This post really should be written as a “Confession” that I’ve eaten too many Red’s Hot dogs, but since it’s an event and fundraiser, I opted to put it in my “News” section. If you live in Minnesota and EVER drive Hwy 7 or Hwy 15 through Hutchinson, there’s a place you have to check out.

It’s Red’s Hot Dog stand.

They are the best hotdogs in the state of Minnesota. We’re talking Cooking Channel good! From their gourmet buns made only for Red’s Hot to their Vienna Beef dogs, this yummy drive up treat has people waiting in line to choose between a Hutch Hottie, Chicago Dog, Vegetarian Option, and their new “Special of the Day”.

Want to know where to find them? You have to follow Red’s Here on Twitter or Here on Facebook, unless you want to drive around until you spot their bright umbrellas. Even WCCO and Kare11 TV crews came to Hutchinson last week and checked them out!

Next week, September 14-20th Red’s Hot will be donating proceeds to the McLeod County United Way. How cool is that! All you have to do is stop by and eat hotdogs.

United Way of McLeod County (UWMC) has launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. This program allows every child who lives in McLeod County and was born in 2009 to be eligible to receive an age-appropriate hard back book in the mail each month. The books are a gift from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the United Way of McLeod County. The program is absolutely free to the newborns and parents. Studies done for the Dollywood Foundation regarding this program have shown that investing in early childhood education yields more productive older students, better citizens and employees. Better-educated children generally stay out of crime, and need fewer out-of-home placements and less counseling. However, not enough kids get that important education in their early years. A high percentage of kindergartners are coming to school at risk for failure. Children whose parents read to them become improved readers and do better in school. If you want to make sure children are ready to learn in school, one of the best guarantees is to read to them when they’re young.

Children enrolled in the program will get 12 books a year delivered to their homes for free. The first book in the Imagination Library is “The Little Engine That Could.” The program aims to select books that are age-appropriate and titles that will encourage parents to read to their kids. To sign up for this program, please go to United Way of McLeod County website at www.unitedwaymcleodcounty.org. For more information about Imagination Library, please visit: www.imaginationlibrary.com