EDITORS’ NOTES
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t’s a busy time of year for the us at Austin Living Magazine as the staff also has to write and photograph content for the Austin Daily Herald’s biggest special section of the year, Progress. But even as our time has been split between both publications as well as the Herald itself, we’ve been able to bring together a wide range of stories and features. We run the gamut in this issue, ranging from We at Austin Living stories on the arts, a basketball coach and even the magazine want to hear presidential inauguration in January (Page 54). what you think, and Our Austin Eats section takes a look back at the we need your brightest past as Jason Schoonover, working with the Mower ideas for coming issues. County Historical Society, baked up some goodies Favorite musicians? using a recipe take from a church cookbook (Page Finest artists? 14). Goofiest pranksters? We also visited with Father Jon and Brother Best storytellers? Henry at the Annunciation Hermitage Order of Local nightlife? Carmelites in Austin who offer soaps, jams, coffee and We are open-minded. rugs for sale. We also learned a little bit of history, Call Jason Schoonover highlighting what makes the order special (Page 18). at 507-434-2235 or Our Home and Hearth section features Brian Eric Johnson at Quail, an artist that uses tools and car parts to forge 507-434-2237. his own unique brand of art (Page 26), as well as Jen Feel free to pen a letter, Bute who searches for vintage and then sells it full too. Our address is on time through eBay (Page 32). the right. Our features are just as wide-ranging. We share stories on: how Cody and Mitzi Anderson’s love story started through Paint the Town Pink (Page 46); former Riverland Community College women’s coach Suzy Hebrink and her daughter Anna Meyer, the current Austin girls basketball coach (Page 38); and Molly Kate Kestner, who is pushing forward in her burgeoning music career (Page 42). We have all of this as well as our great reoccurring sections to help get you through what remains of winter as we get ever closer to spring.
Got ideas?
– Eric Johnson and Jason Schoonover Austin Living co-editors
Co-Editors Eric Johnson and Jason Schoonover
PUBLISHER Jana Gray EDITORIAL Co-Editors Jason Schoonover Eric Johnson Contributing Writers Jason Schoonover Deb Nicklay Eric Johnson Rocky Hulne Photographer Eric Johnson ART Art Director Colby Hansen Graphic Designers Susan Downey Colby Hansen Eric Johnson Kathy Johnson Kim Ehrich SALES & PROMOTION Advertising Manager Heather Ryks Sales Representatives Heather Ryks LeAnn Fischer Brenda Landherr Mike Delhanty MARCH-APRIL 2017 Volume 5, Number 2 EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: Editors, Austin Living 310 2nd Street NE Austin, MN 55912 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without written permission. For comments, suggestions or story ideas call 507-434-2235. To purchase advertising, call 507-434-2220 © A Minnesota Publishers Inc. publication
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March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 3
WHAT’S INSIDE MARCH – APRIL 2017
features LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER
Anna Meyer walking in the same coaching footsteps as her mom, Suzy Hebrink
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BLUE-EYED SOUL
42 PLUNGE OF A LIFETIME 46
In LA, Molly Kate Kestner is ready to fly
The couple behind one of Austin’s most public proposals shares their love story
SEEN 6 LYLE AREA CANCER AUCTION
Cancer-fighting fundraiser pushes past $2.6 million in total funds.
8 VEX ROBOTIC COMPETITION
Battle of the bots returns to Austin High School.
AUSTIN EATS 14 OLD SCHOOL EATS
Austin Living bakes up historical recipes.
16 NO INSTRUCTIONS, NO PROBLEM
Follow these tips to break past the sparse instructions of old recipes.
Residents share their winter shots.
12 PAINT THE TOWN PINK
Hundreds take the plunge for a cause.
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24 THE SEARCH IS ON
WHAT’S IN STORE 18 SCHOOL OF PRAYER
Austin Carmelites live life of labor, solitude and prayer.
The Hormel Institute is looking to fill new expansion with forward-thinking scientists.
HOME & HEARTH 26 HEAVY DUTY ART
10 LET IT SNOW
OUT & ABOUT
Brian Quail turns tools and cars into wild new art.
32 NEW AND THE OLD
Jen Bute starts a new path in life by selling the vintage.
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extras
26 54 TRAVEL
4-H’er gets to see inauguration, but experiences so much more.
56 LOOKING BACK
St. Olaf Hospital begins strong tradition of medicine for city and the area.
60 AREA HAPPENINGS
The biggest upcoming events in Austin.
62 BOOK REVIEW
Faith Sullivan novel “Cape Ann” takes readers on a journey of change.
64 WHY I LOVE AUSTIN
Austin Police Department’s Captain David McKichan is proud to live in a city that is moving forward. March–April 2017 | Austin Living | 5
SEEN | 38th Annual Lyle Area Cancer Auction There can be no doubt the good the Lyle Area Cancer Auction does in the never-ending fight against cancer. For 38 years now, LAC and all of those people working tirelessly behind the scenes have raised millions, all of which has been donated back to a larger fundraiser, the annual Eagles Cancer Telethon. This year, the popular event hit yet another milestone when it surpassed the $2.6 million mark with a robust $215,500 total. It’s just more evidence of what happens when a small town puts its mind to something. 2
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(1) Larry Ricke calls out for bids during this year’s Lyle Area Cancer Auction. (2) Mick Brooks, Eric Krum and Jim Guthmiller. (3) Stacy and Alice, 7, Mason of Lyle. (4) Leslie LaCanne of Clarks Grove watches bidding during the auction. (5) Larry Ricke points to Jeff Ricke, looking for a bid. (6) Curt Gilbert holds up an angel statue that his late partner, Theresa Gamble, purchased at the auction. Gilbert turned around and donated it back to the auction this year. (7) Heather and Baley, 6, Douglas of Lyle. (8) Kerri Koenigs of Rose Creek and Amy Walk of St. Ansgar, Iowa. (9) Darwin Small, Denise Lewison, Carolyn Nagele, Avery Nagele and Richard Nagele. (10) The building was crammed for this year’s auction. (11) Darin Lundeen looks for bids. (12) Lindsey Falk of St. Ansgar looks over some of the items up for bid. 6 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
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March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 7
SEEN | Southern Minnesota VEX Robotic Competition In recent years, Austin Public Schools has advanced science at its schools and for a second year Austin, as well as area and state schools, showed off that bent toward science by hosting the Austin Public Schools and Riverland College Southern Minnesota VEX Robotic Competition. Robots battled it out in a skills competition that put the sutdents’ own skills on display.
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(1) It was a busy day as schools from all over came to Austin for the Austin Public Schools and Riverland College Southern Minnesota VEX Robotic Competition. (2) Teams competed in Austin for the VEX Robotic Competition. (3) Kory Engelstad, from left, Jordan Ransom and Katie Shin watch Ellis Engineers teammates compete. (4) Siri Ansorge directs Ellis Engineers teammates Riley Haugen and Ryan Hansen during a bout. (5) Ted Lund, left, and Lukas Howard, right, work on their team’s robot in the pit area. (6) The Ellis Engineers at work in the pit area. (7) Derik Gustafson, a teacher for Ellis Middle School, calls a bout. (8) Thomas Shaw of the Southland Stompers works on his team’s robot. 8 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
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SEEN | Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Winter is a unique time of year. Color tones shift from the warm yellows, oranges and greens of spring, summer and fall to the cold blues and whites of our coldest season. But readers have shown once again that winter isn’t a season to suffer through, but to display. Those brave souls went out into the cold to play and photograph this much maligned time of year, showing off what it really has to offer. 1
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(1) Jill and Addy Sathre and Adam, Crystal, Mason and Emma Landherr pose with their snowman. Brenda Landherr. (2) Ice clings to the dam on Austin’s Fourth Avenue Northeast dam on the Cedar River State Water Trail. Tim Ruzek of the Cedar River Watershed District. (3) Ice clings to rock on the Cedar River next to Austin’s Fourth Avenue Northeast dam. Tim Ruzek of the Cedar River Watershed District. (4) Hoarfrost clings to the fence around Marcusen Park this January. Richard Owens. (5) A lone tree stands out against sunset in this Jan. Richard Owens. (6) The Sugar Shack is featured in this winter scene. Jacob Schlichter (www.jacobfox.xyz). (7) A tree featured in black and white in the downtown area. Jacob Schlichter (www.jacobfox.xyz). (8) Hoarfrost blankets a tree next to Marcusen Park this January. Richard Owens.
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SEEN | Plunging for Pink Plunging for Pink is a fundraiser for those brave souls still fighting or recovering from cancer. But hundreds were willing to brave the frigid waters of East Side Lake’s as teams lined up, made their way to the podium, gleefully climbed it and then took the heart-racing leap into the waters. But they did it gladly as this event has grown into one of the biggest of Paint the Town Pink This year’s plunge raised more than $55,000.
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(1) Chad Thomas and Jeremy Olson, a mainstay in their jumping flamboyance, make their jump at the Plunging for Pink. Kevin Krippner begins his jump in the background. (2) Justin Hovde, with the Dutchtown Jumpers cannonballs into East Side Lake. (3) Fans watch and film as another jumper heads to the podium. (4) The first jumpers for this year’s Plunging for Pink make their way to the podium. (5) Emcee Cody Anderson is pictured with DS Sausage Packers before their jump. (6) Too Cube for Words take a group picture before their dip in East Side Lake. (7) Members of the HYPO-thermic Heroes run from the water following their jump. (8) The Frozen Coconuts, Lisa Sheehan, left, and Lissette Simpson, right, talk with emcee Cody Anderson before making their jump. (9) Scouts from the Boy Scout Troop 113 take the plunge. (10) The group from Barley’s leaves the water after their jump. (11) The team from Akkerman’s Inc. leaves the podium on their jump. (12) Spectators line the jumping area during Plunging for Pink. 12 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
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AUSTIN EATS
By Jason Schoonover 14 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
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Megan Greulich
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e bit into our first chocolate-glazed doughnut and chewed thoughtfully before looking at each other and shrugging. “Not a lot of flavor,” said my girlfriend, Megan Greulich, as I nodded in agreement. I enlisted Megan’s help to bake doughnuts from a recipe from the Lansing Methodist Ladies Aid’s cookbook, which was compiled and handbound by members of the church in the 1940s and later remade for a 2004 anniversary. But the recipe was sparse on directions, so part way through we improvised: We added nutmeg, more salt and chilled the dough. When we pulled out the last half of the batter from the fridge, the change was instantly apparent in the dough’s consistency. We cut out doughnuts, let the dough rise, and fried doughnuts and doughnut holes in canola oil. We got puffier, more well-rounded doughnuts than the thinner, more jagged first batch, and they were a bit more tasty.
