Dairy farmer gives back

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There is a military principle that is taught to leaders to inspire their soldiers: Lead from the front. As in the Army, or in the community, that often means leading by example. In one case of leading by example occurred Tuesday when Balaton dairy farmer Josh Lingen forfeited a large portion of a $3,000 grant money from the Midwest Dairy Association that was intended for his ice cream business by donating it to the Marshall Food Shelf. The recent COVID-19 epidemic has put his ice cream operation out of business this spring and faces an uncertain future. He decided to donate a $2,000 freezer to the food shelf and also donated between $500 to $1,000 worth of dairy products. These are not easy times for farmers. Lingen said he’s trying to stay positive through it all. At the same time, Lingen is making a positive impact on his community.

Pence knows better

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Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester wasn’t all positive. He made the decision to ignore Mayo’s policy of everybody wearing masks inside the facility. His excuse: he is regularly tested for COVID-19 and doesn’t need to wear a mask. Besides the risk he put on himself and others, he also ignored the lead from the front example principle: Lead by example.

Walz, Peterson lead by example

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And then there is Gov. Tim Walz who has 24 years of military experience with the Minnesota National Guard. He has led by example through this whole COVID-19 crisis. When he discovered he had contact with someone affected by the virus, he put himself in quarantine, while still guiding his state through days of uncertainty. Both he and U.S. Rep. Colin Peterson showed up Wednesday at a Worthington news conference wearing face masks. A clear example of leading from the front.