The Woman Today Feb/Mar 2016

Reflections Reflections

Beginnings . . . 2016 is really a game-changer on so many fronts: globally, nationally, locally, and even for all of us at The Woman Today

The election season is ramping up for the presidency with all of the hoopla, controversy, and endless political analysis on the national scene. Locally, however, with the race for mayor in our rearview mirrors, we look ahead with anticipation to a new chapter and new leadership.

Emily Larson has taken office and is hitting the ground running. She stopped long enough in “mile one” of the marathon that is now starting for her to chat over a cup of tea about her life, her family, and her high hopes for Duluth’s future.

A new year always means personal resolutions as well. Go Red for Women challenges all women to think heart healthy. Kristen Ryan is a living testament to the fact that any woman can suffer a heart attack.

Ryan, who is now the chairperson for the area Go Red campaign, relates her personal journey from a near death experience to inspiring others to take responsibility for their own health and well-being.

Sticking with the health theme, meet Annie Call who is waging her own local wellness campaign at her Fit Lab where she teaches yoga. Also read about what else is new in the Zen world of yoga and how it can be a beneficial activity for people of all ages and fitness levels.

If the winter doldrums have taken up residence in your home, why not get out for a little retail therapy? I love talking with the

store owners in the Historic Arts and Theater District (HART) who have started a renaissance of exciting one-of-a-kind shops in the corridor around the long-awaited NorShor Theater. Find everything from funky fashion to gorgeous works of art in glass, from great meals to exciting theater, in this unique shopping, dining, and entertainment zone.

With 2016 underway, we have some big news from the Page Me Publications umbrella to report as well. As Forum Communications takes over as owners of The Woman Today, Moms & Dads Today, and Duluth Superior Living, I am very happy to welcome Neal Ronquist, Group Publisher, and Renae Ronquist, our new graphic designer for The Woman Today, to our magazine family.

I also want to wish Pat and Glenda Sherman, our former owner/publishers, the happiest of retirements! Working with them for 18 out of their 19 years in the magazine business has been a distinct honor for me.

To our readers, you can expect magazines of the same high quality and the same dedication from the staff as before to tell great stories and feature wonderful area businesses. We are looking at this as a time to reaffirm what has been the heart and soul of The Woman Today in the past and to promise to make it better and fresher going forward!

Happy 2016 everyone! Here we go!

Sheryl Jensen, Managing Editor

Neal Ronquist

PUBLISHER

Tracy Mangan

the Woman today®

GENERAL MANAGER

ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE

GROUP PUBLISHER

Neal Ronquist

Stewart Hunter EDITOR

PUBLISHER

Nan Wisherd

Dee Munson

COPY EDITOR

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Nan Wisherd

Ali Comnick

PRODUCTION • GRAPHIC DESIGN

Welcome to the latest edition of The Woman Today magazine - and our first edition as the new owners.

MANAGING EDITOR

Glenda Sherman

Sheryl Jensen

PHOTOGRAPHY

COPY EDITOR

COVER PHOTO

Tracy Gilsvik

Three Irish Girls Photography

GRAPHIC DESIGN

INSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY

Renae Ronquist

On Dec. 3, Forum Communications Company of Fargo, owners of the Duluth News Tribune, announced the purchase of The Woman Today, Moms & Dads Today, and Duluth Superior Living magazines from Patrick and Glenda Sherman.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Derek Montgomery Photography, Three Irish Girls Photography, Robert Peters, Mary Rasch Photography

FRONT COVER

David Ballard Photography

CONTRIBUTORS

We’re proud and excited to be the new stewards of these excellent publications the Shermans started 19 years ago. We are thankful for the opportunity and eager to build upon these highly successful magazines.

INSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY

Kristina Bourne, Jessica Hehir, Angela Jones, Susan Peters, Mary Rasch, Alison Stucke, Connie Wirta

SALES

Stewart Hunter — 218-722-5998

Studio One JoAnn Jardine, David Ballard Photography, Alan Johnson Photography, LaCoursiere Photography, Bailey Aro Photography, Sternberg Studios, Shawna Vine Photography, Jeff Frey & Associates, Divine Living Space, Katie Marie

stew@momsanddadstoday.com

The Woman Today® publication does not necessarily endorse or agree with the content of articles, photography or advertising presented.

The magazines have become an anticipated guest in many locals’ homes, arriving each month with a new batch of uplifting stories about the unique and talented individuals working and living in the region. We’re committed to continuing the passionate storytelling, the powerful photography, and the exciting design.

So, while the magazines may have new owners, the content and quality you’re accustomed to will remain. We appreciate you welcoming us into your homes and allowing us the opportunity to inform and entertain.

Neal Ronquist Group Publisher

©2016

dee@thewomantoday.com

(218) 428-2929

ali@thewomantoday.com

Emily Larson Blazing Her Own Trail

by Sheryl Jensen

Onequestion that comes up frequently in interviews with Duluth’s new mayor Emily Larson is, “How are you possibly going to follow Don Ness and all he did for Duluth?”

Larson, however, is much more interested in the city’s next chapter, by establishing her unique path and leaving her indelible mark on a city that she so clearly loves. Being the first female mayor to be elected in the city’s over 150year history is an accomplishment that Emily is taking completely in stride.

Part of a message that she posted on her Facebook page the morning after winning the election says much about who she is and how she will govern. “Thank you, Duluth. For choosing an inclusive, city-wide vision which builds on our momentum while ensuring that all neighborhoods, and neighbors, are a part of it. Thank you for challenging me to be the kind of candidate and Mayor that Duluth deserves.”

While running for public office can often be a messy and frustrating endeavor, Emily says, “Politics is a place where you can make a difference. It shouldn’t just always be asking someone else to do what needs to be done.”

Family Influences

Emily grew up in St. Paul as the youngest of three children. Her parents divorced when she was just ten years old, and she lived in blended households after her mother and father remarried.

“My parents found ways to stay in a good relationship with one another. I learned how to get along in two households where there were different expectations and different rules,” she says.

She relates that both her parents were interested in public service and that their households were filled with people who liked to read, discuss, and

challenge each other. That spirit of lively discussion with intelligent people was an integral part of what Emily had influence her growing up.

Her mother is a poet and writer who inspired her with a love of words and appreciation for literature. Emily enjoys reading and says that trips to the Amazing Alonzo bookstore and to the Duluth Public Library for stacks of books are part of what bonds her own family.

Path to Duluth and Politics

On a family vacation, when Emily was a young girl, the family took the train to Duluth for a vacation. “I felt an emotional connection to the Lake right away and that has never left me,” she says.

After an offer of a generous tuition package from St. Scholastica, Emily was thrilled to be back to Duluth. “I fell in love with the city all over again,” she notes.

She earned her de gree in social work and then stayed here, working for twelve years with Churches United in Ministry (CHUM). “That job transformed my perspectives on life,” she acknowl edges. Working with families and homeless people at the drop-in center re vealed the humanity of all people, no matter their circumstances to her.

“I also learned the importance of listening — to be present to this person, need, and place, even in a life that seems to be in chaos,” she says.

Going back to earn her master’s degree in social work at UMD gave her

broader horizons about being a community organizer. This led to her looking to give back to the community in even bigger ways by running for the Duluth City Council.

After twenty years of living in Duluth, Emily wanted to bring her own perspective, as she describes it to “something positive and fresh to local politics and to the city council.” She was elected as a councilor at large in 2012 and became Duluth City Council President this past year.

Family First

Even with all her community and political involvement, it is clear Emily’s heart is with her family. Her husband, architect Doug Zaun, has been very supportive of all Emily’s endeavors. “He is my closest advisor,” she says.

Emily and Doug have two children, sons Gabe (15) and Eli (12). She says, “Our boys are so grounded and humble. I am very proud of them.”

The family lives in a modest hundred-year old-home in the Hillside with a commanding view of the lake.

“We are outdoor people,” she says. The family enjoys running, skiing, and snow boarding.

“I love public service with kids, and I have seen the impact that it has had on my own family. The problems in Duluth affect my family directly too. My kids read the newspaper and

Continued on page 10

photo by David Ballard Photography

stay up on events. They listen to speeches and really want to know what is going on around them,” she says.

Transitions to Leadership

“Politics is so local,” Emily notes. “Asking for someone’s vote is a very personal thing. I don’t take that for granted.”

Admitting she is glad the campaign is over, she is primed and ready to move into the job. “After going through a campaign, you get tired of yourself. I am ready to pull back now and go all in to work on plans for the city. The job is a marathon, and I am recalibrating to go the distance.”

Transitioning into the job after Don Ness’ popularity and successes is daunting, but Emily is ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work. She explains, “It is my goal, as I meet with the different groups, to listen, learn, ask questions,

and then step up to the plate and get things done. Mayor Ness has been so helpful in the interim to allow me access to staff and to meet with me to make the transition as smooth as it can be.”

A Legacy to Build

Emily didn’t hesitate when asked for a role model who inspires her. “Eleanor Roosevelt — she was smart and creative and found a way to have her own voice and to make a difference,” she says.

Emily’s plate is full already as she digs into a whole range of issues that are on the front burner. “I really want to focus on economic development and especially looking at how neighborhoods

are a big part of future prosperity. We also need to look at how we can empower the business community and then get out of their way.”

While relating a story of one of her door-to-door campaign visits, a few tears came to her eyes. She recalls a conversation with a father whose 8-year-old daughter had been listening as her father and Emily chatted. He got in touch later to tell Emily that his daughter, after Emily left, said to him, “Maybe someday when I grow up, I can be mayor too.”

This hit home for Emily, as also reflected in her Facebook post, “Thank you to generations of women leaders who have paved a path of leadership for all of us, for making a milestone of Mayor something that all people, including girls and women, can aspire to and achieve.” D

“It is my goal, as I meet with the different groups, to listen, learn, ask questions, and then step up to the plate and get things done.”

Dr. Luke Carlson

Dr. Brian Landrigan

Dr. Kirstin Carlson

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Nancy Borson

Carving Her Way Through Life

by Esther Piszczek

Nancy

Borson is a survivor. Tragedy has been her companion and starting over her way of life. Born in International Falls in 1940, she graduated from St. Olaf College with a chemistry degree in 1962. She met her husband Vern while working a summer job on the Gunflint Trail. “We loved to ski, hike, canoe; we were both woods people,” remembers Nancy.

They were married in July 1963 at the Wilderness Canoe Base, where they met. In 1965, their daughter Beret was born after Vern accepted a management job at the base, sixty miles from Grand Marais.

Living at the end of the Gunflint Trail, they weathered winters in a cabin without indoor plumbing or television. Their closest neighbor lived three miles away.

Wood Carving Becomes a Passion

During winters, Nancy used Vern’s lathe tools to carve signs and whimsical people out of scrap wood. “Winters were long. I always liked to dabble in the arts, so I started carving. Using a mallet and big chisels, I could only carve big things. I had no choice but to be creative because I had no instruction. It was a good way to start carving because I wasn’t restricted by conventions. I still like to carve that way,” she explains.

After their first son was stillborn, Vern and Nancy adopted Peter in 1968. Seven months later, after surviving a harrowing ride to Grand Marais while hem-

orrhaging, Nancy gave birth to Jim whose head had turned and miraculously blocked the bleeding from Nancy’s torn placenta, saving both their lives.

An Unexpected Loss

In 1978, the family moved to Grand Marais. Vern, who had suffered from depression, committed suicide in March 1980. “The world went completely black. We never saw it coming,” reflects Nancy.

Left with $50 and three children (ages 11-14), it took two long years for Nancy to notice the sunshine again. “In my black, black world, only one thing mat-

dren, Nancy suggested they build a cabin on a remote piece of land they’d bought before Vern’s death. The children agreed. For five years, with minimal help and no road access or electricity, they used a boat to haul lumber, tools, and gravel to the property across a half mile of open water. The 20'x 24' cabin with a loft is still standing.

“We still have it, we still use it, we still love it and it’s well built,” declares Nancy.

tered and that was raising the children. I was fortunate to land a job at the post office in 1982 so that I could support the family. I will be forever grateful for the help received from the community in Grand Marais.”

To stay engaged with her teenage chil-

In 1987, with her oldest child in Alaska and her sons leaving for school, Nancy knew it was time for a change. “I realized all the children were going to be gone. I needed to get so busy I couldn’t think. I knew I couldn’t stay in the house in Grand Marais alone,” says Nancy.

“Just thinking about wood carving would relax me. It’s wonderful to do something with my hands . . .”

photo by David Ballard Photography

A New Beginning

With her children’s blessing, Nancy pursued the career she put aside when she married. At 47, she enrolled in a Ph.D. program in biochemistry at the University of Minnesota Duluth and graduated seven years later.

“I admire [my kids] for understanding that Mom needed a life too. It was scary to give up a secure job. We sold the house to finance our educations. It was so hard for us to lock the door one last time knowing we’d never come home again.”

After graduation, Nancy worked as a professional associate of research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. For 17 years, she conducted immune system research working with physicians on clinical stud ies as a specialist in molecular biology concentrating on DNA and RNA.

Wood Carving Brings Solace

Fifteen years after she stopped carving, Nancy took a community education class in 1995 and joined the Rochester club of 150 members. “Just thinking about wood carving would relax me. It’s wonderful to do something with my hands,” says Nancy.

When Nancy retired in 2010, she moved to Duluth and assumed she would join the local carving club except, there was none. Undaunted, she set up a booth at the UMD farmer’s market, sold her carvings, and began a list of names. When the list hit 20, she called the first meeting of the Knotty Carvers of the North.

The club has been growing ever since and held its third annual carving show in November at the Proctor Area Community Center, where the club meets the first Saturday of every month from 9 am to noon.

“It’s not the life I predicted it would be. It’s been a ride. I’m grateful things have worked well,” concludes Nancy.

To learn more about the Knotty Carvers of the North visit knottycarvers.com. D

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Annie Call

Generation Xer Takes a U-Turn Towards Success

by Andrea Busche

Generation

Xers and the so-called “Millennials” are often labeled as lazy, entitled, and self-absorbed. Annie Call, however, stands in stark contrast to that reputation. As a business owner, entrepreneur, teacher, wife, mom, and step-mom, her life is a whirlwind of hard work.

At just 35 years old, Annie has accomplished more than many women twice her age. She is the owner of Cold Fusion located in downtown Duluth, where she promotes health and wellness products. She recently started the Fit Lab, directly upstairs from Cold Fusion, where she teaches Yoga classes. She also holds a certification as a personal trainer.

Focus and Ambition at a Young Age

Annie grew up in Twig until she was in 4th grade; she then moved to Duluth with her mom and brother Adam. She also has a step-brother, Kevin.

Throughout her childhood, Annie was a talented soccer player and later spent four years as a UMD hockey cheerleader. During college, she held several jobs: admissions telecounselor and tour guide for UMD, server at Old Chicago, and sales associate at the Vanity clothing store.