Background At Austin Living and Old church the Austin Daily Herald, cookbooks like we love sharing recipes, these archived at the Mower County especially old ones. In Historical Society, late 2016, we went to the are constant and Mower County Historical sought sources of Society to print holidayold recipes that themed recipes collected stretch back with the help of Curator for years. Jaimie Timm and Museum Assistant Rosemary Shutt. We returned early this year to the society’s archives and tracked down some recipes from its members for Austin Living to test out. A few things were clear from the start: The recipes found in the old church cookbooks weren’t made with today’s bakers in mind. The recipes are sparse on directions. After printing the holiday recipes, a reader kindly suggested I print fewer recipes next time in place of cutting out ingredients and steps for space. But I hadn’t cut anything; the recipes ran as found. These old recipes assumed people were adept bakers with base knowledge of the ingredients and baking. Another problem: Many of these recipes require patience and time. “I don’t think we have the patience and there weren’t the
distractions back then,” Shutt said. “You knew you were going to spend the whole day baking.” I had a few things going for me when doughnut baking day came for Megan and me: First, she’s a professional baker and can improvise with ease; and second, we enjoy spending time baking together with her as head baker and me as the assistant baker, or grunt laborer, as I call it. When she questioned how much air to incorporate into the dough through the mixing process, I had little to contribute to the conversation.
A taste of the past With countless free, easy recipes now available online, the demand for new church or 4-H cookbooks has waned. But slices of the days when almost every church churned out a cookbook can be found at the historical society — and probably your mom, grandma and other relatives’ cupboards. Timm called these church, organization and family cookbooks hot commodities that many hold onto dearly. People love old recipes and old cookbooks for the nostalgia. Each time I hunted for recipes at the historical society, Shutt and Timm started paging through the recipes with me and chatting about tasty looking daffodil cakes or items few people make today, like turtle soup.
Baking Another thing was clear to us from the start: Recipes should serve more as a starting guide and suggestion than gospel. After Megan and I decided our doughnuts needed more flavor, we started improvising: We added a chocolate glaze, and we rolled others in sugar straight out of the frying oil. But baking is a matter of taste and enjoyment. We got our doughnuts closer to what we wanted, but we never quite felt we perfected the recipe until near the end. But a day after our baking day, my dad tried the early batch and loved them, saying they tasted exactly like ones his grandmother made. Turn to page 16 to learn how to make your own doughnuts.
Austin Living co-editor Jason Schoonover and his girlfriend, Megan Greulich, pose before a kitchen island of ingredients before baking doughnuts from a 1940s recipe found at the Mower County Historical Society. March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 15
We opted for a doughnut recipe by Mrs. Walter Rector in the Lansing Methodist Church’s cookbook from about 1940. Here’s the recipe exactly as it appears:
Doughnuts 1 ½ cups sugar 3 eggs beaten well v 1 ½ cups sour milk v 5 tablespoons melted butter v 1 teaspoon soda v ¼ teaspoon salt v 1 teaspoon baking powder v Flour to make soft dough — about 4 cups. v ½ teaspoon vanilla v 1 teaspoon cinnamon v Cut out and let rise 20 minutes. Fry in deep fat. v v
Thanks for the step-by-step directions, Mrs. Rector (We looked it up online; her name was Minnie). Now Megan is a professional baker, so she was adept at filling in the gaps in the recipe. First, we recommend setting aside a good amount of time. The doughnuts took us more than two hours when factoring in prep, baking time and cleanup. We also include an easy chocolate glaze recipe Megan uses. Since you’re going to be baking for a while, find a good, peppy playlist to blast; we opted for a playlist of 1990s radio hits. Here are some notes from the process: 16 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
The dough v Make sure the sour milk and eggs are at room temperature. Make sure the melted butter is not steaming hot. Milk that’s cold added to melted butter may make the butter clump; butter that’s too hot added to eggs could produce scrambled bits. v Combine all the wet ingredients first — eggs, sour milk, butter and vanilla. Then combine the dry ingredients — sugar, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, flour and nutmeg — before adding them to the wet ingredients. v Use an electric or stand mixer to incorporate as much of the dry ingredients into the wet as possible. And then you can finish stirring in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, or knead it with your hands. v Start with the 4 cups of flour, as the recipe notes. We added about 1 cup more (1/2 in the mixing process, and another 1/2 in the rolling out process.) But tasting our doughnuts, we think we added too much flour, so we recommend only adding flour as it’s necessary. It’s a very soft dough and seems to need to be for flavor and texture after it’s fried.
v “Sour milk” is buttermilk, which you can use, or you can sour your own milk with white vinegar or lemon juice. Just add 1-2 teaspoons of it to the milk, stir, let sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles, and then stir again before adding it to the dough mixture. v “Soda” refers to baking soda — or so we think. v We added 2 teaspoons of nutmeg to the dough. Nutmeg gives the dough that special “doughnut” flavor that we’re used to now. v We upped the salt to 3/4 teaspoon and upped the vanilla to 1 ½ teaspoons. The doughnuts turned out a little less flavorful than we we’d hoped with the recipe as is.
Rolling out the dough The dough is very soft, so we recommend sticking to the 4 cups of flour but then chilling the dough in the fridge for at least an hour to make it easier to work with. v Make sure your surface, rolling pin, and cutters are well floured. v Roll the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. v
fully with a metal spatula into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan with doughnut dough — fry at most 4 at a time. The doughnuts expand a bit during frying, and too much dough into the hot oil will reduce the oil temperature.
We used two round cookie cutters that were perfect sizes for cutting both the doughnuts and the doughnut holes. You could use an actual doughnut cutter. Or other ideas: Use the rim of a glass for the rounds, and a lid on a bottle for the holes. v Place the cut out doughnuts on floured parchment paper or wax paper to rise for the 20 minutes mentioned in the recipe. v
All you do: Heat the heavy whipping cream and a teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan on medium heat until it boils. v While the cream is heating, place the semisweet chocolate chips, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a heatsafe glass or metal bowl. v Pour the boiling cream directly over the chocolate mixture and let sit for 5 minutes. Then whisk until smooth. v Microwave the icing in 30 second bursts if and when it becomes too firm to work for dipping the doughnuts. v
v Fry the doughnuts for about 1 minute (until they look golden brown) and then carefully use your metal spatula to flip them over. Fry on the other side for about another minute. The doughnut holes may need slightly less time. v Carefully remove the doughnuts from the oil with metal tongs or your metal spatula and place them on the cooling rack.
Frying If you don’t have a deep fryer, use a heavy bottomed pan — preferably a dutch oven. You’ll need about a quart of oil — vegetable or canola; we used canola — and dropping the doughnuts into the hot oil will cause the oil to expand and fizz a bit, so make sure your pan is large enough so that you won’t have hot oil overflowing onto your stovetop — or you. v We experimented with different frying temps and think that 350-375 degrees is about right. Use a deep fry/ candy thermometer to keep an eye on the temp. This is pretty crucial for making sure the doughnuts turn out delicious. v While the oil is heating, set up a cooling rack near the oil with paper towels or a cookie sheet underneath it to catch oil. v Drop the doughnut dough carev
Finishing v While the doughnuts are still warm and damp from the oil, you can experiment rolling them in granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or a cinnamon/ sugar mixture. Use one tablespoon of cinnamon for every 1/4 cup granulated sugar. v We dipped them in a chocolate icing. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients: 1 cup heavy whipping cream v 1/4 teaspoon salt v 1/4 cup corn syrup v 1 teaspoon vanilla extract v 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips v
Afterward v The homemade doughnuts set fast and get a bit firm on the day after baking, but they taste great if you heat them in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds.
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 17
WHAT’S IN STORE
Father Jon and Brother Henry from Annunciation Hermitage Order of Carmelites in Austin. Opposite page, Brother Henry utilizes a loom, one of several he and Father Jon use to create hand woven rugs they sell. 18 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
SCHOOL PRAYER of
Austin Carmelites live life of labor, solitude and prayer By Deb Nicklay • Photos
by
Eric Johnson
“The Apostle would have us keep silence, for in silence he tells us to work. As the Prophet also makes known to us: Silence is the way to foster holiness. Elsewhere he says: Your strength will lie in silence and hope …” – Rule of St. Albert You will not often see the brothers of the Annunciation Hermitage Order of Carmelites around Austin — and in some ways, even though it seems odd, that is their gift. They are called to the Order of Carmelites to separate themselves from the distraction of today’s existence by embracing a life of solitude, contemplation and unceasing prayer in praise of Christ and for the salvation of all souls. Among their other gifts are their labors, whose results are perhaps more visible to the community at large, from their skill in creating woven rugs to the soaps, jams and jellies they produce. The Hermitage, as described by its inhabitants, has been “a school for prayer” housed at Queen of Angels Catholic Church since 2001. The rooms, which include a small
chapel, were at one time home to Franciscan sisters who taught at Austin Catholic Schools. There are currently two brothers in the Hermitage, Father Jon and Brother Henry. Their welcome to visitors this day is marked by a friendly invitation to gather in their main room of muted gold carpet and pale walls. Their furniture is sturdy but comfortable. The bright red of a holiday poinsettia brightens a corner where a fireplace sits. The walls are largely unadorned except for icons. One end of the main expanse holds items of homemade items for sale. The balance of rooms includes their workspace for their rugs, a study whose east end includes many plants, a kitchen and their personal rooms, called cells. Continues on Page 20 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 19
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Brother Henry shows off some of the fabric used in creating the rugs at the Annunciation Hermitage Order of Carmelites in Austin. Below, Brother Henry shows how material is threaded through one of the looms.
