PROFILES in Steele 2021

2021

Profiles

in Steele

Resilience

Profiles 2021 | Page 1

Celebrating

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Years

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THE PRODUCTS THAT DEFINE

PERFORMANCE

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2021

Profiles

in Steele

Inside these 48 pages you will find in-depth stories that take you into Steele County’s resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended all of our lives for the past year, causing families to adjust to school at home, employees to work from home and residents to become accustomed to face masks and social distancing as the world came to a halt in March 2020.

Steele County residents have shown their resiliency through everyday moments in the last year, but resiliency can be seen in other moments that have occurred in the past year. This will give you a glimpse into the lives of Steele County residents who have continued forward with their lives despite the circumstances.

Some of the faces and names that you see will be familiar to you in Steele County. Others may be new to you. Either way, they all share a common quality — overcoming challenges and persevering through difficult times.

This annual publication is a product of the Owatonna People’s Press staff, covering weeks of photography, interviewing, writing, designing and creative advertising efforts.

We hope you enjoy Profiles in Steele for weeks and months to come as we take a look at a year of resiliency.

Content 2 Response and recovery 6 Strength amid a pandemic 10 Cherish the moments 14 Overcoming the struggle 17 A different path 20 Creativity outdoors

2021

Profiles in Steele

is a special project of the Owatonna People’s Press.

Regional President/Publisher Steve Fisher

Regional Editor Suzanne Rook

Regional Circulation/ General Manager Chad HJELLMING

Managing Editor Lisa Kaczke Regional Advertising Director Tom Kelling

23 A side of silver linings 26 ‘Anything can be overcome’ 30 Resiliency in retail 34 A chance to change his life 38 ‘Keep our little town running’ 43 Gym class hero

Media Consultants Amber Casterton Crystal Hobart Design Layout Kate Townsend-Noet

Profiles in Steele 2021 is distributed to subscribers and readers of the Owatonna People’s Press at no additional charge and is available at the front counter of the Owatonna People’s Press. All rights reserved. ©2021

Profiles 2021 | Page 3

RESPONSE AND S RECOVERY

By ANNIE GRANLUND annie.granlund@apgsomn.com

Fire Chief Mike Johnson set to retire after decades of emergency service

Page 4 | Profiles 2021

ome people are just simply born to serve, and Mike Johnson fits exactly that definition.

After 37 years of fighting fires, saving lives, responding to tragedies, and serving his community, Johnson is finally ready to slow things down. Though he embodies the resilience and dedication needed for the profession of a firefighter, come May 28, Johnson will be hanging up his leatherhead for good when he retires.

“I’ve been lucky and blessed,” Johnson said. “I am truly thankful that I have been able to work in a job that I thoroughly enjoyed. I never had to

TOP: Family is one of the biggest parts of the fire service culture, according to Mike Johnson (second from the right). During his 20-year tenure as the Owatonna fire chief, Johnson said he will miss the camaraderie among the firefighters and will undoubtedly worry about them every time he hears a siren. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)

THE CAREER OF MIKE JOHNSON 1977-1980: Medical specialist with the U.S. Army, providing emergency medical care and advanced life support.

1982-1986: Paramedic with

North Ambulance in Faribault, providing emergency medical response and advanced life support as well as implementing training courses for emergency medical technicians.

1984-2001: Firefighter for

the Faribault Fire Department, promoted to captain in 1995.

Running incident command and responsible for emergency operations. Also serving as emergency medical services coordinator, fire prevention coordinator, training officer, emergency preplan coordinator, arson investigator, and fire inspection program coordinator.

1987: Recipient of the Rice County Firefighter of the Year award.

2001-present: Fire chief Mike Johnson’s first job as a first responder was as a paramedic. He served as a paramedic in the U.S. Army, as an intern for the Chicago Fire Department, and for North Ambulance in Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)

“I’ve been lucky and blessed. I am truly thankful that I have been able to work in a job that I thoroughly enjoyed. I never had to grow up, the only difference now is that the Tonka trucks I played with when I was a kid were a lot cheaper than the million-dollar trucks I play with now – but I still get to play with them.”

- Mike Johnson

grow up, the only difference now is that the Tonka trucks I played with when I was a kid were a lot cheaper than the million-dollar trucks I play with now – but I still get to play with them.”

To start his career in service, Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1977 as a medical specialist providing emergency medical care and advanced life support. Once he left the Army and received his associate’s degree in emergency medical care and rescue, he interned for a year with the Chicago Fire Department as a paramedic,

later serving as a paramedic for North Ambulance in Faribault. In 1984, Johnson officially became a firefighter with the Faribault Fire Department, eventually working his way up to captain.

After 17 years in Faribault, Johnson applied for the fire chief position at the Owatonna Fire Department, officially coming on board in May 2001 and then tacking on the title of Steele County emergency management director just a few months later. His experiences in the area encompasses anything

and everything, from evacuating an entire town following a derailed train to extinguishing raging fires in subzero weather to navigating through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

But with every long journey there was first a beginning, and for Johnson it dates all the way back to his childhood north of the Twin Cities.

The first spark Though Johnson claims the Faribault fire chief at the time had to “convince” him to apply for that open position, deep down he knows it had always been written in the stars for him to put on that bunker gear.

“In the back of my mind, I always knew I was going to be a firefighter,” Johnson said with a smile as he reminisced about growing up with a volunteer firefighter for a father. “Like most kids I took great pride in my dad being a firefighter, and when he got a call for a fire I would jump on my

for Owatonna Fire Department and emergency management director for both Owatonna and Steele County. Providing direction and leadership to four commanders, four fire equipment operators, 26 part-time firefighters and one administrative assistant.

Responsible for development, implementation and training of the Steele County Emergency Operating Plan.

2005: Recipient of the Minnesota Outstanding Emergency Management Official.

Other successes:

Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association Board of Directors, Minnesota State Fire Department Association Board of Directors, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association Board of Directors, past president of Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers, Owatonna Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Board of Directors, past president of River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Profiles 2021 | Page 5

On his first day as a firefighter for the Faribault Fire Department in 1984, Mike Johnson said the training consisted of gearing up and getting to action. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Sting-Ray with the banana seat and race him to the address.”

It wasn’t until he was a teenager, however, that Johnson said he knew in his heart that he was meant to be a first responder. When he arrived at his grandfather’s home to discover him in cardiac arrest, Johnson said it was that moment that put his life on the track it has been on ever since.

“I just remember looking at him and thinking how much I love him and don’t want to lose him,” Johnson said, recalling the fire department and paramedics arriving at the home and beginning to resuscitate his grandfather. “To see them save my grandfather, that was it. I knew - I’m going to do this.”

Johnson jokes that he was at that impressionable age where it was about time you figure out what Page 6 | Profiles 2021

you’re going to do with your life, and since the Rolling Stones weren’t looking for Mick Jagger’s replacement and a career as a pitcher in Major League Baseball was looking questionable, firefighting seemed like the more compatible fit. But with joking aside, Johnson had a well-thought out plan on exactly how he would achieve his goals.

“The way for me to do it was the military,” Johnson said, knowing if he enlisted in the Army they would pay for the schooling he needed to become a career first responder.

Fanning the flames Over the years, the last 20 of which have been spent in Owatonna, Johnson said he has experienced the truth found inside every fire hall: a culture of family.

Mike Johnson joined the U.S. Army fresh out of high school with the goal of using the Army’s ability to pay for schooling that would make him a certified paramedic. (Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson)

“I am leaving my career feeling blessed and lucky. It truly has been a good experience, but the story for me doesn’t end here. I spent a good portion of my life doing this and I have a bucket list I’m ready to tackle.

It’s time to turn the page and make as many memories as I can.”

- Mike Johnson

“The fire service is very special in the way we form this family,” Johnson said. “Not only do we really take care of our fellow firefighters, but we get a lot of support from our community, too.”

Leaning on each other is highly important in firefighter culture, specially because of the amount of tragic calls Johnson said they are bound to take.

Working in a small community can make those calls even more difficult, and according to Johnson, the anxiety can begin from the moment the radio goes off.

“I remember when my son was very young and he was stung by a bee,” Johnson said, adding that his son was highly allergic to bees. “I remember hearing our address come over the speaker ... you can’t help but constantly worry about your family.”

One can’t blame a career firefighter for worrying about their loved ones, especially considering the devastating calls that are unavoidable with the work. Johnson said it’s a difficult part of the job for all first responders, and that the emotional trauma experienced over the years never truly goes away.

“When you’re focused on saving lives and property, in order to do those things effectively there is no

time to get emotional,” Johnson said. “I hate to say it, but you really have to learn to cry on the inside. You know you can’t save everyone, so even in those bad situations you have to continue to try to do good things.”

The last call For Johnson, he was able to find solace through the support of his wife Theresa and a passion for various art forms. He said finding outlets like his photography and art is crucial for all first responders in order to learn to deal with the hardships that come with the job.

“Everyone wants to come save lives,” Johnson said.

“But when someone wants to be a firefighter, what it truly involves is time and the ability to respond to all different types of difficult situations. It’s hard to always be in a state of readiness, but it’s part of what we do.”

“I am leaving my career feeling blessed and lucky,” he added. “It truly has been a good experience, but the story for me doesn’t end here. I spent a good portion of my life doing this and I have a bucket list I’m ready to tackle. It’s time to turn the page and

Johnson

make as many memories as I can.”

Reach Reporter Annie Granlund at 507-444-2378 or follow her on Twitter @OPPAnnie. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota.

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STRENGTH aMiD a PanDeMiC Owatonna Hospital eR nurse perseveres against COViD-19

By MiCHelle VlaSaK michelle.vlasak@apgsomn.com

O

watonna Hospital emergency Department nurse trisha Foster-erickson has found strengths in communication and teamwork throughout the COViD-19 pandemic. nurses were challenged to adapt to the fast-moving changes and develop new routines in order to ensure the safety of themselves, colleagues and patients. Fostererickson said at the beginning of the pandemic, protocols were changing at least twice a day.

Used to how things were operating for one shift, by the time she would arrive for her next shift, things were already different. though the road was rocky at times, Foster-erickson felt as if her coworkers were successful in communicating and updating each other. “i’m sure the communication definitely improved with all of the changes,” said Foster-erickson. “We all figured it out and helped one another.”

Communication was not only important among coworkers, there was also an added importance of communication with patients, especially given the barriers created with mask wearing. Fostererickson said it was difficult being able to hear patients at times with the masks and shields on. early on, she recalls how difficult it must have been for hearing-impaired trisha Foster-erickson, pictured, has been working at owatonna hospital for two years this March. before she was an er nurse, Foster-erickson worked as a resource nurse, who trains to help all departments. (Photo courtesy of owatonna hospital emergency department)

Page 8 | Profiles 2021

“Their support is their family, so we as nurses had to try to keep them in the loop. During busy times it was hard to keep [families] in the loop, but that was another piece that made me stronger.”

