The Woman Today April 2021

WOMAN today the Northland Anchors

Home and Builders Edition!

On the road with Abigail Boone

Nordic Crowns and the women who wear them

Think spring; discover new tips on gardening

Get the bestunder your feet e e es e yo ee

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WOMAN the today

PROFILES

6 Roberta Laidlaw

Canoeing solo in the Boundary Waters

10 Leading Ladies

Four local evening anchors tell their journalism stories

16 Bailey Builds Expands amid pandemic

20 Rachel & Leah Hammond

Sisters find their calling in family business

FEATURES

24 Abigail Boone is Queen of the road

32 Stories of struggle, resilience on anniversary of COVID-19

36 Nordic Crowns & Beyond: In Praise of Women

40 Women forge paths in non-traditional programs

44 Let's get growing!

HEALTH/MEDICINE

26 Essentia

Charting her own path at Essenta Health

30 St. Luke’s

From Broken Back to 'back on track'

FASHION

28 Fashions by Sam

FOOD/NUTRITION

56 Citrus Curd

HOME TOUCHES

48 North Shore dwelling a place to call 'home for good'

WOMAN the today

GROUP PUBLISHER

Neal Ronquist

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Rick Lubbers

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Megan Keller

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Ali Carlson

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Renae Ronquist

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Julie Schulz

CONTRIBUTORS

Abigail Blonigen

Alison Aune

Alison Stucke

Andrea Busche

Astrid Gilbert

Briana Johnson

Christy Meridith

Clint Austin

Comstock Creative

Iris Hiemenz

Kasha Stoll

Kate Ferguson

Leigh Neitzel

Madeline Schmitz

Molly Milroy

Molly Ovenden

Rebecca Stoen

Roberta Laidlaw

Samantha Roffers

TO OUR READERS

April is here! Has spring sprung? It did a little bit in March as we hit some record highs the week of March 8. The 50-degree temps were just what we all needed after getting out of that horrible cold snap we had in February. Of course, it was followed by a one-day snowstorm … that’s the Northland weather for us.

Now that we are looking into April, this is the month where so much happens. The snow melts, the grass and trees start to turn green and we look at our properties and think about projects, gardening and perhaps personal goals for the upcoming summer. Did you know the hit color is yellow this year? I would say that’s a great trend for this year — nothing is cheerier than yellow, in my opinion. I think after the year we had, we could use more cheer!

In this issue, we have a great variety of content to enjoy, which in turn may inspire you to make new goals or plan new projects this upcoming season. Additionally, three women shared their stories and reflection of the one-year anniversary when Minnesota was placed on pandemic lockdown.

Another four amazing women are forging ahead, making sure that our communities receive important news every day. Those amazing women are our Northland evening television anchors. We then took a ride with Abigail Boone at Kivi Trucking to learn all about her love for trucking.

April is a busy month, and we hope you are able to take some time to sit down and enjoy this month’s issue. Thank you for picking up The Woman Today, our team and advertisers appreciate all the support! See you next month.

Megan Keller Advertising Director

Canoeing solo in the Boundary Waters

By Molly Milroy

Roberta

Laidlaw has spent countless nights sleeping under the stars throughout the years. Being outside is her passion and while she has traversed many miles on the Superior Hiking Trail and backpacked into the deep woods for days at a time, her latest outdoor adventures include canoeing. In 2020, she completed her goal of canoeing solo in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The nine-day journey took years of preparation and planning.

Guided by Girl Scouts

the ground and in tents,” Laidlaw reminisced.

In 1971, while in eighth grade, Laidlaw first stepped into a canoe off of Newport Beach in Orange County.

“This is where I learned to canoe, sail and row,” she said. These lessons paved the way for her future outdoor adventures.

Roberta Laidlaw

In the second grade, while living in Southern California, Laidlaw joined Girl Scouts, which contributed greatly to her life of outdoor adventures. Her troop leader, Mrs. Shea, taught her the skills of backpacking.

“She’s the one who laid out the groundwork for me, learning how to spend your life outdoors in the wilderness sleeping on

“Everything Girl Scouts had us doing outdoors, I loved it with a passion. It was like, that was my place,” Laidlaw said.

The call of Northern Minnesota

Laidlaw, now 62, carried the knowledge she learned from Girl Scouts into her young adult years. In 1995, she completed her degree in outdoor recreation management and forestry from the University of Minnesota and worked as a park ranger at Father Hennepin State Park on Lake Mille Lacs. She began backpacking with friends and then

PHOTO BY CHRISTY MERIDITH

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERTA LAIDLAW

started solo backpacking. She first learned to backpack in seventh grade, and in her 40s, she took on solo backpacking.

In 1990, she encountered the Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club, which introduced her to northern Minnesota.

“It’s so unique. There’s no other place in the United States that’s like the Boundary Waters,” she said.

Laidlaw started reading everything she could about the Boundary Waters: how to canoe, how to paddle, the history of other canoeists and how it once was logged, and how it once hosted a variety of resorts.

Her enthusiasm for the northwoods of Minnesota grew so much that in 2015, she settled in Duluth. In 2019, she landed a job working as the administrative assistant for Lake County Forestry. Co-worker Leigh Neitzel explained Laidlaw’s devotion to the wilderness.

“This woman’s passion radiates from her entire being,” Neitzel said. “She loves the sport of backpacking and canoeing. It has become a part of her. It is necessary for her own spiritual survival.”

Solo canoeing

Laidlaw explained that the key to being able to solo canoe and take multiple-day trips is the ability to portage between lakes, carrying the canoe by yourself.

“Sometimes you might be walking three minutes and sometimes you might be walking half a mile long. The key to me doing this was finding the right canoe that was light enough and that I could balance on my shoulders without dying,” she said with a laugh.

The canoe she eventually purchased was the Northwind Solo canoe by Northstar Canoes, a Minnesota company.

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of a lightweight solo canoe,” Laidlaw said. “The canoe I bought, after first renting several brands, weighs just under 40 pounds. It’s so light that even at my age, I can portage that canoe.”

To be able to physically do her canoe trips, she tries to keep a basic level of fitness all year long, including longdistance walking and lifting weights.

Preparing for the journey

To prepare for her nine-day feat, Laidlaw first completed two separate multi-day journeys. The first trip was a five-day pilgrimage to the former homestead of Dorothy Molter, a woman who lived and operated the Isle of Pines Resort from 1948 until her death in 1986.

On the drive up there, Laidlaw’s fear

of solo canoeing set in.

“I had my canoe and my packs. I was sitting there on this little island, and I was filled with terror,” she shared. “It’s like when you’re going to give a speech and you’re completely nervous right before you go on and once you go up to the podium and start talking, the nerves go away.”

Once she started paddling, a group of loons came out to greet her and her nerves calmed.

Her second solo preparatory trip was exploring part of the route of her

Continued on page 8

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upcoming nine-day trip. This allowed her to test her skills and navigate around the different lakes. Completing those journeys gave her confidence to continue planning the nine-day loop.

Boundary Waters

nine-day adventure

The nine-day excursion began at wilderness entry point No. 55, which is located at the end of the Gunflint Trail on Saganaga Lake. The circle route she completed takes you into the interior of the Boundary Waters.

“I like the interior lakes that take longer to get into. I want the feeling of having to work to get more into the center of the Boundary Waters,” she said while explaining that the lakes closest to

the wilderness boundary are the most crowded with people.

Starting out, the fear set in again.

“When the tow dropped me off at Honeymoon Island, near American Point, I had the same feeling of terror, but I had it even more intensely,” she said. “Even with 40 years of experience, I still get nervous. I feel like being nervous is good, because it keeps you on your toes and aware of the dangers.”

She explained that solo canoeing takes effort.

“You’re always moving, getting across portages, heading to a destination, getting to a basecamp, making a basecamp, and preparing your food.”

While on her trips, she also enjoys her photography hobby.

“When I plan these trips, I want to trace down history, see people who lived here, and see special places and pictographs,” Laidlaw said. On this trip, she visited another canoe legend’s homestead, Benny Ambrose.

“Other than Dorothy Molter, he was one of the last people allowed to continue to live in the Boundary Waters. I was so happy seeing his site,” she said. After visiting Ambrose’s site, her next destination was Lake Kekekabic, one of her favorite lakes in the Boundary Waters.

Regarding her time as a solo adventurer, she says there are moments that she gets a twinge of feeling lonely, but that her time alone in nature is worth it.

PHOTO BY LEIGH NEITZEL

“When you’re alone, you feel it more deeply, all of these things about nature,” she said. “When you’re with somebody, a lot of times, you’re relating to that other person. When you’re by yourself, you’re in the moment, absorbing nature to the fullest.”

Advice for women

For those who are interested in venturing more into the outdoors, Laidlaw shared some well-earned wisdom.

“Baby steps,” she said. “Start day hiking with the Women Hike Duluth group, a good group for bonding and meeting people.”

There are a variety of ways for women to learn the skills needed for backpacking or canoeing.

“I was fortunate to start young and have this background, but you can start at any age and there are people that will help you,” she said.

