EDITORIAL: Thank you

Nov. 28--The table is set. The food is warm. The prayers are said. Today, the Albert Lea Tribune gives thanks for a good year by offering a hearty Thanksgiving meal.

A slice of turkey ...

... to Kiwanian Iris Tarvestad ... to Susan Drayer of M&S Outdoors ... to Kari Brick and BG Loft ... to Grizzlies football player Matt Mirowski ... to the crafty Heidi Blankenship ... to Leon Bure and David Anderson of the Albert Lea Aktion Club ... to Mandy Brooks at Lembke Construction ... for Claire and Ruth Vermedahl ... to footloose and fancy-free young actor Tyler Vandenhuevel ...

Mashed potatoes with gravy ...

... to the staff at Freeborn County Head Start ... to Barb Hove at Country Care Boarding Kennel ... to our dear friend Brenda Herr ... to Lake Mills High School volleyball coach Jim Boehner ... to Dawn Kaasa of the Minnesota Special Olympics ... to Craig Kryson of Kibble Equipment ... to good neighbors Gail and Doug Hanson ... to Jeff Quam ...

Green bean casserole ...

... to friends Judy Jaquette and Carol Twedt ... to the staff at Bonnerup Funeral Service ... to Danielle Halvorsen, the manager of Cinema 7 ... to United South Central High School football coach Brad Huse ... to Paul and Camilla Sparks ... to the never-bridled Ann Herman of The Unbridled Boutique ... Barry Back of Back Acres Construction ... to Nicole Swanson of the Kiester Courier-Sentinel ... to concrete guru Art Schorn ... to Wade Quam ...

A glass of apple cider ...

... to good neighbors Graham and Gracie Goskeson ... to spelling wizard Avery Moore ... to Ann Austin of the United Way of Freeborn County ... to Lori Austin of the Albert Lea Family Y ... to Dave Van Fossen, stat keeper for the Albert Lea High School girls' swimming team ... to Steve Ball of Paintball ... to flower power wower Joyce Nixon ... to Steve Kavach, principal at Southwest Middle School ... to Albert Lea's own Marion Ross ...

A side of stuffing ...

... to motivator Erin Murtaugh ... to the Tuesday night Bible study guys at Perkins ... to marathon runner Dennis Dieser of the Albert Lea Family Y ... to Albert Lea High School girls' soccer coach Rick Barnhill ... to Peggy Manges at Trades & Labor Credit Union ... to friend Megan Thompson ... to Lakeview Elementary School teachers Nichole Brownlee and Michelle Kluender ...

Some cranberry sauce ...

... to Karen Anderson at Thorne Crest Retirement Community ... to little Willow Johnson ... to the owner of Nancy's Cafe -- what's the name, something Newman -- oh yeah, Nancy ... to Tom Sorenson at Americana Insurance (sorry about placing a cold can of pop on your neck) ... to Jenny Edwin, education coordinator at First Lutheran Church ... to Lance Skov ... to Kristie Jordahl ...

Homemade pumpkin pie ...

... to Lon Nelson, the cross country coach for Albert Lea High School ... to Facebook fans of Bragen Rights Photography ... to disc golfer Matt Friedman ... to 4 Seasons Travel owner David Nelson ... to Judy Jensen ... to Deb Kenison of Farmers State Bank ... to aspiring photographer Preston Smith ... to Judy Verdooooorn (is that how you spell it?) for just about everything she does ...

Leftovers ...

... to Patch, an American cattle dog without cattle at his home near the north entrance of Edgewater Park ... to Sydney, a furry, fuzzy golden doodle on Lloyd Place ... to Alta, a Lab mix on Fountain Street who is so happy she wags her entire back end ... to Molly, Glenville's favorite cockapoo ... to Lindsey, the goldenest retriever in all of Freeborn County ... to Clarks Grove's Shark Bait, whatever that is ... to Murphy, the goldenest retriever in all of Faribault County ... to Maggie, a German shorthair on Ninth Street ... to Mason, the best gray domestic shorthair with white paws on Second Avenue.

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(c)2013 the Albert Lea Tribune (Albert Lea, Minn.)

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