Girlfriends September / October Issue

Faribault • Northfield • Owatonna • St. Peter • Waseca

where local women turn

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER

2009

These girlfriends have a connection that goes

beyond words.

I’m the kind of gal who thinks the only reason to go

outside is to get to your car. It’s safe to say I’m not what

people call “outdoorsy.” This is considered highly criminal con-sidering I grew up in Marquette, Mich., the snowfall capital of the U.S. every winter.

Because I don’t like to tan, swim, ski, hike, sweat or interact with insects, my brother inexpli-cably decided recently to give me the very special birthday gift of a trip to the Boundary Waters. We would be joining his Deaf Recre-ational Club on the journey. The fact that I was the only hearing member on the trip and not flu-ent in sign language made it even more exciting.

My brother, also known as Mr. Hardcore Outdoor, went through my pack to make sure I didn’t bring any unnecessary items, as I would be sharing a tent with him. By the time the refrigerator-sized Duluth pack was placed on my shoulders, I had no idea what I was carrying.

What I found out later as most

of the other women on the trip were unpacking their books, eco-friendly bath products, changes of jewelry, painting supplies, backgammon boards, kicky wilderness “outfits” and camera equipment, was that I had only a sweatshirt and a toothbrush. Oh, I exaggerate…I had an extra pair of socks, too. My brother told me not to worry; he had everything else I would need.

Portaging with an aluminum canoe and the aforementioned world’s heaviest pack filled with other people’s crap, was just the start of the adventure. My intro-duction to this unparalled fun started by taking the canoe out in rough water with a heavyset male in the back and a non-swimming, terrified female in the middle.

The guy in back kept signing frantically at me and screaming “WOK, WOK, WOK” to which I kept replying in sign language, “I don’t understand.” That is, of course, until we hit the large rock directly in front of us, tipped over and lost everything in the canoe.

After a relaxing dinner of Kool-Aid made with lake water, cheese that apparently never needed refrigeration and noodles with some kind of “special trail sauce,” the evening’s festivities ensued. I couldn’t sign well enough to keep up with fireside conversation, so I was in bed by 7 p.m.

As I awoke later that evening to the snorting and scratching outside our tent, I frantically poked my brother awake. I held a flashlight under my chin and did the claws on the side of my face, big tooth sign for “BEAR.” My brother looked at me kind of groggily and said, “I don’t hear it” and rolled over to go back to sleep. I spent the rest of the eve-ning remembering every horror movie I had ever seen, knowing I would be eviscerated in mere mo-

ments. It didn’t matter how badly I had to go to the bathroom, there would be no more drinking of liquids or going to the bathroom after dark.

As the trip progressed and the black flies danced around our heads until we lost our minds, I found myself even more thankful no one could hear me. I swore non-stop and was close to tears the minute we saw another set of outdoor enthusiasts coming across the lake.

Sure, getting up early and hopping in my sleeping bag over to the water’s edge to listen to the baby loons was cool, but so was my dream of going home, show-ering and never venturing into to the woods again. I had my chance to commune with Mother Nature and I am pretty sure neither of us wants a repeat performance. G

— Mary Closner appreciates sheets with a high thread count and prefers to embrace the beauty of nature from the balcony of her luxury hotel while sipping a cool drink.

Girlfriends.mn 3 Sept./Oct. 2009

Mary Closner

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Volume 1, Issue 6Copyright © Girlfriends 2009Published Sept./Oct. 2009 by: I-35 Target Media, P.O. Box 537, Northfield, MN 55057 / 507-645-1136Send releases and story ideas to: Jerry Smith at Girlfriends Magazine, [email protected]

Publisher: Julie Frazier Associate Editor: Jerry Smith Account Executive: Machelle KendrickGraphic Designer: Ashley Ptacek Contributing writers: Azna A. Amira, Kari Berit, Mary Closner, Stephen DeLong, Melinda Emmanuel and Erika Greiner.Girlfriends make-up artist: Lisa-Marie

Cover PhotoKelly DeBruin, Sue Schro-eder and Mandy Young were brought together by Culturfest. Now they share a bond that goes beyond their desire for cultural diversity. See page 6.(Photo by Kelli Wencl)

About Us

18

Girlfriends SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009

Features10 ‘THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS’ Nearly every woman has one in her closet. It’s called the “Little Black Dress” and this fashion icon never seems to go out of style.

14 WASECA ‘CHATFEST’ Sometimes they’re called “Super Moms.” Sometimes “Soccer Moms.” We see how these women juggle life with two or more kids in sports.

24 TACKLING CHILDHOOD OBESITY Area health care professionals talk about the impact of “Childhood Obesity” in the region and give tips on how to prevent it.

Women We Know8 INSPIRED After losing her son in an auto accident, Waseca’s Pat Abbe used her art to get through tough times.

22 SHE SHINES St. Peter elementary school principal Nancy Kluck is looking for a few good women to mentor.

23 SHE SHINES, TOO! Waseca teacher Lisa Hoefs recognized for growing the high school agriculture program.

Accessories3 Play Clothes

5 Contributing Writers

6 Covergirls

18 We Time (Wine Trail)

19 We Time (Women’s Expo)

20-21 For the Love of Wine

28 Unexpected Caregiver

30 Daddy’s Girl

22

Look for your next issue of Girlfriends the week of November 2

1024


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Contributing Writers

Azna A. Amira

Kari Berit

Kari Berit is a freelance writer living in Red Wing. She is the author of “The Unexpected Caregiver.”

Erika Greiner

Erika Greiner is a freelance writer from Bloomington, Minn., and a recent gradu-ate of St. Olaf College.

Mary Closner

Mary Closner is the humor columnist for Girlfriends. You never know what you might read in “Play Clothes.”

Azna A. Amira is a freelance writer living in Northfield. Amira also writes for 35C business magazine.

StephenDeLong

Stephen DeLong is from North-field. He writes “For the Love of Wine” for Girlfriends magazine.

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Cover Girls

(From left) Owa-tonna Rotarians Stephanie Olson, Lonna Lysne, Marlene Levine, Susan Petterson, Barbara Jacob-son and Betsy Lindgren use the Rotary Club as a springboard to other

Girlfriends photo

This friendship has a truly international flavorBy JERRY SMITH

Friendships are born out of many differ-ent situations.

You could call the bond between Sue Schroeder, Kelly DeBruin and Mandy Young a friendship with international ties.

The three Owatonna women became friends after meeting and serving (still) on the Culturfest board. For eight years now, that friendship has continued to blossom, both in the organi-zation and outside of it.

Culturfest is an annual festival in Owatonna that unites music and dance tal-ents, ethnic foods, authentic merchandise and adult and children’s activities to enrich its visitors with a multicul-tural experience.

“Kelly and Mandy are both competent, capable women,” said Schroeder, who started Culturfest in 1999. “It’s a pleasure working with them. It’s about the easiest group of women I’ve worked with and there is an element of genuine affection here.”

As the three women recently

sat in DeBruin’s home talk-ing about Culturfest and their friendship, each said the deep need to celebrate cultural diver-sity was the common thread.

“I was just really drawn to the cultural experience and to celebrate culture,” said Young, who is from Australia. “Being from a different culture, I was

excited to be a part of it.”While Schroeder, DeBruin

and Young do the typical things friends take part in, like walks and bicycle rides together, many of the activities have a cultural twist.

“Once a year, we go to the Twin Cities and have a cul-tural cuisine experience,” said

Schroeder, who was born in Germany. “Those have been fun experiences.”