The University Minnesota Duluth and Lake Superior College have classes on canoeing, while Duluth Community Education offers beginning backpacking courses.

For women who don’t have the equipment or skills for a multi-day canoe trip, they can hire a guide to take them into the Boundary Waters. Many of these guides are based in Ely and Grand Marais. The Women’s Wilderness Discovery is another guiding group.

Future trips

Future trips for Laidlaw include canoeing into Quetico Provincial Park in Canada, a canoe trip in Pukaskwa Provincial Park, and canoeing in Alaska and Canada.

“Now that I’ve learned how to solo canoe, I’m going to keep doing this as long as I live,” she exclaimed.

Her ultimate outdoor life goal is a paddling and climbing trip in Patagonia.

“Life is so exciting. There’s so much to do,” she said with a grin. D

60

HOW FAR WILLYO YOU U GO?

Molly Milroy is a Duluth freelance writer.

Leading Ladies:

Four local evening anchors tell their journalism stories

Abigail Blonigen

With today’s 24-hour news cycle, we depend on local journalists to keep us informed on what’s going on in our communities, nation and world. They become anchors — not just of their respective TV stations, but of our living rooms, their smiling faces becoming part of our daily routine.

The Woman Today interviewed four evening anchors from local stations to learn what goes on behind the screen, who they are off the air, and how they take care of themselves in an industry that never sleeps.

Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Alexandra Burnley, Fox 21

Alexandra Burnley grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and obtained her degree in digital and broadcast journalism from the University of Georgia. She has Minnesota roots, as she used to attend Camp Birchwood in Laporte, and her mother grew up in Hibbing.

Burnley is currently an evening news anchor at Fox 21 and has been in the broadcast business for about five years. She previously worked in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

At what point did you realize you wanted to be a television reporter?

When I was a junior in high school. I loved history and English, so I combined those two to get journalism since you

are writing the first draft of history. I was set on starting out as a writer for a newspaper or magazine.

I was a pretty shy person at the time, but after a public speaking class, I grew more interested in broadcast and working on growing that aspect of myself. With broadcast journalism, you get to show more, and I still do a fair amount of in-depth writing with web articles. Broadcasting is the best of both worlds.

Who is someone you look up to or inspired you to become a reporter?

Lisa Guerrero at “Inside Edition” is inspiring with the way she fearlessly chases after people. She has done some amazing exposés where she has called people out in the middle of wrongdoing. These people can be very dangerous, but she walks right up to them, cameras rolling and fires away questions. Whenever I need some inspiration, I look at her stories and the way she operates.

How do you find balance between work and your personal life?

This past summer, I bought a bike. It was the best purchase because it took me all over: up the North Shore, around Duluth, the Munger Trail, the Lakewalk. It pushed me to

PHOTO BY ABIGAIL BLONIGEN

Evening anchors Baihly Warfield, WDIO; Kristen Vake, CBS 3; Bonney Bowman, KBJR; and Alexandra Burnley, Fox 21 gather for a socially distanced group photo in Canal Park.

explore Duluth on my own.

I also love being with my two cats, Kingsley and Mia. When I come home at night after working long hours, they are there waiting for me. And of course, watching Netflix to decompress and relax.

Can you tell us something about yourself that viewers may not know?

I was a sailing instructor growing up. When I was 16, I started a job at our local marina and worked there for several summers teaching kids camp. Those were some of my best summers.

Do you have a story that has stuck out as your favorite or the most challenging to cover?

The most challenging story I did was back in Green Bay. We were working on this big story where a Green Bay city councilor had pages of complaints filed against him for his behavior toward city employees. He denied it all and was pretty hostile about it.

I confronted him after a meeting on camera. He shoved a piece of paper at me and said that it was all a lie. I flipped through the report and told him that the form he gave me didn’t disprove the allegations. He continued to deny the complaints and was voted out in the next election.

It was rewarding to stick to my guns when he was calling me a liar to my face. Not everything is so cut and dry in

journalism. If someone denies something, you have to put that in the story. It doesn’t matter what you believe, you have to show both sides.

Bonney Bowman, KBJR

Bonney Bowman grew up in Chicago and earned her journalism degree from the University of Missouri. KBJR is her fifth TV station; she previously worked in Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan and Alaska.

Bowman has 13 years of experience in the broadcasting industry. She made the transition to anchor in her previous role and is now the full-time evening anchor at KBJR.

At what point did you realize you wanted to be a television reporter?

It was sophomore year of high school. I really enjoyed public speaking and writing. I was watching the news after school with my mom one day and she had the lightbulb moment. It fit with everything I enjoyed doing academically, and once I’d done some research about what the job entailed and what a career might look like, it fit what I wanted to do personally.

Being able to tell a good story sometimes involves that visual medium of the video and the voice and the writing all coming together.

Who is someone you look up to or inspired you to become a reporter?

A role model of mine currently on air is Norah O’Donnell. Leading a major network is a high-pressure job, and she handles it with such grace and determination. The way she brings emotion and empathy to the anchor desk is inspiring. I don’t think many male anchors are as comfortable sharing those parts of themselves, and I really admire her for it.

Continued on page 12

Alexandra Burnley, Fox 21

How do you find balance between work and your personal life?

I set pretty firm boundaries for myself because it is so easy to get sucked into the news cycle and be constantly keyed in. I make sure when I get home, I switch off. Otherwise I’d never go to sleep. It’s partly my job, but it’s also my interest as a journalist to see what’s going on.

I have a couple of dogs and cats, so I make sure that I go out

for walks everyday with the dogs. I love hiking. I completed the Superior Hiking Trail Summit Challenge this last summer. This coming summer, I hope to hike the entire trail from end to end. I also really enjoy baking, that you can take all of these random ingredients and create something delicious.

Can you tell us something about yourself that viewers may not know?

I’m a first-generation American. My parents moved here to the States from England about six weeks before I was born. My parents and my brother are all green card holders, so I am the only American citizen in my family.

Do you have a story that has stuck out as your favorite or the most challenging to cover?

The one that I’ve done here in Duluth was a 30-minute special called “Missing and Murdered: An Epidemic of Violence.” It was about the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assualt and murder that Indigenous women face and its impact on the Native community and the community at large.

I am not Native, so navigating that culturally was a challenge. My producer, Ramona Marozas, is Native, so she helped guide me.

We started with the jumping off point of Sheila St. Clair’s murder, a prominent missing and murdered case here in the Northland. From there, we talked to law enforcement, families and advocates, and put together a very informative, emotional piece.

Baihly Warfield, WDIO

Baihly Warfield grew up south of the Twin Cities and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications at the University of St. Thomas. When looking for a reporting job after graduation, her only caveat was that she would not move farther north, applying for jobs all over the country.

Bonney Bowman, KBJR

Despite it being farther north, Warfield was encouraged to apply at WDIO by a few folks she knew at the station. Warfield fell in love with the area and found the position to be a good fit, so she began her reporting career here in 2015. She has since worked her way up to evening news anchor.

At what point did you realize you wanted to be a television reporter?

There was a career day in high school in ninth grade, and one of the Twin Cities TV stations came to the school to talk about their jobs. I loved writing and I was also involved in the performing arts, so it felt like a good marriage of those two passions of mine.

TV gives you the opportunity to hear directly from people and experience the story for yourself. There are unique ways to tell stories on TV that you can’t get in a newspaper or on the radio.

Who is someone you look up to or inspired you to become a reporter?

Boyd Hupert down at KARE 11 is the ultimate goal for a lot of storytellers with his “Land of 10,000 Stories” segment. I appreciate his conversational style and the meaningful stories he tells. I aspire to be able to tell stories that well one day.

How do you find balance between work and your personal life?

I try to put my phone in my purse when I get home and leave it there. I go into work at 1:30 p.m., so I try to take the mornings to myself — maybe scroll through the email once or twice, but other than that, I sit down and read, run errands, keep up with my personal life. It’s a conscious effort I make to turn it off, but it is important to take a break. I also do a lot of hiking to clear my mind.

Continued on page 14

Baihly Warfield, WDIO

Can you tell us something about yourself that viewers may not know?

I have done a lot of traveling. My study abroad program in college was called “Semester at Sea,” so I lived on a ship for four months. That trip gave me a lifelong travel bug because I realized how much of the world there is to see. I’ve been to 13 or 14 countries now.

Do you have a story that has stuck out as your favorite or the most challenging to cover?

One of my favorites was on a couple who were huge Vikings fans. They had a wooden chainsaw-carved statue of a Viking in their driveway named Vinny the Viking that was stolen one night. The couple got a call immediately after the story aired that someone had seen him. They reported it to the police and were able to get the top half of their statue back. They had a new bottom made for him, so Vinny the Viking is back in full form.

On the more serious side, one of the most memorable days of reporting was when the Husky Refinery exploded. I was live on air for eight straight hours, updating people about what was going on. I’ll never forget that day.

Kristen Vake, CBS 3

Kristen Vake grew up in Chisholm and still lives on the Iron Range. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior for mass communications and journalism and went on to work in marketing for the State of Minnesota.

