Summer 2005 Bethany Report

SUMMER 2005

Bethany report

the magazine of bethany lutheran college

4 Edgewood Place dedicated 8 It’s not all about business 10 Spring sports adjust to new conference

from the president

An open invitation A

new school year always brings fresh faces filled with excitement, ready for the new opportunities that come with college life. It is also a time for returning students to reunite with old friends after the summer break and embark on the journey of a new school year: new courses, new teammates, new experiences. It is a time for sampling new things and expanding one’s horizons.

I invite you to get a taste of all of this during our first-ever Fall Festival held the weekend of September 23-25. Whether you are an alum, a family member, friend of a current student, or even a prospective student this weekend is planned with you in mind. It will include a wide variety of activities for you to experience first-hand the flavor of what Bethany life is like. The ever popular Theater Physics, a hilarious vaudeville style theatrical production created by our students in only three short weeks, will run five stage shows. It is a high energy production appealing to all ages. The soccer teams compete on our field on Saturday and the volleyball team participates in a weekend tournament in New Ulm, a short drive from here. Arts on the Green will be held during the day on Saturday. This is an outdoor festival that showcases many aspects of the fine arts program at Bethany and includes a variety of hands-on activities for children. There are far too many activities to list here, but to give you a little idea, you can witness chainsaw art first-hand, throw your President Dan Bruss own pot on a potter’s wheel, and discover the wonders of computer graphics. Jugglers and musicians roam the lawn to entertain you.

Indoors you may attend an Alumni Recital featuring accomplished musicians, participate in an Alumni Choir, and attend other alumni activities.

And no festival would be complete without delicious food. Fall Festival combines the activities of Parent’s Weekend, Alumni Reunion, Arts on the Green, and a College Open House all into one big fabulous weekend.

Come reunite with old classmates, friends, and the faculty and staff at Bethany. Visit your children or grandchildren. This is a tremendous opportunity to see the college at its best. Whether it’s been five or fifty years since you were on campus, you’ll enjoy a fun-filled weekend at Bethany during the Fall Festival. I’ll look forward to seeing you!

Bethany report editor | Lance Schwartz design, photography | David Norris proofreaders | Jon Kovaciny Elayne Luiken Tami Tillman contributors | Kathy Bruss Lance Schwartz Please direct all correspondence, letters, news, corrections, and comments to: Bethany Lutheran College Bethany report 700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001-6163 Email: alumni@blc.edu | www.blc.edu 507.344.7000 | 800.944.3066 FAX: 507.344.7417 ISSUE: CII The Report is published quarterly by the Bethany Lutheran College public relations office and distributed free of charge to the college’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

All contents © COPYRIGHT 2005 Bethany Lutheran College. Articles, images or photographs may not be reproduced without written permission.

Mission: Bethany Lutheran College, owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is a private, residential, liberal arts college committed to the teachings of the Bible as set forth in the Lutheran Confessions. Bethany provides studies culminating in a bachelor of arts degree.

The college serves Lutherans and others by offering a challenging, student-centered approach to education that fosters spiritual development, intellectual and creative growth, self-understanding, and responsible citizenship.

In keeping with its heritage, Bethany aspires to produce students with a clear understanding of Christian vocation, which calls for people to make the most of their Godgiven talents in whatever walk of life they pursue.

Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents: Rev. John A. Moldstad, Sr., Chair Harold A. Theiste, Vice Chair Rev. Kenneth V. Schmidt, Secretary Willis Anthony, Ph.D. Rev. Mark Bartels Jon C. Bruss Paul T. Chamberlin Rev. Herbert C. Huhnerkoch James Minor Roland Reinholtz Rev. J. Kincaid Smith, D.Min. Rev. Joel Willitz Advisory Members: Pres. Dan R. Bruss, Ph.D. Rev. Lawrence A. Burgdorf Lyle Fahning Rev. John A. Moldstad, ELS President William Overn

On the cover: Summer workers (from left) Jeremy Costello, Krista Hartzell, and Andrew Shoop work at keeping the campus grounds looking great over the summer months.

They are part of a six-person crew of students who work under head groundskeeper Dan Johnson.

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report | summer 2005

from the chapeL July 20, 2005 - Summer Chapel II Timothy 4:1-5: I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

You and I are little five-year old children. The Triune God has been kind enough to adopt us through Baptism and bring us home to the Kingdom of His grace, where we now live as His own. In His love He has chosen to place over us certain sitters, who are charged with the special work of watching His adopted children. These sitters (pastors) have been carefully trained by God and given His specific Word and commands which they are to speak and apply Rev. Donald Moldstad faithfully to the children in Bethany Chaplain the backyard, in order to keep God’s children safe, and to teach them how to live and enjoy life in His yard where they can grow and mature and be healthy. These sitters have no other charge than to preach the Word, convince, rebuke, and exhort the children.

Out of love for His adopted, God has purchased a new house which was very costly, requiring the very death of His own Son. This new home is a beautiful mansion equipped with every wonderful thing that His children could ever imagine. He plans to soon come and take them to live there. In the meantime, He has placed them under the care of His sitters who are to help the children stay safe and prevent them from leaving His yard. They are also given the important task of teaching the children about the future mansion which their heavenly Father has purchased for them.

Right now, in this present backyard of God’s kingdom, we have certain toys to play with and things to education that lasts beyond a lifetime

The boundaries of God’s yard are very clearly defined by the fence of His holy Word and the sitters have been trained to gently keep the children inside of the confines of the fence. But we love to wander up to the chain link fence and peer into other yards in the neighborhood.

make our stay enjoyable. There is a fountain which is not very attractive, and yet which flows with the living waters of life. The food which is brought out to us by the sitters is extremely nourishing and full of wonderful nutrition, though it may not outwardly seem as exciting as the candy being fed to other children in the neighborhood.