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At different parts of the year, the Hermitage, considered a small monastery, may be home to as many as six brothers. Others may be guests; or those seeking retreat, whose time at the Hermitage allows them to reflect on a potential calling. Novitiates use such time to see if they can handle the overwhelming commitment. A brother must take a vow of poverty, celibate chastity, and obedience. “We do not have TVs or use the internet,” said Father Jon who, like Brother Henry, wears the signature Carmelite tunic of deep brown, a scapular — a short cloak worn on the shoulders — and a capuche, or hood. “It is a life based on solitude and prayer. You have to be mature” to embrace it, agreed Brother Henry. “It can be very challenging. It’s a life that knocks out any controls you may have. It is a life of faith.” They may have walked from different paths but their love of the Carmelite life is a bond. For Father Jon, it came through an awakening to the Carmelite principles as an ordained Roman Catholic priest living in the Diocese of Winona. “I have always been attracted to the monastic life,” said Father Jon. “It always intrigued me.” Brother Henry said he was also drawn to the eremitic life, a life of seclusion, as a teenager in Tucson, Arizona. He has served in the Carmelite order since he was 19. Most Carmelite orders are established in relatively small houses, said Father Jon, “simply because the effort was made to live not institutionally, but like family.”
The Annunciation Hermitage Order of Carmelites in Austin put their names on a variety of things including coffee, jams and rugs.
Their days are scheduled by rounds of prayer, reflection and labor. Their day begins at 6 a.m. in prayer and reading of scripture, followed by Mass. The brothers work on their crafts primarily in the morning, while the afternoons may include more work, study or some type of housekeeping. Time for prayers and meditation accent the days, ending in compline — or evening — prayers. The men only share common time two times during the day — at midday prayer and dinner; and vespers. Mornings are spent weaving rugs. About once a month the brothers will put up 200 jars of preserves (“Hot is the best,” confided Brother Henry, of the jalapeno-laced jam) and roughly every other month, they create scented soaps. There is also Carmelite coffee for sale in different blends. But weaving is the main focus of their labor. Their workroom is lined with looms; one large one is used only for items used by the brothers. The rest are set up for a maximum of 28-inch widths and made to varying lengths. It takes a day, said Brother Henry, to warp a loom — the intricate stringing with thread that will hold the lengths of fabric that become the rug base. Lengths of narrow material are shuttled back and forth — again and again and again between the threads — a process that may seem boring to some. In the case of the brothers, it is a way to combine manual labor with meditation. Creating items for sale is common within Carmelite orders; it is a way to help support its mission. The rugs are varied and their look is at the mercy, so to speak, of Eddie Bauer. The clothing company has a manufacturing plant in the Twin Cities; its end rolls, including the selvage ends, are offered to anyone who wants them. The brothers contract with a quilter who selects ones she believes the brothers will like. The selvage end is cut off and the fabric cut to particular widths for the rugs. The sewing of the ends is done by volunteers, said Father Jon. “We are very fortunate to have these,” he said, pointing to different fabrics ready for the loom. Continues on Page 22 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 21
Continued from Page 21 Normally, it takes a few hours to weave a normal rug that is later priced between $30 and $50, depending on its length. The rugs, like the soaps, preserves and Carmelite coffee, will eventually be sold at farmer’s markets or right from the Hermitage. The brothers find that their preserves — called St. Joseph’s Preserves — are popular and include such flavors as Jalapeno Jelly, Raspberry Champagne, Strawberry Rhubarb or Blueberry Rhubarb. There are also wine flavors. Their Monastery Soaps — scented with oils, such as: lavender, lemon or rose — are created, like the preserves, out of the small Hermitage kitchen. The soap has natural ingredients, such as honey and oatmeal. Carmelite Coffees, organic and fair trade are not created at the Hermitage, but the selection of beans and blends are done by the brothers. They also named the special blends to reflect life at the Hermitage, including “Weaver’s Blend” to highlight their labors at the loom; “Arbor Rest” pays tribute to a special enclosure that is favored for reflection and prayer. “Gardener’s Pick” denotes their love of gardening fruit, vegetables and flowers. The life of labor, prayer and contemplation, said Father Jon, “works for us” and are willing to talk to those who want to learn more about pursuing that life.
Or, if you are interested in supporting the Hermitage and the work of the brothers, you may contact them at 507-437-4015 or annunciationhermitage@q.com.
The Carmelite Order
The first Carmelites were men who had fought in the Crusades, who chose to stay in the Holy Land at the end of the religious wars, in the 12th century. They gathered near the Fountain of Elijah near Mt. Carmel — and hence the name for the order. The men formed a hermit community and approached Albert, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, for guidance. The Rule of Albert was formed and the men were confirmed in the Carmelite order whose focus then is the focus today: prayer, contemplation and labor, done in solitude and silence. Today, there are Carmelite orders, for brothers and Carmelite nuns, across the world. A “third order” of laity Carmelites work in support of God’s work within their communities.
Products
You may find some of the Hermitage items at farmer’s markets and other outlets, including the Hermitage’s holiday open house each year. You many also contact the brothers for purchase at the Hermitage by calling 507-437-4015.
Monastery Soaps: Handmade with natural ingredients; each bar is approximately 5 oz., $4 a bar
St. Joseph’s Preserves:
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Homemade jellies and jams, assorted flavors, in 8 oz. jars. $5 per jar.
Father Jon and Brother Henry show off the rugs they create and sell from the hermitage in Austin.
Carmelite Coffees: A variety of gourmet blends, and one blend is also available in decaf or whole bean. Comes in 12 oz. bags. $10 a bag.
Monastery Rugs: The hand woven rugs are made with new fabric, a cotton/polyblend, and a fray-less warp. All widths are 28 inches wide, and lengths vary. Washable. Average price ranges between $30 and $50, depending on length.
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OUT & ABOUT
The search is on The Hormel Institute is looking to fill new expansion with forward-thinking scientists By The Hormel Institute • Photo Provided
Staff of The Hormel Institute have their picture taken with the institute’s sculpture out front of the building. 24 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
With the stunning new expansion of The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota now completed, the process of filling up the world-class labs with highly talented research faculty from around the globe is underway. Behind the scenes at The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota is the recruitment team led by Dr. Zigang Dong and Dr. Ann Bode, HR director Jessica Swanson and a hardworking team of Institute scientists. “We look first for what is a direction that will push discoveries in cancer research forward — what research will really make a huge difference in advancing answers,” said Dr. Zigang Dong, executive director of The Hormel Institute. “We don’t want to duplicate what we have, we want to add areas that complement and further our research. We look for scientists and individuals who are leaders — who take initiative, are self-directed, and can help us grow and shape the new Hormel Institute into a powerful and ever successful cancer research organization while achieving our most important work — cancer research discoveries.” At the start of the 2008 major expansion, The Hormel Institute had five research sections and 60 faculty. Currently the research center has 15 research sections and 130 faculty and staff — the newest expansion holds space for 10 to 15 new sections and another 120 faculty and staff. Advertising the opportunity to work at The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota to reach world-class faculty first takes place on the University of Minnesota website. UMN — one of the top research universities in the
world — reaches a worldwide scientific audience of research chemists, molecular biologists, structural biologists and leading cancer scientists. The effort is under management of the chief administrator of The Hormel Institute, Dr. Ann Bode. Since the June 2016 expansion was celebrated, The Hormel Institute has hosted three major research conferences where hiring opportunities were also shared. The recruitment team — like most organizations today — begins the hiring process by preselecting candidates whose resumes (or CVs in the scientific world) are stellar. Next a Skype interview is scheduled with the HI recruitment team and if all continues to progress, the candidate is invited to Austin to meet the team in person and give a seminar at The Hormel Institute. While here, a tour of the community is given along with sharing the many unique supports provided by The Hormel Foundation. “Recruiting for highly specialized positions in this geographic area can be a real challenge, but we are fortunate to have such outstanding support from The Hormel Foundation — it enables us to make competitive offers to faculty and staff,” said Jessica Swanson, leading HR efforts at The Hormel Institute. In the past few months, The Hormel Institute has hosted faculty candidates from Harvard, MD Anderson, Columbia University, and beyond. Thanks to the support of The Hormel Foundation, The Hormel Institute can offer an attractive hiring package to candidates. When it is “win win” and an offer is taken, it is good not only for The Hormel Institute, but the community as well.
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HOME & HEARTH
Story 26 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
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Eric Johnson
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rt is relative and subjective. For Brian Quail, art is a rusty tool or the grill of a 1940s Chevrolet. Quail, the man behind ReFind Works out of his rural shop between Lansing and Brownsdale, takes items like those and creates what he terms as rustic, industrial art. His concepts range from flowers created from faucet handles to AR-15 rifle replicas created from a mishmash of tool handles, padlocks and chains all the way up to tables and consoles created from the front ends of old vehicles, grills and tailgates. “I’ve always been into art — building stuff, painting, drawing, sculpture,” Quail explained from inside his shop. It would be easy for people to be confused by Quail’s choice of career. Entering the shop some might be convinced they are walking into an auto repair shop. There are car parts, welding supplies, tools. It is, at first glance, a handyman’s shop.
