Generations - Summer 2023

SUMMER 2023

For a vibrant, ageless lifestye

Meals

on WHEELS

Inside

YMCA encourages healthy habits New Assistant Program Director at Senior Center Folkestad celebrates 65 years with Wadena Lions

8 tips 1

for eating healthy & staying fit

Base your meals on higher fiber starchy carbohydrates

lots of fruit 2 Eat and vegetables Eat more fish, including a 3 portion of oily fish Cut down on saturated 4 fat and sugar

5 6

Eat less salt: no more than 6g a day for adults

Get active and be a healthy weight

7 Do not get thirsty

8 Do not skip breakfast

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GENERATIONS

SUMMER HEALTH & WELLNESS 6 YMCA encourages older adults to ‘engage at every age’ 11 Meet the new Senior Center Assistant Program Director 16 Healthy summer snacks with MyPlate 22 Protect your eyes with high-quality sunglasses 22 Chocolate: a delicious source of benefits for seniors

2023

for a vibrant, ageless lifestyle

EDUCATION 18 Have you heard of geneology tourism?

FINANCE 14 Learn about the types, benefits of planned giving

Serving up delicious meals Alexandria Meals on Wheels Page 8

SERVICE ABOVE SELF Roger Folkestad celebrates 65 years with Wadena Lions Page 12 A Publication of the Echo Press 4 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

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Summer 2023• GENERATIONS | 5

EnhanceFitness participants at the Alexandria Area YMCA pose for a photo after class.

Contributed photo

YMCA encourages older adults to

‘ENGAGE AT EVERY AGE’

By Celeste Edenloff Alexandria Echo Press

This summer, the Alexandria Area YMCA is emphasizing the importance of being active and involved, no matter where or when you are in life.

Community residents are encouraged to develop behaviors that are crucial to healthy aging, including healthy eating, increasing physical activity and social interaction – especially those adults over the age of 50.

Adults 50 years and older currently make up more than 30% of the U.S. population, and will soon represent 45% of all Americans. The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that adults 50 and older have a 70% chance of developing at least one chronic disease. While these numbers seem daunting, the good news is that making small lifestyle changes that include increasing physical activity, eat6 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

ing healthier and staying active socially can help older adults live better.

“Due to COVID-19’s “Due to COVID-19’s potential effect potential effect on our older on our older members, we know that many have been staying home for members, we know that many their health,” said Tammi Pauly, have been staying home for their wellness coordinator for the Alheath. If you need help, support or exandria Area YMCA. “If you just a place to get started, communityneed help, support or just a place based organizations like the Y provide to get started, community-based the needed guidance to help older organizations like the Y provide the needed guidance to help older adults age well.” adults age well.”

- Tammi Pauly, The Y offers many ways for older wellness coordinator, adults to live healthier including the Alexandria Area YMCA YMCA’s Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program or EnhanceFitness.

Starting in September 2023, the Alexandria Area YMCA will be offering a Blood Pressure

Self-Monitoring Program that helps adults with hypertension lower and manage their blood pressure. The program focuses on regular monitoring of one’s blood pressure at home using proper measuring techniques, individualized support and nutrition education in an effort to reduce blood pressure and improve their quality of life.

Revised blood pressure guidelines from the American Heart Association mean that nearly half of all Americans (46%) have high blood pressure. Research shows that the simple process of checking and recording your blood pressure at least twice a month over a four-month period, along with regular physical activity, proper nutrition and reducing sodium intake, may lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

Nationally, the YMCA’s Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program is available at more than 600 locations in 40 states and, thanks to generous support from the CDC’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention division. To date, participants have lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of 11.1 mmHg between initial and final readings.

The Alexandria Area YMCA also offers EnhanceFitness, a 16-week evidence-based physical activity program proven to increase the physical, mental and social functioning of older adults – particularly those with arthritis.

According to the CDC, 52 million Americans have arthri-

tis, including about half of all adults over age 65. Almost 23 million Americans report that arthritis limits their physical activity. Research has shown that low-intensity physical activity performed on a regular basis can reduce pain, improve functioning, elevate mood and delay the onset of disability.