The boundaries of God’s yard are very clearly defined by the fence of His holy Word and the sitters have been trained to gently keep the children inside of the confines of the fence. But we love to wander up to the chain link fence and peer into other yards in the neighborhood. The children playing in other yards seem to have better toys, they seem to be having more fun, the treats they are eating are more colorful and exciting, they have a pool, they have a dog to play with. And suddenly life in God’s backyard doesn’t seem so fun and exciting.

We begin imagining what it would be like to climb the fence and live over there. The children and the sitters in these neighboring yards yell out to us to jump the fence and come over. They plead with us to join them and all of the fun they are enjoying. The invitation is very attractive. However, as God’s children peer through the fence they do not see that the dog has rabies, the pool is infected with the Ebola virus, the children playing in this nearby yard are carrying leprosy, and the snacks being served contain arsenic.

On the surface life appears to be so much more exciting and joyful in these other yards, but they are death zones.

Chapel continued on page 5 3

campus news

Office receives new name, restructures positions

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ELS President, John A. Moldstad, conducted the Rite of Dedication for Edgewood Place.

Edgewood Place officially dedicated

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new era in student housing at Bethany Lutheran College is set to be begin. Edgewood Place, Bethany’s new residence for upper-class women, opened in August for its first residents. The 33,706 square foot facility features two- and threebedroom apartments and common spaces for gathering. The building was designed

by KSA Architects in Mankato and the general contractor was RW Carlstrom Construction, also of Mankato.

The dedication of the building took place on Sunday, June 19, 2005, following the Synod Sunday Service, which traditionally marks the official opening of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s (ELS) annual convention. The Reverend John A. Moldstad, ELS President, performed the Rite of Dedication. Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents members, members of the Synod’s Board of Trustees, and representatives from the contractor and architectural firm were also involved with the dedication.

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he development office at Bethany now has a new name—the Office of Institutional Advancement. The name change reflects the broader scope of the activities carried out in the department.

The Advancement Office encompasses many different aspects of the visibility of the college including: all fundraising programs, alumni relations, community relations, government relations, public relations, marketing, event services, graphic design for the campus, and data management for all the college’s outreach efforts. With the name change some internal restructuring has taken place. David Norris is the college’s graphic designer.

Elayne Luiken coordinates campus events.

Lance Schwartz will continue to lead the public relations and marketing efforts while Tami Tillman handles all the data services for the department. Art Westphal serves as the Director of Institutional Advancement. A new position in annual fund development will also be added in the coming months.

Jim Wall will now lead Bethany’s alumni relations efforts. Jim is a 1982 graduate of Bethany and has been serving the college as a development officer since his hiring in September 2004. Wall will coordinate alumni events, reunions, and alumni board activities. He will also develop a

David Norris

Elayne Luiken

Lance Schwartz

Tami Tillman

Art Westphal

Jim Wall

community fund raising campaign as well as assist with fund raising activities for the college.

Annual fund sets new record The Bethany Lutheran College Annual Fund set an all-time record for the recently closed 2004-05 fiscal year. Bethany’s Director of Institutional Advancement, Art Westphal, reports that the total gifts to the annual fund were over $305,000. The

fund is supported by gifts sent in response to direct mail solicitations and the annual phone-a-thon. Thank you to all those who support the mission of Bethany Lutheran College through donations and prayers!

report | summer 2005

Chapel continued from page 3

campus news

New video available on DVD

B

ethany’s Public Relations office has produced a new DVD. The DVD is eight minutes and is packed with information about the college. The DVD is primarily for prospective students but would also be interesting for donors to get a first-hand look at the school through the eyes of current students and faculty. The video can be viewed on the Bethany Web site at www.blc.edu/videoviewbook (a high speed internet connection is recommended to view the video). You may also request a copy by calling the Advancement Office at 507-344-7313.

Become a friend of the library

O

rrin Ausen, Bethany’s Director of Library Services, has formed a new group to assist in the ongoing support for Bethany’s Memorial Library. The Friends of Bethany Library is an affiliation of volunteers who seek to enhance the services and resources offered at the Memorial Library. The group will assist by building the library’s endowment fund. Funds raised will promote and enrich the services offered by the library to, not only faculty

and students, but also to the community.

Current board members include Peter Anthony, Leslie Ausen, Sarah (Reichwald) Beiswenger, Frankie Bly, Carlienne Frisch, and Harold Natvig. If you are interested in becoming a board member, volunteer, or would like to assist with a donation to the Library Endowment Fund, please contact Orrin Ausen by calling the Library at 507344-7350.

God’s children press their noses up to the fence. Some begin climbing the fence to see if they can just go try it out for a while. Others have already leaped over the fence, despite the efforts of the sitters, and have started playing with the dog and swimming in the pool. Some of God’s own children have already died by jumping the fence and will never get to enjoy the new mansion. The sitters try desperately to prevent others from scaling the fence by reminding them of the safety and security in God’s yard, and reminding them of the future mansion their Father has purchased for them.

The humble yard of God’s kingdom, which is established by His holy Word, may not appear to be much compared to the yards around us, but here we are safe and secure. Here we drink freely from the fountain of His grace and forgiveness in Christ. Here we are nourished with the very Body and Blood of His Son. Here we enjoy the company of the other children adopted by the Father, and here we wait for the wonderful day when He will appear at the back door and tell us it is time to come to the new mansion. Until that day, let us listen to the sitters who are charged with the important work of keeping us inside the fence of His Word. Amen.

Bethany Ladies Auxiliary to host benefit art show

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he Mankato Chapter of the Bethany Lutheran College Ladies Auxiliary will host a one-day art benefit showcasing the artistic talents of Bethany alumni, selected students, and friends of the college.

The intent of the sale is to raise money for student scholarships.

The event will be held in the afternoon and evening of November 12 in the Bethany President’s Home at 128 West Glencrest Drive.

First lady Kathy Bruss said, “We expect

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

that some may attend purely as a social event and an opportunity to admire the artistic talents of people associated with the college, while others, we hope, will see it as an opportunity to do some Christmas shopping or buy something for their own home. Either way it is a fun way to benefit students.”

