Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Recent memorable life moments October 13, 2026

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Loving words once posted in downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

IN LIFE, SOME MOMENTS stand out. Not for their WOW factor, but rather in the power of simplicity. A smile. A loving word. An unexpected act of kindness. In recent days, I’ve experienced such feel-good moments.

IN MY KITCHEN

The most personal came in a family group hug as our eldest daughter and her family were about to leave after a Saturday afternoon with us. Randy and the two grandkids were hugging each other goodbye when 10-year-old Izzy called for a group hug. So the six of us circled by the kitchen door, wrapped our arms around each other and held each other tight. It was the best moment of the entire day.

I made this sign last winter during the height of Operation Metro Surge. I pulled it from my basement stash, refreshed the letters and carried it on the protest line again last Saturday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)

ON THE PROTEST LINE

A week later, while standing on the protest line in Faribault holding a resurrected sign with the message to “love each other,” I locked eyes with a passenger in a passing car. She happened to be a Somali woman. Upon seeing my sign, her face spread into a wide smile. This is one of the reasons I protest—to stand up for those who’ve been targeted, hated on, including by our own president.

At that same protest, several middle school-aged boys, walking past on the opposite side of the street and who happened to be Hispanic, waved and smiled in support of our messages. I can only imagine how good it felt for those youth and the Somali woman to see that others care enough to publicly stand up for them. That “love each other” sign is now displayed in my front living room for all to see who drive along my busy residential street.

AT THE GROCERY STORE

While grocery shopping hours after the protest, I spotted a woman wearing a “Kindness Matters” floral tee. I paused to tell her how much I appreciated the message on her shirt. Kindness does matter. And expressing kindness in words ranks high with me.

This is the photo that includes my friend Sharon and her family. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)

IN A TEXT

My friend Sharon expressed such kindness to me via text after I shared a recent photo I took of her and her family at the Faribault Fall Festival. In part, Sharon wrote, “You do a lot for Faribault with your articles and photos. So uplifting.” I try. I try to follow the lessons learned from my kind, compassionate and caring mom. A strong woman of faith, she gave back to community through her extensive volunteerism all the while raising and teaching six children the importance of always speaking kindly of others.

A sign posted at the Bell Church last Friday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

AT BELL CHURCH

Kindness comes in actions, too. While on a fall color drive several days ago, Randy and I stopped at St. Peter Bell Lutheran Church, rural Waterville. We’ve always wanted to see inside the church. So when we noticed several vehicles parked outside, we stopped. Inside the fellowship hall, three women were prepping for a Smoked Pork Chop Dinner. Trudy paused in her work and took us into the sanctuary. Not only was that kind of her, but, as we were about to leave, she gave us a bag holding two servings of pumpkin ice cream made by the pastor for the fundraising dinner. Trudy didn’t expect anything in return, but Randy gave her a small donation anyway. Later, we enjoyed the flavor of fall in that delicious pumpkin ice cream at Richter Woods County Park in rural Montgomery.

ON FACEBOOK

Yesterday brought another sweet moment when Randy showed me a Facebook photo of our two eldest grandchildren, ages seven and 10, walking down the sidewalk, arms wrapped around each other. Unbeknownst to them, their mom, following behind, snapped the image. “Best buds,” she labeled the sibling photo.

Scott Hoffbeck’s motorcycle lies in the street by our house following an August 26 crash. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo August 2026)

AT THE POLICE STATION

Finally, at 5 p.m. this Thursday, October 15, the Faribault Police Department is recognizing Randy and also Paloma Sanchez for their actions following a late August car-motorcycle crash by our house that severely-injured the motorcyclist. The two likely helped save the life of Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck, according to the responding police officer. They tended to and stayed with Scott until he was taken via ambulance directly to the local airport and airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. He remained in ICU for several weeks, but is now back in Faribault recovering at a local care center. Scott hopes to attend the public event in the second floor meeting room of the police station. (You are welcome to attend.) More memorable moments are yet to come in that anticipated emotional reunion and in the recognition of two individuals who truly showed what it means to “love your neighbor” by helping a stranger lying severely-injured in the street.