Annie graduated from UMD in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in community health education. The job market in her chosen field, however, was stalled when she graduated.

She says, “I graduated post 09/11. At that time, a lot of companies were cutting their wellness programs.” She needed a job, so she became a bank teller.

Annie knew she didn’t want to remain a bank teller, so it was around this time that she became an independent Herbalife distributor and wellness coach. She met with clients in her home and at local coffee shops, while visiting Cold Fusion nutrition clubs to learn the ins and outs of the business. She also became certified as a personal trainer and was hired at Anytime Fitness.

Stretching her Leadership Chops

Once she was promoted to trainer/manager, Annie really got the chance to demonstrate her capabilities as a leader. “At Anytime Fitness, I reported to a woman named Jinell Abernethy,

who really gave me the opportunity to discover what kind of leader I was. She gave me the chance to flourish.”

On her way up the ladder, Annie was pulling double-duty, working from 10 am – 7 pm at Anytime Fitness, and meeting with clients to discuss Herbalife products before and after work. Her efforts paid off: in 2008, she was able to quit her fulltime job to open the Superior Cold Fusion nutrition club, along with her brother Kevin and a friend.

Hard Times Clarified her Vision

Annie had a few bumps along the way, however: she married in 2008, and divorced in 2010, moving to Chaska. She moved back to Duluth six months later, ready to resume her career.

“After my divorce,” she says, “I redefined who I was and who I wanted to be. It was a period of self-discovery.”

In June 2015, Annie took over the Cold Fusion in downtown Duluth. “I know I was meant to do something bigger than work behind a desk or report to someone else,” she says with a hint of moxie.

Shortly thereafter, another opportunity presented itself when the wellness space located upstairs from Cold Fusion became vacant. Annie and her former business partner Lindsay had a vision, and Annie recalls thinking, “What if we created an en-

“I want to create an entire wellness community in Duluth and Superior, bringing the message of wellness to the area.”

photo by David Ballard Photography

tire wellness community?” They jumped at the chance, and opened Fit Lab, where Annie and her coaches offer fit camps and teach a variety of yoga classes, including Yoga Sculpt.

Marriage, Children, & Dogs!

In January 2012, Annie was reunited with an old acquaintance, Brandon Call, who works as the manager at the Mount Royal Bottle Shoppe. They had graduated from high school together, but hadn’t seen each other in years. Brandon proposed under the Eiffel Tower during one of Annie’s many business trips, and they married in August 2014.

Brandon has two children from a previous marriage: Peyton, 10 ½, and Taylor, 6. Annie and Brandon had another baby, Bentley, in 2012, making the Calls a family of five, or seven if you count the two dogs.

Between two booming careers, three children, and two dogs, life is incredibly busy for the Call family. Annie is grateful

for her “entourage” of people who help her grow her businesses. “I am happy to surround myself with people who possess the strengths that I don’t have,” she shares. “They push me into my greatness.”

Above all, family is the top priority for Annie. “My family comes first,” she says. “I built my businesses around my family’s schedule, setting strategic hours for myself so I can be a full-time, present mom. And, my husband is great; he is so integral for keeping our home in order.” Annie also takes pride in her volunteer work with the American Cancer Society, taking part in the Relay for Life every year.

Despite all of her success, Annie Call has no plans to slow down. “I have a huge responsibility to grow my businesses and continue to be better,” she says. “I want to create an entire wellness community in Duluth and Superior, bringing the message of wellness to the area.” D

Dan and Rita Myntti

Love, Hard Work, and a Bit of Good Luck

by Andrea Busche

Similarto a good investment, the decision to work hard and persevere can pay dividends for the rest of one’s life. Just ask Don and Rita Myntti. They recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary, and they love to reminisce about raising a large family and building successful careers. “While hard work has been crucial,” Rita says, “We are so fortunate to have had luck on our side all these years.”

At 92 and 88 years old, the Mynttis are the sweet elderly couple many of us strive to emulate. Both impeccably dressed, it is clear that Rita’s makeup and jewelry have been carefully selected. They still love to socialize and attend concerts and plays, and Don remains a member at the Kitchi Gammi Club. While Rita travels with what Don refers to her “chariot,” (a walker carrying her oxygen), both are otherwise in excellent health.

The Early Years

Rita was born and raised in Proctor. Her mother was from Montreal, and Rita and her three brothers grew up enjoying their mother’s French-Canadian dishes such as savory meat pies with veal and cloves. They were a musical family; Rita contributed by playing the piano, while her father and uncle played stringed instruments. Together, the family would roll up the

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rugs, play music, and dance.

Don’s parents were Finnish immigrants, and he was raised in Ely. Don grew up spending a lot of time on or in the water, with four summers spent as a canoe trip guide.

Don served in the US Navy in WWII and in the Korean War. He retired from the Navy in 1963 as a Lieutenant Commander.

The Mynttis crossed paths in 1946 when they were both working in Duluth at the Oliver Mining Company. “I fell in love immediately,” Don shares. “I wanted to marry her before someone else did.” Rita wasn’t as immediately smitten. “I wanted to finish college first, but he talked me into marrying him,” she says with a grin.

A Cross-Country Life

Between Don’s Naval service and his career in mining, the couple has moved 27 times over the course of their marriage. They have experienced life in beautiful places like Honolulu, San Diego, and Manhattan.

Remarkably, the Mynttis lived this nomadic lifestyle with their five children (Cynthia, Valerie, Andrea, Charles, and Laura) in tow. While Don focused on his career, Rita kept their home and family life successfully on track.

photo by David Ballard Photography

Don earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Minnesota and spent a total of 60 years in the mining industry: 40 years working for mining companies, and 20 years as a mining consultant. His specialty was the maintenance of heavy mining equipment. His job changes account for their many cross-country moves: “My specialty was in high demand,” he shares.

Rita did some work as a model during their time in Hawaii, walking the runway in fashion shows for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Demonstrating that she possesses both beauty and brains, she later became a stock broker, holding that role for ten years while the couple lived in Salt Lake City.

Her investing advice is straightforward: “I recommend picking a good stock and continuing to buy it over the years,” she says. “Dollar cost averaging,” Don chimes in helpfully.

Rita went on to earn both her bachelor’s degree (from the University of Evansville) and her master’s degree (from UMD) in later adulthood. She started writing when she was in her seventies and has self-published several books. Don has also written his autobiography.

Don and Rita have a few differences of opinion, but agree on the big things. “Rita is the bleeding heart liberal, and I’m the conservative,” Don says. “But we have yet to have our first real argument.”

They share the same faith and old-fashioned values, however, which have been the glue of their 68-year marriage. “We feel so lucky to have each other at our age,” Rita says.

Duluth Tops the List

The couple moved back to Duluth from San Diego twenty-five years ago. “My favorite place to live, as far as climate, was southern California,” Rita says, “But considering all of life’s gifts and wholesomeness, Minnesota, and particularly Duluth, is right at the top of the list.”

The Mynttis moved into Westwood Apartments one year ago. They enjoy socializing and reading, and they occasionally take the bus downtown.

Their five children (and seven grandchildren) are scattered across the globe from Texas to Beirut, but they visit whenever they can. The Myntti children are all highly educated, with impressive and busy careers. “Of the seven people in our family, I’m the only one without a master’s degree!” Don says with a laugh.

Don and Rita Myntti are an example that hard work and stick-to-itiveness almost always pays off: whether maintaining a long-lasting marriage or building a successful career. But a bit of good luck never hurts. D

Inside the Mind of Dr. Rebecca Meyerson

Meet St. Luke’s Newest Neurologist

Thehuman brain is a fascinating instrument. In an average adult, the brain weighs about three pounds, which gives humans the highest brain-to-body size in the animal kingdom. It contains over 100,000 miles of blood vessels, over 100 billion neurons, and uses about 20 percent of the total oxygen and blood circulating in your body. Yet for all its remarkable biology, it is the brain’s ability to think — to form conscious thoughts — that has long captivated St. Luke’s Neurologist Dr. Rebecca Meyerson.

Birth of an Idea

“I grew up in a large family; I was the youngest of five,” recalls Dr. Meyerson, “And it seemed to me that my older sib-

lings were all really successful at their thing, and I started to wonder, ‘What makes them so smart? How do they think?’ And that curiosity is what really started me down the path to studying neurology — which became my thing.”

As she grew older, her interests led her to medical school, where she discovered neurology during a rotation at Hennepin County Medical Center. “Like a lot of students, I was interested in several aspects of medicine, but during my neurology rotation, I had the benefit of working with Dr. David Anderson, who was one of the most brilliant clinicians I have ever met. He had such insightful diagnoses of patients, and treated them with such respect. Watching him work, and seeing the impact of that work, I knew that I wanted to emulate him.”

Specialty within a Specialty

Dr. Meyerson said that people are sometimes confused over the nature of her specialty. “When it comes to treating

conditions of the brain, there are many areas of specialization. As a neurologist, I specialize in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system. My work mainly involves treating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease, or cognitive impairments such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury.” When surgery is required, Dr. Meyerson works with a broad team at St. Luke’s that includes neurosurgeons and physical, occupational and speech therapists.

“I find in my work that there are a lot of misperceptions about diseases of the brain, and how the brain can recover. Often, patients and their families are looking to us to somehow ‘make it all better.’ While I am amazed every day about the brain’s resiliency, the reality is that, with many neurological issues, our job is to slow the process of the disease as much as possible.”

Dr. Rebecca Meyerson, St. Luke’s Associates

Process of Continual Learning

Much of what we thought we knew about the brain, says Dr. Meyerson, has turned out to be incomplete — or incorrect. “I used to think that the more I studied, the more I would understand. What I have found instead is that I am always discovering that the more I think I know, the more I realize how much I still don’t know about the brain and how it functions.”

When it comes to maintaining our mental machines, however, Dr. Meyerson says that it is definitely a case of “use it or lose it. Studies show us that those who stop being active participants in life are going to mentally decline much more quickly. Mental and physical activity is critical to keeping our brains in good working order.”

To that end, Dr. Meyerson recommends activities that engage the body and mind. “Exercise is the biggest thing you can do to maintain your brain’s function. By increasing the blood flow to the brain, you are increasing all the good stuff that your brain needs.” But, above all, says Dr. Meyerson, exercise your brain by learning new things every day. “Our brains crave stimulation. Stay engaged with life. Don’t ever set the switch to ‘autopilot.’” D

Dr. Meyerson’s Top 5 Things to Maintain a Healthy Brain

1. Eat well

All the usual stuff: lots of vegetables, avoid processed foods, small amounts of animal protein.

2. Get enough sleep

Studies suggest that sleep helps restore the brain by flushing out toxins that build up during waking hours.

3. Get exercise

Exercise is vital in maintaining overall health, and feeding your brain with the blood and oxygen it needs to perform.

4. Stay socially engaged

Get out. Do things socially. Volunteer. Stay active. The people who maintain a high level of social engagement seem to have a higher level of mental engagement.

5. Learn something new every day

Take risks — it keeps your brain active. My husband and I started a band called ‘The Living Room Lyrics’ as a fun way to challenge ourselves. I’ve only been playing bass for a few years, but I find that I crave the mental challenge and reward of playing a new riff or song.

Duluth Studios Offer Yoga

by Melissa Maki for Fitness and Healing

Adecade ago, yoga was still considered a fringe activity in the U.S. But today our mainstream culture largely accepts the practice. A National Health Interview Survey found that nearly 10 percent of adults in the U.S. have practiced yoga.

The Twin Ports hosts a handful of yoga studios, each one unique. Here we feature the newest and oldest.

New Yoga Hot Spot

Kristin Hill and Sheila Wixo are the dynamic duo behind Duluth Yoga, a new yoga studio that opened in December in Woodland’s Mount Royal Shopping Center. The pair recognized a need in the Twin Ports for a different sort of yoga experience. Creating a studio to meet that need has been their shared mission.

Sheila is no stranger to yoga. Her mother, Patricia Nolin, opened the Yoga North studio in Lakeside 20 years ago. Sheila is a restaurant industry veteran who had plans to open her own restaurant. But she was so impressed with a CorePower Yoga class she took in Minneapolis a couple of years ago that she changed her mind. “I realized I didn’t want to open a restaurant, I wanted to open a yoga studio,” she says.

She found an enthusiastic partner in Kristin Hill, a physical therapist and yoga teacher with CorePower training. CorePower is a fitness-based yoga where participants perform a set sequence of movements coordinated with breath.

Kristin explains, “It’s an athletic workout but there’s also the other component of stress management and body awareness you get when focusing on breath. When you combine the two, it’s kind of something you can’t describe. You have to experience it — and once you do, you love it.”

With Duluth Yoga, Kristin and Sheila also offer “hot yoga” in the Vinyasa style. Hot yoga isn’t just trendy, practicing yoga in a heated room has health benefits: it increases circulation and muscle pliability, which can reduce risk of injury. Classes have varying levels of heat (from 75-95 degrees) and humidity, and different levels of workout intensity depending on student experience.

“As a practicing physical therapist, it’s very important to me to keep classes as accessible as possible to people of all ages and abilities because yoga is tremendously beneficial to everyone,” says Kristin.

Duluth Yoga offers a range of classes and workshops, from beginner to more intensive sculpt classes with hand weights. They have a freestanding studio designed especially for yoga, with special -

ized heat and humidity control and foam flooring to offer additional comfort and support.

The Curative Power of Yoga

Yoga North is the longest running yoga studio in the area; they celebrated their 20-year anniversary in the summer of 2015.

The studio, housed in St. Michael’s Lakeside School building, offers a distinct approach to yoga. “What really makes us unique is that we are a therapeutic-based studio,” explains co-owner Molly McManus. “We are really looking to make yoga accessible to everybody. It should be for everybody, not just people

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Presents Prokofiev’s

who can bend into a pretzel shape.”

Yoga North specializes in a blend of SomaYoga and therapeutic yoga. An underlying premise of SomaYoga is that the repetitive stress of everyday life has a physical manifestation in our bodies that can lead to injury and chronic pain.

Think about how anxiety can make you constrict and your shoulders, for instance. Or how depression makes you slouch. The instructors help participants focus inward to recognize negative habits so they can learn to retrain their bodies and minds towards healthier responses.

“A lot of times we see yoga portrayed in the media as a work-out. We really consider yoga more of a work-in,” says Molly. “Each one of us has an individual unique constitution of who we are and what we need. Being able to hear ourselves and what we need better is really the goal. That’s what yoga should do is help you to listen to yourself more.”

Yoga North offers a range of classes each week, from Hatha yoga (popular form of yoga that combines postures, breathing and meditation) to SomaYoga for chronic pain. Private, therapeutic sessions are available to work on issues like pain resolution or to address specific problems such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Specialized workshops are also available. Molly teaches a workshop geared towards releasing anxiety and dealing with depression.

