The Woman Today Dec 2018-Jan 2019

WOMAN today the

Michelle Gribbon

Teaching with style, enthusiasm

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This issue shares many examples of the great things that happen when women care about each other. Andrea Novel Buck looks at the YWCA and its evolving mission over its 125-year history. What started as an organization to help immigrant women continues to support the oppressed. Andrea Busche shares the story of Judy Rengo, a longtime driving teacher who no doubt has crossed paths with just about every person in town. She also writes about Teri Mattson, who turned an interest in crafting and camaraderie into a successful business. And in our cover story, Alison Stucke writes about Michelle Gribbon, a longtime community musician who received a statewide award for her advocacy of choral excellence. We’re proud to bring you their stories and more. There’s so much we can do together.

125 years

By Andrea Novel Buck

YWCA marks in Duluth

In its early years, Duluth’s YWCA provided safety for immigrant women traveling from New York to the Midwest. A number of women, mostly Eastern Europeans, were disappearing in their journeys. YWCA members became part of a Traveler’s Aid, meeting

are oppressed — although today that oppression is more likely because of racial or alternative gender identities and extreme levels of poverty. And in the current political climate, immigration is once again at the forefront.

A legacy of advancing women and immigrants

For a century, the YWCA was highly visible with its residence building at 202 W. 2nd St. in downtown Duluth. The building provided rooms for young working women, a lunchroom, a pool and fitness area, and meeting rooms. Initial classes were taught in typing, bookkeeping and domestic service.

Over the years, the services the YWCA offered changed to meet the needs — preparing women for stepped-up employment during two world wars; offering counseling on marriage, domestic life and child rearing; advocating for better wages and social security for women; creating programs for teenage girls, older women and single moms. Drop-in child care, summer day camps, after-school programs, and advocacy and education on women’s health issues would come later.

the trains — an average of 700 a month — arriving at the Depot. They helped the women find housing, connect with their families, and learn English and skills that would prepare them for jobs.

As the YWCA marks its 125th year in Duluth, program directors find they still have the same general mission to help women (and children) who

“Some of the same things that formed our organization years ago, are still being addressed,” said Shawnu Ksicinski, the YWCA’s board president.

“Now we’re going back to a very us-and-them mentality,” said Danielle Norkunas, the YWCA’s administrative director.

In addition to continually advancing women’s well-being, Duluth’s YWCA members also worked on advancing cultural understanding. They created the long-running Duluth International Folk Festival and continued to welcome and educate immigrant families. They worked to establish a Human Rights Commission.

The YWCA works on several levels, Ksicinski explained, citing recent efforts to dismantle racial and gender disparities in community institutions such as schools and law enforcement, to advocate a policy that would require

From its start helping immigrants, the organization now tackles a variety of social issues

Shawnu Ksicinski is the YWCA’s board president.

PHOTO BY DAVID BALLARD PHOTOGRAPHY

local employers to provide paid sick time to their workers, to provide direct services like high-quality child care that’s accessible to low-income families. Its work is centered on eliminating racism and empowering women, she said.

The YWCA closed and sold its downtown residence building in 2008, moving its administrative offices into Duluth’s Building for Women. Direct services are provided in neighborhoods across Duluth.

Supportive housing and child care

The YWCA runs a supportive housing program in West Duluth’s Spirit Valley for young mothers, ages 16 to 21, and their infants, providing seven apartments along with 24-hour staffing, personal advocacy and programs that include parenting classes, life skills, money management, self-esteem enhancement and homework assistance. Mothers are required to be in school or working.

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Teen mothers are more vulnerable to sex trafficking, said Karen TeHennepe, the YWCA’s finance director. People don’t understand that they may be forced to do something to have a couch to sleep on, to secure a meal for their kids, or to get a bill paid.

Adjacent is the YWCA’s Early Childhood Center, a “four-star Parent Aware” rated center licensed for 54 children that offers an early literacy curriculum and anti-bias approach to teaching to primarily low-income families.

“We always have a waiting list for the child care center and housing,” TeHennepe said.

Making future women leaders

Annually, 250 to 300 girls ages 8 to 14 participate in the YWCA’s Girl Power, educational programming offered at local schools, community drop-in sites and an 8-week summer camp that’s designed to empower girls. The programming includes leadership development, self-esteem building, healthy decision-making, economic literacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities, race and gender justice activities, media literacy, community action projects and academic support. This past year, the girls met with Duluth Mayor Emily

Larson and the Glensheen gardener, among other female professionals, held a bake sale to benefit the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, and participated in a racial justice campaign.

Another 32 girls in 2018 are matched one-on-one with positive adult role models through the YWCA’s collaboration with the Mentor Duluth program that hopes to create lasting friendships and support for youth.

“Having a family know their kid is in a safe place is huge,” said Portia Shadd, the YWCA’s director of external programming.

Making connections

In the safe spaces and programs the YWCA has provided, directors point to the relationships that are being created with families who are being left behind or forgotten. Voice is given to issues such as bullying or the unfairness of a child being kicked off a bus when that child was defending another. And action is taken to reduce school suspensions and increase graduation rates for children of color or alternate genders.

“We are creating an equitable society

where everybody has the tools they need,” Norkunas said.

Honoring women

Betty Brasgala, an avid runner, founded the YWCA’s annual Mother’s Day Walk/Run more than 30 years ago. You didn’t see a lot of women in the big races, so she planned a 5K “to get women off the sidelines,” TeHennepe said. Brasgala later was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the annual run since has taken on a women’s health focus. More than 300 runners participated in 2017.

Each year the YWCA accepts nominations for its Women of Distinction Awards, celebrating women in the Twin Ports area who play substantial roles in supporting families, women and people of color. Nominations occur in August, and awards are made in October. D

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

To support the YWCA and its programs, you can become a member, donate money, volunteer or donate any of the items on the organization’s wish list. Go to www.ywcaduluth.org/getinvolved/.

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Downshifting into retirement

Decades spent teaching Northland kids to drive

By Andrea Busche

Withfunky glasses and fuchsia streaks in her hair, it’s clear that retired driving instructor Judy Rengo isn’t old-fashioned. But she believes that some things should be done the old-fashioned way — such as driving.

When asked about the current trend of self-driving cars, Rengo, the former owner and operator of the Duluthbased Academy of Driving, makes a disapproving face. It’s clear she isn’t a fan. “What if something happened to it where it wasn’t self-driving anymore?” she said.

If there’s anyone to ask about the rules of the road, it’s Rengo. Over

the years, she and her crew have successfully taught thousands of Northland kids how to drive, with surprisingly few incidents along the way. As she “downshifts” into retirement, Rengo reflected on her life and career, and shared advice for parents and new drivers.

Rengo grew up in Duluth’s Fairmont community, near the zoo. Her dad worked at Diamond Tool as a tool and die maker, and her mom was an engineer with the phone company. After graduating from Denfeld High School, Rengo got married, had two sons, Gary and Todd, and moved to

Proctor in short order.

Although she obtained a degree in business from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, Rengo discovered she made more money working at Denfeld SuperValu than she would at several of the office jobs she interviewed for. So, she remained employed at the grocer for many years.

After her sons were grown, Rengo’s marriage ended in divorce. Newly single, she moved in with a roommate, who was a driving instructor at the time. Her roommate recommended that Rengo give teaching a try.

Judy Rengo waits for a student in downtown Duluth in August for a behind-the-wheel lesson.

“At that point in my life, I definitely needed more income, and my roommate said I could work my own hours and earn good money,” Rengo said. “It was right up my alley.”

Shortly after taking the test to become an instructor, Rengo met Tim Lutz, who owned Academy of Driving. Rengo had been working for Lutz for a few short months when he told her he was leaving to be a classroom teacher and was going to close the business unless he found a buyer.

Rengo bought the business in 1992, and subsequently left her job at SuperValu to become a full-time driving instructor and business owner. It was a happy and busy year for Rengo. Valentine’s Day of 1992 was when she married her second husband, Lloyd Rengo.

Between 1992 and her retirement in 2018 (which also brought about the closure of the business), Academy of Driving moved as needs changed. It was housed in five different locations over 26 years. Rengo and her team, which fluctuated between three and seven

PHOTO BY BEVERLY GODFREY

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employees, handled both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction.

Rengo always used her own personal vehicles for teaching driver’s ed. She is perhaps most well-known for her Chrysler LeBaron convertible, in which she would often be seen around town, students in tow, with the top down. As an instructor, Rengo paid for her own car and insurance, and would have the vehicle customized with a driver’s-side brake pedal and side-view mirror.

Students were allowed to listen to the radio while driving, but cellphones have always been strictly off-limits.

“I’d require the kids to shut their phones completely off, not just put them on vibrate,” she said. “There is no cellphone use in the car — it’s the law.”

