The Woman Today Nov/Dec 2020

WOMAN today the

Ali Juten

Meet the owner of Empower Outdoors

• Wick explores ecosystem’s impact on health, wellbeing

• Happy hour with Emily Vikre

• Inspired by her own child, Haney’s goals help many

• Shopping this year? Safety protocols are in place

PROFILES

6 Emily Vikre

‘Happy Hour’ means more than distilling

10 Molly Wick

Selected for national research fellowship

14 Ali Juten

Combines writing and the outdoors to create dream career

18 Natalie Moore

A mind for business, a heart for people

22 Ann Klefstad

Prolific Duluth artist skilled in a variety of mediums

26 Shop safely during the

28 A tale of two restaurants

30 Duluth Core Learning: Cognitive skills therapy for all ages HEALTH/MEDICINE

32 St. Luke’s

New Emergency Department: Thoughtfully designed for your comfort, safety

36 Essentia

by

WOMAN the today

GROUP PUBLISHER

Neal Ronquist

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Rick Lubbers

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Megan Keller

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Ali Carlson

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Renae Ronquist

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Julie Schulz

CONTRIBUTORS

Abigail Blonigen

Amy Ugstad

Andrea Busche

Ann Klefstad

Carolyn Haney

Comstock Creative

Emily Vikre

Fall time — my absolute favorite time of year, from the smells of fall to the breathtaking vibrant colors. Where we live is truly the most beautiful place to be. With the woods opening up, that is when we like to grab the hiking boots, get the dogs and hit the trails to take in all the beauty of fall.

Looking back on summer, the weather was just fabulous. Being someone who owns horses, having hot summers like this means one thing: We are going to have great hay this year! To all you gardeners out there, hope you were able to protect your plants with that early frost we got. Being a gardener myself, we had plenty to do before that frost. Now it’s time to get the veggies canned and some stored in the freezer. I will be happy mid-winter that I did this, though at the time the work is so much and the house smells like vinegar for days!

Kasha Stoll

Laurie Gillen

Molly Milroy

Randy Samarzia

Richard Schmidtke

Samantha Roffers

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Now the next season is among us, one that means traditions to many. “Traditions” is the one word that comes to mind when I think about the upcoming holiday season. Each year in my family, everything is carefully planned around maintaining traditions from baking our annual cookies to reading “The Christmas Story” on Christmas Eve, a tradition that has been going on since the 1980s in my family.

I am sure this year things will be very different, from how we choose to celebrate this holiday season, to how we will plan to shop. Each year, for as long as I can remember, my mother and I would get up super early to hit the stores on Black Friday. It’s the one time of year I can tolerate shopping for an entire day.

This year, we will be setting up our computers, having great snacks and cider — and doing all our shopping virtually. Good thing most of our favorite local shops have great websites for us to shop!

In this issue of The Woman Today, you will get the opportunity to learn about how you can shop and get out safely this year thanks to some of our local restaurants and retailers who shared some tips with The Woman Today team.

Additionally, are you an outdoors enthusiast? We have a great story about the owner of Empower Outdoors, and how she is able to do what she loves for a living.

Also, have you ever seen some local art around downtown but you didn’t know who made it? Well we found out, and that local artist shared her story with us.

Thank you for picking up this issue of The Woman Today, and we thank our amazing advertisers who continue to support us so we can continue to provide you with a fabulous magazine. Hope you have a wonderful, and safe, holiday season. See you next year!

ON THE COVER:

Alisha (Ali) Juten has turned her passion for the outdoors into a career as a freelance business partner, offering content creation, email marketing, social media content management, web design, podcast production and more. She is the founder of Empower Outdoors and also provides archery lessons. © 2020 Forum

Happy hour with

Emily Vikre

By Andrea Busche

FFrom “accidentally” winning a wine-tasting contest in France to starting a unique business and writing a successful book, Duluthian Emily Vikre’s life story has thus far been a fascinating one.

Some may recognize her last name from Vikre Distillery — the business she and her husband, Joel, started together and operate out of Canal Park. But Vikre wears many hats; she is a busy mom, she generously volunteers her time to several organizations, and she is constantly coming up with innovative ways to hone her creative side.

Food and Norwegian culture

Vikre was born in St. Paul and lived there until age 4. It was then that her dad, Steve, accepted a job as an oncologist and hematologist at Essentia and brought the entire family north — including Emily; her two brothers, Even and Erik; and their mother, Lise — to live in Duluth.

Lise moved to the U.S. from Norway when she was 17. The family enjoyed eating Norwegian meals such as potatoes, cabbage, fish cakes, meatballs and shrimp, which their mother lovingly prepared. Young Emily also picked up an early interest in cooking.

“I’ve always been interested in food, cooking and baking,” Vikre said. “I have early memories of reading kids’ cookbooks. But I became interested in nutrition because of my family. My dad was an early adopter of ‘food as medicine.’ In my family, there has always been a strong focus on whole foods and cooking from scratch.”

As a child, Vikre and her family enjoyed cross-country skiing and exploring local treasures such as Hartley Park, Chester Park and Brighton Beach. She also enjoyed art and music and played the flute for several years.

Education

Vikre initially planned to be a science researcher or a scientist. She attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, with a minor in French.

During this time, Vikre, who was interested in wine, but not yet a connoisseur of spirits, studied abroad in Paris for a time. After taking a few classes in chocolate-making and wine-tasting, she was surprised to win a blind taste test where participants had to successfully identify the region, year and grape varietal of the wine they were sampling.

Vikre later moved to Boston and got a job at Boston Children’s Museum. She earned her master’s degree in

Emily and Joel Vikre enjoy refreshments on the shore of Lake Superior. Emily recently published “Camp Cocktails,” which features fun and easy recipes for drinking in the great outdoors.

nutrition communication from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, and later earned her doctorate there in food policy and applied nutrition.

Vikre started a food blog, “Five and Spice,” and wrote a column for Food 52, an online community centered around food and cooking, where she focused on recipe development. She was teaching health behavior psychology at Tufts when she met her husband, Joel, in Boston. The Vikres were married in 2011.

Twist of fate

During a trip to Duluth, they visited with Emily’s parents, who had recently attended a spirit-tasting. An offhand comment altered the course of history for the Vikres.

“To make spirits, you need good water and good grains,” Vikre shared. “Minnesota has all of those things. My parents wondered: ‘Why isn’t anyone doing that here?’”

The idea took hold and wouldn’t let go.

“It was like the ancient Greek idea of the muse,” Vikre said. “It took up residence in us.”

Coincidentally, the couple were actively looking for a change, and moving to Duluth sounded like a good idea.

“We had both reached a point in our careers, and in Boston, where we loved the place, but it wasn’t ‘home,’” Vikre said. “We also wanted to be part of a community and we didn’t want to take the next steps on the career paths we were on,” she said.

One of Joel’s colleague’s sons operated a rum distillery in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The Vikres began sampling spirits, thinking about flavor profiles, and creating a business plan. They moved to Duluth in 2012.

Vikre Distillery

After applying for and receiving the many licenses and permits needed for operations, and working hard on many prototypes, Vikre Distillery opened its doors in February 2014. The Vikres produced their first spirits — three varieties of gin: Boreal Juniper Gin, Boreal Cedar Gin and Boreal Spruce Gin. Today, they also offer aquavit (a traditional Scandinavian spirit infused with caraway, dill or both), vodka, whiskey and Frenchie Cocktails, a canned version of the French 75 cocktail featuring an adorable French bulldog on the can.

The Vikres source their ingredients locally whenever they can.

“All of our grains, including corn, wheat, rye and barley, are all from Minnesota, with most from Wrenshall and Esko,” Vikre said. “Our botanicals, such as rhubarb, black currant, herbs and spruce tips, are also local. And the items

Heritage Non-Stick Lefse Grill Lefse Cozy

Lefse Sticks

we can’t find around here, including cardamom and citrus, are sourced organically.”

The Vikres are also concerned about preserving the environment. The distillery has made a zero-waste commitment, and is mostly organic-certified. They use a closed-process water loop system to save water, and eventually want to use solar power and become carbon neutral.

Employees and sales

Today, the company employs about 25 people. While Joel focuses on compliance issues and maintaining the equipment — “He can fix anything,” Emily said — she focuses on product development, sales and marketing. The distillery remains open to sell spirits, however, Vikre Distillery’s “extras,” like sampling, tours and a cocktail room, are closed due to COVID-19.

Business at Vikre is booming — Vikre Distillery’s spirits are sold at over 200 liquor stores in Minnesota, 100 in Wisconsin and many other locations across the country, including bars and restaurants. The Vikres have already racked up many accolades for their spirits, too. A comprehensive list of their awards is found on their website.

Books

Emily Vikre recently became a published author. Her book, “Camp Cocktails,” published in February 2020, features fun and easy recipes for drinking in the great outdoors.