Paintings, drawings, photography, ceramics, and sculpture will be featured in

a variety of price ranges. The date of the art show also coincides with the production of the fall play The Miracle Worker at Bethany.

Tickets may be purchased for eight dollars by calling 507-344-7000 or 800944-3066, or at the door for nine dollars.

Light refreshments will be served. Interested artists may contact Professor William Bukowski at william.bukowski@blc.edu.

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academics

communicating

By Lance Schwartz

success

Director of Marketing and Public Relations

S

ibley County, in south-central Minnesota, is perhaps one of the most rural in the state. Despite its relatively close proximity to the Twin Cities, the county only has a total population of 15,356 people in its 600 square miles. The largest city has a population of 2,279 residents. There are just two high schools in the entire county.

Stacy Lilienthal, a senior communication major at Bethany, is from Sibley County; she attended one of those high schools.

Compare the population statistics of Sibley County to the place Stacy Lilienthal called home for four months during the 6

spring of 2005. New York City, in its 309 square miles is home to over eight million people. Twenty-two million residents call

the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area home. Talk about polar opposites!

What would a rural girl like Stacy want in a metropolis like New York City?

Opportunity. That about sums it up for Stacy. She participated in an internship program that Bethany studio director, Chris Johnson, suggested she consider.

“Mom was a little skeptical,” said Lilienthal. “But after Chris explained the benefits, I was ready to go and my mom was convinced it would be OK.” The program, run by Marist University, accepts between twelve and fifteen students each semester and places them as interns at some of the biggest news media outlets in the world, and in Lilienthal’s case in what is arguably one of the most important cities in the world.

Stacy explained it in an interview after she came back from New York: “In the news business, it’s very important to have the right names as references on your résumé.”

And that is exactly what she accomplished by earning the right to put some of the top producers’ names from the television news program 48 Hours on hers. Stacy interned at 48 Hours during her four-month stay in New York.

Her job was front line all the way. She set up interviews with individuals about potential story ideas. “Sometimes the people I had to talk with didn’t want anything to do with a television program.” said Lilienthal. The stories she investigated, in several instances, were about tough topics such as mysterious events surrounding a death or other emotional situations. After investigating a potential story, Lilienthal then had the sometimes-tougher job of pitching the story to senior producers at 48 Hours.

The days were long at times. Lilienthal worked many days for nearly twelve hours.

But it was all in the name of learning and making contacts in a business that can be tough to get a break in.

“Bethany’s Communication program, Success continued on page 7 report | summer 2005

Success continued from page 6

and the opportunities it creates, was very helpful in getting my foot in the door.” said Lilienthal.

Lilienthal has been involved with various aspects of the communication program during here three years at Bethany. She is a member of the speech team, has appeared as an anchor and reporter on various news shows originating in the Bethany studio, and has even learned to operate the cameras in the studio and during on-location shots. She has also worked for KEYC, the CBS affiliate in Mankato, and interned at KMSP/FOX 9 in Minneapolis during the summer months.

Lilienthal’s story might be one of the more interesting among Bethany communication majors, but there are several others in the program or who have graduated that are finding success in various television and film-related fields. Simon Schmitt (’03) accepted a position with North by Northwest Productions in the state of Washington. He worked as an assistant to the Director of Photography on the feature film, End Game. Greg Vandermause (’05) was recently hired by KEYC as an engineer and joins Sarah Denn (’04) who also works there in Traffic and Promotions. Matthew Wiechmann (’03) accepted a position with an advertising firm in Duluth, Minn. Julie Meilner (’04) is employed with Mediacom in Des Moines, Iowa as a production assistant on their sportscasts. Matt Levorson (’04) started a private video production business in Albert Lea, Minn.

Making connections is important in many careers and professions, but maybe even more so in a competitive field such as the communication industry. But the experience Bethany students receive, not only during internships, but also in the college’s state-of-the-art studio, goes a long way in getting your foot in the door and beginning to make those all-important contacts.

For more information about the Bethany communication major, log on to www.blc.edu/majors/communication.

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

campus news

Reverend Milton Tweit called to his eternal home

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

B

ethany Lutheran College lost a dear friend and a committed and faithful servant on June 22, 2005. The Reverend Milton E. Tweit passed away at the age of 96 years. Pastor Tweit had been an elected and advisory member of the Bethany Lutheran College Board of Regents for over fifty years. After stepping down as chair, he served as an advisory member of the board until his death. Only recently was he unable to attend meetings due to his declining health.

Pastor Tweit was a humble man. I’d suspect he would rather I not write about him in this publication. The glory always belonged to the Lord with Pastor Tweit. And the Lord was always the guide for him. Pastor Tweit didn’t control a conversation. He was a great listener and communicator. He recalled so much, and I believe it was his ability to listen and recall that made Pastor Tweit a respected communicator. When Pastor Tweit had something to say, it was always well thought out and was a source of wisdom and strength for those with whom he worked.

Bethany Lutheran College President Emeritus Marvin Meyer worked extensively with Pastor Tweit. Meyer recalls being interviewed by the Board of Regents prior to becoming the college president. “I’d just had knee surgery and was on crutches and I was very nervous about interviewing before the whole board,” said Meyer. “I’d never been through a job interview in my life and now I was interviewing to be president.

Pastor Tweit could sense my nervousness and he did everything he could to make me feel comfortable coming before the board.”

Pastor Tweit worked tirelessly for his Lord and for Bethany Lutheran College.

His support for Bethany occurred on many levels. His service to the college speaks for itself, he supported the school through financial gifts, and according to Meyer, he was a excellent recruiter for the school. “No matter where he was serving, you could always expect that we would have students from his congregations,” said Meyer “He had a special ability to send us students.”

Perhaps the most important contribution that Pastor Tweit gave to Bethany was his life-long service. “His fifty years of service are something that very few people can or will do for an institution.

And that was extremely important for an institution like Bethany,” said Meyer. “A strong church-related institution really needs continuity and leadership that doesn’t waver.”

