Do you know that Farmington, Minnesota is the nation’s first “Yellow Ribbon” Community? Why? Because a group of citizens came together on a hot August evening in 2008 to answer the question, “How can we become a community that goes over and above to support Service Members, Military Families and Veterans?  This led the way for the state of Minnesota to recognize those communities who create sustainable action plans to infuse support for military families throughout every area of the community. Over the last 3 years, Farmington’s group has hosted monthly Veteran Dinners, honored military mohter and grandmothers with an elegant annual luncheon, held a Welcome Home parade for Vietnam Veterans, hosted an annual Military Family Picnic and held many educational events to learn more about what a military family lives with during a deployment. In addition they have over 200 volunteers who answer the call for help to any Military Family or Veteran in need. From cleaning homes, tutoring children, household chores, landscaping and snow shoveling…whatever military families need, they are there. To learn more about becoming a Yellow Ribbon Community, go to www.beyondtheyellowribbon.org or visit the Farmington website at www.farmingtonw2c.org. They are dedicated to bringing Service Members all the way home and to ensure that no Veteran or Military Family feels isolated or alone.