After a couple years, Vake began to miss reporting and decided to pursue a master’s degree at Northwestern University in Chicago. She began at CBS 3 as a morning anchor, reporter and producer about five years ago and is now an evening anchor.

At what point did you realize you wanted to be a television reporter?

When I was in fifth grade, my class made a newspaper, and I got to interview the captain of the boys basketball team. That was a big deal to me, and I took it very seriously. I loved the adrenaline rush that I got while I was doing the interview. It’s funny because now when I’m really excited about an interview, I get that same exact adrenaline rush.

Who is someone you look up to or inspired you to become a reporter?

I’ve tried to emulate Nora O’Donnell. She is not only a female evening news anchor on network television, but is also a really strong reporter.

Before her, I would say Barbara Walters. She broke the glass ceiling for women in this industry. We still have a ways to go as far as a good balance of male to female, but I’ve seen women make some big strides in the last couple years.

Kristen Vake, CBS 3

How do you find balance between work and your personal life?

On the weekends I try to check out. I like to leave my phone and go adventuring outside. I also am a big fan of reality TV. Everybody needs something to take your mind off the busyness of the day-to-day, especially with the last year we’ve been through.

I also have dogs. All they want from me is some love and some treats, and I can do that.

Can you tell us something about yourself that viewers may not know?

I have had two back surgeries to treat scoliosis. I began having back pain when I was only 13 or 14 years old and was misdiagnosed a couple times before figuring out what it was. I had my first surgery my senior year of high school, which put me out of sports.

I was given a lot of restrictions after my second surgery, but I kind of rebelled and ran Grandma’s Half Marathon the next year. I’ve always pushed the limits with it, but it’s one of those obstacles that really shapes your life.

Do you have a story that has stuck out as your favorite or the most challenging to cover?

I recently told a story about a family from the Iron Range who was in the middle of an adoption process for four children from outside of the country when the pandemic hit. Their entire world was turned upside down, but they allowed us into their home and opened up about their struggles even though it wasn’t easy for them to talk about.

A few months after the story aired, the adoption went through and the kids are now in the country with them. It was a happy ending, but in the moment it was really tough for them. The fact that they were willing to share their experience with so many people, including me, was really special. D

Abigail Blongien is a Duluth freelance writer and photographer.

Bailey Builds expands amid pandemic

By Abigail Blonigen

The coronavirus pandemic has hit local businesses and artists especially hard, with art fairs canceled and retail restrictions ever-changing. Yet, some business owners, like Duluth artist Anna Bailey, have found a silver lining in being able to slow down and focus on planning rather than doing.

“It was really hard to expand the business during 2020, to be honest,” Bailey said, “but our business was still moving forward in vision, purpose and direction.”

Bailey is a wood mosaic artist, creating unique designs out of reclaimed scrap wood. The idea came to her after making a couple patio chairs for her home. Not wanting to waste the leftover wood, she began to piece it together, and a new passion was born.

Bailey officially launched her wood art business five and a half years ago; her husband came on board full time nearly four years ago. They are now proud owners of Bailey Builds and Friends, a handcrafted market featuring their work along with other local artisans; Bailey Builds Gallery, a small, artsy space for special occasions; and Bailey Builds Makers Loft, an Airbnb vacation rental above the market.

The newest addition to the Bailey Builds empire is an old funeral home four blocks from the current location, which will soon be Bailey Builds Collective, a space where local artists

will be able to rent workspace, connect with one another and showcase their work.

“One of the things we want to offer artists is the chance for them to sell their own work in collaboration with our retail,” she said.

To make up for the lost income from art fairs in 2020, the Baileys focused their efforts on retail and e-commerce. This resulted in huge growth, encouraging them to go forward with the expansion.

The Bailey Builds team also grew in 2020; they now

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Artist Anna Bailey nails pieces into place for a mosaic, with completed works hanging behind her. She began her business five and a half years ago.

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have four full-time and six part-time employees. A family business, their two older sons and their nephew help out in the woodshop.

Bailey grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and moved to Duluth to obtain her teaching degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She and her now husband, Nathanael, fell in love with the area and decided to stick around to raise their family.

After teaching for a few years, Bailey took some time off work to care for her four kids, now ages 14, 15, 17 and 19. She later worked as a music director for a church, as both faith and music are important facets of her life.

One night, not long after leaving her music director position, Bailey awoke to a moment of fervent clarity that she needed to dedicate herself to pursuing her passions. After that night, she started pouring herself into her woodworking, singing and songwriting, and began a “mommy blog.” Just like the pieces of wood that make up her mosaics, everything started falling into place.

Bailey’s Instagram following began to take off around this time, and she now has over 35,000 followers on just her artist page.

“I just have the nature to encourage and influence people to do things, so I am grateful to have that opportunity for people

Anna Bailey smiles next to a large art piece, holding paws with her trusty shop dogs, Albert and Oakley.

to watch our story and see what God has done,” she said.

In terms of Bailey’s creative process, she describes herself as a “disaster,” while her husband is more organized. Before moving to their current space, they worked elbow-to-elbow in their home garage.

Bailey prefers to work in the moment with what she has on hand rather than plan out her designs.

“I work best when I don’t have a plan because a plan feels constricting to me,” she said. “So I usually look at what lumber I have next to work with and then I decide what I want to do with it.”

Take a giant pile of scrap wood sitting in her shop, for example. The wood had been on top of the roof of their building since before they purchased it. Bailey described the beautiful grain and the exposed deepred cedar where the boards had splintered open.

“It doesn’t get that way when you buy it off the rack at Menards or Home Depot,” she said.

Bailey starts every project with these reclaimed pieces, using new wood if she decides to add color. Her smaller pieces are generally composed of her own scrap wood from bigger designs, so she creates very little waste overall.

One of her more recent series was the “Zenith City Collection,” featuring wood from the oldest house in Duluth, built in 1867.

Bailey encourages other makers to hang in there, despite the challenges.

“Do what you love to do and give it your all,” she said.

To learn more about Bailey’s work and keep up with the Collective expansion, go to baileybuilds.com or visit the store at 5725 Grand Ave., Duluth. D

Abigail Blonigen is a Duluth freelance writer.

Sisters find their calling in family business

By Molly Ovenden

For sisters Rachel, 23, and Leah Hammond, 32, working in the finishing department at their family company, Morning Star Woodworks, has truly been a pursuit of finding a passion through being faithful.

For Rachel, finding and pursuing a passion for personal training was made possible by holding a steady job throughout college. And for Leah, holding a steady job at Morning Star in a time when she felt uncertain about which path to take in life meant that she actually found passion in working with wood.

Morning Star Woodworks in Cloquet, Minnesota, was established in 1983 by married couple Dan and Denise Hammond. Their primary products are custom cabinetry for kitchens, bathrooms and offices as well as trim and doors.

It was important to the Hammonds for their children to learn life skills — and their business has provided that opportunity to learn how to work hard and learn a trade while they discover what they want to do for a career.

Rachel was nervous about taking on this new experience and working with what seemed to her 17-year-old perspective, “a bunch of old guys.” Since they are best friends, getting to work with her older sister, Leah, put Rachel at ease. It has been six years since Rachel started in the finishing department, sanding, staining and spraying. It’s not always been easy for

Rachel to stay motivated since it’s not a career she’s passionate about, although she is grateful for the opportunity to work hard. Having a steady paycheck while in college was a real blessing. She had flexibility to pursue a degree in personal training, while remaining at Morning Star part time.

The finishing department also led Leah to her own passion. Pursuing a degree in medical science, she realized she didn’t want to go into debt for something for which she had no passion. Leah took her dad’s advice and, with a break from college, worked for her dad. The more she worked in the shop, the more she fell in love with it.

About 13 years later, her passion is woodworking. One coworker took Leah under his wing and mentored her. She also gained an appreciation for her hardworking small-business owner parents. Often her parents work “lots of long hours that people don’t see” and for which they don’t get paid extra. Her passion for the craft propels her to follow suit, and she also puts in several more hours with her side business as a wood artist.

~ &Rachel Leah Hammond ~

Leah and Rachel Hammond stand in front of "Bob," the rack where they store trim pieces. They named the storage racks to make it easier to tell them apart.

As a wood artist in her side business, Leah Hammond has made many beautiful items like this cribbage board made from maple, cherry and walnut.

TRANSFORMINGJOINT REPLACEMENT WITH MAKO ROBOTIC ARM ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY

Rachel is a petite woman, much stronger than she appears, earning the nickname “Mini Hulk” in the shop, “because she is so tough,” Leah explained. Sometimes she surprises her male colleagues with how easily she has handled heavy items. In college, when she found her love for resistance training, she found more enjoyment in the workshop because it required her to be active, move her body and build her strength. Rachel never thought that her job would mean she would have to become more masculine in order to succeed. But, for Leah, she felt like she wanted to prove herself that she is capable of doing the work.

“I’m still pretty girly, like I love makeup and dressing up,” she said, and she really hasn’t felt the need to change, either.