Young agrees.“When something like

that comes up, we know the others will be up to it,” she said.

Each have a commit-ment to education, as well. The women all say they are interested in learning about differences instead of being afraid of them, which plays into the Culturfest mission.

“We want to learn about different cultures without needing a passport,” Young said. “We want to create that experience for our kids, too.”

For Schroeder, education was one of the reasons she became interested in begin-ning an organization like Culturfest.

“We are friends who have a common mission,” Schroeder said. “We want our kids to learn about their cultures and be aware of other cultures.

“We have a common way of looking at the world, our kids and our community. And we all hope Owatonna will be welcoming.” G

Girlfriends photo by Kelli Wencl of Ginger Snaps Photography

Kelly DeBruin (from left), Mandy Young and Sue Schroeder met through the Culturfest Multicultural Outdoor Festival in Owatonna.

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Waseca woman soothes pain of personal loss with art

Submitted photo

Patrice Abbe works on the “Self Portrait - Life Altered” piece. “I was moved to do this self-portrait of charred wood, metallic paint and finger nail polish,” Abbe said.

Inspired

By JERRY SMITH

Patrice Abbe has always had a fondness for art.

In 1992, with the death of her son in a car accident at the age of 18, that fondness grew into some-thing more meaningful. Ultimately, it became a way of mourning her son’s death.

“After Ben’s death, I started doo-dling and found it to be therapeutic for me,” said Abbe, who is a watercolorist and partner in Passion For Art, LLC, a gallery, studio and classroom located in Waseca. “But I didn’t really realize that my artwork might unlock some of my emotions until eight years after the accident.”

Abbe was spending a long weekend with her extended family at the site where she had been told of her son’s death. It was a difficult few days for Abbe, who experienced the repeated flashbacks of her son’s accident that she began having six months after his death and that lasted 16 years.

Abbe said one of the weekend activi-ties was to artistically express herself and her feelings. What came from that

activity was the first piece — a self-por-trait fashioned from a burned log, glue, some metallic spray paint and pink fingernail polish — of a show entitled “Life Altered” that opens Oct. 4 at the Owatonna Arts Center.

“The first art piece didn’t happen un-til eight years after Ben’s death,” said Abbe of the long, therapeutic process. “Then five years ago, the next concept came to me. I completed the last piece in January.

“When you experience the death of a child, you experience it every day. The pieces in the show represent the significant moments in the mourning process.”

In her “Life Altered” exhibit, Abbe says the pieces represent “my experi-ences put to paper.” More importantly, she believes by showing her artwork, others who have experienced similar pain might be helped.

“This process was a benefit to me and I want the show to benefit others,” said Abbe, who knows she can help others through her experiences. “I’m sharing it with professionals and hoping they can use it to help people they are see-ing.”

While Abbe will never get over the death of her son Ben completely, she believes her artwork was a big step in coming to grips and in many ways, getting past her loss. She’s confident it changed her life for the better.

“Doing the artwork has opened me up to having a relationship with my son based on very positive memories,” said Abbe, who has been flashback free for more than a year and a half now. “It’s been a difficult and wonderful experi-ence. You’re feeling things very deeply because that’s what you have to do to get through the negative.” G

“Life Altered” exhibitWhat: A collection of artwork that shows

Patrice Abbe’s most prominent experiences result-ing from the sudden death of her son Ben in an automobile accident in 1992. “Ben’s death was life-altering,” Abbe said. “Creating the works for this show was also life-altering.”

When: Oct. 4-25Where: Owatonna Arts Center

(435 Dunnell Dr.)

Opening Reception: 1-4 p.m., Oct. 4

u

BlackThe

Little DressBy ERIKA GREINER

If you were to check the closets of a hundred women, most would have

a little black dress hanging near the front, just waiting to be used for any or all special occasions.The great thing about this classic

fashion piece is that it can be worn by any woman and it never seems to go out

of style.One reason might be because in its simplici-

ty, the little black dress — or LBD as it has come to be known as — can transform any woman into someone who is elegant and chic.If there is one item that every woman must keep in

her closet, fashion icons such as Coco Chanel and Au-drey Hepburn would insist that it be the quintessential little black dress. Jan Stevens, a historian with the Rice County Historical

Society would agree. >>>


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>>> A home economist with a Ph.D. in Family and Consumption Economics from the University of Kansas, Stevens is passion-ate about tracing fashion history. Her stud-ies have led her to understand the evolution and popularity of the little black dress that women have turned to time and again, for nearly a century.

A history lessonAs far back as the 1800s, women wore

black dresses not only for mourning, but for other significant occasions as well. Ac-cording to Stevens, this was because most women could not afford more than one nice dress; the nice dress that a woman owned was typically black for several reasons.

“Back then there were no dry cleaners,” Stevens said. “Women couldn’t launder their clothes very often, so with a dark color like black, women could keep their dresses looking nice for a long time without having to wash them since little spills and dust and dirt wouldn’t appear as quickly.

“The quality of workmanship doesn’t even matter much when you have a dark-colored fabric. You could wear a black dress over and over and the fabric could wear down a little bit but no one would ever notice. You can’t say the same about a red dress.”

Between the Civil War and World War I, many women were seen wearing black dresses as they mourned the death of a loved one. Consequently, for a long time people associated black dresses with mourning.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel played a significant role in bringing the role of the black dress out of mourning and into that of haute couture.

“Gabrielle Chanel’s lover died in 1919. When she came out of mourning, black lost its mourning touch,” Stevens said. “She was becoming a famous designer and as she continued wearing black, it became the chic

color for women.”Chanel published a picture of a “little

black dress” in a 1926 issue of Vogue. Women immediately started mimicking this simple, accessible style. Audrey Hepburn’s elegant look in Hubert de Givenchy’s little black dress was a hit in the 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” reminding women of the elegant timelessness of the dress.

Today, women continue to wear the little black dress, whether going for a classy, seductive, or sophisticated look. The simple little black dress remains an essential item that women can pull from their closets and wear with confidence to any number of occasions, knowing they are dressed to impress.

“Gabrielle Chanel made black the chic color for women, along with her other con-tributions to women’s fashion,” Stevens said.

Girlfriends magazine talked to three women in the region about their experiences with little black dresses. While each story is different, the common thread is that each has a number of Little Black Dresses hanging in their closets.

CAROL FLATTENCarol Flatten has lived around the world

and has had a little black dress for nearly ev-ery occasion, beginning as a young girl. >>>

As the wife of a diplo-mat, Carol Flatten has owned many “Little Black Dresses.” The one shown was made for her in Tel Aviv.

Girlfriends photo by Jerry Smith


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eHom

e >>> “The first time I wore a little black

dress, I was 6 years old and in a Hallow-een contest,” laughed Flatten, who lives in Northfield.

Though the first black dress Flatten owned was part of a costume, her mother taught her that you could never go wrong with a basic black dress.

“My mother was in retail,” Flatten said. “Her advice was always to stay away from fads and instead buy quality items that you can wear for a long time. That advice stuck with me for a long time.”

Flatten took her mother’s advice before starting as a student at St. Olaf College in 1953.

“One of the dresses I bought before go-ing to St. Olaf was a long-sleeved, black-wool dress with a princess line,” she said. “At St. Olaf, I worked as an usher at musi-cal concerts in the gym, which would get quite cold in the winter, so I would wear that dress to stay warm. It was very classic so it was always appropriate and versatile.”