Participants in EnhanceFitness attend three, one-hour classes per week taught by certified Y instructors. Classes feature proven aerobic, strength training, balance and flexibility exercises that are safe, effective and modifiable for a variety of fitness levels. In addition to physical benefits, the program provides a fun, social atmosphere that fosters relationships between program participants.

As a leading nonprofit dedicated to improving the nation’s health, the Alexandria Area YMCA offers the following tips to encourage older adults to live healthier lives. Have fun with your food.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring! Have fun with your fruits and vegetables by trying them fresh or frozen. Find a new recipe that uses a different source of protein or find a way to incorporate fish or beans into an old favorite. Remember as you age, it’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy and lean meats to help your body get the necessary nutrients. Fill up on fiber and potassium, hold the salt. As you age, your body needs more fi-

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ber-rich foods to help it stay regular. Aim for a variety of colorful foods on your plate (i.e. fruits and veggies) to keep fiber-rich foods a part of your diet. Additionally, increasing potassium along with reducing sodium or salt may lower your risk of high blood pressure.

Fruits, vegetables and low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt are good sources of potassium. Get active. Physical activity is safe for almost everyone, and the health benefits far outweigh the risks. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things older adults can do for their health. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age (such as osteoporosis and arthritis) and reduce the risk for developing, or help manage, depression, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain kinds of cancers. For older adults who have chronic conditions that hinder their ability to be active on a regular basis, some physical activity is better than none, and older adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. Tweak your routine. To get the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity, change your routine to 10-minute sessions throughout the day. For example, stand on one foot while brushing your teeth to increase balance, and do squats while washing dishes to increase strength. Make sure you can grab hold of something to maintain balance—safety

Tammi Pauly

Wellness Coordinator, YMCA

first! To increase your cardio, take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther from the entrance to work. When sitting in front of the TV, march during commercials or do some light stretching to break up sitting for long periods. Get social. Socialization is an important part of aging. As we get older, it’s important to be active socially to stay healthy.

Take a walk with a friend or a neighbor, join a book club or volunteer at your local pet shelter or local Y. Social interaction provides meaningful engagement, builds relationships, enhances a sense of belonging and provides opportunities for involvement—all resulting in greater bonds and a stronger sense of community. Being connected to the community keeps you healthy!

For more information on how you can live a healthy, active life, visit alexandriaymca. com, or call 320-834-9622.

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Summer 2023• GENERATIONS | 7

Alexandria MEALS ON

WHEELS Janet Baker, second from left, is pictured with others from Meals on Wheels, from left, MaryKay Smith, Ryan Goergen and Alyce Kartes.

Contributed photo

Serving up

DELICIOUS MEALS

By Celeste Edenloff

Alexandria Echo Press

Alyce Kartes and Ryan Goergen help prepare meals for the Meals on Wheels program.

Contributed photo

8 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

The Alexandria Meals on Wheels program serves between 100 and 150 meals per day Monday through Friday. It also serves frozen meals to people who want meals over the weekend.

Janet Baker, who started at the Alexandria Meals on Wheels program in 2015 as the chef and manager, said the meals are designed by a dietician to meet one-third of the recommended dietary allowances.

The meals vary day-to-day. She said it could be meatballs, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, bread, milk and a cookie one day and the next day, it could be taco salad, cornbread, apple, milk and ice cream. The menus are printed monthly, but she said that meals are subject to change without notice depending on supply chain, truck deliveries and other circumstances.

One meal per day is what most people get delivered, said Baker, with meals being delivered between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Most peo-

ple have meals delivered Monday through Friday and some will get two extra frozen meals to cover the weekend. There are also some, she said, who just get meals delivered on alternate days.

Baker also noted that the Meals on Wheels offers shelf-stable meals before winter sets in – five meals per box for a $20 suggested donation.

This way, she said, if there is a snow day and food cannot be delivered, people would have food on hand.

Those interested in signing up for the Meals on Wheels program must be over the age of 60. The current suggested donation per meal is $4, which Baker called a “remarkable bargain.” The cost is billed out once a month. To sign up, call 320-762-4280 or stop by the Alexandria Senior Center and request a registration form.

VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED The Alexandria Meals on Wheels program has two paid part-time staff and everyone else who helps out are volunteers, said Baker. Most of the volunteers are drivers for

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Summer 2023• GENERATIONS | 9

the four routes that the Alexandria site currently has. Each route takes about two hours, she noted.