Sometimes the sisters feel a little out of place in the shop, being the only women, and it surprises some people when they learn that a woman is the machine operator. But mostly, the feedback has been really positive. They feel empowered to continue doing a good job, wanting to be recognized for

Continued on page 22

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Rachel "Mini Hulk" Hammond shows off her strength.

the good work they do, not for being a woman doing the work. Rachel and Leah want to encourage young women and girls who are interested in an industry that is traditionally male led, to give it a try anyway. Rachel said that being a girl doesn’t mean you can’t do certain things, so just try it because you never know what cool opportunities might come along as a result.

Dan has encouraged his daughters to stay strong in their personal faith, too. He quotes the verse of the Bible reminding them to work like they are working for God, not for man. Their faith and steady prayer life is what has helped them stay faithful to their jobs at Morning Star when they felt they were living without a purpose because they had not found what they

were passionate about for their career yet. Rachel has seen God’s provision for her through answered prayers when she needed a certain class to make her schedule work. She admits that it may look like a coincidence, but she knows that what she needed to happen, did so shortly after she prayed.

They both see God in the materials they use, too. They have an appreciation for art, so working with the natural beauty of trees is really fun for them. Leah said working in the finishing department is “an art form because you’re mixing colors, doing stain matches and you’re making it pretty!”

Rachel likes to see the wood come to life and admits there are a lot of pretty things she would have missed out on if she did not have this job. She loves working with walnut, quarter

Sisters Leah and Rachel Hammond work side by side as a team at Morning Star Woodworks.

Leah and Rachel Hammond place wood on "Terry," the rack where finished pieces are stored.

sawn oak, hickory, and cherry.

“Also, I love how alder, when you stain it, looks really soft,” she said. “I don’t know if I can really name one favorite.”

There’s something really special when you love what you’re doing and you know that you’re doing a good job. And, when a job is installed and the customer is happy with it, it can be really satisfying.

“It’s like the best feeling in the world. It makes it all worth it,” Leah said. D

Molly Ovenden is a Duluth freelance writer.

Leah and Rachel Hammond pose with their matching spray booth masks.

Queen of the road

Duluth woman bucks stereotypes of trucking industry

By Abigail Blonigen

What keeps Abigail Boone returning to the road is the sense of accomplishment from a job well done; she said the feeling is only comparable to what she felt when she held her son for the first time.

PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL BLONIGEN

“Some people are just born with diesel in their veins,” said Abigail Boone, driver at Kivi Bros Trucking. “I’m one of those people.”

Boone grew up on a farm in eastern Oregon and learned how to operate heavy machinery at a young age. Her family was a “trucking family,” with her father and roughly a dozen uncles all working as drivers.

Though she was always drawn to trucking, Boone did not officially begin doing so until her son moved out of the house. She earned her commercial driver’s license about five years ago.

team fill their truck, and hit the road. With a flatbed, any and all cargo must be secured tightly to the trailer with straps or chains — an entirely different process.

Before working at Kivi Bros, Boone had never thrown a strap, pulled a chain or loaded her own equipment. Along with learning this new process, Boone also had to build strength, as flatbedding is much more physical work.

Abigail Boone

Boone started working at Kivi Bros in June 2019, moving to Duluth from Oregon without ever having been to the area. Kivi Bros caught her attention because of the opportunities the company offered, like heavy haul.

“I love it here,” Boone said. “The moment I stepped foot in Duluth I was like, ‘I’m home. I’m done. I’m not going anywhere.’”

Her position at Kivi Bros also marked a transition from enclosed trailer to flatbed trucking. With an enclosed trailer, drivers will typically drive right up to a loading dock, have a

Despite the learning and physical curve, the team at Kivi Bros was more than willing to train her in.

“I came in very vulnerable,” Boone said. “I had no idea what I was doing, and they just came along beside me like, ‘Hey, we see you’re determined to do this. Do you mind help?’”

The number of women truck drivers is increasing, but still small. Women accounted for 6.7% of truck drivers in 2019 as opposed to 5.2% in 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A fraction of that percentage are dedicated flatbed and heavy haul truckers like Boone.

“We have to use our brain a lot more to utilize the tools we

Continued on page 27

With a flatbed, any and all cargo must be secured tightly to the trailer with straps or chains — an entirely different process.

Charting her own path at Essentia Health

By Louie St. George III

After years of enduring chronic pain, Lynsie Radovich needed some relief. Prepared to fight for herself, Radovich instead found an understanding ear in Dr. Michael Kassing.

An obstetrician-gynecologist at Essentia Health, Kassing listened to Radovich describe her struggles with pelvic pain. From the outset of their patient-doctor relationship in March 2016, he respected her goals and the destination she envisioned, helping her formulate a plan that not only would mitigate the pain, but bring additional health benefits to Radovich. They started with a laparoscopy to look for endometriosis.

Kassing presented several options.

“I was really impressed because he heard me as a person,” said Radovich, who coordinates human subject studies at the Whiteside Institute for Clinical Research in Duluth. “It’s sometimes hard to advocate for yourself, and I never felt like I needed to struggle to do that. It was just accepted that I know what I have in mind for myself, what my goals are and what I would like to do to pursue them.”

Radovich had her fallopian tubes removed in December 2017. Benefits included less discomfort and reduced risk of ovarian cancer. Pelvic pain lingered, though finding time for another procedure was a challenge. That’s because the active Radovich wasn’t keen on foregoing her favorite hobbies during recovery. An avid recreational softball player who also aims to spend at least 100 hours fishing Lake Superior each summer, that season was out of the question. Radovich also loves to ice-fish, so winter wasn’t ideal either. And she didn’t relish the thought of missing an extended period of work.

Finally, with life slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic, Radovich relented. She had a state-of-the-art, robot-assisted hysterectomy in October 2020, which she said went “flawlessly.” She was at home recovering the same day. Her pain has subsided.

At her post-operation exam in December, Radovich told Kassing she “felt like a million bucks.”

“The procedure itself was fantastic,” she said. “Dr. Kassing prepared me very, very well for what to expect before, after, how long the procedure would be. His whole surgical team was fantastic.”

Kassing and his team delivered something else: peace of mind.

“It’s incredibly freeing to not have concerns about having to do cancer screenings and regular gynecological checkups and things like that,” Radovich said. She knows many women her age would be devastated by the thought of a hysterectomy, but she didn’t plan to

Lynsie Radovich worked with her obstetrician-gynecologist at Essentia Health, Dr. Michael Kassing, to make sure she received a personalized care plan that would help her reduce pelvic pain and bring additional health benefits.

have children. The surgery didn’t disrupt her life plans, making acceptance less complicated.

Radovich, a 2000 graduate of Hermantown High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, a master’s degree in biology and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology. As diligently as she approached her education, Radovich was similarly steadfast about her health care. She knew what she wanted.

Kassing, whose straightforward but compassionate personality was a perfect fit for Radovich, is one of those doctors who “give you the driver’s seat but are ready to help you navigate at any point,” Radovich said. At one of their first appointments, Kassing used a story about ice-fishing to explain how he’d attack her problems — an appropriate analogy given his audience.

The chronic pain that initially prompted Radovich to meet with Kassing wasn’t debilitating. But it was enough to make her constantly uncomfortable.

Kassing acknowledged that Radovich knew her body better than anybody else. He would offer advice, he told her, but how they proceeded ultimately would be up to her. Radovich appreciated that he didn’t sugarcoat his assessments. At the same time, he was caring and empathic.

Radovich, all but pain-free now, made sure she got out on the ice before it disappeared. She’s turning her attention to another softball season and plying the waters of Lake Superior, which drew Radovich back to the Northland after she’d earned her Ph.D. from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., and completed a postdoc at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

“Growing up with Lake Superior in my back pocket, it’s very difficult to live anywhere else where you don’t have truly, like, an inland sea,” Radovich said. D

Louie St. George III is the public relations/external communications manager at Essentia Health.

have to compensate for the lack of strength,” Boone said.

In addition to the job being physically demanding, Boone said it takes an emotional toll as well. Tensions run high when she is hauling an oversized road. If something is not secured properly and flies off the trailer, Boone is responsible.

The lack of women in the field can also be tough, with very few people having had a similar experience to her. She is often pegged as the trucker’s wife instead of the trucker.

Despite these challenges, Boone has felt supported and welcomed within the company culture at Kivi Bros.

“I fit in with these guys 100%,” she said. “They’ve accepted me as one of their own. They’ve trained me and groomed me to move up in the company.”

The sense of accomplishment from a job well-done keeps Boone returning to the road. She said the feeling is only comparable to what she felt when she held her son for the first time.

“I have taken a product from one place to another safely. I worked my butt off. I’m probably covered in dirt from head to toe and smell really bad, but I did that and I did it all by myself,” she said. “I get such a feeling of accomplishment with what I do, and I’m proud of what I do.”

Boone loves the freedom of cruising down the road listening to music — from opera, to death metal, to country — and the solace of having her own space in the cab, which she sleeps in most nights of the week.

“This is my tiny little retreat,” Boone said. “Anybody who enters into my world here has to be invited. I can have complete and total relaxation right here in my own little world.”

Kivi Bros has been working to try to recruit more women drivers and is a member of Women in Trucking, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging the employment of women drivers.