Another book, a family camp cookbook, is also in the works. It is being co-written by Vikre’s friend, Kaitlin Erpestad, who is the director of the Hartley Nature Preschool in Duluth.

Volunteer work

Vikre enjoys giving back in a variety of ways. She serves on the board for Lyric Opera of the North, and she volunteers for her sons’ school, Many Rivers Montessori, and also for the St. Louis River Alliance. Vikre Distillery is also part of the Main Street Business Alliance, a national network of small businesses dedicated to paid family leave and universal health care.

Vikre Distillery also pitched in during the pandemic, using their supply of ethyl alcohol (an ingredient used in making spirits) to create free hand sanitizer for the community. This initiative is still available; people who bring in a container can request free hand sanitizer or purchase it prepackaged for a small fee.

Family

Emily and Joel Vikre are parents to Espen, 7, and Vidar, 3. Although their names may sound a little unique to our ears, these are traditional boys’ names in Norway. The family also includes a dog named Squid and several fish.

When they aren’t working, the Vikres enjoy crosscountry skiing and spending time outside. Emily recently took up ballet, and also enjoys running and painting.

Vikre is looking forward to enjoying the traditional spirits of the holiday season, including glogg, a mulled wine made with sugar and raisins and spiked with aquavit. She also enjoys experimenting with recipes for festive seasonal punch.

Looking ahead

Despite being young people with a relatively young business, the Vikres already have much to be proud of, and much to look forward to.

“Hopefully we can continue to use our business and our work to contribute to a shift in business culture,” Vikre said.

“I dream about taking care of people and the earth,” she added. “While we plan to expand our product line, we will also honor our environmental commitments.”

For more information, visit vikredistillery.com. D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.

Emily Vikre is owner of Vikre Distillery along with her husband, Joel. The first spirits they produced included three varieties of gin — Boreal Juniper Gin, Boreal Cedar Gin and Boreal Spruce Gin.

By Abigail Blonigen

Molly selectedWick for national research fellowship

Awarded the Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship, Molly Wick will work with the Lake Superior National Estuary Research Reserve to study the benefits people receive from the improvement of the St. Louis River ecosystem.

When thinking about how humans interact with the environment, there is usually an emphasis on how human activity impacts nature and less of a focus on how the natural world impacts us. Molly Wick, a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota Duluth, hopes her research through the Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship will help people understand the whole picture.

Wick grew up near Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and spent her youth camping, swimming in Lake Michigan and exploring Point Beach State Forest. She first took an interest in ecology in high school after a class and internship at a nature center.

“I was always interested in the environment and the beauty and mystery of what is going on in the natural world,” Wick said.

This interest in the natural world inspired her to study environmental science at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. There Wick discovered a new interest in geology and earned her bachelor’s degree in the subject.

Wick continued to study geology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, receiving her master’s in earth and planetary science in 2010. Her initial plan was to pursue a doctorate on the topic and continue her research, but her interest had begun to fade.

Being as she graduated as the economy was still

recovering from the Great Recession, it was difficult for Wick to find open positions in the geology or environmental science fields. After working at a yarn store for a year, Wick decided to go back to school and pursue a second master’s degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth in water resource science.

“One thing, living in Albuquerque, that I missed about living in the Midwest was the lakes and the rivers and water being everywhere,” she said.

At UMD, Wick worked closely with Karen Gran to study erosion in streams along the North Shore of Lake Superior, primarily focusing on Amity Creek and the French and Talmadge rivers.

After the 500-year flooding event of 2012, Wick helped with damage assessments with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which she described as a great learning and networking opportunity.

In 2013, after graduating with her second master’s, Wick went on to work for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Superior, coordinating habitat restoration projects along the St. Louis River in conjunction with the St. Louis River Area of Concern Program.

“That is when I learned a lot about how decisions are made,” Wick said, “balancing the science with what is

Continued on page 12

economically and politically viable and figuring out what can be done.”

When that position came to a close, Wick began a fellowship through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science & Education at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division in Duluth.

During her four years as a fellow, Wick assisted with ecological assessments of the connecting rivers of the Great Lakes, determining what thresholds are relevant for addressing management needs.

This project piqued her interest in how humans can objectively study and measure environmental impacts without their own viewpoints getting in the way.

“We’re not just doing this for the sake of the ecosystem, we’re doing it because we get some benefit to having a healthy ecosystem,” Wick explained.

This question caused a shift in how Wick thought about resource management, and inspired her to return to school once again to pursue a doctorate studying these sorts of questions around water resource management.

Wick developed a proposal for the Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship and was the first to be selected for the competitive national program.

Through the fellowship, led by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Wick is working with the Lake Superior National Estuary Research Reserve to study the benefits people receive from the improvement of the St. Louis River ecosystem.

“There’s this implied benefit to people of any sort of management that we do with the environment,” Wick said, “but those benefits that people get are not usually defined in a given project or policy.”

Wick explained that usually projects are driven by biophysical markers such as water quality or sediment contamination. To measure a project’s impact on humans is more complicated as there has not been a standardized way to do so.

Molly Wick mixes a sediment sample from the Niagara River in 2018. The sample was analyzed for toxic contaminants as part of an ecological health survey of the Great Lakes connecting channels. RIGHT: Molly Wick, aboard the EPA Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division’s research vessel, the Lake Explorer II in 2017, collects video used to detect invasive species in Lake Huron.

Wick’s research will help determine what indicators are useful and relevant for determining the ecosystem’s impact on human health and wellbeing.

For example, if a river is clean enough for the surrounding population to swim in it, those people get to reap the physical and mental benefit of swimming that they would not have had if they did not have access to clean water.

“Those types of benefits can vary a lot depending on what system you’re looking at or what management you’re considering,” Wick said, noting that measuring recreational benefits will look much different than benefits associated with fishing, wild ricing, or drinking water.

Wick hopes her results will be useful in influencing policy and management of water resources and contribute to better conversations about the environment with the public once people are able to see themselves reflected in the data.

Wick is most excited to work with the large scientific network this fellowship provides, working with advisors from the EPA and UMD’s Natural Resources Research Institute. The Reserve is operated by the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension and is located on UW-Superior’s campus.

Additionally, the research she will be working on intersects with her interests in climate change and environmental justice.

“Any investment the public makes in the environment should help work toward a more equitable world, and at the very least, not contribute to inequities,” she said.

When not researching, Wick spends much of her time outdoors, paddling, hiking, rock climbing and skiing.

“This is the perfect place to live if you like nature,” Wick said. D

Abigail Blonigen is a Duluth freelance writer and photographer

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Ali Juten combines

By Abigail Blonigen

writing and the outdoors to create dream career

After Ali Juten attended an outdoor writing conference, she took a leap of faith and quit her day job to pursue a new career empowering people to get outdoors.

Juten grew up an avid angler and hunter, following in the footsteps of her father. She has fished as long as she can remember and took her firearm safety class at age 11.

Juten grew up an avid angler and hunter, following in the footsteps of her father. She has fished as long as she can remember and took her firearm safety class at age 11.

“I think one of the reasons I took firearm safety when I was a kid is because I was a big daddy’s girl,” Juten said. “I was the youngest of four, and I just wanted to spend time with my dad.”

By the time high school rolled around, Juten became preoccupied with activities such as sports, theater, dance and choir, so she did not hunt for a number of years.

After graduating from Hermantown High School, Juten attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to earn bachelor’s degrees in journalism and international studies. She enjoyed the small town feel of River Falls, and being an outdoorsy school, she got back into hunting again, purchasing a bow at age 21.

Juten went on to work in radio for about a year, and then took on the role of operations and content specialist at Maurices in Duluth, where she managed a number of projects related to corporate communications.

Meanwhile, Juten had been freelancing for Northern Wilds, a lifestyle magazine focused on the North Shore of Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The editor of the magazine encouraged Juten to attend an Outdoor Writers Association conference that was being held in Duluth.

At the conference, Juten realized she could combine her love of the outdoors and her professional background in journalism into a career.

“I thought, wow, there are people literally doing what I went to school for, but in the outdoor world,” she said.

She noticed there were few women and younger folks represented at the conference and saw an opportunity to make an impact.

The following Monday, Juten put in her two-week notice at her day job to pursue outdoor writing full time.

Since then, Juten started a limited liability company

Continued on page 16

“I think one of the reasons I took firearm safety when I was a kid is because I was a big daddy’s girl,”

Juten said. “I was the youngest of four, and I just wanted to spend time with my dad.”

called Empower Outdoors, launched a blog and website showcasing her work, and started a podcast. She expanded her freelancing work and primarily focuses on helping small businesses with marketing and social media.

While she doesn’t explicitly work with outdoor companies, her passion is collaborating with businesses and brands that empower people to get outside, whether it be hunting, fishing, running or hiking.