- Trisha Foster-Erickson

Every day in the ER is different, and ER nurses must be able to adapt and respond to new situations at a moment’s notice. Pictured, Trisha Foster-Erickson draws medicine out of a vial into the syringe. One of many tasks she performs each shift. (Photo courtesy of Owatonna Hospital Emergency Department)

patients who depend on reading lips to communicate with others. As someone without hearing problems, FosterErickson even found herself struggling to understand others at times. Despite the challenges, Foster-Erickson said it helped her team communicate with one another and learn to enunciate more efficiently.

“The biggest part of nursing is communicating and listening,” Foster-Erickson added.

Overcoming barriers The extra personal protective equipment (PPE) medical personnel were required to wear also created some barriers when it came to assisting patients. Putting on and taking off PPE numerous times a day helped them be more aware of their surroundings and prevent contamination. Each time hospital personnel entered and exited a patient’s room, a new gown and gloves were put on. Foster-Erickson said the rule of thumb is that they do not touch their mask, and face shields are taken off and cleaned after seeing every patient. One person was dedicated to ensuring no one accidentally contaminated another space. FosterErickson said it was surprising how

quickly they could possibly break isolation without realizing it. Though they’ve always been apt to clean and sterilize spaces, even more cleaning measures were put in place for all areas of the Hospital, from the front desk, waiting room and patients rooms.

“We really focused on different areas and got really fast at putting PPE on and off,” said Foster-Erickson.

“It became a memory thing and with teamwork, we were reminded of this or that and I think that was all helpful.”

As an ER nurse, the position takes on many roles. Foster-Erickson said sometimes she is on triage (the sorting of patients according to the urgency of their need for care) if it’s busy, otherwise she typically tends to a patient and figures out what’s going on. Once they are settled, their vitals are taken and stabilized if needed until the doctor comes in to evaluate, order tests and figure out what the problem is.

Since the pandemic began, FosterErickson said her roles as an ER nurse were still the same, but many other things in the ER have changed, like the way personnel communicate with one another and how the rooms are setup.

The flow of how personnel go into

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE patients’ rooms changed, as some stand outside of the room to hand particular items to one another to prevent one person repeatedly having to take PPE off and on. Foster-Erickson said they all work together as a team, especially since they cannot do one thing without the other. There was a constant learning curve for personnel as well, as different pieces of personal PPE were required and other items needed to be cleaned at different times. In the mornings, Foster-Erickson said the hospital’s infectious disease team met with personnel to discuss the new changes and what they had to do to stay safe.

One notable change Foster-Erickson recalled was in times where a code was called (when a team of providers, sometimes called a code team, rush to the specific location and begin immediate resuscitative efforts). Before the pandemic, all personnel were in the room, now only the designated personnel are inside the room and the rest Foster-Erickson of the team is outside to hand/receive items to those working inside to prevent contamination. The rooms were also set up differently when COVID numbers were really high last year. Personnel kept as few items exposed in rooms as possible, since everything had to be cleaned each time patients were moved in. Extra supplies were closed in cupboards inside the rooms so they

“We definitely picked up how often we clean waiting rooms, we always did, but registration staff at the front ended up cleaning a lot more. Housekeeping also goes through a lot more. We all stepped up to play our roles as a team, everything changed in a hurry.”

- Trisha Foster-Erickson

wouldn’t become contaminated.

Foster-Erickson said she learned to think ahead and tried to grab as much stuff as she thought the patient would possibly need based on their symptoms. At first, she said it took a bit to remember the new location of certain items.

any visitors. Some exceptions to the no-visitor policy were those who were actively dying or in palliative care, where one visitor was allowed so they wouldn’t be alone, except for those with COVID positive cases.

Her department didn’t deal with COVID positive deaths as much, because once the patients were stabilized, they were taken to a different area of the hospital for care. Foster-Erickson said the visitor policy changed about six times in that timeframe. Being Staying connected able to communicate with patients and families and Changing visitor policies also trying to keep everyone in the loop were some things led to another quality FosterErickson found strength in. Though that made her a stronger nurse.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Foster-Erickson it went back and forth throughsaid the ER was a ghost town and it seemed as if out the course of the pandemic, no one wanted to come to the hospital. It was either there were times patients could not have visitors with them in their really busy or really slow. Foster-Erickson believes it’s rooms. When the COVID numbers more balanced now, but she still experiences waves were high, they tried to keep as of both. She chalks some of those changes up to many people out of the ER as other facilities changing their policies, leaving those possible so there’s less chance of getting COVID or having it spread. unable to go to same-day clinics going to the ER to Foster-Erickson found that to be dif- receive care. Oftentimes, people would wait because they were afraid to get COVID, even though ficult for patients, because when they should’ve came in weeks before. people are in hospitals, it’s often quite scary for them.

“We definitely picked up how often we clean “Their support is their family, so waiting rooms, we always did, but registration staff at we as nurses had to try to keep the front ended up cleaning a lot more,” said Fosterthem in the loop,” said Foster-ErickErickson. “Housekeeping also goes through a lot son. “During busy times it was hard to keep [families] more. We all stepped up to play our roles as a team, in the loop, but that was another piece that made everything changed in a hurry.” me stronger.”

Foster-Erickson said she focused on getting to patients’ families as quickly as she could. If patients were COVID positive, they were not allowed to have

Reach reporter Michelle Vlasak at 507-333-3128 or follow her on Twitter @apgmichelle. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

DID YOU KNOW? The Owatonna Hospital emergency room is a Level IV Trauma Center.

This designation verifies staff have the expertise and resources to provide a high level of 24/7 emergency care.

Emergency room patients generally have symptoms that are more complicated than urgent care conditions. Some of these symptoms may include, but are not limited to: Severe chest pain/

Page 10 | Profiles 2021

cardiovascular/heart emergencies; dizziness; breathing difficulty; sudden or severe pain; head/ brain injury, brain injury; stroke/ neurological emergencies; seizure; loss of consciousness; confusion or inability to speak; speech problems or slurred speech; deep or complicated cuts; severe bleeding; poisoning; major burns; broken bones; severe abdominal pain; high fever; severe eye injury or

sudden blindness; carbon monoxide exposure; partial or full paralysis; rape; suicidal behavior and/or mental health or substance abuse crisis.

Mental health assessment and referral services are provided 24/7 in the Owatonna Hospital ER, and the hospital is designated stroke ready by the state of Minnesota, meaning it is prepared to evaluate, stabilize and provide life-saving emergency

treatment to patients who exhibit symptoms of stroke.

TeleHealth services are also available by emergency room physicians.

For non-emergency illnesses or injuries, the Mayo Clinic Health System Owatonna Same Day Clinic is located just steps from the Emergency Department.

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CHERISH THE MOMENTS Caleb Svenby waits for the ‘all clear’ after Stage 3 cancer

C

alab Svenby didn’t notice anything.

Neither did his wife, Val, but friends, family and co-workers saw a change in him.

Medford residents Calab and Val welcomed a baby girl Cecilia into the world in January 2019 and fell into a routine of work and raising a baby. Between work and Cici, they barely had time to take a look in the mirror. Had Calab done so, he’d have noticed what others mentioned.

Near the end of summer Calab had lost 30 pounds and instead of a healthy tan gained from a summer of landscaping work, he instead had a pale com-

By NICK GERHARDT plexion.

Six days before Christmas, Calab saw the doctor.

He had cancer -- Stage 3 colorectal cancer.

Doctors found a 12-centimeter mass on Svenby, which sent him and his young family through a whirlwind year filled with apprehension.

Svenby started treatment in January -- 25 days of chemotherapy from Jan. 16 through Feb. 19. Then the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic hit, throwing yet another wrench in the Svenbys’ lives.

His surgery date to remove the affected parts of his large intestine and rectum continued to be post-

poned until finally he went in April 30. He spent four days alone in Abbott Northwestern Hospital before returning home.

“With COVID, there were no visitors,” Calab said.

“My wife couldn’t even come up to see me. That was tough to be essentially there by myself.”

It was tough on Val, too. She couldn’t go on doctor visits with Calab, ask pressing questions she had or gauge a doctor’s reaction to a question or how they answered a question.

“I’m kind of the type of person, I wanted to know everything,” Val said. “I was asking the doctors a lot of

ABOVE: Calab Svenby holds daughter, Cici, at a Medford football game Nov. 6 against Randolph. The Tigers Touchdown Club held its annual Sack Cancer night at the game and honored Svenby, who battled colorectal cancer. (Photo courtesy of Calab Svenby) Page 12 | Profiles 2021

questions. I have notes in my phone. He’s just a ‘go with the flow’ type of guy.”

As a couple of 30-year-olds who just married in 2017 and had their first child earlier in 2019, life events came up fast.

“To have to think about him potentially not being around was tough,” Val said.

“Now, I’m grateful for every minute we have. It affects me every once in a while.”

Val’s father, David, dealt with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a year prior to Calab’s diagnosis. She knew exactly what Stage 3 cancer meant when the doctor classified Calab’s case as such. When Val reflects on the initial diagnosis now, she remembers how she imagined life for the couple’s daughter Cici if treatment didn’t go well.

“My daughter loves her dad. Everything is about her dad,” Val said. “That crushed me more, that’s what made it hard, having her. Having her put things into a different perspective. Even when he was in the hospital she constantly asked for him. It sucked, it really sucked.”

Calab’s grandfather suffered from colorectal cancer as well and though undiagnosed, Calab’s grandfather has a hunch that his father died from the same issue. Calab’s diagnosis prompted the rest of the family to get tested to see if they carried any genetic predisposition to colorec-

tal cancer. The results came up negative for them.

After Calab returned from the hospital with an ileostomy bag, he dealt with lifting restrictions and couldn’t do the usual father-daughter activities around the house.

“She really wanted to jump around and play,” he said.

Surgeons removed 26 centimeters of Calab’s rectum and large intestine to remove 26 of 29 lymph nodes they found.

He spent the next six weeks recuperating before resuming weekly chemotherapy treatments. Then in August he returned to Abbott Northwestern for surgery to remove the ileostomy bag. He finished his last round of chemotherapy two weeks before Thanksgiving. Calab and his family had plenty to be thankful for following his treatment and the support they received from the Medford community.

An outpouring of support Each year the Tigers Touchdown Club, Medford’s football boosters, hold a “Sack Cancer” night during one of the football games. Calab, a 2009 Medford grad and former football player, became the obvious choice as an honoree.

Calab Svenby is pictured from his hospital bed following surgery to treat colorectal cancer. His daughter, Cici, is pictured on the left. (Photo courtesy of Calab Svenby)

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“i came to the realization, even if it’s minor, go in right away. there’s no sense in waiting. You’re only hurting yourself and prolonging the outcome. it could be nothing, but it’s better to go in and find nothing.”

