Dear Neighbors,
I hope you and your family are doing well this fall. If you’ve been out deer hunting, I hope you’ve been successful and have been taking precautions to help prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease. I also want to wish you a safe and fun Thanksgiving holiday. Amid all the fun with family and friends, this time of year gives us a good chance to – no matter what difficulties we might be experiencing, either individually or collectively – to reflect upon what we’re thankful for, and ways we can commit to ensuring a brighter future for everyone in our family, community, and state. Happy Thanksgiving!
Once again, all state parks will have free admission the day after Thanksgiving. Take advantage of the opportunity to get outside on Free Park Friday.
COVID-19 Update
Recent news concerning COVID-19 has been deeply concerning. Across the state, cases and hospitalizations are quickly accelerating, putting a great deal of pressure on our health care system. Many hospitals are once again reaching capacity and the availability of ICU beds is extremely limited.
As Minnesotans, we don’t only care about ourselves. We also care about the health of our family, coworkers, and neighbors. If you’ve been hesitant, now is the time to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccine helps prevent transmission around the community and is highly effective toward preventing serious illness or hospitalization.
A map of locations where you can get your shot is available here. Eligibility has recently been extended to those aged 5-11 which will help prevent spread of the virus in schools, and will ultimately help prevent community transmission (written parental permission is required for all children to receive the vaccine). To help extend efficacy of the vaccine, booster shots are now available, and more information is available here.
Serve on a Board or Commission
Minnesotans’ expertise is critical to making our state move forward. Make your voice heard by serving on state board, council or commission. There are nearly 700 openings across a wide variety of panels charged with regulating and making recommendations regarding behavioral health, food access, amateur sports, early learning, workforce development and many more topics. The full list of openings is available here, and if you find something you’re interested in, please consider applying.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month, giving us an opportunity to explore contributions and accomplishments of Indigenous people both prior to and throughout our state’s history. This month also reminds us how much work we have to do to strengthen relationships between tribal governments and our own state government. The Star Tribune recently highlighted these important efforts. The Minnesota Historical Society and Explore Minnesota Tourism both have resources to explore the rich history, culture, and experiences of the first Minnesotans.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your viewpoints, feedback, or if I can ever be of assistance. My email address is rep.mike.sundin@house.mn and phone number at the Capitol is 651-296-4308. Feel free to be in touch any time.
Sincerely,
Mike Sundin