“I like having flexibility to take on new things and do projects that I want to do,” she said.

Juten will soon take on a new role in the writing world, details of which she could not reveal at the time of this interview. In the near future, she aims to relaunch the “Empower Outdoors” podcast and create a new website after a brief hiatus due to the birth of her daughter, Holland.

Women in the outdoors has been a significant part of Juten’s work, as hunting and fishing are historically maledominated industries.

Ali Juten is an outdoors girl through and through and takes her daughter, Holland, along whenever she can, even bowfishing, when Holland was just a baby.

Juten recalled one instance a few years back when she had gone into a store to shop for a bow after she had been shooting for about six years.

When she asked an employee if she could try shooting the bow she was interested in, he responded, “Are you going to shoot or are you going to buy, because there’s a difference,” in a tone that suggested she didn’t know what she was doing.

“People … talk down to you or assume you don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.

A few weeks before, Juten was in the same store with her husband and did not encounter any issues.

Juten hopes to expand the narrative of what it means to be a hunter.

“I went from working in women’s fashion to working with archery and hunting brands,” she said. “It’s OK to be able to do both. You don’t have to fit that one narrative or that one mold. You can bounce around and be whatever you want to be.”

Of her many hobbies, archery holds a special place in Juten’s heart. Last year, she partnered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and a local church to teach an archery class.

She obtained her archery coaching certificate and led a 13-week course which drew kids as young as 7 to adults in their 60s. She noted that most participants were women.

The group not only learned archery, but also toured a facility to learn about how deer meat is processed after the hunt.

“I think it’s very important to know where your food comes from if you’re going to be a hunter or if you’re going to eat meat at all,” she said.

Juten loves introducing people to the sport and to her lifestyle, so she found the class to be quite impactful and hopes to continue teaching in the future.

For those interested in getting into the great outdoors, Juten encourages people to find a mentor. There are a number of programs folks can look into, from the DNR’s Becoming an Outdoorswoman program to women’s hunting groups on Facebook.

In terms of entrepreneurship, Juten offers similar advice, to seek out a mentor, join local organizations and put yourself out there.

“Everyone rises,” she said. “I’m not here to push you down. It’s more like, why not have more female entrepreneurs out there?” D

Abigail Blonigen is a Duluth freelance writer and photographer.

Natalie Moore: A mind for business, a heart for people

By Andrea Busche

When she started her job as finance director at Duluth’s Bayshore Residence & Rehabilitation in 2014, Natalie Moore knew she had a big job ahead of her. First of all, the facility looked and felt like a typical nursing home. The colors were drab. The residents were dispirited. The facility simply didn’t feel like a home.

And, at the time, Bayshore held the unfortunate ranking as the No. 1 worst nursing home in Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. This “report card” measured items such as quality of life, family satisfaction, staff retention and other data.

Thankfully, Moore is a woman who knows how to get things done, and she was ready to tackle these challenges head-on.

“I knew I belonged here,” Moore said. “I just had a gut feeling I could do this.”

Bringing in the magic

Fast forward six years. Keeping in mind that she works as Bayshore’s finance director, Moore has used her creative

skills, on her own personal time, to give the facility a makeover.

Bayshore now features bright, cheerful colors, a coffee bar and a breakfast area. There are other special touches, such as menu boards, so the residents feel like they are dining at a restaurant. And, best of all: Bayshore is now ranked in the top 40 best nursing homes in the state, due in large part to Moore’s efforts.

Moore truly enjoys bringing that extra spark of happiness to her residents’ lives.

“I’m 40 years old and I wear a unicorn necklace,” she said. “I believe in magic. It may not be real, but if it isn’t, I’m going to create it.”

Inspired by her grandparents

Moore grew up in a small Wisconsin town with three sisters, a stepbrother, and a step-sister. Her mother worked as a deputy county clerk, and her stepfather was an EMT and respiratory therapist.

Moore’s grandparents, both teachers, lived just down the alley. And the kids were welcome anytime.

“Our house was their house,” Moore said.

Moore enjoyed a deep bond with her grandfather. He appreciated and nurtured her self-professed “tomboy” ways, and encouraged her natural interests, which included building and fixing things.

He began teaching her home repair skills at a very young age.

“At 7 years old, I was up on the roof with my grandpa, taking down a chimney,” she said. “He taught me how to patch a hole in a roof, and taught me woodworking skills.”

These skills, a gift and a legacy from her beloved grandfather, would definitely come in handy — both personally and professionally — as Moore progressed through adulthood.

Education and career

Moore graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau

Bayshore Residence & Rehabilitation in Duluth went from drab to fab thanks to the creative touch of Natalie Moore, the facility’s finance director, and input from the residents, picking the cheery teal wall color.

Claire with a bachelor’s degree in business finance. Her first job out of college was for Turning Point Therapy in Duluth, where she handled billing. She then spent a short time at Avanti Healthcare.

Out of the blue, Moore received a personal phone call from the administrator at Bayshore, after he had heard positive things about her work ethic. She accepted an interview, and was hired in 2014.

In her role as finance director, above all, Moore relishes helping the residents. A large part of her job is to be a liaison between residents and entities such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Veterans Affairs and others, to help residents locate funding for their care.

“Things come up, and sometimes people need to stay longer and can’t safely go home,” Moore said. “If I can help take that worry off of them and fix the situation, it just makes my day.”

Moore also works directly with individual residents to help them pay their bills.

New decor

When it came to updating Bayshore’s decor, Moore began with the lobby.

“I went around with color swatches and asked the residents, ‘What color would you want in your living room?’” Together, they decided on a bright, cheerful shade of teal.

You’ve

Moore later built a coffee bar, so the residents could pretend they were at a coffee shop. She later added signage, featuring directions to the chapel, vending machines, and other landmarks.

A new menu chalkboard was a small, but very important touch.

“I just took an old window and painted it with chalk paint,” she said. “We write the day’s menu on the board each day, and it feels like the residents are going into a restaurant. It just gives them a sparkle in their eye.”

Moore tackled the memory care unit next. She added fresh, colorful paint, a new breakfast area and handcrafted wainscoting.

Two colleagues’ offices also received a facelift, one of whom began to cry upon the big reveal. “That was definitely worth my time and investment,” Moore said.

All of these special updates are done after work and on the weekends, on Moore’s own time, and often with her own personal materials.

“I just love to make people happy,” she said.

Additional updates at Bayshore are on the horizon. Moore plans to tackle the employee break room, followed by the remaining housing units, sometime soon.

Home

• Environmental Education integrated throughout the curriculum

• Art, Music, PE, and Environmental Ed Specialists

• Small Class Sizes

• Busing from Duluth and Two Harbors

Moore loves to utilize her creative skills in her personal life, too. At age 28, she bought a fixer-upper house, which she gutted and renovated, doing all of the work herself. Most of the materials were purchased secondhand.

Moore worked on the home in her spare time, paying for each project in cash along the way. It took her 11 years, but she completed her home last fall.

“It may have taken three years, but I finally have my million-dollar kitchen,” she said with a laugh.

Another hobby of Moore’s is to

earned this. We’ll handle the meals, transportation, housekeeping and, when you need it, assistance and care from our 24-hour nursing staff All you need to do is… enjoy your golden years!

Natalie Moore put a creative touch on signage to indicate where the rooms, chapel, dining and vending areas are located, as well as a quaint coffee bar at Bayshore in Duluth.

renovate pieces of furniture, and then drop them off, anonymously, at local thrift stores so they can make a profit. She also enjoys hunting, fishing and snowshoeing.

Moore shares her home with her Labrador/mastiff mix, Max. She has three nephews and two nieces. Her 7-year-old nephew, Richard, is also her godson, and the two have a particularly close relationship. Moore also shares a special friendship with

her “adoptive parents,” Byron and Roseanna Jensen.

Sharing kindness

Moore truly enjoys going out of her way to make life a little better for others. This has a large, and direct, impact on the lives of the residents at

Bayshore, among many others.

“You get what you give,” she said. “Giving someone a smile, or just being nice, is free. At the end of the day, all I care about is making people happy.” D

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Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.

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Prolific Duluth artist skilled in a variety of mediums

By Andrea Busche

We in the Twin Ports are fortunate to live in a community that supports the arts. Our region is saturated with writers, photographers, actors, painters, jewelry makers and others who use their art not just to express themselves, but to make a living. As a result, our community is a much richer and more interesting place to be.

One of these working artists is Duluthian Ann Klefstad, who has worked as a writer, editor and artist for many years. And, for the last decade, art has been her primary source of income.

Some may know Klefstad for her art. For instance, “Fox Path” is a sculptural bench Klefstad created for the city of St. Paul. It is located in May Park, next to a playground. Her photography and paintings have been shown in a variety of studios and galleries. You might even recognize her byline from the pages of The Woman Today. And for those from the Lakeside neighborhood, Klefstad is the artist who created the bronze sculpture honoring the memory of the beloved neighborhood feline known as Catsby.