After graduating from St. Olaf, Flatten married a man who became an American diplomat.

“When we got into the foreign service, we were told about little black dresses,” recalled Flatten. “In fact, I even went to a fashion show specifically for the little black dress — it was put on for the American diplomatic community.

“I knew I needed one to wear to various functions we would attend, but I couldn’t afford anything too expensive. So while we were living in Washington D.C., I found a consignment shop with high-end dresses that would have once been extremely expensive.”

It was at that consignment shop that

Flatten found her perfect “little black dress.”

“I bought a beautiful black dress there,” Flatten said. “The first place I wore it was to a Fourth of July extravaganza at the State Department in D.C.”

Flatten moved with her husband frequently as he was posted in France, Pakistan, Israel and Africa. She always took her little black dress with her.

“Our first foreign assignment was in Strasbourg, France,” she said. “In those days, they didn’t use central heating, so my black wool dress from my days at St. Olaf was worn again and again to diplomatic events. It looked classy and would keep me warm at the same time.

“In Tel Aviv, Israel, I recall wearing the little black dress many times. I wore it to

many concerts and cocktail parties.”At their posting in Israel, Flatten and her

husband had a chauffer who was retiring after years of service with the American Embassy, so they decided to throw him a retirement party. To thank them for the party, the chauffer had a Yemenis seam-stress make a special dress for Flatten.

“The seamstress made a black dress with Yemenis embroidery, which is very com-plicated and special,” Flatten said. “I wore that dress to the party, and even though it doesn’t fit me any more, it is something I will always treasure.

Flatten’s travels around the world called for her to attend a variety of events, though she could not always pack large suitcases as she’d move from one country to the next.

“I found that if you brought the clas-sics — including the little black dress, of course — you could take them with you and wear them from one place to the next,” she said. “I wore the same things in France, Pakistan, Israel and Rwanda. The amazing thing was that the black dress was always appropriate in every country and culture, and for nearly every occasion.”

TRACY JEVNINGTracy Jevning is a busy woman. She

is an executive administrator for Ican, a Waseca business that provides support and resources for people with varying levels of abilities to live independently.

She also owns the Daily Grind, a Waseca coffee shop, is a board member on the Waseca Chamber of Commerce, chairper-son of Waseca Downtown District Partner-ship, vice president for Waseca and Steele Counties’ Advocates for Developmental Disabilities, Community Enrichment >>>

As an executive administrator for a Waseca business, the owner of “The Daily Grind,” a downtown coffee and sandwich shop and someone active in her community, Tracy Jevning has the need for many “Little Black Dresses.”



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With so many commitments, Jevning is always on the move and has little time to spare fussing with her wardrobe. Her little black dress is the perfect solution.

“I have a few little black dresses,” said the 36-year-old Jevning. “My favorite is a more casual one for summer; it’s great for being out and about.”

Jevning is always “out and about” between her jobs and community involvement, so she enjoys the versatility of her little black dresses.

“You can do so much with it,” Jevning said. “You can add more color, you can play with the shoes and accessories…and they never go out of style.

“I think black always looks great, and that’s the fun part — you can’t go wrong with it. Maybe that’s why I have so many little black dresses.”

“I have a couple little black dresses that are more fancy and I wear those to attend different formal events.”

Whether Jevning throws together a casual ensemble with her little black dress for work at the coffee shop or pulls out a more formal dress for a fancy fundraiser, she can always de-pend on her little black dresses.

“I just think that simple looks nicer,” Jevning said, “so the little black dress is perfect.”

MARIE GERYOf all the people who are

familiar with black dresses, there is perhaps no one who has spent more time in one than a nun.

Marie Gery, 72, of Northfield, spent more than 10 years as a nun in a Wisconsin convent as a young woman. From the time she was 20 until she was 31 years old and left the convent, Gery spent every day dressed head to toe in her black habit.

“All you showed was your face and hands. The dress itself was black, and over that we wore black scapular,” Gery said. “We had black stockings, black shoes, a black Rosary and a black veil.”

This black dress was certainly as far from the quintessential lit-

tle black dress, and Gery admits that after she left the convent, it was a long time before she wore black again.

“I didn’t wear black again until I had to wear a black dress as part of a costume when I spent several years as a travelling story teller,” Gery said. “I wore the black dress when I played the role of Jesse James’ (of the infa-mous James-Younger gang who robbed the First National Bank of Northfield in 1876) mother.”

Gery found herself resorting to the classic black dress once again when she began singing in a chorus years later.

“I began to sing, and you always perform in black,” Gery said. “So I found the quintes-sential scoop-neck, long-sleeved dress.”

Most recently, Gery purchased a black dress at Anna’s Closet, a Northfield apparel store.

“The dress is a scoop-neck, sleeveless, A-line, below-the-knee fit,” Gery said.

Despite wearing a black dress as part of her habit day in and day out years ago, Gery still enjoys the versatility of black dresses to this day.

“You don’t have to have the figure of any 18 year old to wear it,” she said. “I have the figure of a 72 year old and I can wear it, too.” G


Marie Gery models the “Little Black Dress” she recently purchased at Anna’s Closet, a downtown North-field apparel store.


A real rushWaseca area moms talk about having multiple children in extra-curricular activities

Chatfest

WASECA — When you have kids involved in every

sport except wrestling and martial arts, life tends to be a little hectic.

Waseca’s Margaret Flor re-members those days like they were yesterday. With four kids ranging from 16 -22 years old, she can now see light at the end of the tunnel.

That was a different story not so long ago. With all four kids participating in sports

and other extra-curricular activities, Flor said her life bordered on insanity.

“I feel it’s important keeping the kids involved in anything they have an interest in,” Flor said. “I had a Franklin planner and I was busy taking my kids from one activity to the next. It really was a hectic life.

“I’m glad my kids get to par-ticipate in extra-curricular ac-tivities because it helps them become better people. But looking back, I wish I would

have slowed down a bit.”

While Flor couldn’t attend the Waseca Chatfest because she was hosting a soccer pasta party for 16-20 of her son’s teammates, four women from the Waseca area could. Here is what they had to say about juggling life with two or more children in sports.

Girlfriends: How has hav-ing two or more children in the same sport or different sports impacted your lives? >>>


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The participants

Jaye Sopkowiak, 45Residence: WasecaKids: 21-year-old daughter; 19-year-old son; 16-year-old twin daughters

Karen Nafe, 45Residence: New RichlandKids: 17-year-old son; 15-year-old son; 11-year-old daughter

The participants

Tracy Jevning, 36Residence: WasecaKids: 14-year-old twin girls; 8-year-old son; 6-year-old daughter

Delores Streich, 44Residence: JanesvilleKids: 17-year-old daughter; 13-year-old son; 10-year-old son

Jaye: We’re definitely busy, especially with all of the traveling.

Tracy: I don’t think you realize how busy it can be until your children get to that age where they are participating in a lot of activities. When they are little you think they are busy, then all of the sudden they are in all of these sports and there are these requirements for these different things. It’s like whoa, I thought I was busy be-fore and I’m even more busy now.

Karen: You re-ally have to watch the schedules.

Delores: It’s been good that I have two boys in track, so that was easier for my hus-band and I. In a sport such as track and field, the options to compete

are not local. The AAU Nationals were in Des Moines this year, so they were down there and my daughter plays AAU basketball for a team in the Cities, so we had to do tourna-ments in Chicago and Kansas City. This is the first year we split. My husband went one way and I went another.

