Letter to the Editor: Reasons for support

To the Editor:
I would like to add a quick note of support for the campaign to build a Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center.
I do this for a number of reasons:
1. My love for the people of Allamakee County and the natural beauty of this Driftless Area. I have enjoyed this love relationship for almost ninety years.
2. The pride that I enjoy when telling people, who don’t know about this area, of how blessed we are to call this home.
3. My desire to do all that I can to embellish the beauty of this Driftless Area.
4. To leave a legacy for the next generation and provide a home for them to learn about the Driftless Area. A museum that will educate all about the history of Allamakee County and the industries that have existed and still exist in the Driftless Area (Many of them that I worked in when I was young). It’s great to know our roots.
5. Bring interest and appreciation of the Mississippi River. Help people to know why we even have the Mississippi River.
6. The tourism it will generate and enrich northeast Iowa. Those that will monetarily gain the most are all of us by tax relief. Restaurants, bar & grill, hotels, motels, bed & breakfast, campgrounds, grocery stores, gas stations, automobile services, retail stores, all phases of the boating industry and marinas, to name just a few.
7. Churches will welcome the travelers.
8. The satisfying thrill that we will enjoy from our participation in the project, for the good of Allamakee County.
I live on a very fixed pension but I was happy to make a pledge to build the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center. Please join me, together we can do this.
I know that there are those that disagree with me but I accept that. After sixty five years of working in marriage preparation and marriage counseling, I know that husbands and wives do not always agree with each other but when we love each other and we accept each other’s opinions, we grow in our love relationships. It takes effort but the end results are gratifying. As one of my marriage counseling professors used to say, “Communication is the name of the game”.
God bless you and thanks for being the great loving people of Allamakee County.

Love ya,
 Fr. Ed Lechtenberg
Lansing

P.S. See you at the Luren Singers Concert April 10, 3 p.m. at St. Patrick’s.