A collection of volunteers brings warmth and joy to chilly nights at Bentleyville
Bonnie Shea
Hockey player still going strong and playing hard at 80
Jan Barrett
Monastery turns to Barrett to lead Duluth Benedictine Ministries
Mona Khalil Nelson
Artist's lifelong passion to paint blossoms later in life
Twin Ports Women’s Foundation Women come together to support shared causes
Home(s) for the Holidays
Getting festive with 3 local museums
Arts and Entertainment Calendar
Essentia New car seat laws in effect in Minnesota
Snow Jar Bringing winter scenes inside
A celebration menu for any time of the year
GROUP PUBLISHER
NEAL RONQUIST EXECUTIVE EDITOR
RICK LUBBERS ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
ALI CARLSON
KIM QUINONES
SCOTT BLATCHFORD
ALIX CRAFT
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
MOLLIE BURLINGAME PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
JULIE SCHULZ CONTRIBUTORS
AMY CARLSON
ANDREA BUSCHE
BONNIE SHEA
DULUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
FAIRLAWN MANSION
GLENSHEEN MANSION
JANELLE SCHOENBAUER
JANNA GOERDT
JEANNE LINDHOLM
KARI KNUTSON
KIM QUINONES
LSRM COLLECTION
MARY LILJEGREN
MOLLY MILROY
MONA NELSON
SUE SLATTERY
TONY BENNETT
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ON THE COVER
Janelle Schoenbauer as Mrs. Claus holds her own granddaughter during her visit to Bentleyville. Schoenbauer and a slew of other volunteers have been portraying Mrs. Claus for many years. Photo courtesy of Janelle Schoenbauer
The holidays are an enjoyable time of year, but we don’t enjoy what the fast-paced, jam-packed season often does to us.
Stress, fatigue and holiday burnout can hit us at lightning speed as the 12 days of Christmas seem more like the 12 hours of Christmas.
But if we all find a way to slow down this holiday season, we can get through it and maybe even enjoy it a little more. The proven techniques for hitting the brakes are tantalizingly simple to do.
I asked AI for some tips on slowing down the holiday rush and here’s what came back from artificial intelligence:
• Set boundaries: Make a list of things you can say no to, delay or delegate. This helps your brain focus on important tasks while also relaxing.
• Take time for yourself: Make time for alone time and activities that make you happy.
• Practice gratitude: Slow down and be thankful to avoid holiday stress.
• Focus on relationships: Spend quality time with loved ones and focus on improving relationships.
• Get enough sleep: Limit screen time before bed, practice mindful breathing, and repeat a calming mantra to help you sleep.
• Practice self-care: Take a hot bath, meditate, go for a walk or take a nap.
• Avoid drinking alcohol: Alcohol can impair thinking, cause mood swings and lower inhibitions.
• Create space: Block off time away from devices for rest, walks, meditation, reflection and journaling.
• Celebrate slowness: Consider slow meals, slow days of reading, slow mornings or evenings, and slow cooking or cleaning. OK. Not groundbreaking science, by any means. But AI seems to have some good common sense tips, especially about reading. I agree!
So, while you’re slowing down this holiday season, make sure to check out this month’s The Woman Today.
Here are some of the stories we’re excited to share with you in this issue:
• You’ll meet the women behind Mrs. Claus and learn how Santa’s greatest helper makes Bentleyville a magical place this time of year.
• Check out how local Northland museums are decking their halls for the holidays.
• Learn about how Mona Khalil Nelson kept her passion for art burning until fully unleashing her talents later in life.
• Catch up with 80-year-old Bonnie Shea (if you can). The lifelong hockey enthusiast still laces up her skates and plays hard.
• Make a winter snow jar to put that finishing touch on your holiday decorating.
Thanks for spending some of your valuable time reading The Woman Today. Your readership is greatly appreciated. Happy holidays!
Rick Lubbers Executive editor, Duluth Media Group
A collection of Mrs. Clauses brings warmth and joy to chilly nights at
Bentleyville
By Janna Goerdt |
Sure, kids young and old expect to see Santa Claus as part of their Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” experience.
But, as anyone who knows anything about Christmas knows, Santa couldn’t get along without
Mrs. Claus by his side. And Bentleyville wouldn’t be complete without a cast of local Mrs. Clauses.
Sue Slattery of Duluth is in charge of organizing the crew of women who volunteer to dress up
in a mobcap and wire-rimmed glasses, ready to complete the Claus couple and greet children and families.
Slattery, in fact, was one of the two original Mrs. Clauses at Bentleyville. At first, Mrs. Claus
Photos courtesy of Janelle Schoenbauer, Jeanne Lindholm, Kari Knutson, Mary Liljegren and Sue Slattery
Mrs. Claus(es)
Janelle Schoenbauer on the grounds of Bentleyville in full Mrs. Claus attire — though that's her real snow-white hair.
walked through the light show, Slattery said. Today, the Clauses are together in Santa’s hut, where they can interact with each other as well as families. These days Slattery mostly takes care of the costumes for all Bentleyville characters, but she steps in as Mrs. Claus when needed.
“My grandkids would come down and see me all the time,” Slattery said. “They never really questioned it — they would ask if I was the real Mrs. Claus, and my answer was, ‘You know, tonight I am the real Mrs. Claus.’”
Like Slattery, the rest of the Mrs. Claus crew said they love to help keep Christmas magical.
Sue Slattery has been volunteering at Bentleyville for a long time, including many stints as Mrs. Claus. Here, she is pictured with Santa Greg Anderson.
Janelle
Schoenbauer
As part of a group of women who enjoyed volunteering as part of the cast of characters that populate the winter wonderland each evening, Janelle Schoenbauer loved getting out in the fresh air and bringing joy to children and families.
But she was caught off guard when Slattery asked if she was interested in joining the cadre of Mrs. Clauses.
“I thought, ‘Really?’” Schoenbauer said. Turns out, she was just right. Each “Mrs.” has a similar body type, and in general, they are prone to smiling and like to talk to people, Schoenbauer said. She was in.
That was more than a decade ago, and Schoenbauer has been an active Mrs. Claus ever since.
“It’s a fun opportunity to continue the ‘we believe’” experience,” she said. “It’s the warmth of Christmas, the awe you see in (children’s) eyes.”
Each year has its own flavor, she said. There was the year when the 148th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota National Guard was deployed, and many children were hoping Santa (and Mrs. Claus) would bring their parent home for the holidays. There was the year when COVID pushed everyone to social distance and Santa waved to families from an appropriate location while Mrs. Claus handed out Bentleyville hats on the end of a long stick. There are warm years and cold years, snowy years and dry years.
“My heart is lifted every night.”
- Janelle Schoenbauer
But every year brings scores of families and children who think of others and wish for the simple joys of the holidays.
“My heart is lifted every night,” Schoenbauer said. “There are a great number of kids that want the newest electronics, but others that say, ‘I want my grandparents to be here,’ or ‘I hope someone in my family is feeling better.’ There are lots of kids that are thinking about other people, and that is refreshing. It really lifts my heart.”
Jeanne Lindholm
When she first started volunteering at Bentleyville, Jeanne Lindholm donned a variety of full-body costume characters, such as a reindeer complete with a large fuzzy head.
Lindholm said she was smiling the entire evening as she interacted with children, though only she knew it.
“My cheeks would be sore because I had been smiling for four hours,” Lindholm said.
