The Woman Today Oct/Nov 2018

WOMAN today the

Women behind the scene — and on it Rebuilding Superior Street

•Helping minority business owners succeed at UMD

•Cur ves focuses on far more than fitness

•Treating opioid addiction in the Northland

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

honing in some areas of your family’s interests, this issue of you covered with valuable your hopes, goals, and/or

Today and find great articles college preparations; Family Gras food fare; and Hobbies

you may enjoy our stories of new, slightly “funny,” option story of a young girl’s fresh start Ness Family opens their doors up to with a new chapter in

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DOWNTOWN

Whether it’s literal or metaphorical, this issue has several stories about roads.

On the literal side, we hope you’ll enjoying meeting some of the women who are behind the Superior Street construction, one of the biggest improvement projects Duluth has ever seen.

On the metaphorical side, you’ll meet two women on the “road to recovery” from opioid addiction, a fight county health workers are putting more muscle behind. In another article, the owner of a gym details the journey she took from a debilitating car crash to finding the road to fitness. Another story tells of a recent high school graduate who earned her way into West Point. You’ll also meet a UMD mentor who helps minority business owners find the road to success.

We’re all on a road headed somewhere. As you read this issue, we hope you’re inspired on your own journey.

Ayla Androsky, David Ballard Photography, Abigail Blonigen, Derek Montgomery Photography, Kathleen Murphy, Kelsey Roseth, Celia Tarnowski, Naomi Yaeger

a homier home loan experience.

FEATURES

14 Feminist Action Collective Podcast tackles variety of women's issues

18 Superior Street reconstruction

From boardrooms to boots on the ground, women are leading the way

40 Waking early, making friends

Duluth Curves focuses on far more than fitness

ENTERTAINMENT/ARTS

50 Arts and Events Calendar

65 Socials

Scottish Rite Clinic fundraiser, AICHO contest, Duluth Art Institute reception and Juneteenth celebration

HEALTH/MEDICINE

22 St. Luke's Dr. Carl Rasmussen on the benefits of having a primary care physician

26 Tackling a health crisis

Women find help for opioid addiction

34 Essentia

'Knitted Knockers' show their softer side to mastectomy patients

FINANCE

46 Want a better financial future for yourself? Act now.

WEDDINGS/FASHION

38 Where to Shop

48 Weddings

64 Resources

FOOD/NUTRITION

62 Put Belgian endive on display

HOME TOUCHES

54 South Shore home has an eye on the future

PreParing To Serve WiTh eyeS Wide oPen

Marshall School graduate eager to face challenges of West Point

By Andrea Novel Buck

Aleksie Rengel’s drive and determination can be summed up in her quest to do pull-ups.

It began the summer of 2017. “I’ve never been great at the flexed arm hang or pull-ups,” she said. So, in preparation for her application to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., which

~ Aleksie Rengel

includes a physical aptitude exam, she began working on that. She did push-ups, worked out on lateral pull-down and pull-up assist machines at Snap Fitness, and used a pull-up bar multiple times a day. She

achieved her first about 1½ months later. “It was the best feeling ever to get that first pull-up,” she said.

By the end of that summer, she could do two. A year later, she could do four.

Aleksie received an appointment to

Aleksie Rengel (center) marches with fellow Cadets at West Point.

Family photo

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the Class of 2022 at West Point on April 20. She reported for basic training on July 2, joining nearly 1,300 other new Cadets. Her tuition, room and board, medical and dental care for the next four years will be free, repaid with five years of service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.

Army vs. Air Force

Her father, Jeff, was active duty Air Force most of her life, serving two tours in Afghanistan. He now serves in the 148th Air National Guard. The family moved around a lot — Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Ohio. Her mother, Tammi, hails from Superior, and Jeff from Hermantown. They moved back home, to Duluth, when Aleksie was in the fourth grade.

Aleksie started thinking about a military career in sixth grade.

Her love of volleyball distracted her a bit from the idea in high school. She played five years on Marshall’s varsity team, co-captain her junior and senior years, and on a Minnesota North club team that placed third at Nationals her sophomore year. She considered going to college on a volleyball scholarship.

“This was an elite team, and a special

team,” her Minnesota North Coach Christyn May said. Aleksie was the team’s libero, next to setter, an important position that May described as the quarterback of the defensive team. Aleksie was on court the entire game. She was a positive playmaker, served aggressively, ran balls down, controlled hard attacks at her, said May, an assistant volleyball coach at the University of Minnesota Duluth. “She was recruited and could have played at any level of college volleyball.”

But one summer day between her sophomore and junior year, it clicked.

“I want to serve my country,” Aleksie said. “I think being able to protect your country and fight for the rights we have is important and something really special.”

She applied to West Point and to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. After touring both, she

RELAX AND ENJOYTHE VIEW

RELAXED ATMOSPHERE FAMILY FRIENDLY WELCOMING AMBIENCE POSITIVE VIBE

The proud Rengel family was together on Acceptance Day at West Point. From left: Aleksie, Jeff, Payton and Tammi. Family photo

decided on West Point, where her brother Payton is a senior. “He’s my best friend,” she said.

Her father envisioned Payton “dropping” his sister for pushups the first time he sees her, then looking out for her as much as he can.

Jeff and Tammi are proud that both their children have chosen to serve.

First an Air Force spouse, then an Army Mom, and now an Army Mom times two, Tammi said, “Now, two-thirds of my heart will be out at the U.S. Military Academy in New York.”

Prepping for the Academy

Aleksie graduated from Marshall School in the top 10 percent of her class. She was a member of the National Honor Society, attended Girls State and participated in the YMCA’s Youth in

Government program. In addition to volleyball, she played softball. She was active in Holy Rosary Catholic Church, her faith being a major component in her life.

She called the application process for getting into West Point “crazy.” In addition to the usual college application, essays and transcripts, she had to pass that physical aptitude test and secure a congressional or presidential nomination. That entailed interviews with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan and members of a presidential committee. She secured a presidential nomination, due to her father’s military service.

Aleksie spent months preparing for her seven weeks of basic training — running two to three miles a day three times a week, doing one to two sets of pull-ups, push-ups and sit-ups every other day, and “rucking it” — hiking in her Army boots with a weighted backpack. On days she didn’t run, she and her parents did cardio-kickboxing at 9Round Fitness.

Aleksie Rengel gets a hug on Acceptance Day. Family photo

That work paid off. Aleksie completed basic training, BEAST as the Cadets call it, on Aug. 13, with a 12-mile ruck from the training grounds back to the West Point campus. Her brother, who up to that point had only waved to her a couple of times when she silently passed him in the mess hall, was allowed to accompany her on the ruck. “That was awesome,” she said.

She had endured bad shin splints most of the seven weeks of physical endurance tests and multiple training exercises. Her eyes and skin burned when she and her fellow new Cadets were exposed purposely to tear gas. Small in stature, she found the ruck — hiking while carrying 45 pounds of gear on a terrain of hills, hills and more hills — especially tough.

“But you’re in it with everyone else.”

The whole basic training, actually the whole first year at West Point, is about learning how to follow, Aleksie said, “And

about how you handle adversity — if you’re willing to keep going or not.”

On Advancement Day, five days later, her parents and paternal grandparents happily watched her advance from being a new Cadet to simply a Cadet and join West Point’s upperclassmen, including Payton, on the Parade Field.

Coach May believes Aleksie will thrive and do exceptionally well at West Point. “She has always put others, put the team ahead of herself,” she said.

Her Own Path

Earlier this summer, items for one duffle bag — all Aleksie was allowed to take to basic training — were laid out on a futon: combat boots, running shoes, dress shoes, socks for each, sports bras, underwear, pajamas, paracord, a multi-tool, a head lamp, a fan, a shoeshine kit, moleskin for blisters, basic toiletries and anything she needs to get her hair into a bun.

Aleksie Rengel (second from left) reports for duty in July in West Point, N.Y.

Aleksie Rengel does a chin-up after arriving at West Point. She worked for months to gain the physical strength needed for her training.

Submitted photo

Army uniforms were issued when she arrived.

She wasn’t allowed any personal items. “Just my memories, that’s all I’ll have from home,” Aleksie said before departing for the Academy.

She was surprised how much the letters she received from family and friends motivated her and carried her through basic training. Now she has her phone back, and she’s allowed one picture frame on her desk.

“I’m definitely missing my mom’s food — a lot,” she said, not to mention the family’s three dogs. “And I miss being able to sleep in my bed with sheets.”

With subjects such as “Introduction to War Fighting” and boxing, barracks for a dorm, daily room inspections, and tasks like delivering laundry or basic cleaning that start her day at 6 a.m., her college experience will be a bit different than that of her friends. She also has to worry more about that average college weight gain. The Army feeds its Cadets 4,000 calories a day. “They feed you like you’re a 19-year-old boy,” she said.

Aleksie is interested in pursuing a degree in international relations, with a minor in a language, possibly Russian. True to her character, she downloaded the Duolingo app and was already trying to teach herself Russian before she left for the Academy.

“My ultimate dream would be doing military intelligence,” she said.

“I feel really ready to leave and excited to start my next chapter in life,” she said on a June day from her parents’ home off U.S. Highway 61. And even though she’s following in the footsteps of her dad and brother, she said, “I’ll be on my own path.” D

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

New podcast makes sure

‘Feminists Ruin Everything’

Feminist Action Collective tackles variety of women’s issues

By Mark Nicklawske

Ironworker

Beth “Glo” Beattie said she often finds herself targeted by sexist male co-workers.

“Just existing is threatening to people, just the fact that you’re there doing the work,” she said recently. “This is another thing I hear a lot: ‘You know you’re taking away a job from a man.’ I’ve heard that hundreds of times. And then I always say: ‘So are you.’”

Sometimes, Beattie said, the best weapon in the battle for women’s equality is wit and sarcasm.

But sometimes it’s tough.

“You gotta let things sometimes roll,” said Firefighter Lindzi CampbellRorvick. “Again, some days you’re just not up to fight the world.”

Beattie, Campbell-Rorvick and welder Aleasha Hladilek shared their trade work experience in a recent episode of a new podcast called “Feminists Ruin Everything.” The Internet talk show was launched last fall by Duluth-based Feminist Action Collective with hosts Anna Tennis and

Andrea Crouse and producer Christine Dean.