The studio has a retreat center in Ely, managed by co-owner Ann Maxwell, which offers additional programming and a hermitage on the edge of the scenic Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

They’re also known for their teacher training program. Students travel from throughout the Midwest to attend Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute trainings. D

For more information on Duluth Yoga, visit http://www.duluthyogastudio.com

For more information on Yoga North, visit http://www.yoganorthduluth.com

How to be a Good Money Role Model for Your Kids

by Nancy C. Hutchinson

Ok,let’s face it, being a parent means we are supposed to be the greatest role model! Unfortunately, bad habits can be copied just as much as good behavior, and this also applies to money.

Are you always in debt, unable to budget, have an out-of-control shopping habit, or are too free and easy with your dollars? Think carefully about your attitude to money and how that might be picked up by your kids.

Everyone views smart financial practices differently, and what’s an effective strategy for one parent doesn’t necessarily work for another. A growing body of evidence tells us financial literacy education doesn’t work, at least

not as it’s currently taught. Perhaps one reason is that we’re not starting early enough.

We should begin before the kids are in kindergarten. You might think that’s a stretch, given that many preschoolers still have the notion that a nickel is

that window? Are our kids doomed to a life of debt manipulation by advertisers and various scams they won’t see coming?

Not at all.

worth more than a dime because it’s bigger in size. Researchers are now telling us that our approach to money is basically set by age 7.

Hard to believe? What if we missed

Still, the studies remind us that we need to start teaching good money habits as soon as kids understand that money is used to buy things. You may not feel particularly comfortable talking to your kids about money; but at the same time, you know there’s a huge effect you have. You underestimate how powerful you are as a parent.

The simple act of grocery shopping with a list can help teach the importance of planning ahead and “shopping systematically” rather than “just grabbing

Your Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and their team are ready to assist you in making the best decisions for a healthy mouth and lasting smile. We have a wide-scope practice to offer, including:

“Think carefully about your attitude to money and how that might be picked up by your kids.”

things off the shelf.” Try to keep a clear head, and remember to demonstrate the benefits of price comparing as you shop around for the best deal.

Also, involve kids in the collection of receipts to show them how to take advantage of any special offers or coupons. They might even enjoy themselves, and you’ll be amazed to find them following your good shopping habits as they grow up.

Even better is involving your kids with a lot of hands on experience which will teach them far more than lectures. Start with making or buying three piggy banks; write the following words, one for each of the banks: “Save, Spend, Give or Donate.” As your child receives money from birthdays and other events, this gives them a tangible system of how to spend, save, and give their money. Involving them in this process will be invaluable in teaching them that money does not grow on trees.

Just talking to your kids about what you’re doing, what you’re thinking, and your decision-making process helps your kids to understand the trade-offs required in economic transactions, making it easier for them to delay gratification. You never know specifically what message is landing, but by doing things regularly and repeatedly, it becomes part

of how the child sees the world.

Nancy C. Hutchinson, CUBDP, is the svp of marketing/business development for the Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union.

HEALTH/MEDICINE

by Connie Wirta

Liz Gleeson once had to ponder whether she’d participate in cancer research. Now she sees herself as a soldier in the war against cancer.

“It’s not just my battle with cancer, this is a war,” says the breast cancer survivor who has joined three clinical trials. “I want to keep participating. I want to contribute to a cure or a better treatment.”

Liz was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer after a routine mammogram in 2008. After surgery, she needed chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Her Essentia Health hematologist/ oncologist, Dr. Mihailo Lalich, asked Liz to consider joining a clinical trial to test a new chemotherapy drug. They discussed how the trial could give her access to a new treatment and how her

Liz Gleeson Liz Gleeson

Cancer Survivor Committed to Aiding

Research

health would be closely followed for the rest of her life by her local care team and researchers.

“I put a lot of thought into participating – it felt like deciding to get married or to have a child,” recalls Liz, who owns Carmody Irish Pub and Brewing in Duluth with her husband, Ed.

part of the greater good” and help other women.

“You could either be Liz, a person who survives, or you could be Liz, who helps somebody else learn something,” she says. “I was ready to do anything to make it easier for someone else who would be going through this after me. It was something to focus on in a positive way to get me through my cancer treatments.”

Liz met with Diane Nelson, a clinical research nurse at the Essentia Health Cancer Center who works with women diagnosed with breast cancer. Diane answered Liz’s questions and encouraged her to make the decision that was right for her. Liz, who is known for her positive attitude, decided she wanted “to be

“Liz is so vivacious,” says Diane, who helped Liz during her treatments and continues to be part of her healthcare team. “She brings out the best in everybody.”

Diane still has a photo of Liz wearing a bright pink wig on her last day of chemotherapy. “Liz got tired and had side effects but she always made it the best that she could,” Diane recalls.

The first clinical trial Liz joined added a new chemotherapy drug for some par-

“I see myself as a link in the chain, ... We’re women and we’re gonna fix this. That’s what women do.”

Liz Gleeson, a breast cancer survivor, has participated in cancer research through the Essentia Health Cancer Center.

photo by David Ballard Photography

ticipants while others received a placebo. When a sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer just six months later, Liz told her about the study and she also participated. It wasn’t until later that Liz learned she had received the drug.

Liz says she was eager to help in two later clinical trials that studied ways to treat side effects from chemotherapy. “Once I realized how important clinical trials are, I said I’m in, I’m all in,” Liz recalls. “If there’s another study 10 years from now, I’m in. The knowledge is so powerful.”

Clinical trials are designed to answer questions about ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. They also can find ways to better manage symptoms that cancer or its treatments can cause. Offering clinical trials to patients is an important part of delivering the highest quality care, and patients who participate in clinical trials can help define a brighter future for all cancer patients, says Dr. Bret Friday, an Essentia Health hematologist/oncologist who cares for Liz and also conducts research himself.

The Essentia Health Cancer Center has participated in clinical trials since 1977and offers more than 65 trials for children and adults. The center is one of just 34 community sites chosen to participate in the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).

Liz says she thinks about the women who joined the clinical trials that led to the treatments that allowed her to once again be cancer-free. And she thinks about the women who will come after her.

“I see myself as a link in the chain,” Liz explains. “We’re women and we’re gonna fix this. That’s what women do. If we all keep doing this, we’re going to chip away until we find something – a better treatment or a cure.” D

by Sheryl Jensen

Itall started as an innocent little 5K run with the family on Thanksgiving Day in 2013. It turned into near fatal cardiac arrest on a street in downtown Naples, Florida, for Kristin Ryan, formerly

Kristin Ryan

Advocate for Go Red for Women

a nurse practitioner with Essentia Heath.

Kristin and her husband Bob and their four grown children Hallie, Kaitlin, Trisha, and Connor were spending Thanksgiving at their Naples condo and had decided to run in a 5k family fun run Turkey Trot. Since the family runs at different speeds, Kristin was running by herself, behind the rest

of the family. About six blocks from the finish line, she went into cardiac arrest.

The type of event she suffered typically has only an 8 percent survival rate, but as Kristin explains, “I was so very lucky that I fell into the arms of a police officer and that running right behind me were two RNs (who did not know each other) who within 30 seconds were administering CPR to me. That saved my life and saved my brain function.”

An ambulance and medical personnel at the race were also dispatched to her immediately and got her heart rhythm back with a defibrillator while she was still on the street. Her family was expecting her at the finish line and had even

photo by David Ballard Photography

heard the ambulance but didn’t know what had happened to her. Thankfully, Kristin had written emergency contact cell phone numbers on all the family’s running bibs, so the race director was able to call her family and direct them to the hospital.

They found at the hospital that she had what is referred to as the “widow maker” (in this case “widower maker”) event with a 90 percent blockage of the main left coronary artery. “At first they thought that there was something wrong with my brain so they held off doing the bypass surgery for a few days,” she explains.

It turned out there was no brain involvement, so Kristin had successful coronary artery bypass surgery and was able to leave the hospital complication free after seven days. After a couple weeks of recovery, she was able to celebrate Christmas with her family back in Minnesota.

She says, “On December 22, I was able to leave the hospital. Needless to say it was a very special Christmas for my family and me. I am so lucky to have had my family be so supportive and caring during all of this, and there were prayer chains all over the U.S. and even outside of the country.”

New Life’s Focus

As Kristin explains she did not ever think of herself as a person who would have heart problems. “I had been feeling some shortness of breath for a while before the heart attack, but I did not attribute it to being anything wrong with my heart. I was in good shape, not overweight.”

As a nurse practitioner in cardiology at Essentia, she had spent so much of her

Kristin was asked to be the “passion” speaker for the 2014 Northland Go Red for Women event. “I am grateful to be here to share my story. The Go Red event is so important. I was asked to be the chair of the 2016 luncheon. My hope is to increase awareness for women and to increase our fundraising dollars.”

As she spends much of her time now working with the American Heart Association, life has come full circle for Kristin. “I ran the same race in Naples at Thanksgiving this year. It was an emotional journey for me with my family running alongside me. I really felt a sense of completion on my healing journey,” she says. D

time working with people with heart issues. So the irony of this happening to her was hard to escape.

“This did change my outlook on life,” she notes. “I am following a heart healthy diet; I have more motivation. The way I see it, I have no choice. I had a mental check on myself to take this all very seriously.”

She has become an advocate for women’s heart health. “Women of all shapes and sizes and genetic backgrounds can have heart attacks. It’s important for women to get all the risk factors they can in control,” she explains.

For more information on the American Heart Association and the risks and prevention tips, visit the national website at www.heart.org/mn or the Minnesota Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ ahaminnesota

For more information on this year’s area Go Red luncheon on Wednesday, March 2, visit their website at www.northlandgoredforwomen.org or the national Go Red site at www.goredforwomen.org

the treatment allow for optimal absorption of topical products and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). When used for skin rejuvenation, PRP releases growth factors into the skin to expedite the body’s own repair process and stimulate new collagen and elastin.

“Women of all shapes and sizes and genetic backgrounds can have heart attacks. It’s important for women to get all the risk factors they can in control . . .”

Secret Of The Stars MicroPen with Platelet-Rich Plasma Featured Gift in the Oscar Gift Bag 2013

Our

MicroPen creates controlled micro-injuries to the skin initiating the skin’s repair process to naturally produce collagen and elastin, ideal for smoothing fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, traumatic scars, and stretch marks. Micro-channels created by

by Kimberly E. Brzezinski

Access to landlocked property continues to be a topic addressed by many lawyers on a near daily basis. Clients often ask me, “Isn’t it true that property cannot be landlocked in Minnesota?”

To some extent, this is a true statement, although with certain qualifications. When clients raise this question, they are generally referring to a landowner’s right to pursue a cartway to provide legal access to his or her real property. This right is based upon the legislature’s determination that public policy favors allowing landowners legal access to their real property.

A cartway is a statutory tool, governed by Minnesota Statute Sections 164.07 and 164.08, that provides legal

Landlocked Property

Rights to a Cartway

access to “landlocked” real property under certain circumstances.

The term “landlocked” is a somewhat misleading term, as Minnesota Courts have held that landowners otherwise qualifying for a cartway under the statute are entitled to a cartway even if they already technically have access to their property if that access is not “meaningful” or is less than 33 feet wide.

For example, if an existing access leads to an unusable or topographically impossible location, or if the existing access is only 16 feet wide, that access is not sufficient to constitute access under the cartway statute. Access by water only is also insufficient to constitute access under the cartway statute, and a landowner with only water access would be entitled to a cartway if he or she otherwise meets the requirements (i.e. acreage) of the statute.

In order to be entitled to a cartway, a landowner must have at least 5 acres

of land and have no access to the land except over someone else’s land or have access less than 33 feet wide. In other words, the landowner’s property must not abut a public roadway.

There are two exceptions to the 5-acre rule: (1) multiple owners of parcels totaling at least 5 acres may join together in a petition for a cartway benefiting their properties; and (2) it is also possible for an owner of a parcel at least 2 acres but less than 5 acres to acquire a cartway if that parcel was of record as a separate parcel as of January 1, 1998, and if the land has no access thereto except by a navigable waterway or over someone else’s land.

The body holding authority to grant a cartway is the board of the township where the property is located, or the board of the county in which the property is located if it is located in unorganized territory. In other words, there is no court involvement at the initial stage.

Minnesota Statute Sections 164.07

and 164.08 lay out the specific process that a landowner seeking a cartway must follow, including certain procedures to provide notice to any affected landowners. Those landowners will have an opportunity to take part in the process, including an opportunity to challenge the need for and location of the cartway, as well as the amount of damages imposed by the board.

If the cartway is granted, the town or county board must engage in determining the appropriate amount, if any, that should be awarded to any affected landowners as damages for the cartway crossing their property. This is often done with the assistance of appraisers. The party seeking the cartway is also responsible to pay the town or county’s costs related to establishing the cartway.

Both the party seeking the cartway and any affected landowners also have the ability to appeal the board’s decision to the District Court if they are unsatisfied with the need for, location of or damages imposed for the cartway. This is technically an appeal of the town or county board’s decision.

Landowners generally attempt to negotiate an easement or other amicable access option with their neighbors before they resort to filing a cartway petition. This is because of the potential cost and time associated with a cartway petition, not to mention the possibility of setting a negative tone with neighbors. However, a cartway petition is a handy tool that helps many landowners gain access when other, more amicable methods have failed.

Kimberly E. Brzezinski is an associate attorney with Hanft Fride, A Professional Association, specializing in real property law, and holds a Real Property Specialist Certification from the Minnesota State Bar Association. D

We keep everything focused on the most important thing.

Pam Longville and Shine

A Human/Canine Team Effort

by Esther Piszczek

OnWednesdays, Pam Longville and her female Rottweiler, Shine, wake up and prepare for work. Preparation means a full grooming for Shine, including nail trimming, teeth brushing, ear cleaning, a bath, and blow dry.

At 10:30 am, they begin in Essentia Health’s radiation oncology unit in the Miller Dwan building. After lunch, they visit the Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center where they work with patients in half hour blocks until 4 pm.

Six-year-old Shine is a registered animal assisted therapy dog. Pam began training her when Shine was 8 weeks old. Training involves exposure to different people and situations, familiarization with the hospital atmosphere, and learning and practic-

ing commands used during therapy sessions.

“The dogs are never not being trained. We train many times a day to keep them tuned up with hand signals and commands to back up, come forward, turn around, step up, step back, get out, and get in. We train all the time,” describes Pam.

therapists to develop tasks the dog can do to aid in healing: petting and brushing a dog practices motor skills; throwing a ball practices arm movement, grasping techniques, and balance; speaking a command helps speech therapy patients feel accomplished when the dog responds appropriately.