For the most part, teaching driving to teenagers was surprisingly fun and low-key. “My kids were awesome,” Rengo said. “They were always so fun in the car. I really enjoyed my job.”

But there were a few snafus along the way. “Once, a student almost ran into a semi-truck while coming down Thompson Hill. And, there was one fender-bender where my mirror got clipped. But otherwise, there have been no accidents.”

Rengo now lives in Deer River, where she and Lloyd moved in 2005 to help her ailing parents. From 2005 until her retirement earlier this year, Rengo spent her work weeks staying at the AmericInn hotel in Carlton, which would allow her to bring her beloved canine companions. The dogs also joined in on many driving lessons — from the safety of the backseat — to the delight of her students.

Rengo’s mom, dad and Lloyd have all since died. She keeps busy by socializing with friends, taking art classes, pampering her dogs and occasionally enjoying her timeshare condominium in Mexico.

A sign on the back of Judy Rengo's car alerts other drivers that a student is behind the wheel.

PHOTO BY BEVERLY GODFREY

She also has five grandchildren, two of whom she personally taught how to drive. “No, it wasn’t nerve-wracking to teach my own grandkids,” Rengo said with a grin. “After all, they had a good teacher.”

Driver’s ed can be a stressful time of life — both for the teenager learning to drive for the first time, and for the parents learning to let go. Rengo advised that driving defensively is key.

“Be careful, and always watch the other person. Pay attention. You never know if the other drivers are texting, yawning, or even sneezing. That’s life. And to parents — watch what you do when you’re driving. I can teach them the right things to do, but your kids are going to do whatever you do behind the wheel.” D

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

Mu ic and learning in her heart

Longtime teacher, accompanist awarded for support of choral music

By Alison Stucke

Musician

Michelle Gribbon spends a lot of her time onstage off to the side, in the background, letting others shine. Nevertheless, she commands attention.

The longtime music teacher and accompanist at Duluth East High School was awarded the Advocate for Choral Excellence (ACE) award from the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota this summer. She was nominated by Jerome Upton, choral director at East and Northeast District Chair for the association.

“She’s a consummate educator, above and beyond a performer, and there is that desire to assist students, to help them grow in music education,” Upton said.

Being an accompanist for the school includes more than concerts. Gribbon also plays with students for solo and ensemble contests, college auditions and All-State auditions, for both singers and orchestral musicians.

“She will take on the role of a mentor, as well as a coach, if you will, while she’s helping students get prepared for contest,” Upton said. “It’s not part of the job description. It’s something she gives of herself and her expertise.”

Upton said Gribbon influences students’ performances for the better.

“She communicates really well,” Upton said. “The kids pick up on that, too, how expressive she is with what’s she’s doing, and it actually reflects back into the choral program. They know that she’s invested, and that helps them invest, too.”

Making her mark

Gribbon moved to the Northland from Texas in 2001, violin in tow, to raise her daughter, Alia, and create a musical life here. Since then, she has made a distinctive mark with her music, outstanding teaching and vibrant personality. She’s an accomplished accompanist, teacher, musician, music arranger, composer and director.

Gribbon teaches private string instrument and piano lessons to students of all ages. She is

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string director at Stella Maris Academy Holy Rosary Campus. She even plays rock ’n’ roll music with her string ensemble, Four String Rock, at weddings, special events and at schools to encourage kids’ interest in music.

“People come up to me and tell me, ‘I saw you here or I saw you there.’ It’s fun to hear how they remember me,” Gribbon said. “One boy gave me a drawing he made of me — a stick figure with spiky hair and a black dress, with the words ‘rock and roll.’”

She’s a graceful presence in a room, with spiked auburn hair and a fashionable wardrobe. She often wears clothing pieces that she purchased during her many musical trips to Europe, such as her above-the-knee black leather skirt bought in a little shop in Paris, topped with a longsleeved black silk blouse. She has a look, style and talent all her own.

Gribbon runs her music school, Sound of Strings, at a charming location on Highway 53 in

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Hermantown. Walk inside, and it’s as if you’re stepping into the studio of a European music master. The studio includes a baby grand piano, dark wood faux fireplace, mahogany desk and large framed art pieces and photo portraits of Gribbon and Alia (who also is a musician) in concert.

It’s here that Gribbon teaches her students violin, viola, cello, piano and chamber music. Over the years, she has shared her gift of teaching with many students.

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“We are grateful to Michelle Gribbon for her amazing gifts she shares with our children,” said Jill Holsinger, a doctor of radiology at Essentia Health in Duluth. Holsinger’s two daughters take violin lessons with Gribbon.

“Our daughters’ violin skills, note reading and overall confidence have exponentially increased under her direction,” Holsinger said. “I appreciate the way she gets my daughters to practice regularly without my intervention. Not only do they practice on their own, they enjoy and desire to pick up their instruments regularly. Michelle is an accomplished violinist who shares her secrets and style with her students. It is a true joy working with Michelle and her studio.”

A community resource

Gribbon doesn’t keep her music inside the studio; she also takes it out into the community.

“Sound of Strings is my umbrella,” Gribbon said. “Through it, I’ve made more than 250 visits to schools to encourage students to sign up to play a musical instrument. I’ve gone in and started playing rock ’n’ roll, and they loved it.”

She has also taken groups of nine to 27 young musicians on numerous Sound of Strings international tours to countries including England, Germany, Austria, Canada, Finland and Russia. Alia went on her first international tour with the group when she was 5. Memory pages with photos of the trips are posted on a wall at her school, highlighting the group’s overseas travels and concerts.

The ACE award program was established in 2008 and has recognized more than 70 noteworthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to the choral arts.

This is Gribbon’s fifth year working as accompanist with the Duluth East choir. In this role, she accompanies the

choir on the piano. “The accompanist enhances people’s singing,” Gribbon explained. “I enjoy it. The students kind of cheer when I enter the room each day.”

Upton said he appreciates the enthusiasm she infuses in class.

“Michelle, as an accompanist with me, is always trying to capture musical ideas and how the artistry reflects life,” he said, then laughed. “If you want to get deep. It’s not just notes and rhythms;

it’s idea, it’s feeling, it’s communication.”

Upton likes to challenge his choirs with unusual pieces from a variety of singing traditions and cultures. Gribbon is always right on board.

“The simple stuff is kind of boring for her,” Upton said. “I’ll pick a certain piece of music, and she’ll say, ‘Ooo, good, I’m glad this is something interesting. I’m glad that it’s going to be fun for me, too.’”

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A musical family

Gribbon grew up in San Diego. Her mother was from Minnesota, her father from Germany, and both were amateur musicians. Gribbon and her two brothers and one sister are all musical. Since she was little, Gribbon has played the violin and the piano. While still a child, she started taking violin lessons from the concertmaster of the local symphony. She would go to his home for these lessons and stay there learning as long as he wanted. He would ask her, “What do you want to learn today?”

“It wasn’t just a lesson, it was a life,” she said.

The teacher believed that Gribbon should not continued playing both the violin and the piano; he said that she should choose to focus on the violin. “You can only be a violinist,” he told her. But she loved playing both, and she continued to do so.

“I would not have been as happy and well-rounded as I am if I didn’t play both,” she said. “I understand both, and I’m equally good at both. I don’t get bored.”

In sixth grade, Gribbon took a career aptitude test, and the results stated that she should spend her life working as a musical performer and teacher. Even then, Gribbon knew these results were the right fit for her. In ninth grade, she started teaching violin lessons in her home. Gribbon majored in music as an undergraduate at the University of WisconsinSuperior, and she earned a double master’s degree in violin performance and piano accompanying at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

A changing path

After graduating, Gribbon was performing in the orchestra of the Dallas Opera and as a freelance musician when her life changed. While riding her bicycle, she was hit by a car, and her right shoulder was permanently injured. Long periods of playing the instruments she loved became impossible.

Only days before the accident, she had been offered the violin professor and performance position at East Texas State University. She had to decline.

“I just had to change gears,” she said of her performing career. From that point on, Gribbon decided that teaching would become a major part of her life. She would perform only at the level she felt comfortable with. She started Sound of Strings.

Gribbon said she knows she made the right choice in moving to the Duluth area all those years ago. To illustrate this point, she told a story of a time she brought a group of music students to play at a Duluth nursing home.

“I’ve always liked to do a lot of things with nursing homes,” Gribbon said. “I always wanted to teach my daughter that music is a gift to be heard.”

She had brought students there before, and each time they visited, a man with dementia sat near them and said lowly to himself over and over, “Sound of Strings, Sound of Strings.” Despite his disease, the man seemed to remember this musical group. He was there again for this performance, enjoying the music and saying the group’s name.

“From him, I knew we were enriching people’s lives with our music,” Gribbon said. “There are reasons for me to be here.” D

Alison Stucke is a Duluth freelance writer. Features editor Beverly Godfrey contributed to this report.