Organizers hope women will find the podcast and use it to help “ruin” centuries of male-dominated culture.

Dedicated to supporting women in leadership roles, expanding access to women’s health care and fostering respectful discourse, the Feminist Action Collective was founded the day after the 2016 presidential election.

“In that moment, we realized that the United States would rather have

Anna Tennis (left), Andrea Crouse and Christine Dean tell stories about "Feminists Ruin Everything," a podcast they produce together.

PHOTOS BY DAVID BALLARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Donald Trump be president than a totally qualified woman,” Tennis said. “It made a lot of people so angry and so motivated.”

“It was a shock to many people,” Crouse said. “So we were looking for a way to address what we were seeing coming down the road with the new administration.”

The group, which has some 2,000 followers and 30-40 active members, meets regularly at the Building for Women in downtown Duluth. It organized the January Twin Ports Women’s March, participated in International Womxn’s Week events this spring and promotes its cause through merchandise sales, social media and the Feminists Ruin Everything podcast.

The Collective’s Diverse Not Divided Committee initiated the podcast idea.

“We realized we wanted to hear stories from different women, what they’re experiencing in the world,”

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Crouse said. “Storytelling is such an important way to connect with people or experiences that may not be part of our own norm. We keep looking for ways to do that more effectively and draw in people that have experiences we don’t have.”

Early podcasts have featured working Twin Ports area musicians and two feminist scholars. An upcoming show highlights women in sports using interviews with former University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey coach Shannon Miller and Olympian Kara Goucher.

“I just sit there and think; ‘How on earth am I going to edit this because it’s all so great.’ These conversations are so rich,” Dean said.

“It really is just talking about this experience in a way that is completely relatable and completely genuine, as hands free as possible,” Tennis said. She said interviews often take surprising turns: “That meander is as informative to us as it is to anybody listening.”

Crouse said the podcast name was inspired by the Debbie Downer comedy sketch on "Saturday Night Live". In the sketch, Debbie Downer routinely breaks up fun and happy conversations with bad news, grim facts and unpleasant memories.

“We go about that, hopefully, in a more joyful way with the storytelling,” she said. “But trying to get that variety of stories out there so we’re not just giving this single view of an experience that: ‘You know, things are going OK.’”

“It’s fun to play with that concept: Here’s what we’re ‘ruining’ this week!” Dean said.

The 60- to 90-minute shows are designed to be irreverent and easygoing but also material, significant and academic. Popular podcasts like Feminist Killjoys PhD, Call Your Girlfriend and My Favorite Murder served as models. Tennis and Crouse lead the discussion with a list of questions, but things usually wind up in unexpected places.

A historical look at feminism with retired University of Minnesota Duluth women’s studies Professor Beth Bartlett and College of St. Scholastica theology and religious studies professor Denise Starkey, for example, was split into two shows as the interview covered a wide variety of topics.

“We’re learning as we go,” Tennis said. “We’ve ended up getting on the ground, at lofty heights, and academic perspectives on things. Which has been really great to sort of triangulate the entirety of the problem. It’s a more holistic approach.”

Health care issues, access to abortion, equal pay, gender language and discussions involving transgender, nonbinary and two-spirit individuals will see time in future podcasts. The group wants to include voices and stories from all areas of feminism.

“This isn’t a secret society of people who know how things should be done,” Tennis said. “We’re exploring it, too. We want that to be apparent to anybody that’s listening as we learn right along with, and make mistakes right along with, our guests.”

Dean said the results have been eye-opening.

“I was just stunned that in 2018 people would still say to a woman in the trades that they’re taking that job away from a man,” she said.

Andrea Crouse

Christine Dean

Anna Tennis

“I don’t experience that. I’m not in that world.”

But the Feminists Ruin Everything podcast exists to expose such archaic thinking and inspire women to work for change.

“It was real depressing,” Dean said. “But I love that we’re giving people the opportunity to tell their stories. Other people probably didn’t know that, either. They probably think that it’s a thing of the past.” D

Mark Nicklawske is a Duluth freelance journalist. He also reviews music and theater for the Duluth News Tribune.

The Feminists Ruin Everything podcast can be found at the Feminist Action Collective webpage: feministactioncollective.org.

REBUILDING SUPERIOR STREET

Boardrooms boots on the ground,

From to women are leading the way

From7th Avenue West to 4th Avenue East, Duluth’s Superior Street is undergoing its biggest renovation since the 1880s. This massive three-year revitalization project includes replacing and repairing existing public utilities, replacing the current brick pavers

with concrete pavement, improving pedestrian connections, adding a new streetscape and lighting, increasing amenity space, and more. Once completed in late 2020, this project will have far-reaching effects on the future of the entire city.

While most residents are fully aware of the construction, what many people don’t know is just how many talented women are involved in the project. At the very top, we have Mayor Emily Larson. In addition to Mayor Larson, plenty of women are

filling several powerful roles within the project, including board and task force representation, communications, marketing and construction.

What follows is a look at five women who are working on the project: Kristi Stokes, Pakou Ly, Jessica Stauber, Annie Harala and Claudia Gagnon.

Planning begins

Kristi Stokes is president of the Greater Downtown Council (GDC), a role she has held for 18 years. The council focuses on the promotion and development of Duluth’s downtown, and Stokes’ role is to serve as the business advocate and manager for this area of the city.

Stokes said that the initial planning for this massive project started with public input meetings going back to 2013. The GDC has been a partner with the city since the start of the planning process, and Stokes has been a deeply involved stakeholder from very early on.

“I would say 65 percent of my time, or more, has been dedicated to the project this year,” Stokes said. “It was probably closer to 80 percent earlier this year.”

Stokes said she expects her time will be well worth the effort.

“This project will revitalize our

downtown and breathe new life into the heart of our city,” she said. “It is our hope that it will encourage additional economic development and investment by private property owners, and assist in efforts to attract new businesses.”

Communications

The GDC, along with the city, realized from the get-go that a streamlined communication strategy was necessary in order to keep residents, business owners and visitors informed about the project.

“It was the GDC that approached the city about two years ago and said we wanted to have a communications task force for this project,” Stokes said. “The GDC Board of Directors was very clear in saying that the marketing and communication surrounding this project is not just the responsibility of the GDC. It is the responsibility of all of our partners in the community. So, I asked Pakou Ly and Jessica Stauber to co-chair the task force, representing the strong partnership between the GDC

and the city.”

Pakou Ly is the public information coordinator for the City of Duluth. She handles public relations, media relations, and other services for seven city departments. Handling communications for the Superior Street project now takes up about 20 percent of her time.

Ly’s primary goal is to get information out to businesses, strategize on how to help the downtown business district continue to thrive during construction, and provide resources to businesses. A big part of her job is managing social media communications through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor.

“We’ve really been thinking outside the box,” Ly said. “We are utilizing Duluth’s skywalks to heighten

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awareness, interest and intrigue for the project. We also worked with the Duluth Experience to create walking tours, which have been very popular.”

“This project is creating community,” Ly said. “There will be more gathering places and more seating, along with newer lighting and trees. It will draw people in and make them feel welcome and comfortable. I look forward to showing it to my friends and family who visit Duluth.”

Jessica Stauber is St. Luke’s director of marketing and business planning. She is the co-chair of the Superior Street Reconstruction Communications Taskforce, along with Ly, and also is a member of the GDC Board.

Of her goals for the project, Stauber said, “I wanted to do what I could to help ensure businesses and residents are informed and excited about the project and help them recognize what great things this project will mean for Duluth’s future. I think it will be a big step forward in the ongoing revitalization of Duluth.”

Boots on the ground

Women are also deeply entrenched in the project at the ground level. Annie Harala is public information coordinator for Northland Constructors, the contractor handling the majority of the reconstruction project. A typical work day for Harala involves her walking Superior Street, directing traffic, taking photos, communicating updates with businesses, answering pedestrian questions, and working with Stokes and Ly on messaging, which is summarized in a weekly e-mail and published on superiorstreet.org. She also works directly with the construction workers.

“I love that a big part of my job is to build relationships,” she said.

“Every day, I work to make sure the relationship between Northland and our business neighbors remains strong during construction.”

“We’re going to have such a beautiful street and streetscape when this project is finished,” Harala said. “The city really thought of how pedestrians would use it, and it will be much better for people with disabilities.”

Claudia Gagnon, 23, is a laborer for Northland Constructors. She has been in the field for two years, and is part of the “dirt crew” — the team focused on grading, tamping and compacting the ground in preparation for future phases of the project. Although she has a business management degree, Gagnon said, “I’m not really ready for a desk job. I love being outside and working with my hands.”

“I don’t think most people understand how much goes into building a road, along with the new water main, sanitary sewer, and utility work involved,” Gagnon said. “After the first phase of the project, I think tourists and residents will really start to appreciate it. People might miss the brick, but the new road will last much longer.”

Reflections on gender

These five women shared their thoughts on being part of a strong, cohesive team, which just so happens to be female-led.

“I think Duluth is a great place for women, and for all people, to advance their careers,” Stauber said. “Opportunities are abundant for hardworking people who are passionate about what they do, and are willing to get involved and give back to their communities.”

Ly shared, “I have the great privilege of working with some really bright

women on a daily basis. I’m proud of the women and men working together to make this project a success.”

“I work in a very male-dominated industry,” Harala said, “But I feel so respected and valued. That’s the culture Northland Constructors has. I feel comfortable, safe and empowered, independent of my gender.”

Gagnon said, “I didn’t push my way in, and I wasn’t hired because my company was required to hire women. Northland saw my work ethic and wanted me here. Honestly, as long as they’re willing to put in the work, women can do anything they want to do in Duluth.”

“I love the fact that the number of women in business leadership roles has continued to grow,” Stokes said. “I think it’s empowering to see that the communication and marketing of a massive construction project is being led by a strong group of women. I really enjoy working with these women and I think we all know how to ‘get things done.’”

Stokes reflected on what she has learned during her long career as a woman in her industry. “I have learned to be a bit tougher and I realize that you can’t please everyone 100 percent of the time. But, I have also learned to stand my ground when I feel strongly about an issue or idea.

