Hundreds attend United Way of Becker County’s Community Celebration on Sept. 21

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Hundreds turned out for the United Way of Becker County’s annual Community Celebration at the Detroit Lakes Pavilion on Thursday night.

The event fed attendees with sloppy joe plates for a suggested donation and kids seemed to enjoy the inflatable bouncy areas in City Park just outside the event hall.

Terry Haus, executive director of the United Way of Becker County, said the fun part of the evening was going to be giving away 13 bikes via raffle to some kids, but the event itself is for the community as a whole.

“Every year, it makes me feel good,” said Haus. “It’s one of those events, we do a couple events per year and to be able to give away 13 bikes tonight, that’s going to be the fun part. And every time I talk to anybody, it’s community. It’s bringing the community together and that’s what it’s all about.”

He also highlighted the more than 20 vendor tables at the event, which were full of other nonprofits that work in partnership with the United Way of Becker County. Some of those nonprofits included: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Lakes Crisis and Resource Center, Detroit Lakes Public Library and Cornerstone Community and Youth Center in Frazee.

“And that’s kind of the idea behind the Community Celebration is to give all of our partner programs an opportunity to spread their word,” he said. “Some of the work they do is unbelievable and until you get to sit down and talk with them … you can’t believe the good work that is being done in Becker County.”

Attendees talk with different nonprofit organizations at the United Way of Becker County’s Community Celebration event on Sept. 21, 2023 at The Pavilion in Detroit Lakes. (Michael Achterling / KDLM)

Organizations like the United Way of Becker County can’t have the positive impact on a community without dedicated volunteers, he said. Donations of time and money from people, money and services from businesses, they all feed into keeping their programs beneficial to the entire lakes area.

“We couldn’t do what we do without the gift of talents, the gift of money, and we have people that are just willing to do it,” said Haus. “And year-in and year-out, I’m always amazed at what Becker County provides.”

Kids line up at inflatable play area during the United Way of Becker County’s Community Celebration event on Sept. 21, 2023 at The Pavilion in Detroit Lakes. (Michael Achterling / KDLM)