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Thumbs up for opportunities. The community of Austin is coming together for Austin senior Alayna Kennedy to help support her opportunity of a lifetime — Competing with the AAU Junior National Team in Rome, Italy July 20-27. The trip has involved some fundraising on the family’s part; and the community has responded by helping make sure one of their own gets to continue following a dream.

Thumbs up for partnerships. With people coming together from so many areas, it inevitably leads to something positive. Officials came together earlier this week to celebrate the work that went into what will be two training programs at Riverland Community College for water operators and wastewater operators. The team effort came together to meet a need within southern Minnesota that will benefit over 60 communities to help fill a need for people working in positions or wanting to advance to these positions.

Thumbs up for wellness on the move. On Thursday, it was announced that a joint program by The Hormel Institute and Mower County Public Health will be kicking off next Tuesday in Grand Meadow. The Wellness on Wheels is a new program that hopes to share vital health information resources as well as screenings for a variety of health concerns. Bringing this information to the people where they are at is another way to make sure everybody is being taken care of.