Mankato Magazine

MktoMag May Pages.indd 1 4/23/2012 9:53:10 AM

Visit City Center galleriesp.m. on the third Thursdays.opportunity to see local art,artists and unwind with

Upcoming 2011DatesMay 19June 16July 21

Every Third Thursof the Month

May 17June 21July 19

PROMOTING A VIBRANT

ARTS COMMUNITY

COUNCIL FOR THE

MktoMagMayPages.indd2 4/19/20124:18:14PM


Visit City Center galleries from 5 til 8p.m. on the third Thursdays. It is a greatopportunity to see local art, meet areaartists and unwind with friends.

Upcoming 2011DatesMay 19June 16July 21

Every Third Thursdayof the Month

For participating galleries, go to:www.citycentermankato.com/events.php

May 17June 21July 19

La SylphideSUMMER CLASSES FOR ALL AGES

BEGIN JULY 5TH visit www.mankatoballet.com for morE information

JUNE 2 & 3 at 1 pm & 5 pmBETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE YLVISAKER FINE ARTS CENTER

ALSO FEATURING: Contemporary Ballet/Jazz PieceBallet, lyrical, Modern & TAP Dances

Tickets available online at WWW.TWINRIVERSARTS.ORG

P R E S E N T S

This activity is made possible by a grant provided by the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State

Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

PROMOTING A VIBRANT

ARTS COMMUNITY

TWIN RIVERSCOUNCIL FOR THE

twinriversarts.orgSo arts and culture thrive.

We help get you covered! GreaterMankatoEvents.com523 South Second St, Mankato MN 507-387-1008

COUNCIL FOR THE

www.bechshistory.com

Come Visit Us.Heritage Center Museum415 Cherry Street, Mankato, MN

Blue Earth County History Museum

Research Center • Book & Gift Shop

Marian Anderson Art Gallery

Historic R.D. Hubbard House606 South Broad Street, Mankato, MN

1905 Historic House Museum


MANKATO MAGAZINE • may 2012 • 3

FEATURESMAy 2012

Volume 7, Issue 5

Heart and home A look at two Mankato mothers who are giving all they can, while they can

In his father’s footsteps In these cases, the proverbial apple didn’t fall far from dad’s occupation

14

Taking care A look at a few Mankatoans who make our lives richer

28

20

‘My rock in life’ The story of a young man from a broken home and the woman who guided him

32

On the cover: Foster parents Brian and Lisa Hopkins with their children, three adopted and one biological.

Photo By Pat Christman

ANKATOM magazine


4 • may 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS

6 From the Editor When values don’t involve money

10 Familiar Faces Kay Miller of CrossRoads Advanced Clinical Massage

12 Artist Insight Eileen Hines

38 That’s Life Hollywood vs. Motherhood

40 From the kitchen Say ‘si’ to Cinco de Mayo

41 Happy Hour Learning the ‘cello

42 Good Health Dirt makes healthier, happier kids

43 Things to Do, Places to Go Events to check out in May

44 Garden Chat A sow-sow spring

46 Fashion Currents Hats on!

48 Places in the Past Mankato’s first fire department

53 The Way It Is So long, it’s been good to know ya!

ANKATOM magazine

10

Coming up in the June issue of Mankato Magazine ...

Ah yes, summer is nigh on the horizon, bringing with it the smell of gasoline and grass clippings.

In our June issue, we’ll take a look at some of the warm-weather pursuits that get our engines revving and we’ll talk

to a father-son soldier duo in honor of Veterans Day.

We’ve got a lot in store for the summer. Join us, and we’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

40 43

48 53

12




From The ediTor By JOe SpeAr

When values don’t involve money PUBLISHER

EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

PAGE DESIGNER

ADVERTISINGMANAGER

ADVERTISINGSALES

ADVERTISINGASSISTANT

ADVERTISINGDESIGNERS

CIRCULATIONDIRECTOR

James P. Santori

Joe Spear

Tanner Kent

Rachael HanelTanner KentNell MusolfPete SteinerGrace WebbMarie Wood

John CrossPat Christman

Christina Sankey

David Habrat

Cheryl Olson

Barb Wass

Aaron TishSeth GlaserSue HammarTony HelgetChristina Sankey

Denise Zernechel

may 2012 • VOLUmE 7, ISSUE 5

Mankato Magazine is published monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato, MN., 56001.

To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $19.95 for 12 issues.

For editorial inquiries, call Tanner Kent at 344-6354, or e-mail [email protected].

For advertising, call Cheryl Olson at 344-6390, or e-mail [email protected].

With the economy, jobs and money so constantly in the news these days, it was

refreshing to read the stories in this month’s Mankato Magazine that focus more on family values than the S & P 500.

There’s no doubt the economy, jobs and the financial well-being of family, friends and neighbors are important. It’s also an election year where economic policies will be much debated.

But reading this month’s features on foster moms, foster families and mentors, you can’t help but stop for a minute and think that there may just be some things in life more valuable than the big job, nice home and lots of toys.

Every day, there are dozens of mothers and fathers around us, in this community, who quietly go about the work of saving a young life from despair, bolstering our investments in caring and building human capital.

Foster mom Cindy Paulson has a poem posted above her computer that is a reminder of the temporary nature of foster moms, but also a reminder that foster families can be kind of a one-stop shop for trust, heartfelt caring and kindness.

With five children of her own, she took in others beginning with a 3-year old girl in 2008. She says she plans to be a foster mom “forever.”

“It’s exhausting but it’s so rewarding that you don’t think about how tired you are,” Cindy says. “I would never have thought that I’d be doing this, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Her story is not unlike that of Lisa and Brian Hopkins whose first three foster children were a 3-year-old girl and twin baby boys who were right out of the hospital. They eventually adopted all three children as their own.

But you don’t have to be a foster parent to influence the life of a troubled young person.

Roxi Lang has been a longtime friend and neighbor to Caleb Young, who faced various troubles as a young person, was in and out of custody with troubled parents, and faced the tragedy of losing his home to a fire.

Lang has simply offered comfort and advice and encouragement to Young along the way. She makes him his favorite dish on his birthday, a small gesture that made him feel important as others bullied him. He calls her his “rock” in life. She is humble about any credit he might throw her way.

Of course, there is no shortage of traditional families where bonds are strong. Our story on “Mr. Mentors” is a salute to fathers as their day arrives in June.

For 25 years Don Krusemark has taught physical education, health and coached numerous teams at Mankato West High School. He coached his son Brady in wrestling.

So, it’s not too much of a surprise to most, maybe, that Brady now follows in his father’s footsteps as a teacher at West as well, taking on leadership roles in two concert bands, two jazz bands, a pep band and several ensembles that meet after school. He’s also assistant director of the Lancers.

Brady learned about wrestling from his dad, but also about commitment and dedication to teaching and leading young people.

All of these stories make for an uplifting edition that pays tribute to those who make a difference — mothers and fathers. The economy will always go up and down, but we can usually count on mothers and fathers for creating the value of human capital that gets passed on for generations.

Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6382 or [email protected] M

ANKATOM magazine

MktoMag May Pages.indd 6 4/19/2012 4:29:52 PM

MANKATO MAGAZINE • may 2012 • PB

When values don’t involve money

Lang has simply offered comfort and advice and encouragement to Young along the way. She makes him his favorite dish on his birthday, a small gesture that made him feel important as others bullied him. He calls her his “rock” in life. She is humble about any credit he might throw her way.

Of course, there is no shortage of traditional families where bonds are strong. Our story on “Mr. Mentors” is a salute to fathers as their day arrives in June.

For 25 years Don Krusemark has taught physical education, health and coached numerous teams at Mankato West High School. He coached his son Brady in wrestling.

So, it’s not too much of a surprise to most, maybe, that Brady now follows in his father’s footsteps as a teacher at West as well, taking on leadership roles in two concert bands, two jazz bands, a pep band and several ensembles that meet after school. He’s also assistant director of the Lancers.

Brady learned about wrestling from his dad, but also about commitment and dedication to teaching and leading young people.

All of these stories make for an uplifting edition that pays tribute to those who make a difference — mothers and fathers. The economy will always go up and down, but we can usually count on mothers and fathers for creating the value of human capital that gets passed on for generations.

Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6382 or [email protected]

Progress Report: Economic Development There are many efforts and many people and organizations that contribute to the economic development goals of Envision 2020. And the results are celebrated by all when businesses thrive, the tax base increases and jobs grow.

Goal 1 Energy Diversifi cation: To increase our region’s energy self-suffi ciency

The Greater Mankato region is making gains in energy conservation, renewable energy and LEED construction.

Goal 2 Business Retention and Growth: To optimize our existing resources/businesses to support a livable, sustainable and regional economy that supports strategic growth

Regional economic developers are collabo-rating to collectively position the assets of the region to potential new businesses. They also make visits to approximately 100 existing businesses per year to support their continued success and growth in the region.

Goal 3 Business Development: Enhance the ease of doing business in the region

Supporting both established and new businesses is critical to the growth of our economy. Through the combined efforts of many organizations, businesses in our region have access to the resources and information they need to succeed.

For more information about our community’s economic development goals or to get involved, contact the KPA Co-Chairs of Economic Development, Pam Jagdfeld at [email protected] or Jonathan Zierdt at 507.385.6640. For more information about Envision 2020, visit envision-2020.com or contact Judy Arzdorf, Implementation Team Chair, at [email protected] or Barb Embacher, Vice President of Greater Mankato Growth, at [email protected] or 507.385.6644



may almanac

All about Minneopa

Minneopa State Park has been called the “hidden gem” of Minnesota’s system of state parks

and forests. In the spirit of warming temperatures and weekend getaways, here’s a primer on the granddaddy of southern Minnesota state parks.

Established: 1905, making it the third-oldest state park in the state behind Itasca and Interstate, respectively.

Area: 2,689 acresAccommodations: 61 total campsites

as well as a camping cabin; open year-round

History: In 1905, the State of Minnesota passed legislation setting aside the area around Minneopa Falls for public use and establishing Minneopa State Park.

The Seppmann windmill, in the northwest corner of the park, was donated to the state by Albert Seppmann, son of its builder. Stone was used for the main structure, which still stands today. It was designed by Louis Seppmann after windmills in his native Germany. The mill was completed in 1864 and in a favorable wind could daily grind 150 bushels of wheat into flour. After a tornado struck in 1890, the windmill’s arms were not replaced because windmills had become unprofitable to operate.

Geology: The entire park lies within the banks of the Glacial River Warren which drained Glacial Lake Agassiz at the end of the last period of glaciation, some 15,000 years ago. These banks are easily viewed if a visitor looks north and south from the vantage point of Seppmann Mill.

Also visible are the many large boulders scattered upon the prairie grassland which lies in the bed of that ancient river. These boulders, known as “glacial erratics,” are made of material entirely different than that commonly found in this area. They were transported from a region far to the north and were deposited here by the melting ice of the retreating glacier.

This Day in HistoryMay 1, 1926: Sauk Centre’s Sinclair Lewis declines the Pulitzer Prize for his novel “Arrowsmith,” writing in a letter to the committee: “All prizes, like all titles, are dangerous. The seekers for prizes tend to labor not for inherent excellence but for alien rewards.”

May 3, 1865: John Campbell is lynched in Mankato after murdering the Jewett family in Garden City. Campbell, whose brother Baptiste Campbell was among the 38 Dakota Indians hanged in Mankato in 1862, initially denied the crimes during a makeshift trial staged by a mob of about 800 men and women. After a four-hour trial and a tense tug-of-war for his custody, Campbell confessed and the mob lynched him from a basswood on the corner of Hickory and Fifth streets.

May 19, 1968: The Waterville-born artist and renowned lithographer Adolf Dehn dies in New York. The two-time recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship was valedictorian of his class at Waterville High School and helped define a number of American artistic movements.

May 24, 1941: Robert Zimmerman is born to parents Abe and Beatty Zimmerman. Later, the slim youth would strike out for New York, change his name to Bob Dylan and write more than 500 songs while becoming one of America’s most influential musicians.

Everywhere we go these days, it seems we’re paying for something. But just a little Internet searching yields a host of websites that offer something for nothing.

Books: Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org) is the Internet’s largest collection of

e-books with more than 38,000 titles, many of which are classic titles in the public domain. Also, Obooko.com features a large collection of free, legally distributed e-books that are offered by the authors and publishers themselves. Bookmooch.com is a site where users can list titles they’re willing to give away in exchange for titles they’re hoping to find.

Music: Spotify.com and Grooveshark.com offer free as well as paid subscriptions to huge libraries of music. Pandora.com is a free radio site where users can input a song or artist they like and receive a radio playlist of related music.

Data storage: The race to scoop up consumers in this relatively new industry has yielded a number of free options for so-called “cloud” storage. Sites like Dropbox.com and CX.com offer up to 5 GB of storage for free, sometimes more if you refer a friend.

Free samples: The Internet is overrun with websites that help link people to free samples and giveaways. A few of the best are www.heyitsfree.net, www.totallyfreestuff.com and www.yesall4free.com.