In 2020, there was a slight “shortage” of Mrs. Claus volunteers, so Lindholm curled her gray hair, swapped the reindeer costume for a colorful dress and apron, and became Mrs. Claus.
“That was the drive-through year,” Lindholm said. “It was a lot of fun being Mrs. Claus, and I’ve continued on since then. I block out most of November and December for Bentleyville. It’s a wonderful thing for Duluth, and it’s a lot of fun. These are wonderful people to work with.”
She likes handing out candy canes and talking to families, she said. And these days, everyone can see her smile.
“It’s a happy place, a happy time,” she said. “I do love it.”
Janelle Schoenbauer as Mrs. Claus holds her own granddaughter during her visit to Bentleyville. Schoenbauer has been portraying Mrs. Claus for many years.
“I
want to make Christmas fun for everybody.”
- Kari Knutson
Kari Knutson
Kari Knutson’s daughter was in Girl Scouts in 2001, and they all went to volunteer with Bentleyville when the paths wandered through the forest in Esko. The troop volunteered to prepare s’mores ingredients for Bentleyville visitors.
When Bentleyville moved to Duluth’s Bayfront Park, Knutson came along. As a veteran of 38 years of teaching kindergarten in Esko, she was quite used to interacting with young children. Many children are, of course, excited to see the Clauses, though some “get a little nervous,” Knutson said. If a child needs to shed a few nervous tears, that’s just fine, Knutson said. “Most will cry a little and then go on.”
And after teaching so many little children throughout the years, perhaps it’s inevitable that some will realize this Mrs. Claus looks familiar.
“When some of the Esko kids come through, they recognize me,” Knutson said. “I remember one little girl telling her parent, ‘That Mrs. Claus sounds like Mrs. Knutson, she looks like Mrs. Knutson, and she even smells like Mrs. Knutson,” Knutson said, noting that she always wears the same perfume. She laughed at the memory.
“I want to make Christmas fun for everybody,” she said.
Kari Knutson has volunteered in several ways at Bentleyville, first in Esko and then in Duluth, since 2001. These days she specializes as one of a core group of Mrs. Clauses.
Mary Liljegren
Some Mrs. Clauses are drawn to Bentleyville through personal connections. That was the case with Mary Liljegren, also of Esko, who worked in Kari Knutson’s kindergarten classroom.
“I always thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Liljegren said. “You see the little kids in the back of the line, sitting on daddy’s shoulders, waving at you — oh, it’s just a treat for me.”
And, like Knutson, Liljegren has seen some familiar faces when she appears as Mrs. Claus.
“Last year, I had to tell my grandchildren that I was a Santa’s helper,” Liljegren said. “They came (to see Santa), they looked at me, and asked, ‘Why was I doing that?’ I had to spill the beans that year.”
One of Liljegren’s grown grandchildren has been her “No. 1 helper” at Bentleyville, but this season she will be away at college. Still, there are many other reasons to keep volunteering as Mrs. Claus, she said.
“You get the young ones that just want to see Mrs. Claus, and they can hardly wait to come and give you a hug and tell you their secrets,” Liljegren said. “It’s a treasured time.”*
Janna Goerdt is an Iron Range farmer and freelance writer.
Mary Liljegren is pictured with her granddaughter, who also volunteers as an elf at Bentleyville. Mary made her granddaughter's costume.
Bonnie Shea
Playing strong and hard at age 80
Bonnie Shea nurtures a lifelong love of playing hockey
By Janna Goerdt | Photos courtesy of Bonnie Shea
Like many a grandmother, Bonnie Shea likes to watch her grandchildren play hockey. One of her granddaughters plays defense for Roseville High School, and the team usually travels once per season to play at the Heritage Center in Duluth.
But Shea often doesn’t get to see that matchup — because she has a hockey game of her own to play. Shea is 80 years old, and she started playing hockey in Duluth when she was just 4 years old. She has been playing women’s league hockey for the last four decades. She has no plans to give it up.
“I always say, I will keep playing until I can’t,” Shea said.
Bonnie Shea gets ready to drop the puck at a Kern and Kompany girls' hockey all-stars game.
“I
ALWAYS SAY, I WILL KEEP PLAYING UNTIL
- Bonnie Shea
She started playing early — when the idea of girls' hockey wasn’t even a twinkle in any hockey mom’s eye — and she plays hard. She also expects to be treated just like any other teammate.
Shea tells the story of a game she played in her very late 70s, where she nabbed a breakaway and was speeding toward the goal. She sensed an opposing player coming up quickly behind her, so she slapped the puck — just as her opponent tripped her.
“I went down and slid right into the boards,” Shea said. Her teammates helped her up, and Shea dusted herself off and got back into the game. So it has been for most of Shea’s life.
Born with skates on
She was born in 1944 and grew up across the street from the Congdon Park rinks. Like many kids in the neighborhood, she spent a lot of time skating in the winter. Only Shea had two pairs of skates — one for figure skating and another for hockey.
Her competitive spirit found an outlet in neighborhood games of hockey, Shea said. She played with the boys, and she was good.
“In those days, nobody wore helmets,” Shea said. “I tucked my hair up under my stocking cap, strapped magazines around my shins, and we’d form a team.”
I CAN’T”
Bonnie Shea has been playing competitive league hockey for 40 years. At age 80, she has no plans to stop. Here she is in her Northern Stars uniform; her WHAM team is now named the Northern Gales.
In those days, nobody wore helmets. I tucked my hair up under my stocking cap, strapped magazines around my shins,
AND WE’D FORM A TEAM.”
Bonnie Shea
The neighborhood boys knew she was a girl, of course, but nobody cared. Shea’s parents weren’t too happy about her hockey playing, but Shea was determined. She took on a paper route (another rarity for a girl at that time) and shoveled sidewalks and mowed lawns to earn money to buy equipment.
She played center, and she was a good scorer. Every Saturday, she headed to the rink before it officially opened so she could get some extra playing time in. One time, her father told her, “It looks like the boys are getting better than you,” Shea recalled, and that was all the motivation she needed
to keep up the extra practice. When Shea was a 15-year-old sophomore at Duluth East High School, her friend’s father, Glen Rolle, was the high school hockey coach. Rolle had seen Shea play and he asked her to try out for the high school hockey team. Shea was thrilled — but not for long.
Former Duluth East boys hockey coach Glen Rolle felt that Bonnie Shea (front row, left) was good enough to try out for the boys' hockey team when she was a sophomore. School administration quickly decided they did not want a girl playing on the boys team. Undeterred, Shea started playing competitive hockey again at age 40.
Bonnie Shea's jersey number is "44," a reference to the year she was born.
The next day, Rolle had to explain that the school administration had decided they would not allow a girl to play with the hockey team. While Shea was disappointed, she was also of an era that mostly accepted such decisions.
“At 15, I thought my playing days were over, as far as organized hockey,” Shea said. She did get an all-girls hockey team together during her senior year, but that was for fun.
Picking up the puck where she left off
Shea graduated from Duluth East, went to college, got married, started a family and took a job at Piedmont Elementary School. She had season tickets to watch the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, but hockey didn’t figure much more into her life.
That is, until one day when Shea, then 40 years old, happened to catch a news segment about a new women’s hockey team at UMD. She contacted the coach, Al Finifrock, and explained that she loved hockey but she was 40 years old and hadn’t played in 25 years. Her age didn’t matter, he said.