- Calab Svenby

“He’s a town favorite,” said tigers touchdown Club Secretary/treasurer Sara Markham. “We knew he needed a favor.” the Svenbys have deep roots in the Medford area. Calab grew up in the community with his older brother ty and older sister nicole. Calab’s parents, Scott and Jackie, grew up in the area and his grandparents have lived in the area for decades. the ties to the football team and tigers touchdown Club were obvious, too. ty serves as an assistant coach with the team while Markham has been best friends with nicole since first grade.

Markham’s brother, Jake elzen, is best friends with Calab. Meanwhile nicole used to babysit for another tigers touchdown Club board member Janita Paulson.

Calab works for nagel Sod Farm and nursery in Medford where others in the community have gotten to know him through his landscaping work in the spring and summer. He’s often the first person people call when they need a hand with something, Markham said. to be on the receiving end of help has been a humbling experience for Calab and Val. “it’s baffling thinking about and talking about what the whole community has done for us and our family,” Calab said.

Since many in the community and on the booster club board had a personal connection with the family, they felt additionally invested in helping out. events like online bingo, donation boxes around town and a coin drive at the elementary school took place to help the Svenbys. in the end, members of the Medford football team presented the family a check for $15,393.26 nearly a year to the day after Calab’s first visit to the doctor. the bingo night netted $4,280 on its own while the coin drive brought in around $2,500 and the three drop-off donation boxes gathered $7,559.07.

Sales of t-shirts and hats also contributed toward the fundraising total. the amount of money raised by the coin drive at the elementary school stunned Calab, Markham said, to say nothing of the final tally. When Calab Calab Svenby rings a bell at a clinic following treatment for colorectal cancer. Svenby underwent surgery twice to treat his Stage 3 cancer.

(Photo courtesy of Calab Svenby)

Page 14 | Profiles 2021

through strong, she had faith in the doctors and the surgeons,” Calab said.

“She was really caring after I came home. Anything I needed, she dropped what she was doing to help. She had a lot to deal with. Take care of one baby and then you take care of the other.”

Leaning on family Val grew up in Faribault where her parents David and Lupe still live so she could rely on them to help when she needed a hand with errands or with Cici. Val and Calab could also call upon his folks or his brother Ty, who lives nearby, too.

Springing ahead There’s likely not a landscaper around more excited about the spring and summer than Calab. After missing large chunks of time at work last year and remaining limited to what he could do while at work, he’s looking forward to a semblance of normalcy at work this year.

He’s still not completely cleared by the doctors to say he’s cancer-free, yet.

He will follow up with routine CT scans to make sure the cancer hasn’t spread to his kidneys or lungs.

Doctors have told the couple that he won’t receive an all-clear announce-

“It’s baffling thinking about and talking about what the whole community has done for us and our family.”

- Calab Svenby

Getting a meal dropped off helped ment until five years after the initial ease the burden on Val but talking with diagnosis.

Ty helped reduce the strain on Val and In the interim, Val and Calab are Calab’s relationship. cherishing the moments together and “Calab’s brother is pretty much as with family and friends. When they first close to Calab personality-wise,” Val met seven years ago, Val pictured hersaid. “I’d look to him for advice. It was self living life in a big city, but Calab’s kind of a Calab perspective without patience and appreciation for the having to get into a fight with Calab.” outdoors has rubbed off on her. The Val and Calab approached his family spent many hours outdoors at diagnosis from different perspectives parks this past summer to get out of at times. Val wanted to ask a lot of the house. Now those hunting or fishing questions after studying colorectal trips don’t sound so bad to her. cancer and having dealt with cancer After initially waiting to see the doctor, treatment before with her father. She Calab has become convinced that it’s kept meticulous notes from his appoint- better to be proactive about any mediments and instructions he received cal issue. from doctors while Calab sometimes “I came to the realization, even if it’s didn’t want to face a barrage of quesminor, go in right away,” he said “There’s Calab Svenby and wife, Val, along with daughter Cici, pose for a family photo. Calab tions following an appointment beno sense in waiting. You’re only hurting spent much of 2020 receiving treatment for Stage 3 colorectal cancer. (Photo courtesy cause of fatigue from treatment. yourself and prolonging the outcome. It of Calab Svenby) Ty ended up driving Calab up to the could be nothing, but it’s better to go in hospital in Minneapolis for both his did hear the final fundraising amount developed a sensitivity to anything and find nothing.” surgeries. he became teary eyed, Val said. It was cold. Even on hot summer days an ice just one of the few times Calab welled cold beverage remained out of the up throughout the whole process. question. Everything had to be room temperature.

Colorectal cancer may not cause symptoms immediately, but if it does, Nausea and fatigue set in at other Trusting the doctors it may cause one or more of these symptoms: times. Fatigue irritated a typically Calab remained strong throughout restless Calab while self-administered •A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or treatment by relying on the advice of injections to boost his white cell count narrowing of the stool that lasts for more than a few days; doctors. He trusted his doctors even drained him due to the side effects.

•A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that’s not though his mind could have ran wild COVID-19 compounded concerns relieved by having one; imagining different scenarios. He did about Calab’s health. The family had •Rectal bleeding with bright red blood; become emotional one other time to isolate carefully. Val, who works with •Blood in the stool, which might make the stool look dark brown that Val recalls. It came when doctors the Faribault school district, worked or black; informed the couple of the possibility from home but also had to run all the •Cramping or abdominal (belly) pain; they might not be able to have more •Weakness and fatigue; children as a result of the radiation and errands for the family to prevent Calab from any exposure to illness with a •Unintended weight loss chemotherapy. weakened immune system.

There were tough days during treatSource: American Cancer Society ment. Because of the treatment, Calab “It took a toll on her. She made it

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms

Profiles 2021 | Page 15

OVERCOMING THE STRUGGLE Owatonnans facing addiction, homelessness get a helping hand

By ANDREW DEZIEL andrew.deziel@apgsomn.com

A

fter struggling with addiction issues, Jeri Renk and Michael Burciaga found themselves in the criminal justice system and then homeless.

With the help of Transitional Housing of Steele County, both Renk and Burciaga were able to get back on their feet and provide stability for the most important people in their lives. Now, they’re committed to sharing their stories of hope and giving back to the community.

Renk has been vocal about her battle with homelessness and addiction for years. As part of a group called Christian Women’s Connection, she has shared her

story with inmates and treatment center residents, and worked to raise money to help the homeless.

As a bartender in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Renk was exposed to drugs at a young age.

Renk began selling drugs and then using them herself, costing her housing and connections to extended family. Eventually, it left her in jail. She is now grateful that she was caught because it opened the door to treatment that had long been needed.

After leaving jail, Renk continued with her treatment and has remained sober since. She was able to find stable employment at McNeilus Steel in Dodge Center and began to rebuild her life - un-

After cycling in and out of the criminal justice system, Michael Burciaga was determined to get his life back in order for the sake of his son Dominic. With help from Transitional Housing, he managed to do so and recently had a second child, Kayden, with his fiance. (Photo submitted)

Page 16 | Profiles 2021

“What’s remarkable about (Jeri Renk) is how she’s paying it forward. She’s ministered for other people who are homeless, and taken a lot of people under their wing, particularly women who are fleeing domestic violence.”

- Transitional Housing of Steele County Executive Director Julie Anderson

til a diagnosis of COPD left her unable to return to work.

Renk lost her apartment in Rochester and began searching for housing and employment in Owatonna, hoping for another fresh start. In the meantime, she found herself living in her car - until a friend told her about Transitional Housing.

With the help of Transitional Housing, Renk moved into the Oakdale Motel for two months before moving into a rental home. Transitional Housing continued to provide rent assistance and assigned her a case manager to help her budget and seek additional resources.

Renk now pays her monthly rent and bills without help from Transitional Housing. She gives much of the credit to her strong faith, which was kindled After going to jail for repeated drug-relatby a group of women who visited her ed offenses and repeatedly finding herin prison - something she aims to pay self homeless, Jeri Renk has managed to put her life back together with help from back. her strong faith and Transitional Housing However, she’s also very grateful for of Steele County. In the above photo, she’s Transitional Housing - and knows she preparing to share her story in front of a can turn to them again if needed. In group of a Christian women’s group. (Phoparticular, she recalled the passion to submitted) showed by the late Brenda Juveland, a Transitional Housing staffer who passed away last year, in helping her and so ciaga. But while it helped to break many others his cycle of criminal activity in a way Burciaga’s issues with the legal system CONTINUED NEXT PAGE stemmed from an early age as well, ranging from drug abuse to assault. A Rice County native, he was able to enter Jeri Renk speaks about her story the local Drug Court program, which was before a group of Christian women. one of the first of its kind in the state.

Faith is central to Renk’s story of As it has for so many participants, recovery. (Photo submitted) Drug Court proved a success for Bur-

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE that previous approaches had not, Buciarga still struggled with the challenges of independent living.

Burciaga was particularly determined to get back on his feet because he had a son to look out for and was determined to gain custody. Yet after leaving the sober house, he struggled to find housing and a job, and faced discrimination based on his criminal past.

After he was referred to Transitional Housing, Burciaga was able to get a place of his own and began making rent payments.

He quickly bonded with his case manager, and with help from Transitional Housing was able to begin planning for the long term Anderson as well as short term.

With his life much more stable, Burciaga was able to regain custody of the child, went back to school and met his fiance. Together they are the parents of a second child and he is preparing to move in with her.

“There’s no way I’d be where I am right now without Tran-

“There’s no way I’d be where I am right now without Transitional Housing.

They’ve always been incredibly supportive.”

- Michael Burciaga

sitional Housing,” he said. “They’ve always been incredibly supportive.”

Getting his own life in order wasn’t enough to satisfy Burciaga. Instead, it has motivated him to work on setting up a new sober house in Owatonna, with an eye to helping those who are in the position he was just a few years ago.

It’s clear that the need for additional sober housing locally is massive yet largely unmet, Burciaga said. Just two sober houses currently operate in Owatonna, and they nearly always lack the space needed to meet demand.

So far, he has been putting together plans to buy a house in Owatonna for the sober house, while renting another house to accommodate his growing family. While he hasn’t begun to seek formal approvals yet, he has gotten lots of positive feedback.

Likewise, Transitional Housing has had to step up and expand its reach on the fly during the pandemic. Executive Director Julie Anderson said that without the steadfast support of local nonprofits like United Way as well as local donors, that would not be possible.

Despite the challenges they face, Anderson is impressed by the determined attitude of so many Transitional Housing clients. While Renk and Burciaga may exemplify that determination, she said that many, many other Transitional Housing clients have similar stories of perseverance.

“They’ve gone through so much,” she said. “Instead of giving up, they’ve chosen to soldier on.”

