MAPE at the Fair

MAPE members were at the State Fair Labor Pavilion Saturday, Aug. 31, and Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2, and gave out 300 shopping bags, 500 buttons, all the kids toys and lots of literature to encourage people to apply for state jobs.

"We had a lot of current and retired MAPE employees who visited us in the booth and were so happy to see us at the Fair," said MAPE Local 2101 President and coordinator of MAPE's Fair presence Liz Pearson. "This is why I organize this event. As members of a union, I think it is important to see us at places like the Fair. Next year the plan is to do both weekends and I think we have enough volunteers to staff it."

Pearson said Attorney General Keith Ellison and State Auditor Julie Blaha visited with members on Saturday, and on Labor Day the pavilion was "rocking with music" from Cornbread Harris, the Twin Cities Labor Chorus and Uncensored with Johnnie Brown. "The corner was filled with people dancing, singing and enjoying the beautiful day," Pearson said.

This year, 23 volunteers helped staff the booth and walk in the Labor Day parade at the State Fair. MAPE members Alex Grill (802), Alyssa Johnson (2101), Andrea Capaul (401), Christine Retkwa (2101), Dana Wilson (701), Dylan Adams (2101), Emily Lu (801), Frances Li (101), Indu Sureshkannan (201), Jen Crea (301), Kevin Yau (601), Kristine Anderson (1002), Linda Spears (1301), Lisa Zacharias (401), Mary Reis (1101), Nicole Juan (2101), Renee Vail (101), Revathy Palanikumar (2101), Sarah Sinderbrand (2101), Susan McNeeley (1101), Ted Johnson (801) and Vanaja Rajenderan (1002) helped make this year's event a success!

Check out more photos of MAPE at the Fair.