FinDinG FrEEBiEs

Minnesota was formally admitted into the Union on May 11, 1858. In celebration of 154 years of statehood, see how you fare with these tidbits of state trivia. 1) Which mall was the first indoor shopping mall in the world

when it opened in 1956?2) Which is bigger: St. Louis County or the entire state of

Connecticut?3) Minnesota has more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.

Take a guess at how many miles of shoreline are in Minnesota.4) What is the most common lake name in Minnesota?5) Which still-standing structure was the first skyscraper built west of the

Mississippi River in 1929?6) Some of the oldest rocks on earth have been found in the Minnesota River Valley.

How old?7) This city opened the state’s first public high school in 1860.8) Since 1859, the State Fair has been canceled only five times. When was the last?9) What was the original name of the settlement that later became St. Paul? 10) Which of the following products or companies got their start in Minnesota:

Rollerblades, Snickers bars, Scotch Tape, pop-up toasters, Greyhound Bus Lines and snowmobiles?

See answers below.

Think you know Minnesota?

Click Here

Answers: 1) Southdale Mall in Edina; 2) St. Louis County; 3) More than 90,000; 4) Mud Lake, 201 instances; 5) Foshay Tower in Minneapolis; 6) More than 3 billion years old; 7) Winona; 8)1946 because of a polio epidemic; 9) Pig’s Eye, after French-Canadian trader Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant; 10) All of them



All about Minneopa

Minneopa State Park has been called the “hidden gem” of Minnesota’s system of state parks

and forests. In the spirit of warming temperatures and weekend getaways, here’s a primer on the granddaddy of southern Minnesota state parks.

Established: 1905, making it the third-oldest state park in the state behind Itasca and Interstate, respectively.

Area: 2,689 acresAccommodations: 61 total campsites

as well as a camping cabin; open year-round

History: In 1905, the State of Minnesota passed legislation setting aside the area around Minneopa Falls for public use and establishing Minneopa State Park.

The Seppmann windmill, in the northwest corner of the park, was donated to the state by Albert Seppmann, son of its builder. Stone was used for the main structure, which still stands today. It was designed by Louis Seppmann after windmills in his native Germany. The mill was completed in 1864 and in a favorable wind could daily grind 150 bushels of wheat into flour. After a tornado struck in 1890, the windmill’s arms were not replaced because windmills had become unprofitable to operate.

Geology: The entire park lies within the banks of the Glacial River Warren which drained Glacial Lake Agassiz at the end of the last period of glaciation, some 15,000 years ago. These banks are easily viewed if a visitor looks north and south from the vantage point of Seppmann Mill.

Also visible are the many large boulders scattered upon the prairie grassland which lies in the bed of that ancient river. These boulders, known as “glacial erratics,” are made of material entirely different than that commonly found in this area. They were transported from a region far to the north and were deposited here by the melting ice of the retreating glacier.

FinDinG FrEEBiEs

Minnesota was formally admitted into the Union on May 11, 1858. In celebration of 154 years of statehood, see how you fare with these tidbits of state trivia. 1) Which mall was the first indoor shopping mall in the world

when it opened in 1956?2) Which is bigger: St. Louis County or the entire state of

Connecticut?3) Minnesota has more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.

Take a guess at how many miles of shoreline are in Minnesota.4) What is the most common lake name in Minnesota?5) Which still-standing structure was the first skyscraper built west of the

Mississippi River in 1929?6) Some of the oldest rocks on earth have been found in the Minnesota River Valley.

How old?7) This city opened the state’s first public high school in 1860.8) Since 1859, the State Fair has been canceled only five times. When was the last?9) What was the original name of the settlement that later became St. Paul? 10) Which of the following products or companies got their start in Minnesota:

Rollerblades, Snickers bars, Scotch Tape, pop-up toasters, Greyhound Bus Lines and snowmobiles?

See answers below.

Think you know Minnesota? Answers: 1) Southdale Mall in Edina; 2) St. Louis County; 3) More than 90,000; 4) Mud Lake, 201 instances; 5) Foshay Tower in Minneapolis; 6) More than 3 billion years old; 7) Winona; 8)1946 because of a polio epidemic; 9) Pig’s Eye, after French-Canadian trader Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant; 10) All of them



Familiar Faces By TANNer KeNT • phOTOS By JOhN CrOSSWe also work with a network of other health professionals such as chiropractors, nutrition consultants, personal trainer, and acupuncturists. Sometimes we direct our clients to their medical providers for further evaluation if we determine our services are not appropriate for their condition. We also provide pregnancy massage, hot stone massage and some essential oil therapy.

MM: What kinds of pain and injuries are you able to treat? What do you recommend to people who are considering such massage treatment? KM: Frequently we see people who have chronic pain that hasn’t been resolved through other treatments. We ask that these clients make a minimum three-visit commitment to determine if our services provide relief from their symptoms.

We also treat many athletes to help them avoid injury and quickly recover from soft-tissue pain during their training process. My favorite “big gun” treatment is for people who experience a sudden, severe low-back pain, often when they bend over to pick something up. Under those circumstances, I often recommend they see us as soon as possible and then visit their chiropractor within 24-48 hours for the best outcome. We also educate our clients in self-care to avoid re-injury.

MM: The turnover rate for massage professionals is very high. Why? And how do you avoid the burn-out factor?KM: Frequently, new massage therapists fail to have a solid plan for their career and find they cannot be financially successful. Sometimes therapists get injured from improper body mechanics and overuse of arms, hands and especially their thumbs, all of which contribute to therapists leaving the profession.

To take care of myself so that I may give my best to each client, I do a lot of self-care and try to get weekly massage treatments, therefore putting into practice what I preach to my clients. At CrossRoads, the therapists are taught proper use of body mechanics and make use of other massage tools to help avoid injury. They are also encouraged to receive frequent massage treatments in our clinic.

MM: What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?KM: Most definitely I enjoy my clients the most. I love going to work each day knowing I will help people feel better. My clients are committed to making massage part of their overall health plan, working toward the best quality of life possible. I deeply appreciate that they trust me to care for them in this way and I take that responsibility very seriously. The biggest compliment I can get is to have one of my clients recommend me to their family or friends.

MM: What is something that people may not know about yourself, or CrossRoads?KM: The idea for CrossRoads Advanced Clinical Massage came to me in a dream in March of 2006. I woke up and wrote pages and pages of details. I definitely feel that this vivid dream and its fulfillment is from God and I thank him daily for the blessings He’s shown me through it.

Cure for painCrossRoads brings a clinical approach to massage

What began as a dream more than five years ago for one-time stay-at-home mother Kay Miller has now turned into a bustling massage therapy practice in downtown

Mankato. Called CrossRoads Advanced Clinical Massage, Miller’s business takes massage beyond the 30-minute-relaxation variety. She specializes in helping clients overcome chronic and severe pain. In fact, she said, the name “CrossRoads” is derived from the state of mind many of her clients have when they walk in the door. “People come to a point where they want a better life,” she said. “We are right there at that crossroads.”

Mankato Magazine: When, and why, did you become a massage therapist? Kay Miller: In 2003, after staying home with my four children for 14 years, I made the decision to return to work and wanted a career where I could be my own boss, arrange my work schedule around my children and still make an adequate wage. The education took 18 months and I began my practice in February of 2005.

MM: When did you open CrossRoads?KM: CrossRoads Advanced Clinical Massage became an extension of my 6-year solo practice and the fulfillment of a dream. We opened at 530 N. Riverfront Drive in November of 2011 with three therapists. Just recently I have hired a fourth therapist.

MM: What separates CrossRoads from other massage services? And what separates yourself? KM: CrossRoads therapists take massage practice to a higher level than their massage school education provided. Our therapists regularly receive high-quality continuing education as well as in-office training. I personally have several hundred hours of continuing education in massage and spent several years

teaching at two massage schools. In fact, all three of my therapists were once students of mine.

I also currently work part time as a registered nurse in a home care setting and am able to use that knowledge and experience to enhance my massage practice.

MM: What is the difference between relaxation massage and clinical massage? What other kinds of massage do you offer? KM: Relaxation is a valuable component to our practice as research shows that stress negatively impacts our health in many ways. However, our therapists do not merely repeat the same massage routine but rather work very specifically, targeting the individual needs of each person who comes through our doors. Clinical massage targets specific areas of pain or dysfunction and works to bring those areas back to healthy function through deep pressure, trigger point therapy and stretching. Therefore, treatments may last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes and we customize each one.

Kay Miller is a registered nurse and massage therapist whose practice offers clinical as well as relaxation massage.


We also work with a network of other health professionals such as chiropractors, nutrition consultants, personal trainer, and acupuncturists. Sometimes we direct our clients to their medical providers for further evaluation if we determine our services are not appropriate for their condition. We also provide pregnancy massage, hot stone massage and some essential oil therapy.

MM: What kinds of pain and injuries are you able to treat? What do you recommend to people who are considering such massage treatment? KM: Frequently we see people who have chronic pain that hasn’t been resolved through other treatments. We ask that these clients make a minimum three-visit commitment to determine if our services provide relief from their symptoms.

We also treat many athletes to help them avoid injury and quickly recover from soft-tissue pain during their training process. My favorite “big gun” treatment is for people who experience a sudden, severe low-back pain, often when they bend over to pick something up. Under those circumstances, I often recommend they see us as soon as possible and then visit their chiropractor within 24-48 hours for the best outcome. We also educate our clients in self-care to avoid re-injury.

MM: The turnover rate for massage professionals is very high. Why? And how do you avoid the burn-out factor?KM: Frequently, new massage therapists fail to have a solid plan for their career and find they cannot be financially successful. Sometimes therapists get injured from improper body mechanics and overuse of arms, hands and especially their thumbs, all of which contribute to therapists leaving the profession.

To take care of myself so that I may give my best to each client, I do a lot of self-care and try to get weekly massage treatments, therefore putting into practice what I preach to my clients. At CrossRoads, the therapists are taught proper use of body mechanics and make use of other massage tools to help avoid injury. They are also encouraged to receive frequent massage treatments in our clinic.

MM: What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?KM: Most definitely I enjoy my clients the most. I love going to work each day knowing I will help people feel better. My clients are committed to making massage part of their overall health plan, working toward the best quality of life possible. I deeply appreciate that they trust me to care for them in this way and I take that responsibility very seriously. The biggest compliment I can get is to have one of my clients recommend me to their family or friends.

MM: What is something that people may not know about yourself, or CrossRoads?KM: The idea for CrossRoads Advanced Clinical Massage came to me in a dream in March of 2006. I woke up and wrote pages and pages of details. I definitely feel that this vivid dream and its fulfillment is from God and I thank him daily for the blessings He’s shown me through it. M

Cure for painCrossRoads brings a clinical approach to massage

Kay Miller opened CrossRoads in November 2011. She now has four therapists and treats about 45 clients per week in her downtown

Mankato office.

Kay MillerBirthplace: Johnson, Minn. (population 32)

City of residence: Mankato

Work history: Retail sales, at-home mom, office assistant for my husband’s dental office, self-employed massage therapist, registered nurse for pediatric home care.

Education: Associate of arts from Bethany Lutheran College; associate in science from South Central College; massage certification from Sr. Rosalind Gefre School of Massage

Family: Married for almost 23 years to Greg, a dentist in North Mankato, with four children: Brittany (22), Anthony (20), Charisse (18) and Gabrielle (15).

MM: When did you open CrossRoads?KM: CrossRoads Advanced Clinical Massage became an extension of my 6-year solo practice and the fulfillment of a dream. We opened at 530 N. Riverfront Drive in November of 2011 with three therapists. Just recently I have hired a fourth therapist.

MM: What separates CrossRoads from other massage services? And what separates yourself? KM: CrossRoads therapists take massage practice to a higher level than their massage school education provided. Our therapists regularly receive high-quality continuing education as well as in-office training. I personally have several hundred hours of continuing education in massage and spent several years

teaching at two massage schools. In fact, all three of my therapists were once students of mine.

I also currently work part time as a registered nurse in a home care setting and am able to use that knowledge and experience to enhance my massage practice.

MM: What is the difference between relaxation massage and clinical massage? What other kinds of massage do you offer? KM: Relaxation is a valuable component to our practice as research shows that stress negatively impacts our health in many ways. However, our therapists do not merely repeat the same massage routine but rather work very specifically, targeting the individual needs of each person who comes through our doors. Clinical massage targets specific areas of pain or dysfunction and works to bring those areas back to healthy function through deep pressure, trigger point therapy and stretching. Therefore, treatments may last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes and we customize each one.




arTisT insighT By Nell MuSOlf • phOTO By pAT ChriSTMANcommunity education classes.

“I taught before I had my own children and I also did a lot of subbing,” Hines said. “Many of the kids at the local schools knew me as a substitute.”

As artist-in-residence, Hines did her best to impart upon the students that they were all little artists.

“I would tell them that they were little artists and that so were their moms and dads. I wanted them to understand that people can be good at lots of different things,” Hines recalled.