At age 64, Klefstad has carved out a path of her own choosing. She receives inspiration from the natural world, and her life is rich with the joy of creation. Making a living doing what she loves is simply the icing on the cake.

Rural upbringing

Klefstad is one of five children. She was raised in

Greenbush, Minnesota, a town of just 700 people, where Klefstad’s parents operated a clinic. Her dad was a physician and surgeon, and her mother handled the business side of the clinic.

Art was always a big part of Klefstad’s life.

“I was always interested in the nature of things, how what they looked like was what they meant, in some way,” she said.

“I wrote a lot of stories as a kid and into high school; I always drew and painted, and did woodcuts and clay. For me, art and writing are not ‘self-expression’ — they are how to escape the tyranny of the self, which can be so oppressive in this nation, this culture. They are how to come to know the world, especially the natural world, on its own terms. They are a kind of full-body analysis, a road out of the self into union with the living world.”

Klefstad’s first job was working at her parents’ clinic, which was attached to their house. After graduating high school, she enrolled at St. Olaf College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree with a triple-major in fine arts, English and philosophy. During her college years, she worked as a waitress and an artist’s model.

Career progression

Klefstad’s career has followed a unique path. For a time, she worked in a factory in Minneapolis. She later moved to

The St. Louis County Government Services Building boasts “Estuary Plaza” filled with sculptures by Duluth artist Ann Klefstad, including “Turtle Rocks.”

San Francisco and got a job at a bakery.

Eventually she got restless, leaving both the bakery job and San Francisco behind. Klefstad began what she calls “nomading around,” ending up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, living with a Canadian poet and trying to write art reviews.

Eventually, she ended up in Los Angeles. There, she began copy editing for an academic press, writing pieces for a reference book company, and became a fiction editor.

After having her first child (Klefstad has two children, ages 25 and 30), she began a long period of freelance editing, and eventually began writing reviews for arts magazines. After moving to Duluth, she continued freelance editing and arts writing, eventually taking an editor job for mnartists.org, a Walker Art Center project. She later worked as an arts and entertainment reporter at the Duluth News Tribune until she was laid off during the recession of 200809.

At that point, “I had to think of something else to do,” she said. “I continued freelance editing for book publishers, but that work was scarce — so many media people were out of work. I had done some public art commissions in previous years, so I decided to go all in for that. Within a couple of years, I had enough art commission work to get by.”

Today

Today, Klefstad works primarily as an artist.

“The art has been, for the last decade, my primary income,” she said.

She does public art commissions, usually a couple a year, and also sells her work online.

“I am currently working on two commissions, one for St. Louis County’s new Government Services Building in Virginia (the piece is a plaza seating area/sculpture called ‘Microcosmos’), and one for a park in St. Paul, Peace Park in the Midway, a memorial piece that will be called ‘Dragonflies on High,’” she explained.

“I also continue to do the Pack and Herd series, the Carbon series (Animals of the Anthropocene, carved and

burned and oiled in a process called Shou Sugi Ban — it weatherproofs the wood. These works relate to global warming and its effects on the natural world). I also do Sumi-e ink paintings on birch panels. A series of Intaglio prints (drypoint and monoprint) is the newest addition to the family, also on the theme of Animals of the Anthropocene.”

Klefstad also continues to work occasionally as a writer.

“I haven’t done a lot of journalism lately, but I do still do writings for art exhibition catalogs and the like,” she noted. “I’ve done several longer pieces for the Tweed Museum about exhibitions they’ve done — which are published in the exhibition catalogs. And, I wrote an essay for the Joseph Nease Gallery on Tara Austin’s marvelous show there.

“But, the writing project I’m most excited about is for children,” she said. “I have a middle-grade novel I keep tweaking in the hopes of finding it a home, and several of what you might call ‘mystic science picture books’ that need illustrating. I work with a group of local writers who have taught me so much about writing for children! I’m very, very lucky to be able to work with them.”

Klefstad also served on the Duluth Public Art Commission for six years.

Recognitions

Klefstad has been recognized many times throughout her

memorable career. She has received grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council.

One year, her work earned the “Best in Show for Photography” award from the Park Point Arts Fair. She won the Best Short Feature award from the Minnesota chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; and has received several Minnesota Magazine Awards for written features. Klefstad, along with her collaborator, also received an Honors Award from the American Institute of Architects for a commission they did for St. Paul Riverfront on Harriet Island.

Personal life

Klefstad shares her home with her dog, an Akita named Kuma. She loves the outdoors, and likes to kayak, fish and camp. She also enjoys sailing, and owns a Cape Dory Typhoon sailboat.

Klefstad has enjoyed a prolific career in the arts, thus far. And, she is talented and hard-working enough to be able to earn a living doing what she loves.

Despite her accolades, when asked what she’d like her legacy to be, she replied simply: “Really, just that I’ve been able to make things better for those I love.”

Visit annklefstad.com to learn more. D

“Frog Bench” is located at Estuary Plaza of the St. Louis County Government Services Building in Duluth. “Healing” is a 9 x 4 x 2 sculpture created for the Health Sciences building at Lake Superior College. It is meant to embody the flow of healing from caregivers’ hands.

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SHOP

SAFELY DURING THE HOLIDAYS SAFELY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

By Kasha Stoll

What will holiday shopping look like in a year when established rules have been tossed out the window?

Local business owners have been considering that question for months. Learn what three of them recommend and plan to offer during the holiday season.

Northwest Outlet

“If you find something you like and really want, now is the time to get it,” said Dave Miller, owner of Northwest Outlet, 1814 Belknap Street in Superior. “That is not my style of selling stuff. I don’t like the hard sell, but supply is going to be a little short this winter.”

Miller said he reduced his normal order by 13 percent in anticipation of lower-than-average sales. However, his manufacturers are experiencing a supply chain issue and have only been able to deliver about 70 percent of what he ordered. He is trying to find additional items to place on his shelves but has had limited success.

“I was afraid we would have too much stuff, but now we are going to have too little because of shortages in the supply chain,” Miller said. “Stuff will disappear fast, especially the core products, colors and sizes.”

Miller said he will run a special for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28. Details of that special will be determined a few weeks in advance and will depend on what merchandise he has on hand.

Miller recommends that customers check the store’s hours before leaving home. To “keep the health circle as tight as we can,” Miller said he has shortened the store’s hours and is working with a smaller crew.

Like all business owners, Miller is aware of the need for social distancing. He didn’t change the layout of the store, but he is aware of how many people are in the building. So far, he has not had to impose a customer limit. That may change during the holiday season, though.

Benders Shoes

Craig Bender, owner of Bender Shoes, also expressed concern about supply chain issues. He said he is struggling to get new items in at the stores, and his marketing schedule has been delayed for the fall.

Bender has three locations in northeast Minnesota: 2116 Maple Grove Road in Duluth; 405 East Howard in Hibbing; and 409 Northwest 1st Avenue in Grand Rapids.

The stores are reconfigured to allow more social distancing, and employees are handing shoes to customers instead of slipping the shoes on their feet. The Grand Rapids store opens to the public at 10 a.m. but will open by appointment between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. for customers who prefer to avoid the crowds.

The Hibbing and Duluth stores will make similar arrangements, if necessary.

“We do our best to accommodate all our customers’ needs, and we always have,” Bender said.

His employees are also working on an e-commerce site to make more shoes available online. He encouraged customers to call the stores or check online for more details.

Bender is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming holiday shopping season. He decided to make a full order of products, bucking a trend among his peers to order conservatively. He wants to make sure he has enough product in stock to care for his customers.

“From our perspective, the public seems to have found their level of comfort,” said Craig Bender. “We are not beyond (the pandemic), but people are coping with it and have found out how to go about life and do their thing.”

The LoFT

When the governor issued a “Stay at home” order in March, Laurie Gillen and her team went into serious planning mode.

“In my mind, you can either curl up in the corner and cross your fingers and hope things get better, or you can be proactive,” said Gillen, owner

of The LoFT, a boutique store at 1709 Mall Drive in Duluth. “We needed to get sales in a different way.”

As a result of their planning session, the LoFT team created a new, wildly popular business model that will continue long after the pandemic stops.

Twice a week – during “Monday Lunch Time” and “Friday Happy Hours” – Gillen and her crew offer live sales via the store’s Facebook page. During the event, Gillen or one of her employees displays items one at a time. Online audience members can claim it by typing “Sold” in a comment box.

“We tell people to get ready,” Gillen said. “It is hilarious. Two or three people may want an article, but it goes to the first person who claims it.”

Winning customers then pay for their purchases when the event closes. Gillen said between nine and 30 people participate in the live sales, and many of those customers come to every event.

During Friday Happy Hour, customers get a first glance at new merchandise that came in during the week.