“I think we belong here,” Boone said. “Women belong out here, too.” D

Performance And Comfort

“This is my tiny little retreat,” Abigail Boone says of her truck cab.

Samantha Roffers, a Moose Lake writer, believes it’s important to shop for things you love and feel comfortable in. Everyone’s style is unique and that’s what makes it so special.

By Samantha Roffers

Hellodear readers, I hope you are all well! I hope the sun is shining and the birds are chirping while you are reading this. With the recent warmer weather I can’t help but get excited for spring! Though I don’t care for the mud that comes along with our annual melt, I love watching our landscape green up and bloom again. The sun lingering later every day and warmer temps always feel incredible after a long Minnesota winter.

For this month’s issue, we headed to the Miller Hill Mall on a chilly day to see which stores were featuring their spring lines. While we were a bit early for the full spring launch, we were able to find some great stuff at Old Navy, Apricot Lane and Beyond The Barn.

As always, I hope you are able to learn a bit and find some inspiration for your own wardrobe. D

by Sam

1Our first stop: Old Navy. This first look was so fun — I saw the leather leggings on a mannequin and had to try them. I typically wear an XL bottom but was pleasantly surprised to find the large fit me. They were very comfortable and a fun change of pace from the normal pant material. I dressed them down slightly and paired them with a flowy cotton top, cheetah flats and gold jewelry. This is such a universal look, and can easily take you from the office to a dinner date and anywhere in between. The lining of the leggings provided warmth and comfort while the top was light and breathable. Perfect for spring!

2This next look was probably my favorite, though I did love those leather leggings. These yoga pants and light hoodie were so soft and comfortable. The salmon color is perfect for spring and adds a pop of color without being overwhelming. I threw on an oversized jean jacket and some sparkly sneakers to take the look from athleisure to more of a casual day to day outfit. This could be worn anywhere from the gym to a lunch date. It’s adorable, casual and best of all, so comfy! You probably know by now I’m a comfort gal above all else. I love that the pants and hoodie are moisture wicking as well!

Next we popped into Apricot Lane — the store was filled with gorgeous and unique accessories and apparel. After browsing around and picking up a few things, I realized everything I had matched perfectly, including this adorable hat and purse. It was effortless to put this cute little look together. They have a great selection of boutique items which is a nice change of pace from some of the cookie cutter selections you can get with a bigger retail store. I felt like I was shopping right off of Instagram. If you’re looking for a great spring outfit or wanting to refresh your accessories, Apricot Lane is a must.

4Our final stop of the day was my oasis, Beyond The Barn. They have a fantastic selection of outerwear, footwear, decor, accessories and apparel for the whole family. They also have plenty of items for the animal lover in your life. For this look I chose a beautiful and thick Kimes sweatshirt paired with Kimes jeans and Twisted X shoes. The Kimes hoodie and shoes had beautiful complimentary tones and really looked great together without being overly matchy. Kimes jeans are American made and built to withstand the toughest of conditions, all while staying fashionable and comfortable. The fit of these jeans is really fantastic — they feel broken in from the get go. I am also a huge fan of Twisted X shoes. Like their jeans, the shoes require very little break-in time and feel comfortable from day one. These shoes come in hundreds of different styles and last for many years.

From broken back to 'back on track'

By Claire Kiger

The campfire glowed softly as Gretel Lee stepped out into the dark night. It was the beginning of a long weekend at her parent’s rustic cabin. The last thing she was expecting was a late-night trip to the hospital followed by emergency spine surgery.

Her family was visiting on the deck that sits above a dropoff. Gretel knew the space well, but it was dark. Her foot slipped off the side of the deck, and she started to fall.

“At first I thought I had only lost my balance, but then my body just kept going down,” said Gretel. “It was so dark that I couldn’t make anything out. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, how far is this?’ Then I hit the ground about 10 feet below, square on my back.”

For the first few seconds, she felt nothing. Once she got her breath back and some feeling returned, her first instinct was to stand up.

“I kept telling my family I was fine,” she said, “but pain started to radiate through my back.”

It didn’t take long before she was on her way to the hospital. In the emergency room at Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital, Gretel found out she had suffered severe back trauma.

“They asked me where I wanted to go for treatment, and I said St. Luke’s right away,” said Gretel.

Her mind reeling with questions about the future, Gretel was secured to a bed inside an ambulance and driven to Duluth.

Emergency complex spine reconstruction

Shortly after arriving, Gretel met St. Luke’s Neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Bejnarowicz.

“He told me my back was grossly unstable,” she said. “My L2 vertebra was practically shattered, and I had three fractures in my neck.”

Fixing her back would require emergency complex spine reconstruction.

“Her injuries were on the more intense side of things,” said Dr. Bejnarowicz, “but her spinal cord was still intact. If the bone fragments had breached her spinal cord, they could have affected her ability to walk.”

Through surgery, Dr. Bejnarowicz would stabilize the fracture with screws and rods. For her neck, she would have to wear a heavy brace for a few months.

“My mind was racing,” said Gretel. “Dr. Bejnarowicz sat with me and walked me through what to expect. Then, he put me in a back brace and I did my best to rest.”

Early the next morning, Gretel was prepared for what would end up being a six-hour surgery.

Gretel Lee wears her back and neck braces three weeks after her fall, enjoying time with her family.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Bejnarowicz in the operating room at St. Luke’s with Gretel’s scans behind him.

How the spine care specialists at St. Luke’s helped one woman recover after a 10-foot fall

Finding a family at St. Luke’s

When she woke up, Dr. Bejnarowicz had great news. She was going to make a full recovery. The only thing that stood between her and another long weekend of hiking were a few months of recovery time.

She was confident that she could heal, especially with the help of her family. However the first week of her recovery would be spent in the hospital, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, her family would be unable to visit her.

“The thought of spending all that time alone was not a great one,” said Gretel, “but everyone at St. Luke’s just became my family for a week. I honestly could not have fallen into better hands.”

Comprehensive spine care in Duluth

Success stories like Gretel’s are possible because of St. Luke’s Spine Center.

“Our Spine Center brings together a diverse group of specialists to develop the best treatment plan for each patient,” said Dr. Bejnarowicz. “It eliminates multiple referrals, delayed care and confusion.”

St. Luke’s Spine Center is the first of its kind in the Northland. It provides advanced technology to treat all spine issues, ranging from common to complex. It also offers minimally invasive techniques that reduce complications and promote faster recovery.

By October, Gretel was completely brace free and feeling great.

“I can do everything I used to do,” she said. “I’m so thankful for Dr. Bejnarowicz and his team. I can’t believe how fortunate I am.”

Learn more at slhduluth.com/ SpineCenter. D

Claire Kiger is a marketing specialist and writer for St. Luke’s.

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Stories of struggle, resilience on anniversary of COVID-19

By Andrea Busche

Well, here we are, folks. Over a year later, and we are still — still — dealing with COVID-19.

For those of us who have gotten sick or lost a loved one, COVID-19 has brought tremendous heartache and pain. For the rest of us, it has brought numerous frustrations, with restrictions on how we work, play and live.

Three Woman Today readers recently opened up about the challenges they’ve encountered during this difficult year. We discussed everything from distance learning and virtual meetings to sick relatives, socializing and more.

If there is a silver lining, it is this: During this trying year, they all learned a little more about themselves and what truly matters in life.

Work

Duluthian Iris Hiemenz is a paralegal at the Law Office of Yvonne Michaud Novak. She also has two children: a daughter, Milla,14, and a stepson, Brody, 10. Hiemenz shared how her work-life balance has dramatically changed during the pandemic.

“I went from full time at work to full time at home, and helping the kids with online schoolwork,” she said. “Then, a couple days per week I was picking things up at the office to work on at home. Work picked up, and I was back in the office a couple days per week. I'm back to work five days per week

now, but only six hours per day. Luckily, my husband, Brett, has been able to work full-time throughout the pandemic.”

Kate Ferguson, also a Duluth resident, works for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority as director of trade and business development. The structure of Ferguson’s workday is vastly different these days.

Iris Hiemenz’s kids, 14-year-old daughter Milla and 10-year-old stepson Brody, play Monopoly during the pandemic shutdown. They are accompanied by the family dog, Willie the St. Bernard, who often interrupted Iris’ virtual conferences with Milla’s teachers.

Milla Beldo displays the homemade finish line she created for her mother, Iris, who ran the Garry Bjorklund half marathon virtually this summer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IRIS HIEMENZ

PHOTO COURTESY OF IRIS HIEMENZ

“In normal times, I travel, on average, one week per month: to conferences, trade shows, educational events, etc.,” she said. “But, during the pandemic, for the first time, I have been forced to stay home. And, for the first time in my career, I actually worked from home for a short time. While I greatly enjoy being able to go for a walk while on a conference call, networking, creating relationships and collaboration are all very difficult virtually.”

Duluthian Briana Johnson is development director for the American Heart Association.

She also has two daughters, Bella,11, and Brooklyn, 8, and a grown son, Tian.