The whole idea behind weaving, Hines said, is to make a piece of fabric by interlocking the fibers. How that fabric is going to look when it’s finished is up to the weaver.

“The cool thing about fibers is that they don’t wear out,” Hines said. “Think of a mummy. Fiber lasts — if you take care of it.”

Hines said that weaving can be very meditative. After dressing the loom and choosing the colors from an overflowing basket of yarn that she refers to as her coloring box.

Hines then gets to begin the creative part of weaving. She is inspired by nature

A loom of her own

Mom, teacher, artist, volunteer — Eileen Hines has worn a variety of hats throughout her life.

At the moment, however, she’s enjoying being known as an artist. Hines doesn’t paint with oils or watercolors; she “paints” with fabric. Hines’ medium of choice is weaving. Since taking her first class on weaving back in the 1970s, Hines has fallen in love with the age-old craft.

“I was an art major at Minnesota State University,” Hines said. “We had to focus on two mediums and I chose ceramics and printmaking. Then I took a class in weaving and I was hooked.”

The professor for that first weaving class required all of the students to build their own loom. Hines followed the directions for the homemade loom and soon wove her first piece, a piece that still hangs on the wall of her studio.

She finds it interesting that the mediums she chose - ceramics, printmaking and weaving — each depend upon going through a series of processes before resulting in the finished project. Going through those processes is something that Hines clearly enjoys doing.

“Getting the loom ready to go is the most time-consuming part of weaving,” Hines noted. “But I find all of the steps involved in weaving just as enjoyable as the end product.”

Hines spent a lot of time in front of the loom in MSU’s art department until she got a loom for the home she shared with her husband, Pat, and their four children.

During her children’s growing-up years, Hines kept busy not only raising them but also doing several artist residencies for Mankato Area Public Schools. She also made commissioned pieces for churches, businesses and individuals and taught

Eileen Hines in her studio at the Emy Frentz Arts Center in Mankato.

Hines said the process of weaving is a meditative one



community education classes.

“I taught before I had my own children and I also did a lot of subbing,” Hines said. “Many of the kids at the local schools knew me as a substitute.”

As artist-in-residence, Hines did her best to impart upon the students that they were all little artists.

“I would tell them that they were little artists and that so were their moms and dads. I wanted them to understand that people can be good at lots of different things,” Hines recalled.

The whole idea behind weaving, Hines said, is to make a piece of fabric by interlocking the fibers. How that fabric is going to look when it’s finished is up to the weaver.

“The cool thing about fibers is that they don’t wear out,” Hines said. “Think of a mummy. Fiber lasts — if you take care of it.”

Hines said that weaving can be very meditative. After dressing the loom and choosing the colors from an overflowing basket of yarn that she refers to as her coloring box.

Hines then gets to begin the creative part of weaving. She is inspired by nature

and enjoys weaving landscapes that include trees, the sky and clouds. She said she began doing landscapes after the Harry Meyering Center commissioned a piece that would enable a blind man to see it through touch.

“I wanted to have textures that would really stand out when he touched it,” Hines said.

Hines said she is often asked to create a weaving that is just like one she has made before.

“If somebody says, ‘I want one just like

that one,” I explain that would be hard to do,” Hines said. “All of my pieces come out differently, but that’s the beauty of fiber art.”

In addition to the loom at her house, Hines has another loom in the studio space she shares with her daughter, fellow artist Joellen Preston, at the Emy Frentz Art Center. The loom takes up a fair amount of space, but the mother and daughter duo manage to make the studio work for them.

Hines said one of the benefits of sharing a studio with her daughter is being able to watch her daughter have a spiritual rebirth as an artist. Hines and Preston have had two joint art shows together and hope to have more in the future.

The studio also has a newly installed recliner so Hines’ husband can come and read while she weaves. Hines loves her home away from home at the Emy Frentz and said that when she’s there she has the chance to shed her other roles for a while.

“When I’m here I get to just be Eileen, the artist.” M

A loom of her own

She finds it interesting that the mediums she chose - ceramics, printmaking and weaving — each depend upon going through a series of processes before resulting in the finished project. Going through those processes is something that Hines clearly enjoys doing.

“Getting the loom ready to go is the most time-consuming part of weaving,” Hines noted. “But I find all of the steps involved in weaving just as enjoyable as the end product.”

Hines spent a lot of time in front of the loom in MSU’s art department until she got a loom for the home she shared with her husband, Pat, and their four children.

During her children’s growing-up years, Hines kept busy not only raising them but also doing several artist residencies for Mankato Area Public Schools. She also made commissioned pieces for churches, businesses and individuals and taught

Hines working on her treasured Leclerc weaving loom.

Hines said the process of weaving is a meditative one.



Although I’m not their parent, I care for them each day. I cuddle, sing and read to them and watch them as they play. I nurture them and keep them safe, though maybe not for long. I know someday the time will come when we will have to part. But I know each child I cared for is forever in my heart.

The above is a portion of the poem that Cindy Paulson keeps in her computer. Although she doesn’t know who the author is, she says the poem sums up her feelings

about being a foster mom perfectly. “Every case is different. Every child is different. But they come

to my house because they need a safe place to be,” Paulson said. Paulson began doing foster care in 2008 after having a vivid

dream that told her she was supposed to be a foster mom. Paulson clearly had plenty of experience in the mom department since at that time she was the mother of five children of her own. Two

By Nell Musolf Photos by Pat Christman

Cindy Paulson has five children of her own, ages 6 to 23, and adopted her first foster child.

Heart and

Home: Foster moms

give all they can - while they can



Although I’m not their parent, I care for them each day. I cuddle, sing and read to them and watch them as they play. I nurture them and keep them safe, though maybe not for long. I know someday the time will come when we will have to part. But I know each child I cared for is forever in my heart.

The above is a portion of the poem that Cindy Paulson keeps in her computer. Although she doesn’t know who the author is, she says the poem sums up her feelings

about being a foster mom perfectly. “Every case is different. Every child is different. But they come

to my house because they need a safe place to be,” Paulson said. Paulson began doing foster care in 2008 after having a vivid

dream that told her she was supposed to be a foster mom. Paulson clearly had plenty of experience in the mom department since at that time she was the mother of five children of her own. Two

months after her dream, a 3-year-old girl arrived on the family’s doorstep. In the following years, Paulson has fostered several more children and plans to keep on being a foster mom “forever.”

“The effect I can have on the kids’ lives is amazing,” Paulson said. “I’ve been told by several people that they can see the changes I’ve made. That’s very rewarding.”

Paulson has been a day care provider for years but says that being a foster parent has been a learning experience. From hiring personal care assistants for some of the children she’s fostered to keeping innumerable doctors’ appointments and court dates, Paulson has learned firsthand how much goes into the county’s foster care system.

“The paperwork can be unbelievable,” she said. “I’m busy all the time. There’s always something going on at our house. When we go up to the zoo, we have to take three cars to fit everyone in.”

By Nell Musolf Photos by Pat Christman

Cindy Paulson has five children of her own, and adopted her first foster child.

Heart and

Home: Foster moms

give all they can - while they can



parents is the ultimate goal for every fostering situation and whenever a new child comes into her life, Hopkins is fully aware that the time will most likely come when she will have to say goodbye to that child.

“The way we prepare for every placement is to open up our home and our heart,” Hopkins said. “More than anything else, we want to give the children we serve a stable environment.”

Hopkins strives to keep natural parents in the loop as she provides a home for their children and aims for a type of co-parenting that benefits both the children and the parents involved. She is grateful to have family living in the area who help her out and offer support.

“I couldn’t do this without my extended family. My family just accepts whoever we bring with us to family functions as part of the family,” Hopkins said.

Trish Reedstrom is a Blue Earth County Human Services worker whose job is to place kids who are in the foster care system in a home as quickly as possible. The county keeps a list of active foster parents and whenever a child enters the system, it is up to Reedstrom and her co-workers to try and find the best fit for that child.

“We consider whether a foster family wants an infant or older child, and we also make an attempt to keep sibling groups together whenever possible,” Reedstrom said.

Another goal of the county is to have children remain in the same school district they attended before being placed in foster care. Reedstrom has nothing but praise for the foster parents she works with who make sacrifices of their time, energy and resources on a regular basis.

“The work they do is so difficult,” Reedstrom said. “Anyone can be a parent, but the willingness I see of foster parents to help kids who are often coming from horrific situations is amazing. I can’t say enough good things about them.”

Cindy Paulson’s house is always full. Of her 10 birth, adopted and foster children, seven live at home: “When we go up to the zoo, we have to take three cars to fit everyone in.”

Paulson believes that being a foster mom has benefited her own children, who now range in age from 23 to 6 (the family adopted their first foster child). Two of her children have decided to go into special education after living with children who came to their home with special needs.

“It’s exhausting, but it’s so rewarding that you don’t think about how tired you are,” Paulson said. “I would never have thought that I’d be doing this, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

With three of her own children still at home, Paulson has her hands full with the four foster children who are living with her family. But Mother’s Day for this foster mom will be much like Mother’s Day for any mom.

“We’ll probably grill out and have the grandparents over,” Paulson said, adding that when you’re a foster mom, every event is extra special because there are always extra kids on hand to help celebrate.

For Lisa Hopkins and her husband, Brian, becoming foster parents was a way to cope with not being able to have additional children after their daughter Ashlie was born 15 years ago. The couple was looking into adoption when someone mentioned the possibility of becoming foster parents. The suggestion took hold

and the Hopkins became licensed foster parents in 2006.“My husband and I had a heart for children,” Hopkins said. “We

wanted to have more children in our lives.”At first, the family hoped to take in older children, a plan that

didn’t quite work out. After going through a screening period with the Blue Earth County Human Services department, a screening that Hopkins termed “pretty intense,” their first foster children were placed with them, a 3-year-old girl and twin baby boys who were right out of the hospital. Hopkins soon discovered that she took to foster care like a duck takes to water.

“My husband and I agreed that it’s fine to have foster babies as long as I’m the one getting up at midnight with them,” Hopkins said.

Their first foster care experience worked out so well that the family adopted all three children in 2010. Since that time, they have fostered more children and are taking care of another sibling group of three.

“I can’t seem to say no when the county calls,” Hopkins said.Being a foster mom isn’t without its heartbreaking moments.

The children she helps might come from backgrounds that include neglect or abuse. Reunification with a child’s natural


parents is the ultimate goal for every fostering situation and whenever a new child comes into her life, Hopkins is fully aware that the time will most likely come when she will have to say goodbye to that child.

“The way we prepare for every placement is to open up our home and our heart,” Hopkins said. “More than anything else, we want to give the children we serve a stable environment.”

Hopkins strives to keep natural parents in the loop as she provides a home for their children and aims for a type of co-parenting that benefits both the children and the parents involved. She is grateful to have family living in the area who help her out and offer support.

“I couldn’t do this without my extended family. My family just accepts whoever we bring with us to family functions as part of the family,” Hopkins said.

Trish Reedstrom is a Blue Earth County Human Services worker whose job is to place kids who are in the foster care system in a home as quickly as possible. The county keeps a list of active foster parents and whenever a child enters the system, it is up to Reedstrom and her co-workers to try and find the best fit for that child.

“We consider whether a foster family wants an infant or older child, and we also make an attempt to keep sibling groups together whenever possible,” Reedstrom said.

Another goal of the county is to have children remain in the same school district they attended before being placed in foster care. Reedstrom has nothing but praise for the foster parents she works with who make sacrifices of their time, energy and resources on a regular basis.

“The work they do is so difficult,” Reedstrom said. “Anyone can be a parent, but the willingness I see of foster parents to help kids who are often coming from horrific situations is amazing. I can’t say enough good things about them.” M

Cindy Paulson’s house is always full. Of her 10 birth, adopted and foster children, seven live at home: “When we go up to the zoo, we have to take three cars to fit everyone in.”

and the Hopkins became licensed foster parents in 2006.“My husband and I had a heart for children,” Hopkins said. “We

wanted to have more children in our lives.”At first, the family hoped to take in older children, a plan that

didn’t quite work out. After going through a screening period with the Blue Earth County Human Services department, a screening that Hopkins termed “pretty intense,” their first foster children were placed with them, a 3-year-old girl and twin baby boys who were right out of the hospital. Hopkins soon discovered that she took to foster care like a duck takes to water.

“My husband and I agreed that it’s fine to have foster babies as long as I’m the one getting up at midnight with them,” Hopkins said.

Their first foster care experience worked out so well that the family adopted all three children in 2010. Since that time, they have fostered more children and are taking care of another sibling group of three.

“I can’t seem to say no when the county calls,” Hopkins said.Being a foster mom isn’t without its heartbreaking moments.

The children she helps might come from backgrounds that include neglect or abuse. Reunification with a child’s natural

Who can be a foster parent? In Blue Earth County, the basic requirements for becoming a

foster parent generally include that you:

• are 21 years of age or older; • are in good physical and emotional

health;• meet your state and local requirements

for housing safety, space, and equipment;• have the skills, attitude, and stamina to

effectively deal with the many behaviors and feelings displayed by children and youth;

• have a non-punitive attitude and can demonstrate some level of acceptance toward the parents of the children in care;

• can work cooperatively with the representatives of the foster care agency;

• are accepting of the temporary nature of foster care and can help a child transition back to his family or move on to a permanent or adoptive placement.