“That’s why people keep coming back,” Gillen said. “They know they are seeing stuff that was not in here prior.”

Prior to the pandemic, Gillen hosted “Ladies Night at the LoFT” at the store on the first Thursday of every month, and customers could shop while enjoying wine and food. She will bring that event back virtually in November for her loyal customers.

“Let us know if you and three of your friends want to come,” Gillen said. “We’ll send an invitation, and you can enjoy a special night with friends.”

Gillen also has another big change in the works, but she is staying tight lipped for now. She encouraged her customers to “stay tuned.” D

Kasha Stoll is a Duluth freelance writer.

A TAle of Two ResTAuRAnTs

By Kasha Stoll

“We are ripping apart our entire business model.”

Like many restaurant owners, Shannon Tanski Cornelius had to make fast, dramatic changes to her business just to survive. Cornelius owns the Yellow Bike Coffee shops at 5094 Miller Trunk Highway and 600 East Superior Street in Duluth.

“With a coffee shop, half of what you sell is experience,” Cornelius said. “People come in to enjoy your space.”

The COVID pandemic put a major dampener on the coffee house and restaurant experience, though. Instead of a relaxing place to hang out with your friends, these businesses have become almost synonymous with “danger zone.”

“People are not comfortable coming out when it is really busy. I get that!” said Beth Sullivan, owner of Rustic Inn Café, 2773 Highway 61 in Two Harbors. “There are people who really want to go out, but they are apprehensive.”

Still, people need to eat, and business owners need to stay afloat. Cornelius and Sullivan took almost completely different paths to achieve the same goals.

Focus on product

To maximize sales, Cornelius is placing a strong focus on her products.

“It quickly became apparent that it is all about our product and drive thru,” Cornelius said. “We had a kids’ room in the back that was very popular. It was colorful and beautiful and fun. It was a great community entity. We are changing that into a bakery. Right now, I have to make revenue with every square foot I have.”

When the bakery is up and running, Yellow Bike Coffee will offer what Cornelius calls “bakery boxes.” The boxes will be themed and contain products appropriate to a particular audience. Possible themes include pets, children and business offices.

“We are collaborating with local businesses, so it won’t be just our stuff. We will have items from other local artisans,”

Cornelius said. “Supporting each other is the name of the game with COVID right now.”

People began pre-ordering the boxes in September, long before Cornelius selected the themes.

The pandemic also inspired Cornelius to follow through and expand on an idea she had for a couple of years. Her idea of a small, intimate patio morphed into a “COVIDinspired” outdoor seating area with three main sections, plants and firepits.

Cornelius and her brothers designed the patio, which can comfortably seat 30. Then she built most of it herself.

The patio has been very popular. Cornelius said many large families that are traveling together have stopped and enjoyed a meal and a rest at the patio. Other customers have reserved the patio for events like birthday parties and wedding and baby showers.

“The patio has been very popular. We are debating on how long we should keep it up,” Cornelius said.

The patio will have to come down during the winter because it is sitting where large piles of snow are typically moved.

As wintertime settles into the Northland, Cornelius is pivoting her business again.

“We are rolling out new ideas in early to mid-November,” she said. “We are actively developing and redeveloping constantly because of COVID. We have to interact with our local market.

“I have never worked so hard in my life for so little

results,” she added. “ My goal now is to keep the business alive.”

Sweets and a little bit of love

Unlike many of her colleagues, Sullivan made a deliberate decision to not open an outdoor seating area at Rustic Inn Café.

“We get black flies, mosquitos and the wind off the lake,” she said. “You can be sitting outside in nice weather, and the wind changes and the temperature drops. [Outdoor seating] just didn’t seem to fit.”

Sullivan did decide to shorten her hours, though, primarily for staffing reasons.

“In years past, the staff was more than agreeable to have overtime,” Sullivan said. “It is more difficult this year. There is more stress.

“We are running at 50 percent capacity and having to social distance,” she added. “We are trying to keep everyone safe, both physically and mentally. It is different wearing a mask all day. That is a different paradigm.”

Still, despite the limited seating and shortened hours, Rustic Inn Café is staying strong.

“We have had an unbelievably robust curbside and to-go business this year,” Sullivan said. “Pie sales are through the sky, and the gift shop is doing well.”

Sullivan didn’t take credit for the strong sales. She said the uptick “happened on its own.”

She said a lot of people are coming to the Northland to get out of the city. They tend to bring their own food for meals, and then stop at local eateries to pick up sweets like pies and ice cream. Then, as they are heading home, people stop by the gift shop and “buy themselves a little bit of love” in the form of sweatshirts and souvenirs.

As the winter and holiday season approaches, Sullivan has a couple of suggestions for customers. The first is to order whole pies weeks in advance. The second is to use the restaurant’s website, rusticinn.cafe, to order and pay for food, and then drive by for curbside pickup.

Finally, Sullivan said most of her business happens in the summer, so wintertime is much slower. Provided the roads are clear, she said that might be a great time to stop by and enjoy a sit-down meal.

CDC recommendations for restaurant dining

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is currently “no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 is

spread by handling or eating food.” However, it does offer several suggestions to help people stay safe when dining at a restaurant.

• Check the restaurant’s website and social media to see if they have updated their information to address any COVID-19 safety guidelines.

• Before you go to the restaurant, call and ask if all staff members are wearing masks while at work.

• Wear a mask as much as possible when not eating.

• Maintain a social distance of 6 feet or more in any entryway, hallway or waiting area.

• When possible, choose food and drink options that are not self-serve to limit the use of shared serving utensils, handles, buttons or touchscreens.

• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds when entering and exiting the restaurant. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. D

Duluth Core Learning: Cognitive skills therapy for all ages

By Andrea Busche

People who learn a little differently are often labeled as lazy or unable to learn. This couldn’t be further from the truth, according to Carolyn Haney, founder of Duluth Core Learning.

“If typical schooling isn’t working for someone, it usually means they have some gaps in what we call ‘underlying skills,’” Haney said, “including executive function skills, processing skills and core learning skills. This prevents them from reaching up and showing just how smart they really are.”

Haney shared that, shockingly, up to 30% of the population struggles with these types of skills.

Duluth Core Learning does not offer tutoring; however, they specialize in cognitive skills therapy, including activities and tools specially designed for each individual client/student and their learning style and particular need.

“Usually, when kids come to us, they are having trouble in school,” Haney said. “Our job is to find out why. When they leave us, we want them to be independent, efficient learners.”

Inspired by her own child

Haney, who is originally from Duluth, has an undergraduate degree in psychology and Spanish from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and a graduate degree in school counseling from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She spent two years teaching kindergarten and 20 years as a school counselor.

But the impetus to start her own business helping people with learning difficulties began with one of her own children, her son, Daniel, who is now 18. Daniel is a unique learner who is independent and hardworking, but struggled with test-taking, reading and reading comprehension.

“I wanted to help my son, and also give other families a

place to turn,” Haney said. “There are so many kids falling through the cracks.”

Haney studied cognitive skills therapy in many contexts, traveling to Colorado, California and other states to hone her skills. And she is convinced that the program works.

Eventually, Daniel was able to exit his special education program, and has a bright future with dreams of becoming a police officer. Beyond assisting her own child, Haney and her team have helped hundreds of other students achieve their personal learning goals, too.

History

Duluth Core Learning initially opened its doors in January 2013. After several subsequent moves, they recently settled into their 2,700-square-foot space at 4801 Burning Tree Road in Duluth. Here, they assist 75-100 clients/ students per year, ranging in age from 4 to senior citizens.

All sessions are one-on-one between the client and one of the 13 clinicians employed at Duluth Core Learning. Sessions can be in-person or virtual; the majority of sessions are virtual these days, due to COVID-19. The virtual programming is also attractive to the many families located outside of Duluth who would normally have to travel several hours to receive services here.

While the program is intense — the average student’s sessions are two to three hours per week, for nine to 10 months — Haney says this is because Duluth Core Learning offers a permanent solution to its students.

“We want to fix whatever’s getting in their way so they don’t have to come back to us,” she said.

Process

Duluth Core Learning follows the same protocol for each client: meeting, assessment and training plan. An

Carolyn Haney of Duluth Core Learning works with Hermantown student (and Carolyn’s nephew) Wyatt Haney.

individualized training plan is created and executed for each student, strengthening skills such as visual memory, motor processing, reasoning and more.

Some of the students who visit Duluth Core Learning have formal diagnoses that may affect learning, including:

• Dyslexia;

• Being on the autism spectrum;

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;

• Sensory processing disorders;

• Auditory processing disorders;

• Anxiety;

• Difficulties with emotion management.

Many students simply have a unique way of learning.

“A lot of people come to us because they don’t want to medicate,” Haney said. “They want to retrain the brain.”