So Shea borrowed a hockey helmet from a friend (they were now required to wear one) and showed up at the tryouts with a bunch of 20-year-old hockey players.
“I was good,” Shea said. “I hadn’t lost my touch.”
And she has never looked back. For the last 40 years, Shea has been playing competitive women’s hockey with a variety of local teams, from that first “Lady Bulldogs” team to league teams organized through the Women’s Hockey Association of Minnesota, the largest such organization in the world. Today, Shea plays center with the Northern Gales.
“I certainly don’t play like I did when I was 40, or 15,” Shea said recently. “I’m a bit more cautious now.”
Bonnie
She gets a little stiff and sore sometimes, Shea said.
“Things don’t work as well, or heal as fast,” she added.
But she has absolutely no plans to give up the sport she has wanted to play for most of her life.
“I just enjoy the game,” she said. “I love carrying the puck and scoring, and being part of a team.”
No plans to retire
Shea is a bit tickled that she is now being recognized for her decades of sticking with the sport. Shea was recently honored with a banner at the Heritage Center, and she said she enjoys knowing her granddaughters get to show their grandma’s banner to their teammates.
But all that disappears when it’s time to play, Shea said. She just thinks about the game of hockey.
“THAT’S MY MESSAGE. IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, DON’T GIVE UP ON IT. I DIDN’T.”
- Bonnie Shea
Bonnie Shea holds the cup from the Essentia Health Girls’ High School All-Star Hockey Game, played every year in March as Duluth-area girls compete against girls from the Iron Range and northern Minnesota. The cup is named after Shea.
Shea skates with the Northern Stars.
Shea will slip on her Northern Gales jersey stamped with the number “44,” representing the year she was born. She’ll lace up her Bauer skates (her second pair in the last 40 years) and strap on her helmet (the same one since she started playing as an adult), and she’ll glide out onto the rink.
Shea still loves that feeling.
“That’s my message,” she said. “If you have a dream, don’t give up on it. I didn’t.”*
Janna Goerdt is an Iron Range farmer and freelance writer.
Members of the Northern Gales, including Bonnie Shea (center of center row), are pictured in front of Shea's banner at the Heritage Center in Duluth.
Bonnie Shea was inducted into the Women's Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2007 to honor her near lifetime of playing competitive league hockey.
Gracie
Gracie Selnes
ST. SCHOLASTICA MONASTERY TURNS TO BARRETT TO Lead Duluth
Benedictine Ministries
By Tony Bennett | Photos courtesy of Jan Barrett And Steven Tiggemann
The impact of the Benedictine nuns who first came to Duluth 150 years ago or so and established hospitals and colleges that are still thriving today is hard to measure, but easy to assume. The amount of people who have jobs in education, health care and beyond in the region due to their work is self-evident.
The modern world, though, has a way of creeping in, and it has become clear that new ways of meeting the moment are crucial if the Benedictine tradition can continue and, yes, even potentially outlast the nuns who have been the engines behind so much over the decades.
Recently, the sisters of the St. Scholastica Monastery — with the backing of the Vatican itself — made the decision to create an executive-director position (called a “ministerial public juridic person”) and awarded it to Jan Barrett, a woman with years of experience working alongside the Benedictines and who will help to ensure that their mission is able to weather any changes that may come along, technological or otherwise. Through her, the traditions of the past will be brought into the future in a big way.
Jan Barrett
‘Telling our story’
“Duluth Benedictine Ministries is a very new organization, approved in December of 2022 and operationalized on July 1, 2023,” said Sister Beverly Raway, OSB, who is prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery.
“Jan follows Becky Urbanski, the interim executive director of DBM, with whom she worked closely to carry out a very successful first year of our organization.
“MOVING INTO THIS ROLE WAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR JAN.”
- Sister Beverly Raway
“Moving into this role was a natural progression for Jan,” Raway said, “because of her close connection to the sisters, her experiences for seven and a half years working with us as the director of development and public relations, and her 13 years with Benedictine, one of our five sponsored ministries.
“Over all of those years, Jan has been telling our story as Benedictines and advocating for us and for our mission,” Raway continued. “This role requires an in-depth understanding of mission effectiveness and the work of formation of adult learners. She has had this experience on many levels, including previous work in strategic planning, continuing education,
event planning, marketing and communications.”
Raway said the sisters know the future will be a challenge, but it’s a challenge they’re ready to meet.
“This new role has a steep learning curve for all involved,” she said. “We are all learning as we go. Jan is well-suited to this position because of her collaborative spirit, flexibility and eagerness to learn. She is organized and an organizer. She is inquisitive, compassionate and astute in reading the needs of others.
“Carrying forward the legacy of sponsorship of our Catholic ministries (and) the culture and values that undergird that work is critically important to the Benedictine sisters,” Raway said. “We have been doing that for over 100 years in Duluth and beyond. We established DBM to carry our mission and values forward well into the future — another 100 years, God willing. We needed to find the right person to lead in that direction and were very blessed when Jan accepted our invitation to apply for the position. She is leading her team well and doing a remarkable job.”
A plan 20 years in the making
“I just really wanted to continue to represent them and kind of be an ambassador for the sisters,” Jan Barrett said, “so I went for it and applied for the job, and I got it. In 2022, the sisters had written to the Vatican to seek a change in their Catholic sponsorship for their ministries, to transfer that sponsorship to a new organization.”
The monastery had been shrinking, and it was time to address this reality.
“They had been working on this plan for 20 years,” Barrett said. “They were aware of the declining availability of Benedictine sisters at the monastery, and so providing oversight to their sponsored ministries” — five in total, including The College of St. Scholastica, Benedictine, the Catholic facilities of Essentia Health, St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee, and St. Mary’s Health in Cottonwood, Idaho — “was an issue, and they began exploring options that would allow their ministries to continue.”
Rather than denying how things have changed and trying to forge ahead in a manner that resembled their time-tested methods, the sisters decided to make a plan that would ensure that, even if the future saw the nuns’ ranks get thinner and thinner, their work could continue.
And Jan Barrett is leading that charge.
“Jan's position is complicated and unique,” said Lori Collard, chair of the Duluth Benedictine Ministries.
“Since Duluth Benedictine Ministries is a new entity, Jan will become a trailblazer in that she’ll be able to help define the relationship between DBM and its five ministries.
Jan was chosen for this position because she has the skills to build respectful, trusting relationships with the boards and leadership of these ministries.
Jan Barrett, new executive director of Duluth Benedictine Ministries, shares a moment of fun with Sister Beverly Raway, prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery (right), and Sister Lois Eckes (left).
“Since Jan has previously worked for both Benedictine and the St. Scholastica Monastery sisters, she brings a deep understanding of value and mission-driven organizations,” Collard said. “This knowledge will be key to developing and fulfilling DBM's vision to maintain the Catholic character of our health care and education ministries and to provide services to those in need and the underserved.”
Former interim Executive Director Becky Urbanski said helping to establish the role Barrett now holds was “probably the best thing I’ve ever done. You know, you serve as a sort of the CEO for this organization. And we were creating it from scratch. I loved every minute.”
Urbanski said Barrett has “extensive knowledge of how the ministries operate,” which made her the best choice for the permanent position, once it had been defined. “Jan had this really significant knowledge of the Benedictine tradition and the sisters. Our job is to just carry on what they started over 150 years ago.”