What types of foster care exist?

Some families choose to provide one kind of care. Others do a variety of care.

Ongoing care: Care to children who need to be out of their family home for one month to a year or more.

Emergency shelter care: Care to children who are experiencing a child protection crisis or immediate non-protection personal or family crisis requiring a separation from their family. Expected length of placement is less than one month and often shorter.

respite care: Care provided for families who need brief (several days) and often regular time away from stresses they are experiencing in the family. Considered part of a plan to prevent the need for longer-term placements.

relief care: Care provided to children already in ongoing foster care for the purpose of supporting the work of the ongoing foster parent by allowing time to nurture their own biological family needs.

Permanent care: A rare form of care provided to children who cannot return to their biological family and are not appropriate for termination of parental rights and adoption. Length of placement is to the age of majority.

What steps are required to get a foster care license:

1. Contact a county foster care official to express interest and ask questions about becoming a foster parent. In Blue Earth County, contact Joanna Petersen at 507-304-4167.

2. If interest continues, the prospective applicant will arrange attendance at an informational meeting. Orientation workshops will be conducted every six to eight weeks, which is required prior to licensing.

3. If, after the orientation workshop, the family is still interested, an initial interview with a licensor is made. The applicant will be given a foster care packet, which will include the foster family licensing rule, applicant background study forms for all persons 13 years of age or older in the household, physical forms for all persons in the household, personal questionnaire, application, home safety checklist, three personal references, and other materials pertaining to the program.

4. When the application and applicant background studies have been filled out, signed, and returned to the agency, an appointment will be made for a home-site inspection. A visit from the state fire inspector may be required.

5. When the previous listed requirements have been met, the licensor will do a home study. This will include several interviews with prospective foster parents and their children. The contents of the home study will include family relationships, family activities, discipline techniques, communication skills, expectations of foster care, and ages and types of foster children desired.

6. The agency licensing process may take up to three months.

7. When the application is completed, the agency shall forward its licensing recommendations to the Department of Human Services within 20 working days.

Information for this article was provided by Blue Earth County.

Becoming a foster parent



Year-to-date Economic Impact 2011 Total Economic Impact: $40,500,000


Year-to-date Economic Impact 2011 Total Economic Impact: $40,500,000



While it may seem old world for a son to enter his father’s profession, there are a number of sons following in their fathers’ footsteps in southern Minnesota. The Mankato

Magazine spoke to father-son teachers, butchers and techies who enjoy working together, learning from each other and carrying on a family tradition. Bob and Eric strand

When Bob Strand was a kid, he tagged along with his dad, Eric Strand, to work at Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital, where his dad worked for 23 years, earning his first patent and establishing the BIO Medical department.

“On nights and weekends, I’d go in to fix or watch him fix medical equipment,” recalled Bob of Elysian.

Today they put their technical know-how to use in their family businesses: Technical Solutions of Madison Lake.

In 1997, Eric started the business to bring the audio, video, and communication systems of the workplace into the home. Instead, businesses looked to Eric for networking, wiring and electronics repair and commercial services blossomed.

While Bob was in high school and college, he worked on projects with his dad. After college, Bob joined his dad at Technical Solutions and heads up residential services under the name Fine Tunes. Bob enjoys showing his clients what home theaters and music systems can do.

“He’s an excellent teacher. People have to be comfortable with it or they won’t use it,” said Eric.

Off duty, the Strands spend time together on their boats or motorcycles. Eric lives on Lake Francis and Bob lives just a mile away. However, their relationship is not without conflict. They have an ongoing disagreement over the music in their office and use their smartphones to switch the tunes. Eric prefers oldies, but not Bob.

They can also be stubborn and opinionated. Yet when they close the office door, they can crack a beer and sit down for supper.

“Then it’s not work anymore, it’s family,” said Bob.

Eric actually started the business to spend more time with his family, but working with his son was an unexpected bonus.

“It’s a privilege to have him around. I look forward to seeing him come through the door every morning,” said Eric.

B o b ’ s admiration for his father is mutual.

“The sacrifices he’s made for us and the company. He puts everybody else before him. Not many people do that,” said Bob.

In his father’s footsteps ... Fathers and sons in bus iness together

By Grace Webb | Photos by John Cross

Brady and Don Krusemark When teachers Brady and Don

Krusemark walk down the halls of Mankato West High School, they both answer to the nickname of “Kruse.”

For the past 25 years, Don has taught physical education and health at Mankato West High School, where he has also coached wrestling, football and baseball. Currently he is coaching fastpitch softball.

Don even coached his son, Brady, in high school wrestling. What Brady learned from his dad is more general than what he learned on the mat. Brady experienced firsthand the effort and time his dad committed to teaching both in and out of the classroom.

“Just watching his interaction with students rubbed off on me. It comes naturally,” said Brady of Mankato.

Brady is in his sixth full year of teaching and his second year at Mankato West High School, where he teaches band. Brady leads two concert bands, two jazz bands, a pep band and several ensembles that meet after school. Plus, he is assistant director for the Lancers.

“He’s great at what he does. In his second year here, he’s developed a program that’s very rewarding for the kids. They are performing at a high level. They respect

Bob Strand (standing) first

started following his father, Eric, to work when he was just a

young boy.

Don Krusemark has taught physical education and health at Mankato West for 25 years. His son, Brady, is a band instructor.

Father-son duo Bob (left) and Eric Strand operate Technical Solutions in Madison Lake, which offers audio, video, and communication systems to both commercial and residential clients.



“He’s an excellent teacher. People have to be comfortable with it or they won’t use it,” said Eric.

Off duty, the Strands spend time together on their boats or motorcycles. Eric lives on Lake Francis and Bob lives just a mile away. However, their relationship is not without conflict. They have an ongoing disagreement over the music in their office and use their smartphones to switch the tunes. Eric prefers oldies, but not Bob.

They can also be stubborn and opinionated. Yet when they close the office door, they can crack a beer and sit down for supper.

“Then it’s not work anymore, it’s family,” said Bob.

Eric actually started the business to spend more time with his family, but working with his son was an unexpected bonus.

“It’s a privilege to have him around. I look forward to seeing him come through the door every morning,” said Eric.

B o b ’ s admiration for his father is mutual.

“The sacrifices he’s made for us and the company. He puts everybody else before him. Not many people do that,” said Bob.

In his father’s footsteps ... Fathers and sons in bus iness together

By Grace Webb | Photos by John Cross

Brady and Don Krusemark When teachers Brady and Don

Krusemark walk down the halls of Mankato West High School, they both answer to the nickname of “Kruse.”

For the past 25 years, Don has taught physical education and health at Mankato West High School, where he has also coached wrestling, football and baseball. Currently he is coaching fastpitch softball.

Don even coached his son, Brady, in high school wrestling. What Brady learned from his dad is more general than what he learned on the mat. Brady experienced firsthand the effort and time his dad committed to teaching both in and out of the classroom.

“Just watching his interaction with students rubbed off on me. It comes naturally,” said Brady of Mankato.

Brady is in his sixth full year of teaching and his second year at Mankato West High School, where he teaches band. Brady leads two concert bands, two jazz bands, a pep band and several ensembles that meet after school. Plus, he is assistant director for the Lancers.

“He’s great at what he does. In his second year here, he’s developed a program that’s very rewarding for the kids. They are performing at a high level. They respect

him as a person and what he does,” Don said.

Don was not surprised that his son chose teaching. In fact, all four of his children and two of their spouses are in education. Brady’s mom, Beth Krusemark, is a longtime day care provider.

“I know he wanted to work with kids. It’s a natural fit,” said Don.

Brady grew up around high school s t u d e n t s . Today, he enjoys the ex c i t e m e n t the students have when they come to his classroom ready to play music.

“I love the energy in the d a i l y i n t e rac t i on with the s t u d e n t s , ” said Brady.

Don and Brady discuss

teaching and bounce ideas off each other. Don shares his experience and Brady shares new strategies. While they don’t see much of each other during the school day, they make time when they can.

“It’s nice to stop in and say hey occasionally,” said Brady.

Father and son Brady and Don Krusemark both teach at Mankato West. All four of Don’s children have landed jobs in education.

Don Krusemark (left) has taught physical education and health at Mankato West for 25 years. His son, Brady, is a band instructor.



ryan and Gary schmidt Schmidts Meat Market in Nicollet won best of show for its

raspberry chipotle bacon at the Minnesota Association of Meat Processors 2012 state convention. By staying current and introducing new products that appeal to people’s palates and lifestyles, this family-owned business has grown steadily.

“I’m proud to be a third-generation family member carrying on the tradition,” said Ryan Schmidt of North Mankato.

Ryan’s grandpa and grandma, Gerhardt and Esther Schmidt, purchased the Nicollet Meat Market in 1947. Then in 1975, Ryan’s dad, Gary Schmidt, and his uncle, Bruce Schmidt, took over the meat market.

Together, the brothers grew a local meat market into a retail destination, renowned for its sausage, bacon and fresh cuts of meat. Customers come from the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota.

“Society has changed so dramatically in people looking for eating adventures,” said Gary of North Mankato.

Gerhardt offered seven sausage varieties, but now there are close to 70 varieties, such as a blueberry and wild rice summer sausage and bratwurst, jalapeño and cheese beef sticks, and habanero jerky. After all these years, the original summer sausage is the most popular.

“That is our claim to fame. My grandpa’s original recipe is the biggest seller today,” said Ryan.

Like Bruce and Gary, Ryan grew up working at Schmidts. His grandpa taught him how to butcher animals for farmers and

hunters. During the school year, Ryan worked in the smokehouses, sausage kitchen and at the counter.

Ryan said returning to North Mankato to raise his family and operate Schmidts Meat Market has been a good move.

But Bruce and Gary use the term “retirement” lightly. Both cover weekend hours and Bruce comes in every night at 10 p.m. to fire up the traditional wood-fired smokehouses.

“That’s what makes our product unique,” said Bruce of Nicollet. M

Gary, son Ryan and brother Bruce Schmidt run Schmidts Meat Market in Nicollet, a family-owned meat market established by Gerhardt and Esther Schmidt.

Schmidts Meat Market offers 70 varieties of

sausage - but the most popular is still Gerhardt’s original recipe

summer sausage.



hunters. During the school year, Ryan worked in the smokehouses, sausage kitchen and at the counter.

Ryan said returning to North Mankato to raise his family and operate Schmidts Meat Market has been a good move.

But Bruce and Gary use the term “retirement” lightly. Both cover weekend hours and Bruce comes in every night at 10 p.m. to fire up the traditional wood-fired smokehouses.

“That’s what makes our product unique,” said Bruce of Nicollet.

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Gary, son Ryan and brother Bruce Schmidt run Schmidts Meat Market in Nicollet, a family-owned meat market established by Gerhardt and Esther Schmidt.





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800-729-7575www.corpgraph.com

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If you’re an angler, then perhaps the greatest mystery to ponder is just what makes a fish bite.

If you’re not, the greatest mystery may be just why so many Minnesotans so seriously ponder the aforementioned imponderable.

Indeed, we are a state of anglers. About 1.4 million fishing licenses are sold annually in Minnesota, putting us at the top

spot nationally for license sales. While our license plates declare us a land of 10,000 lakes, numbers compiled by the

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources set the number of fishable lakes at 5,493. Plug in about 15,500 miles of fishable streams and rivers and little wonder so many

of us are passionate about our piscatorial pursuits. The fishing season for walleyes, our state fish, opens across most of Minnesota in

mid-May. Some consider the fishing opener the state’s own unique holiday. And in many years, as is the case in 2012, opening weekend of the fishing season

coincides with another major holiday — Mothers Day. Fortunately for us, our mothers and wives are pretty forgiving.



Taking care ... A look at a few Mankatoans who work quietly to make

our lives richer By nell Musolf | Photos by John Cross

Kari said working with clients at the end of their life is a “privilege.”

Kari Gustafson became a volunteer for the Hospice program at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato after she lost her parents-in-law to cancer. She is pictured with one of her clients, Bernard Langr.

According to Dictionary.com, a hero is defined as “a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act.” Identifying heroes who are in the public eye is easy, but identifying those who operate behind the scenes takes a little more sleuthing. And though the individuals in this article may not fit the strict definition of a hero, their sacrifices and

unsung toils are laudable all the same.

Care and comfort

Kari Gustafson has been a volunteer with the Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato Hospice for two decades.

Kari lost both her father-in-law and mother-in-law to cancer. When her father-in-law died in 1982, there wasn’t a hospice program in Mankato. Later, when her mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, the family chose to tell her the truth about the amount of time she had left instead of going along with her doctor’s plans to strengthen her for cancer treatments.

“On a Monday we decided to be honest with her and tell her that she was dying,” Kari said. “She died that Friday. She was still running a business at the time and we wanted to make sure that we knew what her wishes were before she died.”



