The Woman Today Aug/Sept 2019

WOMAN today the

LilaAnn Coates White

Longtime ballet teacher enjoys passing along her passion

• Women named presidents of local colleges

• Crisis of missing Indigenous Northland women

• Becoming a teacher through online learning

• DIY wedding craft

PROFILES

6 Patricia L. Rogers has been named the next president of Lake Superior College

22 LilaAnn Coates White marks 25 years as principal teacher at School of the Minnesota Ballet

32 Dr. Barbara McDonald named College of St. Scholastica's 13th president

FEATURES

10 Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women hits home in Northland

16 Trade-work programs at LSC open eyes to new possibilities

18 Online learning programs at local colleges teach the teachers

28 Executive director of Lighthouse Center for Vision Loss has a heart for people with special needs

40 Wedding DIY crafts for a different kind of proposal

ENTERTAINMENT/ARTS

48 Arts and Events Calendar

64 Socials

Lighthouse Celebrates 100 Years

Port Cities Luncheon

Monarch Festival

Woman’s Club hosts tea ceremony

HEALTH/MEDICINE

34 Essentia

Birthrate rising among older women

38 St. Luke's

A Heritage of Healthcare at St. Luke's 44 Learn the signs of skin cancer FINANCE

47 Annie Lepper FASHION

46 Where to Shop

FOOD/NUTRITION

62 No matter its origin, the Dutch Baby Pancake is delicious

HOME TOUCHES

54 Model Home offers beauty and low-maintenance living

Year!

the kids have convinced me and “naughty is the new nice.” while…but then realized they are just itself is a valuable lesson. Little light-hearted banter would turn into family New Year’s Day party. is an opportunity to set new upcoming year. This year, thanks angle – rebranding! We looked be; for some it was ways to it was learning new hobbies

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From women taking the helm at local colleges to learning how to weld, we’re looking at education this issue. In our cover story, meet a teacher who keeps students on their toes — literally. Abigail Blonigen, who studied the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women for her undergraduate thesis at the College of St. Scholastica, offers a glimpse into this sobering statistic. Andrea Busche visits the Lighthouse Center for Vision Loss, which provides education for independent living. Also in this issue, the signs of skin cancer, cooking up Dutch Baby Pancakes, and more. We hope every day offers the chance to learn something new!

First-generation college student named president of Lake CollegeSuperior

By Andrea Busche

OnJuly 1, 2019, the transition was complete: Dr. Patricia L. Rogers officially became president of Lake Superior College, upon the retirement of former president Dr. Patrick Johns. Until this promotion, Rogers had served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Winona State University, roles she had held since 2013.

Rogers brings much to the table. In addition to her high levels of education and professional achievement, she hails from a working-class background. Her humble upbringing helps her relate to the obstacles facing many college students today, including income instability and the struggle to locate resources related to college applications and other logistics.

Rogers is a first-generation college student in her own family, yet today she finds herself in the prestigious role of college president. Between the knowledge and experience found at both ends of the spectrum, Rogers will likely be a natural conduit between students and faculty, and thus a great fit for the role of president.

North Saint Paul

Rogers grew up in North Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the youngest of three children. At the time, North Saint Paul was a rural setting, with lots of open fields. Rogers’ father was a factory worker at the Whirlpool Corporation, and her mother worked as a clerk at Woolworth’s.

Rogers explained a bit more about her humble beginnings. “My dad had a 6th grade education, and my mom had a high school education. I really come from a working poverty background.”

Although her parents couldn’t help her pay for college, they helped Rogers in other ways. “My parents knew that reading was very important, and education is key. They told me, ‘We have no idea how to help you apply for college, and we can’t pay, but we can give you room and board.’”

Rogers was a high achiever, academically. Thus, she earned grants and scholarships to help pay for her education. She also worked hard throughout her college years; she was a clerk at a convenience store, worked at campus football games, and even joined her dad at Whirlpool over the summers, where she helped make vacuums and freezers.

But her true interests were the arts: drawing, painting, and photography. She also wanted to teach. In 1979, Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Dr. Patricia

Grad school and other work

After college graduation, Rogers had trouble finding a permanent teaching position. She worked as a substitute teacher for a time, and ultimately ended up returning to school to earn her master of arts degree in curriculum and instruction.

Concurrent with her graduate studies, Rogers became involved with the Teacher Corps, a program for brand-new teachers, which focused on issues such as inclusion and diversity. The Teacher Corps not only helped pay for her master’s degree, but Rogers also earned a stipend to boot.

Permanent teaching positions were still hard to come by, however, due to budget cuts and massive layoffs in the public-school system. Rogers spent some more time subbing, in addition to taking on other odd jobs doing commercial color checking and precision grinding. “You really meet some marvelous people at all of these places,” she said.

Eventually, she got a job at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus, working on a variety of scientific and medical studies. From 1986 to 1996, she served here as the co-leader of the health studies unit in the division of environmental and occupational health.

But teaching was still in her blood. “In about year six, I realized I needed a Ph.D. to continue in this field,” Rogers said. “And what was calling me was still education.”

Ph.D. and an entry into academia

Rogers applied for, and received, a prestigious Getty Fellowship, which helped her pay for the expenses associated with completing her dissertation. She earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, and prepared to move into an academic setting. From 1996 to 2006, she worked Continued on page 8

at Bemidji State University, first as an assistant professor, then an associate professor, and later, a full professor with tenure.

From 2006 to 2007, she took leave from BSU to serve as the founding dean of the School of Education and Graduate Studies at Valley City State University in North Dakota. Rogers returned to BSU from 2007-13 as the founding dean of health sciences and human ecology and the school of graduate studies. And then, as previously noted, Rogers served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Winona State University, from 2013 until her new placement as president of LSC.

Boards and other accolades

Rogers is a Fulbright Scholar, and completed her studies in Iceland. She has participated in the Higher Education Resource Services program at Wellesley College, and attended the “Becoming a Provost” academy through the American Association for State Colleges and Universities.

She currently serves on several boards, for organizations including: Arts Change the World, the Great River Shakespeare Festival, and Winona County Historical Society. She plans to continue her participation in civic duties as she settles in to Duluth, as well.

“I’m hoping to be visible and involved in the Duluth community, too,” Rogers said. “I’m talking to several people to help figure out which organizations would be a good fit.”

Move to Duluth

In late June, Rogers and her wife, Wendy Larson, a retired editor, made the move to Duluth. They purchased a home in the Congdon neighborhood, and are settling in nicely with their two rescue dogs, Kenzie and Riley.

Both Rogers and Larson are looking forward to plenty of outdoor adventures, including hiking and snowshoeing. “My snowshoes have gathered dust,” Rogers said with a laugh. “I’m looking forward to taking them out again.”

Rogers is eager to jump into her role as president of Lake Superior College. And Lake Superior College, along with the entire Minnesota State system, believes this placement will be a good fit.

“Lake Superior College is performing well and is moving in the right direction,” said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State, in a recent press release. “The challenge for the next president will be to build on this solid foundation, deepen and enhance the work, and accelerate the impact Lake Superior College has on the community and the broader region. In Dr. Rogers, I am confident that we have found the next leader who will, through authentic, open, and

When abad si tuation develops fr om good intentions

collaborative leadership, develop a shared vision and a shared responsibility to execute the vision, and will lead the college to even greater heights.”

From the classroom to the workplace

Lake Superior College is an excellent place to learn a trade and gain an excellent education. The college also helps their students connect with businesses right here in our community to find a job placement upon graduation. With this in mind, Rogers is anticipating getting back in touch with her working-class roots.

“Knowing LSC’s relationship with the community, and their efforts to meet the needs of the local workplace, I knew it would be a good fit,” she said. “Education is the key. With my background, you can see where my philosophy comes from.

“I feel very grateful and humbled as to how everything fell into place,” Rogers added. “I’m going to give this role everything I have.” D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer and frequent contributor to The Woman Today.

Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women hits home in Northland

By Abigail Blonigen

While the sight and sound of ships in the Duluth harbor bring joy to countless locals and tourists, to many in the area’s Native American community, the harbor represents the continued exploitation of Native women through systems such as human trafficking.

According to research done by University of Minnesota-Duluth researcher Christine Stark in 2013, Native Americans of all ages are trafficked both domestically and internationally in the Duluth harbor and throughout the Great Lakes region.

Tragic as it may be, the trafficking of Native American women on ships is only a small snapshot of the global issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, often abbreviated as MMIW.

“Everyone knows somebody who has been murdered or gone missing,” said Moira Villiard, arts and cultural program coordinator at the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO).

Though the Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database (NamUs) identifies only 144 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native

women, a study done by the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) reported 5,712 cases of MMIW were reported in 2016.

This study identified Minnesota as ranking ninth in the country for most MMIW cases with 20 total. However, this number is likely an undercount due to underreporting, racial misclassification, and the general lack of data pertaining to the issue.

Both the NamUs database and the UIHI study identify one missing Native woman in Duluth, which is consistent with the Duluth Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit database. This

PHOTO BY STEVE KUCHERA / DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE

Millie Richard speaks at a May Day gathering honoring and remembering missing, murdered and trafficked Native American women in 2017.

woman is Sheila St. Clair, who was 48 years old when she went missing in 2015 after telling family members she was headed to the White Earth Reservation. Despite local search initiatives, Sheila — a mother, grandmother and sister — has yet to be found.

Though the exact causes of why Native women are being murdered at a rate 10 times higher than the national average is unclear, experts trace this exploitation back to the colonial period. In conquering “The New World,” Europeans imposed a patriarchal society on the more egalitarian cultures of Native Americans.

Mildred Richard, a Native elder from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who resides in Duluth, explained that traditionally in her culture, women made the community’s decisions while men enforced them.

“Women were listened to and heard,” she said. Richard described this cultural shift as a “deep loss of matriarchy” for Native women.

From a more pragmatic standpoint, the maze of federal, state, local and tribal jurisdiction makes it difficult to prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual assault, which could also lead to these higher rates of violence.

According to Stark’s research, Native women are the

Continued on page 12

who smile often appear morelikable and competent,developing stronger interpersonal skills and healthier social bonds. Let’sbridgethe gaps.

only group predominantly abused by men of another race. Despite this statistic, nonNatives could not be prosecuted on tribal lands until a revision to the Violence Against Women Act passed in 2013.

This lack of protection continues to make women in tribal communities feel like “anyone can come up to you and treat you any way they want,” Richard said.

Marcia Kitto, a sexual assault advocate at the Fond du Lac Reservation, said that the gaps in protection take a toll on Native women’s self-esteem, which can make them more vulnerable to abusers and has “a lasting effect for generations.”

The Minnesota Legislature has begun to address this issue by passing a bill to establish a task force to collect data on the MMIW issue statewide, research reasons for the violence and come up with ways to support survivors.

This bill was spearheaded by Representative Mary Kunish-

Podein, who is a descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The task force will be established by September this year and will release a report to the Legislature by December 2020.

