There’s something about a riverbank’s ambiance that brings out the best in people, that relaxes them, makes them mellow and socially connective – Minnesota Nice, if you will. That was obvious July 30 along the western riverbank seven miles north of Sartell.
For the eighth consecutive year, “Take a Day Off on the Mississippi River” was a great success that day with parents, their children, grandchildren and others enjoying a variety of family-fun recreational and educational activities. People attended the event from all over the greater St. Cloud area and beyond. One extended family who happened to be from Minneapolis was having a grand time on boat rides.
Despite the heat and kamikaze mosquitoes, people had a fine time. A gentle, occasional breeze from the river certainly helped, as did many cans of mosquito repellent, free for all to use.
The “Take a Day Off” event is popular and successful every year for a number of reasons:
- It gives people a chance to have a fun, leisurely time – free – on the west bank of the Mighty Mississippi at Stearns County’s gorgeous-green Mississippi River Park.
- It allows people to learn about the river environment, flora and fauna, water issues, erosion control and dozens of other topics of the natural world. People can learn those things while or between their participation in recreational fun: trying their hands at canoeing, playing disc golf, birdhouse building, archery, riverbank fishing and so much more.
- It is a perfect way for parents and children to bond while enjoying relaxing activities together, from birdhouse building to rides on the river.
- The event is a showcase for Mississippi River Park, one of Stearns County’s many beautiful parks of which so many people are apparently unaware. Thanks to Take a Day Off, more people have become aware of that beautiful park, ideal for hiking or relaxing and just watching the river flow.
- Take a Day Off is a good reminder of one of central Minnesota’s greatest treasures – its magnificent Mississippi River.
We would like to extend kudos to the organizers of Take a Day Off – the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District, Stearns County Parks Department and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. We also want to thank the event’s 25 areas sponsors and staff and all those who took such time and effort to put up their educational tents, including the Sportsmen’s Clubs of St. Stephen and Sauk Rapids, Stearns County Pheasants Forever and the BLEND Kids Fitness program (new this year with its 1K kiddie run).
We heartily recommend the annual Take a Day Off event. If you missed it the past eight years, be sure to mark it on your calendar for next year.