Learn more about Gribbon’s music school at soundofstringsmn.com.

A place to Rest and Create

Crafters keep busy at Carlton retreat

By Andrea Busche

Fromquilters and scrapbookers to woodworkers and embroiderers, Carlton’s Stamp n Sew Craft Retreat welcomes all artisans. This specialized retreat, open yearround, provides a home-like setting for crafters to gather and stay.

Featuring three bedrooms and accommodating up to six people, guests can stay for the weekend or longer. The retreat offers the opportunity to enjoy time together while using the specially-designed space to create art.

Stamp n Sew’s owner, Teri Mattson, said the venue for the retreat was selected for guest convenience. “Stamp n Sew is housed in the former Thomson town hall and community center,” she said. “It’s all on one level — there are no stairs. We can accommodate guests who use wheelchairs or knee scooters. I saw it and knew it was exactly what I wanted.”

Comfy leather chairs provide ample seating for guests, and lengthy crafting tables are found throughout the space. Nestled in a pretty setting at 33 Dalles Ave., Stamp n Sew’s environment inspires creativity; the building is located at the top of Jay Cooke State Park, with the Willard Munger State Trail right in its backyard.

The retreat offers a fully-stocked kitchen with all the

Continued on page 24

Teri Mattson, owner of Stamp n Sew Craft Retreat in Carlton sits in the main craft area.

Teri Mattson sweeps the front walkway of the Stamp n Sew Craft Retreat.

PHOTOS BY DAVID BALLARD PHOTOGRAPHY

amenities: new appliances, Crock-Pots, blenders, cutlery, and everything else one would need to prepare a meal. There is access to Netflix and Wi-Fi, a collection of DVDs, and an electric fireplace. Mattson even provides towels, washcloths and blow dryers. “I really wanted to create a cozy, intimate experience for guests to have with their friends,” she said.

In addition to being the owner and proprietor of this business, Mattson is an independent hairdresser working in Duluth. She is a prolific scrapbooker and card maker, and for her, operating this retreat is a dream come true. “From the time I attended my first retreat, I knew there were so many things I could do to make this a unique experience,” she said.

Mattson and her husband, John Schiller, purchased the property in October 2017. They worked diligently for 10 weeks to refurbish the space, including building a third bedroom, adding another bathroom, and installing a kitchen, before welcoming their first guest in January.

“We did all the work ourselves, other than some of the plumbing and electrical work,” Mattson said. “I had a blast learning how to use power tools.”

Now that the business is up and running, Mattson handles guest reservations, manages their Facebook account, cleans and does the laundry while Schiller takes care of lawn mowing and maintenance. “I wouldn’t have this retreat if not for my husband’s help and support,” Mattson said.

Mattson lives in Esko, just two miles away from the retreat. This distance allows her guests plenty of privacy, but she is also just a phone call away if needed.

While guests generally bring all of their own crafting supplies, Mattson offers much of the equipment scrapbookers need. She provides the

The Stamp n Sew Craft Retreat in Carlton includes bedrooms for overnight guests and decor that emphasizes relationship-building.

use of two Cricut cutting machines, sticky mats, punches and stamps. She also has an embossing machine, dyes and embossing folders for guests to use. For the quilters who come to stay, there is an iron and ironing board.

Mattson takes great pleasure in leaving special treats for her guests. A personalized welcome sign greets visitors by name upon arrival, and a guest book awaits their names and stories. Candy is also part of the welcome package.

In addition to functioning as a retreat, Stamp n Sew hosts monthly classes, where participants create a “make and take” craft project. Class sizes are limited to 14 so students receive personal, one-on-one attention.

Since its inception, Stamp n Sew’s guest teachers have conducted a wreath-making class, tutorials on string art, “chalk couture,” and lamp painting. For the upcoming holiday season, Mattson is considering hosting a holiday card-making class and a course on creating decorative snowmen.

Mattson continues booking guests, who are comprised of new visitors and repeat customers alike. “Business has exceeded my expectations,” she said. “Out of the first five groups who came to stay, four have already re-booked.”

Whatever your crafting medium of choice, Stamp n Sew provides a great chance to escape and create, joined by a handful of your nearest and dearest friends. As Mattson said, “This is just a wonderful opportunity for people to relax, get away from the demands of life and enjoy time with friends.” D

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Creating a network of support

Duluthian broker aspires to put the “real” back into realty

By Abigail Blonigen

Whatdo taxidermy, special effects makeup, Bengal cats, deep sea diving, historical costuming and real estate have in common? Nothing really, except that they are all passions of Amy Spampinato, a real estate broker for RemaxProdigy.

Spampinato moved to Duluth about 20 years ago from Eveleth to attend college. Spending some time at both the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Minnesota Duluth, Spampinato earned degrees in both international law and anthropology, though she also studied photography, French and Italian.

The choice to study Italian was not arbitrary, as Spampinato’s family are first-generation Italian immigrants who moved to Chicago and then to the Iron Range during World War II. The natural entrepreneur got her start early, working for her dad's taxidermy studio and the family restaurant, which served Chicago style pizza.

Trying to earn her way through college, Spampinato took her family’s entrepreneurial and artistic spirit and started a few of her own small businesses, including special effects

makeup and historical costuming. Though she originally had her heart set on international law, Spampinato fell in love with Duluth and began to explore options that could keep her on the shore of Lake Superior.

She soon discovered she had a knack for both sales

Continued on page 30

PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL BLONIGEN

Make Your Smile Shine

and teaching and started working for a few telemarketing companies to teach effective sales techniques. A landlord of hers suggested she apply those skills to realty. Though it was a field that she hadn’t really considered, she dove in and found real estate used the same parts of her brain as law. She was hooked.

“The profession triggers those same things in me that originally made me want to go into law: to fight, to fix what’s wrong, to fix what people need,” she said. “Being a real estate broker allows me to do that … without having to leave the area.”

Though Spampinato loves both her career and Duluth, she specifically loves the real estate market in Duluth. She said the economic diversity forces residents to become one greater community.

“When you have a city like Duluth, where you can have a half-million-dollar home right next to a duplex for college students or a duplex for starting families, you are forced outside of that comfort range. … You're going to go outside, and you’re going to have somebody from a completely different background, from a completely different age group, who probably only agrees with maybe a third of what you do, and in this city you’re actually forced to be nice, say hello, and get to know who that person is. It’s awesome.”

Despite this, real estate is known to be competitive. Spampinato described it as a “shark versus shark” business, which she witnessed the drawbacks of firsthand during the 2008 recession when many agents she looked up to were forced to quit.

Trying to stay afloat in a sinking market, Spampinato started trying everything. Most importantly, she began to consider ways in which she could make the profession more stable and sustainable.

“Real estate is based upon the idea that you eat what you kill. You don't get a closing that month, you don't get a paycheck,” she said.

Spampinato saw that this was wrong and wanted to come up with a new model so talented agents would be able to support their families when the market was down or when they were simply unlucky. After plenty of mistakes and trial and error, what is now Remax-Prodigy began to take form.

Now, Spampinato has a team of agents who are just that, a team, which is rare in the realty world.

Remax-Prodigy operates under “a collaborative team structure in which a portion of every closing is shared so that everybody has a consistent, long-term paycheck, where customers are guaranteed, and the agents are able to entirely focus on the clients without having to worry intensely on the back office stuff.”

While she became an independent agent in 2008, this

“I wasreally happywith the conservativeoption to enhance my smile.Painless treatmentwith a beautiful result!”

model really started to take off about four years ago, and has been largely successful. Spampinato’s newest focus is recruiting more Realtors to the team so she can get back to her various hobbies and her family.

“That’s the reason I work the way I do,” she said of her family. Spampinato and her husband are the parents of a 7-year-old son and twin 3-year-old girls. The family travels every year, with the stipulations being their destination has to be outside of the United States, and she has to be able to deep sea dive. She'll be receiving her shipwreck diving certificate this year.

She incorporates her other passions into her family life as well, using her special-effects makeup skills on the kids for Halloween and crafting convincing costumes for the Renaissance Festival. In addition, they breed Bengal cats, which she described as “basically dogs with spots that meow and roar at you.”

Spampinato takes pride in being a woman who can be and do so many things, acknowledging that women often have to work harder for success.

“As women in business, we need to stand on each others’ shoulders,” she said. “We need to support each other.” D

Abigail Blonigen is a Duluth freelance writer.

Welcome home, Tanner Tanner

By Andrea Busche

Duluth’s Laurie MacDonald loves to talk about her kids.

“Look at this one! Isn’t he cute?” she coos as she scrolls through her phone’s camera reel, proudly showing photos of her two sons, Glenn and Tanner.