Meyer added, “I am sure that any accolades were something that he wouldn’t be interested in being part of, but the Lord blessed Milton Tweit with many gifts and I am thankful that he shared them with Bethany Lutheran College.”

An obituary for Rev. Milton E. Tweit appears in the memorials on page 15.

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academics

in the

business

of serving others

By Janet Moldstad, Ph.D. Business Administration

Aleta Mueller

2004 Bethany Graduate WedVenture - A division of the Taylor Corporation, Mankato

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Krista (Merseth) Petzel 2002 Bethany Graduate James R. Weir Insurance Mankato

D

r. Eric Woller did such an excellent job in the last issue of the Bethany Report describing the chemistry major at Bethany that I thought about asking him to write about the business administration major. I thought again. The discussion of chromatograph and mass spectrometer equipment did me in. While I, too, had the privilege of taking chemistry from Cynthia Weberg, I was ultimately led on a different path. I do not think it is a small coincidence my path included the privilege of learning economics from Professor Dean Shoop as a student.

Sarah (Madsen) Harstad

2004 Bethany Graduate RiverTown Greetings - A division of the Taylor Corporation, Mankato

Business continued on page 9

Pierre Sadaka

2004 Bethany Graduate Charlie’s Restaurant Mankato

Business continued from page 8

That path has given me the honor of now teaching as a colleague with Professor Shoop. My return to Bethany as a professor in 2000 coincided with the addition of business administration as the fourth major in Bethany’s transition to a baccalaureate institution. In some ways, life at Bethany is the same. The commitment of the faculty and staff to the saving Gospel message continues. In other ways, change is happening rapidly. Since my return, nine additional majors have been added, and we have graduated four business administration classes with BA degrees.

Our business graduates, as many Bethany alumni do, continue to keep in touch with us. Several graduates have stayed in Mankato serving both large and small businesses. Some serve family businesses, Photo by Steve Woit some have started their own businesses, Professor Dean Shoop talks with business administration major Jennifer Soost, who graduated last May. and others pursue graduate degrees. They are active in their communities and in their churches. We continually ask ourselves if including communications, economics, result of their internship experience. One we have prepared them well. As we hear ethics, statistics, computer applications, outstanding “real world” project students from our alumni, we are assured that, by marketing, management, and finance. completed was a marketing plan for the Beyond the core, students “From Home to Home Thrift Store” that the Grace of God, they are may cluster business and supports the Lutheran Home in Belle using their time, talent, and other electives into interest Plaine, Minn. treasure in service to others.

As we hear Looking forward, we continue to look areas that relate to finance, Emphasis on Christian marketing research, adver- for opportunities to enhance the business service has been important from our tising and public relations, administration program. The generous to the business administra- alumni, we are marketing management, gifts that support the Glen Taylor Endowed tion faculty. Often, we hear organizational development Chair for Business and Leadership have stories of the stereotypical, assured, that and human resources, general provided time to enhance the curriculum self-serving business person. by the Grace management, and leadership. through the Let’s Get Down to Business We have made a concerted of God, they Students can also work with speaker series, professional development effort to integrate a Christian an advisor to design elective opportunities for students, and field trips. view into Bethany’s business are using their clusters to fit their interest We look forward to continued growth and program in order to encour- time, talent, development of the program. and ability. age our students to view their and treasure Each day I walk onto campus I appreAnother important focus work in business as a form of in our business administra- ciate its beauty and am awestruck by its service to others. We believe in service to tion major is an experiential physical transformation. I am most thankthis emphasis makes the others. component. Students have ful, though, for Bethany’s continued Bethany business program the opportunity to complete commitment to a Christ-centered educaunique, and strive daily to an internship, or to complete tion in the midst of its development. I pray keep it at the forefront of a practicum where they may work on that my business administration colleagues what we teach.

We also consider rigor in the classroom “real world” projects for external organi- and I can continue to faithfully serve fundamental. Our business program zations. Many of our students have been Bethany’s educational mission through consists of an interdisciplinary core offered full time jobs upon graduation as a our program.

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

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athletics

Athletic teams adjust to life in UMAC

By Adam Holtz Assistant Sports Information Director

Baseball team competitive

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he 2005 season was one of change for the Bethany Lutheran College baseball team. For the first time, upperclassmen suited up to take to the field, and unfamiliar opponents from the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) could be seen in the visitors’ dugout. This year’s 12-26 record also is a change for a program that was no stranger to championships as a junior college, but the Vikings were a very competitive team in 2005. The outcome of many contests was uncertain even in the final inning.

“The UMAC was a perfect fit for us,” said head coach Ryan Kragh of Bethany’s first season as a member, in which the Vikings finished 8-13. “We were competitive in almost every conference game this year. There are some established teams in the UMAC, so it’s exciting to know that we can compete each year for the championship.”

The final game of the season, a nonconference matchup against Minnesota State University, Mankato, was billed as a “battle of the Mankato schools.” Fans of both schools turned out for a game under the lights. “There were around 750 people at the game,” Kragh recalled. “There were 250 kids there for a clinic before the game; the whole thing was great for the community of Mankato and for Bethany. We are already planning on doing it next year and making it an even bigger event in the future.”

Seven different Vikings were honored with post-season awards. Senior Andy Stolt and junior Jake Krier were named to the All-UMAC First Team. Juniors K.C. Johnson and Josh Anderson were Second-Team All-Conference selections, as well as being named to the National Christian College Athletic Association

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Photo by SportPix

Junior Luis Berrospid was named UMAC Academic All-Conference for this season.

All-Region team along with Krier. Freshmen Tyler Carlson and Ben Rubenking were All-UMAC Honorable Mention and junior Seth Hueckman was named to the Academic All-Conference team.

Kragh can’t hide his optimism about the future. “I think the outlook is great; we have a lot of players coming back next year and our recruits should be strong. It’ll be enjoyable to have our student-athletes on campus for four years now instead of two.”

Valiant year for softball The Bethany Lutheran College softball team found 2005 to be a season of obstacles and challenges. But the players didn’t let a 3-25 record overshadow the enthusiasm of new experiences. Competing in the UMAC meant seeing a number of new, unfamiliar opponents.