For Jan Barrett, even though she’s technically in a nonreligious role, she’s still guided by her faith, just as the sisters have always been. She feels as though her work is being guided by the same force that guided the sisters of old.
“These sisters were people who were put in my life for a reason,” she said. “And now, I’m making sure that their history, their heritage and their vision are carried on for as long as possible.”*
Tony Bennett is a Duluth freelance writer.
Jan Barrett, executive director of Duluth Benedictine Ministries, consults with Sister Beverly Raway, prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery, about Barrett’s new position, which was created with approval from the Vatican.
By Tony Bennett | Photos courtesy of Denise Bussa
Kristie Buchman (left), director of Choice Unlimited, accepts a $6,556.28 donation from Twin Ports Women’s Foundation board chair Denise Bussa and treasurer Lynda John.
For a long time, raising funds was mostly a matter of throwing a big party, charging admission, having auctions and coming up with a lot of different ways to earn a lot of money quickly for a cause. And this method is still quite prevalent.
But in the era of subscription services for everything from movies to food to medicine, perhaps the idea of a person paying dues to an organization that then dispenses that money to an agreed-upon benefactor is one that may be enticing to many.
The Twin Ports Women’s Foundation, established by Denise Bussa, is doing just that. Since its establishment five years ago, the TPWF has donated to local nonprofits like Safe Haven, AICHO, the Damiano Center, CHOICE Unlimited and others. These organizations aren’t asked to write to them and make a pitch
as to why they should receive help. Rather, the TPWF decides on its own who is making a difference in the community and gifts that organization with an amount of money that is in the thousands.
Bussa is a member of the Junior League of Duluth and has met women from all over the country through that organization. One of those women was a founder of a women’s foundation in Roanoke, Virginia.
“She was kind of encouraging me to try to do something locally,” Bussa recalled. “Hers was on a bigger scale, and they started quite a long time ago, (but) she was the inspiration and encouraged me.”
After a bit of a slow start due to COVID, the TPWF has gotten up to speed and is fully operational.
“The idea,” Bussa said, “is to get women to invest the annual donation of $500 per person, and then we give it away early the
next year. We collect from January through December, and then we distribute all that the following year. The people who donate nominate organizations to receive grants.”
So far, the model has been to give away two grants a year, but last year there was a tie for second place, so three smaller grants were given out.
“Everybody has been very appreciative of any donation they can get,” Bussa said of past recipients, “and this is the kind of grant that they don’t have to spend a lot of time applying for.”
The TPWF has membership in the high 20s and the group hopes to expand its ranks. Lynda John is one of four people who make up the group’s board and came to be a part of it due to her friendship with Bussa.
“She invited me to the first informational meeting,” John said. “I loved the idea of women coming
together and pooling resources to make a larger difference for persons in our community. The women I have met through TPWF are dynamic, enthusiastic, caring and intelligent. They are a part of many organizations within this community, and this community would be poorer without them and the time and gifts they provide. I feel honored to be a part of this organization. The organizations who have benefited from our grants have inspired me.”
Board member Laura Weintraub said she had two main reasons for joining the TPWF.
“First, I believe in the power of the collective,” she said. “We can do more when we work together. This foundation is designed to amplify any one gift by multiples. Real change can come from larger gifts. Second, longer term, I am hopeful to engage the next generation of philanthropists. Those who donate are the ones who nominate
and determine recipients. While other organizations couple their philanthropy with volunteer opportunities — a very noble and necessary pairing — this organization recognizes that isn't always possible. This gives people a new, direct way of participating in making a difference.”
Donor Suzanne Rauvola got involved in 2019.
“The women involved were women I knew and respected, and the idea of group giving to increase impact was intriguing to me,” she said. “While I believe direct donations of time and resources from individuals help nonprofits reach their goals, the Twin Ports Women's Foundation model of combining funds from a group of people to make a greater impact helps both the donor and the nonprofit recipients. My small contribution goes further and the nonprofits receive funding they can use for a program or project
that furthers their mission. Plus, the larger grants equal larger impact. “Sometimes, as individuals, we can get into a rut, always supporting the same causes with our donations,” Rauvola said. “In the spring, all TPWF participants are asked for their ideas about potential grantees. This submission and voting process has introduced me to new organizations and projects in our community and broadened the pool of my individual donations. Bringing together donors from many different experiences and backgrounds gives us such a wonderful variety of programs, causes and projects to support. Every voting round has one or more submitted grant writeups that are new to me.”
Tracie Clanaugh is the director of First Witness Child Advocacy Center, who first received a grant from the TPWF in 2023 that helped them with a capital campaign for a new building.
Denise Bussa (second from right), chair of the Twin Ports Women’s Foundation, presents a $6,556.28 donation to First Witness Child Advocacy Center representatives: Director Tracie Clanaugh, past board chair Leslie Brunfelt, and current board chair Kelly Haffield.
“We have a long way we could go to grow bigger. We’re just trying to get the word out, right now.”
- Denise Bussa
“They came through at a time when funding was critical, and they allowed us to get to know them as an organization and build relationships with them,” Clanaugh explained. “I do see us continuing to have a relationship.
“Where I think the TPWF thrives is in identifying a specific time period when a nonprofit needs their support and being able to then pool their resources for a larger impact on that project.”
For her part, Bussa is very happy with the way the first five years of her foundation have gone, but she also thinks that it could become an even greater force for change, with time.
“We have a long way we could go to grow bigger,” she said. “We’re just trying to get the word out, right now.”*
Tony Bennett is a Duluth freelance writer.
Twin Ports Women’s Foundation Grant Recipients: $65,000 2020
Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center Duluth Area Family YMCA 2021
American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO)
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank 2022
Union Gospel Mission Bob Tavani House for Medical Respite 2023
First Witness Child Advocacy Center CHOICE Unlimited 2024
Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center Age Well Arrowhead Music Resource Center
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Arts & Entertainment Calendar
HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIRS
Christmas Bazaar and Gift Fair
DEC. 7, 9AM-2PM Kenwood Lutheran Church, Duluth
Christmas Cookie, Craft & Vendor Fair
DEC. 7, 9AM-2PM Norton Park United Methodist Church, Duluth
Holly Jolly Craft & Small Business Christmas Market
DEC. 7, 9AM-3PM AAD Shriners Center, Hermantown
Holiday Craft Fair
DEC. 7, 9AM-3PM Island Lake Inn, Duluth
Churchill Holiday Expo
DEC. 7, 9AM-3PM
Churchill Elementary School, Cloquet
Christmas Wishes Craft & Gift Show
DEC. 13-14, 10AM-9PM
DEC. 15, 11 AM-6PM Miller Hill Mall, Duluth
Get It Local: Art and Gift Fair
DEC. 14, 10AM-3PM
Peace United Church of Christ, Duluth
Nice Girls of the North Arts and Craft Show
DEC. 14, 10AM-3PM Spirit of the Lake Community Arts, Duluth
Sweater Weather Market Days
DEC. 14, 10AM-4PM Enger Lofts, Duluth
Santa’s Market Craft & Gift Show
DEC.20-21, 10AM-9PM
DEC. 22, 11AM-6PM Miller Hill Mall, Duluth
The West Theatre Events
DEC-JAN
Dec. 4 - The Looney Lutherans
Dec. 5 - Paula Poundstone
Dec. 12 - Davina and The Vagabonds Dec. 18 - Vince Guaraldi’s
A Charlie Brown Christmas Dec. 21 - Vince Guaraldi’s
A Charlie Brown Christmas Find updated information at thewesttheatre.com.