“My job for AHA was a ‘work-from-home’ job prior to COVID-19,” Johnson said, “but I still did a lot of my work in the field, meeting with sponsors, donors and volunteers, and visiting schools. That has all changed this year and everything I do is from my home office, via virtual meetings online and phone calls.

“Like many, I miss the personal connection with people,” she said. “In addition, working for a nonprofit like AHA has presented numerous fundraising challenges due to the economic effects of the pandemic.”

Distance learning

The pandemic has affected the work lives and personal time of parents and other caregivers in a huge way. All local schools have pivoted to distance learning in one way or another. Some have closed

completely, while others have entered a hybrid format, where children attend school in person a couple of days per week, and utilize distance learning on opposing days. All of these nontraditional educational formats require a lot of extra effort on the part of families. Parents must ensure their children have all the connections and support they need, while also concurrently juggling their own workloads.

Briana Johnson said distance learning has presented a huge

Continued on page 34

Sweeping Historical Fiction Set

Kate Ferguson of the Seaway Port Authority delivers MARAD-supplied masks to terminals around the Duluth-Superior harbor this past summer.

Kate Ferguson says her dog, Barley, is her “lazy coworker.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KATE FERGUSON

learning curve for her family.

“A big day-to-day change in our house has been incorporating distance learning into our routines,” she said. “While I do have the luxury of working from home, I still need to squeeze in a full eight-hour day. But in addition to that, I’ve needed to make time to help my two youngest children with their education. The youngest is only in second grade, and needs my guidance and ‘teaching’ every day.”

If there are any silver linings regarding this new way of teaching our kids, perhaps it is an increased sensitivity for the incredibly hard work of our kids' teachers. Hiemenz said she has “a lot more respect for the teachers who have had to completely rethink and restructure the way they get information across to their students, especially given the short timeline they had to put it all together.”

The pandemic has also exposed the plight of underprivileged families, such as a lack of reliable internet connectivity, and the fact that many children don't have access to a nutritious lunch while not attending school in person. Many school districts are now planning to address some of these discrepancies.

Socialization

Between social distancing, masks and recommendations to stay home, we’ve all struggled to find ways to stay connected.

Hiemenz has a particularly important reason to keep her distance: she is

also a caregiver for her mother, who is disabled and has multiple health issues.

“I have to be very conscious about where I've been and who I've been in contact with before heading to her house to care for her,” Hiemenz said.

As a result, Hiemenz and her family have made outdoor adventures a priority. But her family looks forward to the day life returns to normal.

“I miss everything,” she said. “Going out with friends, concerts and sporting events.”

Ferguson said she has made an effort to maintain personal connections.

“I made virtual lunch dates, dinner dates, happy hours, etc., so that I could maintain the connections that are so important to a happy life,” she said. “I’m looking forward to cocktails on the deck, boating with friends, traveling the world, and seeing my family. I haven’t seen my brother or my niece in over a year. I cannot wait to hug them!”

Johnson said she misses family and hugs.

“I’m a hugger,” she said. “I miss being out doing things and running into friends, colleagues and acquaintances. I miss inviting friends over for dinner or drinks. I miss concerts, theater, sporting events and all the ‘big things’ that bring us together and make us smile.”

Silver linings

Despite the many, many challenges of this past year, all three women acknowledge a few silver linings.

Ferguson said one life lesson she has learned is that she needs and misses connections with people, both personal and professional.

“I have also learned that just because the world shuts down doesn’t mean you have to shut yourself down to the world,” she said. “I can still learn, I can still serve the community, I can still have fun, and I can still do my job.”

“A positive thing that happened over the past year,” Ferguson said, “is that I joined my local volunteer fire department (the Colvin Volunteer Fire Department in Makinen, Minnesota), and recently passed my firefighters exams. The only way this education and commitment to my local community was possible was because I was not traveling for work and I could work remotely.”

Johnson said she tries to be positive.

“And while this past year has been challenging, I fully acknowledge and appreciate the silver linings,” she said. “Most of all, the time our family has spent together. I have watched my two girls truly become each other’s best friend. I always thought of myself as an involved parent, but being with them

Briana Johnson said life lessons such as “Laundry Day” were mixed into distance learning to keep things fun and creative.

Bella and Brooklyn Johnson learn hands-only CPR. Their mother, Briana, said she tried keeping things creative and fun while teaching the girls practical life lessons.

24/7 and actively taking part in teaching them and assisting with their education, I know them on a different level now than I would have without COVID-19.”

This too shall pass

Despite so many challenges, we are all doing our best to stay positive.

“While I miss a lot of things and I’m looking forward to my children going back to school,

I realize that all of these inconveniences are temporary,” Johnson said.

“I’ve lost some friends this past year, but we’ve been fortunate to be healthy and safe in our house,” she added. “Knowing that, I can accept the temporary pause on ‘normal life,’ find silver linings to appreciate, and know that this too shall pass.

“Eventually, we will come out of it, hopefully with a newer gratitude for some of the little things we used to take for granted.” D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.

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Nordic Crowns & Beyond: In Praise of Women

By Lise Lunge-Larsen

The tradition of wearing an ornate bridal crown in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland is an ancient custom that continues to evolve today. In celebration of International Women’s Month in March, the Nordic Center in Duluth exhibited “Nordic Crowns & Beyond: In Praise of Women,” which featured historic and contemporary variations on a theme to honor all women.

Nordic Center artists and community members of all ages explored and shared the Nordic tradition of crowns at the Nordic Center through zoom workshops and lectures; an exhibition with virtual tours; an online story and coloring book; and 50 art kits sent to children at Myers-Wilkins Elementary School and Lincoln Park Middle School in Duluth.

Twenty-six crowns were created for this exhibition by artists in Minnesota in various media: silver, metal, bark, sweet grass, branches, feathers, human hair, fiber, papier mâché, wood and more.

Participating artists included Faith Clover, Karen Kennan, Kirsten Aune, Alison Aune, Nikki Collette, Wendy Savage, Cindy Ericksmoen, Ann Klefstad, Justin Anderson, Arna Rennan, Emilie Bowman, Adeline Wright, Anita Jain, Brad Nelson, The Sami Center of North America, Liz Bucheit and Jon Hinkel.

A virtual tour is posted at nordiccenterduluth.org, where you can also check for future events in the calendar section. D

Continued on pages 37-39

Alison Aune, Swedish Bride

Nikki Collette, Crocheted Crown

Ann Klefstad, Cormorant Crown, sculpture bust by Jon Hinkel

Anita Jain, Crown Wedding

Nordic Crowns & Beyond: In Praise of Women

Cindy Ericksmoen, RegalWeddingCrown

Karen Keenan, Dalarna crown and wooden vessel by John Keenan

Wendy Savage, Sweetgrass floral Crown

Arna Rennan, Birds of a Feather

Alison Aune, Wise and Foolish Brides

Cindy Ericksmoen, Golden Wheat Wedding Crown Faith Clover, Swedish Crown

Brad Nelson, Silver Crown and Liz Bucheit Four Elements Bridal Crown, and Fiddlehead, Fountainhead and Featherhead Cournets

Alison Aune, Maja Lucia Idun

Women forge paths in non-traditional programs

By Kasha Stoll

Physical stature and strength. Tight finances. Long-held gender stereotypes.

Traditional barriers are only minor obstacles to the increasing number of women signing up for nontraditional courses at Lake Superior College in Duluth. Industries are actively seeking to diversify their workforce.

“There seem to be a lot more career opportunities than ever before for women in several sectors,” said Daniel Fanning, vice president of institutional advancement and external relations. “Lake Superior College is being very proactive, intentional and strategic about encouraging and recruiting women, and students of color, in programs where they haven’t always been overly represented, including manufacturing, aviation and firefighting.”

Firefighting

As the only two women in the LSC firefighting program, Madeline Schmitz and Hannah Bos joke that they have more than 20 brothers.

“A huge benefit to the career is the family aspect,” Schmitz said. “There is a fire station vibe at campus, and we are all super close. Hannah and I connected quickly. We go to the gym and go running together. And the guys are great. I went to get my nails done recently, and the guys wanted to help with the color. (Several) of them said I should get fire-engine red with sparkles.”

All joking aside, though, the women said their male instructors and “brothers” are very supportive of their career choice.

Schmitz was studying to be a physical therapy assistant and took an EMT course on a whim. She said two of her instructors pulled her aside and said: “We think you are on

Maddy Schmitz and Hannah Bos are the only two women in the Lake Superior College firefighting program.

Hannah Bos comes out of a window during a training exercise.

the wrong career path and you should come to fire.”

She listened to their advice and has never looked back. There are definite challenges, though.

“Physical activity is probably the No. 1 challenge,” Bos said. “You have to be very, very fit. If you are not healthy and you go into a hot environment …”

“It’s physical for the guys, too,” Schmitz said. “They come out dripping in sweat. But it is more than just being healthy. You have to be extremely hydrated. That turnout gear is so hot, you put it on, and you start sweating. That is something I had to get used to doing. I have to be so cautious and make sure I drink so much water every day.”

While some of the physical tasks are difficult, Schmitz and Bos are not deterred. They just need practice and their “family.”