We’ve used this, I guess, as an experience so every time we go someplace like that, we make sure we check out the local colleges and try to get some educa-tional experience out of the trip. Our family vacations all center around where the kids may be running in national meets.

Girlfriends: With all of that traveling, how many miles do you put on your car?

Delores: A lot. Just driving back and forth to games when you live seven miles out in the country is a lot of traveling. Our conference extends to Fairmont and cross country meets go as far as Mountain Lake, so I’d say we probably put 60-65,000 miles each year on three differ-ent vehicles. That also includes commuting back and forth to work. My husband goes to Owatonna and I go to Mankato. That’s why we have a Honda and some beater cars.

Girlfriends: With such hectic schedules, are you able to get your family in the same room for dinner?

Karen: It’s a chal-lenge, but it’s some-thing I really strive to do as much as >>>


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>>> possible, whether it means we’re eating supper at 8 o’clock or later. I just adjust the time depending on their schedule so we can at least try to eat together.

Tracy: We try, too. But sometimes there are those surprises like a change in the schedule or different practice times. In hockey, they switch different times that they prac-tice, and in soccer it’s morn-ing and night. Then all of the sudden there is a pasta party they have to go to or they want to stay and watch the boys scrimmage. So, sometimes you plan on it, and then it’s like ‘oh, so now you aren’t going to be home.’

Jaye: Eating healthy meals is the hardest part, because you want to grab what is quickest, but that sometimes isn’t the healthiest.

We do a lot of fast foods when we’re on the road. We try to stay with Subway mostly, but when you eat it so often, you tend to get sick of it. You

really try to eat healthy, but we’ve eaten out a lot.

Tracy: I think it’s hard because a lot of people do that, so I’ll say to the girls that we should just pack a lunch or take a sandwich with you, but not everyone else is doing that so they don’t want to do it. It’s just not the cool thing to do.

Delores: Because of the volume of our travel, it was mandated that I did pack most of the food while we’re on the road. If we go on a trip, you only get water when we go out to eat and we do a lot of sand-wiches and bring the chips from Sam’s Club.

That was the option. If you were going to do this, you have to cut somewhere. You can go out to eat and spend about $250 a day if you have all five members of our family there.

Girlfriends: Do you try to keep family time a priority even with the hectic schedules you all seem to have?

Delores: When the kids were younger, that was our family time. We would all get in the van if we were going some-where for a hockey game. It’s harder when they get to be teenagers.

We go to church, not half the time together because the schedule won’t always allow it.

Karen: The kids know no matter what time they get in on Saturday night that they will be up for Sunday School. It’s really not an option to miss. Then Sunday after church has gotten to be where we’ll go to Godfather’s buffet for lunch, which is fun family time.

Girlfriends: In many lives, sports is only half the equa-tion. Do you find that having your kids in other extra-cur-ricular activities like band or choir adds to the headaches?

Tracy: Mine were in band and choir, but then when they went into eighth grade there was no more band. I said that

they had to stay in something music related through eighth grade and they did. I wish they would have kept playing, espe-cially in marching band. That’s a sport in itself. I think they recognize that that would be too much, then they wouldn’t be able to be good at anything.

Delores: My daughter is in ensemble choir and there is a lot of time commitment. There’s Monday night practice and Thursday before school. It is hard to swing, but people do it.

The boys have both tried an instrument. One is giving it up now as he goes into seventh grade, but I do mandate that they are going to do choir or piano lessons at least thought eighth grade, then they can de-cide if they want to continue.

Karen: It just amazes me how kids can pull it off and keep their studies up.

Girlfriends: How do your kids keep up with their studies and stay involved in >>>


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>>> sports and extra-curricu-lar activities?

Jaye: They manage their time very well. They have to. It’s hard, but I think they are better time managers.

Karen: My son plays bas-ketball in New Richland and there was a period of a couple of weeks last year where they were getting home at 11 o’clock from a game and they were doing two-a-day practices, so he would have to be at school at six in the morning, which means he’s leaving our house at 5:30 in the morning.

When they are in school, they utilize their time very well. They aren’t goofing around in study hall, they are doing homework because they know they don’t have time afterwards.

Delores: There are very few athletic scholarships out there that are full rides, and there are a lot that are partial. But there are a lot of opportunities if you are an academic athlete. It makes a huge difference in looking at schools that your GPA is high.

I’m learning that there are those athletes who are gifted enough that the colleges take a chance on, but the majority of

them will look at academics, so it is important to get the kids thinking about that.

Girlfriends: Margaret Flor said that the director of the Community Educa-tion program told her one year that she had the highest bill when her kids were ages 8-14. Is money a concern when signing your kids up for sports and extra-curricular activities?

Tracy: Hockey and soccer are the two most expensive sports and both of my girls are in those sports. It is a lot. It’s unfortunate that it is so ex-pensive because for those who don’t have the means, what do you do when your kid wants to go out for it and you don’t have the money?

Delores: We basically budget for it. It’s a line-item budget and we’ve done it for years. Ev-ery expenditure goes in and we have so much money allotted. It’s the only way we can do it.

— Visit “Chatfest” at www.girlfriends.mn to read the entire transcript. If you would like to participate in a future “Chatfest,” email Jerry Smith at [email protected], or call 507-645-1136.

By JERRY SMITH

Like rich, delicious chocolates, women

love a variety of wines.That’s one of the ideas

behind the state’s first wine trail called “The Three Rivers Wine Trail of Min-nesota.”

Consisting of five of the state’s oldest wineries, all located within the St. Croix, Mississippi and Cannon Riv-er valleys, The Three Rivers Wine Trail gives girlfriends, mothers and daughters or groups of women a perfect opportunity to bond while sampling some of the tan-talizing tastes of the undis-covered wines of Southern Minnesota.

“There are so many winer-ies and wines in Minne-sota that people don’t know about, so we all got together and decided on an event we knew the public, and specifically women, would

enjoy,” said Megan Man-ning, marketing manager for Cannon River Winery in Cannon Falls. “We just wanted to gain exposure and thought working together to give people an opportunity to taste different wines was a good way.”

Participating in the Three Rivers Wine Trail are Wine-Haven Winery & Vineyard in Chisago City, Northern Vineyards Winery in Still-water, Saint Croix Vineyards & Winery in Stillwater, Falconer Vineyards in Red Wing and Cannon River Winery in Cannon Falls.

While there is no par-ticular order to follow when touring the different winer-ies — and definitely no time limit — the owners urge those taking part to spend enough time at each stop to fully appreciate what each winery offers.

Because the five wineries on the tour are on average 22 miles apart and the dis-tance between the northern-most winery (WineHaven in Chisago City) and the south-ern-most winery (Falconer in Red Wing) is 80 miles, Manning suggests taking a couple of days to visit them all. G


The Three Rivers Wine Trail: discovering new tastesWe Time

The Wine Tour“The Three Rivers Wine Trail of Minnesota” is the first of its kind in the state. To find out more about the Wine Trail and the five wineries taking part, please visit the following Web sites:

WineHaven Winery & VineyardChisago Citywww.winehaven.com

Cannon River WineryCannon Fallswww.cannonriverwinery.com

Northern Vineyards WineryStillwaterwww.northernvineyards.com

Saint Croix VineyardsStillwaterwww.scvwines.com

Falconer Vineyards WineryRed Wingwww.falconervineyards.com


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We Time

By JERRY SMITH

Matt Ketelsen knows women make most of

the financial decisions in their households.