Christmas City Express
DEC. 1-22
The North Shore Scenic Railroad offers this storybook experience for families with children under 10 and the young at heart. Visit duluthtrains. com/event/christmascityexpress.
Winter Wonderettes
DEC. 5-15
Set against the backdrop of the 1968 holiday season, the Wonderettes entertain the audience with classic seasonal tunes and holiday cheer. Performances are at the Spirit of the North Theatre in Fitger’s. Visit boatclubrestaurant.com/productions-theater.
O Holy Night
DEC. 6
The College of St. Scholastica Music Program presents their annual Christmas concert, featuring choral, brass and string ensembles, at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth. A freewill offering will benefit Chum. Visit css.edu/ about/events.
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.
A Goblins’ Christmas Carol
DEC. 6-15
This Charles Dickens musical by Kenny Chumbley will be performed by the County Seat Theater Company, Cloquet. Visit countyseattheater. com/2024-season.
Rodgers & Hammerstaine’s Cinderella
DEC. 6-22
With a hilarious new script, the Duluth Playhouse will present this contemporary musical adaptation that invites audiences to build a better, kinder world together. Performances will be held at the NorShore Theater. Visit duluthplayhouse.org.
DSSO Pops - Holiday Spectacular
DEC. 7
The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra’s highly anticipated annual holiday event at the DECC’s Symphony Hall is a family-friendly extravaganza featuring traditional holiday music that will leave you feeling festive and joyful. Visit decc. org/events-calendar.
Duluth Winter Village
DEC. 7-8
The festive greens, your favorite shops, hot drinks, and fire pits. Shop your favorite local businesses (plus some new additions) in a fun, festive environment overlooking the Lift Bridge and harbor. Visit duluthwintervillage.com.
Arrowhead Ice Fishing and Winter Show
DEC. 13-15
This annual expo at the DECC features a wide variety of new products and accessories for the ice fishing enthusiast. Visit decc.org/events-calendar.
The Nutcracker: A Duluth Tale
DEC. 13-15
Join young Clara as her enchanting dream — and her prized Nutcracker — come to vibrant life in this annual holiday classic with a local Duluth twist by the Minnesota Ballet. Performances will be held at the DECC’s Symphony Hall. Visit minnesotaballet.org.
The Kidz Holiday Special
DEC. 14
Bring the whole family to Zeitgeist Teatro for some holiday fun! Fun sketches, improvisation, and a whole lot of fun surprises make up this wonderful show. Visit zeitgeistarts. com/event-calendar.
Guide Us to Thy Perfect Light
DEC. 14
This festive holiday program at Mitchell Auditorium features the St. Scholastica Concert Band and Benedictine Bronze, the CSS handbell ensemble. Merrily ring in the season with fanfares of festive cheer. Visit css.edu/ about/events/spotlight.
Messiah Singalong
DEC. 17
Duluth
Wedding Show
JAN. 11
Join the St. Scholastica Music Program and Borealis Chamber Artists for their 42nd Annual Messiah Singalong at Mitchell Auditorium. Enjoy an evening with Handel’s beloved masterpiece. Visit css.edu/about/ events/spotlight.
This annual show at the DECC provides everything to plan your wedding, from dresses, suits and tuxedos, to DJs, venues, decorators, planners, caterers, photographers, florists and more. Visit decc.org/events-calendar.
Folsom
JAN. 18
Prison Experience
Step into history as the Folsom Prison Experience — a full-contact immersive tribute drama — brings you back to the iconic day of Jan. 13, 1968. The DECC’s Symphony Hall comes alive with the raw energy and soul that made Johnny Cash’s performance truly legendary. Visit decc.org/events-calendar.
Chicago:
The Musical JAN. 21
The DECC’s Symphony Hall will be transformed into 1920s Chicago, where a nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her lover dupes everyone by hiring a slick criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines. Visit decc.org/events-calendar.
Jo
Koy: Just Being Koy Tour
JAN. 25
Comedian Jo Koy is one of today’s premier stand-up comics, earning accolades across North America. See him at the DECC’s Symphony Hall. Visit decc.org/ events-calendar.
The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong
JAN. 31-FEB 9
This 1920s whodunit has everything you “never” wanted in a show — an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). The Duluth Playhouse performances will be held at the NorShor Theater. Visit Visit duluthplayhouse.org.
ONGOING:
Duluth Children’s Museum 115 S. 29th Ave. W., Duluth 218-733-7543 duluthchildrensmuseum.org
Duluth Depot 506 W. Michigan St., Duluth 218-727-8025 duluthdepot.org
Douglas County Historical Society 1101 John Ave., Superior 715-392-8449 douglashistory.org
Glensheen Historic Estate 3300 London Road, Duluth 218-726-8910 glensheen.org
Great Lakes Aquarium 353 Harbor Dr., Duluth 218-740-3474 glaquarium.org
Lake Superior Zoo 7210 Fremont St., Duluth 218-730-4500 lszooduluth.org
North Shore Scenic Railroad 506 W. Michigan St., Duluth 218-722-1273 duluthtrains.com
The Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad 6930 Fremont St., Duluth 218-624-7549 Lsmrr.org
Essentia Health highlights new car seat laws in effect in Minnesota
By Anthony Matt
Winter is in full swing in the Northland, and with that comes cold, snow, ice and many other things that can make driving difficult, treacherous and sometimes dangerous.
During the most recent legislative session, Minnesota lawmakers modified safety laws involving children and car seats. The new legislation, which aims to better protect kids in the event of a car crash, went into effect on Aug. 1.
Allison Nicolson, Essentia's injury prevention coordinator, speaks on a local podcast about the recent changes to car seat laws. Photo courtesy of Essentia
Some of the most notable changes include:
• A child must be rearfacing until 2 years of age and exceed the height or weight limit of their child restraint system (CRS).
• A forward-facing child must use the internal harness until they exceed the maximum height or weight limit.
• A child who is at least 4 years of age and exceeds the height or weight limit of the forward-facing CRS must be in a booster seat.
• A child who is at least 9 years of age and exceeds the height or weight limit of the CRS and can pass the 5-Step Fit Test must be secured with a safety belt.
• No child under 13 years of age can be in the front seat.
In cases where a child falls into multiple categories, such as being older than 2 years but still under the size limit, it is advisable to prioritize their safety by placing them in a more secure restraint.
Learn more about child passenger safety in Minnesota at dps.mn.gov.
Essentia Health safety experts are raising awareness about the new legislation.
“It’s important that children and families follow these new laws, which are designed with their safety and well-being in mind,” said Allison Nicolson, injury prevention specialist at Essentia.
With all the changes, Nicolson also recommends checking your car seat manual to determine the best way to install it to keep your child safe. Essentia also offers free car seat inspections in Superior, Cloquet and Duluth every month.
According to the public safety department of Minnesota, between 2019 and 2023, out of
“It’s important that children and families follow these new laws, which are designed with their safety and well-being in mind.”
- Allison Nicolson
approximately 13,000 children aged 0 to 7 who were involved in crashes and correctly restrained, 89% remained uninjured, while an additional 10% experienced only minor injuries.
