Visiting our nation’s capital is always an adventure.

Walking the hallways where history was made and continues to unfold is seductive for even the most jaded among us. One cannot help but be impressed – and maybe made a bit uneasy – by the massive bureaucracy at the governmental heart of the world’s most powerful nation.

Whether we like it our not, what happens in Washington, D.C., has ramifications right here in Fort Dodge and north central Iowa.

That’s why a group of government and community leaders from Fort Dodge journeyed to Washington last week to make certain that lawmakers and bureaucrats understood how the actions they take will affect the city and the region.

Fort Dodge leaders have been making annual visits to Washington for more than a dozen years.

The goal of the trip was quite simply to educate legislators and others about projects important to our area and solicit their help in making certain that local needs are considered by the federal government.

This year’s delegation consisted of eight city and county officials and community leaders.

The local leaders who made the journey were:

– Matt Bemrich, Fort Dodge mayor,

– Mark Campbell, a member of the Webster County Board of Supervisors,

– Rhonda Chambers, director of aviation at Fort Dodge Regional Airport,

– David Fierke, Fort Dodge city manager,

– David Flattery, a Fort Dodge City Council member,

– Jeffrey Halter, a Fort Dodge City Council member,

– Jim Kersten, vice president for external affairs and government relations at Iowa Central Community College and

– Dennis Plautz, chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance.

The Messenger thanks these individuals for the time and resources they devoted to this undertaking. Championing our community’s many important projects is vital work that benefits us all.