Taking care ... A look at a few Mankatoans who work quietly to make

our lives richer By nell Musolf | Photos by John Cross

Kari said working with clients at the end of their life is a “privilege.” Kari said her clients often discuss issues or ask for help that they are not comfortable talking about with family.

Kari Gustafson became a volunteer for the Hospice program at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato after she lost her parents-in-law to cancer. She is pictured with one of her clients, Bernard Langr.

According to Dictionary.com, a hero is defined as “a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act.” Identifying heroes who are in the public eye is easy, but identifying those who operate behind the scenes takes a little more sleuthing. And though the individuals in this article may not fit the strict definition of a hero, their sacrifices and

unsung toils are laudable all the same.

Care and comfort

Kari Gustafson has been a volunteer with the Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato Hospice for two decades.

Kari lost both her father-in-law and mother-in-law to cancer. When her father-in-law died in 1982, there wasn’t a hospice program in Mankato. Later, when her mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, the family chose to tell her the truth about the amount of time she had left instead of going along with her doctor’s plans to strengthen her for cancer treatments.

“On a Monday we decided to be honest with her and tell her that she was dying,” Kari said. “She died that Friday. She was still running a business at the time and we wanted to make sure that we knew what her wishes were before she died.”

Dealing with her in-laws’ deaths inspired Kari to seek the opportunity to volunteer in a Hospice setting. Since becoming a volunteer with Hospice, Kari calls what she does a “privilege.” “Being a part of someone’s end-of-life journey is usually a very humbling and moving experience,” Kari said, adding that the families of the people she helps are very appreciative of the work she does. “It may not always be easy for the person who is dying to ask their families for certain things that a volunteer would be happy to do.”

One of Kari’s first patients was a young mother who was dying of brain cancer. When Kari met her, they were the same age.

“Every time I was with her, I would come home and cry my eyes out and my husband would ask me how I could keep volunteering with her. Even though it was very emotional watching her face the end of her life,

I knew that she was sharing something very important with me. I was a young mother myself and I felt that each day I was given the gift of another day on this earth,” Kari recalled.



rock of the church

Ashley Ebbenga is an office specialist at Grace Lutheran church in Mankato — and she loves the work.

In addition to making appointments for the pastor and the staff, Ashley also coordinates projects, works with council leaders, assists teams and provides assistance to the church for various events.

“If you come to church on a Sunday, depending on the church and the position, the secretary has not only prepared the bulletin and any other communications you will see, but also assisted the members who are involved in worship and provided resources to the technical team and others,” Ashley said.

At her church, Ashley is part of all communications creations and is excited to be part of a new website Grace Lutheran is developing. Ashley terms church secretaries as “jacks of all trades” and says she finds the responsibility, flexibility and care that she receives to be the most satisfying aspects of her job.

Clean team

Jason Hiniker and Perry Conrad have been custodians at Rosa Parks Elementary School since it opened in 2010. They are part of a crew of four custodians who keep the new facility running smoothly. Both men say they are fortunate to work in a state-of-the-art school equipped with all the latest technology. However, they are also required to understand all of that state-of-the-art equipment and while some people might call that challenging, Jason says it’s an “adventure.”

“Sometimes we are challenged with occasional mechanical issues, but we’re ready to tackle anything that comes our way. It’s all in a day’s work,” Jason said.

Getting to know students, staff, coaches and the public has been a definite perk for the cleaning duo. Both Perry and Jason agree that Rosa Parks has an enjoyable work environment. They credit the principal, Rick Lund, for creating that positive atmosphere.

“To be part of the start-up of this school has been exciting and rewarding,” Jason said. Perry added, “During our first year, Mr. Lund reminded us that as a newly formed staff, we’d be facing first-time opportunities together. We were all like freshmen in school. It was a unique bonding experience.”

Working with school-age children can be loosely translated into constantly cleaning up after them. Jason and Perry describe the kids at their school as friendly and helpful. They also say that depending on the situation, adults can require as much clean up as kids.

“Children of all ages have a knack for providing a certain amount of job security for us,” Jason said. M

Ashley Ebbenga said church secretaries must be “jacks of all trades.” She is pictured with volunteers helping to mail the church newsletter.

Ashley Ebbenga is an office specialist at Grace Lutheran church in Mankato. She coordinates projects, works with volunteers and prepares church materials, among other countless tasks.



Clean team

Jason Hiniker and Perry Conrad have been custodians at Rosa Parks Elementary School since it opened in 2010. They are part of a crew of four custodians who keep the new facility running smoothly. Both men say they are fortunate to work in a state-of-the-art school equipped with all the latest technology. However, they are also required to understand all of that state-of-the-art equipment and while some people might call that challenging, Jason says it’s an “adventure.”

“Sometimes we are challenged with occasional mechanical issues, but we’re ready to tackle anything that comes our way. It’s all in a day’s work,” Jason said.

Getting to know students, staff, coaches and the public has been a definite perk for the cleaning duo. Both Perry and Jason agree that Rosa Parks has an enjoyable work environment. They credit the principal, Rick Lund, for creating that positive atmosphere.

“To be part of the start-up of this school has been exciting and rewarding,” Jason said. Perry added, “During our first year, Mr. Lund reminded us that as a newly formed staff, we’d be facing first-time opportunities together. We were all like freshmen in school. It was a unique bonding experience.”

Working with school-age children can be loosely translated into constantly cleaning up after them. Jason and Perry describe the kids at their school as friendly and helpful. They also say that depending on the situation, adults can require as much clean up as kids.

“Children of all ages have a knack for providing a certain amount of job security for us,” Jason said.

Ashley Ebbenga is an office specialist at Grace Lutheran church in Mankato. She coordinates projects, works with volunteers and prepares church materials, among other countless tasks.



What do you call the woman who makes pancakes on two-hour late start days from school?

Who is the woman who answers the phone after you’ve been in a fight, makes your favorite tuna noodle casserole on your birthday or opens her home when the courts say your parents no longer have custody? If you ask Roxi Lang, the woman who has done all these things and more, her answer will be guarded and humble.

She’ll say she’s not a foster parent and never intended to replace Caleb’s biological parents. She’ll note that only one

woman deserves the title of “mother,” and it’s not her. She’ll insist she didn’t give Caleb anything special, save the time and attention anyone would give a young boy from an unstable home.

“I’ve tried to take people as they come into my life,” said Roxi, a former teacher who traded the profession for that of full-time mother when her first child was born. “I’ve just tried to love who is before me.”

But if you ask Caleb, his answer is more effusive. For the woman who helped care for him and his sister after a

fire razed the duplex where they were living; for the woman who offered a consoling ear when schoolmates teased him for being a foster child; for the woman who helped make him the first in his family to attend college, Caleb isn’t shy with his praise:

“She’s the one I can go to with anything,” said Caleb Young. “She’s my rock in life.”

And Caleb counts his rocks closely. In a childhood marked by tumult and instabiity, he has been afforded few such anchors. He entered his first foster home at age 3 as the result of his parents losing custody. In the ensuing years, Caleb and his siblings lived a life of here-and-there, sometimes staying with foster parents, sometimes moving back in with their biological parents on the occasion that they regained custody.

During those years, Roxi lived near the Washington Park neighborhood where Caleb lived in Mankato. Caleb remembers her as a “family friend.” Roxi remembers him as a friendly, curious little boy who stopped by frequently.

But their relationship took a decidedly different turn after a 2004 fire razed the home where Caleb had returned to live with his parents.

The fire started when Caleb’s brother accidentally knocked over a space heater which sent the duplex ablaze. Windows blew out of the attic. Firefighters worked eight hours to extinguish the flames only to return several times in the aftermath to fight flare-ups. State and local media covered the incident.

Caleb and his family lived with family friends for a few months, then for a little awhile in a motel, exchanging hours on the clock for a room to sleep.

“We were borderline homeless,” Caleb said. That event kickstarted a series of events that ultimately led to

a downward spiral of anger and despair for Caleb. But that’s when Roxi’s guidance began to take hold.

After the fire, Caleb would periodically spend the night at her home where she offered him the same quiet home life she’s made for her husband and two children.

As Caleb’s family situation worsened, she became his sounding board and his conscience. When Caleb got into a fight with a

M

“My rock in life”The story of a young man from a broken home

and the woman who guided him By Tanner Kent | Photo by Pat Christman

classmate who bad-mouthed his mother, Roxi offered solace and understanding.

He celebrated birthdays with Roxi (“It made me feel important and noticed,” Caleb said, “since I felt on a normal basis unimportant”) and called her frequently for advice.

Even today, Caleb said he has residual trust issues with adults and peers. But never so with Roxi, who was always there when he called, always willing to listen when he needed to talk.

“There were times when she was soft and more sensitive,” he said, “and other times she was sturdy and reassuring. When I felt like no one was there, she was there.”

She taught him practical lessons, like how to study for school, how to be financially responsible and why it was important to eat the vegetables she’d “sneak” into his meals. She taught him emotional lessons, like how to express himself and how to control his anger. She taught him spiritual lessons, like how to love and how to hope, even when evidence of their existence seemed stacked to the contrary.

Even more, Caleb said, she taught him to keep his eyes on the horizon, looking always toward a brighter future.

“When I was younger, I wasn’t too sure about college — or about life,” Caleb said. “But she pushed me and supported me 100 percent of the way.”

For Roxi’s part, she’s uncomfortable with specific labels for her impact on Caleb’s life. She’s never wished to replace his mother, or install herself as a parent. She certainly doesn’t feel like a hero and, for that matter, isn’t even sure she’s an inspiration.

“It’s humbling and very kind for him to think so well of me,” Roxi said. “But you have to ask yourself: ‘Who is more inspiring?’”

Today, Caleb lives with his longtime guardian and will graduate high school in June. This fall — with plenty of encouragement from Roxi — he begins studies at Minnesota State University.

Caleb has already been accepted into the psychology program and will be the first member of his immediate family to attend college.

“For me to make it, it’s a huge deal,” Caleb said. “I couldn’t have done it without Roxi.”

Roxi Lang and Caleb Young share a unique bond forged over the guidance she offered during the tumult of Caleb’s childhood. They are pictured at Minnesota State University where Caleb begins studies this fall.



woman deserves the title of “mother,” and it’s not her. She’ll insist she didn’t give Caleb anything special, save the time and attention anyone would give a young boy from an unstable home.

“I’ve tried to take people as they come into my life,” said Roxi, a former teacher who traded the profession for that of full-time mother when her first child was born. “I’ve just tried to love who is before me.”

But if you ask Caleb, his answer is more effusive. For the woman who helped care for him and his sister after a

fire razed the duplex where they were living; for the woman who offered a consoling ear when schoolmates teased him for being a foster child; for the woman who helped make him the first in his family to attend college, Caleb isn’t shy with his praise:

“She’s the one I can go to with anything,” said Caleb Young. “She’s my rock in life.”

And Caleb counts his rocks closely. In a childhood marked by tumult and instabiity, he has been afforded few such anchors. He entered his first foster home at age 3 as the result of his parents losing custody. In the ensuing years, Caleb and his siblings lived a life of here-and-there, sometimes staying with foster parents, sometimes moving back in with their biological parents on the occasion that they regained custody.

During those years, Roxi lived near the Washington Park neighborhood where Caleb lived in Mankato. Caleb remembers her as a “family friend.” Roxi remembers him as a friendly, curious little boy who stopped by frequently.

But their relationship took a decidedly different turn after a 2004 fire razed the home where Caleb had returned to live with his parents.

The fire started when Caleb’s brother accidentally knocked over a space heater which sent the duplex ablaze. Windows blew out of the attic. Firefighters worked eight hours to extinguish the flames only to return several times in the aftermath to fight flare-ups. State and local media covered the incident.

Caleb and his family lived with family friends for a few months, then for a little awhile in a motel, exchanging hours on the clock for a room to sleep.

“We were borderline homeless,” Caleb said. That event kickstarted a series of events that ultimately led to

a downward spiral of anger and despair for Caleb. But that’s when Roxi’s guidance began to take hold.

After the fire, Caleb would periodically spend the night at her home where she offered him the same quiet home life she’s made for her husband and two children.

As Caleb’s family situation worsened, she became his sounding board and his conscience. When Caleb got into a fight with a

M

“My rock in life”The story of a young man from a broken home

and the woman who guided him By Tanner Kent | Photo by Pat Christman

classmate who bad-mouthed his mother, Roxi offered solace and understanding.

He celebrated birthdays with Roxi (“It made me feel important and noticed,” Caleb said, “since I felt on a normal basis unimportant”) and called her frequently for advice.

Even today, Caleb said he has residual trust issues with adults and peers. But never so with Roxi, who was always there when he called, always willing to listen when he needed to talk.

“There were times when she was soft and more sensitive,” he said, “and other times she was sturdy and reassuring. When I felt like no one was there, she was there.”

