Hello, St. Croix Valley! After writing for this publication for the past two years, I’m excited to greet you as the new editor of St. Croix Valley Magazine. Growing up in Forest Lake, the Valley drew me like a moth to a flame. The river has defined the most important and enjoyable moments of my life; my parents met at the The Drive In Restaurant in Taylors Falls, and my childhood, adolescence and now adulthood has been spent exploring the vast beauty of the area and learning about the people and wildlife that call it home.
I could go on and on about my favorite spots, best memories and why I absolutely adore this area, but I don’t think I need to tell you, reader! We all know and love this stretch of land and water, and that’s what makes this role so enjoyable for me—sharing the stories of these river communities is such an honor.
This issue is focused on education, family and senior living—and we’ve found a sweet spot with a collection of stories that exemplify a spirit of service, a desire to connect and the pursuit of passion. As in all August/September issues, we connected with local schools to feature some outstanding area high school seniors.
For the nature lovers among us, learn about how Children’s Farm in West Lakeland is connecting students to the outdoors through farm preschool education. Plus, don’t miss the feature on the new joint Riverways Volunteer Program that’s a partnership between Wild Rivers Conservancy and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway—what a cool way to give back to the river.
And that’s just a glimpse. I hope you find something new to explore within these pages.
Until next time,
-Zoe Deal