Though Quail’s art medium itself is rather specific in materials, what he creates fans out over a wide area. “It’s kind of all over the place,” Quail said. “I’m trying to cover every genre of art. Young guys, older guys, ladies — I build a lot of stuff.” Quail creates many smaller to midrange items, such as the flowers and the AR-15s. But every once in a while a bigger purchase comes along. “They kind of pay the bills until you get that right person to come in that wants the big automotive table,” he said. The parts and items Quail uses to make his creations come from all over and feature so many different items. Next to Quail’s main work area are buckets and containers filled with old tools. You can see these pieces in each one of his works. A pistol standing out among the flowers has the handle of what could be pliers, a padlock at its center and a chain from a Brian Quail of ReFind Works takes ordinary tools and vehicle parts and turns them into a different kind of art.
But taking a closer look, there is much more. It reflects Quail’s own change in the course of his life. “I had a construction business running for 20 years and I just decided to do something else because it was getting hard to find employees and guys that wanted to work,” Quail said. “Started messing around in the shops, doing small projects and then friends and relatives ended up loving it.” So Quail made the move to full-time artist, a move his six kids, Cassie, Davin, Lincoln, Lila, Christian and Madalin, had to adjust to in a small way. “They love it,” Quail said with a laugh. “They kind of had to get used to it, because I was always gone spring, summer and fall and now I’m always home; they are driving me crazy.”
bike or motorcycle used for the handle. On the wall are flower-looking items made from wrenches. “I just kind of build what I like and I think is cool,” Quail said. One of Quail’s best pieces features a console table with lights set on top of a 1940s Chevrolet grill. He said it didn’t take long to garner some attention. “It was just an old grill I picked up, didn’t cost very much, but it ended up turning out pretty sweet,” Quail said. “Everybody wanted it and it sold within five minutes.” Continues on Page 28 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 27
Continued from Page 27 A large majority of Quail’s customers are car guys who stick to the brands they love driving with their art. Ford guys dig Ford art and the same goes for Chevy and Dodge fans. But often it’s still people who are simply into cars and, like Quail, appreciate cool looking pieces. “I usually take parts that I think are kind of cool and I think a regular guy that’s into cars or hotrods would like and then I just incorporate it and do something different,” Quail said. “You always see those tailgate benches. You see the same old stuff and I try to put a different twist on it. Show people that you can do other cool stuff with tailgates, fenders and grills.” While Quail’s winters are focused on finishing pieces, the summer takes him on a tour of the state
Quail sets up shop at a festival. It’s where a lot of his business is done during the summer. Photo provided
28 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
to hit up car shows and festivals. At these events, his stand sets him apart from many other vendors. It looks much like a small portion of a junk yard, his pieces displayed for those walking by. It’s also through these festivals and shows that Quail does a lot of his networking, which helps him acquire parts for his creations. “I network with everybody,” Quail said. “I do shows in the summer; I do all the festivals. It’s getting to be now that people know what I do, so if they come across something they know it kind of fits my style, they will get a hold of me and I’ll get it from there.” Quail said he’s either out at shows or looking for parts, all for a simple end. Continues on Page 30
Quail’s pieces range between all sorts of things including flowers made from faucets.
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 29
Continued from Page 28 “Every weekend when I’m doing a show, I’m usually out talking to people,” Quail said. “Every weekend during the summer I’m out. When I’m not looking for parts, I’m building cool stuff.” While Quail’s pieces vary in price, they usually reflect the amount of work that goes into them. Things like the AR-15 replicas can go from $400 and up, while the furniture can range anywhere between $799 all the way up to $1,800. Those prices also reflect the parts that go into them. “Materials play a price in how I price,” Quail said. “If you get an old school, 1930s Chevrolet grill, you make that into a table, you got $200, $300 into just the grill. They aren’t giving those pieces away.” Like so many artists, Quail’s art isn’t about some larger meaning or message. Rather, it’s a simple idea that continues to push him. “I just try to make stuff that I like and is kind of cool,” he said. “I hope everybody likes it. I meet a lot of people at these different shows and I appreciate all the support from the people that come to every show and follow me around.”
Quail plugs in the lights of a vehicle front that is also the base of a table.
Aside from car parts and tools, Quail features barn wood in his pieces to give them a softer look.
30 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
In this replica of a sixshooter you can see chains, a padlock and tool handle.
Follow Brian Quail’s work online www.facebook.com/ReFindWorks www.etsy.com/shop/ReFindWorks
HOME & HEARTH
32 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Story
and
Photos
by
Eric Johnson
Jen Bute starts a new path in life by selling the vintage Jen Bute’s smile is easy and quick to flash, betraying a hint of mischievousness that borders on infectious. But it’s also a mirror. It reflects a point in her life that’s steady and secure, but most of all, reflects happiness from all the sales that she playfully labels as selling garbage online. Of course she doesn’t mean it that way — the smile betrays that as well. For just about half a year, Bute has been selling retro and vintage wares on eBay, the online auction site, under the name of Cute Bute’s. Her items range anywhere from costume jewelry and real jewelry to lamps and kitchenware. It wasn’t necessarily where she thought she would end up, but Bute very much seems to be imbued to the idea that it’s not the finish, it’s the journey. “I was really scared getting into it,” Bute said from her recently purchased home in January. “I had been cutting hours at my job and finally I said that if I’m going to do this and do it right. I just have to throw my weight into it.” Bute’s enthusiasm carried her forward to a point where she opted out of the 9 to 5 world, devoting herself fully to selling items through eBay. It was a move that started simply enough — with a vintage toy boat being sold at her parent’s garage sale. The 29-year-old initially wasn’t going to take the plunge. Instead, her parents left it out for Bute’s friend and fellow
eBay seller James Zschunke. Rather, he turned the idea around on her. “It was at my parent’s garage sale and they set it for him, but he was like, ‘You list it,’” Bute said. It was an opportunity Bute was waiting for, especially because 2016 had been a tragic year for her family. Her brother, Derek Michael Bute, a student at Winona State University, was walking home one night when he was struck and killed by a train. The accident left Bute and her family devastated. “I kind of was struggling with the grief of losing him and depression and the anxiety and stress of a structured job,” Bute said. “I was looking for an opportunity to become more independent, I just didn’t realize that it would so quickly become a brand and something I would start taking it full time.” And so a simple, ordinary vintage toy boat was listed online. It was purchased by somebody who found it more than ordinary — for the price of $375. The smile returns as she talks about it: “That was probably one of my higher profit items.” It was enough of a push for Bute to start taking it further. She started thinking about branding and marketing — two things she has backgrounds in, including sales. It seemed to be a natural fit for her. Continues on Page 34 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 33
Continued from Page 33 She began going to more rummage sales, estate sales and auctions, taking the items she found and posting them. It was transformative, but something that still required a job to help things keep going forward. Things didn’t stay that way long, however. As her sales starting creeping up, she began making more time for her endeavor. After the boat, she started looking at other things she had that might sell. The sales kept coming until one month she cleared just under $2,000. It was the final push.
“That was enough to make me feel confident,” Bute said. She established her sales on eBay, and she was able to buy the home — outright. The home is fixer-upper, but it cut costs that were being paid in rent. It was also a move that made her pragmatic about her situation. She realized that doing this would require a fulltime effort to succeed. “I approach it like a business,” she said. “I’m disciplined in the way that I sell it because it’s my income now so if I fail, I am poor.”
The treasure hunt As Bute jokingly talks about selling garbage online, her words are a betrayal of that. As she discusses the pieces she sells, she lovingly describes them with a child’s excitement. It’s clear she has a reverence for the items she finds, sells and sometimes uses for herself. “It’s treasure,” she said. “Some people just think it’s trash, but [it] was loved once upon a time; it has a story. I get to be the next step in the piece’s story and then it goes on to other people who collect.” Most of the items come from rummage sales, estate sales or auctions with some pieces being purchased online and then resold for tidy sums. Per piece, she makes between $10 and $30 for most of the items with rare pieces fetching more.
34 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Above, Jen Bute displays just a small selection of the items she sells through her online eBay store Cute Bute’s. It has become so successful that she’s been able to make it her full time job. Left, Jen Bute shows off pewter pendant depicting Romeo and Juliet.
It may seem like small returns, but Bute is constantly listing pieces and changing up items based on themes each day with things like Throwback Thursday. But one of the highlights of what she does is still the hunt. “It’s the thrill of the hunt,” Bute admits. “Your heart beats really quick when you see something and it just gives you that, ‘That’s really cool.’” But Bute isn’t a poker player when she invades a sale. While she’s not going to go out of her way to betray how much she likes something, she’s not going to completely stifle the joy she feels when she finds a really nice piece. She goes in and sets her price, though. She will bid but stands firm on that set price. If the bidding goes over that, Bute withdraws. It all comes down to a balancing act that will ultimately make her money. “I’m not going to buy something for $1 that I’m only going to sell for two,” she said. “I would like to buy something for a dollar that I would sell for $10. I’m looking at that profit margin so I don’t want to throw a whole bunch of money into something that I can’t make a little bit of profit off of, but I also want to be fair to the person that is passing it on.” But as much as she wants the sale, she wants the story. It’s that historical perspective that adds that nice edge to what she is doing. “I love having conversations with people,” Bute said. “Can you tell me about this? What’s the story behind it, what do you know about it and getting to expand that knowledge.” While searching for items, Bute is on the hunt for things that are valuable — an obvious point to the process. But she’s also looking for things that have a name brand — items that were once popular that people will recognize: names like Juliana. Continues on Page 36 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 35
Continued from Page 35
Just a typical day Bute’s day begins like any other’s. In her words, “I tend to ease my way into the day.” This includes a relaxed coffee. Then it’s to the office just a few steps away. She begins researching items she has in her home and follows that up with taking pictures of items going up for sale, making a daily trip to the Post Office to ship items that have been purchased, followed by a couple more business stops before returning home. “I’ll usually pop into the thrift stores nearby and when I get home I’ll finish out my day by finishing those listings and getting those active then following that up with any marketing I want to do,” Bute said. In the marketing spectrum, Bute makes use of several social media mediums including Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter. “What’s really fun about my marketing is that it’s very visual,” she said. “It’s all photos and it’s all fun, cool things or stuff I think is fun and cool.” For product sourcing, Bute turns to the weekends, making trips to Rochester or hitting Saturday auctions. This time of year doesn’t give her a lot of sourcing opportunities, however, so she works primarily from her home. “In the winter it’s kind of slow,” Bute said. “There’s not a lot of sales going on. It’s a great time to get a lot of my listings active so when I’m out doing my sourcing in the summer I have money set aside in the bank for that.”