“Early in my career, I was challenged by a property owner who said that something I was proposing would never work. I told him we were still moving forward with it, and if it didn’t work, he could be the first to tell me ‘I told you so.’ He didn’t have to tell me ‘I told you so.’” D

For more information, please visit superiorstreet.org.

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

Focus on Your Health

Dr. Carl Rasmussen shares the benefits of having a primary care physician

By Claire Kiger

Wheredo you go when you have a pressing health concern? The two main options are scheduling a visit with your primary care physician or going to urgent care. Today, some people are choosing to forego a primary care physician and depend solely on urgent care. This option may seem more convenient. However, focusing on staying healthy instead of waiting until you are sick to see a doctor is a better option in the long run.

St. Luke’s has a growing team of skilled and approachable primary care physicians who are committed to helping you manage your health in this way.

Meet Dr. Rasmussen

A recent addition to St. Luke’s team is Dr. Carl Rasmussen. He hails from a small town in South Dakota (Sisseton, if you’re curious), loves the outdoors, and has a passion for people. “I take pride in being able to do what I do every day: helping patients care for themselves and partnering with them in their health care,” Dr. Rasmussen said. Family medicine encompasses a wide range of medical care, and he enjoys the challenges that come with the variety of patients he sees on a daily basis at St. Luke’s Mount Royal Medical Clinic near the UMD campus.

Dr. Rasmussen particularly enjoys partnering with his patients to help

them stay active. With his completion of a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, he has additional training that enables him to provide help with sports-related injuries. This training also helps him promote physical activity and wellness within his practice. His goal is to help patients stay healthy and continue in the activities, sports, and outdoor recreation they enjoy most. He strives to stay active himself and strongly supports the role that exercise plays in a person’s overall health. Getting outside and breaking a sweat every day is one of Dr. Rasmussen’s tactics to maintain his own physical and mental wellbeing. In addition, he has a balanced approach to what he eats and drinks, feeling that “everything in moderation” is a good rule to live by.

The benefits of a primary care physician

While he may obviously be biased, Dr. Rasmussen believes that having a primary care physician is the smartest way to manage your health. He pointed out that urgent care is an important part of the health system and definitely has its role to play. However, by only seeing a doctor when you are sick,

preventive care is missed, and this kind of care is vital to long-term health.

“The goal of health care should be prevention. This investment in your short-term health can prevent detrimental outcomes down the road,” Dr. Rasmussen explained as he continued to emphasize the benefits of establishing care. Beyond having someone to see when you do get sick, annual check-ups can recognize health concerns early, and are generally covered by insurance. This enables prompt treatment and offers more successful outcomes. Some examples of preventive care include mammograms, pap smears, and other cancer screenings, as well as immunizations that help prevent disease.

In addition, primary care physicians are a great resource when it comes to helping you identify and meet your health goals. Developing a plan for a healthy lifestyle is a large part of preventive care. A primary care physician can provide guidance in that process, as well as connect you with any specialists you may need along the way.

Establishing care is as easy as making a phone call to (218) 249-4000. Based on your preferences for clinic location,

Dr. Carl Rasmussen of St. Luke's is board certified in Family Medicine.

how quickly you’d like to be seen, and the gender of the provider, a St. Luke’s representative will help you schedule your first appointment with a primary care physician that best suits you.

“The most rewarding part of my job is being able to work with patients in managing their health,” Dr. Rasmussen said. “There’s a lot of responsibility in that, but there’s a lot of reward, too. And so, I take it very seriously, and I enjoy it.”

St. Luke’s works to provide exceptional care for the community by maintaining a team of doctors who are passionate like Dr. Rasmussen. These physicians are available at 14 primary care clinics across the region. To establish care at St. Luke’s, call (218) 249-4000 or visit www.ChooseStLukes. com. D

Claire Kiger is a marketing specialist and writer for St. Luke's. She wrote this for The Woman Today.

A business boost

UMD Center for Economic Development helps minority business owners succeed

By Abigail Blonigen

Everdreamed of starting a business but did not know where to start? Especially in marginalized communities, starting a business requires the support, guidance and connections many do not have access to. Because of this, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Center for Economic Development (CED) is committed to helping small businesses

grow and succeed.

The CED offers free, oneon-one consultations to entrepreneurs no matter where they are at in the process: developing a business plan, creating a budget, applying for loans or connecting to outside resources. In addition to their office in the Duluth Technology Village, the CED has locations in Virginia, Grand Rapids, International

Falls and Grand Marais with about 15 business consultants.

One of these consultants is Mary Lundeen, a Duluth native with 40 years of experience in banking and finance who recently received the Minority Small Business Champion Award, presented by the Small Business Administration. Nominees included consultants across Minnesota involved in advancing minority entrepreneurs

Mary Lundeen, business consultant at the UMD Center for Economic Development, poses with her Minority Small Business Champion Award presented by the Small Business Administration.

and business owners.

“One thing kind of led to another and then suddenly I find — it wasn’t intentional — I just found that I’m spending more and more of my time with [minority groups] and I’m really enjoying it,” Lundeen said.

Though unintentional, the peak in the number of minorities seeking the CED’s services was not by chance. The increase has largely been due to community partnerships such as the Northland Foundation, Community Action Duluth and the Fond du Lac Reservation.

“We’re trying to increase awareness of our services and break down any barriers that they perceive are there,” Lundeen said.

Besides meeting one on one with her clients, Lundeen teaches a number of workshops, which is what began to strengthen her relationship with Fond du Lac. She said the connection has required her to do more research about the agricultural side of business as well as the Native culture, which has been a rewarding experience.

Born and raised in Duluth, Lundeen has always been active in the community. She attended both The College of St. Scholastica and UMD and started her career as a business banker at various banks and credit unions in the area. Whether it was helping with loans, plans, projections or financial statements, what Lundeen enjoyed most was working directly with community members.

When her two daughters were young, Lundeen switched gears and spent some time teaching children about banking and economics at local schools, and is now a Duluth Public Schools Endowment Fund Board Member. In addition, she serves on the Duluth and Hermantown Chambers and regularly volunteers with Grandma’s Marathon, United Way, and with local hospitals helping cancer

patients get to their appointments.

“I’m a Boomer; we like to work a lot of hours,” joked Lundeen, who volunteers an additional five to 10 hours per week on top of her work schedule.

Lundeen takes pride in her two daughters, who are also invested in the community, both in the health care field. She was excited to share that she has recently become a grandmother.

“We’re always watching the granddaughter or the granddogs,” she said.

After raising two girls, Lundeen

particularly enjoys working with women. In fact, she credits her current position to the former Professional Women’s Network, now the Empowered Women’s Network. During her time, the Network served to help women in business promote themselves, network and share employment opportunities. Ready for a change, Lundeen applied with the CED, and said it’s one of the best jobs she has ever had.

“It’s really working one on one with my clients and seeing them succeed,” said Lundeen on her favorite part about her job.

Because a “small business” is any business with under 500 employees, there is a great deal of diversity in Lundeen’s work, and every day looks different. Receiving the Minority Small Business Champion Award made her “just want to do more.”

Lundeen encourages anyone who has an interest in starting a business to reach out and use the CED’s services.

“People who start a business and don’t have help — 75 percent of them fail within five years, and the reverse is true if you get help,” she said.

More information on the UMD Center for Economic Development can be found at https://ced.d.umn.edu/. The Duluth office can be reached at (218) 726-7298. D

Abigail Blonigen is a Duluth freelance journalist and photographer.

Nominees for the Minority Small Business Champion Award included consultants across Minnesota involved in advancing minority entrepreneurs and business owners.

Battling the opioid epidemic in the Northland

By Celia Tarnowski

Whenyou first meet Etoile, which is French for star, her youthful looks, soft-spoken demeanor and a ready smile would lead you to believe she is much younger than 30. It’s likely you’d never guess what she has experienced in the past 10 years. Etoile’s life story includes experience with addiction and recovery, both chapters reframing outdated concepts on what the “face of addiction” looks like, and the process for withdrawal.

Etoile did not grow up in an environment that supported drug use; it was a strategy she discovered to escape painful experiences. When she was a teenager, her father became very sick and suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The illness took a toll on their finances, and she eventually lost her home, animals and possessions.

Etoile became her father’s caretaker until he died when she was 21. Wanting to start a new life, she moved away from home and enrolled in college. The summer before her first semester, Etoile began using drugs and alcohol to cope with the loss of her father.

“I was getting into anything I could,” she said. “I was very naive. Alcohol and cough syrup — I would use those to feel better.”

Plans for a degree fell by the wayside, as it was hard to concentrate and commit to school. She dropped out before the end of her first year. She

moved in with her friend Ryan, who had a long history of drug use. Over the next few years, her occasional drug use became an everyday event, and the pills were replaced with heroin. Although using regularly, Etoile didn’t realize she had moved from choice to dependence. She described her first experience going through withdrawal: “I didn’t realize you could get physically addicted. I remember the first time I withdrew, I had no idea what was going on — I thought I had gotten the flu, a really painful and terrifying case of the flu. Ryan explained to me that I was going through withdrawal.”

As their use amped up, they spent most days trying to get their next fix; ultimately, it became the only thing that mattered.

“I don’t know how we did it,” Etoile said. “We somehow figured out how to get the money to buy from someone. Eventually, we stopped going outside and doing stuff. We just started smoking (heroin) all day, every day.”

The last year of their drug use, they became homeless and had to live in their car. Ryan and Etoile wanted to get clean, but their physical dependency on drugs and fear of the side effects of withdrawal resulted in many failed attempts. Knowing they couldn’t do it on their own, they sought help at the ClearPath Clinic in Duluth. Today, Ryan has been sober for two years, and

The Center for Alcohol & Drug Treatment helps women find hope at ClearPath clinic

Etoile is in the last stages of the process, tapering her medication to a very small amount. She said she hopes to be done by fall.

Treating the whole person

The Center for Alcohol & Drug Treatment opened the ClearPath clinic in 2015. It uses a multifaceted approach, which includes pharmacotherapies, case management and monitoring services, patient education, individual and group therapy, relapse prevention, motivational enhancement, 12-step facilitation and specialized chemical dependency programs. Some might be surprised to know that many of their clients hold down full-time jobs and run the gamut of standard careers, from teachers and business-owners to medical professionals. The face of addiction is diversified.