One of the routes is the Garfield/Brandon/Evansville area, while the other three are based in Alexandria. Typically, she said, drivers arrive at the Alexandria Senior Center between 9:30 and 10 a.m. to check their route sheets for any changes or additions and then load up their meals for the day before they are off.

GPS, maps and knowledge of the area are all tools that help volunteer drivers get the meals to where they need to go, said Baker.

“Our drivers come from a wide array of interests,” she said. “Some were teachers.

Some were lawyers, architects and engineers. Some drive year-round, while some are seasonal.”

New drivers are usually sent out a time or two with an experienced driver so they can see how everything works.

MaryKay Smith helps to package meals The Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteer drivers. Anyone interfor the Meals on Wheels program.

Contributed photo ested is asked to call 320-762-4280 or stop into the Alexandria Senior Center.

Interested in volunteering?

Call 320-762-4280 or visit the Alexandria Senior Center.

Helping to prepare Meals on Wheels are Alyce Kartes and Ryan Goergen.

It is not the years in your life that count,

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10 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

Contributed photo

A LITTLE HISTORY According to Wikipedia, the Meals on Wheels program originated in the United Kingdom during the Blitz in the Second World War, which was a time when people lost their homes and therefore ability to cook food for themselves.

The Women’s Volunteer Service for Civil Defense helped to provide food for people. The name “Meals on Wheels” derived from the delivery method of bringing meals in prams, carts, bicycles with baskets, cars and other wheeled vehicles.

The first delivery was made in 1943.

In the United States, a program was developed in 1954 at the request of the Philadelphia Health and Welfare Council to meet the dietary needs of homebound seniors and other shut-ins who would otherwise go hungry. After that, programs started popping up all over the United States and into Canada.

According to information provided by Baker, a 2013 study found that home delivered meals improve diet quality and increase nutrient intake among participants.

Nutrition Services Inc., a privately owned nonprofit corporation started by Larry Kroeger of Waseca, was awarded the bid to serve a nine-county area in west-central Minnesota, which includes Douglas County, she said.

There are a total of 10 kitchen sites and contracts with restaurants and nursing homes and satellite locations.

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Meet the new Senior Center

ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR

By Celeste Edenloff Alexandria Echo Press

For the last 17 years, Becky Christenson of Alexandria has worked with and served the senior population.

“From being a retail customer service manager to membership coordinator for a senior wellness center, I am passionate about serving others,” she said.

As of June 1, Christenson began a new role that will also serve the senior population.

She is the program/administrative assistant at the Alexandria Senior Center.

“Having lived here most of my life, my connection to the Alexandria lakes area is strong,” she said. “Over the next 25 years, 30% of the population in Douglas County will be aged 65 or better, so it is a rewarding time to be working in this area and I am excited to be a member of a team doing work that is important to our seniors.”

She said she is still getting acquainted with the daily operations and membership of the Senior Center, but said she is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and hopes people will stop in and say hello.

Christenson and her husband, Dana, have been married for 30 years and have two adult children. During the summer months, you will find the couple walking and biking on the Central Lakes Trail as well as seeking out outdoor music venues.

Find out more about Christenson in the following Q and A: Q: What are you most excited about in your new role?

A: The opportunity to continue to work with the vibrant senior population in our community. My previous roles have allowed me to meet and serve many of the kindest and most gracious seniors in our area. I was so fortunate to build many relationships and I am anxious to do the same at the Senior Center. Seniors have a wealth of wisdom and stories to share, and I look forward to that every day.

The Alexandria Senior Center has a strong leader in Shelli-Kae Foster, which makes it very exciting for me to come on board. I cannot say enough about the work that she and the amazing volunteer staff have done to bring the Senior Center back after some tough recent years. The hours put in by volunteers in a week is nothing short of remarkable.

And their talents are matched by their dedication to making the Senior Center a welcoming and inviting place for all.

My immediate goals are to greet all of our members by their first name as well as to keep our programming relevant to the health, safety and social needs of our members.

Q: What types of programs will you be working on for the Senior Center?