Bright future Having committed to selling on eBay as a profession, Bute is plowing forward with plans to hopefully one day expand her operation. “In the near future I would like to branch off and let CuteBute’s sell kinds of housework, cookware, fashion and toys and then do maybe a sister store that focuses just on jewelry because that’s where I really have a lot of my fun,” she said.
36 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Above, Several items Jen Bute has picked up through her visits to estate sales, rummage sales and auctions wait to be sorted for sale through her eBay store. Below, Purses and jewelry is among some of the Jen Bute’s favorite things to sell through eBay.
However, Bute has remained grounded and feels fortunate to be where she is. “There are benefits of working under a corporate structure — healthcare and things like that,” Bute said. “It’s kind of a trade for having independence and being able to run things the way I want to run them. And if I want to take the afternoon off and have some wine …”
Online Jen Bute’s site on eBay can be found at: a http://www.ebay.com/usr/cutebute She’s can also be followed elsewhere on social media: a Facebook — www.facebook.com/cutebutes a Twitter — @CuteButes a Instagram — www.instagram.com/cutebutes/ a Pintrest — www.pinterest.com/jenbute/ a Tumblr — www.tumblr.com/blog/jenbute
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 37
Like
Mother Daughter Like
Photos
By Rocky Hulne by E ric J ohnson
Anna Meyer is walking in the same coaching footseps as her mom, Suzy Hebrink
38 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
For years Suzy Hebrink watched and coached her daughter Anna Meyer on the court as a player. Now she’s watching Meyer, in her first year as interim head coach of the Austin Packers girls basketball team, as a fan.
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 39
Anna Meyer talks to her team during a timeout against Winona in Ove Berven Gym.
“I knew that she was ready. After being an assistant for so long, you’re kind of ready to implement your own philosophy and your own strategy. She was definitely ready.” — Suzy Hebrink on her daughter Anna Meyer
W
hen basketball is your family’s tradition, it’s only fitting that you find yourself drawn to the sport for life.
Such is the case for Suzy Hebrink and her daughter Anna Meyer. Hebrink, a Pacelli High School grad, coached at the high school level for Pacelli for a brief stint before moving on to coach the Riverland Community College women’s basketball team for 16 years. While coaching the Blue Devils, Hebrink usually brought her family along for the ride. The family was so familiar that Hebrink’s youngest daughter Elyse, now a varsity player for the Austin Packers, could often be seen sitting at the end of the bench with the Blue Devils. All three of Hebrink’s oldest daughters, Gretchen, Sophie and Meyer, played for Hebrink. Meyer was often seen at her mother’s side. For two years Meyer played for her mom at RCC, then continued playing basketball at Bemidji State University for two years, before 40 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Suzy Hebrink in the huddle during her time as head coach with Riverland Community College. Photo provided
coming back to be an assistant coach for RCC. Now Meyer is in her first year as interim head coach of the Austin girls basketball team and she’s already showing some of her mother’s traits. “I think coaching came kind of naturally for me. A lot of
Over the years Hebrink spent countless hours on busses the time I’ll hear myself say things and I think of [my mom],” and she made plenty of Meyer said. “I pretty much recruiting trips to try and bring learned everything from her. As players to her program. She said a family we had to eat, sleep and her passion for the game carried breathe basketball, but that’s her for all of those years. what we love about our family. “Once you coach, it’s the It’s awesome.” kids. You want to try to make Meyer is the oldest of seven a difference, not just with children in the Hebrink family their game but you want to and she now coaches her sister influence them in a positive Elyse, who is an eighth-grader. way,” Hebrink said. “There’s Hebrink has spent plenty of time a lot of hours and not a lot watching Meyer coach and she of pay, but it’s so rewarding. also tries to give advice, without I just heard someone say I overstepping her boundaries. have a job that’s not really “It’s been fun watching and rewarding and I never thought it’s been fun giving some advice. that there’s other jobs out I can tell if I’ve said too much there that don’t get those a time or too,” Hebrink said. Despite no longer coaching, intangible rewards, from “But there’s been times that she’s Hebrink is still a fixture either that perspective we’re really asked me for help and I can tell watching her son Tate Hebrink fortunate as coaches.” her what works well. It’s nice to play for the Packers boys or Meyer coaching the Packers Now that her daughter is have a bank of knowledge from and her other daughter Elyse taking over the Packer girls experience where I can see what Hebrink, one of Meyer’s players. basketball program, Hebrink is might work.” excited for Meyer. Meyer has had conversations “I knew that she was with her mom about basketball “... I’ll go to her if I have a ready,” Hebrink said. “After since she began playing years question about anything.” being an assistant for so long, ago, and they’ve learned how to — Anna Meyer you’re kind of ready read each other. If to implement your Meyer thinks her own philosophy and mom is stepping your own strategy. over the line in She was definitely her advice, she has ready.” a simple tactic to Meyer couldn’t deliver the message. picture a better “I just roll my experience than eyes and say OK,” coaching the team Meyer said. “But I’ll she once played for. go to her if I have She’s driven to show a question about up every day and anything.” do what she can to Hebrink make the Packers amassed a record of competitive on the 172-222 overall at court. RCC and the team’s “I have a best run came from passion for the 2007-2013, when Both Meyer game,” she said. RCC won nearly and Hebrink “I think when you 100 games. Hebrink share a passion for coach, you have considers the 2007the game. to adjust to your 2008 team, which players. I like to had four 1,000 point play a fast pace, but scorers, including if your players can’t play that way, you have to adjust to how Meyer, her best team. That team lost in the first round of the they play.” state tournament. March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 41
B ‘ S
y e e d e u l oul’
In LA, Molly Kate Kestner is ready to fly By Deb Nicklay • Photos
42 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
courtesy of J immy
Fontaine
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 43
When Mary Kate Kestner chatted on the phone from Los Angeles, it became clear the Austin native has come a long way in a few years. “Actually, I’m headed to Utah in a few hours … to Sundance [Film Festival],” said the singer and songwriter, adding she would be performing at certain points of the 10-day event created by actor Robert Redford. “I am really excited.” She has reason to be for that, and more. Kestner, 21, splashed into viral celebrity with her song, “His Daughter,” in 2014, while still a senior at Austin High School. The video drew views from across the country, netting over 15 million views to date and drawing the attention of record producers. In what seemed like a whirlwind, she was singing her song and telling her story on television shows such as “Good Morning America” and ABC News. Still, she declined to make quick decisions about her career and attended college for a time. But last February she decided she needed to follow her love of music to Los Angeles. “I’ve been writing constantly” ever since arriving in LA, she said. A new mini-album of her work, set to be released this spring, is “a culmination of my journey of the past few years,” she said. Kestner is represented by Atlantic Records and continues to work on a full-lengthed, debut album. Recently, she has generated buzz with her most recent single, “Good Die Young” Her years in LA have been good ones, she said, allowing her time to dig into her writing. When asked if her music had changed since she had arrived, she said, “Well, I’ve changed; I’ve grown since I got here. But the heart of my music is the same, but a little more refined, I would say. I’ve learned so much.” As important as the growth in her music are relationships established with other songwriters, music producers and performers. One is Kelly Clarkson, who has recorded two of Kestner’s songs that should appear on Clarkson’s album that comes out this year. Kestner said working with Clarkson was a tremendous experience. “She is so amazing and so down to earth,” Kestner said. “I’ve been so lucky to work with someone so wonderful.” She has been careful, she said, not to fall into the trap of trying to sculpt an image and style just to fall in line with popular trends. Her music, she has been told by her record company, “is hard to define.” “Someone told me it was ‘Blue-eyed soul,’” she said. She was influenced by a diverse set of performers, from Frank Sinatra and Etta James, to Amy Winehouse and Ed Sheeran. “Everything I listen to, I can take something from it,” she said. One of her biggest influences, however, was her Austin High School choir director, Brian Johnson. “He has had some of the greatest impact on me as an artist — he is such a wonderful human being,” she said. “I learned so much from him.” 44 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
So much so, that at one point, she wanted to be a music teacher too. If she learned any lesson from him, it was that she had a talent that was uniquely hers. It is a lesson she continues to appreciate. “I reflect and write about the truth” of her view of life and doesn’t want to be a follower. “It’s like driving a car down a highway and a car pulls up near you and you start looking at that car — and suddenly
Molly Kate Kestner is ready to make her mark on music on her terms.
you’re veering off,” she said. “I want to follow my own path. I want to stay focused.” Success, she said, “is God and timing and me taking a chance, putting it out there.” “I could have stayed home; home was comfortable,” she said. But, she said, taking the risk to pursue her music in one of the industry’s centers was part of the journey she had to take. Kestner is now spreading her net wider with working and
learning about live performances, at small venues such as restaurants, clubs and coffee shops around LA — and places like the Sundance Film Festival. She hasn’t been in the big city so long that she can’t be a little star struck. “I’m hoping,” she said with a laugh, “to see Robert Redford.” March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 45
46 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Plunge of a lifetime The couple behind one of Austin’s most public proposals shares their love story
By Jason Schoonover • Photos
by
Eric Johnson,
provided
Cody and Mitzi Anderson with their infant son Lawrence found themselves and their life together through Paint the Town Pink and especially the Plunging for Pink event where Cody proposed to her. March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 47
A
s Cody and Mitzi Anderson sit on their couch in their spacious, mid-century southwest Austin home, Cody explains that a relationship, like life, is a series of compromises. He points to his left to a row of a dolls in along their living room fireplace.