“We can’t argue solutions until

we know the data,” said Karen Diver, former special assistant to the Obama White House on Native American Affairs and former chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. “We need to ask more questions.”

The Native communities surrounding Duluth have faced a number of tragedies already this year, in addition to St. Clair’s case. In April, Cheré Morgan, a 19-year-old Native woman, was killed in a school zone in Grand Rapids.

Ausineese Aubin Dufault, a 16-year-old, was shot in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood in May. The same week, 31-year-old Wahbinmigisi “Pennie” Robertson, went missing in Cloquet. She was later found dead on the Fond du Lac Reservation. Both incidents were determined to be suicides.

Robertson’s body was found by the Gitchigumi Scouts, a grassroots group based in the Twin Ports dedicated to raising awareness about the crisis of MMIW and taking a “boots on the ground” approach to looking for missing friends and relatives.

The Scouts meet weekly to pass out flyers with information about St. Clair as well as Michial David Annamitta Jr., a 27-year-old man who went missing from Sawyer, Minn., in 2013. They also use their platform to advocate for safety and sobriety within the Native community.

Continued on page 14

It’s not about what happened before today: the best-laid plans, the endless decisions, the hesitations, the hopes, the what-ifs and what-nows. All that matters is this moment, when everything changes.

The Birthplace at Essentia Health — nurturing every moment.

“When you lose a person, especially in a culture where we believe we are all connected, it has huge implications for the community as a whole,” Villiard said. “It disrupts the connection.”

Diver said a key part of the issue is the historical erasure of American Indian culture and lack of a modern narrative surrounding the community.

“We like beads and feathers,” she said, referring to the

stereotypical way Native Americans are often portrayed, “but that’s not all we are.” D

•

•

Abigail Blonigen is a Duluth freelance writer and photographer. She researched the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the Twin Ports for her undergraduate thesis in the Global Cultural and Language Studies Program at the College of St. Scholastica.

• Dr. Paul K. Hodapp

Dr. Scott K. Varland

Dr. Nathan A. Jarnot

PHOTO BY BOB KING / DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE

Jeremy Davis Onestanding performs a round dance on a hand drum at the gathering for a "Day of Remembrance" in 2016, a little over a year after Sheila St. Clair disappeared. About 20 people attended the event, including Duluth police chief Mike Tusken.

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Training in the trades

Education programs support women pursuing welding, aviation, fire fighting and more

By Kathleen Murphy

Across the nation, companies that hire trade workers are experiencing trouble finding qualified workers. The Northland is not immune to this trend. With several large projects on the books, such the “can of worms” reconstruction and the expansion of both Essentia and St. Luke’s health facilities, the lack of workers is projected to be an issue.

Yet these skilled trade jobs have traditionally been overlooked by half the population. Less than 5% of skilled trade jobs are occupied by women.

“There has never been a better time for women to enter the profession,” said Lyndsay Barrett, a welder at Altec. Barrett went through the welding program offered at Lake Superior College and found a job immediately upon graduating. But she does remember how intimidating it felt to enter the classroom for the first time. “People were so shocked when I told them I was going into welding,” Barrett said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect because I knew the field was mostly men.”

It occurred to Barrett that women weren’t entering the field because of that uncertainty, and she wanted to do something about it. Three years ago, she taught the first “Fired Up For Welding” class at Denfeld, an afterschool event for girls. Her goal was to

spend eight weeks showing girls some of the basics of the trade in a nonintimidating environment. At the end of the program, the high school girls could attend a ceremony where they were awarded their welding jacket,

hood, and welpers — a type of plier used by welders.

The first year, Barrett had three participants. In 2018, she had 11. The growth is exciting for Barrett, but it means she could use an extra pair

Nicole Okstad demonstrates pieces made on a manual lathe machine by women in the C&C program, a grant program that taught women how to make code that inputs and runs the machines in industries.

PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN MURPHY

of experienced hands. “Welding is fun,” said Lily O’hara, Barrett’s stepdaughter and new trainee to be a student teacher and mentor in the program. “Even if I end up working another job, I think this is a great skill to have. Girls shouldn’t be afraid to try it.”

Abbigayle Lindberg, a senior at East High School, took welding classes as a PSEO student at Lake Superior College. “Fired Up For Welding gave me such a valuable experience,” she said. “I could try different forms of welding and get exposure, so by the time I was able to enter classes at LSC, I knew what I wanted to do for a career.”

Barrett’s efforts are appreciated in the community. Deanna Oswald, who works in human resources at Altec, a company that provides products and services to the electric utility and contractor markets, admires the work done to encourage more women to enter skilled trade programs. “Lyndsay (Barrett) has been great in bridging the gender gap,” Oswald said. “Like most industries, we are always striving to increase our diversity.”

Women who are interested in either welding or another

trade job have several options open to them at Lake Superior College and other local community colleges. The LSC Downtown Center hosted a career night this past spring for their integrated manufacturing career programs, such as machinists, welders and CAD designers. Oswald was present at the career night, representing Altec. “I am definitely noticing more women at these events, which is great.”

Nicole Okstad, an integrated manufacturing assistant at LSC, notices a definite trend in industries looking to diversify and wants to see more women take advantage of this trend. “It can still be intimidating for women to go into some of these fields,” Okstad said, “but I want women to know that the mindset is changing, so it’s a good time for women to consider these career paths.”

Okstad goes into area high schools to discuss the trade programs available at LSC. She has found that female students rarely show as much initial interest as their male counterparts, but once they are able to access the same one-to-one time, that can change.

To help students obtain that time, she points interested high school and middle school students towards summer camps at LSC that allow participants to try out the fields they find interesting. Most are co-ed, such as Scrubs Camp (health-care oriented), GenCyber camp (computers), and Firefighting Academy, but they hold a Women in Aviation Academy for young women who want to find out more about the field of aviation — another traditionally male-dominated field.

Women are underrepresented in several other skilled trades jobs as well, such as electricians, plumbers, carpentry and mechanics. All of these trades have training programs in the Twin Ports area. Program lengths vary, from short, 14-credit certificate programs that can get graduates in the door at a company, to full two-year training programs that earn an associate’s degree in addition to the skilled training.

Even if a high school student has a goal of earning a fouryear degree, they shouldn’t discount the trades programs, said Abbigayle Lindberg. She recommends finding out what these careers entail, such as with Fired Up For Welding or one of the summer LSC camps, then completing a program at one of the local community colleges. “Think of how much pressure would be taken off if you could be earning a good wage while going to college.”

With the strong jobs outlook in Duluth, and companies that are eager to hire a more diverse workforce, there might never be a better time for women to break into the trade fields. D

Kathleen Murphy is a freelance writer who lives and works in Duluth.

Abbigayle Lindberg, Lyndsay Barrett, Lily O’Hara and Nicole Okstad at the Lake Superior College Downtown Campus, ready to introduce students to the welding program in February.

A Rosie the Riveter sticker is displayed on a C&C lathe machine at the LSC Downtown Campus.

Online education programs offer flexibility

St. Scholastica, UWS programs keep an eye on the future of education

By Andrea Novel Buck

When Terry Gilbert decided to pursue a Master of Education degree online through the College of St. Scholastica, the full-time teacher, wife and mother knew getting everything done would be a challenge.

“I couldn’t have done it, if it wasn’t online,” she said, noting that element gave her the flexibility she needed to do her coursework at night or other times it fit into her schedule.

She often worked across the dining

room table from her daughter Jillayne, an exercise physiology major who started as a junior at CSS the very same day Terry did. “I would ask her a question … we would proofread each other’s papers.”

Mother and daughter crossed the stage to pick up their degrees at the college’s spring commencement this May.

Both CSS and the University of Wisconsin offer graduate education programs that are fully online. The programs were ranked 89th and 214th,

respectively, as Best Online Graduate Education programs by U.S. World & News Report this year.

At CSS, students pursue a Master of Education degree and can earn additional certificates in education technology, literacy instruction, computer science, or culturally responsive practice as part of the program. At UWS, students pursue one of four Master of Science in Education degrees: educational administration, instruction, special education, or educational administration –

Terry Gilbert poses for a “selfie” with some other members of her online graduate program cohort, from left, Maria Gathje, Gilbert, Elizabeth Johnson and Christina Hedstrom.

PHOTO BY STEVE KUCHERA / DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE

superintendent/district administrator.

At CSS, tuition is $14,100 for a 33-credit program; at UWS, tuition is $14,400 for a 30-credit program. Enrollment is flexible at both schools, with students entering at the start of any of the three terms at CSS or six terms at UWS. The degree can be completed in two years at CSS, or 12 to 18 months at UWS.

Both programs are growing. CSS went fully online in 2011, graduating

an initial cohort of 10. On average, 80 to 85 students enroll in the program over the course of a school year. UWS went fully online in 2017. It graduated its first 70 “purely online” students this spring. And while most students are from Minnesota, Wisconsin or the midwest, the two programs are beginning to draw students from across the U.S.

“Busy working professionals need an option to advance their education. On-

the-ground doesn’t work for everyone,” said Amy Bergstrom, director of the Master of Education Program at CSS.

“The whole tenet of the online program is to give students the freedom to attend the program when it’s convenient,” said Wendy Kropid, Interim Assistant Dean of Educator Preparation Programs at UWS.

And while students may have concerns about navigating the

Continued on page 20

Wendy Kropid, Interim Assistant Dean of Educator Preparation Programs at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Amy Bergstrom, Director of the Master of Education Program at the College of St. Scholastica.

technology, by far, most questions surround how they are going to balance work and life, said Lindsay Schall, interim executive director for Graduate and Extended Campuses at CSS.

Online education has evolved dramatically since the 1980s when students could log in to hear a professor’s recorded lectures or access lesson materials. Even discussion boards where students can ask questions, post comments and respond to other students’ comments have evolved.

Kropid and Bergstrom talk fluidly about Zoom, a remote conferencing program, VoiceThread, a collaborative multimedia slideshow program, Flipgrid, an online message board for teachers and students, even Twitter.

“We use technology to bring our students together synchronously,” Bergstrom said. CSS uses a cohort model, with groups of 22 students beginning and ending the program together. The students also get the opportunity to meet other Master of Education students when they break off into their certificate fields or interests of study.

“I loved having classes with the same people. You did get to know them more through their work, discussions and questions,” said Gilbert who had a selfie taken with some of her cohort during graduation. “You do forge some friendships.”

Gilbert, who has taught math, science and reading at Hermantown Middle School, needed a master’s degree for promotion and wanted to learn more current education research and ideas on teaching.

“The learning was fascinating,” she said, though she wished she’d had more time to devote to it. “I like to have time to think about things, to read and ponder. I’d find myself pondering as I’d drive — how does this relate to my students?”