“We are still learning the mechanics,” Schmitz said. “Right now, we can force a door, no problem. But not when we first started. It wasn’t a fluid motion.”

“You work as a team in the fire service, so if you need help, it is there,” Bos said.

Both women want to move to a forested area and fight wildland fires while they are young and relatively free of responsibilities. They may transfer to a structural fire unit later.

“You work as a team in the fire service, so if you need help, it is there."

~ Hannah Bos

Maddy Schmitz and Hannah Bos

Aviation

Astrid Gilbert worked at a car dealership for years but knew she wanted to do something more meaningful. She mulled over possible career choices and was intrigued with the idea of being a helicopter pilot for medical evacuation.

“It sounded like a cool job, but I thought it was too far out of my reach,” said Gilbert, a helicopter flight instructor at the LSC Center for Advanced Aviation. “I didn’t have a (military) service background, and I thought I

Astrid Gilbert is all smiles after passing a commercial check ride in Idaho.

Astrid Gilbert (second from right) with her sisters Erika Decker, Brandy Merritt and Nicole Gasper after a tour in Washington.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASTRID GILBERT

wouldn’t be able to afford it. But then in 2015, something happened in my life, and I realized life is too short to let your dreams fizzle away.”

Gilbert found a training facility in Florida and slowly worked her way through the course. It took a year to get her private pilot certificate, but by then she was completely hooked. She moved to Idaho and continued her education. She taught flight lessons in Washington and then joined the LSC staff in August 2020.

The challenges with being a pilot have nothing to do with gender and everything to do with attitude, Gilbert said.

“You have to be willing to adapt and work really hard,” she said. “You are always learning. The education never ends when you become a pilot.”

Gilbert said her objective is to give back to the community. She may eventually become a pilot for a fire department, search-and-rescue team or law enforcement.

The job perks are incredible, though.

Gilbert has flown a helicopter over mountains, forests, snowcovered fields and even a pod of orcas.

“When your office is the cockpit of a helicopter, that is pretty damn cool,” she said. D

Astrid Gilbert and her mother, Marge Chesney, after Marge’s first helicopter ride.

Kasha Stoll is a Duluth freelance writer.

Let’s get growing!

By Molly Ovenden

Fromlandscaping to lawn art to house plants, knowledgeable greenhouse staff in the Northland are eager to advise new gardeners and help your garden grow. Each greenhouse offers a friendly and safe shopping experience following COVID-19 protocols. Gift certificates are available at each.

Suzie’s Greenhouse

4148 Normanna Road, Duluth

218-721-5148

Opens for the season: Wednesday, May 5

Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday

Who is Susie?

Susie Bellefeuille, 68, owner of Suzie’s Greenhouse, is celebrating her greenhouse’s 35th year. Susie’s grandfather, Carl Peterson, an accomplished gardener, was her biggest inspiration for starting her greenhouse. Peterson was once featured in the newspaper for growing a five-headed cabbage. Moving 27 years ago to Duluth, with proximity to many lakes, helped the business grow and flourish.

What is Susie excited about?

Southwest inspired pottery — Susie loves everything about the desert, always having several varieties of cactus and succulents available. On recent trips to Arizona, she discovered a supply of plant pots that she knew she had to make the desert inspiration available for her Northland customers.

Impatiens — They’re back! This popular shade-loving flower came down with a disease a couple years ago. Growers have created a new disease-resistant variety, available for the first time this year, so impatiens should regain their popularity.

Begonias — An exciting new color is in this year:

NONSTOP Fire. It is striking with red and yellow petals. Many other colors are available. Begonias love shade. Some morning sun is OK, but they will not thrive in areas with afternoon sun.

Geraniums — Susie has one entire greenhouse dedicated to their most popular flower. With 3,800 plants available in a wide variety of colors, the geranium is an old standby.

Tips:

“Just jump in!” Try different plants to learn what works for you and ask questions. Vegetable gardening on your deck might be a good place to start: many varieties can remain on your deck. Even with a milder Duluth climate, Susie says: “We can grow a lot in Northern Minnesota.”

Spring At Last Greenhouse

4112 Arrowhead Road, Duluth 218-728-3785

duluthgreenhouse.com

Opens for the season: Thursday, May 6

Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday Facebook and Instagram, online ordering and curbside pickup, excluding Memorial Day weekend

Who is Jennifer?

Jennifer Couillard, 56, and her letter carrier husband, Paul, are in their fifth season of growing. A dental hygienist, Jennifer comes from a long line of farmers, loves physical labor and growing plants. With five adult children and three highschoolers still home, the greenhouse is a family business. They all love the in-season work of growing and caring for the plants, as well as out of season helping with the website, social media and product development.

What is Jennifer excited about?

Vegetables — Vegetable gardening has dramatically increased because of the pandemic. They always try to have heirlooms available and this year they have even more diseaseresistant vegetable plants to help organic gardeners.

Gallon Tomato Cans — Growing starts early, so when customers arrive, these plants already have fruit on them and

will get fruit all summer. Literally grown in a gallon can, they are versatile staying in the can or to transplant.

Fun for Kids — They have plants that kids love: sweet cherry tomatoes, new sweet, striped candy cane pepper and cucamelons (cute little round cucumbers, easy for kids to grow in a pot on the deck). Newly developed during the pandemic, are kits for fairy gardens and deck planters that children and parents can do together.

Tie Dye Petunia — This unique purple and white variety is unlike any other petunia Jennifer has seen before.

Metal art — Virtual greenhouse shows this year presented a challenge to find metal art vendors. With a Texas connection, they are offering “animals, windmills and all kinds of fun” lawn art this season.

Tips:

Don’t just try to learn everything online: it won’t necessarily work in our Northland area. Ask lots of questions and seek advice from neighbors, greenhouses and other seasoned gardeners to learn what works in your area.

A+ Garden Center

6150 Old Miller Trunk Highway, Saginaw

218-729-9079

Aplusgardencenter.com

Opens for the season: Friday, April 16 Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily Facebook and Instagram, online ordering, delivery and curbside pickup

Who is Tabatha?

Tabatha Beier, 32, is president of A+ Garden Center, proudly woman-owned since 2019. Moving from Brazil when she was 18, Tabatha married Jeremy and together they ran A+

Pelletier Mar ta Vant Corey Verhel NMLS 404242 NMLS 1777015 NMLS 762304

landscaping company. In 2010, they bought the te10-acre property for the garden center. Vicki Hart, greenhouse manager, and Sarah Gans, greenhouse assistant, keep the garden center running smoothly with Tabatha.

What is Tabatha excited about?

Providing a customer-focused experience for all your gardening needs — From bulk landscaping materials to outdoor plants, with a large, meticulously organized gift shop with

garden decor, ceramic pots, a candle line, indoor plants and gardening tools. They grow at least 60% of their products on-site, but if something isn’t available, the team will help you find what’s on your “wishing list,” coordinating special orders, too.

Being family friendly — Their pet peacocks, chickens, turkeys and goats are a hit with young customers. They also keep bees and sell their honey in the gift shop. Tabatha wants customers “to be amazed and say, ‘wow!’” when they visit.

Combination baskets — Concentrating on the most vibrant colors and combinations, they create a variety with some combinations best for shade or full sun, or others that feature bee-friendly flowers.

Succulents, cacti and indoor plants — Popular items are string of pearls or the African milk tree succulents, bunny ear cactus and monstera and snake plant indoor plants, but with thousands of varieties, it’s personal preference.

Tips:

Talk to garden center experts about where you want to plant, what type of light you have, how much you are willing to water and whether you have pets.

Some plants can be toxic; ask about pet-safe plants. D

Customers of all ages love the owners' pet goats at A+ Garden Center.

Molly Ovenden is a Duluth freelance writer.

North Shore dwelling a place to call ‘home for good’

By Alison Stucke

Having recently retired from a military life of repeatedly packing up their belongings and moving from one home to the next, these homeowners are happy to say they have built and moved into their “forever home” in the North Shore area outside of Duluth.

Designing and building a 'forever home'

The couple worked with architectural designer Heather Hiner remotely as they still lived in Washington State to design their home. This was before the popularity of video conferencing services like Zoom, so the couple and Hiner conducted most of

their meetings via phone calls.

“We did this all from afar, as we didn’t live in the area yet,” the wife explained. “We met one time in person, and everything else was done by phone calls and email.”

She said despite the distance challenge, their planning process went smoothly.

“In three meetings, we had our final floor plan,” she continued. “Heather was instrumental in helping us figure out the floor plan we love. We just could not be happier.”

“My first meeting with the homeowner was at their building site, discussing their future home while sitting in lawn chairs

To maintain the privacy of the homeowners, names have been withheld.

beneath the tall pines on a beautiful summer day,” said Hiner. “Fast forward two years and I was chatting with them again at almost the exact same spot, only this time it was in the kitchen of their beautiful new home! When I look back on my notes from that first meeting, I see the words ‘rustic, cozy, natural’ and it’s clear while visiting the home that those goals were accomplished with the balance of wood, stone, soothing colors, and natural sunlight. It’s very fulfilling for me to see the end result of many months of planning and ideas coming together to create the

Rustic, cozy, natural. Those three words from the notes of designer Heather Hiner were the driving force in creating this beautiful retirement home up the North Shore. Wood elements are incorporated throughout, from the vaulted ceilings to the wood-look tile flooring, hickory cabinetry in the kitchen, and other design features.