Although Shine is a larger dog, Pam worked for years with a Pekingese, a breed that weighs 7-14 pounds. Pam prefers pure bred dogs because she values knowing the dog’s temperament and medical history.

Therapy Training

Animal assisted therapy dogs are trained in four therapeutic disciplines: speech, psychology, and occupational and physical therapy. Pam works with

“Not all dogs make good therapy dogs, but any breed can be a therapy dog with the right temperament and sufficient handling and training. Common sense is more important than intelligence,” says Pam.

Pam hand picks a new puppy every two years based on personality. She

“There is a relationship there that is hard to explain how deep it goes. I trust them explicitly and they trust me.”

photo by David Ballard Photography

Pam Longville and her therapy dog Shine visit with Doris a resident at a local assisted living home.

looks for an independent puppy, eager to please, with “prey drive” — the instinct to chase. Each puppy begins training with a social visit to Miller-Dwan to familiarize them with the hospital smells, sounds, and elevators.

“Puppies are like children; they are like sponges. We use games and social situations to mold them to what we want. We train for perfection and the unknown,” explains Pam.

Once a month Pam takes her one and a half year old female Silken Windhound, Derby, to Miller-Dwan. Derby passed her Therapy Dogs International registra tion test in September and is just starting her career.

Therapy Dogs Inter national (TDI) is a nonprofit, volunteer run organization that regu lates, tests, and registers therapy dogs and their handlers for service in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other institutions. Pam has been a TDI instructor and evaluator for 21 years.

Born in Brainerd, Pam began training dogs and horses as a child. Thirty-five years ago she took a puppy to an obedience class at Twin Ports Dog Training Club.

“I ended up loving the formal part of obedience. I just continued training and got asked to train as an instructor,” explains Pam, who has been the club’s Director of Training for over 20 years.

Pam says she enjoys the problem solving aspect of dog training, whether it involves helping handlers elicit specific responses from their dogs, working through behavior problems, helping a fellow obedience competitor, or teaching a dog a task to help patients therapeutically.

Volunteer Service Rewarded

Pam began volunteering at Miller-Dwan in 1993 when she and two other dog handlers were asked to develop an eight-week animal assisted

trust them explicitly and they trust me. When we lose one of these dogs, it’s not just me grieving, but all the patients that have worked with them,” says Pam, who will celebrate 23 years in the program in

Fellow handler Ramona Larson, with her Irish Setter and Irish Red and White Setter, also works at Miller-Dwan on Wednesdays. In 2012, Essentia Health awarded Pam and Ramona the Ernie Pearson Lifetime Achievement Award for their volunteer therapy work. The award is given to those who assist persons with disabilities.

Pam adds, “We work as a team. Miller-Dwan and St. Mary’s have been more than good to us. They treat us like family. We’ve been blessed with great therapists and the opportunity to help patients recover. It’s been a good thing.” D

to help the patient, but also there to pro tect our dogs who are innocent. They are working because they are being asked to work. There is a relationship there that is hard to explain how deep it goes. I

To learn more about Miller-Dwan’s animal assisted therapy program, visit www.mdfoundation.org/special-projects/ animal-assisted-therapy.

Doris brightens up when Shine comes to visit.

Color ing Books

Not Just for Kids Anymore

by Sheryl Jensen

Besides playing with Barbie dolls, coloring was my favorite past time when I was young. And, back in the day, if I received a Barbie coloring book, my world was totally complete. I certainly never expected at this phase of my life, however, that I would find that my favorite hobby is spending hours with my grownup coloring book, Time Garden.

find coloring books for every whim, from cats to cityscapes, Dr. Who to Game of Thrones, there are hundreds of different choices.

“Five of the top twenty bestselling books on Amazon in 2015 were coloring books for adults. Over 2,000 different books have been printed since 2013...”

So, what’s the attraction? Research shows that we are all looking for ways to “de-stress.” For some, that may be doing jigsaw puzzles, scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting, or quilting. According to many thera-

While I have traded my childhood Crayola crayons for the more “sophisticated” colored pencils, the allure is still the same. Making this more special is that my sister is doing the exact same coloring book, and we will swap the books when we are done as a special gift to the other.

We are not, how ever, the only ones obsessed with this return to our innocent childhoods. It has turned into a na tional and even an interna tional craze. Step in side your favorite craft shop or bookstore or go online, and you will

pists and psychologists, any activity in which you can engage your hands, as well as the creative half of your brain can be good for you. Many who require multi-tasking, color while watching TV or listening to music.

Publishers are stepping up to try to meet the demands of this phenomenon and are finding they can’t keep up to the requests for many of the most popular books. Colored pencils and coloring markers have become hard to find as adult coloring enthusiasts clamor for larger pencil and marker sets of better quality and more varied color

choices.

Five of the top twenty bestselling books on Amazon in 2015 were coloring books for adults. Over 2,000 different books have been printed since 2013 with the number growing every day. Two of the biggest coloring book sensations, Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, have sold a combined 13.5 million copies in 50 countries.

In a world where much is out of our direct control with ugly Presidential campaigns, terrorism, global warming, and stock market plunges, the world of coloring books becomes a private domain where how you fill in each page is entirely up to you. You control the where, when, and how with every color choice.

Coloring doesn’t require many supplies or even much talent. No one is going to judge your work (even if you do occasionally stray out of the lines). Feel like making your trees bright pink or your houses fuschia? It’s your coloring book, go for it!

Like Peter Pan, I won’t grow up — at least not while I have a new coloring book in front of me. Coloring is my version of yoga or meditation. My Zen moments these days are spent with my colored pencils by my side and the worlds on my coloring book pages coming to life in all their brilliant splendor!

Best Selling Coloring Books for

Grownups

(Available at Michaels, Target, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon)

• Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book by Johanna Basford

• Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Coloring Book by Johanna Basford

• Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure & Coloring Book by Johanna Basford

• The Mindfulness Coloring Book by Emma Farrarons

• Color me Calm by Lucy Mucklow, illustrated by Angela Porter

• Coloring Mandalas by Susanne F. Fincher

• The Time Chamber: A Magical Story & Coloring Book by Daria Song

• The Time Garden: A Magical Journey and Coloring Book by Daria Song

• Fantastic Cities by Steve McDonald

• Animal Kingdom by Millie Marotta

• The Official Game of Thrones Coloring Book by George R.R. Martin

WINTER FASHION LOOKS

Outerwear: Urban Forest

Eye Glasses: Kat’s Eyes Optical

Footwear: Bender’s Shoes

Model: Ashley

photo by David Ballard Photography

Outerwear: Urban Forest

Eye Glasses: Kat’s Eyes Optical

Footwear: Bender’s Shoes

Model: Charlie

where to SHOP

Kat’s Eyes Optical 5105 Miller Trunk Hwy. www.woodmagic.org

www.woodmagic.org

Wood Magic 5105 Miller Trunk Hwy. www.woodmagic.org

Bender’s Shoes 2116 Maple Grove Road www.bendersshoes.com

Master Framing 1431 London Rd

Elizabeth & Kyle Kolquist

Photos by LaCoursiere & Co.

Rachel Sertich & Michael Keogan

Photos by Bailey Aro Photography

Sydney Burghardt & Karl Gilbert

Photos by Bailey Aro Photography

Sasha & Bob Moss

Photos by Shawna Vine Photography

Amanda & Rob Haglin

Photos by Sternberg Photography

Kim Vaun & Jenifer Petrelius

Photos by Sternberg Photography

Todd O’Halloran & Axel Rabell

Photos by Alan Johnson

Courtney & Robert Swayzeblog

Photos by LaCoursiere & Co.

Veronica & Lucas Dratvold

Photos by Sternberg Photography

Arts & Events Calendar

February 1 – March 15

Skate at the City of Duluth’s premier outdoor skating rink, Bayfront Festival Park, surrounded by 20’-30’ pine trees. Warm up near the fireplace in the Bayfront Family Center. The center is open to the public Monday-Friday from 4-8 pm, Saturday 1-8 pm, and Sunday 1-5 pm, weather permitting. For a list of neighborhood skating rink locations and hours, go to duluthmn.gov/parks.

February 1-27

The 8th Annual Red Rock Radio Winterfest offers cold-weather family fun for everyone! Activities include Hockey Day in Minnesota, the KQ Super Bowl Party, a frozen corn toss, the UMD Big Jig Ice Fishing Contest, the Proctor Classic Snowmobile Challenge, and the great Medallion Hunt. twinportswinterfest. com

February 1-21

The 2016 Annual DAI Member Exhibition features artists who resemble a cross-section of the community: professional artists, youthful voices, hobby painters, and art appreciators. Everyone is encouraged to contribute to the popular Annual Membership Show – the community’s favorite “show and tell” for the past year in the arts. Exhibit is from 5-8 pm at the Depot Great Hall. Call (218) 733-7560.

February 1-29

The Tweed Museum of Art features a new site-specific, multi-disciplinary installation in the Sax Gallery by internationally known artist, Sharon Louden, entitled “Windows.” This solo exhibition brings together sculpture, paintings, music, and theatrical lighting for a temporary installation. Free and held at 1201 Ordean Court on the Campus of the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Call (218) 726-8222.

February 4-13

All’s Well That Ends Well is on stage at UMD. Power . . . War . . . Seduction . . . Love . . . Intrigue . . . Despite her beauty and worth, an orphan daughter has no hope of attracting the man of her dreams. But after healing the king, she’s given permission to marry any eligible male. Performances are at 7:30 pm on ThursdaySaturday and at 2 pm on Sunday. Call (218) 726-8561.

Duluth Children’s Museum First Fridays is an opportunity to enjoy a night full of fun and learning for the entire family. Free and held from 6-8 pm at the Duluth Children’s Museum in Clyde Park. Call (218) 733-7543.

February 5 & March 4

The first Friday of every month head on down to Clyde Iron Works for Fractal Fridays. Enjoy a great night with friends, good music, with no cover. Held from 8-11pm at Clyde Iron Works, 2920 West Michigan Street. Call (218) 7271150. clydeironworks.com/

February 5, 19 & 26

The Father Daughter Dinner Dance is an unforgettable night for just a girl and her dad! All ages attend this annual event at Greysolon Ballroom by Black Woods. Enjoy a night filled with dancing, laughing, singing, sweets, and savories. Just $25 per person for dinner, endless desserts and surprises, photo booth fun, and dancing all night long. Our guests come back time and time again to experience this magical evening with their dad or daughter. Held from 6-10 pm. Call (218) 722-7466.

February 5 – March 26

Catch the hilarious show that’s been selling out for the past three years. Renegade Improv is held every Friday & Saturday at Teatro Zuccone. Two teams of improvisers compete for points (which they earn from the referee) and laughter (which they earn from you)!

That’s two nights of fast-paced, smart, entertaining comedy from some of the finest talent our region has to offer. Held at 10:30 pm every Friday & Saturday night at the Teatro Zuccone.

February 6

The DSSO presents Amore! Love is in the air with some help from the Twin Ports Tenors and Aphrodite. Their melodic voices and the goddess of love will sweep you off your feet and back into the throes of love. This concert will also include

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, you should always call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.

a performance by the winner of The DSSO Bridge Sessions. Concert is held at 7 pm at the DECC Symphony Hall. Call (218) 623-3776. Dsso.com

February 6

Hockey Day Minnesota originated in 2007 by the Wild to celebrate the game that has made Minnesota the State of Hockey, and this year the celebration is to be held in Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park! The day will consist of several outdoor games played on a specially constructed rink set against the backdrop of Lake Superior and a full day of hockey-related programming designed as a celebration of the game from peewees to the pros.  duluthhockey.com/hockeydayminnesota

February 6

The 15th Annual Blue Jean Ball held at the Black Bear Casino Otter Creek Event Center is a grand event with a casual atmosphere that has people coming back year after year. Enjoy a casual night out with a gourmet dinner, delicious dessert, live music, dancing, games, and fabulous auction items – all while wearing your most comfortable jeans! Tickets are $40 per person. There are a limited number of tickets, and they sell out quickly. Call (218) 879-3806.

February 6

Spend a winter evening at Hartley Park’s Candlelight Ski, Skate & Snowshoe. Activities include cross-country skiing by candlelight, naturalist-led snowshoe hikes, ice-skating on Hartley Pond by candlelight, and winter campsite demonstrations. A light dinner is served. Equipment is provided but limited; please call ahead to reserve. Held from 5-9 pm at Hartley Nature Center. Call (218) 724-6735. hartleynature.org

February 6 & 13

The Annual Father Daughter Ball is an excel-

lent opportunity for fathers to put on their “Sunday” best and take their daughters out for an evening of dinner and dancing. Held from 5-10 pm at the DECC. Reservations required. Call (218) 722-7537.

February 11

The Minnesota Ballet’s 10th Annual Celebrity Dance Challenge  pairs area notables with ballet company members for spirited ballroom battling. This year the 1960’s music selections rekindle the era when the ballet was founded a half-century ago. While audience votes are counted to determine the winner, the ballet treats the audience to a lively dance sampler. Held 7:30 pm at Fregeau Auditorium, Marshall School. For more information, call (218) 529-3742.  www.mnballet.org

February 11-27

The Rocketman is a thrilling theatrical adventure unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Blast-off with this action-packed interstellar romance inspired by the short stories of Sci-Fi master Ray Bradbury. After Doug’s father is killed during a failed mission to Mars, Doug begins having dreams of a beautiful girl with golden skin – a Martian named Ylla. Consumed with grief, love and a thirst for adventure,

Doug steals a rocket ship and steers a course for Mars. Packed with laser battles, electrifying choreography, and astounding feats of spectacle and stagecraft, All performances are at 8 pm at Teatro Zuccone. Call (218) 336-1414.

February 12

Come to the 20th Annual Elegant Valentine Dinner Dance at the historic Greysolon Plaza Ballroom. You and your loved one will enjoy a night you’re sure to remember. Includes an open bar social hour and heavenly dinner followed by a fun night of dancing to the Dean’s List Big Band! Held from 5-11 pm. Call (218) 722-0662.

February 12

The 6th Annual Husband Wife Valentine Ball is a chance for couples to share a special evening together conversing over dinner while being encouraged by a Christian message on marriage. Dance to favorite music while taking in the lights of the Aerial Lift Bridge and views of the Harbor. Held from 6:30 pm-10:30 pm at the DECC. Reservations required. Call (218) 722-7537.

February 12-13

Two Harbors Winter Frolic has a bit of fun for everyone. Indoors, outdoors, and a huge outdoor heated tent area play host to a chili cook-off, pancake breakfast, mini-curling challenge, bean bag toss, snowmobile rides and,

of course, sledding and skating! twoharborswinterfrolic.com/

February 12-21

Zara Spook and Other Lures is on stage at The College of Saint Scholastica. Evelyn is a little woman with a big dream: she hopes to win the national women’s bass fishing tournament sponsored by Bassin’ Gal Magazine Meanwhile, she must contend with her indefatigable boyfriend Talmadge, who desperately wants to marry her and won’t take “get lost” for an answer. Ramona, too, has a man in pursuit, her macho estranged husband who was dismissed from Ramona’s life for being insensitive. He’s out to prove her wrong. Thursday–Saturday performances at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Call (800) 4475444.