She put the knowledge she gained to use in her classroom

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right from the start. She had her math students create Google slides instead of taking notes, an idea from her 21st Century Technologies for Teaching class. She took to heart lessons from her Data Drive Classroom Assessment class, building her teaching units around what she most wanted her students to learn.

A couple weeks after graduation, Gilbert reflected on the experience. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “I never dreamed I would pursue a master’s degree in the first place.”

Noting she was never a “B” student, Gilbert rued not having enough time to do everything well. “There were times it seemed like an awful big bite to chew,” she said. When she told her husband that she was going to pursue getting her master’s degree, he joked that he’d see her in two years. Sometimes it felt like that.

But she’s glad she did it. “The instructors and the professors were excellent. The learning was amazing. It’s just a very highquality program and well worth the time spent.” D

Andrea Novel Buck, a professional journalist for 25 years, is a Duluth freelance writer and Youth Education Director at Temple Israel.

Terry Gilbert reflects on her experience pursuing a Master of Education degree online, as she prepares to move to a new classroom at Hermantown Middle School.

PHOTO BY ANDREA BUCK

Dancer, choreographer marks 25 years as Minnesota Ballet’s principal teacher

By Andrea Busche

LilaAnn Coates White directs a summer intensive dance class of the Minnesota Ballet at the Depot.

LilaAnn Coates White

Although she no longer dances professionally, LilaAnn Coates White still retains the carriage of a dancer. Her movements are graceful and her posture is long and straight. After decades of training, repetition and learned muscle memory, this elegant way of being has stayed with her for life.

While she danced professionally for 10 years, today she is a dance instructor, artistic associate and choreographer. She has been an adjunct assistant professor of dance for the department of theater at the University of Minnesota Duluth since 1999. She also works at the Minnesota Ballet, where she is both principal teacher for the school and artistic associate for the company. She began with the Minnesota Ballet in 1986.

This talented woman once considered herself a “starving artist” who had to work extra jobs waiting tables just to survive. But today, this

well-known teacher and dancer has built a solid professional reputation in the world of ballet — in Duluth and beyond.

Inspiration strikes

Coates White was born in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was one of four children. Her father was an orthopedic surgeon who also served in the U.S. Navy, and her mom alternated between working as a teacher and staying home with the kids. The family moved around a bit, ultimately ending up in Illinois.

When she was in the eighth grade, a new girl enrolled in her school. This newcomer just happened to be a serious ballet dancer. Coates White was inspired by her new friend, and began taking ballet classes herself at age 13.

Ballet quickly became a passion, so much so that Coates White persuaded her parents to allow her to attend National Academy of Arts,

a performing arts and boarding high school in Champaign, Illinois. “It took me a year to convince them,” she said.

Ultimately her parents were extremely supportive of her love for dance, and even hosted a ballet gala, the Midwest Regional Festival, at their home. “David Howard, a ballet teacher from New York City, was actually in my house,” she said. “He was a living legend at that time.”

Following a dream

After high school graduation, Coates White followed several ballet-related opportunities, taking apprenticeships in Chicago and Des Moines. She lived on a shoestring budget, but she was happy. “As an apprentice, you earn a stipend, but it’s not a living wage,” she said.

“So, between ‘guesting,’ teaching and waitressing, I did it all to pay the bills.”

A chance meeting with Marjorie

Continued on page 24

Mussman, a well-known ballet teacher from New York City, resulted in a move to the Big Apple. Coates White moved into Katharine House, a women’s dorm in the West Village filled with young women who dreamed of making it big.

“Everyone at Katharine House was either in fashion or a dancer,” she said. “We were right in the hub of things.” In addition to taking classes and auditioning, Coates White worked full-time at a New York City convenience store, called Store 24, to pay the bills.

Around this time, Coates White’s roommate from Des Moines, Beth Magner, recommended she consider working for the Minnesota Ballet, then known as the Duluth Ballet. Arrangements were made for Gernot Petzold, the ballet’s director, to travel to New York City so Coates White could have a private audition. He offered her a company position, and she moved to Duluth right before her 21st birthday.

Living arrangements

Since Coates White didn’t know anyone in Duluth, a Minnesota Ballet board member invited her in and gave her a place to stay. This was only temporary, however, until she located an apartment of her own.

Her first Duluth apartment was downtown between Lake Avenue and First Street. Like many young, newly independent people, that apartment was a mixture of freedom and exhilaration, combined with some of the common pitfalls that often accompany cheap rent.

LilaAnn Coates White gives pointers to a student during a summer intensive dance class of the Minnesota Ballet at the Depot.

“I had the best apartment,” she said. “You could see the lake, and I didn’t need a car; I walked everywhere. But the apartment was infested with mice, and I had a questionable tenant living below me.”

Coates White met her husband, Todd White, at a bus stop downtown. “He was with all the other company people,” she said. “We all started talking, and I found out he was renting a house to a few other dancers.”

Starving artists

In short order, the pair became inseparable. While today, White has a solid career as a reference librarian at the College of St. Scholastica, in those days, he worked as a stained-glass artist and a server. Along with Coates White’s meager earnings in the dance world, money was tight.

“At the time, we were starving artists,” Coates White said. “My parents were unsure about the union. My dad even said, “Well, they can just get married and starve to death.” The couple married in 1990, and have managed to keep food on the table ever since.

Over the years, Coates White moved on from her company position at the Minnesota Ballet to her current role as principal teacher for the school, and artistic associate for the company. She has been involved in many productions over the years, including “Cinderella,” “The Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake,”

“Summertime,” “Coppelia” and many mixed repertoire performances.

Her career took a detour when she decided to pursue a degree in physical therapy. “I had been taking classes off and on at UMD, and I had been working with kids through the ballet who had physical challenges,” she said. “The kids were always joined by a physical therapist, who was amazing.

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Eventually, Coates White earned an undergraduate degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in physical therapy, both from the College of St. Scholastica. She worked for a time as a physical therapist at St. Luke’s, but found it difficult to maintain a full-time career once the couple’s children were born.

While still working for the Minnesota Ballet, in 1999, she was hired as an adjunct assistant professor of dance at UMD, a role she still holds today. Today, Coates White spends about 75% of her time teaching at UMD and 25% at the Minnesota Ballet. But this schedule can ebb and flow, depending on where she is most needed at any given time.

Coates White also works as

I loved working with kids, and thought I could do it, too.”

LilaAnn Coates White directs a summer intensive dance class of the Minnesota Ballet at the Depot.

a choreographer. In addition to her choreography work at the Minnesota Ballet and UMD, she has done freelance work for Lyric Opera of the North, Arrowhead Chorale, Sieur du Luth Summer Arts Festival and other productions.

Special recognitions

In 2015, Coates White was granted a fellowship from the New York Choreographic Institute — a prestigious recognition. And recently, Coates White was recognized with a nod to her 25th anniversary as principal teacher with the Minnesota Ballet. The ballet’s year-end student performance was dedicated to her, and many former students traveled to town for the occasion.

Coates White also belongs to the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science.

Family life

The couple have three children: Cullen (21), Flannery (20), and Finnegan (18). They also have an Australian Shepherd puppy named Monty.

The family lives between Two Harbors and Duluth, in a home they built, with the intent of looking old. “We call it the Icelandic Neogothic Farmhouse,” Coates White said. “We bought the plot of land and hired an architect, but did a lot of the interior work ourselves. Todd and I share a passion for homes and home renovations.” Coates White is also an avid reader and gardener.

Adopted hometown

While she never intended to end up in Duluth, Coates White has fallen in love with the city. “I love Duluth. I love the lake, and the thriving arts

scene was so surprising to me,” she said. And, although she has a successful background as a ballet dancer, Coates White wants her legacy to be that of a teacher.

“A lot of my former students are now teaching elsewhere in the community,” she said. “And now I’ve been here long enough that I’m teaching the children of my former students.”

Executive director has a heart for people with special needs

By Andrea Busche

TheLighthouse Center for Vision

Loss is an invaluable resource for the visually impaired. The facility itself consists of many components, including a kitchen, where trained professionals teach the blind how to cook and safely navigate a kitchen, including the use of a knife, oven and stovetop.

There is also a Lighthouse store, where items such as talking calculators, magnifiers, bump dots and other useful items can be purchased. The Lighthouse also contains a technology lab, Braille classrooms, and even a studio for Newspaper of the Air and the Talking Book Program; a free, closed-circuit news and information service that broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This organization employs 14 people, including instructors, occupational therapists and more; some of whom are sighted, and some of whom are blind or visually impaired. Randy Rusnak, for instance, is a technology instructor who teaches the use of tablets, laptops, smart phones and other devices to the visually impaired. Rusnak also is blind.

The leader of this vital community resource is Mary Junnila. She has been executive director since 2010. With a background in public policy, Junnila began her career in Washington, D.C. But when one of her sons was born with a disability, helping people with special needs became a driving force in her life.

History

This year marks the centennial

anniversary for Lighthouse, located at 4505 W. Superior St. The organization was started in 1919 by Bertha Hanford, a 33-year-old woman who lost her sight at age 17. Hanford was the first state agent for the blind in Duluth. “She got the community behind her for support, and she wouldn’t settle for patronizing views of the blind,” Junnila said.

The Lighthouse has a strong history of female leadership. It has been led by women for 51 of its 100 years. Today, in addition to Junnila, the Lighthouse’s associate director and chairperson of the board are both women.

Background of a leader

Junnila was born in Grand Rapids, Minn., and has two older siblings. After her parents’ divorce when she was 9, Junnila moved to Oregon with her mother. The family later settled in Tennessee, where Junnila graduated high school.

Minnesota was never far from her heart, however. “Although I spent summers here, I missed Minnesota so much,” she said. “I could physically feel how much I missed the water.”

So, she returned for college. Junnila earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. At the time, jobs in her field were tough to come by in

Minnesota, so she did some moving around, first to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she worked in the corporate finance training program for General Electric, and later to Washington, D.C., where she got a job at the Brookings Institution.

Junnila was immensely bright and eager, and entered Harvard’s graduate program as a Kennedy Fellow. She graduated in 1989 with a Master’s Degree in public policy.

Despite her impressive education, however, her future remained unclear. “I wanted to make a difference, but didn’t know how,” she said. “I’m academic by nature, but was interested in youth and education issues.”

Return to Minnesota

Junnila developed an impressive professional network in Washington and held a few prestigious jobs before making the decision to return to Minnesota. Her father, a former

Mary Junnila, executive director of the Lighthouse Center for Vision Loss, holds a portrait of its founder, Bertha Hanford, who founded the center in Duluth in 1919. The center is celebrating its 100-year anniversary.

PHOTO BY DAVID BALLARD PHOTOGRAPHY

lawyer, had recently purchased Lutsen Mountains, and her brother and brotherin-law, both lawyers, also moved to Minnesota to join the family business. “I wanted to serve people more directly, so I decided to spend a winter at Lutsen as a springboard to look for jobs in Duluth or the Twin Cities,” Junnila said.

