It’s Waterama week in Glenwood with many activities planned for families, visitors and locals throughout the weekend.

Welcome to all who come to the Glenwood area this week to help us celebrate the 68th  annual Waterama.

Waterama has continued to attract large crowds to the Minnewaska area because the community is committed to the celebration in a way that sustains it year after year.

It doesn’t just happen.

There are hundreds of volunteers who give of their time to organize, plan and carry out the annual celebration.  It is impossible to name them all, but we can start with the Brass, or leaders of the celebration.  This year’s Brass consists of Admiral Angie VanZee, Commodore Sarah Iverson and Vice Commodore Heidi Polzin.

Those three join the ranks of 68 years of leaders who have volunteered much of their time for at least three years of commitment to the annual celebration.

What is really telling is that many of their predecessors continue to work for Waterama, even after leaving their posts.  And  many of the former admirals and commodores continue working on the local celebration long after their time in leadership roles.  That speaks volumes for the celebration and the community.

We thank them all.

It is no small commitment to volunteer to be chosen to serve Waterama as a member of the Brass, or any of the other positions, including the hard-working and committed Waterama board.

That board meets monthly year round to make sure the annual celebration comes together for all to enjoy.  All of the volunteers deserve a heartfelt thank you from locals and visitors alike.

It is truly a community effort, and we recognize the efforts of many, including visitors who come to Waterama each year to enjoy the lake, the parks, the resorts and motels, the Waterama celebration and all the area has to offer.

We welcome all to the community and thank you for coming and enjoying this area.  The local efforts made to this special week is a way for the community to extend the welcome mat.

We hope you enjoy the week and, if possible, come back often.  This community has a lot to offer and continues to be a great place to visit and an even better place to work and live.

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Amid all the political news fallout over the past week and weekend, it was nice to see Minnesota’s own Joe Mauer inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown,

To the delight of those from his hometown and across the state of Minnesota, Mauer became the fourth St. Paulite enshrined in Cooperstown. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in an afternoon ceremony alongside Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton and Jim Leyland.

Two words on the inscription of his Hall of Fame plaque say it all:  “Lifelong Twin…”

On a sunny day in Cooperstown, New York, in front of a number of fans sporting his No. 7 jersey, Mauer, 41, took his rightful place in baseball history, inducted as just the third catcher to be elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

He deserved it.  If you missed his speech, you can see it at YouTube: Joe Mauer is immortalized in Cooperstown.”