“The level of competition [in the UMAC] was high this season,” said fourth-year head coach Tina Hopp, “but it was very even and made for a competitive season.” Many of the conference games were very close; a number of contests were not decided until the last inning. “Our players never backed down,” Hopp said. “They kept opponents

from getting too comfortable by battling back in every game.”

A high point in the season came in the second game of a doubleheader against the University of Minnesota-Morris. Coming to the bottom half of the fifth inning, Bethany found itself trailing by eight runs.

But the Vikings rallied over the last three innings and pulled out the victory.

“That game was a testament to how far this team had come from the beginning of the year,” said Hopp. “It brought together many of the things that we had worked on all season.”

Another exciting moment came in April, with the first-annual Bethany Softball Alumnae Game, which received a strong response. “The event was very successful,” Hopp recalled. “Everyone—the players, alumnae, and fans—had a great time, and we plan on continuing the tradition every year.”

Three Viking players were recognized for their efforts both on the field and in the classroom. Junior Jill Yost was named a UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention selection. In addition, Yost, Sports continued on page 11 report | summer 2005

campus news

Rare concordance presented to Bethany library

By Thomas Kuster, Ph.D.

Measuring about seventeen by eleven inches, the book weighs seventeen pounds.

Pages are not numbered, but the five-inch thick volume remains in good condition for a book made of what Kuster described as “the type of paper that bookworms eat.”

Kuster found the Concordance useful in his pastoral scholarship, especially when he was preparing his essay on “Luther and

the Word of God,” delivered at the 1964 convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. When asked how he imagined the book might still be useful to Bethany students, he replied that “every learned person, doing research in theology, should know how a book like this operates.” He observed that a student could learn a great deal of church history and theology by exploring not only the book’s contents, but also its sponsorship by the nobility of the time, its origins in the German university system, and its manner of publication. “It’s awesome,” he added, “how they could produce a book like this without modern indexing systems. What must their system have been like? Then imagine the typesetting by hand in German, Greek, and Hebrew, and the printing process, pressing each page. Think of the number of people who worked on this book.”

The Lankisch Concordance will enter its fourth century resting in the climatecontrolled confines of the Bethany Memorial Library’s rare book room.

Rachel Mellon led the women’s team with a 4-6 singles record. Mellon played no. 1 or no. 2 singles all year, as well as teaming up with Ashley Schmidt to play no. 2 doubles, going 4-5 together. Other singles winners during the year included Schmidt, Diana Naatz, and Karina Harstad, who each won twice during the year, and Megan Paggi, who prevailed once. In addition, Harstad teamed with Chelsie Bengtson to play no.

3 doubles, winning twice together during the season.

On the men’s side, Blake Nelson led the way with a 4-7 singles record, while Tim Sheehan and Luis Berrospid went 3-6 in doubles play. Additionally, Sheehan, Tyler Freyberg, Ryan Latterman, and Brandon Londgren were each victorious once in singles play. Freyberg teamed with Latter-

man and Londgren with Nelson in doubles play for one win each.

“We’re really close to competing with any school in the conference,” said tennis coach Adie Harstad. “Both the men and women are only a player or two away.”

Rachel Mellon was named to the UMAC All-Conference Team, and Junior Luis Berrospid was named UMAC Academic All-Conference.

The future is bright for both Viking tennis teams. “I like Bethany’s prospects in UMAC next year,” said Harstad. “It will be great to have our athletes playing for four years. Experience means a lot—especially in close matches—and our veteran players all won some impressive matches this year. We proved in 2005 that no one can assume an easy victory over Bethany.”

Communication

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he Bethany Lutheran College and Seminary rare book collection became a bit heavier with the donation by Pastor Emeritus Arnold Kuster of a three century old volume from his library. The Lankisch Concordance, published in 1705, is an accounting of all the individual words when and where they occur in Luther’s German translation of the Bible.

Pastor Kuster, who recently celebrated his 93rd birthday, acquired the book in 1932 while a student at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo. Students there regularly held auctions to re-circulate theological books sent them by retiring pastors, and Kuster picked up the Concordance for one dollar—not a trivial amount for a student to spend at that time. He doesn’t know to who it belonged before. Having been the volume’s custodian for about one fourth of its existence, he believes its 300th birthday year is an ideal time to pass it on to others who will appreciate and care for it.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Kuster

Pastor Emeritus Arnold Kuster (right) and his son, Dr. Thomas Kuster, with the Lankisch Concordance.

Sports continued from page 10

Renee Tatge, and Katie Wiechmann were all named to the UMAC Academic AllConference Team.

Hopp is very excited about the future.

“The outlook is bright. Having a strong core of returning players will help us build on what we learned this year and make us a formidable opponent in the conference in 2006.”

Tennis players hang tough For the Bethany tennis teams, the 2005 season was one of challenges. Not only was it the school’s first year as a fouryear program, it was also the first year of competition in the UMAC. While both teams struggled to records of 0-8 on the season, each Viking player was always a tough match for his or her opponent. education that lasts beyond a lifetime

11

alumni profile: Blaine Thomas, Class of ’97

Meteorology forecasted for Thomas

By Lance Schwartz Director of Marketing and Public Relations

B

laine Thomas is a 1997 graduate of Bethany Lutheran College. He is a meteorologist at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

When did you acquire an interest in meteorology?

Interest in the weather was instilled in me at a young age. The full moon drew my attention to the skies when I was a toddler, though I was not the biggest fan of that glowing orb in the night sky. The pattern of the craters seemed to make the moon look like a scary face! (Take a close look and use your imagination a bit…it seems the moon has two big eyes, a nose, and a mouth in an “O” shape.) I was also quite afraid of thunderstorms. Many times I snuck downstairs and slept on the floor beside (or even under) my parents’ bed during nights with storms in the area (my parents had many close calls of nearly stepping on me in the morning). My fear started to turn more to fascination around age seven. One of my favorite activities was following the progression of storms by reading severe weather warnings from the crawl at the bottom of the TV screen and tracing the storm tracks on a map. After cable TV was hooked up in our house, I took every opportunity to watch to The Weather Channel. By the sixth grade, I was convinced that I wanted to pursue meteorology as a career. A child-like wonder about the weather remains engrained in me today.