February 13

At the Nice Girls of the North Second Saturday Market you’ll be treated to free coffee, cookies and door prizes, lively music and a friendly atmosphere. Browse a collection of handcrafted clothing and bags, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, personal care products, baby items and much more. Artists are on hand as personal shoppers to help you select just the right one-of a kind gift for every occasion. Held from 10 am-3 pm at the Lakeside Lester Park Community Center. Call (218) 4617767.

February 13

Come to the FREE Family Art Day at the Duluth Art Institute’s Lincoln Center for Art Education (2229 W 2nd St), 11 am-2 pm. Make-andtake art projects for all ages and abilities. Made possible by grants from the Northland Foundation and Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation. Call (218) 723-1310. duluthartinstitute.org

February 14

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day in style while helping to raise monies for the Lyric Opera of the North at their Valentine’s Day Soirée 2016. It’s the one-and-only fundraising event to bring operatic performances to the Northland. Event is held at Northland Country Club. Call (218) 464-0922.

February 14

Attention Parents! Enjoy an evening out while the Duluth YMCA staff supervises your kids in a fun and safe environment. Everyone gets to enjoy a fun Friday night at Parent’s Night Out! The Y will provide dinner, games, and a movie. Children 5 and up will have the opportunity to swim. Register online, in person at the front desk, or by calling (218) 722-4745 x100.

February 14

Duluth’s Big Jig Ice Fishing Contest & Festival

is held from 12-3 pm at Island Lake. Show off your winter fishing skills and have the opportunity to win one of the prizes! This contest is limited to first 3,000 entries, and all proceeds support the UMD athletic scholarship funds. Call (218) 726-6529.

February 14 & April 10

Experience a Day on Campus at The College of St. Scholastica Open House Days, geared toward first-year students. Participants will explore the beautiful campus and meet admissions staff, faculty, and students; learn about financial aid options; and experience campus life with the option to do an overnight stay in student housing. Participants can register at visit.css.edu or by calling the admissions office at (800) 249-6412.

February 15-19

Keeping the fun of winter alive, Winter Break Camps are offered at Hartley Nature Center. There are day camp opportunities for kids ages 4 to 9 with half- or whole-day options. From learning about animal winter survival techniques to exploring the science of how snowflakes are made, campers will discover new things about winters in Minnesota. Registration is available online, and scholarships are available to qualifying families. Call (218) 724-6735. hartleynature.org

February 15-19

Looking for a way to entertain the clan during the mid-winter school break? Head on down to the Duluth Heritage Sports Center’s open skating sessions! Event is free of charge and open to skaters of all ages from 2-4 pm. Limited skates are available to use. duluthmn. gov/event-calendar

February 17-21

49th Annual Duluth Boat, Sports, Travel & RV Show is held in conjunction with Northland Outdoors Duluth Deer Classic! One ticket = two shows where there is something for everyone including the largest selection of boats, RV’s, travel trailers, motorcycles, camping equipment, resorts, along with fishing and hunting lodges throughout the U.S. and Canada. See the largest Display ever of Fishing equipment and electronics with factory pro staff on site to answer all of your questions all under one roof for 5 BIG DAYS! Held at the DECC. Call (952) 431-9630. www.shamrockprod.com

February 18-28

Broadway Bound by Neil Simon is on stage at the Duluth Playhouse. Returning from World War II, Eugene teams up with his brother Stanley to break into the world of comedy writing. When their material is broadcast on the radio for the first time, the family is surprised to hear a thinly-veiled portrait of themselves. Regarded as one of Neil Simon’s finest plays, Broadway Bound is semi-autobiographical of its author and is filled with laughter, tears, and insight. Thursday-Saturday performances at 7:30 pm, and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Call (218) 733-7555. duluthplayhouse.org

February 19

Spend a day exploring, investigating, and making take-home artwork at the Great Lakes Aquarium’s Animals and Art Camp! Feed and observe animals, play games, and make artistic creations inspired by what we learn. Campers (must be ages 6-8 years) will need to provide their own lunch and snacks. Camp is held 9 am-4 pm. Call (218) 740-3474.

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Arts & Events Calendar Cont.

February 20

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, now in its 25th amazing year, is the “World’s Most Successful Rock ‘n’ Roll Musical” and it continues to thrill audiences around the world. The show tells the story of Buddy Holly through his short yet spectacular career, and features the classic songs, “Peggy Sue”, “That’ll Be The Day”, “Not Fade Away”, “Oh Boy”, Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba”, The Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace” and many more! Performance will be held at 8 pm in the Decc’s Symphony Hall. Call (800) 745-300.

February 20-27

The Lake Superior Ice Project & Festival is hosted by the City of Superior and the Tourist Development Fund along with their partners – National Bank of Commerce; Kwik Trip; and Superior Water, Light & Power Company – the festival includes bonfires, s’mores, and fireworks as well as light shows choreographed to music held in Roger Hanson’s incredible towering ice sculpture at Barker’s Island in Superior. icemanroger.com

February 22

The Needle Arts Guild of Duluth’s February 22 meeting will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd beginning at 1 pm. MARILYN WISURI will present a program featuring saami needlework. Guest fee for the program is $5. Call (218) 525-2576.

February 25

Enjoy an evening of drinks, dancing, mystery, and merrymaking at CHOICE, Unlimited’s 3rd Annual Masquerade Ball, “Flights of Fancy!” CHOICE, unlimited is a day program dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and persons who are experiencing barriers to employment and community inclusion. The event raises funds to support its vibrant ARTS Program. Festive attire and masks are encouraged. Held at 7 pm at the Greysolon Plaza Ballroom. Call (218) 724-5869. choiceunlimited.org

February 26

Spirit Moving Over Chaos Communities is a concert with music from all corners of the world as a means of working through hardship, hope, and healing. The Twin Ports Choral Project explores music composed in remembrance of people and places torn apart by poverty, disaster, and war. 7:30 pm at the Mitchell Auditorium at The College of St. Scholastica. Call (800) 447-5444.

February 27

Grand Minnesota Taste-Together Brewfest will feature musical guests, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls. Enjoy over 160 different craft beers and wines poured by local, regional and national breweries. Celebrate the evening away with a live concert. In its sixth year, this fundraising event supports the Twin Ports Miracle League and is held at 4:30 pm at the Grand Casino in Hinkley. Call (320) 384-7771.

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March 3-20

“RHINOCEROS!” When a rhinoceros charges across the town square, Berenger thinks nothing of it. Soon, however, rhinoceroses are multiplying, and the world is threatened. Are we all destined to become animals? Performances held at 7:30 pm on Thursday-Saturday; 2 pm on Sunday at the Dudley Experimental Theatre of UMD. Call (218) 726-8561.

March 3, 10, 17 & 24

Grab the kids and head on down to the Heritage Sports Center for the City of Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Open Skate. This event is free and open to skaters of all ages. Held from 6:30-8 pm at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center. Limited skates are available to use. duluthmn.gov/event-calendar

March 4

Duluth Children’s Museum First Fridays is an opportunity to enjoy a night full of fun and learning for the entire family. Free and held from 6-8 pm at the Duluth Children’s Museum in Clyde Park. Call (218) 733-7543.

Arts & Events

March 4-6

The Bayfield Winter Festival helps ward off the winter blues with a vintage skiwear contest, Polar Bear Plunge, fun run, and obstacle course. Come for a day or stay the weekend for tons of wacky fun! bayfieldwinterfestival.com

March 4, 18 & 25

Time for the most requested night of the year – Greysolon Ballroom’s Mother Son Dinner Dance! This special night is just for a mom and her son to enjoy. Have a blast taking photo booth pictures together, laughing, singing, and enjoying sweets and treats all night long! Just $25/person for a truly incredible night with a grand dinner buffet, endless dessert buffet, pictures, cash bar and kiddy drinks, and much more. Held from 6-10 pm. Call (218) 7227466.

March 5

Head down to the DECC and enjoy Gods &

Myths as presented by the DSSO. In Germanic mythology, countless legends exist about the god Wotan. To pay homage to his story-starring prowess, they perform pieces inspired by dark, rich tales. First, Revueltas’Sensemayá embodies a famous Cuban poem depicting an AfroCaribbean ritual chant. From there, they explore the deep depths of Wagner’s masterpiece The Ring of the Nibelungand perform different sections from this great music drama. This engrossing composition unravels the tale of a powerful ring, which was Tolkien’s inspiration for The Lord of the Rings. Concert is at 7 pm at the DECC’s Symphony Hall. Call (218) 623-3776.

March 6

Join Sinfonia, Concert Orchestra, and Youth Symphony for the Annual Lollipop Concert, a concert “for kids by kids.” Tickets are available in advance at the DSSO office or at the door,

Arts & Events Calendar Cont

day of show. The concert is at 3 pm in the DECC’s Symphony Hall. Call (218) 623-3776. dsso.com

March 10-12

Fitger’s Bock Fest is a three day affair that begins with a blessing on the Lake Superior Split Rock Bock Beer, followed by a beer tent opening and ends with great entertainment from Volksmarch, the Big Dip, a Stein race, a torte eating contest and beer drinking - with prizes for all. Held in the Fitger’s Courtyard at 600 East Superior Street. Call (218) 722-8826. fitgers.com

March 12

Come and enjoy the Twin Ports Wind Orchestra’s performance of the “Tales from Tolkien.” Featuring Symphony No. 1 - The Lord of the Rings by Johan De Meij. Performance will be held at 7:30 pm in the Fregeau Auditorium, Marshall School in Duluth. Call (218) 726-8208.

March 12

The 8th Annual Duluth Women’s Expo features a fashion show, fun and unique shopping, wine tasting, sampling, pampering, entertainment, and more. Whether you’re calling the shots at home or work, the Duluth Women’s Expo is the perfect place to learn how to feel healthier, more beautiful, or just plain appreciated. Held from 9 am-4 pm at the DECC. Call (218) 727-1177. duluthwomensexpo.com

March 12

LSYC’s 2nd Annual Honor Choir Concert will bring together youth in grades 4-6 from Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin for a memorable day of choral music alongside LSYC singers and directors. Concert is at 5 pm at Duluth East High School Auditorium. Call (218) 461-8461. lsyouthchorus.org

March 18-20

Step back in time to Renaissance Tuscany, where Cinderella lives in a humble farmhouse with her loving stepmother and gawky, dominating stepsisters who flirt with the dancing master preparing them for the palace ball. Left home alone, Cinderella dances wistfully with a broom until an ethereal goddess and three graces magically appear to prepare her for the ball. There she and the Prince dance beautifully together until the strike of midnight. Enjoy

the evocative storytelling, rich choreography, lush period costumes and set, and the perfectly happy ending. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 pm; Sunday at 3 pm at the DECC Symphony Hall. Call (218) 529-3742. minnesotaballet.org

March 19

Treasures of the Earth Green, Goods, Craft & Art Fair includes about 20 local artist vendors with creative things made from natural material and/or recycled material. A used book sale will be held in conjunction with this event. Event is held from 10-3 pm at the Unitarian Church, 835 W. College St. wendyupnorth. com/duluthfairs

March 19-20

The 48th Arrowhead Auto Body Motorhead Madness, presented by Veit and Rydell Parts, will peel into the Duluth Entertainment Convention. More than 150 one-of-a-kind cars and trucks will fill the DECC. Enjoy car club and vendor displays highlighting the latest in automotive trends and accessories, Midwest Remote-Controlled Car races, free kids’ model making, memorabilia, tools, a used parts swap meet, and more. motorheadmadnessmn.com/

March 24

The Harlem Globetrotters continue a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry, and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages. Tickets start at $24.50. Held at 7 pm at the AMSOIL arena, 350 Harbor Drive. Call (218) 7225573. decc.org

March 25

Attend Duluth’s Taste at Fitger’s event and enjoy delicious entrees and desserts prepared by the area’s finest chefs; sample wine, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages; and participate in a silent auction or raffle event containing

quality, unique items. The event is hosted by Fitger’s. All proceeds benefit Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Event is held from 6-9 pm. Call (218) 722-8826.

March 30 – April 3

A golden anniversary is always a much anticipated event as is the biggest spring extravaganza in the Duluth area, and when you combine the two into the 50TH ANNUAL ARROWHEAD HOME & BUILDERS SHOW you know it is going to be exciting. Hundreds of enthusiastic vendors will be there eager to show you their goods and services. Whether you are looking to buy and/or sell an existing home, build that new home you have been dreaming of, remodel or update your current home, go for that new landscaping look or replace those old appliances with new, stateof-the-art ones, you will find it all here under one roof. Held at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, 350 Harbor Drive. Call (952) 431-9630. shamrockprod.com/visitor/ homeshow/homeshowvhome.aspx

April 8

Join in the fun at the College of St. Sholastica for the 3rd Annual Local Bands, Local Brews event. Sample beers from local breweries while listening to some of Duluth’s most talented musicians. Good times, with great people at a good price: $10/general; $5 CSS Students. Event is held at 7 pm at Somers Lounge at the College of St. Scholastica. Call (218) 723-7000.

April 8-10

The 70th Annual AAD Shrine Circus will once again play Duluth this April with four shows. The AAD Shrine is headquartered in Duluth, MN but also covers Bemidji, International Falls, and most of Central Minnesota. The funds raised from the Circus go back to the AAD Shrine to help fund the organizations dayto-day expenses and is their primary fundraiser. Purchase tickets at the DECC Ticket Office, by phone at 800-745-3000. http://decc.org/ event/70th-annual-aad-shrinecircus/

April 8-10

Have little princesses at home? Give them a special spring treat and register for the ever popular Enchanted Tea Party. Kids ages 2-14 can partake in the Enchanted Tea Party and have tea with some of their favorite princesses and fairies! The Enchanted Tea Party takes place at the Harborside Ballroom at the DECC. Call (218) 628-9996, or visit kernz.com.

April 9

In honor of the lengthening days, the DSSO looks to Persephone, the goddess of springtime for their latest concert, Elysium Fields. Brahms and Stravinsky’s masterpieces evoke budding leaves, blooming wildflowers and warm sunshine in this heavenly concert. Pianist David Kadouch’s fingers will dazzle you as they zip along the piano like a bubbling brook on Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. Held at 7 pm in Symphony Hall inside the DECC at 350 Harbor Drive. Call (218) 623-3776.