Etoile is one of the many ClearPath clients who depend on Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) to help them move toward recovery. Medications are used in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, treating each person as an individual, said Tina Silverness, CEO of the treatment center.

“MAT for opioid addiction utilizes meds to stabilize brain chemistry,

block the euphoric effect of opioids, relieve physiological and psychological cravings, and normalize body function,” she said.

Because the process uses medication to help patients move away from addiction, it is often misinterpreted as substituting one drug for another, Silverness said. She said there’s a difference between physical dependence and addiction.

“Physical dependence occurs when the brain adapts to the effects of a drug and develops tolerance. A person who is physically dependent on a prescribed opioid medication but is not addicted will not experience a loss of control, strong cravings, compulsive drug use, or a failure to meet work, social and family obligations. On the other hand, a person who has an addiction no longer takes a drug just to feel its effects, but rather to escape withdrawal and feel closer to normal. Addiction affects the parts of the brain responsible for decision-making and self-control, so a person … will continue to use the drug despite serious life consequences such as losing a job, getting arrested, or suffering an overdose,” Silverness said.

That is not to say that some don’t misuse the medication. However, the ClearPath clinic makes every effort to limit the opportunity for clients to resell or accumulate doses. There are cameras placed at every dosing station, and clients must take medication in the presence of staff members.

Changing patterns, finding balance

“Judi,” 55, has been in the ClearPath program for 10 years. She asked that her real name not be used for this report. Growing up, both her parents were alcoholics and used marijuana, a pattern she would follow. In her mid-30s, she met the man she would later marry. He introduced her to pills, which led to meth and finally heroin. Her addiction has caused turmoil in her family and the expected consequences, including a stint in jail. Feeding her habit became paramount to eating regularly or the right foods. She almost died when a

Continued on page 29

The ClearPath clinic waiting room.

Douglas County, Wisconsin

Read to children, mentor teenagers, help lonely seniors, improve the environment, assistant veterans & so much more!

Etoile is a ClearPath client who credits the clinic for her progress in recovery. She asked her last name not be used for this report.

Contact218-625-7822

“Judi” is a ClearPath client who has been clean and in recovery for 10 years. She asked that her identity be protected for this report.

Tina Silverness is chief executive officer for the Center For Alcohol & Drug Treatment.

stomach ulcer burst, the result of her poor diet. Her life turned around when she entered the ClearPath program. She credited the clinic with her ability to stay clean.

“I know I would have fallen back into where I was before because that’s all I knew,” she said.

Unlike Etoile, Judi doesn’t see herself tapering her MAT dosage with an end goal of leaving the program. She is at a steady dose and wants to continue with the additional supports she receives at the clinic. She has found a medication level that works, controlling the physiological and psychological cravings that drive opioid addiction. Judi considers her progress and future sobriety to be contingent on the clinic’s resources and the opportunity to surround herself with the supportive type of people that she finds at ClearPath.

“Right now, I’m happy with the way everything is going in my life,” she said. “This (program) keeps me involved with people that are clean and sober. There are so many positive things to keep me clean and focused. I think I would lose that insight if I didn’t come here.”

Changing perceptions

The CADT is working to move the public toward seeing substance-use disorders as any other chronic medical condition. Despite strong support from the medical community, it is difficult to change the long-held mindset that people battling drugs have a lack of moral conviction or character flaw. Silverness said this way of thinking hurts both the people who need help and the community they live in.

“This prevents many individuals from seeking out help and continues to perpetuate the cycle of addiction,” she said. “This is not only harmful to those needing treatment but also to our communities, becoming a public health and safety issue with increased rates of communicable diseases, crime, overdoses and deaths. All of which we are seeing with the current opiate epidemic.”

People who seek help know they’re seen as perpetual addicts rather than people on the journey to recovery. Judi was visibly upset when asked about other people’s perception.

“It’s hard to deal with the misconceptions,” she said. “You go to the clinic for help, but people view us as being bad people or drug addicts. They think we’re just trying to get high. I want to tell them, if you haven’t been there, you don’t know.”

Etoile said she wants people to look past patients’ exterior to get a better sense of who they are and what brought them to this point. She spoke with sincerity and concern, saying, “A lot of those people are beautiful inside; they’re kind, loving people who are just in so much pain.” D

Celia Tarnowski is a college instructor and has worked as a freelance writer and journalist for 30 years.

When bad accidents happen to good people.

° PERSONAL INJURY °

›› Stephanie Ball ›› Donald Erickson

Three battle lines to fight opioid abuse

By Celia Tarnowski

Health workers hope to make most of new grant money

St. Louis County has the highest rate of opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota, according to the most recent data, through 2015. This alarming statistic illustrates the need to focus on opioid abuse, as overdose deaths in the county catapulted from zero in 2002-10 to 64 between 2011-15.

on three goals. Jana Blomberg, a public health educator with the county, outlined the initiative. She said the first goal is to partner with health care providers so anyone who prescribes opioids is aligned with current best practices. The second goal is to decrease the supply of opioids circulating illegally by promoting safe disposal of unused pills. The third goal is to integrate referrals for treatment into public health home visits and other health care systems.

Minnesota’s opioid prescriber guidelines and protocols are a touchstone that can bring people who treat and prescribe medication into alignment with state directives, decreasing the chance of abuse. The goal is for health care providers to use mindful and safe judgment when prescribing opioids for pain management.

St. Louis County is one of two counties in the state chosen to pilot opioid prevention methods through the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) through the Minnesota Department of Health.

The county plans to use a tiered approach that will focus

“We will be offering support wherever it is needed,” Blomberg said of the SHIP grant initiative. Another important goal of the program is decreasing the steady stream of medications that circulate. Proper storage and disposal of unused medicine are critical. Unused medication that’s left in your medicine cabinet, thrown in the garbage, or shared with others are ways that opioids can be channeled from the prescription’s original recipient into the hands of someone who will abuse them. Any unused medication should be brought to your local drop-off sites (WLSSD, for example).

“Proper disposal of unused medicine is a key strategy for harm reduction and prevention,” said Linnea Mirsch, director of St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services. “We have to be more creative in rural communities to make it happen. We’re working to make sure we eliminate barriers.”

Being aware of your current medication is also vital in keeping your medication secure. You should know the number of prescription medications that

are in your home and keep tabs on how many pills you have for each prescription, so you’re aware if some go missing. Just like anything else that’s valuable, your medication should be kept in a secure manner.

Fostering partnerships with area organizations is one way that St. Louis County has made strides in fighting opiate abuse. Mirsch said these connections contributed to the county being well-placed to take on the SHIP grant.

“St. Louis County was well positioned … because of our existing partnerships with qualified agencies,” she said. “We have plans, we have strategies, we know gaps, and we know key places and key communities where we have things to do.”

An example of their partnership in action is the Substance Abuse Prevention & Intervention Initiative, started in 2014 by the St. Louis County Board. SAPII focuses on prevention, intervention and education.

Marcia Gurno, a county social worker in Duluth, is an original SAPII team member and has been coordinating the grant money received for the opioid prevention efforts. Gurno said she’s excited about the success the county has seen with the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) initiative and the potential to build on that success. One example is Pathfinder, a specialized opioid withdrawal unit that opened in November 2017.

“When you look at other addictions, and you look at opioids, the window of opportunity to provide treatment is much smaller,” she said. “In the past, if somebody came in with an opioid use disorder, actively using, and said, ‘I want treatment today,’ there was no way to get them into treatment. Now, we can contact Pathfinder, and they can get services on the spot.”

Continued on page 32-33

Marcia Gurno is a county social worker in Duluth.

Jana Blomberg is a public health educator with St. Louis County.

Linnea Mirsch is director of St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services.

Linnea Mirsch talks with other county health workers recently.

Gurno, who has been training with the SBIRT model for the past four years, credits a broad range of positive results. These include a decrease in drug and alcohol abuse, a reduction in drug-related incidents such as accidents, injuries, DUIs and medical issues, as well as improved neonatal outcomes.

“It’s screening for risky substance use to try and intervene before it goes through the continuum of use, from experimental all the way to addiction,” she said. “There are places at each point of that continuum to do prevention and intervention work.”

Over the course of the next year, Blomberg will collect data on the pilot program to share with the state.

“There are organizations around the county and state that are working on similar strategies,” she said. “My goal with this pilot project is to help community partners fill the gaps in areas where it’s needed and to support these organizations in areas they already have progress.” D

Celia Tarnowski is a college instructor and has worked as a freelance writer and journalist for 30 years.

Essentia Health manager seeks volunteers to craft prostheses for breast cancer survivors

By Connie Wirta

Ifyou knit or crochet, Roberta Klekotka wants to recruit you to craft comfortable prostheses for breast cancer survivors.

It only takes a few hours to make a soft breast form for women who visit Essentia Health clinics across the Northland, explains Roberta, who manages Essentia Health’s Breast Health Center in Duluth. The free prostheses, called Knitted Knockers, are given to any woman who has had a mastectomy.

An avid knitter and crocheter, Roberta has created more than 100 knockers in the last year. Now she needs help to meet demand and bring the prostheses to 20 Essentia Health clinics in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Her volunteer project has gained the backing of the Essentia Health Foundation, which is providing money to buy the special yarn for volunteers.

Knitted Knockers are lightweight and breathable compared to silicon prostheses that many women find heavy and sweaty in bras. “Some women say the weight and rubbing of a silicon prosthesis is a constant reminder of their cancer,” Roberta says.

Roberta was looking for a new volunteer opportunity when she happened upon Knitted Knockers on

the internet. The national nonprofit offers patterns to crafters who create breast prostheses that they then send to the organization to distribute to women who have had mastectomies.

A breast cancer survivor herself, Roberta decided to jump in. Following a downloaded pattern, she began

crocheting knockers in the summer of 2017. She asked friends on her dragon boat team, the Survivor Sistership, to try out her early samples and give her feedback. “They loved them,” she recalls, explaining the women compete in the annual races that raise money for breast cancer patients and services.