Reach Reporter Andrew Deziel at 507-333-3129 or follow him on Twitter @FDNandrew. © Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

GRIM NUMBERS A study by the Minnesota Housing Partnership shows that on any given night, roughly 589 area residents will be homeless, including 280 children.

Even among those who do have housing, an alarming number pay 30% or more of their income on housing, while others pay over 50%. That leaves them with little ability to pay other crucial expenses or to save so that a job loss or unexpected big expense doesn’t leave them out in the cold.

Meanwhile, the cold snap this winter made Steele County Transitional Housing’s work all the more urgent. While the nonprofit hadn’t previously been offering hotel vouchers to the homeless, it began doing so just to get them out of the frigid temperatures.

“Rents are going up but wages are stagnant,” said Transitional Housing Executive Director Julie Anderson.“Situations that were precarious before COVID are even more precarious now. Sometimes people will be able to stabilize things, and sometimes they will not.”

“They’ve gone through so much. Instead of giving up, they’ve chosen to soldier on.”

- Transitional Housing of Steele County Executive Director Julie Anderson

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A DIFFERENT PATH OHS graduate considers 2-year college a preferred pathway

By MiStY SCHWaB misty.schwab@apgsomn.com

F

our-year colleges aren’t for everyone, and Owatonna High School graduate Jason Spatenka has no problem being among those who chose a different path.

Majoring in electrical work at Riverland Community College in albert lea, his two-year program will prepare him for becoming a

master electrician, a career path he knew he wanted to pursue by his senior year of high school. “it’s really going to help me when i first become an apprentice this summer,” Spatenka said. “i’ll know a bit more than if i were just going into the trade without any experience. When i

go out to a job, i’ll know a few more things than if i were just starting fresh.”

Some people have commented to Spatenka that Riverland Community College is small, but he doesn’t mind, he said, because he considers

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

above: owatonna high School graduate Jason Spatenka is now a first-year student at riverland Community College in albert Lea, where he is studying to become an electrician. (Photo courtesy of Jason Spatenka)

Profiles 2021 | Page 19

Jason Spatenka was among the Owatonna High School class of 2020, the first senior class to graduate during the pandemic. Patenka’s car is pictured here on the day of the senior class car cruise. (Photo courtesy of Jason Spatenka)

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE it a good option for him. He likes that the school is close to home, not in a large city, and a less expensive alternative to a four-year college. Between financial aid and scholarships, he was able to pay for his first year. Living with his parents in Owatonna, he commutes 30 minutes to Riverland.

Thinking about the curriculum of a four-year college, Spatenka imagines it would be more challenging for him because “book work” isn’t his niche so much as hands-on learning.

“I love it, and maybe that’s why it’s easier for me, in my opinion,” Spatenka said of electrical work.

It’s electric Before deciding to go to school for electrical work, Spatenka had considered becoming an X-ray technician, like his uncle. However, he realized he preferred working with his hands. From the time he was a child, he liked playing outside, going on trips, collecting things and playing football. As a high school student, he said he enjoyed his agriculture class and small engines class much more than traditional classes, like history.

Spatenka admitted he didn’t have the best grades Page 20 | Profiles 2021

his junior year of high school, but he started caring more about academics his senior year and reached above a 3.5 grade point average. His attendance improved, and with that, school became a bigger priority. With less going on during the pandemic, he also found himself becoming more independent with online learning. However, he wouldn’t say he learned more online than the physical classroom because he prefers working with other people and learns better with hands-on experiences.

Owatonna High School’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program helped Spatenka prepare for college along with his shop classes.

However, he said the AVID curriculum was centered more around four-year college prep versus two-year college prep.

Applying for financial aid for the first time was the biggest challenge in preparing for college, Spatenka said. He added, “And obviously I didn’t know what I was getting into with COVID, so I had to worry about that a bit.”

Between financial aid and scholarships, he was able to pay for his first year of college. Through the Owatonna Foundation, Spatenka received two separate scholarships in 2020 - first as a high school

senior in April 2020, for the traditional scholarship, and then as a college student in October later that year, for the non-traditional scholarship that awarded him $3,000.

Jill Holmes, scholarship coordinator for the Owatonna Foundation, commended Spatenka on his impressive verbal communication skills, which she noticed when he dropped off his application.

“With the current circumstances as far as COVID and school, Jason had a very positive outlook and was looking forward to pursuing his professional career as a master electrician,” said Holmes. “One of his comments [in his scholarship essay] was that by working at Lowe’s, he has the opportunity to work and speak with electricians in the field, which he found extremely interesting.”

Spatenka has continued working at Lowe’s three days a week while attending college. He said it has continued being a valuable experience by connecting him with electricians.

From high school to college Transitioning into college was “pretty easy,” said Spatenka, since he had already grasped online

learning at the end of high school. His week at Riverland begins with online classes Monday and continues with classes in person Tuesday through Thursday. Friday is a non-class day, he said. Aside from a math class he took last semester and a computer class this semester, Spatenka said all of his Riverland classes have been hands-on. He has applied what he’s learned at home, installing new light switches, and helping his grandma if she needs a hand with electrical work.

In terms of classroom dynamics, Spatenka said he finds it easy to joke around and be himself at Riverland.

While he hasn’t made new friends in his classes, Spatenka said he can crack jokes with his classmates and ask questions of anyone. A couple of his friends from Owatonna High School have also joined him at the same college.

The class size of his shop classes is comparable to what it was at Owatonna High School, he said. Students wear masks, which he considers a

normal part of everyday life at this point, but it doesn’t always make for the best breathing experience while wearing safety glasses at the same time.

Currently, Spatenka takes a shop residential class that involves learning the entire process of wiring a house and installing a water heater among other projects. In a classroom full of little cubicles and a small subpanel for wiring, he picks three projects a week to complete. These small projects take between five minutes to an hour, he said.

A future class will give Spatenka the skills for wiring factories and businesses.

Depending on the pandemic’s impact, Spatenka said a Habitat for Humanity project is on the agenda for next year’s bigger project.

“We’ll see what that turns out to be like,” he said.

Reporter Misty Schwab can be reached at 507-333-3135. Follow her on Twitter @APGmisty. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SENIOR YEAR Spatenka was among the class of 2020, the first high school senior class to graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owatonna High School had transitioned into distance learning in the spring of Spatenka’s senior year, creating a scenario no senior class had experienced before.

He had hoped for a normal graduation ceremony instead of the drive-thru format the Owatonna school district chose, so he could see his classmates again.

Since COVID-19 also took away senior prom, he considers himself lucky to have attended junior prom the year prior. He also missed attending sporting events and saying goodbye to his teachers.

But while Spatenka, like others, missed out on many of the traditions that defined high school for those who came before, his attitude is overall one of acceptance.

“It was just a different ending than most high school students,” he said.

At Riverland Community College in Albert Lea, Jason Spatenka is studying to become an electrician and taking most of his classes in person Tuesday through Thursday. He’s pictured here on campus with a conduit bender, which shapes the conduits where wires are placed. (Photo courtesy of Jason Spatenka)

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CREATIVITY OUTDOORS Resiliency is a team effort for parks staff

By ASHLEY REZACHEK ashley.rezachek@apgsomn.com

2020

was the year of cancellations, closed doors and empty schedules as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe. Despite all of the uncertainty, Owatonna Parks and Recreation Department staff made every effort to offer fun opportunities for residents to enjoy.

“If we could choose a theme for our 2020, I would say it probably would be creativeness

and resilience,” said Jessica Abrahams, administrative technician at Owatonna Parks and Recreation.

While the crew wasn’t able to offer sports such as soccer and baseball near the beginning of the pandemic, they still found ways to continue with other activities. That often meant implementing new safety protocols or modifying events to accommodate social distancing or simply hosting events virtually.

“I feel like we did a really great job of coming up with creative ways to keep people engaged

and active just between April and May last year, when we were ordered to stay at home,” Abrahams said.

The team offered a number of online and self-guided activities, encouraging people to get out and experience Owatonna parks and trails.

Among the activities hosted include a virtual Easter egg hunt, where staff posted a picture of hidden Easter eggs in an Owatonna park on Facebook. Those who could identify the park and visited the location were rewarded with an Easter egg decorating kit.

ABOVE: Owatonna Parks and Recreation staff banded together to offer programs to residents despite many other organizations canceling their events. Top row left to right: Dani Licht, Mary Jo Knudson, Jenna Tuma and Jessica Abrahams. Bottom row left to right: Tim Truelson, Dani Bakken, Nikki Callahan and Eric Anderson. Not pictured: Jesse Wilker, Aaron Fitzloff. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Abrahams) Page 22 | Profiles 2021

“This year has really made us think outside the box. We have definitely had to provide our programming in a very different way in order for the programming to happen all together.”

- Recreation Supervisor Dani Licht

The Chelin sisters on Woodland Drive were declared the winners of Owatonna Parks and Recreation’s “Chalk Your Walk” contest. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Abrahams)

Other online-based activities included a spin off of March Madness called “Park Madness,” where Owatonna parks went head to head in a battle for the public’s vote. Facebook users could take a poll to narrow the choices down, those who predicted the winning park were entered into a drawing.

With the help of the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, the parks department hosted “Chalk Your Walk,” where families were encouraged to decorate driveways, sidewalks and park trails with inspiring chalk messages. Participants then shared pictures of their design online to compete for $50 in Owatonna Chamber bucks. To brighten people’s days, park staff also set up a joke hotline, so people could call in to hear a joke.

When the pandemic continued to drag on, the parks department expanded their efforts to provide activities for residents. The department partnered with the Owatonna Chamber to offer the Stronger Together 50K, which helped raise money for Jumpstart Owatonna. The month-long challenge got residents to get 50 kilometers of activity in, allowing participants to earn a commemorative medal.

“This year has really made us think outside the box,” said Recreation Supervisor Dani Licht. “We have definitely had to provide our programming in a very

different way in order for the programming to happen all together.”

For example, swimming lesson class sizes were lowered. At first it was disheartening to shrink class sizes, but now the parks department has seen the benefits of reduced class sizes and may even continue with the smaller classes moving forward.

“We felt that our participants actually got a better class,” Licht said. “It gave instructors the opportunity to provide some more thorough feedback to our students.”

While River Springs Water Park was open, park features such as the rock wall, lazy river, body slide and tube slide were shut down. The parks department wanted to create a safe and fun place for community members to still visit as most other places were shut down.

“The biggest thought going into it was, what are the repercussions if we don’t open River Springs?

And the biggest one that stuck out to all of us was that we lose a safe supervised place for our community to swim,” Licht said.

Youth sports also looked pretty different this year, according to Recreation Manager Tim Truelson. Summer and spring sports were pretty much wiped out, but sports returned in the fall. Among the changes

included sanitization of equipment before, during and after sessions and temperature checks.