“I’m not huge on these African dolls, but they mean the world to her,” Cody, 33, says. “They’re Brazilian,” counters Mitzi, 31, with a laugh. “They’re beautiful.” She goes on to say she’s not a big fan of some of his decorations, which include Viking war axes and “armor guys,” but the two make it work. Cody and Mitzi were perhaps the most public couple in Austin in 2015 when Cody, the emcee of Plunging for Pink, enlisted the help of his plunge team to propose to Mitzi. The two now joke that pretty much all of Austin knew it was coming — almost everybody. “Everybody except for her knew it was happening,” Cody says. “I told everyone at my job.” “Everyone,” Mitzi agrees. But that day was just one stop along their plunge into love, which has included a few key ingredients along the way: laughter and love. As they sit on their couch, Mitzi brings their months-old son, Lawrence Richard Anderson, to her shoulder and pats his back until he burps. That was the baby, not Mitzi, Cody jokes.
Blossoming love Cody remembers the first time he saw Mitzi. It was Jan 8, 2013, and he’d been enticed — with the promise of free wine, he jokes — to attend Business after Hours, which was the Paint the Town Pink Kickoff at The Hormel Institute. That’s when Mitzi approached his group of Plunging for Pink organizers to say hello to her former Austin High School classmate Tim Bissen, Cody’s supervisor at Hormel Foods Corp. “She came walking up to say hi to him wearing a pink jacket and the tightest black pants you’ve ever seen,” Cody says, drawing a loud laugh from his wife. “I remember thinking she was super cute.” 48 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Cody and Mitzi Anderson warm up after taking a plunge at Plunging for Pink in 2013, before they were married. Photo provided
But that’s only half the story. Mitzi, who was home for about three months to renew her visa while working in marketing for tech company Infor in Spain, attended the event with her parents, Richard and Carol Boerger. Shortly after Cody spotted Mitzi, Joe Muzik returned to Cody’s group telling them Carol had approached him asking if he had single friends who’d ask her daughter on a date. Cody took the opening and talked to Mitzi, asking her out for dinner after some small talk. “I knew I had a chance,” he said. But Mitzi had other ideas at first. “I thought he was cute, but I really didn’t have intentions to go on a date with him, because I thought: I don’t live here; what’s the point of going on a date,” Mitzi recalls. Over the course of two weeks, Cody called Mitzi’s parents but Mitzi wouldn’t take his calls. Mitzi laughs recalling that Cody was ready to settle down, calling her husband “29 going on 60.” when they met. “Yeah, I’m an old soul,” Cody agrees. But Mitzi was the opposite with no plans for a relationship as she was working abroad and not planning to move back the U.S. for a few years. “I was not looking for Cody,” she says with a laugh. “And there he was.”
Cody Anderson talks with the DS Sausage Packers before their plunge in the Plunging for Pink event at East Side Lake. Cody has been a fixture at the mic for the event so it seemed natural that the event set the stage for his marriage proposal to Mitzi. Photo by Eric Johnson
‘I was absolutely head over heels after the second date’ Finally, Cody tried one last time and Mitzi notes the persistence paid off. “What’s one date? I’ll go on a date with him,” Mitzi recalls thinking. But even their first date on Jan. 22, 2013, didn’t go as planned. Cody wanted to take Mitzi to The Old Mill, but it was too busy and they settled for Olivia’s Family Restaurant. Laughing, both recall several people they know coming up to them and asking, “Is this a first date?” “We both had such a good attitude about it, I could tell we had some good chemistry,” Cody recalls. Cody’s humor and gentlemanly ways made a quick impression, and Mitzi knew quickly that she’d met her future husband and life partner. “I was absolutely head over heels after the second date,” Mitzi said. Over the next few dates, that chemistry grew. By the time the two participated in the inaugural Plunging for Pink — with Cody wearing a suit and tie as event emcee, while Mitzi wore her high school prom dress. “I think that’s where we really fell in love,” Cody said of that first plunge. “We felt like such a natural couple,” he added. When it was time for Mitzi to return to Spain in March, both knew they’d found their life partner.
Apart
-Mitzi
But Mitzi’s visit home was only temporary and she had to return to Spain after a few months of dating. For Mitzi, it was “unbelievably hard,” Cody saw it more as just a pause in a relationship bound for marriage. “I felt like I had found her, so I was like, ‘What’s another 15 months in between this,’ but for her it was a lot harder. She really didn’t want to leave, and she was afraid something would change,” Cody said. “I think it just made us closer.” They still saw each other a few times during those 15 months. Mitzi returned home a few times, and Cody flew to meet her overseas. “I flew to Italy and met her in Italy, and I don’t think I’d ever been east of the Mississippi, so that was absolutely terrifying for me,” he says. As they looked ahead, both knew one must make a sacrifice. Both had good careers. Since Mitzi’s company is more flexible with relocation, Mitzi told her boss over dinner in Barcelona, Spain, she wanted to move to Austin when she returned to the U.S. as planned on June 1, 2014. “She thought I was joking,” Mitzi said. “She could not believe I was asking for a transfer back to Austin, Minnesota.” Story continues through Page 53 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 49
Cody Anderson’s friends spelled out the magic words for his soon-to-be wife Mitzi before taking the plunge himself during the 2015 Plunging for Pink. Photo provided
50 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Cody pops the question in 2015. Photo provided
When she returned, she moved to sales as an account manager. But that wasn’t the only big move; she moved right in with Cody because her parents wound up moving to Wyoming right as she was coming back. The two had dated for over a year, but much of that had been long distance. Still, they started moving Mitzi’s stuff into his house. Though her parents weren’t initially excited about them living together unmarried, Cody jokes her mom was excited to get rid of all of Mitzi’s stuff, which they started bringing over to his house. “I basically knew there was no getting out of this,” Cody recalls. Though Mitzi agreed it was a bit risky going from long distance to living together, she was all in.
“I thought it was great,” Mitzi says. “I loved seeing him; I loved that transition.” To Cody, both knew where the relationship was going, so there was “no point in adding another obstacle.” “We took a pretty big leap of faith,” he said. The day she came back, it was like they were almost married. He picked her up from the airport and they went home together to Austin.
The plunge But they still had to make it official. After making their public debut as a couple at the 2013 Plunging for Pink, Cody remembers the 2014 plunge wasn’t the same with Mitzi in Spain. So he chose the 2015 plunge as the time to propose to Mitzi. March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 51
‘A marriage is something you work at. You have to put effort into it, but it’s not a job. Just because you put effort into it, doesn’t make it a job.’
-Cody
Cody and Mitzi with his friends after their jump at the 2015 plunge where Cody proposed. Photo provided
Cody’s plan was originally for Mitzi to jump with him, as he planned for his team — each wearing a letter — to take off jackets to shirts spelling “Will you marry me, Mitzi?” But Mitzi jumped earlier with friends and went to tell Cody after she jumped and wanted to go home, but he told her she needed to stay. When it came time for the team to jump, countless phones were out and ready for the big moment. Cody got down on one knee and asked Mitzi to be his wife. After Mitzi embraced 52 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Cody and shed some tears, Cody’s mom joked to her she better say the word: “Yes.” She did, and after jumping, Cody and Mitzi shared a glass of champagne with their friends and families. “It was the coolest engagement,” Mitzi says with a big smile. “It was by far the best day of my life,” she adds before stopping and motioning to Larry. “Well, minus him being born.”
A heart of gold and a heart of old Cody and Mitzi married Sept. 19, 2015, and Cody woke up the morning of Sept. 20 excited to travel to Montreal on their honeymoon, but they instead went to Duluth. Mitzi, who’d been tasked with booking the honeymoon, had forgotten and improvised. “Love my wife, but she’s a scatterbrain once in awhile,” Cody says. Cody called his wife a passionate person who is 100 percent with him and for him, but he jokes she has her moments where she can be a bit forgetful. He describes her as a fun-loving person with a heart of gold. “I think it would hurt her not to smile,” he said. Mitzi too can recall a lot about what attracted her to Cody at first and still does. Mitzi knew right away the Cody worked hard at his job, on his home and outside of his job. “I knew that he’d work hard in a relationship and work hard to be a good dad, all that stuff,” Mitzi said. “That was a big turn-on to me.” And Mitzi jokes Cody is an old soul. “He’s just an old-fashioned, hard-working guy,” Mitzi says. “That’s fair,” Cody admits nodding. “I probably should have been born in the ‘50s or something.” That came across early in charming ways, like his holding the door. And Cody admits he’s living the life he wanted in a small town after growing up on a hobby farm near Prior Lake. “This is about perfect for me,” he said. “Right what I wanted to do.” Cody thanks Austin and his employer, Hormel Foods, saying he found Austin and his wife through the company. “The town I live in has just adopted up,” he said. “I have a lot to be thankful for. I’m proud to be an adopted son of Austin.”