Roberta Klekotka, who manages Essentia Health’s Breast Health Center in Duluth, is recruiting volunteers to knit and crochet prostheses for breast cancer survivors. She wants to offer Knitted Knockers to any woman who has had a mastectomy.

PHOTO BY DEREK MONTGOMERY PHOTOGRAPHY

When Roberta shared Knitted Knockers with nurses in Essentia’s Breast Health Center and patient navigators in the Essentia Health Cancer Center, they were delighted. So were their patients.

Olivia Lenz, a registered nurse in the Breast Health Center, has shared knockers with women headed into surgery and those who are many years past surgery. “Some of my patients express concern about how they will look after their mastectomy and it is during this intimate moment that I can introduce them to the Knitted Knockers,” she says. “One patient picked out a size C and was encouraged to be heading into surgery with a plan for what was to come.”

Olivia says another patient was struggling with irritation caused by a prosthesis rubbing against her mastectomy scar. “She was so excited to try a Knitted Knocker that she put it in her bra right away,” Olivia recalls. “She was happy that it was lightweight and not hot. She was even happier that her mastectomy scar would no longer be irritated. She looked amazing and wore a beautiful smile to boot.” D

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

Continued on page 36

Soft breast prostheses called Knitted Knockers are crafted in a variety of cup sizes and colors.

Roberta Klekotka (center) has been crocheting breast prostheses that are shared with women by nurses in Essentia Health’s Breast Health Center and patient navigators who work in the Essentia Health Cancer Center. They include (from left): Patient Navigator Kari Norman, Registered Nurse Darla Bartley, Registered Nurse Olivia Lenz and Patient Navigator Nancy Larrivy.

Knit a knocker

You can help a breast cancer survivor by knitting or crocheting a prosthesis.

A nonprofit organization called Knitted Knockers has developed patterns for all cup sizes and offers free patterns on its website, KnittedKnockers.org. It also has a list of approved yarns suitable for prostheses that rub against skin that’s often very tender after breast cancer treatments.

Roberta Klekotka, diagnostic imaging manager at the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic, is organizing a volunteer effort to place handmade knockers in Essentia Health clinics across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. To join her crew and get a free skein of yarn, email rklekotka@yahoo.com or call (218) 213-2835. She’ll give you instructions on how to return your finished knockers so they can be stuffed and shared with local breast cancer survivors.

Donate to the Breast Cancer and Health Fund

You can donate money to buy yarn for volunteer knitters and crocheters through the Essentia Health Foundation.

Donate online at EssentiaHealth.org or you can write a check to the Essentia Health Foundation and write Knitted Knockers in the note area. Mail your check to: Essentia Health Foundation, 400 E. Third St, Duluth, MN 55805 D

For more information, call Foundation Associate Deb Ellingsen at (218) 786-1062 or email Debra.Ellingsen@ EssentiaHealth.org.

whitecedarstudio.com

Kat’s

Eyes Optical 1016

Harley-Davidson Sports Center 4355 Stebner Rd. hdduluth.com

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

Duluth Curves focuses on far more than fitness

By Kelsey Roseth

WOMEN FORGE FRIENDSHIPS DURING EARLY MORNING WORKOUTS

There’s something odd happening at Duluth Curves.

It’s 5:40 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, and I groggily rub my eyes as I walk into the fitness facility, a styrofoam coffee cup from Holiday in hand. I’m one of the earliest people to arrive. An energetic group of women rushes in a few minutes after me. They stop near the club’s cubbies to set down their things and put on their tennis shoes, then one by one head off to select a rubber mat.

The moment that strikes me as peculiar takes place about seven minutes into class. Karen Graber, the general manager of Duluth Curves, is leading a 30-minute circuit training session, with a video and music playing in the background. During an exercise, she laughs suddenly, and another follows suit. Soon, a wave of giggling floods the room.

“This is the ungodly hour,” said Graber, laughing. “Someone came in and said ‘so these are the people who work out at this ungodly hour.’ We’ve been joking about it ever since.”

Duluth Curves is located on Woodland Avenue, near Mount Royal Market. Inside, there are multiple mats on

the floor in a circle, and between the mats are various resistance strengthtraining machines. The women who are here this morning are being guided through a series of stretches, calorie-

burning activities and strength-building exercises.

The ladies tell me they love how there’s nothing to remember; members are guided through workouts by a prerecorded video and simply follow along. There are no locker rooms, no treadmills, no free weights nor elliptical machines. Members pay $44 per month for the simplicity and convenience of going through the circuit at their leisure, or for the camaraderie of attending one of its multiple classes.

“Comfort and ease [is] paramount,” Graber said. “It’s comfortable to be here. It’s comfortable for women. There are no mirrors. There is no worrying about someone else needing a machine.”

Curves International, Inc. was founded in Waco, Texas, in the early 1990s by a Gary Heavin, who worked with his wife, Diane, to create a no-frills health club where women of any ability could feel good about working out. In the early 2000s, the Seattle Times called Curves the “world’s No. 1 fitness center in terms of number of clubs,” citing more than 8,400 locations at the

Nancy Knezevich of Duluth uses the bicep-tricep machine at Duluth Curves.

PHOTOS BY KELSEY ROSETH

time. Since then, the number of clubs worldwide has declined, and today the Curves website references about 4,000 locations.

In the late 1990s, Duluth Curves was the first of five locations in a 30-mile radius. Today, it’s one of three, and still going strong.

“[The members] have developed these really, really tight relationships,” Graber said. “These gals, there are about 10 to 12 of them, they’ve been friends for about 17 years. That surprises me. You don’t get that in a gym.”

For the women at this 5:45 a.m. class, most of whom have continued to exercise despite health problems over the years, a sweat-inducing workout is one of two reasons they show up. The other reason is for the deeplyrooted friendships, the kind many of us only read about in books or see on television.

Most days during the week, the early morning class is followed by coffee nearby and companionship. These tight-knit accountability buddies also celebrate birthdays together, play board games, and spend time at each other’s lake cabins.

“Gradually we started having coffee, and friendships, and we would enjoy the chatter back and forth, and it just kind of grew,” said Carol Eklund of Duluth, who joined Curves about 17 years ago. Initially, the only person she

Continued on page 43

Nancy Knezevich of Duluth uses the bicep-tricep machine at Duluth Curves.

Therese Campbell of Duluth laughs while working out.

Karen Graber, general manager of Duluth Curves, works out at the facility recently.

knew at the health club was her friend Nancy Knezevich.

“We’ve been through a lot of things. There have been kids’ weddings, funerals, grandchildren, breast cancer,” said Knezevich, of Duluth. “It’s been a lot, and we’re supportive of each other.”

These women may have joined Curves for the initial health benefits: better metabolism, enhanced flexibility, and more increased overall. “My blood pressure was creeping up, and up, and up, and I needed to get that regulated with more exercise,” Knezevich said. The classes “are invigorating, and the workout is good. It’s something I can do,” she said.

Duluth resident Theresa Olson, who has worked out at the fitness facility for just under 10 years, said she came for the fitness, but that’s not why she stayed. “My husband died, and this morning group … they all came to the funeral, and they all were very supportive, and I’ve hung out with them ever since.” D

To witness this awe-inspiring friendship or to give a Curves workout a try, visit: www.curves.com/locations.

Kelsey Roseth is a Duluth freelance multimedia journalist and writer.

• Dr. Paul K. Hodapp

Dr. Scott K. Varland

Dr. Nathan A. Jarnot

Carol Eklund and Joanne Balliette, both of Duluth, use the the glute and oblique machines.

Theresa Olson of Duluth uses the glute machine.

By Jill Somers

People often ask me how I went from a long-time career in technical IT sales and account management to my current role as the owner of a Curves gym for women — and a certified Zumba instructor and health coach!

The new direction that my life has taken started with a very serious car accident in March of 2012. I sustained substantial injuries in that accident — the worst of them being a serious concussion, several broken bones in my face, and a blunt force trauma injury to my left knee. Many people — including the Minnesota highway patrolman who was the first to the scene — thought that I was extremely lucky to be alive, given the nature of the damage to our car that was stuck twice by a one-ton pick up truck.

Car accident, injury leads life to where it's meant to be

I went through a prolonged and often painful recovery process. I would find myself wondering why I had been spared when so many people lose their lives every day in similar crashes. I even talked to my minister about it, and he just told me that God obviously still had plans for me here.

Eventually, the bones in my face healed, and I learned to deal with the symptoms of my brain injury. But the pain in my left knee became overwhelming. After arthroscopic

I had struggled with my weight most of my adult life. Like many other women I know, I frequently used up all my energy on my job and taking care of my family — and had nothing left by the end of the day to take care of myself. I lost and gained weight so many times in the 20 years leading up to that accident, that I just had no idea how I was going to do that again. Not only was I already overweight at the time of the accident, but I put on quite a bit more weight in the next couple of years because my main form of exercise had always been to go for walks, and I couldn’t do much of that due to the knee pain. My job required that I spend many hours every day driving or sitting at a desk, which made things even more difficult. I felt totally hopeless and depressed.

surgery and cortisone shots did not relieve the pain, the doctor said my only choice was to strengthen my leg muscles and lose weight to take some of the pressure off my knee.

In the fall of 2015, I happen to drive past the Curves in Hermantown and remembered that I had a coupon for a free month. I had memberships at gyms in the past but found that they just never worked for me. Out of sheer desperation, I decided to walk into the Curves that day and check it out with my free-month

coupon. I can honestly say that was the first day of the rest of my life! What I found there was a welcoming, supportive community of like-minded women who were all there to get strong and healthy. The equipment in the strength training circuit was designed to make it easier for women to get the level of workout they needed to get stronger, 30 minutes at a time. Within a matter of weeks, my knee was feeling better than it had since the accident because my legs were getting stronger, and my joints were getting more flexible.

However, that is not the end of the story. That Curves location had been for sale for quite some time, and the former owner finally put out a notice that it was going to be closed if someone did not purchase it in the next 30 days! As fate would have it, the position that I had at that time was being relocated to California due to yet another corporate restructuring. As many of us have experienced, corporate entities have little empathy for human lives!