According to Nicolson, car crashes result in a significant number of unintentional injuries among children, making it a leading cause of admissions to the trauma center at St. Mary's Medical Center.
As the only Level I Trauma Center north of the Twin Cities, Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center cares for many patients every year who are injured in car crashes. Part of being a Level I Trauma Center is continually collaborating with outside agencies to find ways to keep people safer.
Our trauma program specializes in caring for extreme and life-threatening injuries. At St. Mary’s, you’ll find all the resources and specialists of an emergency department, plus surgeons and nurses with advanced training to treat traumatic injuries.
The research team for St. Mary’s Medical Center’s Level I Trauma Center explores data and research findings to improve care so we can continue to be a vital community resource. The team uses its research findings to improve short-term and long-term care tailored to each patient. Every three years, all research content is reviewed by the American College of Surgeons, allowing St. Mary’s Medical Center to maintain its Level I Trauma Center status.*
Anthony Matt is the media relations specialist at Essentia Health.
"Just Believe," painted by Mona Khalil Nelson.
Mona Khalil Nelson
OIL PAINTER EQUATES LATER-IN-LIFE ART CAREER to ‘a fine wine maturing’
By Andrea Busche | Photos courtesy of Mona Khalil Nelson
Art has always made Mona Khalil Nelson’s heart sing.
She would have loved to pursue painting professionally from day one, but life had other plans. But now, as a woman who has successfully raised five children (and has five grandchildren), she can finally prioritize doing the work she loves.
Nelson’s career as an oil painter has taken off in the last several years, and she paints continuously from her cozy home studio on Duluth’s Park Point.
“I never thought I’d be here at this stage of life,” Nelson said. She added with a laugh, “I guess it’s kind of like a fine wine maturing.”
Minnesota + Middle East
Nelson has a compelling “origin story.” Her late father, Dr. Khalil Hamouda, was a Muslim man from Egypt.
He met his wife, Nelson’s late mother Marjorie, a Norwegian Lutheran woman, when studying to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Indeed, it was an interesting coupling; particularly in those days.
The family of five (Mona is the eldest of three siblings) enjoyed a blend of cultures and traditions. For instance, they celebrated both Ramadan and Christmas. They enjoyed meals of molokhia (an Egyptian soup) and falafel. While Nelson speaks some Arabic, English was the primary language spoken in the home.
When she was 3, Nelson’s family moved to the Middle East, where Dr. Hamouda worked in agricultural reform and economics. He later worked for the United Nations. There, Marjorie taught English and home economics.
Over the years, they lived in Egypt, Sudan, Iraq and Lebanon. Nelson has several captivating stories about daily life amidst the Middle Eastern unrest of the 1960s.
"Palisade Head in May," painted by Mona Khalil Nelson.
Art
Nelson attended high school at American Community School in Beirut, Lebanon. It was there that she received her first true taste of art.
“I had an excellent art teacher in high school — Mr. Ruel,” she said. “He really planted the seed for my enjoyment of art.”
She hoped to pursue a college degree in art, but her father disagreed.
“My dad said, ‘Forget it. There’s no money in art. How about nursing? You’ll always have a job.’”
She had no choice but to obey.
“In Arab culture, the dad’s word is law,” she said. So, she moved to Minnesota where they had family, and earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Rochester Community College.
After graduation, she moved to New Jersey, where her parents had relocated, and worked as a nurse for two years.
While in college, she had become friends with a fellow student who was from Duluth. They came for a visit, and Nelson fell in love with the city.
“Lake Superior reminded me of the Mediterranean,” she said.
She ultimately moved to Duluth and took a nursing job. She met her husband, Mark, at church. Once their first child, Anna, came along, Nelson left nursing and became a stay-athome mom.
But the drive to paint never left her, and Nelson’s husband encouraged her to pursue her passion. She enrolled at Duluth’s Kenwood Studio School of Art and over the years was hired by several friends to paint portraits of their children. She only recently decided to seriously pursue art as a career.
“About seven years ago, my kids encouraged me to get more serious about it,” she said. “I started watching YouTube videos to learn more, and started playing more with a palette knife and texture. I eventually built a large portfolio and body of work.”
"Two Ore Punchers," painted by Mona Khalil Nelson.
"Over the Rainbow," painted by Mona Khalil Nelson.
"Laundry Boat", painted by Mona Khalil Nelson.
“I HAD AN EXCELLENT ART TEACHER IN HIGH SCHOOL — MR. RUEL. HE REALLY PLANTED THE SEED FOR MY ENJOYMENT OF ART.”
Mona Khalil Nelson
Today, Nelson paints anything and everything. She has completed many portraits of people — including Christian saints — and pets. She is very talented in florals. She also enjoys landscapes. Her primary focus now is painting photographs of the daily lives of ordinary people taken in the first half of the 20th century by the U.S. government’s Farm Security Administration.
Nelson considers herself an “impressionist,” and her artistic mentors are Van Gogh and Gaughan. Her tools include a palette knife and brush. And she prefers using oil paint on either canvas or wood panels.
Exhibitions
Nelson has exhibited and sold her art at many shops in Duluth and Boston. Additionally, her paintings have been displayed at Vikre Distillery, Essentia Health’s radiology department, Siiviis Gallery, Sacred Art Gallery (in Arizona), 190° Coffee and Tea, Chicago’s Maritime Museum, Lake Superior Brewing, Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, Union Gospel Mission, Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, and many other venues.
She has sold numerous paintings privately and regularly
receives commissions for her work. Local restaurateurs Tom and Jaima Hanson enjoy Nelson’s art so much that they have a large painting on display (featuring a historical shipping theme) at one of their businesses, Corktown Deli & Brews.
Another professional highlight for Nelson was a meeting with the curator of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The Library was interested in learning about her historical paintings representing Duluth and kept several prints.
"IT’S SO REWARDING WHEN PEOPLE APPRECIATE SOMETHING YOU’VE CREATED. IT’S JUST SO SWEET FOR ME.”
- Mona Khalil Nelson
Personal
Mona and her husband, Mark — who is retired from St. Louis County — have five adult children: Anna, Samuel, Manda, Kristina and Paul. They also have five grandchildren.
In her free time, Nelson enjoys swimming in Lake Superior, quilting, knitting, rug hooking and flower gardening. Her Christian faith is also deeply important to her.
Mark is recovering from a serious heart attack, which has caused the family to prioritize family even more.
“I’m so mindful of family,” she said. “Life is short. You just never know.”
Nelson’s art continues to provide a special bond for the couple as her husband heals.
“Mark is a big part of my career. He has been my framer, he’s drilled holes for me — really, he helps me with everything,” she said.
Most fulfilling
Upon request, Nelson offered a few tidbits for other budding artists.
“I’d say get a good foundation before you move forward — on things like drawing and other basic skills,” she said. “I would have loved to get a formal art education in New York City.
“Get out of your comfort zone,” she added. “I love learning, experimenting, and just getting things on canvas.”
Despite life taking her in another direction for a time, she ultimately ended up exactly where she belongs.
“It’s so rewarding when people appreciate something you’ve created,” she said. “It’s just so sweet for me.”
For more information, visit monanelson.com.*
Andrea Busche is a Duluth-based freelance writer and small-business owner. She has been a frequent contributor to The Woman Today since 2008.
Mona and Mark Nelson participate in the Iowa Art Fair, with Mona painting live during the event.
