Thank you for keeping Walker, MN open!

It’s December and we’re here again: Our restaurants are back to takeout-only, and our community members are being asked to do their part to stop a rampant spread of COVID-19. We know: This is not the 2020 that we had in mind, either. 

But as we heard Gov. Tim Walz’s latest orders, we didn’t worry. Because over and over again in 2020, you, our community members, showed us that Walker, MN would stay open. 

When our official lockdown hit in March, no one knew what to expect. This is a situation that none of us have ever lived through. And yet, our restaurants delivered — literally. They also offered takeout. Our parks became dining areas. When our community members couldn’t eat inside a restaurant, they ordered food to enjoy at home. Shops offered their own pickup and delivery orders to keep residents at home from going stir-crazy. Residents purchased gifts for themselves and for others. They purchased books. They sent a resounding message: Walker, MN Is Open. 

As spring became summer we enjoyed the fresh Minnesota air as we dined outside. We joined our Leech Lake area visitors on shopping trips across the Walker community, in stores with limited capacity and “masked up.” 

Pumpkins lit up our streets in the fall. Residents participated in our passport program, as the #ShopLocal message was relayed stronger than ever. We’ve loved seeing how our community made sure that Walker, MN stayed open every step of the way this year. While we now know that we’re not at the end of this COVID-19 pandemic yet, we also know that the residents of Walker, MN will not let our little Leech Lake town close. Walker is open! Walker has been open since the beginning, and that isn’t changing any time soon. And for that, we are grateful for you this holiday season and every day. 

Here are some tips for staying safe and stopping the spread of this COVID-19 pandemic once and for all while you do your holiday shopping around town this year. While you’re out and about, wearing your mask and spreading cheer, please know just how much you mean to all of us at the Leech Lake Chamber and your local business community.

Tips for staying safe while holiday shopping (with the help of our friends at Super One):

• Make sure your mask covers your nose and your mouth
• Stay at least 6 feet away from other shoppers in the store where you’re visiting
• Shop with a list so you know exactly what you’re looking for and can streamline your time in shops.
• If you’re shopping during the week of a holiday, shop early on in the week to avoid that last-minute rush!
• Wash or sanitize your hands both before you leave the house and after you return home.
• Don’t go shopping if you’re not feeling well at all. 
• If you’re purchasing groceries or goods for home, don’t panic-buy! There is no need. Shop smart!
• Move quickly about the store so that you don’t exhale too many aerosols in one place for too long of a time period