A Campaign Supporting Public Education

Public Education is a central element of our democracy and a vital component of a healthy and vibrant community. Our public educators and staff are public servants dedicated to the education and welfare of our children. This continues to be a difficult time for public education, and our teachers and staff are profoundly impacted. We think it is time to show them a little love. This ongoing campaign was launched on Valentine's Day, 2024, with this 1/2 page ad in the Dispatch.

     Historic Crow Wing County Courthouse displays a number of large oil paintings by Sarah Thorp Heald. Heald was born in Geneva, Ashtabula County, Ohio, in August of 1881. Her family moved to Lake Hubert in 1894, and she lived in the Brainerd Lakes area until she died in 1954. 

     Her paintings provided the focus for a curated conversation about indigenous and settler history and dynamics. Knowing the history of the land and its people is important to understanding our current context and relationships.

     We deeply appreciate the insight provided by the tour guides: Tim Houle is Crow Wing County Administrato, Don Wedll has worked with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe for some 35 years and for 6 years with Yupik/Athabaskan people in Alaska. He is retired and serves on the Crow Wing County Historical Society Board and Giiwedinong Treaty Rights Museum Board in Park Rapids.

David MacArthur who has written two books on the Mille Lacs Band Reservation, chronicling his years of work there. He is a registered member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and considers himself a student of history regarding the fur trade in this area, with daily lessons.