A: We have a full schedule of daily activities that take place at the Senior Center. I will work to maintain the popular programs already in place and be a resource for new ideas. I want our membership to feel comfortable bringing their ideas to me as well. Our mission at the Alexandria Senior Center is to provide the best programming for our members through nutritional, informational, educational, and social events, so that will continue to be my focus.

Becky Christenson

Assistant Prorgram Director

tional speakers, and monthly Birthday Club celebrations to name just a few. Our membership is open to community members aged 50 or better, and membership allows participation in our programs/ activities at a reduced fee.

We are a 503c nonprofit organization, so our funding is derived largely from our membership dues and program fees.

If you are interested in membership or just want to check out the facility, stop by at 414 Hawthorne Street in Alexandria between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You may reach out to us by phone as well at 320-762-2087. We look forward to seeing you at the Alexandria Senior Center!

Q: What else should people know about you or the programming at the Senior Center?

A: The Alexandria Senior Center is a busy place. We offer a nice variety of daily card game groups and billiards, yoga/dance classes, educa-

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Summer 2023• GENERATIONS | 11

Wadena Rotarians shuck corn with a crowd of other volunteers for the 55th annual Wadena Rotary Corn and Chicken Feed in 2022. All funds raised by the feed went back to the community and youth scholarships. The feed is one example of how the Rotary Club gives back to the community.

Michael Johnson / Pioneer Journal

At 97, Roger Folkestad celebrates 65 years of

Roger Folkestad, 97, pictured here at his Wadena home, is marking 65 years of membership in the Wadena Rotary Club this year.

Karen Tolkkinen / Wadena Pioneer Journal

12 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

‘SERVICE ABOVE SELF’

“We are a good, solid community and we want to see things advance.

I would like to see people become interested and giving some of your time back. Because that’s what Rotary is, giving some of your time back to the community.”

The Rotary International logo.

Roger Folkestad has been a member of the Wadena Rotary Club for 65 years.

Contributed image

- Roger Folkestad Karen Tolkkinen

Wadena Pioneer Journal

WADENA — If anyone decides to create a “Mr. Wadena” title, Roger Folkestad might well deserve the honor.

The 97-year-old is one of the oldest residents of Wadena. A Wadena native, he was born during the Roaring 20s and grew up during the Great Depression. At age 11 or 12 — he can’t recall exactly — he was bloodying his knees crawling across fallen acorns in order to uproot dandelions at the local hospital, for which he was paid 10 cents an hour. It was his first paying job.

“I didn’t know anything but work.

Of course that was the Depression,” he said. “I don’t remember never working.”

This year, the Wadena Rotary Club is feting him for 65 years of service to the club — such a rarity that even the Duluth-based Rotary district office, which covers multiple states, acknowledged his anniversary.

“It’s a remarkable tenure for our club,” said Nate Loer, president of the Wadena club. “It’s not something you see every day.”

Folkestad’s personal story is also remarkable in a time of relative ease and plenty. His own father traveled from Iowa into Minnesota in 1898 via covered wagon, and their family survived by hunting rabbits and selling blueberries. Folkestad’s father opened a used furniture store before adding a mortuary business. Finances were so tight during the Great Depression that the family converted their big house into lodging. Their parents turned the living room into their bed-

room. The dining room doubled as a living room, which is where Folkestad and his older brother, Howard, slept, which meant they couldn’t go to sleep until visitors left.

Like many families of the time, they kept huge gardens. His mother, Christine, insisted on an immaculate house, and Folkestad can recall crawling under the Davenport every week to clean and polish the baseboards.

She also required them to scour the basement with hot, soapy water not once, but twice each weekend.

“I bet you could have eaten off the floor,” he said. He teared up talking about his mother, who would get on her knees and pray for her children.

She did this not so her children would see her, he explained, but so that they would turn out OK. Normally she would pray while they were at school, but at times she was still praying when he came home.

Growing up in a strict, religious family, Folkestad said he tithed one penny of every dime he earned. The rest, he probably spent on candy, he said. When he was still a preteen, he had dealings with the bank on his own. He had his own independent bank account — his parents were not on it — and also got a loan.

He worked not just at home but at his father’s businesses, where he got to know many of the townspeople.

