Mayor signs declaration of gratitude to visiting J-1 exchange visitors

Eagle River Mayor Deb Brown recently signed an official declaration of thanks to the J-1 exchange students who come to work in the area during the busy summer months.

Each summer, young people from around the world travel to Headwaters Country to fill vital roles in restaurants, shops, resorts, grocery stores and seasonal businesses. Their dedication helps the local economy thrive during its busiest tourist season, from June through August.
The declaration extends a “heartfelt thanks and warm welcome of this community” to all J-1 exchange visitor workers here for the summer, and encourages residents to greet them with “the same hospitality and appreciation that our community is known for.”

“In choosing to spend their summer among us, these visitors become part of the daily life of our town — they are our neighbors at the market, our friends at community gatherings, and living threads connecting our small corner of Wisconsin to the wider world,” the declaration states.

It goes on to say that the spirit of cultural exchange these workers embody reflects the very best of what it means to build community — curiosity toward one another, generosity across difference, and the shared understanding that we are all made richer by welcoming those who come from elsewhere.

Brown signed the declaration Aug. 6.

To show their gratitude and meet these young people who have called our community home for the past few months, the public is invited to a picnic for J-1 workers Sunday, Aug. 30, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Riverside Park in Eagle River. There is no charge to attend, and food and games will be available.