Due to the twists and turns inherent in every life, a single winter evolved into a decade spent in Cook County. Junnila met her future husband, Bill Junnila, a teacher, when he was working as a ski instructor and head of the ski school at Lutsen. Bill was also originally from Grand Rapids.

“We had an instant connection on so many levels,” Junnila said. “We shared the same hometown; we both love the outdoors and the water.” The two were married at Lutsen Church and had their wedding reception at the Lutsen Chalet.

For a time, Junnila ran the Lutsen Mountains restaurant. Later, she got a job as executive director for the Cook County/Grand Marais Joint Economic Development Authority. She also started the Cook County Higher Education Project, which is still in existence 20 years later. The Junnilas became owners of the retail shop at Lutsen Mountains, which they still own today.

Shortly after marriage, the Junnilas welcomed their first son, Eric, who is now 24. Eric was born with cerebral palsy and requires round-the-clock care. It was difficult to find reliable help for their son, and the couple ultimately decided to move to Duluth. They later added another child to the family, a son, Andy, now 17, whom they adopted from Korea.

Personal connection to the job

Junnila got the job as executive director for Lighthouse in 2010. For her, this job was very personal. “I have a lot of family members with vision loss,” she said. “My mom has macular degeneration, and my dad has glaucoma.

My son Eric has some vision loss, too.”

Junnila explained that, in addition to dealing with blindness, some of the clients who are helped by the Lighthouse have other disabilities, too. “Working with people with disabilities really pulls at my heartstrings,” she added.

Since coming on board, Junnila has added several helpful programs to Lighthouse, including Safe at Home with Vision Loss, the Teen Transition Program, and Technology and Me. Last year, the Lighthouse served 1,700 people across the state of Minnesota, and Junnila hopes to reach many more.

The Junnila family resides in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood with their dogs, Deacon and Quavo. They enjoy hiking, biking and spending time at their cabin an hour north of Duluth. “Being out in the woods really speaks to me,” Junnila said.

One young man’s story

Austin Horstmann visits the Lighthouse almost every day to take advantage of the many services available to him. He has been blind his entire 18 years. At the Lighthouse, he participates in the orientation and mobility training, where he learns to navigate public spaces, along with the techniques of daily living sessions.

Horstmann volunteers at the Great Lakes Aquarium and mows lawns to earn money, pushing the mower as a friend helps him steer and navigate.

While Horstmann has no vision, he retains an almost encyclopedic memory of cars and tractors. When asked about some of the misconceptions of the blind, Horstmann said, “A lot of people say you can’t do this, or you can’t do that. But I can tear an engine apart right in front of you.”

Spreading the word

The Lighthouse offers hope to many people in the form of support groups, occupational therapy sessions, Braille training, adjustment to blindness training, and many other resources for individuals who have lost the ability to see. With a bit of assistance and training, the blind can do many of the same things as sighted people, including cooking, reading, playing cards, riding the bus and more.

While the Lighthouse isn’t directly connected with any other medical networks, they have the ability to bill medical insurance, and doctors can make referrals there. And, while the Lighthouse is a great place for people to

receive services, many of their offerings are also done right in the person’s own residence.

Junnila wants to spread the word about services offered by the Lighthouse, and tell people that there is hope. “We know there are so many people out there we can help,” she said. “One in three working-age adults with vision loss has an increased risk of depression or falling. So much of that is preventable. By connecting with more people, we are literally saving and transforming lives.”

For more information, please visit lcfvl.org.

Randy Rusnak (left) is an instructor at the Lighthouse for Vision Loss and teaches blind students like Austin Horstmann how to use technology.

College of St. Scholastica names 13th president

Dr. Barbara McDonald has background in education, world travel

By Bob Ashenmacher

Dr. Barbara McDonald will become the 13th president of The College of St. Scholastica, effective Aug. 5, 2019. She was introduced to the St. Scholastica community at an on-campus announcement May 30.

“Dr. Barbara McDonald is a visionary leader whose wide-ranging experience and studentcentered approach make her the right person to lead The College of St. Scholastica,” said Christopher Dolan, chair of the St. Scholastica Board of Trustees. “Throughout her career, which includes deep familiarity with Northeastern Minnesota, she has shown an ability to forge productive relationships, cultivate innovation and build support for institutional goals in service to students’ success. She is a leader of proven integrity and insight.”

McDonald, 61, comes to St. Scholastica from North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park, Minn., where she has served as president since 2015. NHCC is one of the largest and most diverse community colleges in the state, serving more than 10,000 students. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges

and Universities system. McDonald will retire from Minnesota State on Aug. 2, after 22 years of service.

“I am thrilled and honored to be given the opportunity to serve as the 13th president of The College of St. Scholastica,” McDonald said. “I look forward to working alongside our outstanding students, faculty, and staff as we move the college forward to a bright future. I want to thank the Board for their confidence in me and the St. Scholastica family for welcoming me to their fold."

McDonald will succeed President Colette Geary, who announced in January that she would depart St. Scholastica to spend more time with her family. Geary became president in July 2016.

A national search led to McDonald’s appointment. Trustees Emeriti Mary Ives and Phillip Rolle were co-chairs of the Presidential Search Committee.

"Dr. McDonald has a history of building successful teams throughout her career," Ives and Rolle said in a joint statement. “Her inclusive leadership style fits perfectly with St. Scholastica's

vision, mission and values and will serve as a foundation for collaboration and consensus building. In addition, Dr. McDonald not only has had experience living and working in numerous foreign countries, but has shown extensive leadership in supporting diversity and inclusion. We’re very excited to have her on campus.”

McDonald’s career in higher education includes extensive experience in teaching, scholarship, administration, and international education.

She earned a Doctor of Education from the University of MinnesotaMinneapolis in 2002; a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the American University in Cairo, Egypt in 1983, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1980 after transferring from The College of St. Scholastica.

McDonald’s work within the Minnesota State system started at Rainy River Community College

Dr. Barbara McDonald

in International Falls from 1997 to 1999, where she taught and served as faculty assessment and service learning coordinator. From 2000-14 she served in various leadership roles in academic and student affairs at Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids, where she was promoted to provost. She then served as interim president for one year at Minnesota West Community and Technical College based in Worthington, Minn.

McDonald has served on many civic boards, including the Itasca Economic Development Board, the Grand Itasca Hospital and Clinic Board, the Reif Performing Arts Board and others. A Catholic, she also served on the Parish Council of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grand Rapids.

Her leadership development experience includes the Minnesota Partnership for Executive Leadership Development Program in 2012, the Higher Education Resource of Institute of Bryn Mawr University in 2011, the Blandin Community Leadership Program in 2009, and the Leadership Academy of the University of Minnesota from 1998 to 2002.

McDonald grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. Earlier in her adult career, she and her family lived and worked abroad for many years in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The College of St. Scholastica is an independent private college founded in 1912 by the Catholic Benedictine Sisters of Duluth, who remain its sponsors. More than half the student body of over 4,000 are nontraditional students in graduate, extended-site and online programs. About 1,700 students make up the traditional student body at the Duluth campus, about half of whom live on campus. Learn more at css.edu. D

Bob Ashenmacher is executive director of marketing, communications and media for the College of St. Scholastica.

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Birthrate rising among older women

By Connie Wirta

AsAmerica’s birthrate continues to decline, you may be surprised to learn that one age group is having more babies: women ages 35 and older.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported an estimated 3,788,235 births in 2018, the lowest level in 32 years. Birth rates for women ages 15-34 continued to decline but rose for women ages 35-44. Comparing 2018 to 2017, the CDC says the birth rate for women ages 35-39 rose 1 percent while it was up 2 percent for ages 40-44 and 3 percent for ages 45 and older.

“Many of my older patients have waited to start their families after finishing their educations, starting their careers or having other life experiences,” said Dr. Kelly Greenleaf, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic. “In my 12 years of practice, I’ve cared for women of all ages and the one thing that’s been consistent is caring for older women who are creating blended families. Often they’ve remarried and are having children later.”

When it comes to childbearing, the biological clock is indeed ticking. Women who deliver at age 35 or older are described as “advanced maternal age” but that doesn’t mean they can’t have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, Dr. Greenleaf said.

“The healthier a woman can be, the easier it is to become pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy,” Dr. Greenleaf explained.

MOTHER'S HEALTH IS KEY TO A HEALTHY PREGNANCY

After age 35, there is a statistically significant increase in chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. For example, the risk is about 1 in 200 or 300 for a woman age 35 compared to 1 in 1,000 for a woman who is 25. “Yet the overwhelming number of older women will have babies with normal chromosomes,” Dr. Greenleaf stressed.

Another biological fact is a woman’s eggs get older and become more susceptible to certain abnormalities, Dr. Greenleaf said. “A woman is born with all the eggs she’ll have in a lifetime,” she explains.

As women age, their likelihood of developing health problems increases. High blood pressure, diabetes and obesity can make it more difficult to become pregnant and to have a healthy pregnancy, Dr. Greenleaf explained. Age also increases the risk of developing high blood pressure and preeclampsia, a life-threatening condition during pregnancy.

Dr. Kelly Greenleaf, an Essentia Health obstetrician and gynecologist, talks with Amy Hawkinson of McGregor, Minnesota, during a postpartum appointment. Amy, who is 39, gave birth to her son, Niko, in May. She also has two older sons.

Dr. Greenleaf said all obstetricians at the Essentia HealthDuluth Clinic are experienced in caring for older women and those who have high-risk pregnancies. The team includes Dr. Janyne Althaus, the Northland’s only maternal fetal health physician who specializes in the most complex pregnancies. The obstetricians also work with genetic counselors, a pediatric heart specialist and a pediatric urologist.

“We offer comprehensive care and make it easy for our patients to navigate it. It’s easy for me to collaborate with my colleagues, and I know and trust the care they’re bringing to my patient,” Dr. Greenleaf said.

The Duluth Clinic’s obstetricians offer 24/7 care to women in the Birthplace at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center. “An obstetrician is always there, on the floor, and we’re also available to take phone calls,” Dr. Greenleaf said. “There’s always a physician to take care of you.”

One of the biggest benefits is having a newborn intensive care unit and neonatologists at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center.

“Seeing moms and babies separated is so difficult and heartbreaking,” Dr. Greenleaf said of babies who need to be transferred to the unit from other hospitals.

She encourages any woman considering getting pregnant to come in for an annual examination or a simple “meet-andgreet.”

“I love when women come in and ask questions,” she said, adding it’s never too early to start prenatal vitamins.

Quitting smoking is one of the best steps a woman can take to reduce the risks to her and her baby. Smoking can make it hard to get pregnant and can result in a low-weight baby.

