My family and I moved to this area very soon after I accepted my new position as director of Community Education at Brainerd Public Schools. We enjoyed what can only be described as a glorious Brainerd lakes area summer, where we tried out all the local parks, swam at the
gorgeous beaches, caught lots of fish, ate countless ears of corn from the farmers' markets,
dodged July Fourth traffic and danced in the street during at least one festival. It did not take long to figure out why people who grow up here stay or come back here and why so many people from around the state flock here to vacation. Several times this summer my husband and I looked at each other and said "Do we really get to live here?" To put it mildly, we are taking great pleasure in our new hometown.
After a season of creating fun memories that I hope will carry us through the impending cold and snow, it has been a pleasure to coordinate plans for our community homecoming celebration beginning the week of Sept. 22. Whether generations of your family have lived here or, like me, you have recently made this your home, this is an exciting time to celebrate. We will crown the king, queen and royal court (coronation, Monday, 7p.m.), we will cheer on our athletes (varsity games throughout the week with the football game on Saturday at 2 p.m.) and the students will have their dance (Saturday, 8 p.m., Brainerd High School) but there will also be activities throughout the week for every member of the family.
On Wednesday, there will be a BAY Youth Rally featuring comedian Joe Kessler at 6:45 p.m. in Tornstrom Auditorium. On Thursday, Crossing Arts Alliance will host a concert by Brainerd High School grads Arnie and Robert Anderson and the Beyond the Bricks art exhibit beginning at 7 p.m. at the Franklin Arts Center. On Friday, Brainerd Public Schools Foundation will have the celebration for the four notable alumni being inducted into the Hall of Fame at 5 p.m. at Cragun's. Later that evening, area restaurants will host gatherings for members of each decade's graduating classes.
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Saturday will be a day full of festivities kicking off at 9 a.m. with a 5K run and walk beginning in Kiwanis Park. The parade, organized by Community Action, starting at Fifth and Laurel in downtown Brainerd, will begin at 10:30 a.m. (and there is still room for your business or organization to have a float) and end at the football field just off College Drive. The NFL Tour bus will be there offering games for kids while the BYAA football teams play on the field. Later that evening, hopefully, after we have cheered the Warrior football team onto victory over St. Cloud Tech at this year's Tackle Cancer game, the Brainerd Sports Boosters will host a community night starting at 6 p.m. at the Northern Pacific Center.
The revelry will continue on Sunday at noon with the seventh annual Buddy Walk and Roll to raise awareness and celebrate the lives of children and adults with disabilities at the Northland Arboretum. The Warrior Day of Service will return again this year with volunteer projects for students in grades 6-12 on Wednesday, Oct. 1 in the afternoon.
More details on all of these fantastic events can be found at www.bpsf.org and on the
posters around town done by Lakes Printing. We at Brainerd Public Schools welcome you and your family to join the whole community in celebrating our home.
CORI REYNOLDS is director of Brainerd School District Community Education.