April 11

Empty Bowl “Sea of Bowls,” a preview of the Empty Bowls event will be held the evening prior to the traditional event. Choose your

handcrafted bowl at the gallery-style showing complete with wine and cheese reception and a meet and greet with local artists and potters. Bowls range in price from $25 - $100. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Event is held from 5-7 pm at The Duluth Depot. Call (218) 727-5653. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Held from 5-7 pm at The Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street. (218) 7275653. northernlakesfoodbank.org/

April 12

At Duluth’s premiere charitable arts and hunger event, the 23rd Annual Empty Bowl, choose a handcrafted bowl created by area professional artists, school children and community members. Dine on delicious soup, bread, and beverage donated by some of the region’s best chefs and purveyors. Participate in the silent auction featuring the works of professional regional artists and enjoy local entertainment. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Event is held from 10 am-6:30 pm. Call (218) 727-5653. northernlakesfoodbank.org/

April 14-23

Thrilling audiences since 2006, Spring Awakening powerfully reimagines musical storytelling, with a passionate rock score that illuminates the hearts and minds of its teenage characters’ tumultuous journey from innocence to experience. Performances are held Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm on the Mainstage Theatre at UMD. Call (218) 726-8561.

April 15-24

SUDS, the Rocking 60’s Musical has it all. Suicide by laundry, guardian angels and rocking 60’s music! SUDS will have you out of your seat singing and rocking to the best music of the 60’s. Friday and Saturday performances are held at 7:30 pm and Sunday Matinees at 2 pm at the Holden Fine Arts Center, Manion Theatre of UWS. Call (715) 394-8380.

21 Century Design

in Vintage Kitchen Remodel

by Sheryl Jensen

Tom and Sheryl Homan wanted to have the end result of their kitchen remodel provide them with all the conveniences of a 21st century kitchen, while still maintaining the elegance and retro look of their vintage 1907 Thomas Merritt home in the Congdon neighborhood.

The Homans were looking for more space, a better layout, and upgrades to make the kitchen more user-friendly

all around. The original area of three individual separate spaces was small to begin with but the design opened it up, providing just what the couple was looking for in the remodel.

Design Expertise

Jamie Panger, the general contractor, co-designer, and co-owner at Northern Trends acknowledges, “It was challenging to work on a 100-year old home, and to combine three rooms into one larg-

er space. We are really proud at how it turned out and how seamlessly the three rooms went together.”

Increasing the size of the kitchen, the design opened up a space for a breakfast nook, and still left a small back porch entrance. Some of the other challenges dealt with in the remodel included updating the electrical and plumbing to bring all of it up to code.

Continued on page 50

Photos by David Ballard Photography

Opposite: Tom and Sheryl Homan’s remodel totally transformed both the look and function of the kitchen in their 1912 house. While maintaining the vintage appeal of this Thomas Merritt home, the design includes modern kitchen upgrades throughout.

The center island, with its beautiful soapstone top in shades of black, white, and pink, is one of the room’s focal points. Another dominant element is the Red Dragon granite used on the window sills and for the backsplash behind the stove.

Right: A pop-out window is the perfect sunny spot for a small herb and orchid indoor “garden.”

Below: Cherry cabinetry and stainless steel appliances help create a clean and elegant vibe. Antique light fixtures from an 1880s train car and a mix of antique drawer pulls add to the room’s retro look as does an elegant leaded and stained glass window.

Patty Sertich and Nicole Krisak, partners at Gemini Design, were also integral to the design and lay-out of the kitchen including the selection of finishes from cabinetry to counter tops to flooring.

They explain, “Our focus was keeping the integrity of the new cabinets true to the era of the home. We also included the special personal features that both Sheryl and Tom requested. The kitchen reflects the personalities of the home owners. They were a fun and creative couple to work with and their design style and choices were phenomenal.”

Mix of Old and New

A few of the elements that make the end result of this remodel so unique are the design choices that blend old and new and those that add color and texture.

The dominant element in the room is a center island; the top of the counter is soap stone from Granite Works in an eye-catching blend of black, white, and pink. The stone was imported from India which is meaningful to Sheryl and Tom because they met in India.

One of the drawers in the island has a tin bread drawer from the old kitchen. The remodel design included a drawer specially sized to fit the old bread box.

Colorful Red Dragon granite was used for the three window sills, one of which is a pop-out window, home to a small herb garden with rosemary, thyme, sage, and orchids. The Red Dragon granite also creates a dramatic backsplash for the cooktop soaring up to the 9 and 1/2 foot ceiling. Italian Carrera marble adds elegance to the backsplashes around the rest of the room.

Some of the color comes also from the “glimpses” of brick left in place from the original kitchen’s chimney, Tom explains, “We decided to maintain some of the original brick to add interest.”

Designer Ann Gummper consulted on color choices. She recommended doing the painted part of the walls in black which Sheryl notes made everything else pop. Cherry cabinetry with under cabinet lighting also provides a color and texture richness to the room.

Use of antiques in the remodeled space adds to the retro style including lights that were restored from an 1880s train car and cast iron drawer pulls in several different complementary styles.

Tom had found a leaded and stained

glass window, with rich purple and golden hues, at an antique shop. The window opening to the back porch was designed to fit the stained glass window.

They kept the original radiators and repainted them for another vintage look. According to Sheryl, “The kitchen was always ice cold.” Additional insulation with foam and upgraded windows has completely fixed that issue.

One fun addition was created with

Continued on page 52 & 53

In-Home E-Design

Decorating Made Easier

by Stephanie Goldfarb

Do you like to save money by doing projects on your own? Are you creative and shopper savvy? If you had a plan and direction for decorating a room, would you be able to carry it out on your own?

If you answered yes to these questions, there’s a new trend in home de-

sign that may be a perfect fit for you. Thanks to the virtual world we live in, you can now hire a “virtual” designer for your home. E-design makes perfect sense for the person who wants to save money but still wants a designer look.

The idea made sense for me when we moved from the Twin Cities to Duluth

a little over three years ago. I needed to figure out a way to stay connected with my client base in the Cities, while living in a smaller city.

After researching and dreaming up how I could use technology to my advantage, online design just made sense. This type of interior design service al-

This “after” photo shows how this sample e-design has been carried out. The client has received the board, shopped, and arranged the room based on the designer’s recommendations. This design shows a playful mix of patterns and textures for a modern vibe.

lows you to get a customized design plan for your home without the high cost of a in-home consultation, and you can even shop in the comfort of your own home. You can now get that extra help you need to make your rooms shine, while working in your own time frame and on your own budget.

How this service works is pretty simple. You chose a designer whose style closely resembles yours. You send them measurements and photos of your space, and fill out a brief design questionnaire. After the designer reviews your current space, your wish list, and budget, a phone consultation is scheduled.

It can also be helpful for the designer to look at any visual aids the client may have for their project including magazine photos, Pinterest boards, Instagram inspiration, etc. The

Continued on page 56

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more information, the easier it is for the designer to create something that will match the client’s dreams. This is important because a certain style can mean one thing to the client, but something completely different in the design room. For example, a client may think they love a modern feel for a space, but what they are really wanting is a fresh design with light walls and simple accessories.

Within 3 – 6 weeks, you will receive a virtual design board based on your budget and a detailed outline on where to shop for the items.

Keep these tips in mind before you start working with an online-designer:

• Be ready to communicate often and effectively about your project. Communication is key when using this type of design.

• Do your research, and make sure the designer you chose is a good fit for you. If you want a rustic look, but the designer specializes in modern design, this may not be a great fit. A talented

designer can design beautiful spaces no matter what the style, but looking through their portfolio will give you an idea if they can meet your design needs.

• Set a realistic budget and make sure your designer can stick to it. If you are hoping to decorate your room on a TJ Maxx budget, but your designer choses all custom, high end pieces, you will be very disappointed

• Make sure you are ready to decorate your room upon receiving your board. Life is busy, but don’t drag your project out. Pieces go in and out of stock quickly. If the designer puts something in your guide you want to purchase but you wait six months to do so, it won’t be there anymore and you will end up starting all over.

Stephanie Goldfarb is owner of The Divine Living Space. She offers both inhome and online consultations and is based in Duluth and serves the Twin Cities Metro. D

Continued on page 57 & 58

E-design makes perfect sense for the person who wants to save money but still wants a designer look.

An example of a visual inspiration board for an e-design with images of items that will go into the room. The numbers correspond with a document the clients receive stating where the item can be purchased, along with the web link to that item. In addition, clients receive a full description on the plan for their space.

Below left: The furniture for this e-design was selected to be family friendly, with a full-bodied polyester fabric for the massive sofa for durability, and leather for the oversized ottoman. The playful smaller ottoman and rug were added for some pattern and interest.

Below right: The light fabric on the chairs balances out the massive, navy sofa. The mirrors on the wall allow the light from the adjacent window to bounce around the room.

photos supplied by The Divine Living

Fighting Hackers and Other Virtual Villains with

Cybersecurity Expert

Vickie McLain

by Andrea Busche

Valarie

“Vickie” McLain is a woman of varied interests. She can comfortably discuss horse training, cybersecurity, building a house, and motherhood, transitioning from subject to subject with authority and ease.

Millinocket, Maine, formerly home to the Great Northern Paper Mill, is known as “the town that paper built.” Vickie and her brother Steven were raised in this sleepy town, where their parents both worked as x-ray technicians.

Vickie’s unique interests emerged early. She loved playing with her chemistry set, reading the dictionary, and riding her pony, Rosie.

Vickie was a natural with horses and won a ribbon at the first horse show she attended. She accumulated many more awards over the years, and at age fifteen was awarded a citizenship trip to Washington, DC, for her work with 4H.

With plans to study pre-veterinary medicine, Vickie enrolled at the University of Maine-Orono. After seeing a bit of blood and gore, however, she knew this wasn’t the field for her. She changed her major to Animal Science and Medical Technology.

Nerd + Jock?

Shortly after high school graduation, Vickie met her future husband, Fred McLain, when they worked together at the

paper mill. Although they attended high school together, they didn’t run in the same circles.

While Vickie focused on her studious interests, Fred, captain of the basketball team, appeared to be a simple jock, but Vickie was surprised to learn of his intellect and sensitivity. “He wasn’t who I thought he was,” she says.

After college graduation, Vickie began working in a hospital as a medical technologist. The McLains welcomed two of their three children, Aaron and Justin, while still in Maine.

By the time Justin arrived, the mill was struggling financially. Fred would have had to take a demotion in order to keep his job. He had heard about a new

mill that was opening in Duluth. He applied and got the job. The McLains left behind everything they knew in Maine for their Minnesota adventure.

Vickie took some time off to get the family established in Minnesota. The McLains built two homes in Esko. To save money, Vickie was the general contractor for both projects, learning about the building process as she went along.

Once their youngest child Shauna was five, Vickie went back to work as a medical technologist. Making a move that would change the course of her entire career, she decided to go back to school to earn a teaching certificate.

Destined to Teach

Vickie’s first teaching job was for Esko High School, where she taught biology, earth science, and careers classes. She was eventually hired as the technology coordinator for the Carlton School District.

Vickie shares, “One of the first things I had to do was install Ethernet cards in the computers. I had never installed anything in a computer before that time, so I wasn’t quite sure if it would work, but it did.” She found her niche with technology and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology Leadership from George Washington University.

Cybersecurity Guru

Today, Vickie is a professor at Lake Superior College (LSC) and an adjunct professor at The College of St. Scholastica. Her area of expertise is cybersecurity, which, in a nutshell, involves preventing hackers from entering cyber systems.

“Cybersecurity is something I fell into by accident,” she shares. “At first, I wasn’t sure how much I even knew about cybersecurity, because I didn’t realize how

broad the field is. As it turned out, as a former network administrator, I had done plenty of cybersecurity work already.”

In addition to her work as a professor, Vickie is the coach for the LSC Cybersecurity Team. The team works together on lifelike scenarios where they must prevent hackers from entering the system. They finished in first place in the Collegiate State Cybersecurity Competition in both 2014 and 2015.

In 2014, Vickie initiated the LSC GenCyber summer camp, where children grades 7-12 can learn the ins and outs of cybersecurity. Additionally, Vickie, along with Dr. Tirthankar Ghosh from St. Cloud State and Dave Keller from Century College, worked together to co-write a grant, providing LSC students full scholarships in the field. Many of the students have gone on to make cybersecurity the focus of their careers; jobs in this field are highly lucrative.

While cybersecurity can seem pretty technical, Vickie shares her number one tip: “If you have anything you want to keep secret, don’t put it on your computer.”

She is passionate about keeping cyber systems safe. This issue is much bigger than just private computers, however; hackers have attacked water and power plants, which could affect millions of people. Vickie would eventually like to offer a community education course on the subject.

“The military now states that cyber is the fourth war ‘theater’ after air, land, and sea,” Vickie says. “They expect future wars to be fought with cyber weapons. Just learning how to protect your own computer or workplace will help protect the rest of us.” D

“If you have anything you want to keep secret, don’t put it on your computer.”

At the Duluth Business University you can enroll in one of our Associate Degree or Diploma programs and be trained in your profession in two years or less.

by Sheryl Jensen

HTK, an integrated area marketing firm, specializes in hospitals, health systems, and non-profits. Their purpose, as they describe it, is simply to “create a healthy world.”

As part of their outward thinking community focus, the company has established the HTK Workshop to connect area non-profits with college senior marketing, graphic design, and communications students. The premise is that one area non-profit organization per semester is paired with a team of three students: one account manager, one writer, and one art director to work on a comprehensive marketing plan at no cost to the selected non-profit organization.

Marketing Interns HTK Marketing Interns

Making a Difference for Community Action Duluth

This fall, the area non-profit selected from applications was Community Action Duluth (CAD), an organization devoted to assist those living in poverty or those considered to be the working poor.

Marsha Hystead, partner/chief cre-

students, helping them with the steps in the development process. This win-win program gives the non-profit organization the benefits of working with the creative minds of talented students and HTK staff, and the students get tremendous experience, leaving with a portfolio with an entire marketing plan they can use as they head out in the job market after college.

ative officer at HTK, says, “HTK connects students in communications, marketing, design, and business with the exceptional nonprofits in our community who are working for causes that affect the health of everyone who lives here.”

Staff members at HTK mentor the

Meet the Interns

Sean Morgan, came from Belfast, Ireland, to play soccer and to major in communications and minor in marketing at The College of St. Scholastica. Morgan first interned with HTK last summer and then was thrilled to be selected for the workshop.

“The students all went above and beyond to join with us in a sense of community and purpose.”

HTK Interns Sean Morgan and Blake Johnston work on the marketing campaign for Community Action Duluth (CAD).

photo by David Ballard Photography

“This was a great experience to work with professionals at HTK and to do good work with an organization like Community Action. It was a special day to make our final presentation and to do meaningful work to help people make steps to change their lives,” he says. Morgan hopes to stay in the Duluth area and to continue to work with non-profits as he heads out into the job market.