“The reason the baby is small is because it is not getting the same nutrition (as a non-smoker) since smoking constricts the blood vessels in the placenta and umbilical cord,” Dr. Greenleaf explained. “The developing fetus also gets all the chemicals from the cigarettes.” D

Dr. Greenleaf advises any woman to “optimize” her health before becoming pregnant. Her tips include:

• Try to reach a normal body mass index. Even losing 10 percent of your body weight can improve your fertility and aid ovulation.

• Get 30 minutes of exercise five times a week.

• Eat 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Decrease your consumption of carbohydrates and sugars, especially if you have diabetes.

To make an appointment with Dr. Kelly Greenleaf or any obstetrician and gynecologist at the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic, call (218) 786-3600 or go to EssentiaHealth.org.

D’AndreRobinson Class of 2018 CommunicatingArts andSociology

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

For 20 years, the Miller-Dwan Foundation has hosted ARTcetera, our community’s leading fundraising event. Every year we’ve received remarkable, and oneof-a-kind donations from individuals and businesses from throughout our region and beyond, all because they believe in the work of the Foundation and the difference we make right here in our own back yard. Over the years, net event proceeds have totaled more than $4 million, filling important healthcare gaps and creating some of our area’s most meaningful healthcare options — options that serve you, your employees, neighbors, friends and loved ones. ARTcetera proceeds help us create healthier people, healthier families and healthier communities.

This year, under the leadership of ARTcetera co-chairs Dr. Carolyn Forsman and Dr. Erin Grimsby, proceeds will

directly benefit the Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center. Polinsky is a leader in the delivery of specialized rehabilitation care for children and adults. Using a team-centered approach, physicians and therapists (including canine therapists) help patients recover from stroke, brain injury, accidents, sensory disorders and more. And together we can do so much more.

With help from MillerDwan Foundation’s ARTcetera 2019, the Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center will become a true center of excellence, drawing on leading-edge medical evidence and the very best state-of-the-art technology to help people heal. Together we’ll see all new programming, additional critical care staff, more space, shorter wait times and miracles happening every day. All for the price of a ticket and one of the best times you’ll have all year long.

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Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center

Unique Number of Adult Patients Served in 2018: 969

Number of visits for adults:

Physical Therapy: 3,771

Occupational Therapy: 2,523

Speech Therapy: 3,268

Psychology: 855

Unique Number of Pediatric Patients Served in 2018: 1,440

Number of visits for children:

Physical Therapy: 4,474

Occupational Therapy: 7,555

Speech Therapy: 11,105

Psychology: 1,253

So, join the MillerDwan Foundation for a spectacular evening as we work to create spectacular care. And together we’ll infuse new possibility

into the care at Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center — helping children and adults who are up against the biggest challenges of their lives.

To preview auction items and register today, call 218-786-5829 or visit www.mdfoundation.org/artcetera-2019

Tickets are $150 per person.

With nearly 100 auction items, travel experiences, parties and dinners, fine art and more, this year’s collection is one you will not want to miss. For those who enjoy unique experiences that can’t be purchased, a variety of truly special events, activities, dinner and travel will be featured in the live and silent auctions. Examples include:

Bali’s Breathtaking Beauty

Get away to a one-of-a-kind villa in magical Bali, the most famous island in Indonesia, which blends breathtaking mountain scenery, beautiful beaches with warm and friendly people, a vibrant culture and an incredible resort. Whether you seek a respite from your everyday routine, a romantic honeymoon with your beloved, or a serene vacation with your closest family and friends, you’ll find the peace and rejuvenation you need at the Bali Double V Villa.

Rustic Costa Rican Farm Adventure

Welcome to paradise! Venado Valley Ranch Costa Rica is a 100-acre working horse and cattle ranch located near the world famous Venado Caves, Rio Celeste and Arenal Volcano. Offering nature-loving individuals, families and self-formed groups an authentic cultural immersion experience. Pura Vida!

Oldenburg House Dinner

Your group of 12 guests are invited to sample a five-course tasting menu created by Chef Paul Sapyta from Room at the Table and Emily Swanson from Oldenburg House, featuring seasonal foods and great wines. Sit back

Reserve your ARTcetera seats today!

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New York City for Two

You’ll begin this luxurious two-day extravaganza with a private, nonstop round-trip flight for two from Duluth to NYC. From there, you’ll spend two nights at the magnificent and contemporary Millennium Hilton in lower Manhattan. Enjoy a multi-course dinner at Michelin-rated Aureole, New York, the flagship showcase for Charlie Palmer’s unabashed, energetic signature Progressive American cuisine. Let your fantasies unwind with two tickets to one of Broadway’s most spectacular performances, Phantom of the Opera.

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Learn more about all these extraordinary auction items and preview the full auction line-up online now at www.mdfoundation. org/artcetera-2019.

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A Heritage of Health Care at St. Luke's

By Claire Kiger

You can tell what a family values by what they share through the years. Some pass down traditions and stories, while others share special heirlooms or names. For multiple generations of families in the Duluth area, they share a legacy of working at St. Luke’s.

Growing up, Autumn Ferrazzi, Pharmaceutical Buyer at St. Luke’s Inpatient Pharmacy, listened to family members talk about St. Luke’s. Her mom and aunt have both worked at the Duluth-based health care system for over 30 years, and her sister has been there for nearly 14.

“I’ve always heard that St. Luke’s

has a supportive, family-like culture,” she said. “That’s the main reason I wanted to work here.” Autumn has now worked at St. Luke’s herself for nine years.

And there are many other families at St. Luke’s with similar stories.

Inheriting a heart for patients

“My father was a surgeon at a few different hospitals in the area,” said Kathy Krokum, Manager of St. Luke's Hospice Duluth, “but St. Luke’s was always the place he preferred and talked about the most.”

Kathy followed her father’s example and pursued a career in

the medical field. She worked as an anesthesia technician at St. Luke’s during her schooling, and once she became a nurse she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else. “It was the only place I applied,” she said. “I graduated on a Saturday and started working at St. Luke’s as an RN on the general surgery floor two days later.”

After 39 years, Kathy couldn’t be happier with her decision. She has worked in multiple departments as an RN, had opportunities for promotion and has earned her Master’s Degree to help manage St. Luke’s Hospice Duluth and St. Luke’s Homecare. The Krokum family legacy continued when Kathy’s

Autumn Ferazzi and her family members that work at St. Luke’s (from right to left): Autumn Ferazzi, Rose Ligman, Kathy Beede and Amber Beede.

daughter became the office coordinator at St. Luke’s Ear, Nose & Throat Associates.

While Kathy has been in the organization for four decades, Vanessa Wallace, nursing assistant at St. Luke’s, is just starting her career. Similar to Kathy, Vanessa also grew up listening to her parents talk about work. “They love being nurses and working at St. Luke’s,” she said. “Because of them, I have always wanted to work here.”

In March of 2019, Vanessa started working on 2 West, the floor that houses hospice and oncology patients staying at the hospital. Vanessa’s mom Jen Hill, RN at St. Luke’s Birthing Center for 23 years, is pleased to have her daughter at St. Luke’s. “I knew she’d be taken care of and welcomed in,” Jen said.

Vanessa plans on continuing her schooling, and she hopes to become a nurse at St. Luke’s like her parents when she graduates.

A place where you matter

Marla Halvorson, Director of St. Luke’s Human Resources, thinks stories like these are evidence of a healthy culture. “It shows you that people truly enjoy their workplace,” she said. “Everyone is treated like an individual, and people can feel that.”

One way this has played out for Autumn is through open communication and individual attention. “My supervisors are willing to take time to talk if issues come up, even if it’s something that’s going on personally,” she said. “It makes you feel

like you matter.”

Danielle Larson, manager of St. Luke’s Credentialing, thinks part of St. Luke’s appeal is the atmosphere. “You walk into some places and they feel cold and corporate,” she explained. “But St. Luke’s is warm and friendly.”

While Danielle was the first in her family to work at St. Luke’s, she was not the last. When her sister was looking to relocate back home, Danielle didn’t hesitate to suggest St. Luke’s. Her sister took the advice and now works as an occupational therapist at St. Luke’s Hibbing Family Medical Clinic and Laurentian Medical Clinic.

Part of something bigger

In addition to a positive culture, St. Luke’s offers a meaningful mission. “You get to be a part of something bigger than you,” said Marla. “Helping and supporting people in your community when they need it most is really rewarding work.”

“I always tell people how much I love working here,” Danielle said. “For anyone who is looking for a job, I always tell them that they should think about St. Luke’s.”

St. Luke’s hires a broad range of other roles in addition to medical staff. “There are a lot of employment options at St. Luke’s,” Marla said. “From accounting and marketing to IT and patient registration, we have all sorts of opportunities.”

To see where you may fit in with the St. Luke’s team, visit slhduluth. com/careers. D

“I always tell people how much I love working here,” Danielle said.

“For anyone who is looking for a job, I always tell them that they should think about St. Luke’s.”

Photo craft creates memory for a different kind of wedding proposal

Story and photos by Mary Rasch

TheFixx taught us way back in 1983 that “One Thing Leads to Another,” and this is especially true with proposals. Popping the question is lighting the fuse for the fireworks of the wedding day. That fuse branches off to a myriad of other questions, decisions and experiences for both you and your friends and family.

Asking someone to be a member of the wedding party is a “branch-fuse” question that carries one of the highest honors a couple can express to the important people in their lives. You are telling someone, “of all the people in the world, I want to share this occasion with you close to me.” Naturally if we can add a fun and memorable way to ask the question, all the better! This picture box project allows you to create a beautiful personalized keepsake that a person can have forever.

1. Select your favorite style box. There are so many cute options in the unfinished wood project section of your local craft store. The box I selected had a 2x2 opening inside which made my measurements for this project super easy. If you select a different size, adjust the measurements listed below accordingly.

2. Pick card stock from that craft store as well. Remember, the more simple and subtle the paper, the more your photos will stand out.

3. When you get home, select your favorite pictures of the person you are asking to be in your wedding party. If you are selecting photos from social media, Facebook makes this a cinch. Get onto your friend’s Facebook page. On their banner you’ll see a box with three dots to the far right. Select “see friendship” to get the photos of you and your friend together. For each picture, right click and select “Copy Image”.

4. Individually paste them into a Word document in order to manipulate the size of each picture. Since the opening inside the box is 2” you will want to reduce the size to less than this for both length and height. Continue this process for each photo.

5. If you would like the images to be spread throughout the page in order to leave white space to cut around the picture, right click the picture, select format image, and

Continued on page 42

select “tight.” You will be able to move the picture around the page.

6. By using Word, you can create a text box that is the correct size in which to write your message. Click on “insert” on the top menu and then “text box” from the drop down menu. You can adjust the size of this box by

clicking on the corner of the box and dragging it to the correct size. Next, add the message you’d like to ask your special person. To get a line around the box, you may need to right click, select “format shape,” then “line” to add color.