“I didn’t think in my recreation career I would be mixing bleach solutions and taking temperatures of kids when they showed up for programs,” Truelson said.

Kids were also placed into pods in which they stayed for the duration of the program to limit contact between other kids. Tackle football was put on pause, and flag football took its place, Truelson added.

Offering youth sports was important from a mental health standpoint, Truelson said. Kids had not been in school, were not hanging out with friends and the Parks Department’s youth sporting programs enticed kids to get off their computers and get active, but in a safe way. Youth sports saw about 50% participation compared to prior years at the start of the summer, however by the fall, participation was up to 75%.

Although it was difficult for the department to see other organizations in the area cancel their events, they were determined to do what they could to continue to offer programs, despite the challenges.

Sometimes that meant getting together through

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Profiles 2021 | Page 23

Pandemic Parks Events Events the Owatonna Parks and Recreation Department hosted during the past year include: • Crazy hair contest • Self-guided Earth Day park cleanups • Drive-in movie • Parks passport program • Virtual Halloween costume contest • Candy cane hunt • Snowman building contest • Cardboard sled races A box of egg decorating kits could be found in Kaplan’s Woods last April as a part of the Owatonna Parks and Recreation virtual egg hunt. Each morning, the Parks and Rec staff posted a clue of the Easter Bunny’s most recent hiding spot, encouraging the community to explore parks and trails while maintaining appropriate social distancing.

(Annie Granlund/People’s Press)

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

people made it a point to get outside.

In the face of pandemic, the Parks and Recreation team has come out stronger than before. They’ve learned not to quit early, and to use their creativity and flexibility to offer new versions of programming.

“It was really cool this year to see absolutely everyone step up to the plate to make sure that our community had something to do, so it was nice to see the team come together,” Licht said.

When the pandemic subsides, parks staff plans to take the lessons learned during this time to change and grow for the better.

Microsoft Teams to brainstorm new and creative activity ideas.

“Our staff is very passionate about parks and recreation and we see the benefits ourselves of getting outdoors and getting in the parks and nature and how great that can be for yourself, not only physically, but also mentally too,” Abrahams said.

Licht agrees that department staff are passionate about serving the community, adding that their leadership qualities have allowed them to rise to the occasion and provide the best opportunities to the public Reach reporter Ashley Rezachek at 507-444to explore the parks. In fact, Owatonna 2376. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern parks saw a significant influx of usage Minnesota. All rights reserved. during the pandemic shut down as more

home décor • clothing • furniture • repurposed finds • consultations 507.382.5486 • 303 N. Cedar Ave. • Owatonna, MN 55060 Page 24 | Profiles 2021

Owatonna’s virtual egg hunt took place with the help of the Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook page. Photo clues were posted over the course of a couple of days. (Photo courtesy of Owatonna Parks and Recreation)

A SIDE OF SILVER LININGS Torey’s manages to create a little good from the bad

A

fter months of high-energy dinner rushes and nightly conversations over the bar, Katie Boyd came into work this time last year to a suddenly empty dining room.

She had started as a bartender at Torey’s Restaurant & Bar in Owatonna only months before. Now, her role was one of the hardest to adapt to a world of takeout and uncertainty.

Fortunately, chef and co-owner Torey Statlander

By BRIDGET KRANZ worked it out with Boyd. She would take over as frontof-house manager, getting the restaurant and staff ready for when there was once again a dining room to run.

“It was something that he offered,” said Boyd. “We had also talked about it when I was initially hired on. He was looking for someone to take some of the stress of running the restaurant off his hands.”

During the initial shutdown, she helped run Torey’s

takeout operation while also preparing for an eventual reopening. She created an official training program for new hires, reorganized servers’ sections and codified each employee’s daily tasks.

“It helped keep the staff united and keep everybody on the same page,” said Boyd. “It also helped boost morale a little bit, staff knowing that when we

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

ABOVE: Torey Statlander, chef and co-owner of Torey’s Restaurant & Bar in Owatonna, stands once more in a lively dining room. Despite supply chain issues and increased packaging costs, Torey’s made it through the pandemic with support from its owners, grants and customers. (Photo by Bridget Kranz)

Profiles 2021 | Page 25

can only price yourself up so much before you price yourself out of the game,” he said. “Restaurants operate on a thin enough margin as it is.”

‘Take a bad thing and do something good with it’ Before the pandemic, it was common to see Torey’s Restaurant & Bar involved in all kinds of fundraisers – whether through renting out their space or making other donations. Even though Statlander needed assistance himself during the pandemic, he and his team also kept the circle going by turning an excess of tap beer into a fundraiser for Rachel’s Light.

During the initial restaurant closure last spring, he estimated that the restaurant lost up to $3,000 worth of beer it had on hand but could no longer serve.

When they had to cease indoor dining again, he was ready with a plan for how extra beer could be put to use.

“We allowed people to bring their growlers in and, for a donation, we’d fill them. Then, we donated all the money to Rachel’s Light,” said Statlander.

Through the fundraiser, he added that the restaurant raised close to $1,000 for the women’s shelter.

Statlander and his daughter used the money to buy things from the organization’s wish list, delivering the supplies and remaining cash directly to Rachel’s Light.

Tap beer was almost impossible to move while doing takeout, so Torey Statlander got creative. In return for a donation “People would come in even after the fundraiser to Rachel’s Light, customers could come in and fill their growlers. Pictured here, Marah Riks now tends the bar with was over and ask to donate,” he added. “It was a Torey’s reopened for in-person dining. (Photo by Bridget Kranz) good feeling to take a bad thing and do something good with it.”

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE reopened, it would be kind of like a fresh start.”

According to Statlander, he tried to keep on as many full-time staff on as possible. However, given the fact that both the restaurant’s in-person dining and catering operations had basically shut down due to the pandemic, hours were often reduced.

“The servers helped with takeout and the cooks helped in the kitchen. We cut back on dishwashers, so our cooks washed all the dishes at the end of the night. We had less time, and a few more duties to get through during the day,” he said.

Getting creative with the menu

A recurring theme for the restaurant during the pandemic was using what they had in stock, from donating excess beer to developing a more flexible menu – and larger cast of rotating specials. Reopened for indoor dining, Boyd said they’ve switched from having two full menus to having one Packaging, supply chain costs menu and an expanded list added to burden of daily specials.

Although the restaurant is now reopened for in“We used to have one door dining and there is hopefully an end in sight to or two specials every night, the pandemic, Statlander said Torey’s may not have now we have six,” she said. been able to stay open during COVID-19 by doing “We may have trouble gettakeout alone – even with the outstanding customer ting certain things, so that’s response. made us really get creative As customers return to the Torey’s dining room, and continue to support the Grants from local organizations and the Small with what we’re offering. For restaurant through takeout, Torey Statlander says it’s the first time some diners have Business Administration helped him pay staff. He add- been out to eat in a year. He enjoys seeing familiar faces and watching neighbors Lent right now, we get fish ed that co-owners Bob and Bonnie Cole, who own reconnect through food. (Photo by Bridget Kranz) flown in straight from Hawaii. the building where Torey’s is located, also helped That’s a Friday night special.” financially to keep the business afloat.

Statlander added that more on packaging than he had the previous year.

Statlander said the margins of running a restaurant There have been issues nationwide with access while many diners have come back to the restaurant, are slim to begin with, and the pandemic impacted to cleaning supplies and food products, which he others who aren’t comfortable dining out just yet added drove prices up for the restaurant on the sup- continue to support Torey’s through to-go orders. For both indoor dining and the supply chain. ply side. takeout options as well, the staff has adapted and In order to expand his takeout operation, he esti “Prices were going up and, as a restaurant, you created a menu that works to grab and eat at home. mated that he spent between $12,000 and $18,000 Page 26 | Profiles 2021

‘We’re ‘people’ people!’

One less visible downside to the pandemic for staff at Torey’s Restaurant & Bar has been the decrease in social interaction – both with each other and with customers.

Front-of-house manager Katie Boyd said part of the reason she is in the industry is that she likes working with people, making conversation and getting to know others.

“I don’t think customers understand how emotional this was for a lot us,” she said.“We’re ‘people’ people. We didn’t have the conversation every day, that interaction. There was a piece of that taken away from us. We had to adjust, and now we have to readjust again, too.”

While Torey’s offered takeout prior to the pandemic, Torey Statlander and his team grew the operation quickly last spring. Running orders out of the back door, the kitchen featured items that kept well as to-go orders and added in family-style meals. (Photo by Bridget Kranz)

specials on a daily basis, and we did a “We have such a great lot of Facebook posting to keep people updated week by week.” customer base, they’ve supported us whether ‘We’re starting to get it be through takeout or things back’ even just messages of Since January, diners have also been support. In the past, when coming back in to eat. Statlander said for one woman, it was her first time dining people have come in for out since last March. On the catering of things, business is also looking donations and fundraisers, side up, as many of the events that were postponed are getting back on the we’ve been able to help schedule. out. It was great to be on “We’re starting to get things back.

I still have a couple of weddings that the other end of things haven’t rescheduled, but when they’re ready, they will,” he added. “I had one and feel that support.”

- Torey Statlander

“We definitely had to revamp our menu. A lot of our stuff is a little higher end, and it didn’t appeal to everyone as takeout,” said Boyd. “We created familystyle meals like a big pasta dinner with salad. Torey would try to come up with

bride who rescheduled three different times and finally said, ‘You know what, we’re getting married.’ They had a small group, and down the road, they’re going to have something bigger.”

Although this past year has been unimaginably tough for the restaurant industry financially and emotionally, his main message is of appreciation

for his community and diners.

“We have such a great customer base, they’ve supported us whether it be through takeout or even just messages of support,” said Statlander. “In the past, when people have come in for donations and fundraisers, we’ve been able to

While Statlander enjoys seeing customers come in the back door and grab takeout orders, it’s not quite the same as being able to interact in the dining room. As a downtown institution, he added that it’s also a place where people run into neighbors or long-lost friends.

“Some people have stayed home except to get groceries.

There are a lot of people that have hardly left their house,” he said.“It’s great to see people back visiting, eating and drinking together.”

help out. It was great to be on the other end of things and feel that support.”

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Profiles 2021 | Page 27

Special education teacher finds the silver lining By aSHleY ReZaCHeK ashley.rezachek@apgsomn.com

F

‘ANYTHING CAN BE OVERCOME’ Page 28 | Profiles 2021

aced with unprecedented times in her classroom, lincoln elementary special education teacher Sarah Kaley has shown her positive character.

Kaley is in charge of the Discovery Program at lincoln, a level three special education classroom where she works with students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. She works with third grade through fifth grade students. Some of these students require working with her for 100% of the day with the goal of working toward integrating them into a general education setting. “the best way to describe it is it’s almost like a one-room schoolhouse within a school,” she said. “they get all their academic curriculum through me within the classroom and then as they show regulation in their behaviors, and they stay on that course and they start generalizing out into the gen ed.”