Where did you go to school after Bethany?

I earned a bachelor’s of science degree at St. Cloud State University in May 2000, graduating with a major in meteorology and a minor in geography. I then went to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a master’s

12

Blaine Thomas at White Sands Missile Range.

of science degree in atmospheric and oceanic sciences in August 2004. I made the move south to Las Cruces, N.Mex. in January 2005, leaving the snow and bitter cold behind for the high desert. I’m still adjusting to the big change in culture and climate, but I’m finding this area to be a surprisingly pleasant place to live (minus the persistent summer heat).

You’re at White Sands Missile Range— a pretty big piece of real estate at 3200 or so square miles. Does the size of the piece of land and the terrain pose any difficulties for you?

The weather conditions can vary substantially over this expansive range.

Satellite and radar imagery, surface observations, wind data from weather balloon launches, and output from weather prediction models allow the forecasters at White Sands to keep pretty good tabs on the weather on the range. Terrain effects make weather forecasting at White Sands quite a challenge. Much of the missile range is located in a basin flanked by mountain ranges on the west and east with peaks three to six thousand feet above the basin floor. From late autumn through the spring, the mountain peaks and slopes are notoriously windy as the terrain can enhance airflow over the mountains given the right conditions. Snowfall occurs in the basin on occasion (seasonal snowfall average is 6-8 inches), with wintry conditions

much more prevalent at higher elevations.

The terrain also has a significant impact on thunderstorm development during the summer. Strong heating and sufficient moisture lead to thunderstorm formation over the mountains on the periphery of the range almost daily from early July to early September. The tricky part of the forecast is determining whether these thunderstorms will survive when they move into the basin.

Given the terrain and the usually parched soil, flash flooding is a big concern.

Most of us are familiar with TV meteorologists, but I would guess that most meteorologists never make it to the airwaves. What is a typical day for you, a non-media meteorologist?

Only about 10-15% of the approximately 8,000 meteorologists in the United States work in broadcast media. The Federal government is the single largest employer of meteorologists (about 3,000), most of who work in the National Weather Service, civilian Department of Defense positions, or research centers. Commercial weather service companies that sell meteorological products or services to third parties such as agricultural firms, transportation agencies, special events organizers, and broadcast and print media are employing a growing number of meteorologists. Many airlines, energy companies, air quality agencies, and insurance firms have meteorologists on their staffs.

My work schedule is unique compared to that of the majority of operational meteorologists (i.e., weather forecasters). Most weather facilities involved in forecasting tasks operate around the clock, seven days a week. Jobs in these facilities often involve night, weekend, and holiday work, often with rotating shifts. At White Sands, forecasters generally work a nine-hour shift Monday-Friday (with every other Friday Thomas continued on page 13 report | summer 2005

alumni news Thomas continued from page 12

off) that starts between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Occasionally an early morning or late afternoon shift is needed to cover mission support requirements. Weekend and overnight shifts are rare, and no one works on Federal holidays. For a weather forecaster, the schedule I work under could not be better.

Would you consider a radio or TV job?

No. Broadcast meteorology generally is not a good fit for heavy-duty science types like myself. The profession is much more entertainment than meteorology in many broadcast markets. My interests have always been geared more towards research and hard-core science.

Job security is tenuous at best; if your contract is near expiration and better talent is in the applicant pool, ratings are down, or the news director simply does not like you, you might be looking for another job soon. Interestingly, only about half of weather broadcast positions in the United States are held by degreed meteorologists. Most TV news directors are more concerned with looks and presentation skills than knowledge of meteorology.

Meteorologists get thanked for the nice weather and blamed for the bad stuff. Can you really do something about the weather?

I’ll be happy to take compliments for beautiful weather, even though it is none of my doing. Remember, I’m just the messenger. Quoting one of my meteorology professors at St. Cloud State: “As far as the weather goes, I’m only in public relations. If you have a complaint, you can register it with the party responsible this weekend at your local house of worship.”

For the complete interview, go to www.blc.edu/bethanyreport. education that lasts beyond a lifetime

alumni

news 1962 Judith (Maginnis) Kuster was promoted to full Professor in the Communication Disorders program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her work, especially for the community of people who stutter, is known internationally through her Web site, stutteringhomepage.com, and through her hosting of seven annual International Stuttering Awareness Day Online Conferences, which this year drew participation from people in eighty-six nations.

1963

(9), and Josiah (7) attended the public schools and were immersed in German language and culture. He was installed in January 2005 as Associate Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Francis, Minnesota. He would love to hear from Bethany friends at jjmaxfield@earthlink.net Tamara (Hoff ) Grandstrand lives in Dayton, Minnesota, with her husband Brad and their three children: Stuart (14), Mitchell (6), and Katelyn (3). Tamara is an administrative assistant at NorthRidge Fellowship in Rogers, Minnesota.

1985 Carl Tulee was married to Annette Norfleet on June 4, 2005.

1988

1979

Lisa (Roning) Boelke and her husband, Joel, recently celebrated their thirteenth anniversary. They have one daughter, Lydia, who is six. They invite their friends venturing to New Ulm, Minnesota, to stop by.

Jim Schol thanks all those “dear friends” who contacted him after his recent submis-

1990

Karen (Koenig) Baxter and her husband John have retired and are pleased to announce the birth of their first granddaughter in April, 2005.

sion for the Report. Jim continues to enjoy hunting and fishing in Alaska. The photo shows Jim with an elk he shot while celebrating his 45th birthday.

1983 John Maxfield received a Ph.D. in church history in May 2004 from Princeton Theological Seminary. He concentrated in Luther and Reformation Studies.