They say Cody is the strong and steady one, while Mitzi is the lighter one. “I think we mesh well together because of that,” Mitzi said. “He keeps me grounded and I keep him light.” “She teaches me patience, and I teach her responsibility,” Cody adds to a laugh from Mitzi. But true to the hardworking spirit Mitzi recognized in Cody, he said a marriage take just that: work. “A marriage is something you work at,” Cody says. “You have to put effort into it, but it’s not a job. Just because you put effort into it, it doesn’t make it a job.” Plus, you have to have fun. The two make wine together and are quick to give bottles of Anderboerg to friends and family, and they love antiquing or junking for unique items. And, of course, they have fun, even in odd ways. After Mitzi left a light on a few times, Cody unscrewed the bulb and then he took out the bulb, all in good fun. “I think it’s funny,” he says. “I can’t wait to see her when she says, ‘Really, you took out the light bulbs?’” Mitzi laughs at the story, joking people are going to take it the wrong way. “You have to have fun,” she says. “You have to laugh because it sounds awful if you don’t — life in general, I think.” The key in a relationship, the two say, is to be good to each other and treat each other with respect and love is really important. For Cody, he tries to tell Mitzi how much he appreciates her every day. “They should never wonder if you care or if you’re happy,” he said. “It should be very well known.” They’ve worked to improve it to see they stick together as a family. “It’s been a labor of love,” he says.
Cody, Mitzi and friends jump into East Side Lake in 2013. Photo provided
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 53
TRAVEL
Rachel Meany got the experience of a lifetime when she attended the presidential inauguration of President Donald Trump in January. Photo by Eric Johnson
Below, Meany holds up her ticket to the presidential inauguration.
More than an election 4-H’er gets to see inauguration, but experiences so much more By Rocky Hulne Photos submitted
by
Rachel Meany
HHHHH 54 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Southland junior Rachel Meany is young in age, but she’s already seen a lot of places, so she didn’t hesitate when she had the chance to attend the United States presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20. Meany heard about the trip opportunity through her 4-H advisor in August. After she applied and interviewed, she was one of 500 delegate youths from 25 states who attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump. To qualify for the trip, Meany had to say she didn’t care who was going to win the election and she had to explain why she wanted to go. She had been to Washington, D.C., before in her life, but this time the experience was much different. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can’t relive an election again,” Meany said. “If you wanted to go and didn’t go the first time [Barack] Obama got elected, it wouldn’t be the same the second time he got elected.” Meany’s visit featured a nighttime tour that saw her visit the Jefferson and Lincoln monuments and her 4-H group visited other museums in Washington, D.C. The day of the inauguration brought a lot of excitement, even though it meant Meany had to wake up at 4 a.m. “I was pretty groggy, but it was really entertaining to see that people were still energetic at that time in the morning. Seeing the music and everything was really cool,” Meany said. “That hands-on learning was really eye opening and it is important to learn about history.” Meany was able to travel with 4-H members from as various states around the country. She said getting to know her traveling partners was as fun as the trip itself. Continues on Page 56 March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 55
56 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
Continued from Page 55 “I wanted to meet new people. I wanted to meet a lot of people from across the state and across the nation who had the same experience in 4-H,” she said. “It was really cool to meet people who had the same opportunity as me, but they had a different mindset.” Meany has already been to 40 out of the 50 states in the country and she’s hoping to hit all 50 in her lifetime. She would also like to eventually make it to Africa or Argentina. “I want to go to Argentina to see the llamas, because I’m big into showing llamas,” Meany said. “I like to see the different culture. Everybody has a different mind set on how to live your life and not everybody has the same way to live. In Arizona, they don’t have snow and they have harsh summers, while we have harsh winters.” Meany likes to stay aware of what it’s like for people living in different communities. She said she doesn’t take the food she eats or the water she drinks for granted after learning about how other people in the planet have it. “It gives me pride to say that I have a nice community and I don’t take it for granted,” Meany said. Meany has also enjoyed her time with 4-H and she said she learns a lot from the organization. “Everything you do in 4-H give you a different opportunity,” she said. “It helps you learn and it helps you grow as a person. I’m learning how to have respect for people, how to have responsibilities and how to do my daily life.” Pictured clockwise from top left: Rachel Meany at the 2017 presidential inauguration. Meany and other 4-Hers are photographed in front of the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. A sign at The Newseum in Washington, D.C., welcomes President Donald Trump. The Washington Monument.
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 57
LOOKING BACK
A need for a larger presence Nurses gather on the front porch of the original St. Olav Hospital and Training Center building, ca. 1910.
St. Olaf Hospital begins strong tradition of medicine for city and the area By Jaimie Timm, Mower County Historical Society • All The Austin Hospital Association was formed in June 1896 through the efforts of local doctors O.H. and C.A. Hegge. After working in their own private medical clinic in Austin, they realized that Austin and the surrounding area needed a larger medical facility. The association was formed after Dr. O.H. Hegge worked with several community leaders, including the Norwegian Lutheran churches in Austin. The AHA borrowed $7,000 from the churches (most hospitals at this time were run by religious organizations) and built Austin’s first hospital at 916 Lansing Ave. St. Olav Hospital and Training School opened its doors to patients on June 13, 1897. Drs. O.H. and C.A. Hegge, along with Lena Nelson, the sister in charge (head nurse) served as the regular hospital staff. The facility was open to all physicians and surgeons from the surrounding area. In the first 58 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
photos courtesy of the
Mower County Historical Society
year, the hospital housed 157 patients. In 1910, a large addition was added with more patient rooms, two new operating rooms with surgical equipment and rooms for the school. The hospital also had a new name and was known as the St. Olaf (note the spelling change) Hospital and Training School. The ladies of Austin donated an ambulance and the hospital began offering ambulance services. A nurses training school was also started in 1910, closing 22 years later in 1932. The hospital’s services continued to grow and in 1919 saw another building added to the facility. This new wing was built at the site of the original house and cost about $45,000 plus another $10,000 for new equipment. It also brought the capacity to 45 patient beds and more operating space. The hospital purchased its first X-ray machine in 1924.
In 1940, another new building with two new operating rooms, a modern kitchen and 105 patient beds was added to the hospital complex. The hospital also hired its first hospital administrator — F. W. Molgren. Until this time, the superintendent of nurses was the head administrator of the hospital. The early 1950s brought more additions and changes with major improvements made to the maternity wing, a new laboratory, a new therapy department and more X-ray equipment. After several decades of adding new wings and additions, St. Olaf Hospital received a brand new building with a four story patient tower along with major remodeling and modernization of the 1940 and 1954 additions and the demolishing of the 1919 wing in 1974. A large part of the money needed for this new hospital building — $6,034,529 — came from a community fundraising campaign where people pledged money for five years. St. Olaf Hospital and Austin Medical Clinic merged and became the Austin Medical Center in 1995. At the same time, Austin Medical Center joined the Mayo Clinic Health System.
The original 1897 building, above, as it looked after the 1919 addition (the building on the left). It has had several additions over the years but you can see the top peak matches the roof line of the 1897 building below. The connecting hallway is also visible between the two buildings.
St. Olaf Hospital in the early 1980s.
March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 59
March 4
The cold weather is starting to thaw, so get out and enjoy the sun this spring. Take time to smell the roses with friends and family as the flowers start springing up and the grass turns green. —All dates, times, and locations subject to change
Driller MMA Fights
When: 6 p.m. Where: Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center. The mixed martial arts fights return. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, call 507-433-8000.
March 4-5
Northwestern Singers’ Winter Show
When: 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday Where: The Historic Paramount Theatre. Tickets available at the Austin ArtWorks Center or at www.austinareaarts.org. For more information, call 507-433-0547.
March 10
Autism Family Respite Night
When: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Where: Austin YMCA. For first through sixth grade kids — an evening of autism spectrum disorder-appropriate fun staffed by ASD professionals. Activities may include snack-making, swimming, crafts, and games. For children with restricted diets, please send their own snacks. Cost $5. Register at the Hormel Historic Home – no payment will be taken at the YMCA. For more information, call 507-433-4243.
March 13
History Happy Hour
When: Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., presentation at 6 p.m. Where: Hormel Historic Home This presentation will focus on southern Minnesota railroad history. Refreshments available. Free program for members of the Hormel Historic Home, Mower County Historical Society and Friends of the Library; $5 for non-members. For more information, call 507-433-4243.
March 17-19
43rd Annual Austin Home and Vacation Show
When: 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Where: Packer Arena This annual show offers a place to showcase products and services and check out several vendors. To be a vendor, call Anna at 507-474-9600 for contract or information.
March 18:
TEDX Horace Park
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Location to be determined. This event pegs inspirational speakers to give talks to the community. 60 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
March 21 and April 18
Hearth and Home Series
When: 10 a.m. Where: Hormel Historic Home. The March program is titled “Drumming for Life and Mind,” while the April program will be “Flood Walls in a Former Swampland.” This series is free and includes Coffee and snack. For more information, call 507-433-4243.
March 23 and April 27
History at the Senior Center
When: 2 p.m. Where: Mower County Senior Center An ongoing series of talks by Mower County Historical Society Director John Haymond continues in March with a talk titled “Dividing Lines: Germany during the Cold War, 1945-1989” and in April with a talk titled “Professionals and Amateurs in the Civil War.”
March 24 and April 28 Austin ArtWorks Open Jam Session
When: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: Austin ArtWorks Center Come jam with other local artists. Whether jamming onstage or listening to the great music, there’s something for everyone. For more information, call 507-434-0934.
March 25
“Cellula” by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz
When: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Where: Historic Paramount Theatre Z Puppets Rosenschnoz will present a glow-in-the-dark performance of cellular mitosis for $10 per adult and $5 per child. Children participating in the puppet-making labs at the ArtWorks Center or at I.J. Holton will receive two-for-one coupons to attend the performance.
