It’s finally here.

The 2010 version of Profile, the biggest annual special section produced by the Austin Daily Herald, is inside today’s paper.

The final product is the result of months of hard work by every department at the Herald, and this issue, just like past issues, showcases area residents and provides a look into what life is like in our communities.

Did you know that local veteran Don Kofron served four years during World War II and was never in the hospital, nor sick — not one day?

Did you know that in the 1970s, the Austin Youth Hockey Association raised $300,000 in five months in an effort to build Riverside Arena? In all, 1,670 people in Austin pledged money to the cause.

Did you know that Larry Ricke has been co-chairman of the Lyle Area Cancer Auction for the past 10 years, and the auction has consistently raised more than $100,000 annually from 2002-2009?

Did you know that local landmark Buffy the Cow once lost a horn during a storm and is roughly 40 years old?

Did you know that the Paramount Theatre was a movie theater from 1929 to 1975 and that “Fast Company” was the first film shown and “The Godfather Part II” was the last?

Did you know that the Hormel Historic Home was built in 1871 by a prominent local businessman who was also a state senator?

Did you know that the Southland High School football team scored 28 points in the second half of the 1983 state championship game to beat Bird Island/Lake Lillian 28-0?

Did you know that the night of the Jan. 15, 2009 downtown fire, Lee Hansen didn’t even know if his excavator, which had been sitting in a deep freeze for about two weeks, would start? It did start, and Hansen and his excavator played a key role in knocking down building fronts so firefighters could have better access to the flames.

Did you know that LeRoy-Ostrander student Rachel Rosedahl is a talented musician, an FFA member and a 4.0 student?

Did you know that Austin Public Schools superintendent David Krenz enjoys reading detective novels?

Did you know Austin Medical Center president and CEO David Agerter is an avid fan of Minnesota sports?

Did you know retired Austin police officer Steve Wald is a member of the Austin Human Rights Commission?

All of these facts and more are a part of this year’s Profile.

Thank you to all in the community and at the Herald who participated in this project and helped make it happen.

Read it and enjoy!