More than 30 years have passed since MacDonald adopted her first son, Glenn, now age 38. On July 23, 2018, the adoption of her second child, 17-year-old Tanner, became official. In October, she flew to Bulgaria to bring Tanner home, making her an expectant new mom once again — at age 63.

With adoption of second son, the MacDonald family is complete

Duluth’s Laurie MacDonald meets her son Tanner in Bulgaria. Family photo

Natural transition

MacDonald grew up in Two Harbors as one of eight children. Family, including several nieces and nephews, has always been a big part of her life.

In addition to her love for children, MacDonald developed an affinity early on for people with special needs. As a physical education cadet in high school, MacDonald nurtured a relationship with a classmate who had Down syndrome. They swam in the pool together for 45 minutes per day. “I really enjoyed that,” she said.

MacDonald has dedicated her life and career to assisting people with disabilities. She has worked in group homes, a special-needs preschool, summer camps, and has been an American Sign Language interpreter for 28 years. And now she can say she is the proud mom of two incredible sons, who just happen to have special needs.

Glenn

When she was 25, MacDonald became a first-time foster parent. She met little Glenn, who was 2 at the time, at the special-needs preschool where she worked.

“That little boy just got to me,” she said. “I asked his mom if he could spend the day at my house, since my nephew would also be there. That eventually turned into visits every weekend.”

After Glenn was removed from his family’s home because of physical abuse, MacDonald worked quickly to become a licensed foster parent. She became Glenn’s foster mom when he was 4, legally adopting him when he was 7.

Glenn’s childhood was a very happy time for Laurie. “Glenn ate anything,” she said with a laugh. “He was very social, and did well in school. He was a very happy child.”

Glenn attended Central High School, on an Individualized

Education Program — a written document developed for each public school child who is eligible for special education. Glenn graduated in 1999.

Today, at age 38, Glenn is a happy and successful man. He has a job at Bernick’s, which he acquired through Goodwill. He still lives at home with MacDonald and has a social worker, but is pretty independent; he can drive a car, work,

Continued on page 34

and take the bus.

MacDonald always knew she’d be open to adopting again, but didn’t necessarily expect 30 years to pass before bringing home another child. “I always left my heart open to adopt Glenn’s biological siblings, but that didn’t happen,” she said.

Tanner

It was after a friend adopted a daughter with Down syndrome that MacDonald did a Google search for “Down syndrome adoption” on a whim, and discovered a site called Reece’s Rainbow. From their site:

“The mission of Reece’s Rainbow is to advocate and find families for orphans with Down syndrome and other special needs by raising funds for adoption grants and promoting awareness through an online community, media communications, and other events.”

When MacDonald was 54, she discovered a young boy named Tanju (a name she would later change to the Americanized version, Tanner), living in a group home setting in Bulgaria. Tanner has Down syndrome, and is both deaf and non-verbal. But MacDonald loved his spunky

personality and saw nothing but potential in this child.

As an ASL interpreter, when MacDonald learned Tanner was deaf, she exclaimed: “Down syndrome and deaf? What a bonus!”

Initially, MacDonald didn’t intend to adopt Tanner, and supported him in other ways; through financial donations, and sharing his story through social media. When Tanner

• Dr.Paul K. Hodapp

• Dr.Scott K. Varland • Dr.Nathan A. Jarnot

Tanner gets a haircut once in the United States. Family photo

turned 16, with no prospects of an adoption, MacDonald knew she needed to act.

“The United States will only allow you to bring a child home until they are 16. I applied through the immigration office when he was 16, and even though he’s now 17, we made it. When he steps on American soil, he will be an American citizen.”

MacDonald first visited Bulgaria to meet Tanner in April. “I’m terrified of flying, but I knew I had to do this. I’d fly the plane myself if I had to,” she said. During that four-day visit, she formed a special bond with her new son.

MacDonald is grateful to have received plenty of financial assistance to help bring Tanner home. Of the approximately $36,000 required for an international adoption, she received $14,500 from a Florida woman named Summer Gordon, who was deeply touched by Tanner’s story. She also received other donations in excess of $15,000.

It’s official

Tanner’s adoption became official on July 23, and MacDonald and Glenn recently traveled to Bulgaria to pick Tanner up, returning home on Oct. 24. Since he’s been home, life has been busy for the MacDonalds as Tanner gets added to his mom’s insurance policy, receives medical testing and is enrolled in school at Duluth Denfeld, near MacDonald’s home. Coincidentally, Denfeld is also where she is working as an ASL interpreter this school year. She will also soon begin teaching Tanner sign language.

But there has been plenty of time for fun, too. Tanner has enjoyed swinging at the playground with his new brother, trips to the grocery store, and getting a new

Continued on page 36

haircut.

MacDonald seems uniquely qualified to mother this particular child. “Through many years working in the school, I’m aware of what’s available to Tanner, and what he qualifies for,” she said. “All of the resources are in place.”

And, Glenn, who happily joined MacDonald on her journey to Bulgaria, is excited to have his little brother home. “Glenn has said, ‘I’m his role model. I know what he’s been through.’ Glenn already refers to Tanner as his little buddy,” MacDonald said.

Consider adoption

As an older, single woman, MacDonald probably isn’t the stereotypical “new mom.” But she provides the wisdom and resources for Tanner that other families simply could not.

“There are 160 million orphans in the world,” she said. “And, I would encourage other people to adopt. But if you’re not able to adopt, please say a prayer, send a card, or buy a gift card for a family pursuing adoption. Any small gesture would touch the heart of an adoptive family.” D

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

Laurie MacDonald holds photos of herself with her sons, Glenn and Tanner.

The MacDonald family walks through an airport on their way back to their Duluth home.

PHOTO BY DAVID BALLARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Sister Joan Marie is on a mission at Essentia Health

By Connie Wirta

not before.”

Sister

Joan Marie Stelman came into this world at St. Mary’s Medical Center and expects she may leave it there. In between, she has followed her intellectual curiosities into a variety of studies and careers that culminated in becoming a Benedictine nun.

“I tell people that if it wasn’t for St. Mary’s, I wouldn’t be here,” Sister Joan Marie says, explaining her parents met when her mother attended the hospital’s nursing school and her father worked as an orderly. “I often tell children that I had three brothers and no sisters, but now I have more than 50 sisters.”

It wasn’t until she was 38 that Sister Joan Marie followed her calling and joined the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth. She had worked as a civil servant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service. To serve her parish, she had joined a lay befriender ministry and made home visits to elders. “I felt called to be part of a community,” she recalls. “I’d been a bit of loner, and I had to challenge myself to be involved in the church in a way I had

Sister Joan Marie had explored her interests in botany and English at the University of Minnesota, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and sparking an interest in medieval studies. “In medieval times, there was no separation of disciplines in arts and sciences,” she says. “I loved how they saw God in everything.”

While doing research on illuminated manuscripts at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, Sister Joan Marie wrestled with what direction her life should take. Staying in a guest room near the chapel, she observed monastic life. “Something was possessing me, and I asked the monks to pray for me,” she recalls. She spent a whole night writing in her journal until she arrived at: “I think God wants me to be a nun.”

It took several years and visits to different orders before Sister Joan Marie found her home with the Benedictine Sisters in Duluth. She arrived in 1995 as a postulant, took her first vows in 1996 and her final vows in 1999. She went on to earn a master’s degree in medieval studies at the University of Toronto and worked toward a doctorate degree there. She

Photo by Derek Montgomery of Derek Montgomery Photography

Sister Joan Marie Stelman works as Essentia Health’s mission integration director from an office in St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she was born.

returned to Duluth in 2009 to serve in alumni relations at the College of St. Scholastica. In 2010, she joined the board of St. Mary’s Medical Center and in 2014 became a regional director of mission integration at Essentia Health.

Sister Joan Marie now works from an office in St. Mary’s. She and Sister Sue Fortier, a hospital chaplain, are the only nuns from the order working in positions at Essentia Health. Other sisters serve on boards and committees as part of their sponsorship of St. Mary’s Medical Center, St. Mary’s Hospital in Superior and other Catholic hospitals.

In her role, Sister Joan Marie brings Essentia Health’s mission and values to its employees and to its care of patients and their families. The mission statement includes a calling — “We are called to make a healthy difference in people’s lives” — and four of its seven values come from the Benedictines. Sister Joan Marie helps blend and balance the tenor of an organization that is both Catholic and secular.

“I don’t come in and teach people how to be respectful or just; they’re already doing that,” Sister Joan Marie says. “I help people see how doing that connects to our traditions.”

When Essentia Health recently added joy to its values, Sister Joan Marie led the initiative. She explained joy not as “a superficial happiness or something that's simply pleasure. It's a much deeper thing that involves our whole being,” such as a sense of fulfillment from a connection to each other and serving patients.