“It was quite a business town,” he said. “There were grocery stores, automobile dealers, machinery dealers, dry goods — name it, we had it,” he said. Wadena had two creameries, mills, elevators, warehouses and quite a few small restaurants.

When World War II was underway, his parents left town for a month to

visit his brother in Seattle. That left the teenage Roger in charge of not just the furniture store, but the mortuary service. His aunt helped run the furniture store, but at times she needed his help, so he would be called out of class to the superintendent’s office, where he would handle the business over the phone. His uncle, a licensed mortician, came to town to help with the funerals, but Folkestad made the funeral arrangements.

During the war, about half the class moved away because their parents left to work in defense plants or went into the service. He graduated with a class of 47, about half the normal class size.

After high school, he tried to join the service himself, he said, only to be rejected because of his asthma. At a time of high patriotism and reverence for those who served, his medical status didn’t shield him from criticism.

One customer whose five sons were in the service informed him that he should serve too. When he told her he was 4F, military shorthand for being disqualified from service because of a serious medical condition, she scoffed and said there was nothing wrong with him.

With a faint smile, he acknowledges that he has lived to age 97 despite the asthma.

After the war, he and Howard went into business with their dad. They added a line of appliances, but found that there wasn’t a business locally to hook them up in customers’ homes.

So they connected them themselves, driving to Brainerd to buy two regulators and four canisters of gas for the

FOLKESTAD

Continued on page 20

Learn about the types, benefits of

PLANNED GIVING

By Celeste Edenloff

Receive a charitable income tax deduction based on the value of the gift.

People can impact their community’s future through planned giving. According to the Alexandria Area Community Foundation’s executive director, A.J. Koewler, planned giving helps people meet their personal, financial and estate planning goals by making a lifetime or testamentary charitable gift.

And that doesn’t always mean donating cash, said Koewler.

Through the AACF, there are four other ways to give, including through the gifts of stocks and bonds, real estate, retirement assets and insurance.

In this first of a two-part series, Koewler looks at the gifts of stocks and bonds and also the gift of real estate.

Leave a lasting legacy and support the causes you care about most.

Alexandria Echo Press

STOCKS AND BONDS Donating appreciated securities, including stocks or bonds, is an easy and tax-effective way for people to make a gift to a charitable fund with the AACF, said Koewler.

The benefits of gifts of stocks and bonds, she said, include the following: Avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of appreciated stock. Receive a charitable income tax deduction. Use the proceeds from the sale of the stock or bond to support AACF. She also said that there are special rules for valuing a gift of stock. The value of a charitable gift of stock is determined by taking the mean between the high and low stock price on the date of the gift.

Mutual fund shares are valued using the closing price for the fund on the date of the gift.

REAL ESTATE Donating appreciated real estate, such as a home, vacation property, undeveloped land, farmland, ranch or commercial property can make a great charitable gift to support the causes you care most about by setting up a fund with AACF. Koewler listed some benefits to the gift of real estate, including the following: Avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of the real estate.

Real property may be given to AACF by executing or signing a deed transferring ownership, said Koewler. People may deed part or all of their real property to AACF or a planned giving vehicle. The gift will generally be based on the property’s fair market value, which must be established by an independent appraisal.

Here are some ways real estate may be gifted, according to Koewler.

An outright gift – When you make a gift of real estate you have owned longer than one year, you qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction equal to the property’s full fair market value.

This deduction lets you reduce the cost of making the gift and frees cash that otherwise would have been used to pay taxes. By donating the property to AACF, you also eliminate capital gains tax on its appreciation.

A gift in your will or living trust – In as little as one sentence or two, you can ensure that your support of the organizations you care most about can be continued into perpetuity. A gift of real estate in your will or trust allows you the flexibility to change your mind.

A retained life estate – Perhaps the tax advantages of a gift of real estate are appealing to you but you want to continue using the property during your lifetime. You can transfer the property to AACF but keep the right to occupy the property. You continue to pay real estate taxes, maintenance and insurance.

Because your gift would be irrevocable, you would qualify for the federal income tax charitable deduction for a portion of your home’s value.

A bargain sale – Selling your property to the AACF at less than fair market value is called “a bargain sale.” The difference between the actual value and the sale price is considered a gift to the AACF. This type of real estate gift can be a useful way to dispose of property that has increased in value, and it is the only gift

14 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

A.J. Koewler

Executive Director AACF

vehicle that can give you a lump sum of cash and a charitable deduction (when you itemize) at the same time.