He also spent eleven months (August 2003 to July 2004) in Germany in the hometown of his wife’s (Jennifer) grandmother, where children: Seth (13), Katie (11), Christian

Jennifer (Mattson) Wegner is an administrative specialist at Tastefully Simple located in Alexandria, Minn. She has been married five years to Bob. She enjoys fishing and watching NASCAR with her husband. The couple had a dream vacation this year, attending the Daytona 500. She enjoys spending time with her family and especially her goddaughter Sydney Rae and nephew John.

1991 Brian Ketel and his wife Mary announce the birth of their first child, Rachel Wanita Ketel, born on January 12, 2005.

The Ketels reside in Blaine, Minnesota.

13

alumni news Lori (Brammeier) Bierman earned a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University in human development, child and family studies. She has been married to Patrick Bierman since 1995. The couple has two children and lives in Mandan, North Dakota, where Pat is a veterinarian and Lori is a teacher’s aide.

1994 Kelly Behnke was married to Gary Schleper on November 20, 2004, in the

of Homeland Security. He is currently serving in the U.S. Navy as a meteorologist.

a company located in Sussex, Wisconsin and Julie continues the struggle with her health, including recovery from her fifth heart surgery in February 2005. Eric and Julie bought their first home in Jefferson, Wisconsin, in July 2005.

1997

Jordan (Minnesota) High School gymnasium where Kelly and Gary first met . The wedding party of twenty included Bethany alumnae, Gail (Kamrath) Carbonaro and Bonnie (Raddant) Fahning. Kelly teaches health at Jordan Public Schools and Gary is a salesman for a sporting goods company in the Twin Cities.

Shanna (Niles) married Darin Eastvold in 2001. The have one child, Derek, who was born in 2004. Shanna works at North Iowa Community High School and Darin is an estimator with Mankato Kasota Stone. The family makes its home in Bricelyn, Minnesota.

Jesse Kauffeld was married in 2001 to Jodi Winger. The couple has four children

Jeff Olberding is a business advisor with UBS Group. He lives in Shakopee, Minnesota, with his wife, Erin.

1995

1996

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Tacie Schwartz graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies.

She is employed by Committee Against Domestic Abuse as a family advocate. Her daughter, Lily Jean, was born December 12, 2004 weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 19-1/2 inches long.

1998 J. Michael Burkhardt is living in Portland, Oregon. He works with Bally Total Fitness as a general manager.

Iver Gullixson received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and has completed two years of graduate study in educational leadership at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He married Amanda Wirig on July 24, 2004. The couple resides in North Mankato, Minnesota.

Justin Riesop is married and living in Riverside, Calif., where he teaches grades 4-6 and serves as a principal of a small private school.

Stacy (Trepanier) Gearou is currently working at Thomson West in Eagan, Minnesota, after a four-year absence. She has a 1½ year-old son named Lukas.

Julie M. Woodhouse was married Eric W. Sapp on April 16th, 2005, at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oregon, Wisconsin. Rev. Glen Hellwig and Rev. John Moldstad Sr. (’50) officiated the ceremony. Bethany alumna Dana (Spatz ’97) Remien was a member of the wedding party. Wedding pictures can be seen at www.natural-faces.net/woodhouse41605. htm. Eric is a concrete pump operator for

Jennifer (Oftedahl) Overland has been married to her husband, Scott, since 1998.

They have two children: Brenden (7) and Kailey (3). Jennifer is a labor and delivery nurse at Immanuel-St. Joseph’s Hospital in Mankato and the family resides in Waseca, Minnesota.

and is expecting their fifth. Jesse continues to teach self defense and is a counselor in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He would enjoy hearing from Bethany friends at shalom@thedoghousemail.com Eric Loge graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and worked as a Federal Agent for the U.S. Department

Darin and Jessica (Hultgren) Grewe announce the birth of their daughter, Isabella Gretchen, born March 8, 2005, in Rochester, Minnesota.

1999 Scott and Stephanie (Walker) Pedersen live in Hancock, Minnesota and have report | summer 2005

alumni news twenty-month old daughter named Ella.

Scott works at Prairie Correctional Facility and Stephanie teaches in Cyrus, Minn.

2000 Clare Anderson is currently attending AIB College of Business in Des Moines, Iowa, to become a court reporter. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2003.

2001 In April, Ethan Bryant graduated Officer Training School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. He is on military leave from Northwest Airlines, where he is an Aircrew Training Instructor. Following USAF pilot training at Laughlin AFB, Texas, and qualification in the C-130 Hercules, he and his wife Amy (Schmeling) and son Cole will return to the Twin Cities, where he will work for Northwest and fly for the 96th Airlift Squadron in Minneapolis.

Mark Davidson has been promoted to accountant for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Mark can be reached at mkdavidson78@yahoo.com.

2002 Charis Carmichael and Andrew Braun (’99) were joined in marriage on May 5, 2005, at the historic Dayton House in Worthington, Minnesota, Participating Bethany alumni were: Jon Loging (’01) as best man; Mark and Janelle Speerschneider (’99) as florists; and choir members Raelene and Jon Kovaciny (’01), Abby (’03) and Jon Marozick (’96), and Joe (’01) and Nicole Becker (’04). Pastor

education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Don Moldstad (’78) chanted the liturgy.

Working with the Brown County Historical Society, Charis’ highly-anticipated book, “Marking Time: an Illustrated Guide to Brown County’s Sites of Historical Interest” will be published soon. There are over 130 sites in her home county—77 in New Ulm alone! She continues to enjoy giving tours at Schell’s Brewery in New Ulm. Andrew works with Terrasol (owner Bethany alumnus Mark Johnson ’72) in St. Peter. He uses historical building techniques to restore and renovate old log cabins and timber frame homes, sometimes traveling twelve hours away from home.

Charis has been accepted to attend graduate school at the New York Academy of Art, and she and Andrew will be moving to the Big Apple soon. You can reach them at andrew5charis@yahoo.com.