That’s why the sales man-ager for KOWZ 100.9 FM/AM-1170 and KRUE 92 in Waseca thought it would be a great idea to have an event that will attract the best businesses in the area that cater to women.

That idea will come to frui-tion on Sept. 12 and is called the “Head to Toe Women’s Expo.” It will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Four Sea-sons Centre in Owatonna.

“We are filling a need where there wasn’t one before,” said Ketelsen, of the expo that will feature entertainment, food, health, beauty, fashion and much more. “It’s something people, especially women, will enjoy and will be very good for the community and good for the businesses involved.”

Ketelsen said there has been

a good response and that the expo should be a resounding success based on the number of exhibitors who have already signed up to be a part of the event.

“A lot of the booths will be interactive, which is always a hit,” Ketelsen said. “We’ve had great success with our home show and we’ll build from that success.”

Ketelsen also believes the Head to Toe Women’s Expo

gives women a chance to bond, whether it be girlfriends, mothers and daughters or a women’s club that wants to participate.

“This expo is designed for individuals, girlfriends or families to get together and enjoy a day of women’s activi-ties,” Ketelsen said. “Women don’t always get a chance to pamper themselves and attend events just for them. This is one of those events.” G

‘Head to Toe Women’s Expo’ promises to be a fun-filled dayRoad trip

The KOWZ and KRUE Head to Toe Women’s Expo promises to be a free fun-filled day of activities designed just for women.

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 12Where: Four Seasons Centre in OwatonnaAdmission: FreeInformation: Visit www.kowzonline.com/kowz_krue_wom-ens_expo.phpOf interest: Girlfriends magazine will have a booth at the expo, so stop by and say hello. We’re always inter-ested in story ideas and hearing about ways to improve the publication.

The “Head to Toe Women’s Expo will attract the best businesses in the area that cater to women.


“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Several years ago — we’ll call it the late 1990s — I was fortunate enough to attend a “Comparative

Tasting of the 1994 Red Meritage and Cab-ernets,” organized by Merryvale Vineyards.

The wines chosen for evaluation com-prised a “Who’s Who” of Napa: Opus One, Dominus, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Caymus Special Select, Far Niente, Pahlmeyer, Ston-estreet Legacy and Merryvale Profile.

Here was the rare opportunity to taste top-notch wines from an outstanding vintage. These limited-production, highly sought-after labels fetched a price of about $50 to $75 — they now cost around $200— and most were already sold out at the time of the tasting. In terms of sheer bragging rights and name-dropping potential, this was a wine-tasting not to be missed.

I must confess that I have never been a big fan of California Cabernets — I find most of them to be too big and brawny, and the typical “black currant, cedary” flavors really not all that interesting. But throw in lunch and validated parking and I will make every effort to overcome my preju-dices. I take pride in my professionalism.

To be fair, the tasting was not billed or

portrayed as an all-out competition. I saw it as a rare opportunity to do the sort of thing that winemakers do all the time: to taste a wine “blind” among its peers, and then rank the wines in order of preference.

Detail, Details I arrived only to find that the wines

had unfortunately already been poured, eliminating the prospect for peeking at the labels — dashing any chance I might have had to amaze my colleagues by correctly identifying at least one of the wines. I could only assume that the wines were handled correctly: properly decanted and given equal and sufficient time to “breathe.”

I may have shown up a wee bit late; I do not recall.

This may come across as snobbish nit-picking, but I was frankly dismayed by the poor choice of glassware for the event: ge-neric banquet stemware, which did nothing for the bouquet of the wine, and made the taster’s job even more difficult than usual. Riedel crystal has long been de rigueur for tastings of this nature.

Of course, there are those who will argue that anyone who shows up late and does not even bother to put on a tie for a wine tasting of this caliber (not to mention the free lunch) automatically forfeits all nit-picking rights.

What About the Wines?As to the wines themselves, of course

they were all great. There was very little in terms of style to separate them. As expect-ed, they were all fully extracted, with lots of sweet, ripe fruit, good depth and con-centration, with plenty of oak, and ample tannins. Textbook Cabernet.

Any barely discernible differences were found in the wines’ relative degree of de-velopment. Opus One was without doubt the most open and forward of the bunch, and thus earned top score, while Dominus was the tightest, most closed, and hence received the lowest ranking. Joseph Phelps Insignia and Pahlmeyer showed perhaps the most style and balance. >>>

Our wine expert

Stephen DeLong is Director of Liquor Opera-tions for the City of Northfield. He has written about wine in numerous publications in his 30 years in the business.

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>>> The wines were all obvi-ously too young at this stage to properly evaluate. It would have been ideal — although virtually impossible for all but the most well-connected with the deepest pockets — to re-taste these wines in another eight or 10 years when they could really show their stuff.

Déjà vu all over againMany years prior to this — in

the mid 1980s, before I became a “wine professional” and wine tasting was still done solely for pleasure — I participated in quite a few informal blind tastings, mostly among friends and family. I recall that the evening devoted to Napa and Sonoma Cabernets was by far the least successful of the lot; the wines all seemed to taste essentially the same.

At the time, I chalked it up mainly to formulaic winemaking, and concluded that with Califor-nia Cabernet, one should just buy what was on sale.

Another member of the group vehemently disagreed, attribut-ing the close similarities to the fact that the wines chosen all fell

within the same basic mid-price range. He suggested that the inclusion of one or two of the hot new California “superstars,” such as Far Niente would have shown the sort of quality that top dollar commands.

Back to the FutureFast-forward back to the 90s,

much had changed: the winemak-ing had improved greatly; demand and prices had never been higher, and the stakes were certainly much greater. The buying strategy was simple: If you can find it, and can afford it, buy it.

Yet then and now, with such a fine collection of some of California’s very best, the same nagging question still persists — only the names have changed: How would these results differ had say Screaming Eagle, Colgin or Dalla Valle been included in the lineup?

Even one of the tasting’s or-ganizers from Merryvale shared these misgivings, suggesting that a wine like Harlan Estate would probably dominate the field “like Tiger Woods.” I’m not so sure. G

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This St. Peter principal is looking for a few good womenBy AZNA A. AMIRA

Nancy Kluck is always on the lookout for

teachers who are passionate about their work and looking for room to grow.

For her efforts in mentor-ing young women, the prin-cipal at South Elementary Early Learning Center in St. Peter for the past 11 years is one of three finalists for the National Distinguished Principals Award.

“I’m always looking for opportunities to mentor young women; if they love education, and then being a principal is what I urge them to do,” said Kluck, reflecting the passionate philosophy that brought her the honor. “That’s really why I won the award.”

Ostensibly, the National Principals Association, via specified regions in each of the states, selects its award winners based on their leadership in produc-ing exceptional curriculum, instruction and staff devel-opment. Kluck spun straw into gold, giving an almost transcendent new meaning to leadership by parlaying a

problem — lack of space for both mainstream and special needs students at South El-ementary — into an innova-tive early education unit for children who are physically, emotionally, or academically challenged.

Under Kluck’s deft direc-tion, South Elementary now houses the state-certified Early Childhood Special Education facility. Run-ning counter to the trend toward high cost, high-tech classrooms, her students are given individually-based education that marshals music, art, movement and the imaginations of students and staff.

There’s a method to the madness.

“We have the Smart Pro-gram, which uses neurologi-cal research to evaluate the effectiveness of these activi-ties,” Kluck said. “You might see kids dancing down the halls, moving their arms in patterns instead of just walking. We smile because we know they’re using their brains in different ways, creating new neural path-ways.”

