Everyone Plays a Role in Welcoming

Welcoming Week, September 12–19, brought people together across Thief River Falls to explore, connect, and celebrate the community we share. From discovering local history to learning about area employers, the week offered opportunities for newcomers and longtime residents to experience our community together.

Local organizations made those opportunities possible:

• The Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce hosted Everybody’s Market and the John Kimball concert, bringing local shopping, music, and community activities to Floyd B. Olson Park.
• Visit Thief River Falls hosted the Footsteps Through History walking tour, with guide Marilyn Weir sharing the stories and landmarks that helped shape our community.
• Nordin Realty, USA Realty, Greenberg Realty, Edina Realty, and Hometown Realty hosted open houses, welcoming people to explore local housing opportunities.
• Arctic Cat and DigiKey each hosted community tours of their operations, offering a closer look at the industries and careers that support our local economy.
• Northland Community & Technical College hosted a campus tour, introducing visitors to its programs, resources, and educational opportunities.
• Advance Thief River hosted The WoodPicks concert at Floyd B. Olson Park, bringing neighbors together through live music.

Thank you to these hosts, the performers, vendors, volunteers, and everyone who attended, shared event information, or invited someone to join them. Your contributions made Welcoming Week a shared community effort.

Welcoming Week belongs to the Entire Community

Its impact grows through the involvement of residents, employers, schools, organizations, and neighbors. Each of us has a role in helping people feel that they belong here.

That role can be simple: introducing yourself to a new coworker, inviting a neighbor to an event, helping a family find local resources, or including someone new in an established group. Small gestures can open the door to lasting relationships.

Our Economic Future

Building those connections also matters to our economic future. Pennington County has roughly 2,000 more jobs than resident workers, underscoring the importance of workforce recruitment and retention. Commuters may help support our employers in the short-term, but attracting new residents and helping current residents put down roots are imperative steps toward a strong economic future.

A job can bring someone to a community. Friendships, connections, and a sense of belonging give them reasons to stay. When employees and their families feel included, employers’ recruitment efforts have a stronger foundation, and our entire community benefits.

Welcoming Week gives us a focused opportunity to build those connections, but the work continues throughout the year. How we greet people, include them, and help them find their place shapes the community we are becoming.

Thank you for helping make Thief River Falls a place where people can build careers, form friendships, and feel at home. Let’s keep extending that welcome, together.