At employee orientation, Sister Joan Marie talks about the Benedictine order and how pioneering sisters brought their health care ministry to Duluth and founded St. Mary’s in 1888. She also shares how the legacy lives on in Essentia’s mission and values.

“Sister Joan Marie shares the history, but it’s not just in the past with our founders. She helps us live it today,” says Stacey Jutila, the director of chaplaincy who joined Essentia Health last spring. “She invites each person to be part of that in the present and in the future.”

Sister Joan Marie guides celebrations of saints’ feast days and ceremonies, such as the blessing of hands for health care workers. She offers prayers at meetings and special events, often drawing from other faith traditions “so people can focus on what we have in common, not our differences,” she says.

“Sister Joan Marie plays a key role in celebrating and lifting up our mission,” Stacy says. “She epitomizes the word joy. She deeply embraces our Benedictine values, and she welcomes everyone to learn from them and be part of them.” D

Connie Wirta is an editor for Essentia Health marketing. She wrote this for The Woman Today.

where to SHOP

Bender’s Shoes

2116 Maple Grove Rd. bendersshoes.com

White Cedar Studio

916 Hammond Ave., Superior, WI whitecedarstudio.com

Bergquist Imports 1412 MN Hwy. 33/Cloquet

bergquistimports.com

FINANCE

Planning for Retirement

Who's helping you reach your retirement dreams and goals?

By Nathan Madill

Sobering statistics to consider:

An estimated 75 percent of Americans are behind on their retirement planning, only 6 percent of all income was contributed to 401(k) s in 2017, the average monthly social security payment to retirees was $1,386 in 2017, and $17,000 was the median retirement savings for families ages 55-61.

Whether you’re a business owner or an individual investor, chances are you have numerous questions surrounding saving for retirement. Some common questions we hear are “How much do I need to save?”

“When should I start drawing Social Security?” “Will I have enough funds to last my entire retirement? “Do I have the right retirement plan or retirement account?” “How will this affect my tax situation?”

Employers should consider using Employee Benefit Plans or Retirement Plans to reduce business and individual income tax liabilities, increase retirement plan funding for themselves and their employees and to promote employee retention while reducing labor costs. SEP IRAs and SIMPLE

IRA Plans are a great fit for Sole Proprietors and small family owned businesses as these plans typically don’t have administrative expenses, making them very cost effective. These plans are easy to set up and communicate to employees. Larger organizations needing greater flexibility, options and higher contribution amounts would tend to use a 401(k) Plan.

Most individuals don’t have the desire, time or expertise to manage their own assets or portfolio. For this reason, it is a good idea to hire a financial advisor who specializes in Investment Management. The key is to find a Fee Based Investment Advisor who is independent and can factor in the income tax effect as part of their long-term strategy.

Not all financial advisors are the same. It’s important to know the difference between a “Fee Based” financial advisor and a “Commissions Based” financial advisor, as the difference is how they get compensated for their services. As a “Fee Based” advisor the fee structure is simple, the fee is directly tied to the value of the client’s portfolios. Fee-based advisors’ income is increased if their investment management increases the value of the clients’ portfolios. Whereas a “Commissions Based” advisor gets compensated through commissions when an account is opened or when securities are bought and sold. With a “Fee Based” advisor, a client never has to worry why funds are being bought or sold, as the only reason to do so is to improve the portfolio returns.

Some advisors are independent, meaning they don’t represent any one particular company or fund family and can select the best performing funds from a pool of thousands of funds, while other advisors are pressured to sell or push their firms in house proprietary funds. Another important attribute is finding an Investment Advisory firm that incorporates tax planning into its investment management strategies.

So how much is needed for retirement?

Individuals should contribute 15 percent of their compensation while they are working to accumulate enough

wealth to carry them through their retirement years. Retirement dollars are getting squeezed by many factors: (1) People are living a lot longer (age 76 for males and 81 for females), (2) health care costs are generally more expensive than people had planned, and (3) most people tend to draw down or withdraw money too quickly or at too high of an amount which depletes their assets too early.

Steps to take control of your retirement: (1) Get professional help to manage your retirement accounts and help plan for retirement and future tax needs. Not only will this help ensure you are maximizing your retirement planning possibilities, it will also ensure you are not overpaying your tax liability. (2) Pay yourself first each month by contributing to an IRA or a retirement account at work, before you pay any bills. This way you are making your retirement a priority rather than an afterthought. (3) Take the 1 percent challenge by raising your deferral or retirement contribution amount by 1 percent annually. Most individuals will not notice a difference in their takehome pay from year to year, but the big difference will be in the amount they are able to amass in their retirement account by the time they retire.

To maximize your retirement savings, start early, increase your retirement contributions annually, and work with an independent “Fee Based” advisor who will consider income tax implications as part of your long-term investment strategy.

Now dream big and set your retirement goals. Happy Investing! D

Nathan Madill is an Investment Advisor Representative and President of JMR Financial Group. He is passionate about increasing his clients’ net worth and can be reached at nathan@jmrfg.com or (715) 392.0202.

Certified nurse midwives: OB and GYN

By St. Luke's

When people hear “midwife,” they typically think babies. “There’s this common misconception that all a midwife does is help with a woman’s pregnancy and delivery,” explains Amanda St. Aubin, CNM at St. Luke’s Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates. While this may be the case for some midwives, it’s not true for all of them. Depending on the level of training, a midwife can have a much broader scope than just helping with pregnancies.

What is a CNM?

Midwives can be broken down into many levels of training, including certified professional midwives (CPM), certified midwives (CM), and certified nurse midwives (CNM). A certified nurse midwife will complete the broadest level of training, equipping them with additional knowledge of women’s health beyond pregnancy.

“A certified nurse midwife is an advanced practice nurse who specializes in women’s health as a whole,” Amanda explained. “We are qualified to help with pregnancies as well as deliver care throughout a woman’s lifespan, puberty to menopause.” From family planning, STD screenings, and medication prescriptions to regular exams like pap smears and breast exams, a certified nurse midwife is able to provide many of the same services as an OB/GYN.

With a holistic mindset, a CNM aims to focus on the person as a whole. “We don’t want to just treat a woman’s condi-

tion and overlook her as an individual,” said Scot Hart, CNM at St. Luke’s Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates. “I make an effort to spend time building a relationship with each of my patients.”

Pursuing their passion

Each with a desire to help people, Scot and Amanda became midwives to make a difference. Transitioning from the Peace Corps after high school to the Army, Scot served two tours in Iraq facilitating medical missions for people without access to health care. This time in the military helped him to identify his passion for medicine as well as helping others. Going directly from the Army into nursing school, Scot continued to narrow his focus until he settled on midwifery.

Amanda’s interest and expertise in women’s health grew as she first worked as a nurse in labor and delivery. While doing volunteer work in other countries, she began to notice the use of midwives, and decided to become one herself.

“I love being a midwife because not only do I get to focus on women’s health, which is a passion of mine, but also I found that women tend to be the decision-makers for the health of their families,” explained Amanda. She has found

Purveyor of Unique Optical Goods

Scot Hart and Amanda St. Aubin are certified nurse midwives at St. Luke’s Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates.

PHOTO BY ST. LUKE'S

that by encouraging a woman towards healthy living, an entire family can change for the better.

“I also really like working with women when they’re coming in for their first experience because it can be a scary thing for them,” Amanda pointed out. “Nobody loves pap smears or getting their annual pelvic exam, but being a welcoming person who helps women know that each of these things is normal and healthy is something I really enjoy. I like making it less awkward for them.”

Scot shares a similar passion for women’s health. “Typically people become midwives because of the babies,” he said with a smile. “However, while I was training to become a midwife, I also realized that by helping women stay healthy, I could make a big difference in people’s lives.”

Seeing a CNM for care

A woman does not need to have or be planning to have children to see a midwife for care. Since CNMs are experts in normal gynecological needs, they are perfectly qualified to see any woman who doesn’t have major complications or health concerns. “If a woman is considering seeing a midwife as her primary women’s health provider, I would encourage her to do so — especially if she is just coming in for routine exams or health maintenance. Midwives are experts at those things,” Amanda said.

Midwives can provide women’s health care throughout a woman’s life, from her first period through menopause and beyond. This includes help with preconception, family planning, infertility, PMS/PMDD, sexual health, menopause management and more. D

To schedule an appointment with Scot or Amanda at St. Luke’s Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates, call (218) 249-4700.

Written by St. Luke’s for The Woman Today.

Weddings

Ruth & Luke Cummings

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Jessica & Mike Brekke

Photo by Alan Johnson Photography

Anna & Brett Tester

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Grace & Erik Olson

Photo by LaCoursiere Photography

Sarah & Todd Spilde

Photo by LaCoursiere Photography

Paul & Breeanna Deyo

Photo by Alan Johnson Photography

Brady & Justin

Photo by Sternberg Photography

Are you tired of diets that don’t work? Would you like to lose up to a pound of fat a day? Consider Healthy Systems USA. Featuring a sensible eating plan where participants eat real food, paired with three all-natural supplements (No drugs! No shakes!), the company promises to help you lose the weight rapidly and permanently.