Special education isn’t known to be one of the easiest professions and this year presented its own unique challenges. While the majority of Kaley’s students are inperson learning, students were forced into distance learning for a period of time in the fall as COViD-19 case rates skyrocketed around the state. like teachers across the country, Kaley had to make some adjustments to meet the extra needs of her students as best as she could through the virtual format. that meant finding ways to reach out to students through google Classroom and other platforms. even the switch back to in-person learning proved to be difficult.

Special education teacher Sarah kaley works with students in her classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic. this past academic year has proven to be extra difficult for students with special needs. (Photo courtesy of Sarah kaley)

“Then we have students that transition back from distance learning … it’s just a lot of maneuvering schedules and things like that in order to ensure that we stay within the COVID restriction guidelines, as well as meeting the students where they’re at,” Kaley said.

School officials have said that some students found online learning arduous and it’s simply not the same as in-person learning. Losing the face-to-face contact support and easy access to important resources has made distance learning for special education students even more difficult. Last Kaley spring’s abrupt learning model switch certainly didn’t help when students were thrown off their regular school routine.

“When we had to go to distance learning for a short period this year, I saw a lot of hesitancy from my students. They weren’t sure how long we were going to be gone and if it was going to be like the spring,” Kaley said.

She helped navigate these students through the emotions of being sent home to learn from a distance once again. She tried to show them that just because they’re at home doesn’t mean they can’t still get some of the stability school offers. She continued to build her relationship with students from afar.

“There’s children that have found school to be a challenging place to be, and are really dependent on the relationships that they have with the adults in school,” Danielle Theis said. “The separation that distance learning caused made that more complex and difficult, particularly for kids that find school to be their safe place, they couldn’t access that.”

Theis is the director of special services at Owatonna Public Schools and has been working with Kaley for a number of years on trauma responsive program-

ming. Special education staff have had to work even harder to maintain the connectedness with their students, taking into account students’ varying disabilities, according to Theis.

One way Kaley, along with her colleagues, has demonstrated some flexibility this year is by incorporating a program called GoGuardian, which allows her to stay connected to her students throughout the day. The program permits teachers to see the students’ screens while logged onto a Chromebook, thus if a student gets stuck on an assignment task, they can message Kaley to get some additional help.

“Sometimes they just need to to talk about their feelings or anything that might be happening,” Kaley said. “I still use it even when they’re in person so I can see what they’re doing.”

While this year’s schooling situation is far from ideal, Theis said teachers, including Kaley, are working on figuring out how to creatively go about addressing student needs.

“There’s also the interpersonal and social emotional components that are equally as important, and separation and isolation that the pandemic has caused for some kids has been something that we’ve also had to balance very carefully,” Theis said.

Educators have long said that the priority is to keep students in-person as much as possible as consistency is key. This is especially true for students

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“The people that I get to surround myself with, are the people that I go to when I’m feeling down or feeling lost, and they help me find my way again.

So my staff is definitely one of the reasons that I feel like we can do anything.”

- Sarah Kaley

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE who need extra help, who need routine and depend on a schedule to follow each day. In the face of these challenges, Kaley choses to have a positive mindset.

“I try to remind myself, my students and my staff that we have to really be flexible in our thinking ... trying to really see that our time here in-person means something because we’re here together, we’re connecting together, we’re building those relationships,” Kaley said.

Kaley is motivated to continue her work in the middle of a pandemic because she truly believes that “we are all in this together.” She added that the support of her staff has been vital and has contributed to her own resilience.

Discovery Program staff are close and encourage one another, an asset on particularly stressful days. They’ve leaned on and learned from each other throughout the pandemic, Kaley noted.

“The people that I get to surround myself with, are the people that I go to when I’m feeling down or feeling lost, and they help me find my way again. So my staff is definitely one of the reasons that I feel like we can do anything,” Kaley said.

To get through this year, Kaley said she tries to find ways to smile and find happiness in everyday situations togeth-

er with her staff and students, because focusing on the positives is especially important now in this chaotic time. She said finding and celebrating the small moments together is one way she has made it through the pandemic and found continued happiness.

“Sarah is a champion for her students, no question. Our discovery programs support kids that really struggle in school and struggle to be guided and managed by adults,” Theis said.

“Sarah does a beautiful job of supporting and understanding kids that present in very complex ways.”

Even with the challenges of this year, Kaley will be able to walk away having learned that it’s OK to have anxiety, but it’s important to deal with it in a constructive way. So even though she is teaching students to navigate the unknowns, she said she is also learning from her students about the importance of connectedness and making the best of any situation.

“The special educators in Owatonna Public Schools model resiliency for our students. They show them how anything can be overcome,” Theis said. “I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”

Reach reporter Ashley Rezachek at 507-4442376. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

Sarah Kaley with her husband Josh and two sons Jameson and Emmett. While Kaley has displayed resiliency, she also credits some of that from the support she receives from her family and other people in her life. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Kaley)

On Resiliency “Resiliency comes with time. It comes with taking the time each day to reflect, learn and grow in each event and opportunity that arises. I have learned this from my parents and I am supported by my loving family. I am so lucky to have a husband and two boys that allow me to have a job that sometimes takes a lot out of me, but they help me see that each day is a new day.

Resiliency comes from finding the silver lining each and every day. Celebrating the small things in life and staying as positive as possible. This doesn’t mean that bad days don’t happen, just means those bad days don’t define us. Each Page 30 | Profiles 2021

morning is an opportunity to start new and grow.

I have been blessed with a career that has supported me in my growth and learning. I have been blessed with a school and staff that give their neverending support in what we believe is important work in Discovery.

My resilience is also fueled by my students who need a constant and predictable adult that can show them that no matter what happens I/we will still show up and be there for them.

I would not be the teacher, mom, wife, and person I am today without the support and love I get from

the people that are in my life. Resiliency comes from within but it’s fueled by the people that are in my everyday life cheering me on, learning with me, and growing with me every step of the way.

I am honored to be mentioned in this article because I know that there are so many teachers and staff in our district that demonstrate resilience each and every day and I hope I can continue to show and learn how to be resilient in a time in our lives where things are changing constantly.

-Sarah Kaley

Dental hygiene and diabetes, a two-way street Many people have been told they should see the dentist twice a year for cleanings, and for most adults that still holds true, according to dental hygienist Tiffany Young.

Fresh face

at Park Dental offers Owatonna residents a chance to grow with the practice

Dr. Tyler Heimerl isn’t new to southern Minnesota, although he is a fresh face at the Park Dental practice in Owatonna.

He grew up just up the road in Elko New Market and is a graduate of New Prague High School. After finishing dental school in St. Louis, he was thrilled when a position opened up back home and is excited to put down roots – and take care of them -- in Owatonna.

Although much has changed since last spring, Heimerl quickly adapted to the practice during a pandemic.

According to Owatonna Practice Manager Tiffany Young, Park Dental Owatonna is following guidance not only from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but from state health officials and the Minnesota Board of Dentistry – including cleaning protocols and ensuring appropriate protective equipment for staff.

“We’ve worked hard to make sure we have the proper personal protective equipment for our team members, so they don’t have to worry as much,” she said. “When patients call to see if they should come in, we discuss their medical history and see if they’re having any symptoms.”

It’s all connected – oral and overall health.

As the vaccine becomes more widely distributed and there is hopefully an end in sight to the pandemic, Young encouraged people to take care of their dental health – which may have taken a backseat over the last year.

What many people don’t realize, she added, is how oral health impacts a

However, there are cases where those routine check-ups should come more frequently – notably for people living with diabetes.

Not only can diabetes increase a patient’s risk for gum disease, but gum disease may also increase risk for developing type 2 diabetes by raising blood sugar levels.

Dr. Tyler Heimerl

person’s overall well being.

“More and more studies show that there are several different ways in which oral hygiene impacts the other parts of your body,” said Young.

Because of these connections, Heimerl and his team take a comprehensive approach to dental care, asking about patients’ lives outside of the office to better inform prevention and treatment.

As a longtime dental hygienist, Young said one of her goals as practice manager is to make guests’ visits enjoyable. While going to the dentist has long been a euphemism for an unpleasant task, Park Dental tries to make each appointment comfortable and welcoming. In addition to getting to know patients, staff make time to educate their clients and answer questions. Before the appointment even starts, Young said a receptionist is always there to greet people as they step through the door.

According to Young, if the first visit a child has to the dentist is a preventative cleaning and not a scary treatment, it helps set them up for a lifetime of good dental hygiene.

“If we can get those kids in earlier before bad habits and cavities start, it’s always a better situation,” said Young.

“As soon as kids have teeth in their mouth, we want to be monitoring them.

That way, we can help educate families on what they can do at an early stage to prevent future cavities – brushing teeth as soon as they’re in the mouth, eliminating sugary drinks.”

Because Park Dental is a group practice with locations throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin, its

young patients are able to grow with the clinic. When they go off to college, they can visit a Park Dental location in Rochester or the Twin Cities. Their records will be there waiting for them – when they leave and when they come home.

In addition to brushing twice a day and flossing daily, the ADA recommends routine dental checkups and cleanings. For those who haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s still important not to let too much time elapse between visits – especially because roughly half of Americans age 30 and older have gum disease, or periodontitis, according to the ADA.

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Profiles 2021 | Page 31

RESILIENCY IN RETAIL The many seasons of Nicole Winter

By ALLISON MILLER amiller@owatonna.com

S

mall businesses all across the country have endured the continuing gauntlet that is the COVID-19 pandemic, and Nicole Winter’s Cedar Avenue boutique Urban Loft has been no exception.

When Gov. Walz issued a stay-at-home order and a rolling series of shutdowns that closed busi-

nesses across the state in response to the spreading virus, Winter admits that she “kind of freaked out.”

“It’s something I had no idea would happen,” she said. “But I just had to get creative with it and make the best of it.”

And get creative she did.

She started with online sales, mostly through Urban Loft’s Facebook page where she would show off her wares by displaying pictures of decorated beams and walls from her store. If customers wanted help with brainstorming ideas for their own rooms, they would send her pictures of the spaces and she would put together a display for them

ABOVE: Nicole Winter opened her new boutique, Urban Loft, in late 2018. She said eased stay-at-home restrictions will help her business, but only slightly. (File photo/ southernminn.com) Page 32 | Profiles 2021

with her ideas. This was particularly convenient when the store was closed due to the shutdown because Winter would have free reign to leave parts of the store empty to more easily assemble a display, as well as leave boxes of her wares around for better access.

“By the end of the day, the store would be trashed,” Winter said with a laugh.