7. Print your page on quality paper — although it doesn’t have to be photo paper.

8. Cut out your pictures using a scissor or a paper cutter leaving a border around the edge.

9. Cut your cardstock in a 2-inch strip. Then fold the paper into an accordion, making a crease every two inches. Depending on how many pictures you have, continue to make folds until all of your photos will fit.

10. On every section, use your adhesive roller to attach the photos to the cardstock as shown in the photo.

11. Attach the bottom square of the cardstock to the bottom of the box with glue.

12. Cut along the edge of the text box to prep the message you made for your pal. Place adhesive on the back of the message and insert it into the bottom of the box.

13. Continue this process for each person you are asking to be in your wedding party. D

Mary Rasch is a Duluth artist and mother of two. Her book, "Fleece Hat Friends and Playful Hoodies," is available on Amazon.

On the lookout for skin cancer

IT DOESN’T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’D THINK

By Kasha Stoll

Itwas right under my nose. Well, actually, just to the left of it, but close enough. This round patch of dry, flaky skin just showed up on my face and refused to leave.

Given my fair skin and history of sunburns, I wondered briefly if it could be cancer. However, the spot didn’t have any of the well-publicized markers of melanoma and didn’t look like any of the warning photos I had ever seen. In a state of blissful ignorance, I decided it was nothing to worry about.

One large warrior scar later, I am singing a different tune.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in general and melanoma in particular per capita in the country.

“That is not a surprise to me,” said Hilary Reich, a dermatologist at Essentia Health. “Minnesotans spend a lot of time indoors in the winter. As soon as it gets warm, everyone rushes outside to enjoy our beautiful sun and lakes. They rush out and immediately fry.”

WHO IS AT RISK?

Who is at risk? The simple answer is: everyone. Sun damage is cumulative, and about one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70.

However, certain groups are at a higher risk.

“Minnesota is a mainly white state with a population derived in large part from northern Europeans,” Reich said. “We are at a very high risk for sunburns.”

People with lighter skin are more susceptible to sunburns because they lack the pigment that provides some measure of protection. According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is 20 times more common in Caucasians than in black people.

However, Reich said people of color also develop skin cancer. When they do, she said it is typically diagnosed later and at a higher stage of disease progression. This results in a worse prognosis.

People who spend a lot of time at or near a lake are also at

increased risk. They are exposed to the sun’s direct rays, as well as rays that reflect off the water.

“We get the sun from above and 100 percent reflectance from below,” Reich said. “I see so many patients who are boaters and fisherman. They have chronic exposure from above and below, and they have a much higher incidence of skin cancer.”

Reich said everyone, regardless of their skin type or history of sun damage, should protect their skin and regularly check for any growths or abnormalities.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Perhaps, like me, you have heard of the ABCDEs of skin

Dr. Hilary Reich

cancer:

A – Asymmetrical shape

B – Borders that are uneven, scalloped or notched

C – Colors, multiple as opposed to just one

D – Diameter of quarter-inch or more

E – Evolving or changing in size, shape, color, elevation or any other way

Those are indicators of melanoma, so absolutely check for them. But don’t stop there.

“Melanoma is really scary, but it is about five percent of all skin cancers,” Reich said. “If the only thing you are looking for is a flat, black spot, you are going to miss 95 percent.”

Reich said basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) account for about 60 percent and 35 percent of all skin cancers, respectively.

BCC is the least dangerous. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body or becomes life threatening. However, Reich said it is “a relentless grower. (The lesions) will grow bigger and deeper, and they can destroy the structure of what they are growing on top of. They can grow all the way through your nose, ear or cheek.”

SCCs are not usually life threatening, although it is possible if the cancer is allowed to grow. They can also be disfiguring.

Reich said people should watch for four signs of possible skin cancer:

• Pink or red spots that won’t heal up and go away

• Spots that occasionally bleed, even when they are not touched

• Spots that are disproportionately tender

• A “pimple” that lasts for months

HOW TO STAY SAFE

Reich recommends that everyone apply sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF 30 or higher to their head and neck every morning.

“That is baseline,” she said. “If you are outside and are active or playing, you need to add another level of protection. You should apply sunscreen every two hours, or as appropriate if you are sweating or swimming.”

Reich also recommended wearing a broad-brimmed hat that covers your ears and rash guard shirts to protect your skin while swimming.

Reich said her take-home message is simple: “I want everyone to go out and play, and enjoy our natural environment. But I want everyone to be careful and protect themselves. I tell my patients, ‘Never burn, never intentionally tan and just do your best.’” D

Kasha Stoll is a Duluth freelance writer and cancer survivor.

where to SHOP

White Cedar Studio 916 Hammond Ave., Superior, WI whitecedarstudio.com

Bender’s Shoes 2116 Maple Grove Rd. bendersshoes.com

Kat’s Eyes Optical 1016 Woodland Ave katseyesoptical.com

By Annie Lepper

It’s 3 a.m. and you’re stressing about money. . .again. We’ve all had an impulse purchase we’ve regretted or something we’ve forgotten to take into account when figuring out the budget for the month. But how can you cope with the deeper, darker feeling like you’re failing with your finances?

Recognizing It

Remember, financial anxiety is just a feeling. Though it may be valid, it isn’t an insurmountable challenge. Most of the time, a little mindfulness and confidence is all you need to help you turn your feeling of helplessness into a situation you can manage. Granted, it’s easier said than done. With social media pressures presenting picture-perfect lifestyles and our own perceptions of what people have and how they afford it all, it can be an additional burden.

Speaking of Perception

Above all else, money is simply a tool. It’s easy to forget that when we wrap so many other emotions and contexts around it. Strip away the hype around money and it’s easier to cope. Think very seriously about money, budgeting, finances, financial goals, etc. Does it freak you out? If you have a fear-based

Dealing with Financial Anxiety Finances Shouldn't Keep You Awake

reaction, you might be stuck in a very passive mindset when it comes to money. This can lead to increased anxiety and muddled thinking. A healthier approach would be to respect money, not fear it. Respecting money is a more active, incontrol mindset. You work hard to earn it, you want to make sure you are using it mindfully and intentionally. Get Your Head in the Game

So, you’ve thought about all the ways money can stress you out and how you can take an active approach to your mindset to lessen the stress. Before you start dealing with the anxiety, give yourself credit for being anxious about your finances. If you weren’t bothered, you wouldn’t be bothered to look at it critically. A little worry is healthy — it helps keep you sharp and guards against complacency.

Next, focus on the positive and confront the fears. List the positives you have going for you financially. Even if it’s just the idea that you’re willing to work on your situation, it’s still a step in the right direction. Then, go worst case scenario. “What would happen if X came to pass?” What would you do? More importantly, how realistic is it that X happens? Talk yourself through how you could handle your worst fears. There are always more options than you may think. Take control and make a plan. Put a budget down on paper and use it as a guide on how you have spent money. Don’t feel bad when you see spending patterns which are less than ideal. Use your budget as a map and re-route your spending where you can. Are there areas to cut back or swap out? Are subscription TV, unused memberships, grocery

bills and food expenses more than they could be? Get creative and shop around. Budgets should be dynamic — sometimes you have to adjust as situations change. Keep evaluating your spending and your budget as time passes.

Get an emergency fund going. Even if it’s just a small amount at first, build savings into your budget so you can see “wins” as you save up. It’ll also take the edge off of some of your worstcase scenarios since you’ll be building a cushion to land on, if needed.

After you see where you’re at financially and where you’re going to, talk it through and ask for help. Educate yourself on areas you are unsure of. Meet with a credit counselor, financial advisor, insurance rep — whoever can help you shore up your knowledge and make you more confident. If you have a partner, share your feelings with them, even if you keep your finances separate. If they don’t know that you’re struggling with this anxiety, they can’t help you though it and assist with your plan to get it under control. Finally, get a little perspective from someone you feel has control over their finances — chances are they’ve struggled in the past and they may have tips to help you.

As you go forward in this process, do not feel guilty or shame yourself. We all are our own worst critics and beating yourself up over money mistakes in the past doesn’t do any good. Continue to learn and measure yourself against your goals. The ultimate way to tame financial anxiety is to challenge yourself to be better than you were before you started on this financial journey, one step at a time. D

Annie Lepper VP Operations-Marketing Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union

Arts & Events Calendar

Nature Play Group

Mondays June-August

Join us for this weekly drop-in program that meets Mondays at 10:00 am in the Hartley Nature Playscape. It is facilitated by a Hartley educator with a welcoming circle, then is openly structured to allow children to explore within the elements (including water) as they choose. (Cancels only for extreme weather). Runs 10-11:30 am, June through August. $2 per child. 3001 (Range is Aug. 5-Sept. 30)

Chester Creek Concert Series

Aug. 6 and 13

Two more concerts remain for this year’s free outdoor concert series at Chester Bowl. August shows are at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evenings at the park, 1801 E. Skyline Parkway. Aug. 6: Big Waves and Bonfires (Americana, folk)

Aug. 13: Honest Maude (Americana, alt)

Laughter on the 23rd Floor

Aug. 1-10

Playwright Neil Simon got his first big break in the early 1950s as a staff writer on Sid Caesar’s fabled television series Your Show of Shows, and this comedy takes a fictionalized look at the backstage chaos that went into producing one of the landmarks of television’s golden age. Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Underground. $20. duluthplayhouse.org

Bayfront Blues Festival

Aug. 9-11

Bayfront Festival Park hosts three days of live music, food and fun. It’s one of the largest annual outdoor music events in the upper Midwest. Each year nearly 20,000 fans enjoy more than 30 acts on two stages at one of the region’s most beautiful open-air venues. Single-day to three-day passes ranger from $45-$119. See schedule and more information online at bayfrontblues.com.

"Fun Home”

Aug. 9-24

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.

Art in Bayfront Park

Aug. 17-18

Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s funeral home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires. 2015 Tony Award winner for best musical. Renegade Theater, Zeitgeist, 222 E. Superior St. 7:30 p.m. Matinees at 9 p.m. $20 general admission, $16 seniors and students. Zeitgeistarts.com

The Nice Girls of the North Second Saturday Marketplace

Aug. 10, Sept. 14

Browse handcrafted items for sale, from clothing and bags to pottery, jewelry and more. Free coffee, cookies and door prizes. Live music. One checkout for all purchases. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 106 N. 54th Ave. E.

Lake Superior Art Festival at Brighton Beach

Aug. 10

More than 40 artists will display their work for sale along this popular Duluth beach. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Find the event’s Facebook page for more information.