Healthy Systems USA was started in 2010 in Fargo, North Dakota by brothers Steven and Darren Fitch. It now has a total of eight branches, located in Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Idaho, Nevada, and Minnesota - including Hermantown. In just eight years, the company has already helped over 90,000 people lose weight fast.

Phases one and two

Healthy Systems USA is a program intended to kick off a weight-loss program, and help educate clients about healthy eating. The company promotes rapid weight loss, achieved through a combination of their proprietary supplements in conjunction with a strict calorie-reduction regime. “On average, women lose up to a half pound per day, and men lose up to one pound per day,” Darren Fitch shared.

New clients begin the program by visiting a Healthy Systems USA office for a free consultation. The client then purchases the three products promoted through the program, including:

1. EA Boost – A supplement blend, providing energy and suppressing appetite

2. B12 Primo – A high-quality vitamin B12 supplement

3. Healthy Start Spray – A homeoenergetic, all-natural mouth spray In phase one of the program, clients start the program by combining the supplements with a food binge. Participants eat about 50% more than normal in order to get the brain to relax (and avoid going into “starvation mode”) prior to beginning the diet. This phase lasts three days.

Phase two combines the three supplements with a lowcalorie diet. The program strictly outlines which foods should and should not be eaten. The meal plan, along with plenty of other weight-loss tips, is laid out in a manual provided to all clients. Exercise is not a requirement of the program.

Phase three

Once an individual’s weight loss goals are achieved, they move into the Healthy Systems USA maintenance and stabilization mode, where supplements are no longer needed, and additional foods are allowed back into the diet. The maintenance program is also laid out in the manual.

After twenty-one days of maintenance, customers go back to regular, sensible eating, while continuing to use the smart eating tips learned in the program. For instance, fruits, veggies, and high-quality proteins are always encouraged, while white flour, white sugar, and alcohol should be minimized.

“I always compare food to putting gas in your car,” Darren Fitch said. “If you eat a full burger and fries, you’ll be lethargic after eating. That’s your body saying ‘you gave me the wrong fuel.’ A burger is ok every once in a while. But maybe you order it without cheese, and only eat ½ of the bun. It’s okay to treat yourself now and then.”

Before: Deborah After: Deborah

Before: Shanna After: Shanna

Testimonials

Darren Fitch has witnessed plenty of customers undergo some significant results as a result of the Healthy Systems USA program. “I had one lady who, after losing weight, no longer had to use a walker. And, we’ve seen lots of people who are able to stop taking medications for things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.”

Fitch himself lost about forty pounds from using the program, and was able to avoid the use of cholesterol-lowering medications. “I told my doctor exactly what I was doing to lose the weight, and my doctor researched it. He could find no ill-effects from anything I was doing, and he gave me his blessing.”

Here’s what other people are saying about the program:

"This program has been very easy to follow, and I never feel like I'm starving."

- Ashley

"I have never lost so much weight so fast! It's like its melting off!" - Katie

“Healthy Systems USA was so great for me. Not only is it super easy, but it teaches you what and how to eat to maintain the weight loss. I lost 30 pounds and have kept it off for a year! It's made a huge difference in my life.” –Liz

Customer support 24/7

If you are looking for a quick jumpstart to your weight-loss goals, this program promises rapid results. And it comes with a built-in support network: once a client is enrolled, they can reach a Healthy Systems USA consultant 24/7 for support and information.

Healthy Systems USA occasionally offers special pricing on their products. Please visit their website to learn more. D

The local branch of Healthy Systems USA is located at 4850 Miller Trunk Highway in Hermantown. The phone number is (218) 249-1161. For more information, please visit healthysystemsusa.com.

Front: Coleen Nordwall, Sales 2nd row: Laurie Gillen, President; Ceri Anderson, Tuxedo Specialist 3rd row: Suzanne Anderson, Online Marketing and Donation Distribution; Wendi Bradbury, Asst. Manager; Ann Elnes, Sales Not pictured: Sandy Henderson, Sales

Arts & Events Calendar

Bentleyville

Until Dec. 26

The annual holiday light display opens at Bayfront Festival Park.

Free cookies and hot chocolate. Walk through the lighted pathways, listening to holiday classics along the bayfront. Hours are 5–10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (plus Thanksgiving, Dec. 24–25) and 5–9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays.

Open skating Wednesdays

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.

Free skating every Wednesday school is in session. Bring your own skates; limited skates available. Essentia Duluth Heritage Center, 120 S. 30th Ave. W. 6:30-8 p.m.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Nov. 29–Dec. 16 Characters from the Disney movie come to life. Belle

and her father face a small-minded town, including villainous town hunk Gaston. Then her life takes a turn when she’s held captive in an enchanted castle owned by a fearsome beast. NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St., Call (218) 733-7555 or visit norshortheatre. com.

“DanceWorks”

Nov. 29-Dec. 2

UMD Theatre brings “DanceWorks” back to the Marshall

Performing Arts Center

Mainstage Theatre. Includes a range of dances in a variety of styles. Celebrate dance creativity from first time dance-makers, experienced students and faculty, and guest groups from across campus. Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets.umn.edu, (218) 726-8561.

Santa and live reindeer

Through Dec. 16

Santa and his live reindeer will be inside Fitger’s Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays noon to 3 p.m. Shop nearby stores after your visit. 600 E. Superior St. fitgers.com.

Sounds of the Season

Dec. 1-2

UMD Music presents a band and choir concert at Weber Music Hall. Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. Enjoy even more musical events in the following days.

Student/Faculty Chamber Winds Concert

Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Opera Studio: Susannah by Carlisle Floyd

Dec. 6-7 at 7:30 p.m.

$11 adults, $9 seniors, $6 staff and students, $4 UMD students. Tickets.umn.edu, (218) 7268877.

Evergreen Senior Holiday Party

Dec. 6

by Todd Eckart. Roast pork and stuffing dinner. 5830 Grand Ave. 4-7 p.m. $8 per ticket, must purchase in advance. Call (218) 7304305.

Vegan Cookbook Club

Dec. 6, Jan. 3

Share recipes and books with other people interested in plant-based cooking. Mount Royal Library, 105. Mt. Royal Shopping Circle. (218) 730-4236.

The Santaland Diaries

Dec. 6-8

A devilish one-man show based on the essays of David Sedaris, starring Luke Moravec. Crumpet, and elf-gone-bad, relives his less-than-merry holiday adventures. Mature content. The Underground, 8 p.m. $20. 506 W. Michigan St. duluthplayhouse.org.

The Nutcracker

Dec. 7-9

The lively holiday party where young Clara receives a nutcracker dressed as a soldier. The soldier grown life size leading his troop against the Mouse King and his warriors. An annual family favorite from the Minnesota Ballet. Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m. DECC auditorium. Visit decc.org for more information. Call (800)-7453000 for tickets.

Sankta Lucia

Dec. 8

The annual Sankta Lucia celebration will begin with the procession of Lucia and her Maids of Light. Jenna Meyer, a senior at Duluth East High

Arts & Events

Arts & Events Calendar

School, is Lucia this year. Svenska Sangarna (Swedish Singers) will entertain during the program. All children go home with a Swedish tree ornament. Brunch will be served for this family-friendly event. Great Lakes Ballroom of the Holiday Inn, 9 a.m. Purchase tickets by Dec. 3. Call (218) 727-4416. Sponsored by the Swedish Cultural Society of Duluth. Find them online on Facebook.

Chanticleer

Dec. 8

UMD Music presents a guest artist concert. Founded in San Francisco in 1978, Grammy-

winning choir Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for the seamless blend of its 12 male voices ranging from countertenor to bass and its original interpretations of vocal literature, from Renaissance to jazz, and from gospel to venturesome new music. 7:30 p.m. at Weber Music hall. $39.50, $29.50 and $19.50. Tickets. umn.edu, (218) 726-8877.

Messiah Sing-Along

Dec. 11

Celebrate a joyous season with song! During this popular holiday event, the entire

audience sings, and St. Scholastica’s Center for Early Music Orchestra provides the accompaniment. Shelley Gruskin, music department emeritus faculty member at St. Scholastica, directs this holiday sing-along. Cost: Free. 7:30 p.m., Mitchell Auditorium, 1200 Kenwood Ave. spotlight@css.edu, (218) 723-7000.