When that spring turned to summer, Winter was approached by Tanya Henson of the Hat Chic Clothing Company with another creative idea, one that would show that downtown Owatonna was alive and well in the midst of the pandemic. Winter, Henson, Lauren Kozelka of Kottke Jewelers and Lisa Cochran of Owatonna Shoe all banded together to form “Box Babes,” a subscription box service featuring items from each of their respective stores. This

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Much like her previous location in the Medford Outlet Mall under the name Urban Finds & Bistro, Nicole Winter brought the same flare in accessories, clothing and home decor to her new store, Urban Loft, in downtown Owatonna.

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“In hindsight, it was really great that it happened when it did because mall businesses are really struggling now and people really are shopping local and trying to support small businesses. I’m glad to be back downtown where I started.”

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

TRACY ELLIS

1977

venture turned out to be so successful that the four businesswomen have no intentions of stopping it any time soon, and are even thinking of expanding it.

Winter has managed to guide her business through this challenging time with creativity and resilience, skills that she has developed through a long career in retail that has had its own fair share of twists and turns before leading her to Cedar Avenue.

It began with her first store, Arnold House Antique and Gift Shop, which Winter opened in 1997 as a part of the Arnold Hotel, a former downtown fixture located on Vine Street which has since been torn down. She remained there for a number of years until the hotel was sold to new owners in 2001 and they declined to renew her lease.

From Owatonna she moved to Faribault, where she opened a monthly themed antique shop called Farmhouse Primitives. She admits though that it “didn’t quite suit her.”

“I’m a more organized person, so that concept was kind of difficult for me,” she said. “It was hard to go out, search for all of the antiques at auction, fix them up, do whatever needs to be done with them, and get it done in time for the next month that came around. It works for some, it didn’t work for me. I decided I wanted to open a normal retail store again.”

So, after two years in Faribault, she moved to the Medford Outlet Mall and opened Mustard Seed Primitives, which she ran for five years before selling it to one of her store dealers.

Winter didn’t stay away from retail for long, though. After five more years, when the friend to which she sold it chose to leave the business, Winter bought it back and re-christened it as Urban Finds.

Winter realized at this time that the world of retail was starting to change again. After a year, she was able to relocate Urban Finds to a new space in the Medford Outlet Mall that was twice the size and she decided to include a bistro.

“It was like shopping needed more of a destination aspect,” she said. “The more you had to do, the more events you had going on, the more reason you had for people to stop in, the better off you were. And so that’s why we added the food.”

Business was good, and the bistro drew many customers, but the challenges increased as well. For those two years, Winter was working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, “and food,” she says with a laugh, “is a beast of its own.” Due to these increasing challenges, Winter decided to close Urban Finds and Bistro and even considered leaving retail, this time for good. As for what she planned to do instead, she didn’t know; but fate, it seems, determined that she wouldn’t have to decide on a new career path.

“I’m a more organized person, so that concept was kind of difficult for me. It was hard to go out, search for all of the antiques at auction, fix them up, do whatever needs to be done with them, and get it done in time for the next month that came around. It works for some, it didn’t work for me. I decided I wanted to open a normal retail store again.”

- Nicole Winter

While she was in the process of closing down and moving out of her Medford location, Winter was ap-

Determined to keep downtown Owatonna in the front of the minds of their customers, Lauren Kozelka of Kottke Jewelers, Lisa Cochran of Owatonna Show, Tanya Henson of Hat Chic Clothing Company and Nicole Winter of Urban Loft banded together to bring Box Babes monthly boxes to those still wanting to shop local in the era of COVID-19.

(Submitted photo)

proached by the owner of the Zamboni building on Cedar Avenue. A location had opened up and they wondered if she was interested in a walkthrough. The opportunity was just too great to pass up and Winter moved directly from Medford to downtown Owatonna, right where she started. Urban Finds and Bistro became simply Urban Loft.

“In hindsight, it was really great that it happened when it did because mall businesses are really struggling now and people really are shopping local and trying to support small businesses,” Winter said. “I’m glad to be back downtown where I started.”

Businesses have since opened again during the pandemic and people across the country are working at trying to rebuild after what has proven to be a very challenging time. Even so, Winter has very high hopes for Owatonna and sees a bright future ahead, particularly with a new downtown hotel and streetscape on the horizon.

“I think there are a lot of good, positive things happening now,” Winter said. “And I am excited to be a part of it.”

Reach Reporter Allison Miller at 507-444-2379. © Copyright

“I think there are a lot of good, positive things happening now. And I am excited to be a part of it.”

- Nicole Winter

Nicole Winter’s Tips for Home Decor • When in doubt, less is more!

• Every space benefits with a pop of black.

Sofa table, large mirror or even something small like candle sticks.

• Cluster groupings together rather than sprawl them out, such as above your kitchen cabinets, for example. The pieces that you pick should create a story or theme. Group those items into smaller displays rather than stretching them out across the entire top. If you have vaulted ceilings, use a large piece to ground the grouping.

Profiles 2021 | Page 35

A CHANCE TO CHANGE HIS LIFE 18 months in Drug Court helps former addict transform his life

By MISTY SCHWAB misty.schwab@apgsomn.com

E Steven Keller is pictured with his wife, Kali, and their children, from left: Lincoln, Rylynn and Arabella. (Photo courtesy of Steven Keller)

“[Drug Court] helped me have an opportunity to truly change my life and turn it around. It’s super, super awesome to be graduating and keep moving forward. I’m super grateful for Drug Court, but I’m ready to move on.”

- Steven Keller

Page 36 | Profiles 2021

ighteen months ago, Owatonna resident Steven Keller would have laughed if someone told him what his life would look like in February 2021.

At 29, he’s a husband, a father, and an associate pastor. And as of Feb. 24, he’s an official graduate of the Steele Waseca Drug Court.

None of this would have seemed possible to Keller 18 months ago. At that point, he couldn’t imagine taking care of a child when he could barely take care of himself, he didn’t believe in God, and all he thought about was drugs. “[Drug Court] helped me have an opportunity to truly change my life and turn it around,” Keller said. “It’s super, super awesome to be graduating and keep moving forward. I’m super grateful for Drug Court, but I’m ready to move on.”

During Keller’s virtual commencement, which marked 638 days of sobriety for him, Steele County Attorney Daniel McIntosh said completing the Drug Court program in 18 months is “the exception and not the rule.”

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Steven Keller holds up the diploma he received as a result of completing the Steele Waseca Drug Court treatment program. It took Keller 18 months to complete the program, which is the minimum number of months SWDC allows. (Photo courtesy of Steven Keller)

dent from the get-go. He highlighted Keller’s diligence and professionalism through the process, particularly during the pandemic transitions.

“I think Steven’s done a good job of transitioning from traditional court to the COVID/Zoom world,” Bueltel said during Keller’s commencement.

Addressing Keller specifically, Bueltel said: “Come back and see us because we like to see people come back … others can see you as a role model.”

Ups and downs Keller grew up in Owatonna, and lived in Rochester for eight years after

high school. For the majority of his time in Rochester, his life revolved around addictions. What started out as smoking marijuana and drinking at 16 or 17 escalated to an addiction to pain pills and methamphetamine, which he used for six years until he became sober.

“That’s all I thought about, all I craved,” Keller said of methamphetamine. “It controlled my life.”

Keller went through two to three inpatient treatments and three to four outpatient treatments, and moved from city to city in the process, but he kept falling back into addiction. His

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Profiles 2021 | Page 37

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE last relapse lasted over a year, and a felony charge of first-degree sale of meth and firstdegree possession of meth presented him with a decision. He could either complete treatment through the Steele Waseca Drug Court or accept a prison sentence of more than five years.

That was an easy choice for Keller, who knew he didn’t want to spend over five years in prison. After being arrested, he made another life-changing decision while in jail — to give his life to God as a Christian. These choices together shaped the next 18 months of Keller’s recovery.

“I could see my mom’s face from the cop car and my heart broke. It was like I finally saw that it wasn’t just affecting me but everyone around me. I got to see her in court, pleading for bail, that my charge was too high. But just to see my mom watch me walk into a courtroom with shackles on my hands and feet was devastating. It’s a memory I will never be able to get out of my head.”

- Steven Keller

Steven Keller received a cake from his supporters following his Drug Court commencement ceremony Feb. 24. (Photo courtesy of Steven Keller)

Page 38 | Profiles 2021

Drug Court helped Keller become sober with accountability, weekly check-ins with a probation officer, sobriety testings, and curfews enforced by the Owatonna Police Department. The regulations were at first difficult for Keller, who until that point had lived his life by his own terms. But between the Drug Court’s strict regiment and Keller’s own determination, he gained more sobriety over time.

“It really only takes one time using a drug or drinking alcohol and you can be hooked — for years and years,” Keller said. “In the 10 to 12 years I was using and drinking I saw things I wouldn’t wish upon anyone.”

Among those horrors, Keller said he witnessed drug overdoses and people choosing drugs over their children. In his own life, he recalls one of the most painful memories of seeing his mom, Denise Espe, react to him being arrested after the Minnesota Drug Task Force searched her house, where he lived at

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity to Drug Court because it changed my life. Being a drug addict, you become a slave to it. I’m a slave no more.”

- Steven Keller

the time, for drugs.

“I could see my mom’s face from the cop car and my heart broke. It was like I finally saw that it wasn’t just affecting me but everyone around me,” Keller said. “I got to see her in court, pleading for bail, that my charge was too high. But just to see my mom watch me walk into a courtroom with shackles on my hands and feet was devastating. It’s a memory I will never be able to get out of my head.”

Espe showed her thanks for her son’s health and new family during his virtual commencement. No matter how long it took for him to recover, she said, “I knew you could do it. I am just floored and in awe of what not only God can do but what you can do. I love you.”

Keller’s older brother and younger brother and sister were also impacted as they indirectly watched him struggle through addictions.

“I remember my older brother once telling me he’s sad because he doesn’t remember which memories are from when I was sober and which ones are from when I was using,” Keller said. “It’s definitely more of a reconciliation, being a sober man. I feel like I lost a lot of trust with my siblings ... It’s time and effort to regain that trust and regain those relationships.”

For those with loved ones stuck in

addiction, Keller’s message is: “You can’t necessarily save them. You can lead a horse to water, but until that horse is ready to drink, it’s not your responsibility to save them.” Family members and friends might present options for treatments and meetings, he said, but ultimately the responsibility is in the hands of the addict — and they need to want to change.

“It’s a delicate balance of not enabling them, and not encouraging them in their addiction but giving them options of love,” he said.

New beginnings Keller said he found it difficult to break ties with friends who continued to use drugs. But by deciding to become sober, he rekindled an old friendship with someone who, during his last relapse, had distanced herself from him. Kali was one of the first people Keller called after he was arrested, and now, she’s his wife.

Kali’s 7-year-old twins, Lincoln and Rylynn, gave Keller his first taste of being a parent. Now, they also have an infant daughter together, Arabella.