Aaron Ferkenstad loves the weather where he lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Currently he is supervisor of member service center operations at a branch of Navy Federal Credit Union. After lots of work and many delays, his congregation is about to start moving earth for a new building, scheduled to be completed in July 2006. He is still playing organ for church, is treasurer of the congregation, teaches a high school Sunday School class, and has organized/directed both the high school youth group and the young adult group at his church.

2003 Jeremy Jacob and Jennifer Laue were married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Ceylon, Minnesota, on Saturday, July 31, 2004. Bethany alumni involved in the wedding included: maid of honor Traci Wiederhoeft (’04); bridesmaid Janelle (Merschman ’99) Speerschneider; groomsmen Nathan Raabe (’02), Nathaniel Becker (’02), Nathan Beilke (’03), and current BLC student John Meilner; flutist Julie Meilner (’04); and personal attendant Christine (Marozick ’03) Agenten. Jeremy is currently

employed at the Harry Meyering Center in Mankato and Jennifer at Immanuel-St. Joseph’s Hospital, Mankato.

in memoriam Rev. Milton Elmo Tweit, age 96, of Mankato, died Wednesday, June 22, 2005.

Pastor Tweit was born on December 4, 1908 in Glenwood, Minn., the fifth of seven children of Bernt and Mabel (Anderson) Tweit. He was baptized at Chippewa Falls Lutheran Church in Terrace, Minn.,

by Rev. Christian Bale and confirmed in the same church by Rev. Anton Belgum.

He graduated from Concordia Lutheran Academy and Junior College in St. Paul.

He attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., and graduated in 1935. On October 11, 1936, he was ordained into the public ministry by Rev. Norman A. Madson, Sr. During his minisitry he served at Our Savior’s, Princeton, Minn.; Norseland and Norwegian Grove, St. Peter, Minn.; Saude and Jerico Lawler, Iowa; Bethany and Rose Dell Trinity, Luverne, Minn.; and East and West Paint Creek, Waterville, Iowa. Tweit served as President and Vice President of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS).

He was a member of the Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran College and Seminary for 52 years. He married Delphine Sonstegard on October 23, 1937. She was killed in an automobile accident on May 30, 1961. They were the parents of six children. Milton was married to Dagny Dale on October 21, 1962.

Tweit is survived by his six children: sons, David (Louise) Tweit of Gibbon, Minn.; Paul (Mary Jane) Tweit of Mankato, Minn.; Jonathan (Dawn) Tweit of Asheville, N.C.; daughters Naomi (Dennis) Natvig of Pine River, Minn.; Ruth (Robert) Smith of Pine River, Minn., Elizabeth (Arthur) Silverstein of San Diego, Calif.; 17 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; one step grandchild; two step-great-grandchildren; brother, Arvid (Marjorie) Tweit of Norwalk, Calif.; nieces and nephews.

15

address service requested

Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Minneapolis, MN PERMIT No. 4656

700 Luther Drive Mankato, Minnesota 56001-6163 education that lasts beyond a lifetime

Calendar of Events

Bethany

fall festival

september 10 Women’s/Men’s Soccer vs. Mount Marty Yankton, S. Dak., 1/3 p.m.

11 Women’s/Men’s Soccer @ Briar Cliff Sioux City, Iowa, 1/3 p.m 15 Art Lecture by Chad Lindemann YFAC, 7 p.m.

16 Volleyball BLC Triangular SFC, 5 p.m.

16 Women’s/Men’s Soccer @ Trinity Christian Palos Heights, Ill., 5/7 p.m.

17 Women’s/Men’s Soccer @ Judson Elgin, Ill., 12/2 p.m.

17 Volleyball BLC Triangular SFC, 1 p.m.

19 Women’s/Men’s Soccer vs.

North Central, 5/7 p.m.

20 PLUM #1 Debate Tournament, 2 p.m.

21 Women’s/Men’s Soccer @ Waldorf Forest City, Iowa, 2/4 p.m.

21 Volleyball @ Buena Vista Storm Lake, Iowa, 7 p.m.

23-25 Fall Festival/Alumni Reunion 23 Volleyball UMAC Weekend New Ulm, Minn., 3 p.m.

23 Theatre Physics Performances YFAC Theater, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

24 Third Annual Arts on the Green Festival 11 a.m.

24 Women’s/Men’s Soccer vs.

Presentation, 12/2 p.m.

26 National Auxiliary Day 27 Women’s Soccer vs.

Martin Luther, 5/7 p.m.

29 Women’s Soccer vs. Cornell, 3 p.m.

29 Art Lecture by Andrew Overn YFAC Theater, 7 p.m.

30 Volleyball UMAC Weekend Morris, Minn., 7 p.m.

october 1 Women’s/Men’s Soccer @ Crown St. Bonifacius, Minn., 12/2 p.m.

J

oin us during the weekend of September 23, 24, 25, 2005, for the Bethany Fall Festival. Many events will take place during the Fall Festival including Family Weekend and Alumni Reunions (those alumni who graduated in a calendar year ending in a “0” or “5” will celebrate) and all alumni are invited to be part of the weekend. Those attending will enjoy great events like Arts on the Green and Theatre Physics. Soccer and Volleyball matches will be played. A recital featuring alumni and current students will be held in Trinity Chapel. Campus tours, movies, music, ice cream social, and a bonfire are also scheduled. Bethany Choir Alumni are invited to be a part of a choir that will sing traditional Bethany favorites during Sunday morning worship services.

There will be something for all ages. Come for a day or come for the weekend—you’ll have a great time and will enjoy being back at Bethany during a special time of year. We’ll see you in September for a weekend full of memories and fun.

Register online at www.blc.edu/fallfestival or call 507.344.7427 to request a registration form.

Lutefisk Supper October 13, 2005 | Bethany Dining Center Tickets may be purchased at the door

For more calendar events, visit: www.blc.edu

Key: SFC – Sports and Fitness Center; YFAC – Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center. Dates and times are subject to possible changes.

Please call in advance to confirm dates and times of events before traveling: 800.944.3066 or 507.344.7000.

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