March 25
Music Workshop for kids
When: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Where: Hormel Historic Home Enjoy hearing and engaging with music performed by the Silver Wind Flute Quartet. This event designed to expose children to music and movement. Cost us $2 per person.
March 28
Friends & Volunteer Appreciation Night
When: 6:30 p.m. Where: Ruby Rupner Auditorium of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center The nature center will pay tribute to all its friends and special volunteers at this program, which is free and open to the public. This event will feature pie and ice cream, and those attending can enjoy a presentation by our new 2017 intern, Savanna Dahl, on conservation activism and science through art. RSVP requested by March 25 by calling 507-437-7519 or info@hormelnaturecenter.org.
April 2
Seventh Annual Taste of Mower County
When: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Holiday Inn Conference Center. Enjoy unlimited tastings of signature items from the finest home and restaurant chefs in Mower County and the surrounding area. Food and wine tasting, cash bar, live and silent auction, door prizes and entertainment. Tickets $25 per person. Annual fundraiser for The Arc Mower County. For more information, call 507-433-8994.
April 20
The Austin Page Turners and Faith Sullivan
When: 7 p.m. Where: Austin Public Library Author Faith Sullivan will give a talk on her book “Goodnight, Mr. Wodehouse” as part of the 2017 citywide read.
April 6
April 21
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Riverland Community College. High school juniors and seniors – come check out everything Riverland has to offer. Discover how to get started, to pay for college, how to transfer courses to a university; learn about more than 50 quality career programs, on-campus housing, student life (including clubs and activities). For more information, contact Taylor Daubenberger at 507-433-0642 or taylordaubenberger@riverland.edu.
When: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Where: Austin YMCA. For first through sixth grade kids, an evening of autism spectrum disorder-appropriate fun staffed by ASD professionals. Activities may include snack-making, swimming, crafts, and games. For children with restricted diets, please send their own snacks. Cost $5. Register at the Hormel Historic Home – no payment will be taken at the YMCA. For more information, call 507-433-4243.
April 7-9 and April 10-12
April 21-23 and April 27-30
When: All day Where: Holiday Inn Conference Center “Tropical Tiki” theme. Fun-filled days of quilting with friends, plus free demos, massage therapist sessions, show and tell, door prizes, games and more. For more information, call 507-377-1163 or 507-433-8000.
When: 7 p.m. on April 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 at 7 p.m.; 2 p.m. on April 23, 30 Where: Frank W. Bridges Theatre, Riverland Community College “Seussical” lovingly brings our favorite Dr. Seuss characters to life, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie La Bird, and Jojo, a little boy with a big imagination. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos. Dr. Seuss fans both young and old alike will be entranced by this fantastical, magical musical extravaganza. Appropriate for all ages. For more information, call 507-433-0595.
Discover the River
Calico Hutch Quilt Retreat
April 7-9
“Charlotte’s Web”
When: 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Where: Historic Paramount Theatre. A Matchbox Children’s Theatre production. Enjoy all the enchanting characters of this beloved children’s classic about friendship. Tickets: $10 for adults, $6 for youth 14 and under. For more information, go to www.matchboxchildrenstheatre.org or call 507-437-9078.
April 8
Spam Kids Fest
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Hormel Historic Home Celebrate the local love of Spam through science, art, music and history with a free event.
April 10
History Happy Hour
When: Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., presentation at 6 pm. Where: Hormel Historic Home. This program will focus on the anniversary of World War I. Refreshments available. Free program for members of the Hormel Historic Home, Mower County Historical Society and Friends of the Library; $5 for non-members. For more information, call 507-433-4243.
April 18
“Bird Nests: Amazingly Ingenious and Intricate” When: 7 p.m. Where: Ruby Rupner Auditorium of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center With his great sense of humor, Stan Tekiela will talk about bird nests. Few creatures craft such brilliant and involved homes as birds do. From holes drilled into trees to intricately woven cups, these magnificent structures are worthy of our admiration. This talk is full of fun details told with Stan’s sense of humor. Held in Ruby Rupner Auditorium. Co-sponsored with Austin Audubon, free and open to the public. RSVP requested by April 17 at 507-437-7519 or info@hormelnaturecenter.org.
Autism Family Respite Night
“Seussical”
April 22
Interpretive Center Dedication When: 1 p.m. Where: Jay C. Hormel Nature Center The Nature Center cuts the ribbon on its new $7 million Interpretive Center and education exhibits.
April 23
Stepping Out for Autism Walk
When: 1 p.m. Where: Hormel Historic Home Teams are forming now for the annual fundraising walk to support the summer camps offered by the HHH for area youth affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. Visit www.hormelhistorichome.org to print your registration form.
April 23
Forte Milers
When: TBD Where: Historic Paramount Theatre The Forte Milers Barbershop Chorus returns to Austin.
April 27
Lunch Box History Series
When: 12 p.m. Where: Pioneer Building of the Mower County Historical Society Historian and author Dick Punchard will talk about his new book, “G.A.R.: The Grand Army of the Republic in Minnesota,” part of the research for which was done in Mower County. March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 61
BOOK REVIEW
A D R E AM OF HOME FAITH SULLIVAN NOVEL “CAPE ANN” TAKES READERS ON A JOURNEY OF CHANGE By Bruce Richardson, Austin Page Turners Hopefully many have responded to Page Turners’ recommendation to read this year’s communitywide selection “Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse.” Its author, Faith Sullivan, first created the fictional Minnesota town of Harvester as the setting for the novel, “Cape Ann.” Cape Ann, the reader soon understands, is not a place or setting for the novel, but is the catalog name for a house plan the major characters of the novel dream to have as theirs. The characters in “Wodehouse” are among others who are first seen through the eyes of Lark Erhardt, the child narrator of “Cape Ann,” as she struggles to understand the adult turbulence around her in the late years of the Great Depression. Lark is like Scout of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Lark reports on her growing up in an adult world that is both cruel and compassionate. A six-year-old as the story begins, Lark shares a dream of a house that she and her mother found in a catalog, a Cape Ann model. It’s vital to them to escape their current housing, for they live in a section of the railway station where her father works. The temporary apartment they have inhabited from her birth has one bedroom, no running water, no bathroom, and still a crib for Lark to sleep in. Lark is both perceptive and innocent as she tries to endure her parents’ conflicts, her religious training, the effects of the Depression, her friends, and the town’s various characters. She sees the prejudices, the hypocrisies, and the punishing poverty of the small Minnesota town struggling through the Depression. But in the “ Cape Ann” story. Marital conflicts caused by Faith she also shares the community, Sullivan opposing values, ambitions, failures, insecurities, and compassion and perseverance personalities drive Arlene’s story, and, of course, affect necessary to survive. Lark is Lark, trapped as she was trying to survive with both parents. funny, defiant, independent, The mother/daughter bond grows stronger through the novel resourceful, insightful and courageous. as both characters make tough decisions defying conventions At the same time she is also deceived, abused in a more conservative time. and used. “Cape Ann” is about life in a small Minnesota town that Sharing Lark’s dream for a Cape Ann house is her mother, is shifting form the Depression to the coming war. Times are Arlene. Desperate for a house of her own, Arlene saves in a changing, but Lark and Arlene’s taking control of their lives time of scarcity. Because of her husband’s steady employment is the more important change. When Faith Sullivan comes to with the railroad, they have more than many others, but the Austin, I hope she will speak about this book as well as Mr. husband is the problem. Husbands are not the best people Wodehouse. 62 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
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March-April 2017 | Austin Living | 63
WHY I LOVE AUSTIN
full speed ahead
Austin Police Department’s Captain David McKichan is proud to live in a city that is moving forward. By David McKichan • Photo I arrived in Austin in 1997 as a newly hired police officer. My wife, Andrea, joined me when we married in 1999. She teaches and has coached in rural Mower County, which like Austin, is filled with great people and places. Our two children were born here. I have enjoyed my 19 years here and feel the city of Austin has always been progressive and growing during that time. Austin has always been very supportive of local law enforcement. I see that from our elected officials, city administration, city staff, and other government entities. The residents themselves, schools, and private business, both large and small, have also always been quick to offer a word of thanks, appreciation, or a helping hand on a project. That support is an incredible foundation for public safety in Austin. There are also many professional opportunities to collaborate with other groups in town; whether the schools, Hormel Foods, Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin, other city departments, non-profits, or county government. I have always found these entities and others to be full of forward looking people who want to make things better in our community. As a resident of any city, I think you want to feel that your city is always moving forward for the better. Our family does feel that way about Austin. Since 1997 these are just a few of the things I saw happen locally: the Paramount Theatre was reopened and the ArtWorks Center came into being, bike trails were added, as well as the Packer Arena being built. The 64 | Austin Living | March-April 2017
by
Eric Johnson
Hormel Institute expanded twice, which is also how many times the population number on the census sign has been raised since I moved to Austin. The downtown area added the Spam Museum and revamped numerous facades. Many new shops and restaurants support preexisting ones. I see that same vitality in the school system as well. Woodson Kindergarten Center has opened and expanded, Austin High School reopened floors and redeveloped them, I. J. Holton Middle School was built, and there is now a dome over Wescott field in the winter along with new turf. There are more early education opportunities than when I arrived 19 years ago, and Riverland Community College remains relevant and vital. I appreciate what the Austin school system has provided for our kids and what it will provide in the future. Looking to that future, the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center is a gem and is adding a new building. Vision 2020 projects continue to advance which support both the mind (Austin Aspires) and the body (Rec Center). The 18th Avenue area continues to change shape and evolve. There are many more new things going on in Austin that demonstrate its vitality. All these new things have been layered upon great existing infrastructure and programs. We have also become much more diverse which has enhanced our community. I am excited to see what the future in Austin brings and there are many people working to ensure it will be a great place to live and work.