She taught him practical lessons, like how to study for school, how to be financially responsible and why it was important to eat the vegetables she’d “sneak” into his meals. She taught him emotional lessons, like how to express himself and how to control his anger. She taught him spiritual lessons, like how to love and how to hope, even when evidence of their existence seemed stacked to the contrary.

Even more, Caleb said, she taught him to keep his eyes on the horizon, looking always toward a brighter future.

“When I was younger, I wasn’t too sure about college — or about life,” Caleb said. “But she pushed me and supported me 100 percent of the way.”

For Roxi’s part, she’s uncomfortable with specific labels for her impact on Caleb’s life. She’s never wished to replace his mother, or install herself as a parent. She certainly doesn’t feel like a hero and, for that matter, isn’t even sure she’s an inspiration.

“It’s humbling and very kind for him to think so well of me,” Roxi said. “But you have to ask yourself: ‘Who is more inspiring?’”

Today, Caleb lives with his longtime guardian and will graduate high school in June. This fall — with plenty of encouragement from Roxi — he begins studies at Minnesota State University.

Caleb has already been accepted into the psychology program and will be the first member of his immediate family to attend college.

“For me to make it, it’s a huge deal,” Caleb said. “I couldn’t have done it without Roxi.” M



MANKATO MAGAZINE • may 2012 • PB





“How was the movie?” I asked my son Hank.

“You wouldn’t like it,” he informed me. “The mom died.” Hank’s absolutely right; I wouldn’t like that movie no matter who was playing the hapless, widowed dad. I don’t like movies where the mom is expendable, but that seems to be a common theme in far too many movies, television shows and books these days.

Kill off Mom and then hook Dad up with some sweet, young thing and its move-on-dot-org time.

Oh, sure, Mom is remembered fondly for a scene or two but, for the most part, it’s more like: Mom who? You remember — the tired-looking lady who made French toast for you whenever you wanted it and who held your hand on your way to kindergarten all the way to graduate school? Oh, right! Her! Whatever happened to her anyway?

It wouldn’t be so bad if those lazy Hollywood scriptwriters got rid of Mom by having her run off with the dishwasher repairman who resembled, oh, early Mel Gibson. Or, gave her a dazzling career as perhaps a senator or the head of her own advertising agency. Then at least the audience would know that Mom had a solid reason to take off and not leave a forwarding address. But death? It’s so ... final. Not to mention depressing.

I have noticed that dads are seldom done in by filmmakers although I can’t quite figure out why. It must be that dads are considered more interesting as single parents than moms. I suppose a widowed middle-aged dad, a la George Clooney, has a lot more options open to him (such as single bimbos flinging themselves at him and his wife’s life insurance 24/7) than a single, middle-aged mom like ... well, I can’t even think of whom Hollywood would cast as a single, middle-aged mom since women aren’t allowed to be middle-aged in movies. They go straight from girlish to grandma without any kind of menopausal pause in between.

Then there’s the fact that a single dad can have all kinds of adorable, heart-wrenching learning experiences as he figures out how to do the laundry and cook a meal without shedding so much as a drop of masculinity. Why is it considered endearing to watch a guy fumble around a kitchen trying to figure out how to bake a potato, but it would be irritating to watch a woman fumble around in the garage trying to figure out how to change spark plugs? Of course, I’m just guessing here because, to my knowledge, there’s never been a cinematic moment with a

widow in a garage unless it was in one of those creepy slasher movies.

There’s also the bonding issue. Women bond with their kids before they have them. Men not so much. In all these movies where Mom is killed by an aberrant asteroid or struck down with a fatal case of Hollywood-itis, Dad is left to fill the role of mother and father to offspring he so often doesn’t know that well — or might not even know he had. Even I can see that writing about a dad and a teenage son discovering that they are actually related would be much meatier (and easier) than writing about a mom and a teenage daughter who are so bonded that they swap naval rings and double date to the daughter’s senior prom.

So what is my point of all this whining about movies where Mom gets knocked off before the opening credits finish rolling? Well, I for one would like to suggest to the powers-that-be that they consider producing a movie where there’s a dad and a mom and kids and maybe a dog.

I’d like to see a movie about an average family facing the modern world with all its problems and drama with courage, a splash of humor and a lots of loyalty. And I’d really like it if said family was congenial and if the mom and the dad spoke to each other like they were in love instead of forced to live together because of a harsh and unfair tax code.

Who knows? Maybe for Mother’s Day one of the movie channels will show “I Remember Mama” because I guarantee that no mom likes to be forgotten...M

ThaT’s liFe By Nell MuSOlf

Hollywood vs. Motherhood

Nell Musolf is a mom and a freelance writer from Mankato.

For more information, contact theadvancement office at 507.344.7313



Missing Something?

Contact Cheryl Olson for solutions to your advertising puzzle.

507-344-6390 mankatomag@

mankatofreepress.com

widow in a garage unless it was in one of those creepy slasher movies.

There’s also the bonding issue. Women bond with their kids before they have them. Men not so much. In all these movies where Mom is killed by an aberrant asteroid or struck down with a fatal case of Hollywood-itis, Dad is left to fill the role of mother and father to offspring he so often doesn’t know that well — or might not even know he had. Even I can see that writing about a dad and a teenage son discovering that they are actually related would be much meatier (and easier) than writing about a mom and a teenage daughter who are so bonded that they swap naval rings and double date to the daughter’s senior prom.

So what is my point of all this whining about movies where Mom gets knocked off before the opening credits finish rolling? Well, I for one would like to suggest to the powers-that-be that they consider producing a movie where there’s a dad and a mom and kids and maybe a dog.

I’d like to see a movie about an average family facing the modern world with all its problems and drama with courage, a splash of humor and a lots of loyalty. And I’d really like it if said family was congenial and if the mom and the dad spoke to each other like they were in love instead of forced to live together because of a harsh and unfair tax code.

Who knows? Maybe for Mother’s Day one of the movie channels will show “I Remember Mama” because I guarantee that no mom likes to be forgotten...

Hollywood vs. Motherhood

For more information, contact theadvancement office at 507.344.7313



i begin with a confession: Until a few weeks ago, i’d never made limoncello. Perhaps that doesn’t seem particularly earth-shattering. But considering how many hundreds of recipes for cocktails, tinctures, infusions and garnishes are under my belt, it suddenly struck me as odd that i’d never attempted this old standby lemon liqueur. After all, what homemade spirit is more straightforward, more ubiquitous?

BAsiC LiMOnCELLO Makes about 2 liters (about 8 1/2 cups)

This recipe for the infused spirit that italians generally call rosolio can be used to make either limoncello or what Americans call “orangecello.” You will be using only the peels, so use organic citrus that has no wax, no stickers and no ink on the peel. Also, use grain alcohol of at least 190-proof — not vodka.

After you add the sugar and water, strain the mixture through cheesecloth several times a day for three days to remove sediment. The result is a fine, clarified spirit that’s a far cry from the cloying, sickly sweet ‘cellos that most people are familiar with.

note: The drink needs to infuse for 17 days before it can be bottled and served. it can be refrigerated for several months.

happy hour By JASON WilSON | The WAShiNgTON pOST

Learning the ‘Cellosay ‘si’ to Cinco de Mayo From The KiTchen By Family Features

Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become a great way to celebrate the fantastic flavors of Mexico. This year, why not host your own Cinco celebration? With easy recipes

and fun tips like these, you can say sí with style.

Here’s how you can set the stage for the perfect fiesta:

Centerpiece: Fill a tall can with sunflowers and center it on a large platter. Arrange produce, such as fresh mini sweet peppers, long red peppers, bell peppers, avocados and jalapeños around the can. Once your party is over, you will have fresh ingredients for other meals.

Favors: Tie a length of raffia around small terra-cotta pots, then place a mini cactus into each one. These plants are a nice gift for your guests.

Place Cards: Turn extra votive candles into mood-enhancing place cards. Use a cookie cutter to cut colored paper into ovals. Write the guests’ names on the front and punch holes on both sides. Thread a ribbon through the holes and around the votive, tying in the back.

Chicken Tacos with Cucumber salsaMakes: 6 servings | Cook: 10 minutes

2 tablespoons canola oil1/2 red onion, chopped1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes1/2 packet (1.25 ounces) seasoning mix2 store-bought cooked chicken thighs (about 1/2 pound), shredded1 cucumber, chopped1/2 can (15 ounces) chopped tomatoes, drained3 tablespoons taco sauce (mild, medium or hot)1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro8 taco shells1 cup shredded cabbage2 tablespoons sour cream

Kosher salt, to tasteBlack pepper, to taste

In skillet over medium heat, add oil. Saute half the onion, red pepper flakes and reduced sodium chili seasoning mix until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

For salsa: In bowl, mix together cucumber, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons taco sauce, remaining onion, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon chicken mixture into taco shells, top with salsa and cabbage. Mix remaining tablespoon of taco sauce into sour cream and top.

salsa sopes Makes: 12 sopes | Cook: 20 minutes

1 package (18 ounces) prepared polenta2 tablespoons canola oil1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon salsa1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons taco sauce (mild, medium or hot)1/2 cup sour cream1 tablespoon lime juice1 cup shredded lettuce

Slice polenta in half. Slice each half into six rounds, about 1/2 inch thick, so you have 12 rounds total.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Gently slide each polenta round into hot oil using spatula. Fry for 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel-lined sheet tray.

In medium bowl, combine beans, salsa and 2 teaspoons taco sauce. Mash beans with fork.

In small bowl, combine sour cream, remaining taco sauce and lime juice, and mix until well blended.

Spread 2 tablespoons mashed black beans on top of a fried polenta round. Top with a pinch of shredded lettuce and about 1 tablespoon salsa, and drizzle with some sour cream mixture.



I begin with a confession: Until a few weeks ago, I’d never made limoncello. Perhaps that doesn’t seem particularly earth-shattering. But considering how many hundreds of recipes for cocktails, tinctures, infusions and garnishes are under my belt, it suddenly struck me as odd that I’d never attempted this old standby lemon liqueur. After all, what homemade spirit is more straightforward, more ubiquitous?

BAsIc LImonceLLo makes about 2 liters (about 8 1/2 cups)

This recipe for the infused spirit that Italians generally call rosolio can be used to make either limoncello or what Americans call “orangecello.” You will be using only the peels, so use organic citrus that has no wax, no stickers and no ink on the peel. Also, use grain alcohol of at least 190-proof — not vodka.

After you add the sugar and water, strain the mixture through cheesecloth several times a day for three days to remove sediment. The result is a fine, clarified spirit that’s a far cry from the cloying, sickly sweet ‘cellos that most people are familiar with.

note: The drink needs to infuse for 17 days before it can be bottled and served. It can be refrigerated for several months.

Ingredients 4 pounds 7 ounces medium lemons or oranges, preferably organic1 liter grain alcohol, such as everclear2 1/4 pounds sugar1 liter water steps

Peel the lemons or oranges, taking care to remove the white pith.

combine the peels and grain alcohol in a bottle, pitcher or other large glass container and cover. (save the rest of the fruit for another use, if desired.)

Let the mixture infuse for about two weeks. After two weeks, strain out the peels and discard them, then add the sugar and water, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture infuse for three days, straining the liquid through cheesecloth several times a day. Bottle, then store in the refrigerator, where it should last for months. M

Happy Hour By JAsON WilsON | The WAshiNgTON POsT

Learning the ‘cellosay ‘si’ to cinco de mayo



3-5; 6 • Gustavus Adolphus Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Origin story” 8 p.m; 2 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Anderson Theatre Tickets avaialable at gustavustickets.com, • 933-7590

3 • Bethany Lutheran College’s Director’s showcase; students final projects 7 p.m. • Lee Theater of the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center Mankato free • blc.edu/events

5 • Theory of a Deadman 7 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center $24 in advance, $27 at the door • ticketmaster.com

5 • Gustavus Adolphus Choir of Christ Chapel’s Home Concert 7:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

6 • Gustavus Adolphus Philharmonic and Vasa Wind Orchestras in Concert 1:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

Mankato symphony Orchestra presents “Music on the Hill: The Mozart Concert” 2 p.m. • Chapel at Good Counsel Mankato $12 in advance, $15 at the door • 625-8880

MayDirty secret: Dirt makes healthier, happier kids

good healTh By Family Features

Dirt is a four-letter word to many moms, but letting your kids get dirty is actually good for them

according to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation, “The Dirt on Dirt: How Getting Dirty Outdoors Benefits Kids.”

Fears about dangers lurking in the muck — microbes, parasites and amoebas, oh my! — keep some parents from letting kids do what comes naturally, which is to go outside and get dirty. But here’s a secret: Children who spend the better part of their free time in the company of their sterile hi-tech gadgets rather than playing outside, are more vulnerable to obesity, attention deficit disorders, vitamin D deficiency and depression.

There’s a growing body of research that suggests overprotecting kids from dirt and germs may actually inhibit their physical health and resilience. Activities kids love, such as making mud pies, splashing in puddles and rolling down hillsides are actually a grubby prescription for health and happiness. • Children’s stress levels fall within

minutes of seeing green spaces, according to a 2004 study in the American Journal of Public Health.