But Haney and her team also see many clients who do not have a formal diagnosis.

She explained that while children are their largest demographic, they have worked with many adults, the oldest of whom was 77 years old. Haney said it’s never too late to seek help with learning difficulties.

“Oftentimes, adults just accept it, and say, ‘This is who I am and I can’t change it.’ But they usually seek help when they start feeling limited and tired of not being able to do what they want to do.”

Payment

Insurance does not cover services offered at Duluth Core Learning, so all costs must be paid for out of pocket. However, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts can be used to pay for services. Scholarships and grants are also available for families in need.

Testimonial

Haney and her team regularly receive positive feedback from their clients. One parent of a fifth-grader receiving services had this to say:

“We have seen significant improvement in planning ahead, something we had never seen prior to Core Learning. We have also seen the ability for her to sit down and do her homework independently without continual supervision to focus.

“Prior to this, she was unable to complete homework if left alone. In school, the teachers have reported improved focus as well. We have seen an amazing turnaround of her actually being excited to complete school projects and homework.”

Haney noted that when it comes to children, Duluth Core Learning works closely with parents, and also the child’s school, in the instances when a release is provided.

This multi-pronged team approach strengthens the likelihood of success.

Fulfilling endeavor

For Haney, opening Duluth Core Learning and working as one of its clinicians has been incredibly satisfying.

“I’ve never had as rewarding, or as challenging, of a job as I have right now,” she said. “There is nothing like seeing the daily changes happening with our students. Parents send us photos of their kids, who used to hate reading, curled up in a hammock with a book. It’s so rewarding.”

Haney also wants to share that it’s never too late to seek help.

“One of the things parents often do is we beat ourselves up, and say things like, ‘I waited too long.’ But it’s never too late! We can always change our brain and work towards success.”

For more information, visit duluthcorelearning.com or find them on Facebook. D

St. Luke’s New Emergency Department: Thoughtfully designed for your comfort, safety

By Claire Kiger

Whensomeone comes into an emergency department, it’s typically not their best day.

“Being injured or sick is an anxietyprovoking experience,” Dr. Amery Robinson, medical director of St. Luke’s Emergency Department, said. “A lot of times, patients don’t know exactly what’s going on with them. They just know they’re sick or in pain.”

That’s why St. Luke’s prioritized comfort and safety when the organization set out to create a brandnew emergency department. Now, after years of planning and preparation, they are proud to share what they’ve created.

Most notably, the new ED has relocated to St. Luke’s Building A and is nearly three times larger.

“The new facility finally matches the compassionate, expert care our medical staff is known for,” Robinson said. “I’m excited to be able to offer the new space to our community.”

Private rooms for comfort and quiet

For those arriving by car or on foot, the new ED can be accessed from

Second Street near 10th Avenue East.

“You drive into a covered area and park for free just steps away from the ED entrance,” Dr. Nick Van Deelen, St. Luke’s chief medical officer and emergency physician, said. “It was important to us that patients be able to access the ED conveniently and quickly.”

Once inside, patients will notice that the reception area is significantly smaller. This is because they will be brought back to one of 27 private exam rooms as soon as possible, reducing the time spent waiting in a public space.

“Overhearing other people’s anxiety, pain or suffering on top of your own can just make everything worse,” said Katie Jo Saletel, registered nurse and St. Luke’s Emergency Department clinical supervisor. “The private rooms help to create a quiet, calm atmosphere.”

Each room can be completely closed off with a sound-reducing glass door, and curtains can be drawn for extra privacy. A personal TV in each room also helps patients pass the time

as they’re awaiting test results.

“Our entire care team will come to you, including registration,” Van Deelen said. “It’s all about getting people the medical attention they need as quickly and as comfortably as possible.”

Thoughtful design for streamlined, compassionate care

Patients who arrive at the ED by ambulance or helicopter are now able to be transported to an emergency department stabilization room, surgical suite or cardiac catheterization lab (cath lab) in a matter of seconds.

“Previously, it took nearly 10 minutes to get from the helipad to the ED,” Saletel said. “In the new ED, patients are able to be inside a stabilization bay, operating room or cath lab in under a minute. It means we can get them the lifesaving care quicker than ever.”

Also located near the ambulance garage entrance are the mental health suites.

“If someone is having a mental

St. Luke’s New Emergency Department is three times larger and now located near 10th Avenue East and 2nd Street.

Once inside, patients will notice that the reception area is much smaller. This is because patients will be roomed in a private exam room as soon as possible after arriving.

health crisis, which is a significant issue for our community, they are brought right to our mental health suite where it is private, secure and safe,” Van Deelen said. This separate area allows these patients to receive the care they need without putting themselves or anyone else at risk.

Towards the back of the ED two additional rooms have been set aside, one for sexual assault victims and one for when a patient passes. These rooms provide the extra privacy, comfort and respect these difficult occasions deserve.

In case of emergency, choose St. Luke’s

By bringing all these features together, St. Luke’s has created an innovative space equipped with the latest technology to best care for patients.

“This new ED was really all about improving the experience for our patients, especially when it comes to privacy, and I believe we’ve achieved that,” Robinson said. “We are able to offer our community a calm atmosphere where they can be cared for when dealing with a medical emergency.”

“I love finally being able to share this new ED with our community,” Van Deelen said. “My own family has had to use the services of the emergency department, so I know how important it is to have a calming, soothing experience. I know that the new ED better allows us to offer that better than we ever have been able to before.”

To learn more about St. Luke’s new ED, visit slhduluth. com/emergency. D

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

By Yvonne Michaud Novak

Many people do not want to discuss their estate plan with their adult children because it is a private matter and considered a morbid topic. Unfortunately, not discussing your estate plan inheritance with your adult children could lead to unfortunate results.

One of the fears that parents have is that if an adult child knows they are going to inherit something, they may not be motivated to earn their own assets. The problem is that being surprised by an inheritance often leads to irresponsible spending because the inheritance is seen as a windfall instead of something they have planned for.

You can prepare your child for an inheritance without letting them know

Should you talk to your adult children about their INHERITANCE?

specifics so that if you have to spend some of the inheritance on your own expenses, the decrease won’t be a letdown.

The type of things you should discuss with your adult children are your values, the opportunities money can provide, and what you want to accomplish with it. You may even want to consider an annual gifting program so your children get a chance to try out an “inheritance” and you get to see how they spend it.

Another reason to discuss your estate plan is to address who is going to be in charge of your estate after you die. Just appointing the oldest child may not be the best plan as you want it to be someone who can remain neutral and manage financial matters. Being an executor or trustee can be a thankless job and starting with the right person can make it easier.

Another issue to discuss is whether you are equally leaving your assets to your children. There may be some

very valid reasons not to do so but by not explaining your reasoning while you are alive, you may be setting up the family for hurt feelings or even a will contest.

Tax planning can lead to discussions about your estate as most people want to transfer their wealth with as little tax as possible. If you have a large retirement account, income taxes will have to be paid on that account transfer and it may be that it’s advisable for you to pay the taxes as you are in a lower tax bracket than your children.

It may be advisable to discuss your estate plan with your children in the presence of your legal adviser. They may be better equipped to answer questions that your children may have. D

Attorney Yvonne Michaud Novak is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, an exclusive national organization. She opened her own law office in 2007 after a varied career which included nursing home administration, estate planning and business paralegal, and work as a certified financial planner.

This information is for general information purposes only. It should not be taken as legal advice for any case or situation. Also, it is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship.

Knee-replacement surgeries help reclaim mobility, active lifestyle

By Louie St. George III

Rarely is there an opportune time for knee-replacement surgery. Carol Johnston, of Duluth, had two of them, five months apart. She was determined to regain the mobility that allowed her to bike, practice yoga and cross-country ski.

The mother of four had her left knee replaced in November 2019 and the right one done in March 2020. Both times, Johnston was in and out of the hospital the same day. And both times she listened to her physician, Essentia Health orthopedic surgeon Brad Edgerton, as well as her body. She took it easy for two weeks before gradually increasing activity.

“The first two weeks you have a really good excuse to just lay on the couch and watch TV,” Johnston said. “It was surprising what a good couch potato I could be.”

Swelling — not pain — was the primary complication following the first surgery, though it was fleeting. That wasn’t the case the second time around, when Johnston experienced mild discomfort but little else. She couldn’t believe that a major procedure could seem so ordinary.

Much of the credit for that goes to the Mako robotic armassisted surgery available at Essentia. This advanced technology makes it possible for surgeons like Edgerton to perform less-invasive and more predictable surgeries. That predictability stems from precise cuts that are mapped out beforehand with a 3D model of the patient’s bones generated from a CT scan. Pain is minimal.

“What the robotic technology does is it allows us to take digital information, enter it into a computer program and then plan out everybody’s individual knee for their particular anatomy the day before surgery,” Edgerton explained.

