

Godfather’s manager says thank you

To the editor: First & foremost, I want to express my gratitude to the community of Fort Dodge. It has been my privilege to serve & be a part of the business community here for the past 30 years. I will truly miss seeing all of our loyal customers at Godfather’s Pizza! The decision to close our store was not an easy one to make & since the announcement was made public both my team & myself have been overwhelmed with the many calls, texts, letters & gifts from so many of you, which is a true testament to the customer base & relationships that have been established due to love of ...

Appreciates support for church rummage sale

To the editor: Thank you to everyone who helped us achieve our goal of raising money for missions at the First United Methodist Church spring rummage sale. The ripple effect of the sale is amazing because not only do we raise money for missions, the donated items also benefit many other people. We shared clothing, furniture, household goods, and books with 25 other organizations, including: Almost Home Humane Society of North Central Iowa, Baby’s Room at Upper Des Moines Opportunity, churches (First Baptist, Grace Lutheran, Trinity Methodist), D/SAOC (Domestic/Sexual Assault ...

Responds to Shin’s letter

To the editor: I was deeply saddened to read the account of Yewon (Lilian) Shin in The Messenger. I had always felt the presence of CJ Bio America, a South Korean-based company, its influence on Fort Dodge’s economy and community activities and its highly-trained South Korean workers would keep our community from harboring any hateful feelings about Asians. I am appalled to find out that I was wrong about some of our citizens. I have personally become acquainted with several of the South Koreans who live here in Fort Dodge. They are great neighbors, kind, loving, ready to help ...

Urges public officials to prioritize mental health

To the editor: May is Mental Health Month. By urging my public officials to prioritize suicide prevention, mental health and crisis care, I am hoping to influence collective change to support #MentalHealth4All. Right now, individuals in crisis are able to call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and those that care for them. Soon, it will be much easier to remember how to reach the Lifeline as the number will be changing to “988” nationwide by July 2022. Knowing this, ...