With the presidential elections heating up, it's difficult to gain the perspective of time. Depending on how old you are, there is a fuzzy recollection of some elections, and no memory of others. I do remember the name George McGovern. Both my parents liked him. Regardless of political parties, he seemed like an upstanding fellow and his running certainly must have put South Dakota on the map.

He was born in Avon, South Dakota in 1922 and kept his roots there. Last year The McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service opened in Mitchell, South Dakota. It includes a The Legacy Museum that highlights main points in McGovern's life. When you think about someone who could remember the Depression, served as a in WWII and ran for president during the Vietnam War and also served in the U.N.-- plus a whole lot of other things, that's some career. The center also has the McGovern Library that is connected to Dakota Wesleyan University, McGovern's alma matter and the site of The McGovern Center.

Part of the purpose of the center is to educate others to become stellar leaders. That's not a bad idea. We kind of need those. By the way, McGovern is 85.

Filed under: Activism, History, Learning, Stories, United States