Blake Johnston, a UMD senior and marketing and graphic design major, says, “It was fantastic to be paired with two other interns and to see the whole process through together. This real world experience showed me what the marketing world is like.”

Johnston enjoyed working with CAD on an initiative to help those working on their GEDs. He too wants to continue to work with non-profits; he also would like to stay in Duluth after graduation and is considering grad school here.

A UMD senior major in marketing and graphic design, Paige Nagel, says, “This was the coolest thing to work with a non-profit client and three other people my age on this project. After all the work we put in, to see what we accomplished in our final plans was very exciting.”

Nagel will be doing an internship in the Twin Cities over the summer and then will be moving to Seattle in August as she sets out in the job world.

The three students’ final products or “deliverables” included posters, marketing plans, website ideas, and a professional video that CAD can use going forward. They presented their final materials to HTK and CAD staff members just before the holidays.

HTK interns Sean Morgan, Blake Johnston, and Paige Nagel finalize their presentation materials as they prepare to share the culmination of their semester long project working with HTK and with CAD. The three students produced posters, marketing plans, website updates, and a video that Angie Miller and her CAD staff will use for their GED program.

Positive Partnership

Angie Miller, CAD’s Executive Director, is thrilled at the outcomes of this partnership with her organization, HTK, and the student interns. “They worked with us to create new text for our web page and on creating posters and art work for a brand new program at Community Action. The compelling and inspiring video they created is incredible,” she says.

• Robust Curriculum

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Miller notes, “The focus on our marketing work with HTK was to target students, tutors, and donors for our GED program. As a result of their work, we were in a stronger position when we applied for a large grant to expand our Adult Basic Education program.”

Joe Gunderson, HTK’s Director of Visual Identity, says, “We were so lucky to have real ‘rock stars’ for our first three interns. It was hard to even call them interns; they were following real deadlines and creating an entire campaign. We treated them as employees and paid them a stipend for the semester.”

Hystead adds, “The students all went above and beyond to join with us in a sense of community and purpose. What a great start for this new program! We look forward to the next semester, the new interns, and building on what we have started.”

More school information can be found at ISD709.org!

Working with the Duluth Trafficking Task Force, a program coordinated through the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA), will be the next community collaborative for the three new interns soon to be selected. D

For more information on the HTK Workshop, visit their website at htkmarketing.com/workshop

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Why are families choosing Harbor City?

Rated in the top 15% of all Minnesota schools; a Reward School for the last four years

Parents report a 97 % satisfaction rate

Small school model (220 students) & small class sizes; average of 18 students per classroom

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses plus a Comprehensive Arts Program - Theater, Art, Music

A supportive community that nurtures academic excellence and a sense of belonging

Service learning, leadership and international travel opportunities

Strong Academic Support - Tutoring, Mentoring, Skills Classes

YMCA memberships and an intramural sports program College Preparatory Guidance Counseling

Currently accepting applications for the fall of 2016

Currently accepting applications for the fall of 2016

For more information on enrollment opportunities: www HarborCitySchool org I 218-722-7574 ext. 225 332 W Michigan St. Suite 300, Duluth, MN 55802

Dr. Sara Croney

Innovative Gatekeeper for the Maple School District

by Linda Conradi

Dr. Sara Croney, new superintendent for the Maple, Wisconsin School District, hadn’t even unpacked the moving van, when she and her husband, Doug took part in the Spider Lake 5K run at Iron River this past summer. Indicative of her commitment to her community, Sara jumped into her new post with a similarly enthusiastic spirit.

Ambitious Goals

Sara earned her doctorate in educational administration at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; her master’s degree

in secondary administration and supervision from George Washington University, Washington, DC; and her bachelor of arts degree in dramatic arts, literature and secondary education from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois.

Sara came to Maple from Oconto, Wisconsin, where she was superintendent from 2001-2014. At the Maple district office, she speaks of an ambitious list of this year’s goals and strategies for the board, staff, and community.

One project is designed to give high school students opportunities to partner

with local businesses in an effort to provide real life experience in the working world prior to graduation. Sara gestures to an under-construction cabin across the parking lot that students are building under the guidance of Joe Letko, vo-tech teacher and department chair. When completed, the cabin will be auctioned and the proceeds will go toward the purchase of a highly specialized CNC computer (computer numerically controlled) for the students.

Continued on page 66

photo by David Ballard Photography

wide-spread support of participation in a wellness program sponsored by the school district. This fall, 118 of the 215 employees participated in a challenge to walk more. The community at large has access to an impressive workout center in the high school which has external access and parking nearby.

Sara also speaks highly of the caliber of parenting that she sees across the district. This attitude of caring goes both ways. Nancy Lind, long time educator and clerk of the Board of Education, says of Sara, “She is so personable. She genuinely cares about people and education.”

The rural district covers Maple, Brule, and Iron River, with four schools and an enrollment of 1,385 students from K-12. It is on Sara’s weekly agenda to visit each school.

Sara notes that student needs are a priority and, as an example, describes the fact that because so many students leave home early to ride the bus, the school makes available breakfast for these students. She says that they are also working on a plan for what she terms “wrap around” child care for both before and after school.

Describing herself as a gatekeeper for the district, she says that it is up to her to protect the quality of education, serve

provide teacher support and staff devel opment, and come up with “cool ideas.”

Keeping Life In Balance

Skilled in the art of multi-tasking, Sara and Doug have raised five children while both working full time. The youngest, and only girl, is currently a

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senior at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois.

Married for 36 years, there is an obvious affection between the couple. It is said that they turn heads on the dance floor where they are so proficient in the art of ballroom dancing that they have even been dance instructors.

Another way that Sara keeps her life in balance is to spend time quilting. She is close to completing a king-size bed quilt. Watercolor painting is high on her priority list of interests. Sara says that she completed nine paintings over the past year.

When asked what inspires her, she says that deep friendships and seeing the love that people express. Her husband’s sense of humor is also important to her.

She credits her mother with some sage advice years ago when Sara was venting about someone. Her mother suggested that she appreciate this person

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which would generate a “positive snowball of good.”

She also describes herself as a person of faith, always listening quietly for guidance from God. She says that when there are tough decisions to be made at work, such as writing layoff letters for some employees, she would lie awake at night, unable to sleep. Prayer always brings her peace of mind in these situations.

Visionary Leadership

Peggy Janigo, Sara’s Administrative Assistant, says, “She is a visionary.” Explaining this view, she adds, “It is not just about today or next week. It is what she perceives the district to be in ten years.”

David Paulus, president of the Board of Education for the past seven years, observes Sara’s passion for education. He says, “She is a great leader with a vision that lines up with our district.”

It is clear that everyone who comes in contact with Sara is drawn to her zest for life and education. She is an innovative educator who leads with grace and boundless enthusiasm. D

“She is a great leader with a vision that lines up with our district.”

Friday Club

100 Years Old and Going Strong

by Sheryl Jensen

“The astonishing thing is that as we have grown older, we’ve grown stronger. Isn’t it surprising that at 50 years old, we should have as much vitality as we had at the beginning? (Mrs. Ethel Phillips, one of the original founders of Friday Club, on the 50th anniversary, on October, 14, 1965).

The Friday Club is the longest continuous book club in the Twin Ports. Founded in October of 1915, the club is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Oddly enough, unlike the original meeting days of Fridays, the group long since decided that Thursdays were more convenient. With tradition being important to the group, they decided to keep the name but change the day.

Their format is somewhat atypical from other book clubs. Instead of having the whole group read the same book for every meeting (meetings are bi-monthly from October-May), each member takes turns reviewing a book for the group, and once or twice a year they read the same book and have one group member lead the discussion.

This year for their 100th anniversary, they also chose to invite two area authors to discuss their books. In October, award winning author, Margi Preus, talked with the club about her spy thriller novel Shadow on the Mountain. She shared information about her research in Norway for the book, and members were able to comment on and ask questions about this book and about Preus’ writing process.

In May, the club will have Linda Legarde Grover, another award winning area author, in to discuss her book Road to Sweetgrass.

Traditionally, the group members are free to choose any book of their choice to review, with the books often being contemporary works of fiction and non-fiction. Members this year, however, have chosen reviewed books from the list in the decades the book club has been in existence, with such titles as The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, On Reflection, an autobiography by Helen Hayes, and Growing Up, a memoir by Russell Baker.

Nancy Melander has been a member

“I am overcome with gratitude when I think back on members who have given so freely of their wisdom, creative thoughts, and love of literature.”

photo by Shirleen Heib Guest Author Margi Preus.

since 2006, has been active on committees, and was club president from 2012 to 2014. Of her time with the club, she says, “What a supportive group of women! Everybody loves to read and are so willing to share their selections. Plus every member has varied interests, so conversation is always lively. We all care about each other and support one another’s interests and achievements.”

Kay Gower, current Friday Club president and a member for 21 years notes, “When I think about the rewards of being a member, I have felt so fortunate to meet some remarkable women who have taught me about good literature and friendship. My life is a richer brew because of these fine women. One of our greatest gifts in life has to be our memories. I am overcome with gratitude when I think back on members who have given so freely of their wisdom, creative thoughts, and love of literature.

Member Adele Unzen says, “I have so enjoyed thirty years of excellent books enjoyed with excellent women. We have reviewed the books in congenial places like a lovely porch on Seagull Lake.”

Other sites for the meetings, beside the women’s homes are the Woman’s Club, the Kitchi Gammi Club, and Christabel Grant’s lovely home on Lake Nebagamon for the final meeting each year in May. Tradition also extends to having elegant desserts and tea, served on fine china.

The club has added other events and activities to their full year centennial celebration including a donation drive of books for children and teens to several area organizations, theater outings, and a celebration dinner with spouses planned for May at the Duluth Woman’s Club.

The founding mothers of Friday Club, who first met in 1915 in a Lakeside home, would be thrilled to learn that the club has stood the test of time and con-

“In planning for quality short-term rehabilitative care following my hip surgery, I pre-arranged my care at the benedictine Health center. My stay was upbeat and encouraging as I faced new challenges, learned proper techniques and gained confidence. I am on my way to a full recovery.”

- Betty Petrovic, BHC guest

Right and below: Friday Club members Judi Hermans, Nancy Melander, Sharon van Druten, Christabel Grant, Marcia Kohlhaas, and Pat Miller enjoy Margi Preus’ presen-

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tinues to bring together the now twenty active members who gather for the love of literature and for each other’s company.

On a personal note, I have been a member of the Friday Club since 2011, and it has been a distinct honor to share my love of literature with these wonderful women. I usually prefer to read fiction, but I have been introduced to so many wonderful topics and books of non-fiction including histories, biographies, and memoirs that I learn something new from every club meeting.

Kay Gower shares a quote from writer and activist Barbara Deming to sum up her experience in Friday Club. “We learn best to listen to our own voices if we are listening at the same time to other women . . . whose stories, for all our differences, turn out, if we listen well, to be our stories also.” D

tation.

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Dr. Todd Hansen

Right: Author Margi Preus shares background and anecdotes about her book Shadow on the Mountain.

Made to work Professionally.

Glensheen and the Congdon Legacy Coming in March 2016

Learn more at wdse.org

Historical picture of the Friday Book Club taken in the fall of 1921

Left to right: Jane Crasweller, Ethel Phillips, Rose Phelps, Jessie Cronk.

Ladies’ Day Out

At the Duluth Women’s Expo

by Sheryl Jensen

Whatcan be more exciting in the middle of winter than a day planned with women in mind? Lundeen Productions will present the 8th Annual Duluth Women’s Expo at the DECC, on Saturday, March 12, 2016.

Thousands of women from throughout the region attend the Expo every year. With over 100 exhibitors, a fashion show, shopping, sampling, pampering, entertainment, and more, it is an event you will not want to miss!

“The Duluth Women’s Expo gives regional women an opportunity to have a fun day for themselves, “says Kynze Lundeen. “Women make over 70 percent of all purchasing decisions in the home and workplace, so this is also a great opportunity for regional businesses to show the decision makers what they have to offer them.”

New this year from Beauty-

Control will be the Duluth Women’s Expo Beauty Bar. The experts from BeautyControl will provide full facial resurfacing, makeovers, skin care con-

sultations, color analysis, and image consultations.

Also new this year, is an exciting interactive activity for women that will be exciting to watch and participate in; it’s not the Olympics but the WO-Lympics will provide lots of fun with prizes in store!

Back this year is the popular wine tasting courtesy of Piedmont Liquor and Floral and Gardening Workshops courtesy of Engwall Florist Greenhouse and Garden Centers. There will also be belly dancers, seminars, and a fashion show featuring Harley Davidson, The Loft in Duluth, Nina Brooke of Hibbing, and Mainstream Boutique in Cloquet.

This year, the first 1,000 attendees will receive a beautiful Duluth Women’s Expo bag courtesy of Harley Davidson. All attendees will receive a copy of “It’s a Woman’s World,” the official publication of the Duluth Women’s Expo containing helpful information for women featuring stories, articles, and helpful tips.

The Duluth Women’s Expo hours will run from 9 am to 4 pm. Free advance tickets, while supplies last, will be available from participating businesses and sponsors. Admission is $6 at the door if you don’t have a ticket. D

For additional information visit duluthwomensexpo. com. or call 218-727-1177.

Vendors share their wares and information at last year’s Women’s Expo. Shoppers enjoy the day immersed in products and information about services focused on women.

photos by Katie Marie

The HEART Of DOWNTOWN

Where An Artistic Vibe Is Alive!

by Sheryl Jensen

Aquiet artistic and economic revolution has been quietly brewing for the last few years in a nine block area in downtown Duluth on East Superior Street and East Michigan framed by Lake Avenue on the west and 9th Avenue on the east.

While the Historic Arts and Theater District (HART) has been poised to explode once the long-awaited renovated NorShor Theater opens its doors as the crown jewel of the district, an eclectic mix of small businesses and restaurants has created an energized vibe that many shoppers and diners have already embraced.

The westward expansion of the Skywalk has also made the area more accessible. With other potential businesses looking at available storefront space, downtown Duluth looks to be returning to its glory days as a shopping and entertainment hub. Several of HART’s current merchants express how thrilled they are at the renaissance taking place around them.

Tami LaPole, owner of Art in the Alley, opened her repurposed clothing, art, accessories, and one-of a kind jewelry store four years ago. “The HART district is an eclectic mix of old and new. It includes all forms of art and the beautiful historical buildings they are housed in. We saw the potential and took the leap of faith. We fit in perfectly, as we are artists who sell what we create. Even the exterior of our building is a giant work of art!”

“We are in the middle of an historic district of funky, independently owned stores,” says Laura Goewey who owns Figleaf’s, a boutique carrying unique new clothing with a vintage style, jewelry, and accessories. “I love everything about being down here in this beautiful Temple Opera Building. We can’t wait for the NorShor to open and for more to get developed to

revitalize the area even more.”

