Update from Wadena, MN (8/19/25)
- knyreen
- Aug 19
- 3 min read
36 counties visited, 2 to go
by Erik Osberg on 8/19/25
There were lots of highlights last week. The most energizing may have been the Otter Tail County DFL Fundraiser on Thursday evening. Kudos to all the folks who organized an incredible evening of connections, conversations & community. Spies Riverfront Park in downtown Fergus Falls, MN provided the perfect venue for a picnic. Huge thanks to Bossy Babes BBQ for serving up great eats & thanks to Tom & Suzi Music for the tunes. Roughly 200 people were in attendance & the lineup of speakers was impressive. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was the headliner. Former Fergus Falls Mayor & author Ben Schierer gave fantastic introduction. Danelle Hubert of Upstream MN talked about the power of stories. The folks from FairVote MN talked about Ranked Choice Voting, Senate District 9 DFL Chair Cornel Walker mc'd & the new Otter Tail County DFL Chair talked too.
I was allowed to speak as well. There was a vibe in the air that I wanted to make sure we harnessed. I like to think those in attendance left with a hope that despite the darkness, brighter days lay ahead. I like to think they left with a belief that WE CAN DO BETTER. Once again, very grateful for the opportunity & hospitality. Thanks for all the support.
I was in Breckenridge, MN last Tuesday night. Even though this was my 1st visit to Wilkin County, there were familiar faces. I was able to connect with plenty of new folks too. Over 50 people gathered in a beautiful backyard for the Wilkin Co. DFL Ice Cream Social. I was allowed to address the crowd and take questions. One of my favorite parts of the evening was when people stood up to share why they were there. I heard things like "widen the net" & "be a voice for the voiceless".
Every day brings a new atrocity. Every day brings a new headline even more unbelievable than yesterday's. We need to recognize that this is by design. It can create fatigue & complacency. The way we win is by putting our head down and forging ahead, despite the chaos. Despite the uncertainty.
That is why this campaign is committed to making real connections with as many people as humanly possible here in western Minnesota. Super grateful for the invitation. Super grateful for the support.
Saturday was another super cool moment. I was scheduled to be at the Douglas County DFL booth at the Douglas County Fair from noon-2pm. I was plenty early, but had to park a long ways away. I walked up to the booth at exactly 12:00pm. There was about a dozen people there to greet me. I started fielding questions, comments, concerns & likewise. Topics ranged from health care, crop prices, positive vs. negative, courage, education, strategies, etc. The 1st 45 minutes to hourish were in a group setting. After that, it became more 1-on-1. Huge thanks to the Douglas County DFL for the work they do and for allowing me to be there. Huge thanks to everyone who showed up. We really appreciate your support.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
We will be back on the road this weekend. We will be in Traverse County (#37) on Saturday, Yellow Medicine County on Sunday and then we have 2 very special events next week. We are having Community Fish Fry #3 in Pelican Rapids on Wednesday, Aug. 27th & a Community Social event on Aug. 28th in Atwater, MN featuring The Cactus Blossoms. You can register below.
Aug 23th - Traverse County Fair - Wheaton, MN
Aug 27th - Community Fish Fry - Pelican Rapids, MN
Sep 1st - DFL Labor Day Picnic - Hutchinson, MN
Sep 7th - Grant County DFL Steak Fry - Ashby, MN
Sep 13th - Community Fish Fry - Barnesville, MN
Thank you for all the support & keep up the good work!
Thanks to our generous donors, we are closing in on $80,000 raised. Our campaign relies on donations from folks like you. If you have already donated, THANK YOU! If you have set up a recurring donation, even better. If you would like to host a private party fundraiser, click here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/SKQtMANaY0W8nGqHcpukXA2
