The weather was good and the entertainment and activities were great! Did you witness this by choosing to stay in Wagner and support the efforts of everyone who worked to help make the Wagner Labor Day Celebration a success? These comments specifically focus on the partnerships that were involved in helping to make the Festival In The Park a success.

The Festival In The Park Committee, that brought the talents of the art vendors and the great tastes of the food vendors to the park should be commended for working so great with the “Wagner Area Horizons” committee who brought the entertainment ideas to the event. It was this successful partnership that made the day go better for everyone. Wagner Area Horizons goal was to help bring people together so we could begin to better understand and appreciate our cultural and social similarities and differences. The music and other activities helped add variety to the event. These ideas involved partnerships, working for the common good of the event and for the common good of our community in general. A variety of businesses and organizations all partnered together with Horizons to support the entertainment portion so more people would find more reasons to come and stay at the park. When people successfully work together, we all benefit and it helps make the community better for everyone.

Anyone taking the time to read this article is encouraged take the time to stop and tell the project partners you appreciate what they have done and also say “Thank You” to them for “stepping up” with their encouragement and support. The partners to thank are: Fort Randall Casino, Commercial State Bank, Yankton Sioux Tribe, Wagner V.F.W. and American Legion, Fort Randall Credit Union, Buche Foods, TNT Enterprises Inc., First Dakota National Bank of Wagner, Wagner Building Supply and Kelly Hosek/Financial Advisor w/Raymond James. Special notice should also include those who agreed to be “entertainment providers” and should also be thanked as well and they were: Roy King, Jim Bridge, Perry Little Dance Group, Kobe Provost, Whistle Stop, Uncle Roy, Heavens Hitch Hikers, S.D. Country Music Hall of Fame Members, Lake View Colony Singers and Phil and Friends along with the South Dakota National Guard, author Roger Wiltz and The Light House.

Wagner Area Horizons looks for ways to play a positive role in helping our community find ways to work together so we can make our community stronger and better. Horizons is interested in helping to make our community a better place to live for all of us. This effort is best served through healthy, caring partnerships, all pulling in the same direction for the common good. When you think of Wagner think: Wagner Area Horizons - Helping To Bring People Together Through Cultural and Social Understanding.

Were you at the Festival In The Park to witness these partnerships? If so, lucky you! What a great day for Wagner! If not, there is always next time! However don’t sit by and let these partnership opportunities pass you buy. Become a positive and contributing partner in the efforts to make Wagner a better community than we were yesterday.