Letter - Beyond the Yellow Ribbon works

To the editor:

I am a pastor in Nelson, a veteran and a current military service member in the Minnesota National Guard. As a military service member, I know that sometimes it can feel so lonesome serving our country.

More than that, military families can often feel overwhelmed when trying to find an appropriate resource or group to provide support when they need it. On the other hand, I have met many people who want to help military families but don’t know how to go about it.

This desire of helping our military families was the inspiration for starting a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network here in Douglas County. We want our military families to know about the many places of support for you here in Douglas County. It can be difficult, but know that by reaching out, you can find assistance and help as needed.

With that, I want to offer you all a point of contact for assistance: The Douglas County Sheriff’s office. If you need assistance, please call them at (320) 762-8151. The dispatcher can help direct you to a resource in the community that can help with your situation. You can also contact Owen Miller, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon chairperson, at (320) 763-4845 or e-mail dc.alx.btyr@gmail.com for assistance.

Our committee is continuing to explore ways to channel the interest to help our military families in our community. If you are a business that wishes to help, please contact Chairperson Miller. More than that, I encourage you to offer assistance through words and generous deeds. I know that such spontaneous generosity is greatly appreciated.

Thank you to my fellow service members for service to our country, and bless the many in our community who have supported our men and women in uniform.

Pastor Jeremy Pedersen,

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church

Nelson, MN

Tags: opinion, letters