The program, though in-

novative, is well-grounded in the rubric of the “No Child Left Behind Law.”

“No Child Left Behind is a good thing, because it speci-fies what skills are necessary for success and gives us clear goals,” Kluck said. “We build the foundation one brick at a time, the earlier the better. We’ll have them ready for the testing, which begins in the third grade.”

Students are assessed prior to admission, given programs tailored to their needs, and work in groups of eight with teachers trained in special needs and differ-ing learning styles.

Kluck, who has a grown son and daughter with hus-band Michael, an industrial equipment salesman, says her interest in teaching young children sprang from her own motherhood experi-ence.

With several exceptions, she has taught children under 6 almost exclusively throughout her career.

Why? “Their ability to learn is

almost infinite, their brains are growing so fast, and they’re fearless, open to

anything,” she said. She also believes more

emphasis on this age group is a wise investment.

“It’s our job to make sure they love learning, so they’ll keep on doing it,” she said.

Yet there’s an unfulfilled ambition that still niggles Kluck. She yearns to see more women rise to the challenge of leadership in education.

“I don’t know why women shy away from it,” Kluck said. “I’ve never heard one say, ‘I want to be a principal, so I can influence a lot of children.’ They are articu-late, they have compassion, intuition, organizational skills, yet they lack ambition and are intimidated by being in charge.”

Kluck admits that holding the reins can be challenging.

“It’s very public,” she said. “I have a staff of 85 who always need something, plus 500 kids, with two parents each. Then there’s the com-munity — that’s your real constituency.

“It’s not an easy job, but there are so many possi-bilities that I can’t imagine doing anything else.” G

She ShinesNancy Kluck is one of the three finalists for the National Distinguished Prin-cipal Award. Her eagerness to men-tor young women and help them become principals is one of the main reasons she is in the running for the national award.



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Hoefs has Waseca agriculture program hoppingShe Shines

By AZNA A. AMIRA

If you were to picture today’s high school

students, chances are what comes to mind for many might be a vision of roving packs of flimsily clad fash-ionistas, prowling the halls and the malls while texting and tweeting each other in a continuous loop of the latest non-curricular minutiae.

That’s not the case in Waseca, thanks to Lisa Hoefs, the high school’s award-winning agriculture teacher and Future Farmers of America advisor. Under her tutelage, Hoefs’ students are learning to see farming as fashionable, horticulture as hot, and animal husband-ry as possessed of a certain magnetism.

Hoefs is the winner of the National Association of Agri-cultural Educators’ (NAAE) 2009 Outstanding Young Member Award. Waseca’s agriculture program, of

which Hoefs is the sole instructor, demonstrates to students that agriculture is not only basic to our survival as a society, but offers a cor-nucopia of career possibili-ties, and, well, lots of fun.

Hoefs’ no-nonsense, back-to-basics approach has not only revitalized and es-sentially reinvented Wase-ca’s agriculture program, but also doubled its enrollment. Two hundred of the school’s 630 students are in the Ag Program and membership in Future Farmers of America — which had dipped to fewer

than a dozen when Hoefs began as a part-time instruc-tor six years ago — now numbers 50.

“We’ve even got city kids interested in agricul-ture,” said Hoefs, the New Ulm native who has also been Waseca County’s 4-H coordinator. “I’m a Min-nesota farm girl, born and raised, but you don’t have to be raised on the farm to be interested in agriculture.”

How does Hoefs tempt her teens to put down their high-tech toys long enough to get their hands into the

dirt — and like it?Hoefs’ prize-winning entry

into the NAAE contest out-lined her three-part answer:

• Making Ag studies personally meaningful via hands-on experience.

• Looking for ever-expand-ing career opportunities in the field.

• Undergirding all with a solid science foundation.

“It’s about plants and it’s about animals, too,” she said. “Some students only want to better care for their pets, or appreciate wildlife. There’s something for every-one: a lifetime of informed choices in global agricul-ture, food, fiber and natural resource systems.”

As the 2009 Outstand-ing Young Member award winner, Hoefs received a traveling trophy, which she will keep for the next year, a $250 cash prize, and a trip later this year to the NAAE convention in Nashville, Tenn. G

For her efforts to bring the Waseca ag program to new heights, Lisa Hoefs was awarded the National Associa-tion of Agricultural Educators’ 2009 Outstanding Young Member Award.



Childhood Obesity:

A BIG problemEditor’s note: To protect the anonymity of the subject of this story and his mother, we’ve changed their names and where they are from.

By JERRY SMITH

Michael is used to the stares and the whispers he re-ceives when he encounters

people on the street, in a movie the-ater, in the halls of his own school and pretty much anywhere else he goes.

Being obese used to bother the 15-year-old boy to the point that he considered taking his own life just

so he wouldn’t have to deal with the stares, the jokes and even the bullying.

As Michael has gotten older, though, he’s learned to live with the fact that he is one of the biggest kids in his class — by a lot. He believes it has made him stronger.

“I’m glad that it happened,” Michael said. “I think of myself as a strong person, and if it (bullying) wouldn’t have hap-pened, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

But that doesn’t mean Michael is OK with his size. On the contrary. The 15-year-old Dundas boy has tried “fat camps,” diets, exercise and many other ways to lose weight, to no avail. >>>


Encourage your child to be active; as adults, we need to set the example

Q: What is childhood obesity and how can I help my kids avoid it?A: Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively

affects a child’s health or well being. The diagnosis of obesity is often based on the amount of body mass or a BMI. Obesity has adverse health effects and can create serious health concerns in his/her adulthood.

I strongly encourage children to eat a well balanced diet. A well balanced diet includes fruit, vegetables, and an adequate intake of calcium and iron. Soft drink consumption should be minimal and youth should be encouraged to drink water or healthy fruit juice. Eating at fast food restaurants can adversely affect a child’s BMI as many menu items are not healthy if consumed regularly.

Children who have limited physical activity have a greater risk of obesity. Encourage your child to be active, partici-pate in a sport, ride a bike, or walk. The elec-tronic world of video games and television can contribute to lack of exercise. As adults we need to set the example, take a walk, limit sedentary leisure time and participate

in regular exercise.

Owatonna Clinic-Mayo Health System 2200 26th Street NWOwatonna, MN 55060507-451-1120www.owatonnaclinic.com

Katie Clubb, M.D.

Children are more likely to try new foods if they are involved in the preparation

Q: What can I do to encourage my picky 3-year-old to eat more fruits and vegetables?A: Congratulations on helping your child develop a healthy lifestyle.

Three-year-olds are often perceived as ‘picky’ eaters. Young children have more sensitive taste buds than adults and may initially stay clear of strong flavored vegetables. It may take offering a ‘new’ vegetable greater than 10 times before they accept it. Raw vegetables have less odor and a subdued flavor compared to cooked vegetables. Young children love ‘dipping’ foods. Select a reduced calorie/fat dressing for dipping and put in a small container at their place setting.

Children often try new foods in the presence of their peers more readily than at family meals. Encourage food exploration when with other young children. Children are also more likely to try new foods if they are involved in the selec-tion or preparation. Encourage your child to select from the grocery store fruits and vegetables with a rainbow of colors – red, green, orange/yellow, white and purple/blue.

Just Food Coop 516 Water St. SNorthfield, MN 55057507-650-0106www.justfood.coop

Melanie Fossum, GM

>>> That worries his mother, Mary.“We have battled his, and his older

sister’s, weight problem his whole life,” Mary said. “We sent him to fat camp in Massachusetts and he would lose weight, only to come back and put it right back on.”