A charitable remainder trust – Real estate works well with only certain variations of charitable remainder trusts. You can contribute any type of appreciated real estate you’ve owned for more than one year, provided it’s unmortgaged, in exchange for an income stream for life or a term of up to 20 years. The donated property may be a residence (a personal residence must be vacant upon contribution), undeveloped land, a farm or commercial property. Your estate planning attorney, who will draft your trust, can give you more details.

A charitable lead trust – You could consider funding a charitable lead trust with real estate that is income-producing and expected to increase in value over the term of the trust. It’s a great way to transfer appreciated real estate to your family and benefit the causes you care about most.

A donor advised fund – Using a gift of real estate to establish a donor advised fund is something that intrigues many individuals. By gifting real estate, you avoid capital gains taxes and qualify for a federal income tax deduction based on the fair market value of the property when you itemize on your taxes.

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Healthy summer snacks with

MYPLATE

By Brooke Loeffler, Registered Dietitian

Food and Nutrition Services, Alomere Health

With summer comes cookouts. During the summer months, we like to enjoy our Midwest favorites with those close to us.

Using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate can help you build healthy snacks with nutrition-rich foods. As we age, we need to focus on optimizing our nutrition to lower our risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some cancers and weight gain.

Brooke Loeffler Maintaining energy levels and stabilizing blood sugars are a couple of benefits of having two healthy snacks per day for seniors.

Focusing on having fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help us make healthy snack choices.

Here are a few snack ideas to help you commit to a healthy style of eating, as you grow older: Change your dip. Try using hummus with whole

Registered Dietician, Alomere Health

grain crackers for a high-fiber option or mix Greek yogurt with a packet of ranch seasoning to pair with vegetables. Get fruity. By adding fruit to your routine, you are providing your body with a fiberpacked food that provides you with essential vitamins and minerals. Toss in strawberries or blueberries to low-fat cottage cheese. Top fish or chicken with a fruit salad for a fresh summer meal.

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16 | FDIC GENERATIONS Summer 2023 insurance does not cover• losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

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Vary your veggies. Swap chips for vegetables with dips.

Slices of bell peppers, baby carrots, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes can help you increase your fiber intake with chip dips. Rethink your drink. Beverages are an easy way for unwanted added sugars and empty calories to enter our body. Try adding frozen fruit for a sweet way to keep your drink cold. Toss in citrus fruit or mint and cucumbers to your water or sparkling water for a low-calorie sweetener. Pack protein. Adding protein to our snacks can help us feel fuller longer and can help stabilize blood sugars. Add unsalted walnuts or pecans to summer salads. Look for lean proteins such as poultry, lean cuts of pork and beef, and salmon or tilapia to put on the grill.

For more information, visit myplate.gov for recipes and quick tips for healthy eating.

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720 22nd Avenue East, Alexandria Summer 2023• GENERATIONS | 17

Have you heard of

GENEALOGY TOURISM? Are you retired or close to retirement and want to plan a memorable trip where every stop along the way has significance? Genealogy tourism, also known as roots tourism, might appeal to you.

WHAT IS IT? Genealogy tourism involves choosing a holiday location linked to your generational past. For example, you could visit a town or country where your ancestors lived before emigrating to your birthplace.

The aim is to admire places where former family members lived to learn more about your origins and yourself.

Genealogy tourism is a chance to discover the home country of your ancestors. It’s also an excellent opportunity to learn about the experiences of certain relatives who lived during difficult or historically significant times.

HOW TO PLAN A TRIP Planning a genealogical trip is more complex than planning a traditional holiday. For example, you may need to meet with a local historian or genealogy expert recommended by your hotel. You can also contact a travel agency to create a personalized trip or use a company that develops themed group trips.

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Are you over 60 years old? Yes_____

Do you own your home? Yes_____

Do you live in Clay, Pope, Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Traverse, or Wilkin County? Yes____ Do you need a modification to your home that will help you remain independent and safe? Yes____

IF YOU ANSWERED YES, CALL US TODAY TO SEE IF WE CAN HELP WITH SOME OF THE COST!