The spacious master bedroom features rustic furniture, a large, low window and patio door that leads to the back covered porch. The master bath features hickory cabinets, granite countertops, and a walk-in shower with dark plumbing fixtures.

perfect home.”

“The design lends to convenient one-level living, with a beautiful open layout for living and entertaining,” said General Contractor Mike Hoops.

They broke ground for building in the end of May 2020, and they moved into their new home on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 2020. The couple and their young son relocated here from Washington state. The husband had just retired from the navy. Both the husband and wife grew up in the Twin Cities and had come to the North Shore area as youth for recreation and to visit family. Those happy memories kindled a dream to one day retire here, and now that dream has come true.

“This is where we wanted to come when we retired,” said the husband. “We have fond memories from this area of fishing and skiing. We want to give our son the same experiences.”

“This is considered our forever home,” said the wife. “It’s somewhere we can grow old.”

A lodge-style home in the middle of the woods

A long driveway leads to the lodge-style home about one mile as the crow flies from Lake Superior. It’s surrounded by woods with trees of many varieties.

“We live in the middle of the woods on 10 acres of forested land,” the wife explained. “We made an effort to keep as many mature trees as we could, building in a natural open area.”

Trees near the home include mature white pines, birch, maple, and alder.

“We built a hybrid of lodge home style with real rock, and Diamond Kote siding that looks like cedar and needs little maintenance,” the husband said. “The home has a rustic character and multiple roof line perspective, so it’s not a box.”

A poured concrete patio in the front of the house creates space for outdoor cooking and entertaining.

“One feature of their home that was intentionally planned is that the angled garage was meant to create a circular driveway approach and allow for more of the pines to remain and also for visual separation from a distant water tower,” Hiner explained.

An L-shaped layout for less noise

For living convenience, the home sits all on one level. To the right in the main entrance’s foyer is a mudroom with locker storage for seasonal outdoor wear and gear.

Rather than being a full “open-concept” layout, the kitchen, living room, and dining room create an L-shape. The husband explained that this layout was Hiner’s idea.

“We have lived in a few houses that had an open concept,” said the husband. “It was too loud, especially if we had people over. With the L-shape layout, people can be chatting in the kitchen and others can be talking in the living room. You can still have two different conversations.”

Nature’s products and designs appear throughout the home

To the left of the entryway is the kitchen with high tongue-andgroove ceilings and high windows that let natural light in. Woodlook tile covers the floor.

“We knew that we wanted to have hickory cabinets,” said the wife. “We made our design selections based on the hickory.”

The laundry room is located near the bedrooms for convenience in the one-level home. Just off the main entrance is a mudroom with plenty of locker-style storage.

“The countertops are granite and they have a wood-looking grain in them,” said the husband. “That’s a part of the kitchen that really stands out.”

The kitchen area also includes a walk-in pantry and a six-foot island with four stools where the family shares meals. Appliances from Johnson Mertz are GE Profile stainless steel, including an induction cooktop. Wood-look tile floors make for easy care in the kitchen, foyer, hallway, dining room, and master bath.

A light and bright great room

The two-story vaulted ceiling with windows continues into the great room to the right of the foyer.

“It was very important for us to have lots of windows,” said the husband. “We had been to many lodges that were dark. We wanted light and bright, and to still have that rustic feel, and passive solar is so important in Minnesota.”

“Another interesting intentional feature of the home is that the great room and dining are both on the north side of the house since that accesses the patio and wooded back yard,” said Hiner. “So to get sunlight to those rooms, the open kitchen is situated on the south wall with a vaulted ceiling and tall windows that flood those adjoining rooms with all day sunshine.”

A highlight of the living room is the corner rustic rock fireplace to the right of the two-story window walls, with a rough-cut white pine mantel. The living room is carpeted.

Continued on page 54

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Kelsey Hiner Heather Hiner ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN INTERIOR DESIGN

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The driveway leading up to the home was angled intentionally so it created a circular approach, and allowed more mature trees to remain intact. The main entry out front features a poured concrete patio, spacious enough for outdoor cooking.

The focal piece of the dining room is a beautiful barnwood table from the Amish Furniture Haus in Duluth. Above it hangs a two-tier wagon wheel chandelier.

Bedrooms on both sides of the home

The master suite and the couple’s son’s bedroom are on the side of the home by the kitchen. The master suite includes a walk-in closet and master bath with hickory cabinets, granite countertops, walk-in shower, and beautiful tilework. A covered patio is connected to the master suite, so the couple can conveniently enjoy their wooded surroundings first thing in the morning or before retiring in the evening.

“The master suite has a walkout to a covered back porch right off of the bedroom,” said Hoops. “This allows the couple to conveniently enjoy the outdoors and the surrounding woods.”

Another bathroom is next to their son’s bedroom. Access to this bathroom and to his bedroom is from the hallway. The laundry room, with cabinets and laundry sink, is also in this wing of the home.

“It’s something that we really wanted to have near the bedrooms that we use the most,” said the wife.

At the opposite side of the house are the guest bedroom and bath, and the husband’s office.

Earth tones throughout the home

Paint colors throughout the home are earth tones.

“We used only four colors throughout the entire house,” the wife explained. “One is an earthy green. Another is a light brown color. The third is a color called ‘Restful White’ with a little bit of yellow in it. And our son’s room is ‘Dockside Blue.’ Paints were from Sherwin Williams. We like the neutral, natural color tones.”

Home at last

After years of serving their country and moving from one place to the next, this family couldn’t be happier to settle into their forever home.

“We look forward to making this house really ours,” said the wife. “When you’re in the military and you move, you unpack everything and you spend time in a house that isn’t really yours. Then you pack back up and move again.”

The family enjoys their home’s woodland setting and all the recreational opportunities that it provides.

“We love being here, having the house set back from the road,” said the wife. “We’re able to let our son go out to play, and we have access to do the things we love to do including snowshoeing, crosscountry skiing, and fishing.”

She wants her family’s story to give hope to other military families that one day they, too, can settle into a dream home of their own.

“There are a lot of sacrifices in a military career including time away from home and time away from family,” she said. “But there is hope. It has just been wonderful to finally have our own home. We love it and feel so blessed.” D

Citrus

By Kim Quinones The Woman

In effort to limit in-person visits to the grocery store this past year, I’ve discovered a handful of local delivery and subscription services to keep the pantry and fridge stocked with plenty of variety while adding the occasional new ingredient. Time previously spent exploring the aisles at the store has been redirected to trying new meal plans, while occasionally adapting recipes and creating new dishes from ingredients already on hand.

Citrus Curd

Ingredients

3 large whole eggs

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup citrus juice (lemon, lime, orange or a combination - make it your own!)

1 heaping Tablespoon finely grated

citrus zest

1/16 teaspoon salt

¼ cup chilled butter, sliced

Kitchen tools:

2-quart stainless steel saucepan

Whisk

Wooden spoon/spatula

Zester tool/grater

Measuring spoons and cups

Glass container with lid

In fact, the Lemon-Orange Curd featured in the photos on this page was inspired by the goal of cooking up a topping for a selection of local bakery breads provided in a subscription box. Finding the kitchen had a good supply of citrus and plenty of eggs on hand, it was decided to cook a batch of citrus curd using a combination of the lemons and oranges.

The end result is sweet and tangy in flavor. This perfectly describes how six

simple ingredients transform to become a decadent spreadable topping.

Remember, when needing to pull together a special dessert in a short amount of time or wanting to switchup the toppings for breakfast breads, try cooking up a batch of citrus curd. A quick and simple recipe requiring only a few ingredients, less than a half hour of time and a bit of inspiration from your pantry and fridge to make it your own.

Enjoy! D

Instructions:

1. In a 2-quart saucepan whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Stir in the citrus juice, zest and salt until combined.

2. Place on the burner set at low heat (electric stove setting 2.5 - 3). Stir constantly for 12-18 minutes until mixture thickens coating the back of the spoon.

3. Turn the burner off and remove the pan from the heat. Add sliced butter and stir until the butter is incorporated and the texture is smooth and glossy.

4. Pour curd into two small glass containers such as jelly jars or another glass container of your choosing. Set aside on the counter to cool for approximately half an hour. Attach lid and refrigerate.

5. Keeps up to seven days in the refrigerator. Recipe yields approximately 1.5 cups.

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*APR=AnnualPercentage Rate.Rate posted is lowest possible rate an mayvary based on past credit score, down payment, and approximate term. Other rates and terms areavailable.Whenfinancing auseditem, the age and condition of the item maydetermine the maximum rate.The lowest rate that MPECUwill offeron this special is 2.99%APR for60months. This offer is available January 2, 2021and is subject to change or discontinue at anytime without notice.Membership Eligibility Required.