• When children are exposed to germs and pathogens during infancy, their risk of cardiovascular inflammation in adulthood is reduced, according to a 2010 Northwestern University study.

• A friendly bacteria found in soil helps produce serotonin, which enhances feelings of well-being, much the same way that antidepressant drugs and exercise do, according to a 2007 Bristol University study.

While common sense sanitation practices like washing hands and using hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available shouldn’t stop, you’ll be doing your children a favor if you encourage them to go outside and get dirty.

Here are some fun — and messy — ideas from the National Wildlife Federation that will let your kids have some good, clean, dirty fun outdoors:

Be an artist - Give your child a stick and a muddy surface to draw on. Mistakes are no problem. Just smooth them over and start again. Mud balls can become out-of-season snowmen or abstract sculptures. If your child’s creation isn’t sticking together, just add more water.

Be a builder - Your children can make buildings of all shapes and sizes if they use sticks to create a frame and pack mud

onto it. Houses or forts perhaps, a castle with a moat, or a stable to put

toy horses in. If they also like the idea of

large-scale public works, have them make a river by digging a trench in the mud or dirt. Then, add water as needed. Most importantly, build a dam to protect the town.

Be a biologist - When it rains, take a walk through your neighborhood to see which animals go under cover and which come out in wet weather. You may also

see birds swooping down to take a bath in nearby puddles. This is also a fine time to

study worms that surface to breathe when their burrows fill with

water. Then, enlist the kids in a Worm Rescue Squad and move any worms they

find on the sidewalk back to the dirt so they don’t dry out.

Be a chef - If you’re going to play in the mud, why not make some mud pies? If you have some old cake or pie tins, great. Otherwise, shallow plastic containers work just fine. Once the pies are “baked,” it’s time to make them beautiful. Encourage your children to scour the yard for pebbles, petals, and leaves that will make perfect decorations on top.

Collect dirt, grass, leaves, twigs and acorns in a large container, and you have a bountiful nature salad. Add some water, and it’s mud stew.

To check out the DIRT report and for more outdoor fun ideas from National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement, visit www.beoutthere.org. M



3-5; 6 • Gustavus Adolphus Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Origin Story” 8 p.m; 2 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Anderson Theatre Tickets avaialable at gustavustickets.com, • 933-7590

3 • Bethany Lutheran College’s Director’s Showcase; students final projects 7 p.m. • Lee Theater of the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center Mankato free • blc.edu/events

5 • Theory of a Deadman 7 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center $24 in advance, $27 at the door • ticketmaster.com

5 • Gustavus Adolphus Choir of Christ Chapel’s Home Concert 7:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

6 • Gustavus Adolphus Philharmonic and Vasa Wind Orchestras in Concert 1:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

Mankato Symphony Orchestra presents “Music on the Hill: The Mozart Concert” 2 p.m. • Chapel at Good Counsel Mankato $12 in advance, $15 at the door • 625-8880

11-12, 13, 18-19; 20 Merely Players presents “Fiddler on the Roof” 7:30 p.m.; 2 p.m. • Lincoln Community Center 110 Fulton St. $16 for adults, $10 for youth

12 • Concerto/Aria Competition Concert 1:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

12 • The Lucia Singers and St. Ansgar’s Chorus Spring Concert 7:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Christ Chapel St. Peter free • gustavus.edu 13 • Gustavus Adolphus Department os Music Brass Ensembles presents “Brassworks!” 3:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

15 • Mankato Symphony Orchestra presents “Fly Me to the Moon” 3 p.m. • mankatosymphony.com

18; 19 • The Syttende Mai Family Affair 7 p.m.; 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m. • Hanska Community Center $12 for general admission • 507-439-6513

19 • Wine and Chocolate Soiree featuring singer Maud Hixson 5:30 p.m. • Our Lady of Good Counsel Campus 170 Good Counsel Drive $50 • 389-4212

19; 20 • “...We Cannot Escape History...” 7 p.m.; 2 p.m. • Bethlehem Lutheran Church 720 S. Second St. Mankato $9 for adults, $7 for youth ages 5-16 • 507-245-3276

23 • Bethany Concert Choir presents Homecoming Concert 7 p.m. • Bethany Lutheran Trinity Chapel free • blc.edu/events

26 • Gustavus Adolphus Wind Orchestra presents the 2012 Season Finale Concert 8 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

Things To do, Places To go

MayDirty secret: Dirt makes healthier, happier kids

Be a builder - Your children can make buildings of all shapes and sizes if they use sticks to create a frame and pack mud

onto it. Houses or forts perhaps, a castle with a moat, or a stable to put

toy horses in. If they also like the idea of

large-scale public works, have them make a river by digging a trench in the mud or dirt. Then, add water as needed. Most importantly, build a dam to protect the town.

Be a biologist - When it rains, take a walk through your neighborhood to see which animals go under cover and which come out in wet weather. You may also

see birds swooping down to take a bath in nearby puddles. This is also a fine time to

study worms that surface to breathe when their burrows fill with

water. Then, enlist the kids in a Worm Rescue Squad and move any worms they

find on the sidewalk back to the dirt so they don’t dry out.

Be a chef - If you’re going to play in the mud, why not make some mud pies? If you have some old cake or pie tins, great. Otherwise, shallow plastic containers work just fine. Once the pies are “baked,” it’s time to make them beautiful. Encourage your children to scour the yard for pebbles, petals, and leaves that will make perfect decorations on top.

Collect dirt, grass, leaves, twigs and acorns in a large container, and you have a bountiful nature salad. Add some water, and it’s mud stew.

To check out the DIRT report and for more outdoor fun ideas from National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement, visit www.beoutthere.org. M



I have a confession to make. Last winter, on those days when it was 80 degrees, I told all the antsy gardeners I talked to

that it was too early to plant anything. They were just going to have to bite the bullet and wait until May to plant, or they would experience the heartbreak of crop failure.

Then, under cover of darkness, I stole out to the garden with a packet of radish seeds in hand, and I planted them. The cover of darkness was not hard to achieve, as the days were so short in March.

By April, we were munching on homemade radishes. Clearly this was a case of, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

But the radishes aren’t the only seeds to make an early appearance. I credit the seed heater mat I bought this year.

Our basement is cool and the mat heats to between 70 and 80 degrees. It seems to have made a big difference with how fast seeds germinated and grew this year.

For the first time since I have been starting seeds, the broccoli weren’t the first little green heads to unfurl and pop up through the seed-starting mixture in the little cups under the lights this year.

Instead, just a few days under the lights and atop the heat mat, the first greenery I saw was from the “Chicken Scratch” mixture of greens I started this year. From the description, it’s mostly a mixture of lettuces and mescluns that must appeal to the palates of chickens.

I know it won’t transplant well, but I’m hoping if I can cut it and distribute it in the chicken enclosure, it will keep the chickens out of the garden when I plant it

this month and all the tender sprouts start emerging.

If not, this may be the first year I have to bite the bullet and put up a chicken/bunny/deer f e n c e . Man, that sounds like work. But I know the havoc chickens can wreak on a garden ...

Meanwhile, someone (maybe me?) must have mentioned to Larry that if I don’t have access to Carol and Dale’s hoop house, I need one of my own. Well, he was apparently prodded into action by promises made a decade or so ago, and we went to see what could be done to salvage the neighbors’ hoop house.

We bought some special hoop house tape that stands up to sunlight. Then, we loaded a ladder and scissors and went next door. Larry fixed the biggest rip.

The next day, Larry drove the tractor up to the neighbors’ to get after the hard-to reach tear. Larry apparently didn’t trust me to drive on the highway to get next door, but he trusted me to raise the bucket with him inside without spilling him onto the ground, and moving ever-so-carefully toward the hoop house so as not to rip it all to shreds with the bucket.

Still, with a minimum of shouting and marital discord, the rips and tears were repaired, and there is no need for a hoop house at the Lundquist estate. I can still use the neighbors hoop house, and I will still get to see them almost every day.

This is truly one of my favorite times of the year.

After I mowed the grass on April first (no April fooling), I decided to put my rain

barrel together. I read the instructions and

realized I didn’t have all the special screwdrivers, hammers, clamps

and other tools needed to accomplish the task.

So I gathered the tools I had and set to work. I had a butter knife and pliers. It’s perfectly put together. However, the forecast for rain that weekend proved to be wrong.

If you haven’t yet tried a rain barrel, give it a whirl. The difference between rain water and ground water, and the way plants respond to each, is amazingly different.

So, back to planting. If you buy nursery stock, be sure to harden off the plants before you set them out in the garden. That means they have to get used to direct sunlight and they have to get used to normal breezes. Set them outside, well-watered and protected, in partial sunlight for a few days before placing them in your garden.

If you don’t harden them off, or get them used to being outside, you will come home to find them dead and crispy from over exposure. That’s also known as the heartbreak of crop failure.

I’m sorry I lied to you about sowing radishes in March. M

garden chaT By JeAN luNdquiST

it’s been a sow-sow spring

Jean Lundquist is a master gardener who lives near Good Thunder.



barrel together. I read the instructions and

realized I didn’t have all the special screwdrivers, hammers, clamps

and other tools needed to accomplish the task.

So I gathered the tools I had and set to work. I had a butter knife and pliers. It’s perfectly put together. However, the forecast for rain that weekend proved to be wrong.

If you haven’t yet tried a rain barrel, give it a whirl. The difference between rain water and ground water, and the way plants respond to each, is amazingly different.

So, back to planting. If you buy nursery stock, be sure to harden off the plants before you set them out in the garden. That means they have to get used to direct sunlight and they have to get used to normal breezes. Set them outside, well-watered and protected, in partial sunlight for a few days before placing them in your garden.

If you don’t harden them off, or get them used to being outside, you will come home to find them dead and crispy from over exposure. That’s also known as the heartbreak of crop failure.

I’m sorry I lied to you about sowing radishes in March.

257-3730109 E. LERAY, EAGLE LAKE

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Fashion currenTs By The WAShiNgTON pOST

Sure, there was a swoon heard round the world when Kate Middleton donned a tiara and Alexander McQueen lace to wed her prince last year. But the chic, young Duchess of Cambridge also deserves sartorial props

for her hats — tiny, feathered fascinators (basically headbands with oomph), saucerlike numbers and insouciant berets.

Her chic headwear — combined with retro, hat-heavy costume dramas such as “Mad Men,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Downton Abbey” — has reignited an interest in fashions that, well, go to your head.

“I’ve seen a big change in the past year, with people not thinking wearing a hat is unusual,” says Anna Fuhrman, owner of Proper Topper, Washington, D.C.’s 22-year-old temple to fedoras, cloches et al. “The royal wedding provided a push. People are also feeling braver about taking fashion risks.”

Whether you seek stylish shade at the beach or a feather-trimmed, Scarlett O’Hara-ish confection for a horse race, keep a few things in mind when setting your, er, cap, on a certain topper.

First, “a hat is part of your ensemble,” says Fuhrman. “So think about where you’ll be wearing it and what you’ll be doing.” That means a wide-brimmed wonder works on the polo grounds, but stick to a less view-blocking fascinator or cocktail hat for the theater or church.

And remember, the point of a hat is often to get you noticed in a good way.

“They add glamour and make you stand out,” says Washington performance artist Holly Bass, who is known for rocking headwear in everyday

settings. “Put a hat on, and you can adopt another persona, be a woman of mystery.”

And even if you’re having a bad hair day, “wearing a hat usually makes you say, ‘Damn, I look good,’ “ says Long Island,

N.Y., milliner Marcia Lacher. M

Hats on! An old tradition for chic spring fashion

Flower pins (left) or a strip of ribbon can transform a $15 cloche from Target into a party- pr picnic-worthy style.

Choose wide brims (bottom) for parties or events; choose lower profiles (top) for the theater or church.




Strengthens Brand Awareness

Promotes Your Products and Services

Trusted Source

Contact

Cheryl Olson, Marketing Consultant

[email protected]

Choose wide brims (bottom) for parties or events; choose lower profiles (top) for the theater or church.



place in The pasT By grACe WeBB

May 29, 1870, was a warm, lazy night in Mankato, the kind that made residents open their

windows to try and catch the cool southerly breeze floating through the city. But late that night, it happened: Mankato’s first big fire. Without warning, a grocery store —recently gone out of business but still carrying stock — erupted in flames.

Fire licked up the sides of the wooden building and quickly spread to the neighboring shops. Five wooden stores lined the street in a row, creating the potential of a terrible inferno. It looked like an entire block of Mankato businesses was about to go up in flames.

Mankato forms a fire departmentMankato’s first volunteer fire department

was formed in 1860. Thirty-five men volunteered for the job and elected six officers to lead them.

At first, the firefighters didn’t have many tools at their disposal. Without reliable hoses, they used half-gallon leather buckets to shimmy up ladders and dump water onto roofs. They didn’t even have a wagon, instead running to the sites of fires themselves.

The department purchased a secondhand (or worse) wooden pumper in 1866 from Boston. The pumper was used to cart hoses to sites of fires but, without a waterworks system, firefighters would need to use nearby wells or cisterns for water.

