Marilyn Ames selected as 2020 First Lady for county

The 2020 Clearwater County First Lady event went on as scheduled on Saturday, March 14. The Keynote Speaker Dr. Faith Hensrud was not able to attend. Her duties of being president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College with the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to cancel.  Those in attendance enjoyed the meal put on by the ladies from the Bagley American Legion Post 16. The ladies with Cheryl 

Grover and the volunteers of the auxiliary also had the decorations for the event. 

After the welcome and Prayer by Ardis Thompson, there was a history lesson from Tamara Edevold and two beautiful songs by Allison Cease, "You're the Tops" and "Unforgettable". Edna McKinley announced the 2020 Clearwater County First Lady.

Marilyn Kanten Ames has lived her entire life in Clearwater County. She is the daughter of Roger and Ester Kanten and grew up attending Faith Lutheran Church where she was active in Sunday School, Luther League, Bible Camp, etc. She was also active in the Copley Hi-lites 4-H Club exhibiting at the County Fair, Minnesota State Fair, and working in the 4-H Food Stand, etc. 

Marilyn was a "Real Role Model and Big Sister" to two very young brothers from Clearbrook, when her parents took in and raised the "Foster Sons" Mike and Jeff Erickson to become very respectable young men in Clearwater County. 

Following graduation from Bagley High School her ambition was to attend Bemidji State University and become an elementary school teacher. To finance her college education Marilyn purchased a small flock of sheep from good friends who allowed her to select the top producers of their flock of Hampshire ewes. This was a very sound purchase and it fulfilled her dream of graduating debt free from Bemidji State University. 

Marilyn began her 35 year teaching career at Mentor and then taught in Bagley until officially retiring in 2005. She is still often called to substitute teach in Bagley. As an avid gardener, Marilyn plants a huge pumpkin plot so that she can invite the first graders out to her farm to select their pumpkins for Halloween in the Fall. 

Marilyn is a woman of few words, but her words of wisdom, caring, sharing and true gratitude fall on listening ears and receptive hearts. She 'THINKS' before she speaks, and uses the following philosophy words: T- is it True; is it Helpful; is it Inspiring; is it Necessary; is it Kind? Marilyn's actions speak louder than words. Her list of community activities that make a BIG difference to OTHERS in Clearwater County are:

1. Bagley Senior Citizens Board of Directors: Marilyn serves the Saturday breakfast each month. She donated many beautiful raffle items for the Senior Center's booth at the County Fair. She helped with many fund raisers to raise dollars for the new furnace, the new front window, the kitchen remodeling project, the Fall Festival Smorgasbord, the Valentine Sweetheart dinners, plus the Mexican Fiesta and more. 

2. Faith Lutheran Church: Marilyn has just completed her terms as Secretary of the Board of Deacons. She was also in charge of securing pulpit supply when the pastor was gone. Marilyn is always available to serve at funerals; making lefse at the Fall Festival each year, plus helping with Bible Study and giving Communion at Cornerstone residence and Parkview apartments each month. She has helped serve parties at Cornerstone when her friends, and her Mother-in-Law were residents there.

3. Marilyn serves or has served on the Board of Directors for the Farmers Publishing Company, the Bagley Senior Citizen Board and the Faith Lutheran Church in Bagley. For Northern Exposure she runs the ice cream social every summer, raising money for the programs NELL offers.

4. Marilyn is constantly sharing her culinary skills with numerous friends and neighbors.

 A final thought for the day was a quote from Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky. Every hand that we don't shake must become a phone call that we place. Every embrace that we avoid must become a verbal expression of warmth and concern. Every inch and every foot that we physically place between ourselves and another, must become a thought as to how we might be of help to that other, should the need arise.