The robot lines the saw up for the surgeon based on the preprogrammed model. And it knows exactly where the edge of the bone is, so once the cut is finished the saw shuts off, ensuring that the surgeon can’t plunge into any soft tissue and

damage muscle, ligaments or tendons.

Edgerton occasionally encounters patients who are uneasy about relying so heavily on technology. Some might ask if they should at least consider conventional knee-replacement surgery, which features manual cuts guided by intuition. Edgerton responds with a scenario about needing to get somewhere at a specific time in, say, the middle of downtown Minneapolis.

“Are you going to pull out a paper map and plot out the course?” he asks. “Well, no. I’m gonna enter it into the GPS on my phone.”

“It’s an amazing thing,” the 62-year-old Johnston said. “I feel very fortunate to have had it done with the Mako and with Dr. Edgerton.”

Periodic knee pain over the previous 10 years and a pair of torn menisci necessitated the surgeries. Johnston had been getting by on pain-relieving orthopedic injections. Her arthritis stemmed from a loss of cartilage in her knees, and thus an influx of bone-on-bone friction. She couldn’t carry on that way indefinitely. Eventually, she reached out to Essentia.

Following both surgeries, Johnston got around with the help of a walker when she wasn’t resting with her leg elevated beneath an ice pack. Rehab slowly morphed into moderate exercise. She had to forego the desire to do too much too soon.

Mako patients tend to fare better than patients of more conventional joint-replacement surgeries. That includes a quick recovery.

Essentia Health orthopedic surgeon Brad Edgerton helped Carol Johnston get back to the daily activities she gets so much enjoyment out of.

“That’s why we do it. We want people to be active. Our goal is for people to get back to doing what they like to do, as long as they’re appropriate activities,” Edgerton said. “We are really committed to try to bring the best possible joint-replacement care to our patients, and that’s one of the reasons we embarked upon the robotic program in the first place.

“We want our patients to have access to the best technology.”

Johnston always expected to return to her favorite activities. She just didn’t know how long it would take. Fortunately, during a summer upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, she was back on her feet — and bike — sooner than even she could have anticipated.

And the best news?

“I don’t really think about my knees anymore,” Johnston said. D

Louie St. George III is a media relations specialist at Essentia Health.w

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

By Samantha Roffers

Hellodear readers!

Wow, I can’t believe the way we are clipping along through the seasons. We had our first hard frost recently and fall is definitely in the air. By the time you all are reading this we may even have snow on the ground, yikes! This issue of Fashions By Sam was so much fun to do, I definitely got a bit out of my comfort zone visiting two stores I’ve never been to before — The LoFT and Benders Shoes, both in Duluth. They both turned out to be absolutely wonderful and I found so many great things. It feels so good to be able to visit stores again and get some safe (and much needed) social interaction. There’s something about shopping and lunching with good company that is so good for the soul... (Also, the wild rice burger at Grandma’s, to die for, is a musttry item).

We visited Benders to check out all the warm and cozy fall/winter footwear and we also headed over to The LoFT to find some warm outfits. So, let’s get right to the good stuff! D

by Sam

I have to admit, when I started flipping through the racks at The LoFT I was initially a little overwhelmed. Sometimes when you go to a store that’s full of goodies and you have to really “dig” for things it can be intimidating. However, I quickly realized Laurie had her store efficiently and beautifully sorted by size, season and color. Once I got the lay of the land, finding outfits was so easy. She has a wide variety of sizes and styles and brands like The North Face, Dooney and Bourke, Duluth Pack, Miss Me, Maurices and much more. She has a huge assortment of accessories, outerwear and footwear as well. It was really fun to try different scarves, bags and jewelry — they really change the entire look within seconds. I tried some things that I wouldn’t normally go for and was pleasantly surprised with most of it. Of course, you won’t love everything you try when you go shopping and that’s okay, but it’s such a great idea to go out of your comfort zone every once in a while and try something you wouldn’t usually wear. Even as far as sizing goes, if you like something that’s not in your size, give it a try. Companies run so different from each other you may find what doesn’t work for you in one brand works in another. The affordability of the LoFT was outstanding. Prices are anywhere from 50% to 75% off normal retail and many things come in new with tags.

At Benders, I tried on three different pieces of foot wear. A “casual” shoe, a “dressy” boot and a more “middle of the road” boot. This first was my pick for the “middle of the road” boot. These are totally adorable with the teal geo pattern paired with a beautiful smoky grey. They are also lined with soft and cozy fur. It felt like I wrapped my feet in a new fuzzy blanket when I put these on, I truly didn’t want to take them off. The warmth and comfort level of these is incredible and I could definitely see myself grabbing these on a daily basis in the winter. The robust traction they offer is a huge plus as well. They can easily be worn as a casual daily boot or dressed up and worn on a date or outing.

1 2 3

The second pair of boots I tried on were my “casual” pick. Again, the comfort level of these boots are incredible. I would love to have a pair of these for my outdoor chores in the muddy seasons. They have great traction and I could easily pull them on and off. The loop holes are strong and I didn’t feel like the shaft of the boot sagged. I have wider calves as well and I was very comfortable with the fit as they offer a lot of stretch. They are adorned with a very subtle and adorable pattern that goes with everything and puts them a step above your typical rain or muck boot.

The last footwear I tried on was this adorable little leather bootie, my “dressy” pick. I was instantly drawn to the rich brown shade, the ombre on the toe and the adorable pattern. These give me the western vibe that I absolutely adore. Again, the comfort level of these is very high. For reference, I have a very wide foot so sometimes shoe shopping can be a challenge. I would definitely wear these shoes to work or any outing. You could pair them with a skinny jean, leggings, flares or boot cut jeans and they’re going to look adorable. The color of this shoe makes them so versatile, you can really wear them with anything.

Not only did I find tons of awesome shoes, Benders had an amazing selection of socks, bags and shoe accessories… They also have a great clearance room full of summer, fall and winter footwear.

1918 home gets modern kitchen remodel

Dawn and Bill Paul’s new kitchen design by Maureen’s LLC combines classic elements with modern conveniences to honor the historic home in eastern Duluth. The open plan improves the flow and efficiency of the kitchen. Adding the new island and expanding cabinets to the ceiling increases storage and gives the kitchen a bigger, brighter feel.

By Amy Ugstad

Dawn and Bill Paul have lived in their historic home in eastern Duluth for over 30 years. The character-filled rooms of the house built in 1918 have seen generations grow within its walls, including the Pauls’ six, now adult, children. Like most families, so much of the activity centered in the kitchen where they would cook and eat together, sometimes bouncing off each other in a smaller space.

The kitchen previously featured a U-shape design that meant all the activity was focused in a more confined area — not the optimum layout for cooking for a large family or entertaining. The older design also lacked storage, forcing the Pauls to get creative with shelving and hanging storage. Put simply, it just didn’t work for the family.

Time for a change

Remodeling the kitchen was something the Pauls had thought about for years, but with a busy family, it had to wait. With their children now grown and starting families of their own, it became clear it was time to upgrade to a kitchen that worked for both the couple and their growing extended family.

Dawn connected with designer Maureen Plaunt, owner of Maureen’s LLC, to get the process started.

“Maureen was highly recommended by a number of friends and neighbors who had worked with her so I knew she was the right

Before the remodel, the lack of counter space meant Bill’s TV lived on a table with other kitchen items, taking up valuable space, and forced the Pauls to get creative with shelving and hanging storage options.

choice for our project,” Dawn said.

In creating the new kitchen design, it was important to the Pauls to improve the flow and function of the kitchen while preserving the character of the house.

“It’s easy to see ideas and designs that look beautiful in magazines, but in reality wouldn’t look right in a historic home,” Dawn stated. “Maureen made great suggestions to help us choose the right elements to fit our home.”

In the new design, Plaunt created a more open floor plan utilizing floor-to-ceiling cabinets and a walk-in pantry, allowing her to maximize storage and efficiency in the kitchen. In choosing custom cabinetry from Fieldstone, Plaunt was able to ensure the inset doors and moldings matched with the classic look of the home. The higher

Continued on page 42

white cabinets in combination with more lighting make the kitchen feel bigger and brighter.

Strategic Construction was hired as the contractor entrusted with reworking the space into the new design. Older homes can present unique challenges in terms of wiring, plumbing and structure.

“There were of course some surprises,” Dawn said, “like finding ceilings and floors that weren’t quite

Bill and Dawn Paul are pleased with the unique storage solutions their custom cabinetry from Fieldstone provides, especially the pull-out for pots and pans.

level, but they worked through it to solve all the issues beautifully.”

The island is, perhaps, Dawn’s favorite part of the kitchen. It features a Cambria countertop with inset sink and the dishwasher and additional storage below. The best part is the extra seating it provides. Dawn loves to see her kids and grandkids sitting around the island.

Husband Bill’s favorite part is the

Continued on page 44

special place for his flat screen TV. Plaunt designed a tiled inset framed by custom cabinetry where the TV could be mounted. Lighted display cabinets provide a crown for the wall.

“The end result is a really unique feature wall that allows the TV to flow naturally with the rest of the kitchen,” Plaunt said.

The adjacent eat-in area allows Bill and the family to enjoy their favorite shows with their meals at the kitchen table.

Why didn’t we do this sooner?

The Pauls are loving their new kitchen and how it has made cooking and entertaining so much easier. Working with the professionals at Maureen’s and Strategic Construction allowed their long time dream of a beautiful, functional kitchen to become a reality.

“This remodel was a long time coming,” Dawn said. “The team at Maureen’s made the process so easy and created a design that honored the character of our home. We couldn’t be happier and wonder why we didn’t do this 10 years ago!” D

Amy Ugstad is a freelance writer, graphic designer and marketing consultant providing services through her company OneUP Creative.

Plenty of storage is available in the kitchen now, including a dedicated space for a mounted flat panel TV. A walk-in pantry was created to easily store food, supplies and less frequently used appliances.

Happy Holidays from Gemini Designs

By Molly Milroy

Holiday Decor Local trends for your home

Decorating for the holidays brings a festive feel to a home. Whether it’s the sight or the smell, holiday decor can enhance any living area, creating a special mood in the space. Superior resident, Alexandra Taylor, enjoys decorating and says it creates a warm environment for her family and others.

“It’s a fun change-up, especially during winter. I like the nostalgia of decorating and reminiscing with my kids from past years.” You don’t have to travel far to find some fantastic pieces for your home. Here are four local businesses that provide unique and beautiful decor that will add holiday spirit to your living space.

Lake Superior Art Glass

This glassblowing studio located in Canal Park is a favorite for passersby to stop and watch the process of glass blowing. As the only public glass blowing studio in the Northland, it draws the attention for special holiday decor. The gallery features over sixty artists, includes glass artwork of all types, and is the perfect spot to shop for a unique ornament.

“Each ornament is handcrafted meaning that no two are ever exactly alike,” marketing manager Jodie Cowan said. Shopping locally also benefits the community.

“Selecting a locally made ornament for your tree means that you are supporting an artist in our area that is following their passion,” Cowan said. “Keeping your money local for the holidays means that more of your dollar stays in the community.”

Along with ornaments for purchase, one can participate in a glassblowing class or a design class, where one works directly with the artist. They offer an intro level glassblowing course where one can create an icicle ornament. The shop also offers a “Design Your Own Ornament” and a “Design Your Own Snowman”

experience.

“These designer events are not a class, but a chance for you to work with our artists on the colors, shaping and design of your art piece,” Cowan said. “Our artists then make it while you watch.”

The designer events are available live streamed as well, for those who may not want to leave their home or be in a public space.

Stop by to watch the artists, attend a class or to pick out an ornament for your tree. This art glass will certainly make your home shine this holiday season. Classes and other information can be found at lakesuperiorartglass.com.

Riverside Soy Candles

Candles are the perfect way to add a holiday fragrance to your home. Riverside Soy Candles, located in the Lincoln Park Craft District, offers soy candles for purchase or to make yourself.

What makes them extra special is that they are made locally, with local scent themes. Choose from a variety of aromas including Duluth Outdoors, Lake Superior Breeze, Minnesota Girl, Lumberjack Plaid and Sunset on Superior. Danette Thacker, store owner, says, “Each fragrance is a unique blend that is reminiscent of each name.”

During the months of November and December, candle making classes are offered on Wednesday evenings where you can choose from the fun festive jars and scents available. Thacker shares, “There are over eight jar varieties to choose from and over fifty scents available for class. Mixing your own scent creation is encouraged.” Private classes are also available with a minimum of four people and a maximum of ten people to attend.

Candles are ideal décor for any room in the house and can brighten up any space during the long winter months.

Riverside Soy Candles are made with 100% American grown soy, and are a slower burning wax that creates longer candle burn time. The soy burns clean and doesn’t leave black soot, which you can get with other candle waxes. The presence of the candle mingled with the scent will heighten the holiday atmosphere in any home. Thacker says, “I love the idea of my candles being special gifts given over the holidays and candles filling many homes with light and warmth.”

Register for classes on Riverside Soy Candle's website, riversidesoycandles.com, or for private events, contact Thacker at 218-481-3989.

The Pottery Burn Studio

This paint-your-own pottery studio on Tower Avenue in Superior is the perfect spot to harness your own creativity and to bring children into holiday decorating. “Our pottery makes the perfect home decor and gift,” shop owner Amanda Korhonen said. “Everything is totally customizable to fit your style, color and theme.”

Two of her favorite pieces for the holidays are platters and plates.

“You can have them on display with your decorations and they are all food safe,” Korhonen said. “We have plate stands for sale too. Start with a plate on a mantel or on the counter and add a sprig of pine or berries.”

The studio offers to-go kits, which include a ceramic piece, six paint colors and a variety of brushes. Pick one up and paint the ceramic in the comfort of your home, then return it to the studio to be fired.

“We are excited to offer our to-go kits so they can get a little bit of that fun at home,” Korhonen says. Stop by the studio to pick out a piece or view pieces in their To-Go Kit photo album on Facebook.

Holiday decorating classes are also available, which include learning new painting techniques. Choose from painting Santa Claus, reindeer, snowmen, or gnomes. “We have so many samples to inspire all our painters,” Korhonen said. “We also get inspired by them. Everyone has their own twist on things and it is truly fantastic to see it firsthand.”

The studio also hosts virtual classes.“

We will be rolling out some new things like zoom painting classes and clay hand building that we are really, really excited about,” Korhonen said.

More information can be found at thepotteryburnstudio. com.

Shannon’s Stained Glassery

Located in the south end of Superior, this stained glass supply store provides the means to add an additional glow to the home.

“Art glass adds color, life, sparkle, and joy to any home. It speaks to one and all, fitting in for every season and home,” store owner Shannon Johnson said. The store offers weekly classes where one can learn how to make their own stained glass project and, if you are not the crafting type, they also have pre-made pieces for purchase. Johnson explains, “The stained glass from Shannon's Stained Glassery is made with extreme care and consideration of the client's vision, along with quality craftsmanship and professional attention to detail.”

Holiday classes are offered in the store including the popular Curvy Christmas Tree, Fused Ornaments, and Beveled Angel making classes. Johnson shares, “The week after Thanksgiving we always have a promotional week called Rainbow Week with daily classes and in store savings.”

Stained glass is one holiday decor that will certainly jazz up your home. “Glass art adds beauty and class to any space it adorns. It is steeped in tradition but modern techniques allow it to remain contemporary at the same time,” exclaims Johnson. “It can be customized to fit any decor or personal taste.” For more information, visit shannonsstainedglassery. com. D Molly

A Virtual Sankta Lucia Celebration

Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

By Megan Keller The Woman Today

Now that the weather is cooler, I start craving some warm comfort food. Fall means crock pot season has begun! As I harvested my garden this fall, one thing that seemed to grow in much abundance was my squash. For many people, when this happens, they try to give away as much as they can. I’ll be honest, when I got married this summer, I thought about giving my guests cucumbers and squash plants as parting gifts!

With so many squash harvested, if you don’t preserve them for the winter, it’s easy to get burnt out on eating them — and finding creative recipes can be a challenge.

I came across this recipe for Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup on Pinterest and was curious, since I’d never made squash soup. I will say, this is lick-your-bowl-to-thelast-drop delicious! I paired this soup with a simple garlic toast, then cozied up in a warm blanket and enjoyed every moment of how amazing this turned out. This soup is simple to make — and it’ll make your home smell awesome while it’s cooking.

Please be careful when cutting up your squash as they

can have a very hard shell. I recommend going on YouTube to get suggestions on how to cut them up.

This recipe does make a good sized batch and will easily feed a family of four. Your senses will be pleased when you make this delicious creamy, comfort soup.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe courtesy of Sarah Bond at “Live Eat Learn,” a vegetarian food blog: www.liveeatlearn.com.

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, about 4 to 5 cups diced

2 cups vegetable broth

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 medium white onion, about 1 cup diced

1 granny smith apple, diced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 cup canned coconut milk

Directions

1. Prep: Peel, deseed, and roughly chop butternut. Add butternut to slow cooker along with everything except the coconut milk.

2. Cook: Stir to combine then cook for 6 to 8 hours on low, or 2 to 4 hours on high. Soup is ready when butternut is easily mashed with a fork.

3. Blend: Pick out the sprigs of thyme. Use a handheld immersion blender to puree the soup (alternatively, carefully transfer to a countertop blender and puree).

4. Serve: Stir in coconut milk and serve, optionally drizzling more coconut milk over soup after ladling into bowls. D

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