I had always intended to do work that made a difference in people’s lives. That is why I originally went to college to be a high school teacher — but only ended up teaching for a few years because I was recruited by a tech company. Once I got into the corporate world, it was hard to walk away from the money.

Suddenly, I felt like I understood why I had been spared in that accident. After being a member of Curves for only six months, I had already realized how important it was to me and so many other women in our community. I just couldn’t let it go away. With my wonderful husband’s support, we bought the franchise and moved it to its current location on Matterhorn Drive.

We have spent the last couple of years creating a welcoming space where women can feel comfortable and get the workouts they need to live strong and healthy lives. I have become passionate about supporting women in their quest for good health. I have met some amazing people along the way that have helped me in my own personal journey. With a great nutritional program, fun cardio workouts and consistent strength training, I have lost 70 pounds and have substantially improved all my major health metrics.

Because I wanted to be able to provide the highest level of support possible to other women, I recently completed a health coaching program that has given me amazing tools to help other women set and achieve their health goals.

While it was a very crooked path with lots of forks in the road, I feel so blessed to finally have a job where I can help to make a real difference in the lives of others. D

Jill Somers is owner of Curves Miller Hill, 4925 Matterhorn Drive. Call (218) 279-2878 for more information about the gym.

Edward Grondahl

As a young woman, you have an opportunity to make some major financial strides. You truly have time on your side when it comes to investing, saving and harnessing the power of compounding. Now is the time to pay yourself first and do those things that could make you wealthy in the future.

Your first move should be debt reduction. This frees up money for the other moves you can make and lessens the amount of money you pay to others, instead of yourself, each month.

Consider attacking your highestinterest debts first rather than your largest debts. If you have big credit card balances, high-interest car loans, or similar financial obligations, that borrowed money may be extremely expensive. Credit bureau Experian says that monthly household credit card balances in this country hover around $6,375. According to personal finance website NerdWallet, the average interest rate on a credit card right now is 14.87 percent, and the average U.S. household pays out $904 a year just in credit card interest. A constant debt of $6,000 is bad enough, but having to pay roughly another $1,000 a year just for the opportunity to borrow? That really hurts.1

Whether your major debts are larger or smaller, think of the progress you could possibly make by devoting thousands of dollars you pay to others to yourself. Say you direct $3,000 you would otherwise pay to creditors during a year into an investment account returning 6 percent. Say you do this

Wise money moves young women can make

Want a better financial future for yourself? Act now.

for 10 consecutive years. At the end of that 10-year period, you are looking at $47,287, not simply $30,000. That is what compound interest — the best kind of interest — can do for you financially.2

Across longer time periods, compound interest has a proportionately greater positive effect. Stretch the above example out to 35 years and those annual $3,000 investments at a 6 percent return grow to $377,421. (Keep in mind, you may be able to save and invest considerably more than $3,000 annually as you earn more money per year.)2

Save or invest whatever you can. Setting aside a little cash for yourself is good, too. You want to build some kind of emergency fund with money you can touch; money you can get at right away if you need it quickly.

Many retirement savings vehicles offer you tax breaks. The common workplace retirement plan or IRA is tax favored: money within the account grows tax free, and it is subtracted from your paycheck before taxes. You only pay taxes on the money when it is withdrawn. In addition, many employers will partially match your contributions if you meet a certain minimum. Roth IRAs and workplace plans allow both tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals, provided Internal Revenue Service rules are followed. While you get no up-front tax break for contributing to a Roth account, you also have the potential to withdraw the money tax free for

retirement, which is a great thing.3

Not using these saving and investing accounts could be a big mistake. Some people are skittish about Wall Street investments, but largely speaking, those are the kinds of investments that have the potential to return better than 5 percent a year (think about the scenario from a few paragraphs earlier). In fact, the S&P 500, the broad benchmark of the stock market, gained an impressive 19.42 percent last year.4

Parking too much money in cash and avoiding all risk can come with an opportunity cost you may not be able to afford. Sallie Krawcheck, the former president of the investment management division of Bank of America and CEO of Ellevest, estimates that a woman making $85,000 annually who puts 20 percent of her yearly pay into a bank account rather than an investment account could effectively forfeit more than $1 million after four decades of doing so.5

Now is the ideal time to plan to get ahead financially. Think about your future, and make the wise money moves that give you the potential to make it bright. D

Edward Grondahl is a financial adviser at CUNA Mutual Group located at Northwoods, Northern Communities and Minnesota Power credit unions. He wrote this for The Woman Today and can be reached at (218) 279-3235 or Edward.Grondahl@cunamutual.com.

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.

«RepresentativeDisclosure»

Citations.

1 - tinyurl.com/ybxskou6 [2/19/18]

2 - bankrate.com/calculators/savings/compound-savings-calculator-tool.aspx [2/22/18]

3 - fool.com/retirement/2017/05/20/taxable-vs-tax-advantaged-savings.aspx [5/20/17]

4 - ycharts.com/indicators/sandp_500_return_annual [2/22/18]

5 - money.cnn.com/2017/03/08/pf/financial-moves-sallie-krawcheck/ [3/8/17]

Weddings

Kelsey Mills & Ryan Ahern

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Nate & Whitney Peterson

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Molly & Jeff Bredesen

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Joe & Sam Pikul

Photo by Alan Johnson Photography

Tim & Cindy Friendshuh

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Myriah & Jackson Schilling

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

James & Ashley Mach

Photo by Alan Johnson Photography

Stacy & Jared Blank

Photo by Alan Johnson Photography

Kari & Dan Bergman

Photo by Shawna Vine Photography

Arts & Events Calendar

Downtown Duluth Arts Walk

Sept. 28

Take in the art across the spectrum. Learn about what the area’s artists have been up to. Includes exhibits, gallery talks, art demonstrations and music. Visit the group’s Facebook page, facebook.com/ DuluthArtsWalk/.

Minnesota Ballet’s Black & White Ball

Sept. 29

The “little ball with lots of fun,” as the ballet calls it, has moved to the Kitchi Gammi Club. Wear your best black and white clothes and dance to live music. Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served. Live auction. 831 E. Superior St., at 7 p.m. Call (218) 529-3742 or go to minnesotaballet.org.

Wild About Rice Festival

Sept. 29

Learn about the protection, harvesting and cooking of wild rice. The day will include speakers, children’s activities, wild rice to purchase and food to sample. Lake Superior Estuarium, 3 Marina Drive, Superior. Call (715) 399-4093 for more information, or visit lakesuperiorreserve.org.

The Gitche Gumee Wedding Show

Sept. 30

A wedding show designed for people planning a wedding in Duluth as a

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.

destination, featuring wedding experts such as caterers, limos, accommodations, music, floral, apparel and more. Lake Superior Ballroom, DECC, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call (218) 727-1177 or go to facebook.com/ Gitchegumeeweddingshow/.

Alabama - The Hits Tour

Sept. 30

The band has sold over 80 million albums and have charted 43 No. 1 singles. After 49 years, Alabama continues to thrill fans as The Hits Tour 2018 rolls on through the U.S. and Canada. AMSOIL Arena, 350 Harbor Drive, 7:30 p.m. Call (800) 745-3000 or go to ticketmaster. com.

Trixie Mattel

Oct. 2

“Trixie Mattel Now with Moving Parts” tour is an evening of music, comedy and drag featuring the winner of the third season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.” Contains adult material. Call (800) 745-3000 for tickets, or visit decc.org for more information. Tour info. At dragfans.com.

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Oct. 4–Oct. 13

Comedic genius Ken Ludwig transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic "The Hound of the Baskervilles" into a murderously funny adventure. Sherlock Holmes is on the case. The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being

dispatched one by one. To find their ingenious killer, Holmes and Watson must brave the desolate moors before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Join the fun and see how far from elementary the truth can be. Tickets $20. Underground theater, 506 W. Michigan St. Call (218) 733-7555 or visit duluthplayhouse.org.

Bayfield Apple Festival

Oct. 5-7

Food, arts and crafts, children’s activities, fine art, boat rides, music and more at this 57th annual event. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Call (715) 7793335 or visit bayfield.org for more information.

Harvest Run at Fitger’s

Oct. 6

This annual event is a fundraiser for several local charities. Includes a 5K walk or run and children’s race. 9 a.m. Call (218) 7220410 or visit fitgersharvestrun.com for more information.

Dear Finder 2018

Oct. 11-20

UMD Theatre. A new imagining of the awardwinning documentary play first performed twenty years ago, "Dear Finder 2018" examines how we continue to struggle with the lessons and legacies of the Holocaust.

Oct. 11-13 & 17-20 at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted performance)

Marshall Performing Arts Center, Mainstage Theatre. tickets.umn.edu, (218) 726-8561

The Avett Brothers

Oct. 13

The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, N.C. They combine bluegrass, country, pop, folk and rock ’n’ roll to produce a novel sound. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; show starts at 7:30. Call (800) 7453000 for tickets, or visit decc.org for more information.

‘Rear Window’

Oct. 14

The Norshor Theatre hosts its Classic Film

Series with this Alfred Hitchcock classic. This series gives audiences to watch a classic film and then talk about it with event hosts. 7 p.m. $12. NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St., Call (218) 733-7555 or visit norshortheatre.com.

Boo at the Zoo

Oct. 13 and 20

The zoo opens its grounds for this familyfriendly, not-too-scary event. (Adults and teens may not wear full-face masks or makeup.) Trick-or-treating, bounce houses, magic shows, face painting, tractor show, animals on exhibit and more. $9 for advance tickets sold at Super One stores; $10 at the gate. Lake Superior Zoo, 7210 Fremont St. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Call (218) 730-4500 or visit lszooduluth.org for more information.

19th Annual Orchestra Story Hour

Oct. 20

A UMD Music presents performance. 7:30 pm at Weber Music Hall. Tickets $4-11. Tickets. umn.edu. (218) 726-8877

Jazz Scholarship Concert

Oct. 22

UMD’s Jazz Scholarship Concert offers a unique opportunity to experience world-class jazz artists, along with UMD’s Big Bands and the region’s premier big band The Big Time Jazz Orchestra. Marshall Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $6-16. tickets.umn. edu, (218) 726-8877.

Dr. Doolittle Jr.