Moments matter. Love each other. In words. And actions.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

July 4 on the protest line in Faribault July 6, 2026

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One of many mini 250th birthday flags decorating the bandshell area at Faribault’s Central Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)

IT WAS THE FOURTH of July and we still showed up, 25-30 strong.

Some of us wore patriotic-themed shirts. We carried our signs. Susan brought mini American flags to distribute. One guy arrived with a full-size US flag. Matt came with his aging dog, Honeybun, who lounged in her dog bed on the sidewalk.

The week prior, we’d briefly talked about whether to gather on the Fourth of July. But we quickly decided that, of all days, we should meet to protest on the 250th birthday of our country. Just like we have every Saturday since January along one of Faribault’s busiest roadways.

Our love for America, our concern for America under the present administration, our love of freedom and democracy draw us street-side to publicly protest. Love for our immigrant neighbors brings us, too. There are hundreds of reasons to stand up, to rise up, to resist.

I made this protest sign earlier this year and carried it during our July 4th protest in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2026)

NOTABLE QUOTES ON PATRIOTISM

I reference this quote from a recent reader comment: “A love of country can coexist with a fierce criticism of it, and peaceful protest is arguably the epitome of patriotism. It is the work of those who love a country strongly enough to insist on trying to close the gap between what it is and what it could be.” (Steven B. Smith, The Atlantic, July 2026). That quote from Smith summarizes peaceful protest in a way that really resonates with me.

Another reader shared an equally insightful comment from a speech by Mark Twain: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, but your government only when it deserves it.” Oh, how true I find that to be.

Hours after our protest ended in Faribault, Randy and I headed to a July Fourth celebration in North Morristown. I wore this to both events. On my flag shirt I wore a Rebel Loon button and campaign buttons for Jake Johnson, running on the DFL ticket for U.S. representative, and for Martha Brown also on the DFL ticket for state representative in District 19A. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo by Randy Helbling)

PROTEST LINE OBSERVATIONS

Protesting in my community, which has voted Republican probably in forever (I’ve lived here 42 years), felt initially unnerving. It takes a bit of bravery to publicly stand along busy Minnesota State Highway 60 in this city of 25,000 and protest. You’re not anonymous like you would be among hundreds or thousands of protesters in a much larger city. But I got over that quickly as I found community among others, soon discovering that I am not alone in my viewpoints, my worries, my concerns.

In fact, during seven months of protesting, we’ve all noticed growing support from motorists passing the protest line. The verbal assaults, the rolling coal, the rage and other negativity directed toward us is declining just as support is increasing. The name-calling and bird flipping still happen, but not as frequently and with less intensity.

Now we have the numbers to back up those observations. My husband, Randy, closely watched passing motorists for the past two Saturdays, tallying results on the back of his protest sign. He noted reactions like horn honking, waving, thumbs up, middle fingers, yelling…in two overall categories of support and non-support.

The protest line in February, early on in our weekly 11 a.m.-noon Saturday protests outside the Rice County government services building along Minnesota State Highway 60 in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

SUPPORT IS GROWING

On Saturday, June 27, support was at 75 percent. On the Fourth of July, that number rose to 82 percent.

Things are shifting. And that began around the time of the Iran War and rising gas prices.

People passing by our protest line represent a cross-section of Faribault, lending validity to the unscientific street-side poll results. I hold hope. And hope is a powerful thing to hold when you love your country enough to stand up in protest.

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ON ANOTHER NOTE: Sam Temple, candidate for Rice County commissioner in District 3, is holding a town hall from 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, July 6, in the Great Hall of Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault. He intends to focus on data centers. One is being proposed for Faribault. Come, get informed, ask questions, meet Sam and also meet candidates running for Faribault City Council. All have been invited to this town hall. This will be a good opportunity to learn about data centers and about candidates running for local offices.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling