As many Perham residents likely have heard by now, the iconic "Turtle Lady" passed away this past month. Lynnette Henderson took over production of the stuffed animal turtles for Perham's Turtle Races around 1984 and endeavored for over 30 years to bring smiles to thousands of childrens’ faces.
Many did not know that after adding up the costs of materials, time and labor, this was definitely not a for-profit operation. Henderson didn’t, however, consider this a loss, but instead an investment into her community. She loved to see the reactions of both children and adults when they found their perfect turtle.
I want to thank the community of Perham for their endless support of one of my grandmother’s great passions in life, a combination of her love of sewing and her enjoyment of children. She gained a great deal of joy from her years attending the Turtle Races, and they will always remind me of her years toiling away in her sewing room, sewing up turtle heads, attaching tags, and making holes for the eyes.