Oct. 26–Nov. 4

The classic tale of kindness to animals trots, crawls and flies onto the stage with a cast of child actors ages 8-18. This musical tells the classic tale of a wacky, but kind, doctor who can talk to animals, taking the audience on a journey from the small English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh to the far corners of the world. The Duluth Playhouse family stage, 506 W. Michigan St. Call (218) 733-7555 or visit duluthplayhouse.org.

Howl-O-Ween

Oct. 27

Come dressed in costume and spend some time exploring the trails around Hartley Nature Center. There will be games, crafts, a critter trail and treats. For ages birth-8,

accompanied by a parent or guardian, 9 a.m. to noon. Free for HNC members; $15 for nonmembers. Preregister at (218) 724-6735.

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Oct. 31–Nov. 3

The cult classic returns. Actors bring the characters off the screen and into the theater with live, lip-synched performances, prop bags and audience interaction. $20. The Underground, 506 W. Michigan St. Call (218) 733-7555 or visit duluthplayhouse.org.

Killer Queen

Nov. 6

Killer Queen is a tribute band for Queen, whose songs have inspired generations. Doors open at 7 p.m.; show at 8 p.m. $55. NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St., Call (218) 7337555 or visit norshortheatre.com.

Brian Regan

Nov. 8

Vanity Fair called Regan “the funniest stand-up alive,” and Entertainment Weekly called him “your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” His second Netflix special is planned for release in 2019. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; show starts at 7:30. Call (800) 745-3000 for tickets, or visit decc.org for more information.

Significant Other

Nov. 8-17

UMD Theatre. Jordan is single, and finding Mr. Right is much easier said than done. The only thing harder than looking for love is supporting your besties, when love finds them first.

Nov. 8-10 & 13-17 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted performance) (Sunday, Nov. 11 - ASL interpreted performance.)

Marshall Performing Arts Center, Dudley Experimental Theatre. tickets.umn.edu, (218) 726-8561

All Souls Night

Nov. 10

An annual event with many facets of the Mexican tradition represented. Includes a ceremony, funeral march, burning rotten ideas and fire dancing. Honor ancestors and grieve losses. Dress for a funeral or as a skeleton. Face painting also will be done on-site. Organizers ask that non-Hispanic attendees don’t appropriate Mexican candy skull face paint. Recommended donation is $10. 5–9 p.m. The Depot, 506 W. Michigan St.

Arts & Events Calendar

Artaria Strings

Nov. 10

The Artaria Strings Quartet is a teaching and performing string quartet who has been recognized for many achievements by the National Endowment for the Arts over their 32 years.

Weber Music Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $6-16. Tickets.umn.edu (218) 726-8877

‘Singin’ in the Rain’

Nov. 11

The Norshor Theatre hosts its Classic Film Series with this musical classic. This series gives audiences to watch a classic film and then talk about it with event hosts. 7 p.m. $12. NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St., Call (218) 733-7555 or visit norshortheatre.com.

Matinee Musical presents The Harlem Quartet

Nov. 13

The group advances diversity with a varied repertoire that includes works by minority composers. Mitchell Auditorium, 1200 Kenwood Ave. 7:30 p.m.

Upcoming: Charles Yang, violin and Peter Dugan, piano on March 5 at Weber Music Hall, UMD; and Goldstein-Peled-Fiterstein Trio and Erin Aldridge, violin on April 16 at Mitchell Auditorium. matineemusicale.org

Christmas City of the North Parade

Nov. 16

The parade in downtown Duluth features bands, dancers, floats and Santa Claus, kicking off the holiday season for many families. The parade also is broadcast live on KBJR-TV. Free parking is available many downtown ramps after 5 p.m.; meters are free after 5:30 p.m. Call (218) 727-8549 or visit downtownduluth.com for more information.

Bentleyville

Nov. 17

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. Closes Dec. 26.

Peppa Pig Live!

Nov. 29

Peppa Pig Live! is back with an action-packed live show featuring your favorite characters as life size puppets and costume characters in Peppa Pig’s Surprise! It’s an all singing, alldancing adventure full of songs, games and surprises. 6 p.m. DECC auditorium. Visit decc. org for more information. Call (800)-745-3000 for tickets.

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.

Sounds of the Season Orchestra Concert

Nov. 30

A UMD Music presents performance. Weber Music Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $4-11. Tickets. umn.edu. (218) 726-8877

Sounds of the Season Band & Choir Concert

Dec. 1 & 2

A UMD Music presents performance. Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. Tickets $4-11. Tickets.umn.edu. (218) 726-8877

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)-745-3000 for tickets.

Ongoing

Glensheen Historic Estate, 3300 London Road, Duluth, offers a 39-room mansion and 7 acres of formal gardens and working vegetable gardens. Grounds hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with tours offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Visit glensheen.org or call (218) 726-8910.

Duluth Children’s Museum, 115 S. 29th Ave. W., Duluth, offers programs and exhibits for children and families. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Visit playduluth.org or call (218) 733-7543.

Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan St., includes Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Duluth Art Institute, St. Louis County Historical Society and Veterans’ Memorial Hall. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visit duluthdepot.org or call (218) 727-8025.

Douglas County Historical Society, 1101 John Ave., Superior, offers exhibits, events

and history theater. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; noon to 8 p.m. Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Call (715) 392-8449 or go to douglashistory.org.

Great Lakes Aquarium, 353 Harbor Drive, Duluth, models a number of habitats from the Great Lakes and around the world. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Visit glaquarium.org or call (218) 740-3474.

Lake Superior Zoo, 7210 Fremont St., Duluth, is the only zoo in Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. It features a wide variety of animals and educational

displays. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visit lszooduluth.org or call (218) 730-4500.

North Shore Scenic Railroad, 506 W. Michigan St., Duluth. Go to northshorescenicrailroad.org or call (218) 7221273 for details.

The Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad, The River Train, offers tourist excursion rides along the St Louis River. The 1946 Switch Engine and 100+ yr old coaches provide a leisurely trip over part of the 1870s tracks into Duluth. Offered 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 19. Call (218) 624-7549 or go to lsmrr.org.

By Alison Stucke

One-story South Shore home meets the needs of and today tomorrow

It’s a peaceful getaway today and an accessible retirement dwelling for tomorrow for the couple who recently built this beautiful one-story dream house on the South Shore of Lake Superior. The husband-and-wife owners had ideas of what they wanted in décor, layout and amenities. Yet they credit the professionals with whom they worked for bringing to reality a home that fits in so well into the surrounding lakeshore landscape and scenery.

“Building this house was a pleasure

every step of the way,” said the wife. “The people we worked with listened, and that made such a difference. There was such teamwork, caring and respect among everyone involved. We had never built anything before, but the people we worked with helped make it a really fun process.”

The house is set just a few hundred feet off Lake Superior. Colors of the lake and shore appear throughout the home, including blues, sands, woodtones and grays. Local products, including stone and wood and area craftspeople, were

utilized whenever possible to create this wonderful retreat.

“We tried to fit it in the environment that was here,” said the wife.

The outside of the house is covered with gray-blue siding and slate rock panels, seemingly replicating the look of the big lake. River rock is used in landscaped outdoor areas with plants and flowers. A large stamped-concrete patio includes a globed fire pit. Nearby is an outdoor shower.

The couple put in a boardwalk path to provide easier walking around the

The house is covered with grey-blue siding and slate rock panels, seemingly replicating the look of the big lake.

Pilon*

Olson*

Deibele*

Chad Jones*

Valarie Lake*

Steve Carlson*

Julia Shepersky*

Karen Reed*

Jason Watters*

Christi Slattengren*

Casey Savolt*

Michael Messina*

Luke Hansmeyer*

Liz Kidd*

Ayla Dougherty*

Ken Leiviska**

Alicia Lokke**

Jim Gruba*

Deena Shykes*

Deb Messina+

Frank Messina**

Carlson* Meghan Jager*

Brian Rud*

Chloe Olejar Shelby Vukelich

The Guest Wing is sectioned off with a sliding oversized door and provides comfort and privacy.

The Great Room's focal points are a beautiful and mural made with stone

The mantle includes wood from a 125-yearold barn being refurbished in Port Wing.

from Quarry Point by stone mason Chris Mehtola of Oulu.

property.

“We navigated and worked around wetlands,” she explained. “We planted cranberry trees for the birds and milkweed for the butterflies. We kept it very native.”

Other trees on the land include balsam, spruce, birch, white pine, cedar and popple.

A short walk leads to the cedar wood sauna with a changing room and rough-cut wood-look linoleum floor. In the sauna, a wood-fired stove provides the heat, and a large glass window offers an incredible view of the lake.

“We sit and watch the sun set right over the water,” said the wife.

Walk a bit further on the path to a wood sitting area with a native rock foundation where the couple enjoys the lake view in the morning as they sip their coffee.

“The whole point of this home is to enjoy the lake,” she said.

Back at the house, a metal roof allows the snow to roll right off.

“We never need to shovel it,” said the husband with a smile. “It’s maintenance-free. The snow slides off.”

The couple uses the garage as a multi-space: it’s insulated with a drained, colored-concrete floor, and pulling down a screen door allows them to use it as a gathering space that’s

almost like being outside.

Inside the front doorway, a locker made of reclaimed wood with railroad spikes to hold hanging items can store outdoor wear. It’s the first viewing of reclaimed weathered wood that repeats throughout the house. Across the entryway is the laundry room and utility room with a hot water heating unit.

The kitchen includes custom-height blue Cambria countertops — a special touch by Maureen’s LLC Kitchen and Bath Design and St. Germain’s — greatly appreciated by the owners, who

are tall. Sand-colored cupboards slide out to store dishes, pots, and pans with ease. A convenient built-in microwave, charming stainless-steel farm sink, and bar area with wine cooler are additional points of interest.

“We wanted a place where we can create meals together, and the kitchen carries through to the Great Room, so we can all be together when family is here,” said the wife. “We also wanted to build a home on one level as we thought about our age and retiring here.”

Continued on page 60

Right: The kitchen includes custom-height blue Cambria countertops... greatly appreciated by the owners.

Bottom right: A charming stainless-steel farm sink matches the appliances throughout the kitchen.

Below: A bar area with wine cooler are additional points of interest.

