Chamber of Commerce to kick off "Stay Safe" project

Volunteers from the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce will be traveling in northwest Winneshiek County on Wednesday, distributing bags filled with provisions to every farm field worker they find. The reusable bags have included everything from pop/water to first-aid kits, work gloves to homemade cookies and much more, all donated by DACC member businesses.

Director of Communications and Programming Emily Kurash says, "Our goal is to stop the farmers while they are working and remind them to take care of themselves during the harvest season."

Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee members will travel the countryside west of Highway 52 and north of Highway 9.

The Stay Safe "Take a Break" project began in 2004 in an effort to help fight farmer fatigue and keep workers safe in Winneshiek County during the fall harvest season.  The program was designed to be implemented over a four-year period with 200 bags delivered each year in a different quadrant of Winneshiek County.