Blue Earth County received its first waterworks in 1879 when Mankato installed wooden water mains. These water mains were pumped with pressure from the Hubbard Mill. Firefighters, however, still needed to use wooden hose

pumpers until 1913 when Mankato purchased its first mechanical pumper.

The fire department continued to improve its technology as the years passed. The city installed a telegraph alarm system, called the Gamewall System, in 1894. This Gamewall System featured numerous alarm centers spread throughout the city. When a fire started, the alarm system would set off bells, whistles and gongs to alert both the firefighters and Mankato residents of the locality of the fire. The system was so efficient the city continued to use it until 1974.

In 1895, Mankato hired its first two paid firefighters, who were in charge of caring for a team of horses meant to pull the heavy equipment to fires. Three years later, the Central Fire Station was built.

Firefighters didn’t receive their first motorized fire engine — an American LaFrance triple combination machine known as Engine No. 2 — until 1914, only a few years before the city had its first full-time fire chief, Ben Bangerter.

Like father, like sonBenedict “Ben” E. Bangerter became

Mankato’s first full-time fire chief in 1919. He came from good firefighting stock, being the son of Mankato’s former unpaid fire department chief, Benedict Bangerter, Jr.

Bangerter Jr. moved to Mankato in 1862 and spent 38 years volunteering with the Mankato Fire Department. During that time, his positions included assistant fire chief, fire chief and captain of the Superior Hose Co. No. 2. The Hose Company, as it was called, was another volunteer fire department, which Bangerter Jr. had helped organize, that was formed in June

1879 and continued until 1925. Ben Bangerter started working at the

Mankato Fire Department in 1913 after serving as a firefighter for the Milwaukee Railroad for two years in Austin. He joined the Mankato fire department as an engineer and driver in charge of Engine No. 2. He became Mankato’s first full-time fire chief six years later.

Later, in 1937, he was elected as the first president of the Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association. He served as Mankato’s fire chief for 40 years, retiring in 1959.

Firefighters to the rescue As the flames spread higher and hotter,

residents of nearby homes spilled into the streets, craning their necks to see the top of the raging fire. The outcome looked grim.

Then the firefighters appeared, pulling their wooden pumper behind them. As soon as the heavy wagon came to a stop, the team broke into parts with grim precision: some grabbed one end of the hose to connect it to the nearest water supply, while others grabbed the other end of the hose and braced themselves for the stream of water that would soon spray out. It took four men to keep the heavy hose controlled.

It was a tense battle. The wind pushed the flames on to buildings further down the line. Ammunition stored in one building exploded. But in the end, the firefighters were able to smother the flames. By the time the sun rose on May 30, the men were dirty, sweaty and exhausted — but they’d done their jobs. The fire was out. M

Early firefighters true Mankato heroes

Mankato’s Central Fire Station was built in 1898. The photo is circa 1920.

A photograph of the volunteer fire department, Superior Hose

Company, circa 1880.

Spectators watch firefighters douse a fire.

This photo, labeled “Sept. 5-1935,” shows uniformed firefighters outside

the Central Fire Station

Photos courtesy of Blue Earth Earth County Historical Society


1

3 4

65

CuRlING Club NATIoNAl ChAMPIoNShIPS

oPeNING CeReMoNy1. Curling stones lined up for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Club Championships.

2. Teams line up for the begining of the Curling National Club Championships opening ceremony at the Mankato Curling Club.

3. Sami Runing leads the way during flagbearing practice, followed by Karissa Ziegler and Steven Csizmadia all members of the Mankato Junior Curlers.

4. bill Dobbs plays the bagpipes for the opening ceremony of the National Club Championships.

5. Ryan Coopman (left) and K.C. Dewar sweep for the ceremonial first stone at the opening ceremonies.

6. The Washington women’s curling team (from left to right) em Good, Jill lamberts, Jennifer Westhagen, and hannah Volkman pose with their Junior Curling flagbearer Melissa Runing (center) at the close of opening ceremonies.

2


1879 and continued until 1925. Ben Bangerter started working at the

Mankato Fire Department in 1913 after serving as a firefighter for the Milwaukee Railroad for two years in Austin. He joined the Mankato fire department as an engineer and driver in charge of Engine No. 2. He became Mankato’s first full-time fire chief six years later.

Later, in 1937, he was elected as the first president of the Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association. He served as Mankato’s fire chief for 40 years, retiring in 1959.

Firefighters to the rescue As the flames spread higher and hotter,

residents of nearby homes spilled into the streets, craning their necks to see the top of the raging fire. The outcome looked grim.

Then the firefighters appeared, pulling their wooden pumper behind them. As soon as the heavy wagon came to a stop, the team broke into parts with grim precision: some grabbed one end of the hose to connect it to the nearest water supply, while others grabbed the other end of the hose and braced themselves for the stream of water that would soon spray out. It took four men to keep the heavy hose controlled.

It was a tense battle. The wind pushed the flames on to buildings further down the line. Ammunition stored in one building exploded. But in the end, the firefighters were able to smother the flames. By the time the sun rose on May 30, the men were dirty, sweaty and exhausted — but they’d done their jobs. The fire was out.

Faces & places phOTOS By SpOrT pix

Early firefighters true Mankato heroes

Spectators watch firefighters douse a fire.

Photos courtesy of Blue Earth Earth County Historical Society


Faces & places phOTOS By SpOrT pix

1

2 3

6 7

hoMe ShoW VeRIZoN WIReleSS1. Cutco representative John besser talks knives with Joseph eckert during the home Show at the Verizon Wireless Center.

2. Tim Wickwire (right) shows off his American flags to Rodger and Nyla Goossen at the home Show.

3. Rich Froman (right) of Degroods shows off a grill line to Perry Sweeten at the Verizon Wireless Center’s home Show.

4. Jeannie Finer (right) of Simply Nuts gives some gummy worms to Mylee and Kason Nuehring of North Mankato.

5. Christopher Nelson (far right) and his brother Kaden look inside one of the hot tubs at the home show.

6. Dennis Morgan (left) of Super Insulated building Systems shows Joe Frederick some principles of “green” insulation.

7. Papa balloon (left) makes a monkey in a tree out of balloons for Kendra hartmann of Janesville.

4 5



4 5

1bACh luNCh1. Mankato Symphony orchestra conductor Ken Freed gets into character as Johann Sebastian bach for the “bach lunch” a part of the symphony’s family geared programming.

2. Mankato Symphony Conductor Ken Freed stays in character as Johann Sebastian bach while interacting with one of his young fans following a family — friendly lunch event at the yMCA.

3. Sharon Mautner-Rodgers plays cello as part of a symphony group that performed at the bach lunch event.

4. lydia Miller plays violin for a group of families at the Mankato Symphony’s lunch with bach.

5. Mankato Symphony orchestra Conductor Ken Freed interacts with young bach fan Alex Miller.


32



M

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

so long, it’s been good to know ya!

There’s at least 150 names signed on the big banner. These days, it’s folded and stored neatly in plastic at Bix’s home. White with the likeness of an acoustic guitar stitched on it in green, the banner was sewed by Bix’s wife, Rose, who left us too soon last fall.

Created about five years into the Bothy Folk Club’s 21-year run, it would hang behind the stage, patiently waiting to be signed by just about every performer who played. Sadly, the last signature was added about a year ago. The Bothy Folk Club is no more.

••••

It was 1991 when local acoustic music enthusiasts, Bill Smith, Rose and Dean Bixenman — the guy everyone calls “Bix” — and some others joined an eccentric Irishman named Michael Bonner, to ask the owners of the Oleander on North Riverfront if they could rent a largely unused space above the bar to host some open stages for local songwriters and guitar pickers.

Mankato’s once-thriving local music scene had been overwhelmed by disco. Bix says, “There was virtually no live (local) music when we started.”

Bill Smith agrees: “People were starving for live music. We showed up at a seminal time.” Before long they formed a board and began meeting regularly.

Bix says those were still some of the best times, with all the great local talent that came out, some playing excellent original material. “We were a family,” Smith adds. “I miss the camaraderie.”

The Way iT is By peTe STeiNerFaces & places phOTOS By SpOrT pix

1

2 3

WoMeN oF DISTINCTIoN

1. This year’s yWCA Women of Distinction (left to right) Jennifer Pfeffer, Jo Guck bailey, and Najwa Massad.

2. Jenn Faust and Pete Steiner co-hosted the Women of Distinction event.

3. Jean Peterson inspects one of the silent auction tables at the Women of Distinction event.

4. Nadine Sugden, one of Mankato’s first Women of Distinction, holds up the silver bowl she was given in 1973 on the night she recieved the honor.

5. Karla Njoku gave a tearful introduction to her mother, Najwa Massad, during the awards ceremony.

4 5




so long, it’s been good to know ya!

There’s at least 150 names signed on the big banner. These days, it’s folded and stored neatly in plastic at Bix’s home. White with the likeness of an acoustic guitar stitched on it in green, the banner was sewed by Bix’s wife, Rose, who left us too soon last fall.

Created about five years into the Bothy Folk Club’s 21-year run, it would hang behind the stage, patiently waiting to be signed by just about every performer who played. Sadly, the last signature was added about a year ago. The Bothy Folk Club is no more.

••••

It was 1991 when local acoustic music enthusiasts, Bill Smith, Rose and Dean Bixenman — the guy everyone calls “Bix” — and some others joined an eccentric Irishman named Michael Bonner, to ask the owners of the Oleander on North Riverfront if they could rent a largely unused space above the bar to host some open stages for local songwriters and guitar pickers.

Mankato’s once-thriving local music scene had been overwhelmed by disco. Bix says, “There was virtually no live (local) music when we started.”

Bill Smith agrees: “People were starving for live music. We showed up at a seminal time.” Before long they formed a board and began meeting regularly.

Bix says those were still some of the best times, with all the great local talent that came out, some playing excellent original material. “We were a family,” Smith adds. “I miss the camaraderie.”

••••

Folk music may be tricky to define, but basically, it’s music that is melodic and tells a story. In the 1950s and '60s, it rode to the top of the charts with the likes of the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul and Mary, John Denver and, of course, Bob Dylan. More often, it’s a smaller niche than in the larger pop scene, but its devotees are passionate.

Before long, the Bothy started bringing in some bigger names to headline their shows: Dylan’s contemporary, Tom Paxton, who wrote the hit, “Wasn’t That a Party?”; Neal and Leandra, the successful duo who started out at Gustavus; Utah Phillips, Willie Murphy and others. Meanwhile, some local groups got a big boost from the Bothy — Bix cites in particular, The Divers. All of those names signed the big banner. For some reason, the best storyteller of all did not.

••••

“There’s peaches on the shelf, potatoes in the bin — supper’s ready, everybody come on in, taste a little of the summer, taste a little of the summer, Grandma put it all in jars.” — Greg Brown, “Canned Fruit”

If you discount folk-tinged superstars like Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nelson, the biggest star in folk music over the last two decades is probably Iowa’s Greg Brown.

“My favorite live entertainer ever!” Bix gushes. “He tells spellbinding stories.”

And not once, but twice, the Bothy was able to bring him in. The first time, they moved to the big room at the Eagles Club. Folk fans came from a hundred miles away to pack the place, and some had to be turned away. Those who got in were regaled with songs and stories old and new — in particular, Brown’s loving re-creation of a family get-together at his Grandma’s farm, with the rowdy boy cousins daring each other to check if that possum by the creek was really dead. And watching Grandma prepare a chicken for dinner: “Some people who are vegetarians

will eat chicken. A chicken is real darn close to a vegetable.”

Maybe it was because he sold so many CDs afterward that Greg Brown simply forgot to sign the banner.

••••

For Bix and Bill and the 20 or so others who served on the Bothy’s Board over the years, it was a labor of love — “strictly about the music,” Bix says, “we never made a dime — even had to loan the club our P.A. Bill Smith held it all together.”

About five years ago, Bill’s job took him back to his native Twin Cities. He admits, it was pretty hard to operate a volunteer organization from two hours away.

Audience sizes were remaining “fairly stagnant. (It was) time to move on.” He’s playing now with a couple of groups around the Twin Cities. He wants to make it down to St. Peter’s Rock Bend Folk Festival one of these years.

Meanwhile, Bix plays frequently in local clubs with his band, Organic Cowboys. Other Bothy alumni like The Divers and Jason Helder still perform often on the local scene, and Free Press listings show plenty of venues these days that feature live music.

For the Bothy Folk Club, let us borrow that famous refrain from the godfather of American folk music, Woody Guthrie: “So long, it’s been good to know ya!”

But the Bothy can surely lay claim to a fine legacy.MM

Pete Steiner is a longtime radio announcer, newsman and news director for KTOE Radio.

The Way iT is By peTe STeiNer

Photo courtesy of Michelle Aase The author is shown (second from left) playing

for the bothy Folk Club with Milo bobbins and the budget boys. In the background is bothy’s

trademark banner, signed by many of its guest performers.



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