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Watermelon Day is the latest coronavirus victim

Annual Stanhope celebration is canceled for 2020

— Daily Freeman-Journal file photo Abby Olsen,10, comes with her family from Lonsdale, MN each year for Watermelon Day. Here she enjoys some juicy melon with her uncle Greg Nass at a past celebration.This year’s event is canceled due to concerns about social distancing.

STANHOPE –The Stanhope Lions Club announced Thursday that it has made the difficult decision to cancel the Stanhope Watermelon Day scheduled for July 20.

Organizers said many factors were taken into account, including the health and safety of the club members, volunteers and the many guests that attend, and the ability to put on a successful event with the social distancing guidelines.

“We had to be very mindful that our celebration could not happen without the commitment and sacrifice from our community volunteers and that was simply too much to ask of them under these public health pandemic circumstances,” the club said in a statement. “We hope you will be understanding and respectful of the Lion Club members for making the decision they thought they would never have to make.

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