To the editor:

The St. Edmond Class of 1970 reunion brought me to Fort Dodge for a visit this past weekend. The reunion was wonderful and memorable, but I found the venues and services provided by the businesses we dealt with were also very wonderful and memorable.

During my visit to Fort Dodge, I stayed at the Cobblestone Inn (very clean, great bed, and delightful, helpful staff). I enjoyed an appetizing lunch with friends at Tea Thyme. A trip to the Dollar Tree to pick up 25 green star balloons seemed to be problematic on how we were going to get that many balloons in our cars without them getting tangled up on a windy morning. Dollar Tree staff member Joanne came to the rescue and came up with the solution.

Among the options available for classmates, I choose lunch at Community Orchard cafe (flavorful lunch and fabulous service. I’m coming back for more Scarecrow soup), a tour of the Blanden Art Gallery (beautiful galleries and well-informed and helpful staff), as well as a visit to Corpus Christi Cemetery (such a beautiful, well-kept, pastoral setting); I also shagged the drag with classmates.

As part of the reunion, we gathered at Loomis Park and had a meal catered by Ja-Mar (a delicious meal served by friendly, helpful Ja-Mar staff), attended an optional tour of St. Edmond schools given by Susan Laufersweiler (St. Edmond facilities are very clean, well-maintained, and modernized. Susan was delightful and very knowledgeable), and attended 4:30 Mass at the stunning and impressive Holy Trinity Church.

Our evening event was held at Willow Ridge Golf Course and Restaurant. The facilities at Willow Ridge were perfect for our reunion, and the service spot-on; the food was very delectable). Before leaving town on Sunday, I enjoyed breakfast with friends at Tom Thumb (such huge portions!).

I left Fort Dodge with warm fuzzies as a result of the reunion, but also because of the fabulous dealings with the Fort Dodge community. Fort Dodge residents can be very proud of the community in which you live, work and play.

Barb Lyman-Kluck

Cedar Falls