Portman Senior Holiday Party

Dec. 12

Celebrate the season at the City of Duluth’s Portman Community Center. Live entertainment by Duluth East High School Choralaires. Chinese dinner. 4601 McCulloch St. 4-7 p.m. $8 per ticket, must purchase in advance. (218) 730-4305

O Holy Night choir concert

Dec. 14 & 15

Reflect on the Christmas season with us. In this moving annual celebration, the St. Scholastica Concert Choir, Bella Voce, Vox Anima and Cantus Corde present sacred and secular Christmas music, sure to warm your heart and welcome you into the Christmas spirit. Cost: $10. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. both nights, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, 2801 E. 4th St. spotlight@css.edu, (218) 7237000.

Morgan Park Senior Holiday Party

Dec. 18

Celebrate the season at the City of Duluth’s Morgan Park Community Center. Live entertainment by Jerry Allan. Chicken Kiev and rice pilaf. 1242 88th Ave. W. 4-7 p.m. $8 per ticket, must purchase in advance. (218) 730-4310.

Rubber Chicken holiday show

Dec. 21-22 and 28-31

Enjoy the comedy of Rubber Chicken Theater’s 10th anniversary holiday sketch comedy

Fitger’s Spirit of the North Theater, 600 E. Superior St. 7:30 p.m. $15. (218) 213-2780. rubberchickentheater.com

Angie not pictured.

Downtown Duluth

Arts Walk

Dec. 28 and Jan. 25

The Downtown Duluth Arts Collective hosts art, food and entertainment from 5-9 p.m. Held the last Friday of the month. (218) 461-8380. Find DowntownDuluthArtWalk on Facebook for details.

Beaner’s New Year’s Eve Bash

Dec. 31

Twenty-four musical acts take the stage. 324 N. Central Ave. (218) 624-5957. Free. Food and coffee available to purchase. 8 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

DSSO: New Year’s Journey

Dec. 31

Enjoy a tribute to the rock band Journey during this epic evening, presented by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra. 350 Harbor Drive. $20-$55. 7 p.m.

UMD Music presents

At Weber Music Hall: Honors Percussion Concert, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Honor Choir Concert, Jan. 29, 4 p.m. Flute Day Concert, Feb. 2, 4 p.m.

Graduate Student Recital, Byron Klimek, cello, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets.umn.edu, (218) 726-8877.

Ruthless! The Musical

Jan. 10-26

This is the story of a talented 8-year-old who will do anything — including murder — to get the lead in her school play. A wickedly twisted musical comedy. Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Underground, 506 W. Michigan St. duluthplayhouse.org.

Puss in Boots

Jan. 19-Feb. 3

Duluth Playhouse’s Theatre for Young Audiences ensemble presents the classic story of a miller’s son who receives a cat as his inheritance. But this cat is nobody’s fool. Saturdays at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. $15-$17. duluthplayhouse.org.

Olson home is dreamed-of perfection

By Alison Stucke

Karen

and Gary Olson searched for their perfect retirement home for many years. They lived in a split-level home in the countryside of Esko for 28 years and raised their son there, but for retirement they wanted a singlelevel home closer to the amnesties they needed and with City water and sewer. They spent Sundays for several years going to open houses and looking at properties, but they didn’t find the right place. Finally, a property that they had

watched for years became available, and they bought it. The Olsons ended up building their dream home in the Piedmont neighborhood of Duluth and moving in last summer.

“I’ve gone to the dentist here in Piedmont for many years, and there was a vacant lot with a house on it that I had my eye on for eight years,” Karen explained. “Then the house burned

Continued on page 56

Top: An island in the kitchen was made in Howard Lake, Minnesota, of cherry wood covered with Dura Supreme in cashew.

Middle: Classic White Cabinets Campbell Lumber & Supply Co. in Superior.

Bottom: Pendant lights with Edison lightbulbs

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE TRUAX

down, and finally a ‘For Sale’ sign went up on the lot.”

“It was tax forfeiture land, so we went down to the Courthouse and bid,” Gary said. “We got it. The property turned out bigger than we thought. For about a year, we cleared the land.”

A mix of city and country living

The property was the perfect mix of city life and country-like setting for the Olsons. The land is expansive and gave plenty of room for a driveway coming in from the front road, and

for two patios and a large yard behind the house. The front of the house faces out to a busy road that quickly takes the Olsons to the places they need to go, but the back yard is peaceful and woodsy. They’re just a few minutes from the grocery store, the hardware store, and the doctor’s office, but when they’re enjoying the patio outside their master bedroom or Great Room, they feel as though they’re miles away from city life.

“We have more wildlife here than we did in Esko,” Gary said. “Deer come

right up to the house and look in the windows. And we had a mother bear and three cubs in the yard.”

“I absolutely love living so close to everything,” Karen said. “We’re less than 10 minutes to Target and Super One. Living this close to everything has been a blessing.”

A new house with an antique look

The home is festively decorated for holidays, inside and out. Guests enter the home through the main entrance with full glass storm door and glass

Top Left: A quartz surface in Taj Mahal covers the hearth seat while porcelain in whites, greys, and beiges surround the gas fireplace in the Great Room Top Right: Lighting by Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery of Duluth. Bottom Left: “I wanted an antiqueytype look with greys and whites,” Karen said of the inside of their home.

door sidelights.

“We wanted the fireplace to be the main view as you entered the house,” Gary explained.

Immediately the predominant grey-and-white colors of the home delight the eye in the open-concept Great Room, dining room, and kitchen.

“I wanted an antiquey-type look with greys and whites,” Karen said of the inside of their home. “One of the best features of the house is the ceramic tile flooring that looks like hardwood.”

Flooring throughout the house is easy-care Steam Wood in Dove Grey from Cloquet Interiors. Reclaimed-brick-look porcelain in whites, greys, and beiges (Chicago Brick in South Side) appears in the kitchen backsplash areas and in the Great Room surrounding the gas fireplace and hearth. Vicostone quartz surface in Taj Mahal covers the countertops in the kitchen and the hearth seat by the fireplace.

“I love my kitchen”

Custom-built cabinetry by Campbell Lumber & Supply Co. in Superior is built-in throughout the home, and in the kitchen they’re in the lovely shade of Classic White with Sienna accents and bronze hardware. End cap cabinets at each corner are taller to hold larger serving dishes and appliances. Extra special touches include garbage and recycling hiding behind a drawer, a butcher block built in a drawer for knife storage, and a Lazy Susan drawer built in each corner for added convenience. All doors are soft-closing.

An island in the kitchen was made in Howard Lake, Minnesota, of cherry wood covered with Dura Supreme in cashew. Whirlpool appliances are in stainless steel, and the double sink includes a Delta Arabella pull-down faucet with Venetian Bronze finish. A spacious pantry includes a light that turns on when the door is opened. Pendant lights with Edison lightbulbs appear in the kitchen and over the dining room table. Lighting was done by Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery of Duluth.

“I love my kitchen,” Karen said of the beautiful and functional room. “It was designed by RaLana at Campbell. What really sold me was the end caps on the cabinets. They made me say, ‘This is it. This is beyond my dreams.’”

Continued on page 58

Proud to be thegeneral contractor of this feature home

The property is the perfect mix of city life and a country-like setting, festively decorated for the holidays inside and out.

Karen also loves the kitchen’s Anderson bow window. “It’s absolutely stunning to me,” she said. “It adds so much more than a plain window. It’s a great area to decorate for holidays. And the window brings in a lot of natural light on the north side of the house.”

A truly great room and dining room

The comfortable Great Room includes a vaulted ceiling with recessed lights flush with the ceiling. Two large windows facing out to the back yard provide almost a full-glass view of the natural area behind the house. A mini split mounted about one window provides air conditioning or heat (there’s another mini split in the master bedroom). The gas fireplace, as well as in-floor heating, provides additional warmth. Behind the dining room table, sliding patio doors feature Anderson windows with built-in blinds. The blinds need no dusting because they are enclosed by glass.

Garage, mud room and laundry room

Karen and Gary don’t use the main entrance when they come and go from the house—they use the garage entrance which takes them through a handy mud room/laundry room.

“It’s great having the laundry room on the same floor as everything else,” Karen said. “One-floor living is the way to go.”

“It’s great bringing the groceries straight from the garage into the kitchen,” Gary added. In their former home, groceries had to be carried up a staircase.

The laundry room includes more built-in cabinets and a large closet, as well as an Elkay Gourmet Single Bowl Sink with a brushed nickel high faucet.

“We use it a lot,” Karen said. “We even tuck the dogs in there for a bath.” (The Olsons have two small dogs— Khloe and Chelsea.)

Also convenient is the mechanical room located in the three-car garage.

“My favorite aspect of the whole house is the wood-look tile floor. It was very time-consuming to do, but it turned out very nice. It flows very nicely through the whole house and goes with everything like the color of the cabinets.”

There all the controls for the home can be accessed, including the air exchanger and the unit that serves as the water heater and floor heat boiler.

