Community comes together for the good and the bad
Wed, 12/03/2025 - 9:24am
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By:
Independent Opinion
There is no question small, tight-knit communities are good for many reasons.
Undoubtedly, one of those reasons is responding to the good and the bad.
Last month, we all witnessed it when members of the community rallied to collect food and other items for the local food shelves, in response to the pause on SNAP benefits and the federal shutdown.
Young and old, those who are well off, and those who are living paycheck to paycheck, all came together to help those in need. It didn’t matter whether they knew someone on food benefits or not, people in the community were at risk of going hungry, and the community wasn’t going to let those neighbors suffer.
The same can be said about the KoMets football run in the postseason and reaching the Class AAAA Prep Bowl.
As soon as the KoMets made it to the semifinals, and the schedule came out, Superintendent Beth Giese knew there would be overwhelming support for the team, and many would want to attend the game.
How?
Because that’s what happens in small, tight-knit communities.
Fans showed up to Minneapolis by the busload.
It didn’t matter if people knew everyone, or no one, on the team. The local football team was doing good things, community members were proud of it, and they showed up to support their team.
Back in Kasson and Mantorville, those who couldn’t make the trip up to Minneapolis were greeted with multiple watch parties happening at the local bars and restaurants, with many people showing up to support their hometown team.
This wasn’t all, either. As we highlight in a front page story, Kaeley Smith, a longtime member of the Kasson community, decided to go out of her way to collect donations from other community members to make sure those students who couldn’t afford to go to the game could make it.
It’s just another example of the community showing up for one another.
As we approach the holiday season, we hope the community will continue with their hometown pride.
Consider shopping at a local business, pick up a name on the giving tree, or simply check in on a neighbor.
It all makes a difference.
See full story in this week’s print edition or subscribe online. Please subscribe here or current subscribers can login here.