EXAMPLES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: • • • •

Smoke detectors Faucet replacements Raised toilet seat Minor electrical and plumbing repairs

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Appliance replacements Grab bars Door replacement Railings

Contact us for more information about the In Home Repair Program: Bethany: 218-685-7077 Heather: 218-685-7006 Website: www.wcmca.org

This project Thi j t iis made d possible ibl iin part,t under d th the FFederal d l Old Older AAmerican’s i ’ AActt th throughh a contract with the NWRDC under an Area Plan approved by the Minnesota Board on Aging.

LOOKING FOR HELP PAYING YOUR HEAT AND ELECTRIC BILLS? MARK YOUR CALENDAR TO APPLY FOR ENERGY ASSISTANCE THIS FALL!

Contact us for more information about the Energy Assistance Program: Phone: 1-800-492-4805 Email: eap@wcmca.org Website: www.wcmca.org

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Minnesota residents Homeowners and renters Eligible under yearly revised income guidelines No asset limit Approved households may be eligible for weatherization and furnace repair or replacements.

Applications for the 2023-2024 program year will become available in Fall 2023 both online and by mail.

Visit www.wcmca.org or mn.gov/commerce/energy for more information.

If you were approved for Energy Assistance for the 2022-2023 program year, funding for past due water and wastewater bills is available until August 31st, 2023.

Wadena Rotary Club members helped install a tranquility garden outside the Maslowski Wellness and Research Center.

The project is another example of how the club gives back to the community.

File photo

FOLKESTAD Continued from 13

two customers they had. They supplied the service at a loss until demand started growing. Then Howard took over the furniture store, while Roger took over the gas business.

“I worked like a fool,” he recalled. “I almost had a nervous breakdown. ... I had a good business but there were nights where I’d go home and eat supper and go back to the office.” He’d fall asleep on the office Davenport, waking up when employees arrived in the morning.

He was married with children, and he speaks lovingly about his wife Marie, who died in 2021, after 75 years of marriage.

He ended up selling off the business to a company in Alexandria. He had no idea what he would do next. He was in his early 30s. He ended up buying a floundering insurance and real estate business. He hired a receptionist and watched month after month as his business lost money.

It was at that time that a member of the Rotary Club thought he would make a good addition to the club.

“I was invited in by the owner of Lyle’s Shoe Store, Goodrich by name,” he said. “I enjoyed it. And it was a means of me making business contacts with the community although I was no stranger here.”

He was a busy guy. A father of six, with a struggling business, and he was working hard for his church, too, sometimes traveling out of state to determine whether a community would be a good place to plant an Alliance church. But he found time,

once a week, to eat lunch with other businessmen and pitch in with the causes they supported.

And it was, at that time, all businessmen. Rotary clubs globally didn’t admit women until 1989.

Folkestad remembered “mixed feelings” in the Wadena club about including women.

“The first woman that joined the Rotary Club in Wadena, she was the county agent,” he said. “She came in with a great attitude, that if it caused any problems, she’d resign. There were mixed feelings.

I had feelings about it personally, too. I thought it could cause problems but it’s been beneficial. ... Women have been a plus to Rotary in Wadena.”

Rotary introduced him to a global view of things. It distributed polio and measles vaccines around the world. On a visit to Africa to visit his son, a doctor who specialized in tropical diseases, just the mention of the words “polio” and “Rotary” opened doors for them. The top official at the local hospital told him he was very pleased with the vaccinations, and that even though it was the height of the measles season there, they had very few measles cases in the hospital.

Through Rotary, he met a businessman from the Philippines who invited him to visit if he was ever in that part of the world.

So when he flew to Asia, again to see his

20 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

s o n’s work, he contacted the man. He was struck by the hospitality he encountered there. The businessman, who was supposed to undergo eye surgery for a sports injury, delayed the surgery until he knew that Folkestad was being taken care of. He made his limousine and chauffeur available for Folkestad’s use.

Folkestad said he’s never been one to seek the limelight. He prefers staying in the background while helping. He agreed to this article, he said, because he thought it might help Rotary.

Mike Craig, a retired financial planner, said Folkestad was one of the people who welcomed him in 1990 after he moved to Wadena from Chicago, not knowing a soul, to take over a franchise.