"Hawk Ridge Duluth" (above) and "Lake Superior Cove at Noon" (below), painted by Mona Khalil Nelson.
Holidays Home(s)for the
By Andrea Busche | Photos courtesy of Glensheen, LSRM Collection, and Fairlawn Mansion
It’s that magical time of year: the holiday season! Here in the Twin Ports, there is much to see and do. Looking for some familyfriendly activities? Here are three historical options that create fun, educational outings for the entire family:
• Fairlawn Mansion.
• The Depot/Lake Superior Railroad Museum.
• Glensheen Mansion. While two are former family residences, all three unique venues provide a warm “homefor-the-holidays” feeling.
One of many decorated trees visible at Fairlawn Mansion, this tree is located on the first floor of the mansion, next to one of the original fireplaces.
Fairlawn Mansion
Superior’s Fairlawn Mansion (906 E. Second St.) is a Queen Anne Victorian home. Fairlawn was the private residence of lumber and mining baron Martin Pattison, his wife, Grace, and their six children from 1890 to 1920. It later served as a children’s home for 42 years. Today it operates as a public museum.
Jordan Stish serves as museum manager. She shared some details about the holidays at Fairlawn.
“The holiday season at Fairlawn is incredible,” Stish said. “We will have over a dozen Christmas trees set up, complete with their own décor style. We also set up both modern and Victorian-era holiday decorations in each room of the mansion. Once all our decorations are set up both inside and outside, the holiday festivities begin.”
From Dec. 1-3, Fairlawn hosts a special event called “Quiet Santa.”
“This event is designed for families with children who have autism or other special needs,” Stish said. “We provide a private, sensory-friendly experience for these families to meet Santa in an environment that is not overstimulating. Each child receives a free sensory toy and a treat from Santa.
“On Dec. 5, we are hosting ‘The Holiday Sampler.’ This event is a community favorite. We will have live music from Similar Dogs, beer and wine tastings from Keyport Liquor, and catered treats from Kurtz Catering. This event raises money for the restoration of Fairlawn, as well as exhibit and signage upgrades.
“Finally, on Dec. 10, 14 and 17, we host ‘Fairlawn Mansion’s OldFashioned Christmas.’ This family event offers discounted tours of the mansion, free holiday treats, and games and crafts for kids and grown-ups.”
Each holiday season, Fairlawn offers holiday treats and traditions from today and the Victorian era.
Fairlawn is offering some fun updates and changes this year, too.
“At the Holiday Sampler this year, we are giving away customized tasting glasses for all guests, and our silent auction will have several new ‘big ticket’ items, including some special prizes
from the Green Bay Packers organization,” Stish said. “And, at Fairlawn Mansion’s OldFashioned Christmas, we are offering some new activities for our guests.”
More information is available at superiorpublicmuseums.org.
“THE HOLIDAY SEASON AT FAIRLAWN IS INCREDIBLE. WE WILL HAVE OVER A DOZEN CHRISTMAS TREES SET UP, COMPLETE WITH THEIR OWN DÉCOR STYLE."
- Jordan Stish
The Depot/Lake
Superior Railroad Museum (LSRM)
Duluth’s Depot (506 W. Michigan St.) was originally constructed in 1892 by the Northern Pacific Railway. Today, it is home to LSRM and its partner, the North Shore Scenic Railroad. Featuring vintage locomotive artifacts, educational exhibits and train trips up Minnesota’s North Shore, LSRM has something for everyone.
Ken Buehler, executive director of LSRM and general manager of the North Shore Scenic Railroad, described the holiday season at the Depot and LSRM.
“Christmas changes the look of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum,” he said. “The traditional decorations are accented by colored lights that make the displays of historic railroad equipment perfect backdrops for holiday photos. We get a lot of people coming to the museum to take family portraits.
“Along the bricked streets of Depot Square in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, the replica 1910 storefronts are decorated for the holidays,” Buehler added. “It’s an old-fashioned Christmas with wreaths, ribbons and bows. You almost expect to turn a corner and hear Dickens-like carolers singing, ‘Deck the Halls.’
“It’s the perfect backdrop for the North Shore Scenic Railroad’s Christmas City Express — a story performance with live music, video and actors telling the story of a young girl traveling by train on Christmas Eve to her grandparent’s house in Duluth,” he added. “The Christmas City Express includes a train ride, hot cocoa and cookies, and runs over the four weekends following Thanksgiving.”
For information on tickets, hours and more, visit duluthtrains.com.
“Christmas changes the look of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. The traditional decorations are accented by colored lights that make the displays of historic railroad equipment perfect backdrops for holiday photos."
- Ken Buehler
Glensheen Mansion
Glensheen Mansion (3300 London Road in Duluth) was constructed in the Jacobean revival architectural style — a type of English Tudor — from 1905-1908. Upon its completion, Glensheen became home to one of Minnesota’s, and certainly Duluth’s, wealthiest men — attorney and capitalist Chester Congdon.
And although today it is a “historic house museum,” Glensheen was the private home to Chester and Clara Congdon and their family for many years, until it was donated to the University of Minnesota in 1979. The magic of this classic home shines brightest during the holiday season.
Glensheen Marketing Manager Mike Mayou shared some details about the upcoming holiday season at Glensheen.
The North Shore Scenic Railroad’s Christmas Train departs the station.
“Guests can wander around the grounds and then come in and see the mansion where it’s warm and cozy inside.”
- Mike Mayou
“We try to stick as much as we can to a classic Christmas,” he said. “It truly feels like a family home. We set the table and decorate the rooms as if the Congdons were living there. We try to bring as many original artifacts (such as the ornaments on the tree in the library) into our decorating scheme to display some of the family history.”
Glensheen and the surrounding property are immense, and require much effort to prepare for the holidays. Glensheen features 27,000 square feet — and 39 rooms — of living space. There is also a gardener’s cottage, a boathouse and many gardens — all set on 12 acres.
Glensheen decorates for Christmas in the same fashion as when the Congdon family lived there.
Once complete, it’s a fully immersive experience that is well worth the work. There are 27 beautifully lit Christmas trees at Glensheen, with the main attraction being an immense 15-foot tree in the main hallway.
This year there will be a few new additions: Six of Glensheen’s rooms will be themed to match six classic Christmas tales: “The Night Before Christmas,” “The Nutcracker,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Elves and the Shoemaker,” “The Snow Queen” and “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
“It’s a really magical time of year, especially after a fresh snowfall,” Mayou said. “Guests can wander around the grounds and then come in and see the
mansion where it’s warm and cozy inside.”
Information on hours, tickets and more can be found at glensheen.org.
Visit and enjoy
The staff members at the museums are excited for the holidays and would love for you to join them.
“We are so grateful for our guests this time of year,” said Stish. “The holidays wouldn’t be special without our visitors. We are excited to host you this season and celebrate this magical time of year.”*
Andrea Busche is a Duluth-based freelance writer and smallbusiness owner. She has been a frequent contributor to The Woman Today since 2008.
DIY
Bringing winter scenes inside Cozy Snow Jar
By Molly Milroy
Looking to bring a touch of winter magic indoors? This DIY winter jar captures a scenic, snowy landscape inside a Mason jar or glass orb. It’s a great decoration for your mantel or dining table, and it’s a fun, easy project to do in the wintertime.
• Natural elements (pinecones, small wood pieces, tree bark, cedar greens, etc.)
