Austin — and the people in it — never cease to bowl me over with their kindness and generosity. This was never better illustrated than in the recent request I made to the community to help sew bags for our public library.

The library, having decided they no longer wanted to use plastic bags, pondered the idea of replacing them with cloth bags. I sent out a request for people who would be willing to donate their unused fabric and their time to make the bags. I had no idea what kind of response I would receive.

Austin’s women were awesome! Not only was there an outpouring of willingness to help, but it was offered with unbounded enthusiasm, passion, and downright neighborly goodwill. Clearly one essential qualification for being a sewer is that you must possess a big-hearted, altruistic spirit!

Because of the effort put forth by these remarkable ladies, over 400 bags have been donated to the library. They will be given free to the readers. Wow! What’s not to love about these women? A mere “thank you” doesn’t begin to cover it.

May l also sneak in a request that you bring in your donations for the used book sale beginning on Monday, April 15. The sale will be April 25, 26, 27.

We sure do live in a good town!

Sincerely, 

Peggy Keener

Austin, MN