The garage, itself, has in-floor heating, so it can stay cozy warm in the winter. Floor drains help keep the garage dry and clean. A laundry tub in the garage is another specialty tough that helps to keep things clean. Gary chose 8-ft. garage doors in Driftwood from Campbell for additional height when parking his vehicle. The garage also provides lots of storage.

“Without basement space, you need that garage space,” Karen says. “Heather Hiner designed the house with lots of storage.”

Bedrooms and bathrooms

Straight ahead from that entrance, one of the home’s several six-panel oak trim doors opens to the Master Bedroom. It’s a comfortable room decorated in the white/grey/beige and oak color scheme. French doors open to a patio overlooking the back yard. Karen enjoys opening the built-in blinds each morning to let in the morning light. During warmer months, the couple enjoys morning coffee on the patio.

Continued on page 60

— General Contractor Josh Berg of Berg Construction

Merry Christmas &Happy New Year

At the HolidaySeason, ourthoughtsturngratefully to those whohavemadeour progress possible. It is in this spirit thatwesay...Thankyou!

It’sgot to be real.

Standing: Carrie Dittmar,Karen Reed, MeghanJager,Brenna Fahlin, CaseyScrignoli, Luke Hansmeyer,Carrie James, JasonWatters, Michael Messina, FrankMessina, Jeff Leusman, Deb Messina, SteveCarlson, Jim Gruba, Brian Rud, Eric Sams,River Rockenstein, Jarett Mickelson,Julie Carlson, Dee Furo, KatieRobinson,Valarie Lake

Seated:ShelbyVukelich,Amanda Broman, MaryBethNevers, Deanna Bennett, Marci Love, Chloe Olejar,Carol Carlson,Michelle Peterson, Cheryl Ekstrand, SherriPearson, TanyaTempler,Kristin Pilon, ChristiSlattengren,Alicia Lokke,Nicki Conrad

Not Pictured: AmyOlson, Ayla Dougherty,Carter Thomas,ChadJones,JuliaShepersky, KenLeiviska,Kevin O’Brien, Elizabeth Kidd

“It’s a little country and a little city at the same time,” she said.

A large walk-in closet provides more storage, and the master bath includes a jetted tub with ceramic inserts, and Dura Surpreme cabinetry in Cashew, and vanity tops of Bertch Oasis Cultured Marble in Biscuit.

There’s also a guest room in shades of darker brown and grey, with

carpeting and television, plus an extra window to help bring the outdoors inside. A contrast wall painted a little darker grey adds depth.

An additional bathroom, the “Main Bath”, includes a huge shower with glass doors and a large linen closet. Even this room includes decorations for the season, carefully added by Karen. The Olsons didn’t need to buy any

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new holiday decorations for their new home—they brought with them what they already had when they moved into the house.

“We’ve been married 40 years,” she said. “Every year we’ve been married, we’ve bought an ornament with a number on it.”

“We don’t need to buy any ornaments from the store,” Gary added.

The third bedroom Karen and Gary made into “Khloe’s Room”, a peaceful little getaway with a sofa, easy chairs, and television.

“It’s Khloe’s favorite room,” Karen says of their tiniest dog, who was a rescue and now enjoys a calmer life. “She loves to sit on the couch and watches traffic. And it’s one of my favorite rooms of the house.”

A very positive building experience

Karen and Gary said that, despite a few little glitches, building a new home was a positive experience. Plus, the couple ended up with the house they truly wanted. The Olsons enjoyed working with general contractor

Left: Dura Supreme cabinetry in Cashew from Campbell Lumber and Supply Co. and vanity tops of Bertch Oasis Cultured Marble in Biscuit. Middle: White, grey, beige ceramic tiles continue the color scheme in the master bath's shower. Right: The jetted tub with ceramic inserts.

Berg Construction and the other professionals who helped create their dream home.

“We did a lot of homework, and we worked with many wonderful people in building this home,” Gary said “Working with the Olsons was a great experience,” said General Contractor Josh Berg of Berg Construction. “They knew what they wanted from the get-go. They had everything planned out.”

“This house is peaceful and calm,” Karen said. “It’s absolutely the perfect retirement house. We’re both retired now, and it’s time to have a slower pace of living. This is the perfect house for that.” D

“Our suppliers and our subcontractors are some of the best. We all work on the same houses again and again, and we all get along very well. It works well when you’re working with the same contractors who know what materials you like to use.”

— General Contractor Josh Berg

of

Berg Construction

Left: built-in cabinets with a Elkay Gourmet Single Bowl Sink and brushed nickel high faucet.

Right: “It’s

great having the laundry room

on

the

same

floor

as everything else,” Karen said. “One-floor living is the way to go.”

Southern Apple Cake

harkens to holidays with mom

Iama transplant to the Great North. I came here from the American southeast. Some people will argue with me that my home state of Virginia is more mid-Atlantic than South, but for anyone who was reared in the Virginia tidewater, it’s the South, through and through. My ties to the South reach west from Virginia into Tennessee, where my mom is from. Home for that side of my family is anywhere between the big city of Nashville to the hollers (that’s hollows for the rest of you) of Gainesboro, where maybe a few of my relatives in the 1920s ran moonshine and whiskey stills during Prohibition.

Much of what has brought my family together throughout my life has been

By Dennis Kempton

PHOTO BY DENNIS KEMPTON

food. And food in the South is as much about breathing air as anything else. Every woman in my family, from my late grandmother, Charlotte, to my aunts, to my own mother, has taken the bounty of southern cuisine and put their own indelible stamp on it. It has given me so much joy through the years — and not just the taste of the food itself, but the stories and traditions and memories that are rooted deep in my mind. They’re rooted in good times and sad times. They’ve marked the passings of anniversaries and holidays. They are rooted as deep as any potato, and they are as brilliant as any vine of tomatoes in a southern woman’s garden. When I was young, I felt like I should run from those roots. Today, they are the great bounty of my best memories.

There are recipes that make me feel warm inside in a different way than the satisfaction of making my own food well. My mom’s fried chicken. Her German potato salad. The deep southern roots of chocolate gravy over homemade biscuits. My grandmother’s pot roasts and her marble cake. And my mom’s apple cake. My mother has had this recipe for more than 40 years. Every time it made a return engagement during the holiday season, I knew it was going to be a good time for us.

My mom doesn’t bake when she’s not happy. She loves to surprise people with delicious homemade cakes, cobblers, meringues and cookies during this time of year. Even when there have been times when my mom and I didn’t see eye-to-eye, I thought about her apple cake and the smells it heralded throughout the house: scents of spice, tart apples beckoning twinkling lights and gift wrap, the promise of familial peace, and the gastronomical reminder that we share history — good, difficult, wondrous and binding. The ingredients are pure and simple. The emotions are delightfully sweet and complex. Food does that for us. As for me, I think this is the farthest north my family’s apple cake has been. Here’s to old traditions shared with new friends. D

Christa’s Fresh Apple Cake

4 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples

2 cups sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 eggs

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together apples and sugar. Add dry ingredients; stir well. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into apple mixture, blending until thoroughly moistened. Stir in pecans. Pour into a greased 9x13inch pan. Bake 50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Serve with apple dessert sauce.

Apple Dessert Sauce

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter

½ cup of heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in a saucepan; stir. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook 3 minutes. Pour over Apple Cake. Serve warm. (This Apple Dessert Sauce recipe may be cut in half.)

RELAXED

ATMOSPHERE FAMILY FRIENDLY WELCOMING AMBIENCE POSITIVE

Dennis Kempton is a Duluth freelance writer. He reviews food and entertainment events for the Duluth News Tribune.

Age Well —

The second annual Aging Together Resource Fair was held at the Proctor Area Community Center on Sept. 14. The fair was hosted by Age Well Arrowhead and Proctor Community Education.

Chili cook-off —

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Hundreds of people filled the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center for the 27th annual Head of the Lakes United Way Chili Cook-Off on Sept. 20. Area chefs, both amateur and professional, competed, and Minnesota Power earned the "People's Choice" award.

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St. Louis River Alliance Vista Star Tour

Hundreds of people boarded the Vista Star on Sept. 11 to learn about the St. Louis River Alliance and estuary. Twin Ports mayors Emily Larson and Jim Paine spoke, alliance employees highlighted clean-up projects, and everyone enjoyed a buffet supper.

Jennifer; Luke, 13; Kevin Johnson

Laurie Olson and Loren Carlson

Dara Fillmore and Erica Shelby

Darlene and Lloyd Olson

Sarah Grenberg; Dylan, 1; Charlie Stauduhar; Inge Maskun

Leona and Lisa Luokkala

Carolyn Brooks and Carolyn Sundquist

Bob Warner, Susie Darley-Hill and Mary Worner