Instructions
1. Plan your layout
First, arrange your items in the jar without using any glue. Place various miniature trees with a small deer beside them or a tiny snowman by a classic holiday truck. Move things around until you like how it looks. Arranging everything beforehand lets you see exactly how your winter scene will turn out before gluing it down and making it permanent. Play around with the winter scenes to see what you like best.
2. Glue down your winter scene
Once you’ve decided how you like the look of the winter scene, then carefully glue each piece in place. A hot glue gun works well for securing items on glass, but bonding glue is an excellent alternative for working with delicate pieces. Start with larger items like trees, applying a small dab of glue to each piece and holding it in place for a few seconds until it sets. Keep the smaller pieces toward the front to remain visible, as this will create a layered, 3D effect.
3. Add faux snow
Make it snow! Gently sprinkle your faux snow into the jar, aiming for a light dusting that enhances rather than hides your scene. Start with a small amount, then add more until you achieve your desired look. Be sure that you don’t cover up the figurines. The snow should look like a fresh, delicate dusting on a winter morning.
4. Add local fauna for a natural touch
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks or bonding glue
• Display stand (optional)
• Decorative ribbon
To create a rustic or woodsy effect, add some local natural elements like tiny pine cones, pieces of bark, or pieces of cedar greenery. These pieces do not need to be glued down. Instead, place them gently inside the jar where they can sit on the faux snow. Adding natural elements will add a cozy element to the jar.
5. Finish and display
Once everything is set, secure the lid of the Mason jar. Tie a ribbon around the lid to add a final decorative touch. For a glass orb, place it directly on the counter or a display stand.
Korner k i d s ’
By Ali Carlson
We are SO excited to be in the middle of the holiday season! Sloane loves to go out in the community and find decorations. Thank you, thank you to our local businesses for taking the time to decorate for the holidays. It means so much to the kiddos!
Our community puts together some pretty cool holiday events and we try to get to as many as we can! Please keep an eye out for Sloane while you’re out celebrating this season, she LOVES meeting new friends.
SCUBA SANTA
Scuba Santa will be offered at 11 a.m. on the following Saturdays and Sundays: Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-8, Dec. 14-15, and Dec. 21-22, in the Isle Royale exhibit.
MUSEUM EXHIBITS
Educational programming. Family events. The St. Louis County Depot is a welcoming space for all. Follow us on social media or visit our website to find all there is to experience inside this wonderous building. ExperienceTheDepot.org or “St. Louis Count Depot” on Facebook & Instagram.
celebration menu for any time of the year
Cheers!
By Kim Quinones THE WOMAN TODAY
Photos Courtesy of Kim Quinones
Champagne Shrimp Scampi
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces linguine or thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Half teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-pound bag frozen shrimp, raw, peeled, deveined, tail on 16-20 count size (frozen works great)
1 cup Champagne, extra dry sparkling (can substitute a dry sparkling pear cider)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
⅔ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 bunch parsley, fresh, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup liquid. Set both aside.
2. Quick defrost method for frozen shrimp: Place in a colander and run under cold water for up to 5 minutes. Drain well. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and raw shrimp. Cook 2-3 minutes, turning halfway through, until shrimp have turned light pink in color.
4. Pour in Champagne and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir in cooked pasta and toss to coat all in the sauce. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water if needed.
6. Garnish with lemon zest, parmesan cheese and parsley.
This dish pairs well with steamed broccoli and a green salad.
Sparkling cranberry & ginger celebration shrub
The fruit solids and pulp can be used in a baked fruit crisp combined with pears, apples or both — a wonderful second dessert to this celebration menu.
This fruit and vinegar shrub is perfect yearround for a quick thirst-quenching glass of sparkling beverage or use as an addition to the Champagne to create a holiday party punch for the adults. Other fruits such as blueberries, strawberries or raspberries will work in combination with the vinegar, maple syrup and ginger, which makes this an any-season favorite.
INGREDIENTS:
12-ounce bag of cranberries, fresh, rinse through
1 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¾ cup granulated sugar
Duluth’s Neighborhood Grocer
2 sticks of cinnamon
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the fruit breaks open and softens. Take off heat and let cool.
2. With a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl, place spoonfuls of fruit in the mesh strainer and press gently with the back of a spoon to deposit the juice into the bowl. When the strainer is full, place fruit solids in a separate bowl. Once the fruit is strained, pour the remaining liquid and pulp through the strainer to drain. You’ll be left with a bowl of juice and the other bowl with fruit and pulp. Let each cool.
3. To serve, pour 1 ounce over ice and top with club soda or a favorite lemon-lime or sparkling water.
4. Store the shrub juice in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator. Use within two weeks.
Recipe adapted from Cranberry-Ginger Shrub from Country Living.
Dreamy Chocolate Pudding With Toasted Coconut Topping
Ready in minutes, this recipe blends avocado and coconut milk to create a creamy pudding. Serve right away as pudding or chill to get more of a mousse consistency.
Ingredients list is per avocado; two servings per avocado.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large, ripe avocado, halved, pitted and sliced into chunks
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut milk, chilled (or coconut cream)
Dash of salt
Splash of vanilla, optional for added sweetness
¼ cup sweetened coconut, toasted
DIRECTIONS:
Blend all ingredients (except toasted coconut) together until smooth in a food processor or blender, or place in a 2-quart saucepan and blend with an immersion blender. Top with toasted coconut or another favorite such as berries, nuts or whipped cream.
Recipe adapted from Avocado Chocolate Mousse nourishandtempt.com.
Top with toasted coconut or another favorite such as berries, nuts or whipped cream.
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Stella Prince Stocker was a musician, composer and teacher who spent her life sharing the importance of music with others, both in Duluth and throughout the world.
She was born in 1858 to Dr. David and Lucy Prince; her father was a well-known surgeon and founder of a sanitarium in Jacksonville, Illinois. Hers was a musical family. According to a 2011 article in the Budgeteer News, Dr. Prince was the organist and choir director at their Baptist church, and she and her family also sang and helped lead the choir. She studied at the Conservatory of Music in Jacksonville and continued her studies at the University of Michigan, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1880.
In 1885 she married Dr. Samuel Marston Stocker, who worked in her father’s hospital. When they moved to Duluth, Dr. Stocker worked as a physician at St. Luke’s and Stella ran a music school out of her home. She founded a women’s choral group in 1887 (the Cecilian Society, later known as the Matinee Musicale),
focusing on music education and bringing musicians to Duluth.
Stocker had two children: a son, Arthur, a promising singer who died as a child, and a daughter, Clara. Traveling to New York and Europe with her children, she lectured, studied and reported on her travels for the Duluth News Tribune. She composed numerous musical pieces throughout her life, including “Ganymede,” a light opera that was staged in Duluth and New York.
At some point, Stocker began studying the music and cultural traditions of the Ojibwe at reservations across the state, keeping journals and taking numerous photographs that have served as an important historical record. She also composed works based on her studies, most notably the pageant “Sieur Du Lhut.” She referred to herself as “O-mes-qua wi-gi shi-go-que” or “Red Sky Lady.” It is unclear whether she was given that Ojibwe name or gave it to herself.
Stocker died in Florida in 1925. *
Photo of Stella Prince Stocker sourced from the Budgeteer News, “Engaging the Community Through Music” Sept. 18, 2011. Photo courtesy of the Duluth Public Library’s biography files