Mary recalled the last year Michael attended fat camp when he was 13. He lost an amazing 40 pounds. But the problem was again when he got back home. Michael gained 10 pounds a month and before he or his mother knew it, he had gotten as big as he had ever been.

“I turned around and he weighed 400 pounds,” Mary said. “I think my children are beautiful, but the issue is his health. He has high blood pressure and pre-diabetic symptoms and he’s only 15.

“We’re concerned he’ll be house-bound. He’s incredibly active now, but as he gets older we worry he won’t be.”

Michael is just now realizing the ef-fects over-eating and weight gains have had in his life. But still, it hasn’t been a real call to action for the 15 year old.

“I guess I’m OK where I’m at right

now,” Michael said. “I have terrible metabolism and an insatiable appetite and that’s something I have to live with. I really don’t want to get any bigger, and yeah, I do worry about the health issues I might face down the

road.”Things are looking up for Michael

and his mom, though. Staying ac-tive and watching what he eats more closely have put an end to his rampant weight gains.

“He hasn’t gained in the last year and he is more aware of what being overweight is doing to his health,” Mary said. “Maybe someday it will completely click.”

A weighty problemThis is only one story of a child who

has battled a weight problem his entire life. A quick glance at the national statistics and you know there are thou-sands of stories just like Michael’s.

In a recent government study, a third (32 percent) of children ages 6 to 11 in the United States were found to be overweight, while 16 percent are obese.

Believe it or not, there is some good news that comes with those statistics. The study shows that childhood obe-sity in America appears to be leveling off after nearly two decades of dramat-ic jumps. >>>

Photo illustration by Metro Creative Connection

Paying attention to what your children eat can help prevent childhood obesity and prevent problems as kids get older.


Spending time in the kitchen with your children will promote healthy habits

Q: What are some tips on getting my child to eat healthier?A: In a world full of processed foods it can be difficult to get kids to eat

healthy. Here are a few tips to promote healthy eating habits in your children.• Start their day out right. Skip the sugary cereals and opt for whole grains and protein. Try whole grain toast with nut butter, oatmeal topped with berries and nuts or a boiled egg and milk.• Make healthy snacks easily accessible. Think real, whole foods that are free of preservatives or artificial flavors. Fresh fruits and vegetables like apples,

cherry tomatoes or carrots make great after-school snacks. Other good foods to have on hand for a

quick treat are popcorn, walnuts or almonds, dried fruits, or organic yogurt (which usually will contain less additives than non-organic).• Get kids engaged with their food! Kids love

to help with meal planning and kitchen tasks like washing or measuring ingredi-ents. Spending time with your child in the kitchen will provide them with a lifetime of healthy habits.

Eat Well Nutrition Therapy 202 1/2 N Cedar AvenueOwatonna, MN 55060507-390-0229www.eatwellnutritiontherapy.com

The YMCA exposes the secret: get more exercise, reduce setback rate

Q: Exactly what is the secret to a successful life-long increase in exercise? A: Chances are good that you’ve made promises to yourself, family or

friends about your latest physical fitness goals, only to have them slip away beneath a busy day filled with family, work, volunteer time, social activities, etc, etc.

The secret to life-long success is simple if you plan for it. My advice is to sit down often and write out all the physical activity you already get in your day. Then write down all the activities you enjoy or would like to try. The secret is to expand on what you already do and add what you enjoy.

The YMCA provides a wide variety of things you might enjoy doing either alone or with your family. You might value activities that include social interaction (other parents, adults or youth). You might have very little time available in your day. You might simply be looking for a place to belong, where other families with similar goals are balancing their days just as you are. The YMCA has a wide variety of adult and family activities to get you moving, so use us as a resource and work toward lifelong heath and success!

Virginia KaczmarekNorthfield Area Family YMCA 507-645-0088 www.northfieldymca.org

Virginia Kaczmarek, CEOLouanne

Kaupa, R.D.

>>> The study, which compared obesity rates between 2005 and 2006 with those of 2003 and 2004, found that there was no significant change. Furthermore, the proportion of U.S. children and adolescents who were unusually heavy for their height rose by about 20 percent from 1999 to 2004, but didn’t change between 2003 and 2006.

In the 1970s, about 5 percent of children and teenagers were considered obese, which is why parents and health-care professionals are worried about childhood obesity as an epidemic.

In a 2008 University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital Poll on Children’s Health, childhood obesity jumped to the top as the No. 1 health concern of parents, beating out drug abuse, smoking, bullying and Internet safety (the Top 5). Childhood obesity was ranked third in a similar 2007 poll.

Preventive measuresDr. Jeffrey Bobrowitz, a pediatrician

at Owatonna Clinic-Mayo Health Sys-tem, has read all of the reports and has seen the studies about how childhood

obesity has leveled off. He believes the number of obese children in this coun-try has risen to epidemic proportions.

“We live in a super-size society and that’s a bad thing,” Bobrowitz said. “It has reached a point where it is endem-ic. Something more needs to be done to stop this from getting even more out of hand.”

Dr. Bob, as he is affectionately known at the clinic, believes education is the answer. If the alarming number of chil-dren who are obese and overweight is to decrease, parents need to know how to help their own children.

“Kids mimic what they see their parents do,” Dr. Bob said. “The big-gest thing I say is obesity is a 50/50 problem. Kids are half to blame and 50 percent falls on the parents. It’s the parents’ responsibility to teach kids limits and what to eat.”

But Bobrowitz knows that’s an uphill battle, as a lot of parents don’t realize what they can do.

“Obesity has to be a family change,” he said. “You can’t have candy and cookies and all sorts of fattening foods in the house or it won’t work.

“The time to show willpower for par-ents is when you are in the supermar-ket. Reading labels really is the most important thing you can do while you are shopping.”

Louanne Kaupa agrees that educa-tion is the No. 1 way to prevent child-hood obesity. As a registered dietician in Owatonna, Kaupa works with obese children and their parents. She said the message she harps on is prevention.

“Prevention is our key,” Kaupa said. “Eighty percent of overweight children will be overweight adults.

“Treatment is much more difficult and costly. Preventing it is much cheaper.”

Kaupa says one of the most difficult aspects of working with obese children is having parents who don’t see their children as being overweight.

“Sometimes, parents don’t see it even when it is obvious, and that’s one of the things we have to overcome,” Kaupa said.

Kaupa realizes eating healthy all of the time is tough in the fast-food soci-ety we live in today. But she believes if we make an effort to eat >>>


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Physical therapists develop fitness plans that promote the ability to move

Q: How can physical therapy help prevent your child from obesity?A: Traditionally, childhood obesity has been focused on intervention

rather than prevention. We, at In Touch Physical Therapy, aim to provide a safe and fun way to help parents prevent obesity before it becomes a problem. To help combat obesity in children of all ages, physical therapists develop fitness plans that promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. We also:• Identify age appropriate activities and goal setting• Outline specific exercises that are beneficial for children and that do not harm their growth plates• Identify and control health risk factors that prevent children from

engaging in everyday activities, including physical education classes and organized sports• Help children make exercise fun.Every year children should get a physical therapy checkup where we can teach par-ents and children about ways they can lead more active lives and prevent obesity.