Festival of Sail

Aug. 11-13

Opportunities during this event include seeing tall ships in Duluth, stepping aboard and setting sail. Educational programming, food, craft beer garden and family entertainment. festofsailduluth.com

Murder Mystery Express

Aug. 12-16; 19-23

Board the North Shore Scenic Railroad to figure out who dunnit. Dinner and train show is $88 per person. Reservations are required. duluthtrains.com

Art lovers can purchase gallery-quality work from approximately 180 artists. Art classes offered. artinbayfrontpark.com

“Rebel without a Cause”

Aug. 18

Visit the NorShor Theatre for its classic film series. Jim Stark hopes to find the love he doesn’t get from his middle-class family. Starring James Dean and Natalie Wood, 1955. Drinks and movie discussion offered after seeing the movie on the big screen. 211 E. Superior St. $12. norshortheatre.com

RivALZ Twin Ports

Aug. 24

Who’s your biggest RivALZ? For us and millions of Americans, it’s Alzheimer’s disease. RivALZ Twin Ports – a women’s flag football fundraiser – raises awareness and funds to benefit care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. We're looking for players, coaches and volunteers to join the fight! Visit act.alz.org/twinportsrivalz or twinportsrivalz@gmail.com to learn more. Game will be held at Public Schools Stadium, Denfeld High School. Gates open at 2 p.m., Kick Off at 3 p.m.

Duluth-Superior Pride

Aug. 29-Sept. 1

Celebrate LGBT pride and more during this two-day weekend of events. Many events will be happening related to a weekend focused on positive images about sexual identity.

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is playing at the Underground Aug. 29-31. Festival at Bayfront park Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. duluthsuperiorpride.com

Minnesota Mile

Sept. 6

Grandma’s Marathon presents this run along scenic Skyline Parkway. $20 preregistration until Sept. 4, then $30. Kids’ mile $10. grandmasmarathon.com

Twin Ports Area Walk to End Alzheimer's

Sept. 7

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Join 1,000 walkers from the Twin Ports Area as they walk to support the cause locally. Walk registration begins at 8:30 AM in Pioneer Hall at the DECC with a walk around Canal Park beginning at 10:15 AM. To donate

oppor tunities available at jobswithus.org

or start a team visit act.alz.org/twinports or call 218.733.2560 for more information.

Paws for Cause 5K walk/run

Sept. 7

The 21st annual fundraiser for the Humane Society of Douglas County. On the Osaugie Trail across from Barker's Island Festival Park off E. US Hwy 2. Registration: 8-9 a.m. $30 until Aug. 19, then $40. Family $75 until Aug. 19, then $95. Includes T-shirt for each registrant and a bandanna for your dog(s). hdcpets.com.

Art in Bayfront Park

Aug. 17-18

A two-day art fair located on the beautiful Duluth lakefront at Bayfront Festival Park. Art lovers will find quality work from local and regional artists. Work includes jewelry, painting, photography, ceramics, metalwork, glass and more. Artinbayfrontpark.com

The Tribute Fest

Aug. 22-24

Three days of performances by tribute bands who play the hits of popular artists. Country music on Thursday, rock music Friday and Saturday. Bayfront Festival Park. Ticket packages range from $15-$180. Thetributefest. com

Duluth Superior Pride Festival

Aug. 31

This family-friendly community event that celebrates the LGBTQA community. The annual free event features beer tents, exhibitors, vendors, entertainment and an area of fun games and activities for children. Duluthsuperiorpride.com.

Duluth AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic

Sept. 2

The 128th annual Duluth Labor Day Picnic, sponsored by the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body, will be Sept. 2 from noon to 4 p.m. at Bayfront Festival Park. The picnic is free and open to the public and includes food, entertainment, games for kids and ample prolabor politicking and speeches.

Lake Superior Harvest Festival

Sept. 7

For 26 years, the Lake Superior Chapter of Sustainable Farming Association has put on this event, connecting producers and consumers. Located in Bayfront Festival Park, the event features a large farmers’ markets, live music, crafts, nonprofit showcase, educational exhibits, family activities and more. Admission and parking are free. sfa-mn.org/harvestfestival

MEET & GREET

Arts & Events Calendar

KIA Drag Races & Car Show

Sept. 7-8

A legal race down a public street with more than 110 vehicles going head-to-head down Garfield Avenue. Car show, music, vendors. Kernkompany.com

Superstitions Tours at Fairlawn Mansion

Sept. 13

Learn about superstitions of the Victorian era and those who lived in the mansion at the turn of the century. The Fairlawn Mansion will be darkened, so bring a flashlight to walk through the mansion. 906 E. 2nd St., Superior. superiorpublicmuseums.org

Duluth Oktoberfestival

Sept. 13-15

Taste test classic Bavarian foods at this firstannual event. From schnitzel to bratwursts, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Bayfront Festival Park. duluthoktoberfestival. com

Gitche Gumee Wedding Show

Sept. 15

This event will showcase the multitude of wedding experts available to host a wedding in Duluth, Superior and up and down the beautiful shores of the Lake Superior region. Meet venue management teams, caterers, entertainers, photographers, gown and tux providers, hospitality professionals and more. The show will also feature a fashion show, lounge and samples. Lake Superior Ballroom at the DECC, 350 Harbor Drive. Gitchegumeeweddingshow.com

United Way Chili Cookoff

Sept. 19

The cook-off brings chefs and community members from around town to enter their best original chili recipes. Come take part in this fundraiser and taste and judge. Money raised goes to Head of the Lakes United Way. DECC Arena. Adults $10, ages 5-12 $5, younger are free. hlunitedway.org.

Fall colors aboard the Vista Fleet

Sept. 21-22

See the beautiful hillsides of the Northland as they display incredible fall colors. Learn about the harbor, Duluth's history, the science and ecology of the St. Louis River system, and view unique and historic bridges. Coffee and breakfast pastries included at 9:30 a.m. for $18.95. Lunch cruises at 12:30 p.m. for $25. These tours will not go onto Lake Superior, but up the St. Louis River instead. vistafleet. com

Lester River Rendezvous

Sept. 28 (rain date Sept. 29)

This fun day features 60 food and craft vendors, stage musical acts and the Voyageur Village with 30 skilled re-enactors demonstrating the daily life of a voyageur during the fur trade era. Free admission and free train shuttle provided by the North Shore Scenic Railroad. More information on the event’s Facebook page. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Lester Park.

ThemissionofEWNisto connectandempowerwomen inlifeandbusinessthrough apositive,informal, andencouraging networking group.

EWNMeetings:HeldsecondFridayofeachmonth(Sept-May).

Agenda:Empoweringspeaker,buffetlunch,networking,prizes,andmore! Visitourwebsite:ewnduluth.comtolearnmore,viewupcomingevents,andsignup/register.

Naturebased school serving students

Pre-K- 6thGrade

Learn more at northshorecommunityschool.org or call to scheduleatour!

Pre-K-6th: Environmental Education integrated throughout the curriculum,with a20-acre schoolforest, greenhouse, orchard, and outdoorclassrooms

Pre-K-6th: Environmental Education integrated throughout the curriculum, with a20-acre school forest, greenhouse, orchard, and outdoor classrooms.

Art, PE, Music, and Environmental Ed Specialists Small Class Sizes Busing from Duluth and TwoHarbors

Art, PE,Music,and EnvironmentalEdSpecialists,Small Class Sizes

Nor th Shore Community

BusingfromDuluth andTwo Harbors

Preschool: Fu ll an dH alfDay op is developmentally Busingavailable for4 &5 year

Preschool: Full and Half Day options, Hands-on learning that is developmentally appropriate, Busing available for 4&5yearolds, Possible scholarships

Kids First*Knowledge* Stewardship *Partnership

Kids First*Knowledge* Stewardship *Partnership

Arrowhead Auto Body is the most modern and advanced collision repair facility in the Northland. “We take collision repair seriously, it’s what we live and breathe.” Arrowhead Auto Body has invested in advanced training and equipment for their technicians to properly repair your vehicle back to manufacturers specifications. The world is evolving and new vehicle technologies are advancing at a fast pace: collision mitigation systems, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, additional airbags, aluminum bodies, boron steals, and many other advances. The average collision repair facility cannot keep up with these new demands. You no longer can take your late-model vehicles to the average body shop down the road and expect it to be done according to vehicle manufactures guidelines or that your safety systems will be working correctly. It’s imperative for consumers to research the correct repair facility. Strict and complicated repair guidelines from the vehicle manufactures: which require new welders that produce spot welds to duplicate the factories, self-piercing riveting tools to duplicate that of Ford’s truck series, and new scanning equipment to re-calibrate or reprogram safety systems aboard your vehicle. Arrowhead Auto Body is the only vehicle manufacturer certified collision repair facility in the Northland that is capable of returning your vehicle to manufactures specifications.

IS THE ONLY VEHICLE MANUFACTURER CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY IN THE NORTHLAND

Model Home offers beauty and low-maintainance living

By Alison Stucke

Thehouse at 272 East Second Street in Knife River is a model home in many ways. Designed and built by J&R Sundberg Construction, Inc. for the 2019 Homes on Parade tour of the Arrowhead Builders Association, the loft-style home showcases sleek, modern design, energyefficiency, and low maintenance. It’s move-in ready, with some rooms already furnished.

“For this home, ‘Simple is beautiful’ is our idea,” said Ray Sundberg, general partner of J&R Sundberg Construction, Inc. “It’s very Modern Design with very minimal maintenance – kind of like condo living.”

People walked through and viewed the home during the tour this past May, and viewings can still be arranged until the home sells. Viewers may buy the home, or they can contract with J&R Sundberg to build a home at their location, or to have work done to their existing home. One individual is even talking with the company about the possibility of having the model home built at his location.

Low-maintenance inside and out

Sitting on a 13,500-square-foot lot with seasonal views of Lake Superior, the two-story home is only 10 minutes from Duluth. The outside of the home is partially clad in corrugated, unpainted galvanized steel, which will age with a patinaed look, and other seamless steel siding with a woodlook finish. All of it is galvanized, needs no maintenance, and rust-proof.

“That’s the main idea of the home,” Sundberg said. “The owners won’t have to do a whole bunch of maintenance.”

A double car port is attached to the home above the side entrance. Walk inside the home here, and a convenient utility/laundry room is on the left, with a combination water heater/boiler that runs on propane to keep the home warm with in-floor heat on the lower level and hot water base floor heat upstairs. Also in the laundry room, a stacked washer/ dryer is conveniently located next to a deep cabinet sink.

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE TRUAX

The view from the second floor hallway overlooks the home's open-concept area covered in easy-care wood-look luxury vinyl plank flooring.

Straight ahead is a white-with-black-trim bathroom with traditional wood cabinetry in pickled grey, which matches the ceiling of the great room, as well as the kitchen cabinets, the great room’s table and counter. This bathroom also features a unique shower with a multi-windowed glass door that opens and closes at the corner seam.

To the right is the open-concept area covered in easy-care wood-look luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring. The kitchen is the first space to appear. The kitchen features wood-look thermally fused cabinets by CABnX called Quest. This durable material is harder than wood, and it resists scratches, dings, and stains. Another CABnX product, Slick, is used on the cabinets with a glossy, metallic look to showcase the kitchen’s modern style. Backsplashes are glass painted grey with a touch of blue. These products and colors combine to create an up-tothe-minute kitchen style that you’ve got to see.

