By Sen. John Thune

The recent blizzard that blanketed communities across South Dakota with a fresh layer of the white stuff was a harsh reminder that Mother Nature’s winter grip remains strong. Punxsutawney Phil didn’t do us any favors either. So, while snow still covers a vast majority of the state, spring will be here before we know it. And not a moment too soon, I might add. With spring comes spring break, and with spring break comes a surge of vacationing families and students to the nation’s capital, which is as exciting and predictable as the change in seasons itself.

If your family or organization is one of the many that will be making the trek from South Dakota to Washington, D.C., this spring, we’d love to see you. Not only will you be able to enjoy some warmer weather (hopefully) and soak up the sights, like the famous Japanese cherry blossoms, but my office can assist you with things like booking tours of federal buildings, including the Capitol, Supreme Court, or Library of Congress. If you need help, just send us an email, give us a call, or stop by in person.

If you decide to stop by my Washington office, which I hope you do, I’d like to extend an open invitation to your family or organization for the South Dakota Sunrise Coffee, which I host weekly with Sen. Mike Rounds and Rep. Kristi Noem. It’s a free event that is open to any South Dakotan who is in town. While folks enjoy coffee and donuts, the congressional delegation will provide an update on what’s happening in Congress and then open it up for feedback to hear what’s on your mind.

If you’re interested in attending one of the upcoming events, call my office or visit my website, www.thune.senate.gov, and search “sunrise coffee” to sign up. It’s a great opportunity. More than 500 South Dakotans attended these events last year, and I hope we can welcome even more people, including you and your family, in 2018.

Already at this year’s Sunrise Coffees, in addition to the families that have been in town visiting, we’ve seen representatives from South Dakota State University, Oglala Lakota College, Sisseton Wahpeton College, the South Dakota Humanities Council, South Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sanford Underground Research Facility, the South Dakota Small Business Development Center, the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, and many more.

While my job as your senator requires me to be in Washington at times, a lot of the important work gets done when I’m back home in South Dakota, traveling the state and meeting with people in communities, large and small. So, if I don’t find you at a Sunrise Coffee, I’ll be sure to catch you back in the 605. Don’t be a stranger.