In Touch Physical Therapy 123 W Broadway StOwatonna, MN 55060507-451-7888www.intouchpt.com

Ann Lamb, PT

>>> nutritious foods, get rid of sugar-sweetened bever-ages and add exercise, there wouldn’t be as many obese children in the United States and the world.“This is a healthcare crisis,” she said. “We need to teach our children how to eat normal and moderately. It’s not just about the calories. We definitely have to look at nutrition.”

Starting youngNickie Kerrigan believes

childhood obesity should be a concern for parents from birth. As a certified lactation counselor and midwife in Faribault, Kerrigan tells the mothers she works with that breast-feeding is the key.

“Bottle-fed babies aren’t able to regulate their hunger, so they tend to take in more,” Kerrigan said. “Breast-fed ba-bies can regulate that hunger and don’t tend to overeat.”

Kerrigan advises her moth-ers to breast feed their babies

exclusively for six months to properly regulate their appetite. She believes breast-feeding babies for a year is the best policy, but realizes that is hard to do for some mothers.

“I’ve seen huge differences in babies who are breast fed right away as opposed to those who aren’t,” Kerrigan said. “I’ve seen children at ages 3-5 and the ones who aren’t exclusively breast fed tend to be obese.”

While Kerrigan realizes that our society still hasn’t fully accepted women breast-feeding their babies in public, she tells the mothers she works with that the impor-tance of breast-feeding far outweighs the stigma associ-ated with doing it in public.

“Women still tend to be chastised for bearing their breasts in public because it isn’t natural,” Kerrigan said. “But it is so important that children start out life on the right track. G


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What’sHappening?

Naked Grandpa or when you must ask for helpI’ll never forget the eve-

ning I went to Grand-pa’s house and a dozen of us were sitting around the dining room table. Usually, we ate in the living room, where Grandpa lived.

“Why are you all eating in here?” I asked.

“’Cuz Grandpa’s naked,” my brother answered.

“Oh, how long has he been without clothes?” I asked.

“Most of the afternoon.” he said.

Taking care of a loved one at home brings challenges and joy. But it naturally dis-rupts life, especially as the last days approach. It’s not uncommon for people at the end of their lives to want to shed their clothing. Heavier levels of care, increasing de-mentia and a strong desire to be naked were signs that Grandpa was near the end and needed professional care. As a family, however, nothing had prepared us for this final challenge.

Over those final days at home, family and friends came and went. Some gave help and support to my aunt, who had taken on the

primary caregiver role. Oth-ers simply visited Grandpa. We never knew who was coming for meals, and it didn’t matter. The welcome sign was up.

“You are all family. You’re all welcome here. The freezer is full of food. Eat.”

Some evenings were planned, like the ones where Dad got out the slide projec-tor and embarrassed all of us with those dorky pictures from the ’70s and ’80s. We’d point at each other, commenting on the bad haircuts, tube socks with shorts or stirrup pants with huge, oversized shoulder-padded sweaters.

Eventually, however, we all needed to face up to the simple facts of his last days: We could no longer do for him what he needed done. Thankfully, the Hospice professionals gave us the nudge we needed to look at

the strain we were taking on and make an informed decision that would help us take care of ourselves and still be a part of Grandpa’s care. Just not as the 24- hour care providers.

It was a bittersweet move-in day. Grandpa didn’t want to leave his home and, of course, that made it harder on us. Like many families, we wanted to take care of him until his death.

But how do you put your life on hold to become a full-time caregiver? We have to go to work, take care of children and attend church meetings. And many of us aren’t trained — or emotionally prepared — to bathe, change Depends or handle behavioral out-bursts.

When someone enters a nursing home near the end of life, it can be a rough change. Nevertheless, as family caregivers, we have to know when to ask for help. Part of that involves accepting that “the profes-sionals” aren’t perfect. They are, however, professionals.

To their credit, they don’t have the emotional triggers

we have. They don’t remem-ber Grandpa sitting at the head of the dinner table, spinning fiction into facts, barking out orders and drinking too much. They don’t remember a man who was larger than life.

What they see, and what pulls at our heartstrings, is an old man, needing the same help we give babies. They see a dying man, unwilling to keep clothes on and transitioning to the next life. Without the emotional encumbrances that make families family, they can take on the tasks that, in those last days, become sim-ply too emotionally draining for family to endure.

When the disruptions become too intense, ask for help. What your loved one needs is your presence. Sometimes that’s easier to give when you’re not doing the heavy care giving your-self. G

— Kari Berit (www.Kari-Berit.com) is the author of “The Unexpected Caregiver: How Boomers Can Keep Mom & Dad Active, Safe and Independent.”

KARI BERIT

(w/dad)

Unexpected Caregiver

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by Kelli Wencl

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Daddy’s Girl


Christmas comes and goes, but I’ll always remember DaddyWe want you to be our next ‘Daddy’s Girl’

Many women carry special memories of their relationship with their fa-thers. “Daddy’s Girl” showcases those relation-ships.

If you’d like to share your story, visit www.girlfriends.mn, and click on the “Daddy’s Girl” link. You’ll find more details on the feature, pre-vious columns and an interac-tive form for submissions.

You can also contact Jerry Smith at 507-645-1136 or [email protected].

By MELINDA EMMANUEL

“Every day is just like Christmas” was one of

Daddy’s favorite sayings. That’s him and Mama in the 30-year-old Christmas photo. It’s hard to find a picture of Daddy without Mama, because they were such a team. However, sweet memories of him are easy to find — they float around everywhere like motes on a sunbeam.

Sunshine reminds me of Daddy. He carried a wink and a smile with him wherever he went. When I was little and he would carry me, I’d feel like I was floating. When he died it seemed like he was half his size: 6 feet tall, over 200 pounds; a big broad man with red hair and a swagger. He retired from the paper mill more than 20 years ago, but beyond its gates, he had always been a preacher.

Sunday Morning Daddy is one image that will stay in my mind: Daddy in a three-piece suit, the drifting scent of Polo, snapping on his watch and singing. He would often

sing and whistle as he walked around the house, old gospel hymns and standards from the 50s. One of his favorites was “Mona Lisa,” which was the song we danced to at my wed-ding.

He went to dance with Mama on April 11 of this year. They had not been able to dance for decades. She had reconstruc-tive foot surgery way back in the early 80s, and he had several back surgeries. When she passed away in 2006, his world fell apart. He’d said she was everything to him, and that’s true.

It’s also true that she did ev-erything for him. After she was gone, we had to switch around dresser drawers so he could get at his socks. Mama took care of Daddy completely, so he could take care of us. She handled ev-erything inside the house, and he handled the outside.

Daddy was very proud of his yard, and all its beautiful flowers. He lived his whole life in the South, and grew huge azalea bushes, and bottled hot sauce — homemade with pep-

pers from his garden — in gor-geous antique liquor decanters.

The last time he went outside was two weeks before he died. Wishing his suffering was over, he told my brother Russell he was ready to go. My sister-in-law Debbie turned that into a positive and said “Okay, we’re going!” They loaded him up in the wheelchair and took him out on the patio.

Alzheimer’s had taken away his memories, and Parkinson’s had taken away his ability to walk, let alone dance. He fought it all the way, and would not allow himself to wind up in a nursing home. We worked out around-the-clock care.

As with most things in his life, Daddy got what he wanted and died peacefully at home. He had a colorful life, a large and loving family, and a deep enduring faith. I got to spend the last two weeks of his life with him, and was able to look my Daddy in the eye and have him say “I love you” before he left us.

Christmas comes and goes, but memories stay. G

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Girlfriends September / October Issue