‘All ready to go’

An island with more cabinets, another double sink, plus a seating area transitions the kitchen into the dining area, where a long oak table includes a “live edge.”

Down at the other end of the great room is the living room with comfortable stuffed chairs and a sofa, as well as a big-screen TV. Soffit LED lights and pendants light the great room. Under-cabinet recessed lights at the kitchen provide practical yet attractive soft lighting of the work spaces. Overall, the LED lighting contributes to low electric bills.

“We bought all the furniture to stage this,” said Sundberg. “Some people really like a home that’s all ready to go.”

Simple is beautiful

Again, as in the bathroom near the home’s side entrance, throughout the great room, predominant colors are the white of the walls and island countertop; the oaky brown of the natural wood flooring; the pickled grey of the ceiling and the large table; black for the window lining, stools at the kitchen island, and other accents; and green/blue upholstery on chairs.

“It’s fairly monochromatic, but with enough color that it

doesn’t feel clinical,” Sundberg said.

Stacking windows on the wall facing Lake Superior give the feel of being in the woods as views of birch and aspen appear just outside the great room. No window coverings constrict the view.

“The windows have only a few operators to open and close, so there are less parts to wear out,” Sundberg explained.

The Corian windowsills with no trim or window treatments provide a straightforward style and, again, less to maintain.

“You’re not looking at the windows for decorations, you’re looking at the windows for windows,” Sundberg said. “A large overhang helps shade the sun.”

Open the sliding doors to enjoy the patio, which features stamped, stained concrete with a slate look. If the concrete should get chipped, the color would remain consistent, since the stain goes through all parts of the concrete.

Space to make your own

Back inside the house, across from the dining table is a flex room.

“That room could be used for multiple purposes – an office or another bedroom, or something else,” Sundberg said.

Qty: TBD / 24” x 18” Two-sided Coroplast Signs with Stakes

Qty: TBD / 24” x 18”

Commercial

They left this room unfurnished, he explained, because most people have some furniture that they like to bring with them when they move into a new home. This open space gives the home buyer an opportunity to create a space that they want while having the rest of the home ready to move into.

A very honest home

By the home’s main entrance is a classically simple yet beautiful slat wall made only of wood and held up only by four slender square tube steel supports. All sides of the wall can be seen and are part of the wall’s simple but elegant design. To Sundberg, the slat wall symbolizes a key concept of the home.

“Everything about this home is very honest,” said Sundberg. “It is what it is. There’s no trim hiding anything.”

Modern styling

A floating staircase is made of steel, aluminum rail, and Douglas fir planks. It leads to the second floor, where a long hallway showcases more of the wood-look LVP flooring. Two spacious bedrooms (unfurnished) include closets with built-in shelving organizers. An upstairs bathroom includes a bathtub/ shower and faux concrete sink and vanity with pickled gray stain full-overlay slab doors in modern styling.

Sundberg said people have been liking this model home and have been asking to incorporate elements from the home into their own existing homes.

“We try to stay ahead of the curve with design ideas,” Sundberg said of his company. “These Modern Design ideas are being used in other parts of the country. The thing I like is the idea of having less maintenance to worry about for the homeowner.” D

Sitting on a 13,500-square-foot lot, the two-story home is partially clad in corrugated, unpainted galvanized steel, which will age with a patinaed look, and other seamless steel siding with a woodlook finish.

By the home’s main entrance is a slat wall made of wood and held up by four slender square tube steel supports. A floating staircase is made of steel, aluminum rail, and Douglas fir planks.

A white-with-black-trim bathroom sits near the home's side entrance. This bathroom also features a multi-windowed glass door that opens and closes at the corner seam.

The kitchen features wood-look thermally fused cabinets with modern finishes and black accents. An island with more cabinets, a double sink, and a seating area transitions the kitchen into the dining area.

Dutch Baby Pancake

By Sarah and Tony Nasello

Pancakes are a breakfast favorite in our family, and I never cease to be amazed by the countless ways in which to prepare them.

Nearly every culture has some version of a pancake. We’re delving into the delicious controversy of the Dutch Baby Pancake. A Dutch Baby Pancake resembles a popover in texture and is created with a simple runny batter that is oven-baked at a high temperature until golden brown and impressively puffy.

While its name implies origins in the Netherlands, the Dutch Baby Pancake is actually an American version of a German pancake and bears little resemblance to traditional, ultra-thin Dutch pancakes, or pannekoeken. The name Dutch Baby was coined in the early 1900s at Manca’s Cafe in Seattle, where this specialty was served as a trio of small German pancakes.

As the story goes, the owner’s young daughter couldn’t pronounce the word Deutsche (meaning German), which she mistakenly replaced with Dutch, and proclaimed the trio of small, puffy pancakes were babies, hence the name, which is still in wide use today. Over time, this specialty has come to be made as they are in Germany, as one large puff rather than three baby ones, further adding to the confusion.

The batter is simple to prepare and requires pantry staples that you most likely already have on hand, including eggs, flour, butter, vanilla extract, sugar, salt and milk. I also like to add a bit of lemon or orange zest, which elevates the other ingredients and brightens up the overall flavor.

The eggs are whipped just until frothy, and the remaining ingredients are added and mixed in until the batter is smooth, runny and free of any lumps. Many recipes use either a liquid blender or food processor to make the batter, and the butter is melted in the hot dish

with the batter poured over it. I’ve tried several of these versions over the years with fair to decent results.

However, I prefer to use my stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and incorporate the butter in two stages. First, I add two tablespoons of melted butter directly into the batter, and the remaining two tablespoons are melted in the hot pie dish just before the batter is added. I’m not sure why, but these modifications consistently yield the most spectacular results in volume, taste and overall texture.

There is no leavening agent in these pancakes, so a hot oven is essential to achieving the impressive rise and puff that is the signature of a well-made Dutch Baby Pancake. Many people use a cast-iron or ovenproof skillet to bake the pancake, but I prefer a glass pie dish and I always preheat the dish before adding the batter.

To serve, I like to fill the center of the pancake with an assortment of macerated berries followed by a generous dusting of powdered sugar, then I cut the pancake into four individual wedges.

No matter what you call them or how you serve them, a Dutch Baby Pancake is a terrific addition to your breakfast repertoire. And don’t worry about how to store leftovers — there won’t be any. D

matter its origin, the is delicious

Sarah’s Dutch Baby Pancake

Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients:

3 extra-large eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest (optional)

¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

Serving options:

3 cups assorted berries

1 tablespoon sugar

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Other serving suggestions:

Maple syrup

Whipped cream

Jam

Chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

Honey

Directions: In a small bowl, toss the fresh berries with the sugar and let marinate at room temperature until pancake is ready. The berries may also be prepared the day before and refrigerated until ready to use (tossing occasionally), which will yield more syrup from the fruit.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place a 9-inch pie dish or ovenproof skillet on the center rack.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs on medium speed for 1 minute until frothy and combined. Add the milk and continue mixing on medium for 30 seconds.

Reduce the speed to low (1 or 2) and sprinkle the flour in slowly for even distribution. Keep the mixer on low and add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of melted butter, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth and free of lumps, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Take the remaining 2 tablespoons of (room temperature) butter and place it in the center of the hot pie dish in the oven to melt. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and swirl it around so that the butter coats the bottom and sides.

Pour the batter into the dish and return it to the oven. Bake until the pancake is puffed to several inches with golden brown sides and darker brown edges, about 20 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so start checking for doneness after 15 minutes.

To serve: Fill the center of the pancake with the berry mixture, including all the syrupy juice, and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Cut into quarters and serve. Best when served hot but may also be prepared a few hours in advance and held at room temperature until ready to serve.

Sarah Nasello writes for Forum News Service featuring recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello.

Lighthouse Center for Vision Loss

Duluth Monarch Butterfly Festival

More than 400 adults and children attended the Duluth Monarch Butterfly Festival on June 8 at the coppertop church. Activities included seeing live caterpillars, face painting, a talk by Larry Weber and movies. Advice was given how to have a butterfly-friendly garden.

The Lighthouse Center for Vision loss celebrated its 100th anniversary June 27 at the Duluth Depot Great Hall. The event included a silent auction, refreshments and a birthday cake for Helen Keller, who was born June 27, 1880.

Tenzin Dadon and Sarah Lehrke

Linda Glaser and Ron Benson

Sarah Wilcox and Christina Wagner

Rick and Jean Schwengler

Julia Schaefer and Tucker Nelson

Deb Drexler and Sonja Kennedy

Chris Correia

Connie Dinan and Olivia Lopez

Kent Geise and Thor Pakosz

Nancy Deever and Becky Norlien

Jim Denney and Austin Nelson

Mary Plaster and Anne Marie Geniusz

Cindy and Tom Ledin

Claire, Bob and Lucy Henriksen

Olivia Maki

Kimberly and James Kelm

John and Roberta Gray

Kiki Langdon-Larson, Joanne Coffin Langdon, Sarah Lawton and Kelby Werner

Brandon and Haley Chopp

Dan Schutte and Susan Wiste

Tom Sailstad, Jim Denney and Barb Tanski

Betsy Mistek and Julia Schaefer

Molly, Jeff and Maddy Shingler

PHOTOS BY NAOMI YAEGER

PHOTOS BY HENRIETTE SODERLIND

Port Cities Luncheon

The Port Cities Luncheon on May 8 announced the Woman of the Year, Marcia K. Semerau. It was held at Greysolon Ballroom by Blackwoods.

Duluth Woman's Club

About 40 people attended a gathering for a formal Japanese tea ceremony at the Duluth Woman’s Club on June 30. The event was held in conjunction with the Duluth Art Institute and the Duluth Sister Cities International and visiting Ohara Isumi-City delegates.

Carol Kelley, Terese Tomanek

Linda Glaser and Kaitlyn Mckechnie

Katie Lee Hoven, Kierney Gray, Kaylee Peck, Lora Randa

Dan Rau and Pete Prudhomme

Marcia K. Semerau, Judy Arnold, Sharon Buchanan, Carolyn Schroeder

Ada, Adrianne and Amelia Osmundson

Jean Pessenda, Sue Bussa, Tracy Goldberg and June Kreutzkampf

Michelle Minsgen, Kayo Nagana and Kathy LaTour

Sharon and Dee Rogers

Lauren Skar, Mya Halvorson, Grace Billman

Ada Osmundson and Midori Odaka

Terry Teich, Justin Liles, Kate Baldwin

Heidi Weeda, Donna Roseen and Elle Weeda

Mary Evan and Elaine Killen

Midori Odaka, Sharon Rogers, Pete Prudhomme and Jen Jones

Patra Sevastiades, Stephen Welsh, Renee Zurn

Micori Odaka, David Bohil and Haruka Magami

Tony and Anna Ferguson