such as phosphorous, which enters the lake from drainage ditches. The asso ciation does periodic carp seining.
The association has cooperated with farmers and the Soil Water Con servation District to install various french drains and other diversions to minimize agricultural runoff into the streams and lakes, which earned the association the Outstanding Wright County Conservation Cooperator of the Year Award from the Minnesota Association of SWCD in 2000.
The association’ s board of directors meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p. m at the Victor Township Hall. For more information, or to become a mem ber, contact association president Dick Coulombe at 720- 987-6169 or lakeannimp @ yahoo. com. Annual membership dues are $ 50.
HL Area Chamber of Commerce
The key focus of the Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is to promote a business climate in which area businesses can thrive.
The mission of the Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce( HLACC) is to promote a thriving community in the Howard Lake area. The chamber seeks to cultivate new opportunities to establish Howard Lake as the premier destination for businesses, customers, and families.
The chamber provides innovative solutions and resources through social networking and business development to enhance the quality of life in the Howard Lake area.
The chamber has a small business grant program to encourage business owners to join the Howard Lake community. The chamber offers up to two awards per year, up to $ 1,000 each.
Each fall, the chamber hosts a Harvest Festival fundraiser to support its grant program and activity in the community. At the fundraiser, the chamber also recognizes local residents for their hard work. The chamber offers three different awards: the Legacy Award, the Partnership Award, and the Dream Big Award, which recognizes new business owners in Howard Lake.
The chamber is also a sponsor of the Howard Lake Farmers Market, which takes place Thursdays, June through August, at Lions Memorial Park, just off State Hwy. 12. The market’ s hours are 3 to 6 p. m. Local vendors set up booths featuring a variety of home-grown and handmade goods, such as produce, honey, homemade soaps, coldpress coffee, home-baked goods, and crafts.
The Power of Produce( POP) Club is active at the market. Originally offered through the Wright County Extension Office, and now through local donors, the POP Club focuses on encouraging kids to eat healthy. Children receive a token worth $ 2 at each August visit to purchase fresh vegetables. They also receive healthy eating recipe cards and educational materials to learn more about healthy foods.
Local businesses can also showcase their products and services while meeting members of the community at the Howard Lake Business Expo. The annual event is led by the chamber, and takes place in early spring at the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School. In 2020, the chamber had to cancel the expo due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the expo featured more than 55 vendor booths, and served a free pancake breakfast to several hundred attendees.
The chamber also sponsors the Good Neighbor Days royalty dinner, and provides scholarships for the Good Neighbor Days royalty each year.
To contact the Howard Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, email howardlakechamber @ gmail. com.
Howard Lake Farmers Market
The Howard Lake Farmers Market( HLFM) takes place each Thursday, June through August, from 3 to 6 p. m. at Lions Park, alongside beautiful Howard Lake and US Highway 12.
The market is a family-friendly event that features live music, Power of Produce( PoP) Club & Senior Bucks events, fresh produce, baked goods, and other artisan and handmade items – to create a fun and welcoming environment in support of locally grown and produced items. HLFM offers an opportunity for non-profits to get exposure and kids’ activities, including rock-painting and healthy-eating education.
Wright County 4-H
4-H is an youth development organization for youth ages kinder garten through one year post-high school. 4-H focuses on leadership, citizenship, and life skills through project-based learning, with a variety of fun activities and events throughout the year. There are 19 4-H clubs in Wright County, open to all youth, wherever they live, from all backgrounds and interests. The Wright County 4-H program is part of the University of Minnesota Extension.
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