Below:

Left: The gray glass tile backsplash provides a contrasting element to the white cabinets as it extends over the gas range and behind an accent shelf.

Sand-colored cupboards slide out to store dishes, pots, and pans with ease.

The Great Room’s focal points are a beautiful fireplace and mural made with stone from Quarry Point by stone mason Chris Mehtola of Oulu. The mantle includes wood from a 125-year-old barn being refurbished in Port Wing. A sound system in custombuilt cabinetry by Ron Sween plays

from speakers in ceilings and walls throughout the house thanks to Beth Joecks of Northern Current Electrics in Cornocopia.

Above the master bed is a cutout burnt wood art piece of the homeowners’ beloved Lake Superior. High windows on the opposite wall

Attached is a master bath with a shower of multi-color wood that “looks like a birch tree,” the wife said.

The vanity in the master bath features an inset bronze finished vessel sink with waterfall faucet.

Above the master bed is a cutout burnt wood art piece of the homeowners’ beloved Lake Superior.

allow the homeowners to see beautiful treetops as they lie in bed.

“To me, the woods are equally beautiful to the lake,” said the wife. “I love looking at the trees.”

A screen porch is attached to the bedroom. Windows built by NASA telescope up or down to make for perfect viewing of Lake Superior.

Also attached is a master bath with a shower of multi-color wood that “looks like a birch tree,” the wife said.

A Guest Wing in the home — used when their daughter visits or when they have overnight company — is sectioned off with a sliding oversized door and provides comfort and privacy. It includes a guest bathroom with copperhammered vessel sink and shower by Ferguson and The Glass Guru. Their daughter’s room has beautiful cedar walls, and another guest bedroom includes a pull-down Murphy bed hand made by general contractor Troy Klein. Every bedroom includes a door through which the guest can go outside to see the lake from a covered porch area, which is wired for outside music.

The owners of this beautiful Lake Superior home know that they are surrounded by blessings, both inside and outside their new home.

“We’re truly blessed,” said the wife. “Each day that I enter the front door, I can’t believe we live here.”

For now, they live and work in Duluth during the week, and retreat to this South Shore getaway during weekends and vacations. But they’re dreaming that when retirement comes, they’ll be full-time at their home by the lake.

“The South Shore is such an unknown gem,” says the wife. “It’s got a quieter, peaceful pace.” D Alison Stucke is a Duluth freelance writer and regular Home Touches writer.

Sieh Henderson Group

Put Belgian endive on display

Citrus boats deliver a boost of vitamins

By Tony and Sarah Nasello

Witha focus on healthy eating, we share a recipe that showcases emerging winter produce, including one of our favorite winter greens, Belgian endive.

Belgian endive (pronounced either endive or ahn-deev) is a cool weather green and member of the chicory family. Unlike its sister plants, the curly-leaf frisee and broad-leaf escarole, Belgian endive completes its final growth phase in the dark. This process stops the leaves from turning green, and helps the plant develop its signature white leaves and narrow, rocket shape.

Belgian endive lettuce has a fresh, sweet flavor with just a hint of bitterness. The elegant, boat-shaped leaves are mostly white with a flowery, pale-yellow tip, a combination that results in a tender texture with a delicate crunch. The leaves can be easily removed by gently peeling each one from the head, and they are surprisingly sturdy, in spite of their delicate appearance.

Belgian endive is not only pretty, it’s also good for you, boasting a wealth of nutritional properties that includes vitamins A, B1, B6, C and E, as well as folate, copper, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Belgian endive also contains intybin, a substance that produces the slightly bitter taste and also acts as both an appetite stimulant and digestive aid. These properties make this green ideal for serving as a pre-dinner appetizer or post-dinner palate cleanser.

For this recipe, each endive leaf is filled with an assortment of citrus fruits that have been sectioned so that the membranes are removed, leaving just the pretty, sweet fruit to enjoy. Our selection includes grapefruit, oranges and clementines, and you could also use other varieties of oranges as well as

tangerines.

To section citrus fruit, use a sharp knife to remove each end so that the fruit can stand upright. We prefer a serrated knife, like a tomato knife, for this purpose. Next, remove the peel by placing the knife between the fruit and the peel, slicing from top to bottom. Let your knife follow the curve of the fruit as you slice and be sure to remove all the outer white membrane.

Once the peel has been removed, hold the fruit in one hand, and use your knife to gently remove the fruit by slicing downward between each section of membrane, gently lifting out just the sectioned fruit. Save the juice from the peel and fruit scraps for use in other recipes, like cocktails and vinaigrettes.

To create the salad boats, fill

each endive leaf with the sectioned citrus, accompanied by bleu cheese crumbles, chopped walnuts, fresh mint, sliced fennel and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

Our Belgian endive boats can be served as a dinner appetizer or party hors d'oeuvre, or as a salad either before or after the main course. This dish is elegant, refreshing, delicious and even delightful when guests are encouraged to forego the utensils and simply pick it up with their hands. Enjoy!

Belgian Endive Citrus Boats

Serves: 6 to 8

12-16 endive leaves, white ends neatly trimmed

1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned, diced into bite size pieces

2 Cara cara or blood oranges, peeled and sectioned, diced into bite size pieces

2 to 3 clementines, peeled and sectioned, diced into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. fresh mint, cut chiffonade style

Bleu cheese crumbles

Fresh fennel, cut into thin strips (about 3-4 strips per boat)

½ cup walnuts, chopped into bite size pieces

Balsamic reduction to finish

Use a damp paper towel to wipe the endive head, then remove any wilted or brown leaves. Wait to trim the white ends until just before serving to prevent browning.

Place the diced citrus fruit in a medium bowl, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Season with a light sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper, and gently toss just to combine.

Lay the endive leaves on a platter or individual plates. Fill each boat with

an assortment of the diced citrus, then scatter the bleu cheese crumbles and chopped walnuts around the citrus. Place 3-4 fennel strips on top, then sprinkle with the fresh mint. To finish, drizzle balsamic reduction over each boat just before serving.

Balsamic Reduction

2 cups regular balsamic vinegar (not high-end, aged variety)

Place the vinegar in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it reaches a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the vinegar has reduced by half, and a syrupy consistency is achieved, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer to a squeeze bottle, if available, and refrigerate for up to one month.

Sarah's Tips

• Belgian endive contains intybin, a substance that can stimulate an appetite and aid in digestion, making this an ideal dish to serve as an appetizer or end-ofmeal palate cleanser.

• Belgian endive browns quickly, so prepare boats just before serving.

• Extract the juice from the peel and sectioned fruit; save for later use in other recipes for cocktails or vinaigrette. May also be frozen for at least two months.

• Save and freeze the fennel stalk and fronds to use in stocks and soups.

• For a heartier appetizer, add strips of prosciutto or homemade bacon bits to each boat.

• For added spice, add finely chopped chives or thinly sliced red onion to each boat.

Sarah Nasello’s blog, “Home With the Lost Italian,” features recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello, and appears on Area Voices, a product of Forum Communications Company. D

Juneteenth, a celebration of emancipation, was hosted by the Duluth branch of the NAACP at the Washington Center on June 16. The family-friendly event included music, dancing, food and booths by nonprofit agencies.

Art reception at the DAI —

The Duluth Art Institute opened three exhibits on July 12: the work of Chholing Taha, a First Nations artist; Payton MacDonald’s film “Sonic Divide: States,” accompanied by works from Duluth painter Kenneth D. Johnson; and Duluth artist Jonathon Thunder’s “Suspension of Disbelief.”

Beatrice Dornfeld and Megan Finegan Beth Hall and Ann Price

Brent Kusterman and Carla Hamilton

Heidi and Terry Cottingham

Ethan Powers Jason Pearson and Genevieve Hircock

PHOTOS BY NAOMI YAEGER FOR THE WOMAN TODAY

Kirsten Aune, Christina Woods and Chholing Taha

Kirsten Aune, Linnea Hinkel and Alison Aune

Rebecca St. George and Christina Woods

Mykayla Coiley, Allen Barnes (holding Eastyn Hogan), Alisha Barnes, Cynthia Barnes

Tina Stromgren and Enrique Meza

Felicia Hall, Ahnika Halverson and Mercedes Sheard

Mary Adams, Gail Schoenfelder and Annie Kennedy

Tiarah Hernandez, Louisa Eckstine and Nevada Urrutia

Bryan Norton and Mike Kuitu

D'Andre Sherill and Patti Maguire

Jillian Hogan and Daletta Higgins John Krumm and Troy Hanson

Judy Bailey, Henry Banks and Lyn Clark Pegg

Mary Franz and Olivia Osei-Tutu

PHOTOS BY NAOMI YAEGER FOR THE WOMAN TODAY

American Indian Community Housing Organization

AICHO’s “Let’s See What You See” cellphone photography exhibition opened July 13 in the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center. More than 50 people submitted images.

Scottish Rite Clinic

The 28th annual fundraiser for the Scottish Rite Clinic was Aug. 23 at Pier B in Duluth. The clinic provides free services to children with language disorders and their families.

Dawn Turchi, Molly Turchi and Mazie Turchi

Jessica Korpi, Kyra Paitrick-Johnson and Gina Temple-Rhodes

Shawn Carr and Korii Northrup

Patrick and Jillian Little

Lori Fendler, Rob Fendler and Sue Mork

Kurt Erickson, Dave Hammer and Kevin Acker

Loren and Gloria Cox

Lindsey and Dustin Carlson

Roger Johnson and James Christensen

Matt and Niki Lampi

Jan Cornelison and Cliff Grindy

Marty Meldahl and Ruth Heitke

Moe Aro, Sandy Signorelli, Mark Signorelli and Brian Bernhardt

Cris Levenduski and Jack McLeod

Samantha and Steve Sinnott

Brian and Laurie McVean

Kurt Erickson, Creston and Jeanne Dorothy

Neil and Mary Hanson

Joy Rasmussen, Bonnie Wentzel and Lauri Amundson

PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN MURPHY

PHOTOS BY NAOMI YAEGER FOR THE WOMAN TODAY

Jara A McLaren

Cheryl Vanguilder

Vern Northrup and Ivy Vainio Heather Olson and Moira Villiard

David Beard, Mitra and Roshan Emad