Owner of Liliana/Timeless Furnishings, Heidi Weiberg, has found the location perfect for her interior design store, filled with redesigned, repurposed, and one of a kind rare finds. They also offer custom designer paints and products, private paint classes, and interior design services. “The local artists and designers represented in the HART district have a unique style and creative eye. I am thrilled to be a part

Continued on page 74

of the eclectic downtown vibe.”

HART shoppers can satisfy their sweet tooths at Fannie Rose, an old-time candy store that also features freshly made popcorn in a variety of flavors. Store manager Matt Marturano says, “There is a lot of young talent, hungry for business in this up and coming location. We are a unique shop for the city and are thrilled to be downtown. We are still growing and hope to be for a long time.”

Renegade Theater Company’s 2016 Season

theater, for dinner or for shopping at the one-of-a-kind stores in one of

Northland.”

Dan Nefff, owner of Lake Superior Art Glass, which was the first of the new businesses in what is now HART, agrees that young business owners are attracted to the district. “When I was starting my business, I was drawn to the area. It seemed like a natural fit for me. It has been very exciting to see this revitalization.” As a glass studio and gallery with area artists’ work on display, classes, and demonstrations, Lake Superior Art Glass adds yet another dynamic to HART.

Before an evening out in the arts and theater district, a little pampering from BB Makeup Cosmetic Bar for makeup applications, spa services, manicures/pedicures, eyelash extensions, and more is a fun idea. “We love our corner downtown location in the renovated space. The shop owners all care about each other and want to see everyone else be successful. We love being a part of this atmosphere. It has inspired us,” says owner Shannon Luloff.

Exploring the growing HART section of downtown is not just for the holidays. Plan a night out at the movies or theater, for dinner or for shopping at the one-of-a-kind stores in one of the most creatively inspired areas in the Northland. D

GOODWILL NEEDS YOUR DONATIONS!

$10 OFF A Purchase of $25 or more.

Bring in a box or bag of donations between February 1st –March 31st and receive $10 off your next purchase of $25 or more. Coupon is valid at our Duluth, Hermantown, Kenwood, Superior and Cloquet locations. One coupon per transaction. No copies accepted. Valid through March 31st 2016.

Performances at Teatro Zuccone • All shows at 8 pm For tickets and more information, go to renegadetheatercompany.org

• THE ROCKETMAN By Phillip Klapperich

Minnesota Premiere Feb 11-13, 18-20 & 25-27, 2016

Blast-off with this action-packed interstellar romance inspired by the short stories of Sci-fi master Ray Bradbury.

• SEMINAR By Theresa Rebeck

Regional Premiere April 28-30, May 5-7 & 12-14, 2016

In this sexy and uproarious new comedy, the wordplay is not the only thing that turns vicious as innocence collides with experience.

• MARIE ANTOINETTE By David Adjmi

Regional Premiere July 14-16, 21-23 & 28-30, 2016

The worlds of high fashion and modern self-obsession collide with Revolutionary-era France in this contemporary take on the original spoiled little rich girl.

• ASSASSINS Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

September 1-3, 8-10 & 15-17, 2016

From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact, and inspire each other to harrowing acts.

• THE WHALE By Samuel D. Hunter

Regional Premiere October 13-15 & 20-22, 2016

On the outskirts of Mormon Country, Idaho, a 600pound recluse hides away in his apartment and slowly eats himself to death in this tale of redemption.

•Musicals IMPROVed

November 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 2016

A Special, Secret Title That Is Nowhere Near a Regional Premiere. Watch the area’s funniest comedians tackle a campy, comedy musical classic.

“Plan a night out at the movies or

the most creatively inspired areas in the

Beef/Vegetable and Apple Pasties

There’s this story about a couple of guys from out of state who stopped at the store on the highway painted pink and lavender, with a sign: “Penelope’s Pasties” and asked where the strippers were. The poor guys had the pronunciation wrong! The “a” in pasties is pronounced as in the word “past” not as in the pronunciation in “paste.”

Of course, we Northern Minnesotans know what pasties are. They are a meat and vegetable filled pie with a crust shaped either in half moons or or elongated ovals.

Iron miners on the range as well as copper miners in the Upper Peninsula carried pasties in their lunch pails every day, hot from the oven and wrapped in newspapers to keep them warm for their noonday lunches.

One version (however controversial) has the meat and vegetable filling piled on one end of the crust and a dessert of sliced apples on the other. If you choose not to include the apple pie dessert, simply eliminate it.

The crust is a special boiling-water pastry. Lard will make the flakiest pastry, but if you prefer, you can use unsalted butter plus the olive oil.

Beef and Vegetable Pasties Makes 8 pasties

The apple filling is optional, but it adds a nice touch to the pasties. Place a wooden pick on the end of the pasty to mark the apple end of the filling

Boiling water crust:

1 cup (1/2 pound) lard (or 1 cup unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons olive oil)

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups boiling water

4 to 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

3 cups peeled, ½ inch diced potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)

1 ½ cups peeled, ½ inch diced rutabaga

1 cup peeled, ½ inch diced carrots

1 medium, onion, diced

1 pound lean beef, diced ½ to 1 inch (I used beef cut for stir-fry)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Beatrice Ojakangas

Apple Filling (optional):

3 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Egg Wash:

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water

1. For the pastry: In a large bowl, mix the lard (or butter and olive oil) and salt. Pour the boiling water over and stir until the shortening is melted. Stir in 2 cups of flour at a time, enough to make a stiff dough. Cover and refrigerate one hour or more.

2. Divide into 8 parts. On a floured board, roll out each part to make an oval, 11 inches long and 8 inches across.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. For the Beef-Vegetable filling: In a medum-sized bowl, combine the ingredients.

5. For the Apple Filling: In another bowl, combine the filling ingredients if used.

6. I like to roll out all of the crusts at one time because I have the space to do so. Once the crusts are rolled out they can be filled. Brush half of each crust with the egg wash. Lay a packed mound filling in the center of each crust (if using the apple filling, pack that on one end of the crust). Fold crust over the filling gently.

7. After folding, crimp the crusts to seal – you can use a fork, or just your fingers to make a ropelike design. Place on the lined baking sheet, poke fork holes on top to allow air to escape during baking, egg wash the top, and place in the oven.

8. Bake for 1 hour or until golden. Serve with a pat of butter on top of each pasty. D

Improving the Local Economy One Business at a Time

Weat The Woman Today magazine have long recognized that the heart of the economic climate is vitally linked to the success of locally owned businesses. In this issue and going forward, we want to continue to focus on area businesses who are hiring new employees, adding to their buildings, moving to a different location, bringing in new products, or otherwise enhancing the business climate in the area.

Duluth’s Best Bread Baking Up a Storm

bread is naturally vegan, with no preservatives or additives, and is made with just flour, salt, water, and wild yeast. They also make croissants and cinnamon rolls.

Their products are available at Whole Foods Coop, Perk Place, Sclavi’s, Alakef Coffee in Kenwood Super One, Lake Avenue Restaurant, and soon at the new Northern Waters restaurant in Mount Royal. They are open for direct sales on Thursdays from 9 am to 1 pm at 2632 West 3rd Street in Duluth and at the Wednesday Bakery in Superior at 1202 Ogden Avenue.

“We are very proud of our Old World bread,” says Michael. “It is dense and moist with a complexity of flavor.” D

Brothers Michael and Robert Lillegard, owners of Duluth’s Best Bread, are expanding the distribution of fresh baked breads and pastries to additional restaurants and stores. Their

Healthy Systems USA

Now in Hermantown

Healthy Systems USA is an all-natural weight loss system utilizing a homeopathic spray sprayed under the tongue when you wake up and again when you go to bed. The spray triggers the brain to release up to 2,000 calories of nutrients from fat cells allowing you to go on a low calorie diet of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins without starving or feeling hungry.

The system includes a 600-800 calorie diet to follow while using the spray. Owner Darren Fitch says, “It is a safe and fast method of weight loss. Women typically lose about 25-40 pounds in two months; men typically lose about 30-50 pounds. We’ve had well over 25,000 customers since we opened in 2010.”

The new Healthy Systems USA Hermantown office is located at 4858 Miller Trunk Highway (Suite 3). For more information, visit their website at healthysystemsusa.com or call them for a free consultation at 218-309-5922. D

For more information, call (218) 590-5966 or visit their website at duluthsbestbread.com

Duluth’s Best Bread - Michael and Robert Lillegard

Healthy Systems USA - Owner Darren Fitch

Locally owned and operated by Talbrey Benson-Goupil, Urban Forest is a new clothing, footwear, and gift store specializing in outdoor apparel to help move you seamlessly from

Explore, Imagine, and Create

Urban Forest

Sportswear for Everywhere At Legacy Toys

the office to the trail. The specialty outdoor shop is located at 4960 Miller Trunk Highway in Hermantown.

“We sell higher-end brands for fashion driven outdoor lifestyles, many with technical properties as a bonus, such as Kavu, Marmot, Teva, Toad & Co., and Carve Designs,” says Benson-Goupil. She adds, “We carry everything to dress you from head to toe for men and women, as well as books, candles, and other gift items. With our experience in retail, we take immense pride in providing great customer service.” D

For a unique shopping experience, stop by Urban Forest where they also feature the work of local artists. For more information, follow them on Facebook, visit their website at urbanforestmn.com or call 218-729-4936.

Brad

and Mistaya Ruoho, owners of Legacy Toys, have brought a colorful world of wonderment and enchantment to the Miller Hill Mall. They also own a second Legacy Toys store in Ely. Both stores feature the best in non-electronic toys, books, puzzles, plush toys, games, crafts, and more for kids of all ages.

The new 3, 200 square foot location is in the previous site of the Dollar Store (close to Sear’s mall entrance.) Legacy Toys also has a nostalgic candy shoppe inside the store.

“The mall is a great fit for us. People who haven’t been in yet need to stop by to see our huge baby animatronic baby T-rex.”

The Ruohos plan many fun winter indoor activities in their stores, including family game nights, story time, juggling lessons, and a variety of arts and crafts. D

For more information, follow them on Facebook or call 855328-8697.

Urban Forest - Talbrey Benson-Goupil

Lagacy Toys - Owners Brad and Mistaya Ruoho

Legacy Toys Manager Mike Schwartz

The seventh Semi-Annual Junk Hunt took place on November 13 and 14 at Clyde Ironworks. The Junk Hunt featured many vendors from all over the state who came together to display and sell vintage, antique, re-purposed, shabby shic, retro, and industrial items. The event also included beverages, sandwiches, and Bridgeman’s ice cream for the shoppers.

Richard I. Bong Auction — Nov 5, 2015

The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center honors the WWII and later generations, both at home and on the front lines, who have served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms. Named for America’s Ace of Aces and Medal of Honor recipient, Major Richard Bong, the center is located in Bong’s birthplace of Superior, Wis. at the intersection of Hwy 53 and Hwy 2/Belknap Street.

Luann & Kevin Hopkins, Carla & Mike Bodeen

Dan Krisak, Nan Sauter, Luke Krisak

Taylor Joyal, Ernesto Soto, Taylor Phillips

Mary Jo Manion, Carol Banker

Casey Peterson, Sandy Harty, Breanna Fiandt, Janet Tokar

Kylie Cochrane, Scott Markle, Randy Freeman Joe Krieg, Toby Marcovich, Bob Patterson

Lori Weber, Lisa Anderson, Teri Benton Denise Stenberg, Jessue Wojtysiak

LuAnn Lerud, Jan Berg Katie Vogt, Wendy Running Lynne Siebert, Jan Seibert, Elaine Johnson Shannon Holmied, Sarah Hron, Matt Rush

Todd Eckhart, Kristy Greminger

Diane Williams, Emily Lindfors

Kelly Hansen, Jeff Hansen

photos by David Ballard Photography

photos by David Ballard

Michelle & Greg Wegler, Terry Lundberg

Lynn Steen, Amy Johnson

2015 Touchstone Awards — Sept 21, 2015

The 2015 Touchstone Awards were announced on September 21 at a luncheon and awards presentation at the DECC Harborside Ballroom. Each year, the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation recognizes non-profits that have gone above and beyond to improve the region by fostering generosity, civic engagement, and inclusiveness.

2015 Women Rock for Cancer — Nov 7, 2015

The 11th Anniversay of Women Rock took place on November 7 at Spirit Mountain. The festivities included shopping, entertainment, and a silent auction. Since its inception, the group has raised over $200,000 for local orgaizations working to fight breast cancer.

Angela Booth, Stephanie Breitzmann

Anndrea Ploeger, Aimee Glonek

Cami Carlberg, Sheri Murray Carrie Anderson, Tara Ninneman

Kendra Smith, Allen Smith

Nevaeh Peterson

Lori Prudhommer, Nikki Lange Jody Draper

Jim Zastrow, Lee Jensen Bujold Ken Pogin, Robert Gardner, Michael Colclough

Hartley Nature Center: back row: Mickey Pearson, Maria Hopkins, Kaitlin Erpestad.

Front row: Tom O’Rourke, Rod Graf, Kristin Bauerkemper

Robert Sherman, Tom Wheeler, Fariba Pendleton, Claudia Welty

Ashland High School: Luis Salas, Roxanna Turner, Joe Corbine, Greg Posewitz

Duluth

Mounted Patrol: Amber Peterson Jim Matson, Craig Lindberg

Breanna Schueller, Erik Torch, Jessica Schiff

Duluth Playhouse: back row: Ashlee Hartwig, Ali Littrell Finstrom.

Front row: Adam Sippola, Patrick Colvin, Todd Higgins, Katie Paine

Renee Passal, Holly Sampson, Rob Karwath

Laura Fox, Patty Salo Downs, Samuel Hosszu

photos by JoAnn Jardine

Big Top Chautauqua: Cheryl Fosdick, Michael Charette, Terry Matier,

Alesia Leskey, Diane Miskulin

Gavin Aker, Rich Long

Fashion Show (Jennifer)

L-R: Patricia Parker, Stacy Cordie, Leticia Sarazua, Dellaray Durfee, Colleen Hasforth

Valentine’s Day from the Heart

By Beatrice Ojakangas

Chocolate Dipped Lemon Hearts

These heart shaped cookies are dipped in chocolate, either white or dark.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

Chocolate Dip

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolk and lemon zest and beat until light and lemon colored. Stir the flour and baking soda together and add to the butter mixture; stir until dough is smooth.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. With heart-shaped cookie cutters, cut out cookies and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes or until cookies are firm and begin to brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

For the chocolate dip, measure the chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup and add the oil. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted.

Dip each cookie heart halfway into the chocolate and place on a sheet of waxed paper to cool and harden.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

The Perfect Gift

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