Now that the Park Rapids Farmer Market season has come to a close, and our first year with a booth is complete, we would like to thank everyone who supported the event, stopped by the booth, and the groups that utilized our space. We would also like to recognize and thank everyone who dedicated their time on a Saturday morning to assist over the 16 out of 18 weeks. It was a very successful season for our American Legion Family, the Park Rapids All Veterans Memorial and Museum, Hubbard County Veteran Services, and Chapter 38 of the DAV and DAV Auxiliary.
We had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with hundreds of members of our local community, sharing our story about the services each group provides, and enjoyed the opportunity and privilege to deliver Power of Produce tokens to Veterans, Seniors, and children.
Power of Produce (POP) Club
The POP Club token program was created at an Oregon City Farmers Market in 2011. It spread quickly across the country and was picked up in Minnesota in 2014. The program has provided Seniors and children with the ability to purchase produce from market vendors at a lower out-of-pocket cost.
Previously in Park Rapids, the program offered $2 tokens. Itasca Mantrap sponsors the Senior tokens, and CHI St. Joseph Health sponsors the Children’s. There were two firsts for the program this year:
1) The American Legion Family assisted by providing donations to increase the value of the Seniors’ and Children’s tokens by $1, and
2) We also provided donations to start a $3 token program for Veterans.
Here is a breakdown of the number of tokens turned into vendors this season:
- Children – 333
- Seniors – 523
- Veterans – 203
Over 1000 tokens were turned in! What a great result!
We are extremely grateful and proud to be part of the Farmers Market and the POP program that assists our Veterans, Seniors, and children in our community! Thank you again for your support of the Park Rapids Farmers Market and the POP program.
Thank you,
The American Legion Family
First Year Memories