He quickly joined the Wadena Rotary Club, and on the first day, Folkestad was one of the first few people he met, along with Rex McDonald, Miles Rowe and Reg Mead.

“They invited me to sit at a table,” he recalled. “They were asking me questions about who I was and why I was there.

They were so excited. They pointed to Roger and said, ‘Roger’s in the real estate business, he’ll help you find a place to live.’”

Before he knew it, Folkestad was introducing him to the local dentist and other professionals.

“It’s a remarkable tenure for our club. It’s not something you see every day.”

- Nate Loer, Wadena Club president on Folkestad’s 65 years with Rotary

“Pretty soon I had met a whole network of professional and business people and this all happened in a matter of minutes and I was made to feel right at home,” Craig said. “I realized that when you’re in Rotary, you’re welcome anywhere in the world.”

Folkestad has survived cancer and a triple bypass. He still lives independently and drives, and he makes sure to continue to attend the weekly Rotary meetings.

He enjoys keeping tabs on the community pulse.

“These rural towns of the last few years have taken a beating,” he said. “Dairy used to be the big thing here. When we lost the creameries we lost an awful lot.”

Wadena lacks the recreational lakes that have generated wealth for resort communities. And it’s one of the poorest counties in the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Still, its main street has added new shops and kept older ones, and it has regained some of the population it lost. That gives Folkestad hope for his hometown.

“We are a good, solid community and we want to see things advance,” he said. “I would like to see people become interested and giving some of your time back to the community. Because that’s what Rotary is, giving some of your time back to the community.”

The truth is, Folkestad could have dropped out of Rotary at any time. People often do after they retire, and he hasn’t been in business for more than 30 years.

So why keep going week after week?

He tips his head back and says, sounding a bit surprised, “Because I like it.”

KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING

THIS SUMMER?

Don’t miss the biggest concerts, fairs, outdoor adventures, parks, parades & more happening this summer at the lake.

READ THE LATEST & SIGN UP FOR THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER! echopress.com/lakessummerfun Summer 2023• GENERATIONS | 21

Protect your eyes with high-quality

SUNGLASSES Sunglasses are meant to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays and prevent glare from reflective surfaces.

Although you should wear sunglasses all year round, it’s even more important to wear them during the summer, when you spend more time outdoors in the heat.

Here are a few good reasons to protect your eyes.

• Premature retina aging • Corneal degeneration • Cataracts • Temporary blindness called photokeratitis • Eyelid sunburns • Formation of growths on the surface of the eye • Cancer

DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH UV RAYS Not wearing sunglasses or wearing ones that don’t provide adequate UV protection can increase your risk of the following:

TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT SUNGLASSES Here are a few criteria to consider when purchasing a pair of sunglasses to ensure your eyes have adequate protection:

• The lenses block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays • The lenses fit around your eyes and protect the delicate skin around them • The lenses are polarized • The lenses are uniform and free of imperfections Although you can buy sunglasses in many stores, it’s a good idea to invest in a high-quality pair from an optometry clinic to ensure the best protection for your eyes. What’s more, you can get personalized advice and book your next eye exam.

CHOCOLATE:

a delicious source of benefits for seniors Chocolate is enjoyed by people of all ages. Are you a senior citizen who enjoys this sweet treat? Chocolate with high cocoa content (at least 60 percent) has many benefits when consumed in moderation. Here are some great reasons to indulge.

CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART Chocolate, specifically cocoa, contains flavonoids. These plant pigments have a positive impact on cardiovascular health.

Flavonoids help reduce inflammation, which can be a risk factor for heart

attacks. They also help lower bad cholesterol which helps to prevent high blood pressure.

CHOCOLATE FEEDS THE BRAIN Cocoa is a source of antioxidants.

Antioxidants stimulate the brain to help combat the cellular aging responsible for certain diseases like Alzheimer’s. Cocoa also contains minerals that help slow cognitive decline.

CHOCOLATE IMPROVES MOOD Chocolate has anti-depressant properties due to components like tyramine,

22 | GENERATIONS • Summer 2023

theobromine and phenylalanine. If you let the chocolate melt in your mouth, it increases levels of mood-boosting hormones, like dopamine and serotonin.

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