Additionally, Keller’s wife introduced him to Redeemer Church in Owatonna, where she serves as worship leader. Keller began playing drums for the church and eventually felt a call

to do more. He took the opportunity to become resident pastor of his church.

“He’s just come so far in the little over a year I’ve known him,” said Redeemer Church Pastor Christian Kose, who attended Keller’s commencement.

With his wife and another church member, Keller leads in-person, faithbased recovery meetings at Redeemer Church. Connecting over Zoom, he said, is not the same as the connection of in-person sobriety meetings.

The coronavirus pandemic, said Keller, impacted him to a lesser degree than it may have earlier in his sobriety.

He was close to a year sober when the pandemic hit, and already married and serving at his church. But he knows the reality that many in recovery likely lost control during government shutdowns and relapsed. This is a big reason why he leads the sobriety meetings in person, he said.

Members of Keller’s church family joined the Zoom call the day of his commencement, and he credited them for being a huge part of his life the past year or two, along with Steele Waseca Drug Court.

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity to Drug Court because it changed my life,” he said. “Being a drug addict, you become a slave to it. I’m a slave no more.”

Reporter Misty Schwab can be reached at 507-333-3135. Follow her on Twitter @ APGmisty. ©Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

STEELE WASECA DRUG COURT FACTS SWDC has served 209 participants with 102 that either withdrew-electing to serve their jail/prison time, transferred to another drug court or were terminated based on new criminal behavior or rejection of services.

Steven Keller’s graduation marks the 69th commencement of Steele Waseca Drug Court. The first graduation was in April 2016, according to SWDC Coordinator Nicole Grams. The first DWI (driving under the influence) graduation was in December 2018.

Currently, SWDC serves 38 participants. Grams said this number is down from usual numbers due to the pandemic.

The five-phase program lasts a minimum of 18 months and requires weekly to monthly court attendance. The recovery program itself includes treatment, support meetings, mental health meetings, cognitive skills programs, and at least three hours of self-help recovery meetings per week.

Participants also submit to random testing at least twice a week.

To graduate, participants must not only complete treatment but also obtain a valid driver’s license, diploma or general educational diploma, employment, and compliance with child support if applicable.

They must also make payments of fines, fees and restitution.

The combined total days of sobriety among SWDC participants is 7,542 days an estimated average of 20.6 combined years. Average sobriety per participant is 198 days.

Call 451-8247 for on-going registration or register online at tlcowatonna.org/preschool Transportation & Extended Care options available.

Profiles 2021 | Page 39

‘KEEP OUR LITTLE TOWN RUNNING’ Blooming Prairie business owner moves forward after fire

By BRIDGET KRANZ

T

his time last year, Linda Klemmensen was coming out of a daze.

She had been running Sportstitch Inc. for over 25 years – creating custom embroidered and screen-printed clothing, promotional merchandise for businesses and Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms spirit wear.

Then, in January 2020, her storefront was irreparably damaged in the fire that hollowed out the neighboring bakery in downtown Blooming Prairie.

“It was all sort of a blur,” she said. “The firefighters were pulling our equipment outside. It was the middle of January, and we were backing

ABOVE: Linda Klemmensen, founder and owner of Sportstitch Inc. in Blooming Prairie, lost her storefront in a fire last winter. A month later, COVID-19 arrived in Minnesota.

Despite this one-two punch, Klemmensen was determined not to quit, moving her operation to her home and launching multiple fundraisers for the Blooming Prairie community. (Photo courtesy of Linda Klemmensen) Page 40 | Profiles 2021

Although she no longer has a retail storefront, Linda Klemmensen has gotten creative. She sells Awesome Blossoms spirit wear at the Blossom Belle Boutique and is working with Klemmensen Creative, owned by niece-in-law Jamie, on an online store. (Photo courtesy of Linda Klemmensen)

“[In March], all I got were calls and emails cancelling orders,” she recalled. “A lot of the work that I do is based on events. It’s based on teams having games, groups having fundraisers.

Everything got cancelled, and that was really tough.”

- Linda Klemensen

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE After the fire, all of the clothing Linda Klemmensen had in the store was damaged by smoke.

Ultimately, the insurance company agreed to let her take it home and wash it, and she ended up selling it at a discount over the summer in a “Fire Sale” with proceeds going to the Blooming Prairie Chamber of Commerce. (Photo courtesy of Linda Klemmensen)

Profiles 2021 | Page 41

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE trucks up and taking things to our garage.”

Twelve days after the fire, her daughter got married. Then, there was another cause for celebration when her son and his wife had a baby. And finally, COVID-19 arrived in Minnesota in March. In the span of two months, Klemmensen and her family had been through a series of extreme highs and lows. “[In March], all I got were calls and emails cancelling orders,” she recalled. “A lot of the work that I do is based on events. It’s based on teams having games, groups having fundraisers. Everything got cancelled, and that was really tough.”

Still, Klemmensen said her pride awouldn’t let her throw in the towel on Sportstitch even

Linda Klemmensen was able to salvage her embroidery machine from the former Sportstitch Inc. storefront. When she started the business in 1994, she taught herself how to use a similar machine after only three days of training from the manufacturer. (Photo courtesy of Linda Klemmensen)

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Page 42 | Profiles 2021

Linda and Jamie Klemmensen, her niece-in-law and founder of Klemmensen Creative, worked together to design shirts encouraging people to shop local during the pandemic this past spring. Proceeds from each sale went to the Blooming Prairie Chamber of Commerce and a local member business of the customer’s choosing. (Photo courtesy of Linda Klemmensen)

when she couldn’t see exactly how to keep going.

While this has been perhaps an unprecedented year, she had experienced and overcome business-related challenges before. In 1994, Klemmensen started Sportstitch with no experience in custom embroidering or screen-printing.

“My brothers lived in Lakeville. Their sons were playing hockey and they were helping coach.

They’d said that they had ordered some gear at the beginning of the season and still hadn’t gotten it,” she recalled. “We were talking about it on Christmas Day and we threw out kind of jokingly, ‘Why don’t we make our own business?’”

With her sisters-in-law as silent partners, Klemmensen ordered an embroidery machine and was left on her own after three days of on-site training

with the manufacturer. Because it was computerized, she had to teach herself two new skills at once.

“When they delivered the machine and the matching computer, I didn’t even know how to use

the mouse,” she laughed. “There were definitely times when I wondered what I had gotten myself into, but I had made the investment and I knew I could do it. I just had to have confidence in myself that I could learn.”

“When they delivered the machine and the matching computer, I didn’t even know how to use the mouse. There were definitely times when I wondered what I had gotten myself into, but I had made the investment and I knew I could do it. I just had to have confidence in myself that I could learn.”

- Linda Klemensen

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Profiles 2021 | Page 43

One of the earliest challenges Klemmensen can recall is an order for 150 sweatshirts that came in six weeks after she set up shop. While she now has a four-headed embroidery machine, her first machine was two-headed, meaning she could only embroider two sweatshirts at a time.

With the range of products Klemmensen has added over the years, some facets of the business have been easier to keep up since the loss of her physical space due to the fire. For promotional products -- things like branded pens, mugs, even fly swatters -- Klemmensen will coordinate the order and design the logo appearance and placement, then work with a vendor who makes it.

It was lucky that the embroidery machine was able to be salvaged after the fire, but Klemmensen hasn’t been able to continue the screen-printing operation due to space. Instead, she has relied on heat pressing, a slightly different technique which produces a similar result on clothing.

Supporting the ‘shop local’ movement As Klemmensen sat with the first wave of event cancellations, trying to think past the blur of the preceding few months, she had an idea for putting her new homebased operation to the test. True to form in a small town that frequently floods Main Street for community fundraisers, Klemmensen had the idea to make T-shirts that encouraged residents to shop local during the pandemic.

To help with the design, she reached out to her niece-in-law Jamie Klemmensen, who has worked for over five years as a freelance graphic designer with her own firm, Klemmensen Creative.

“We really enjoyed doing those shirts together,” said Jamie. “She came up with a design and asked me what I thought. I gave her my feedback, and we revamped

and tweaked it.”

Jamie also helped set up an online store for T-shirt sales through the Blooming Prairie Chamber of Commerce website. Customers could visit the page and customize their purchase with drop-down menus for size and color. Before ordering, supporters also got to make a slightly less orthodox decision – selecting which business they wanted their purchase to benefit.

“We handed out close to $5,000 to all of the different businesses that people had chosen. They could pick from all of the Chamber members,” said Klemmensen.

“Proceeds were spread out nicely.”

Sportstitch had officially started back up with a fundraiser. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Klemmensen was calling all of her clients to assure them that she was still open and operating from home. After the fire, she had looked at a few other possible retail locations in town but found nothing that checked all of the boxes. Then the pandemic arrived, and Klemmensen settled in.

Moving forward, Klemmensen Creative is working to help Sportstitch add a permanent online store, which will hopefully be up and running sometime this spring.

“Our online fundraiser on the Chamber website worked out really slick, and [Linda] got a taste of how well it works,” said Jamie. “That’s been one of the motivating factors.”

In addition to stocking a full range of Awesome Blossoms gear, Klemmensen hopes the online store will attract more corporate clients now that she can send an expansive portfolio with just a single link.

“I’m excited in general for her, being family, that she can do this,” said Jamie of Klemmensen keeping Sportstitch running despite the odds. “But I’m also excited as a client. My husband and I each own our own business; I just put in a huge order

“Our online fundraiser on the Chamber website worked out really slick, and [Linda] got a taste of how well it works. That’s been one of the motivating factors.”

- Jamie Klemmensen

“I got used to being here and people got used to us operating out of our home,” she said. “It’s how our world has evolved because of COVID-19. Right now, this is where I need to be. It feels like the best place.”

A year after her grandson was born in the tumult of last winter, he’s been a surprise silver lining around her new “store.”

“He’s been with me a lot through all this … I have a jumper out in the garage,” she said. “We had built this house and I really hadn’t been here much because I was always at work … After moving from where we had lived for 36 years, it feels good to get to know this house.”

Lisa Ackerman

Accountant/Tax Preparer 507-451-3399 • 221 Mineral Springs Rd Ste A

lisa@ackermanaccounting.com • ackermanaccounting.com Page 44 | Profiles 2021

‘We want to keep our little town running’

with her and got a bunch of T-shirts and sweatshirts.”

Both women talked about the constant connections forming between Blooming Prairie residents. Jamie recently made a logo, and is also currently working on a website, for her hairstylist’s husband. Klemmensen also gets a fair amount of her orders from the companies right down the street.

“There are a ton of local businesses that I do work for … In turn, I try to support them whenever I can,” she said. “Like me, they want to keep it in town. We want to keep our little town running.”

Serving Owatonna for 18 years 221 Mineral Springs Rd, Suite A, Owatonna MN

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From Fire to ‘Fire Sale’ Fundraiser While Sportstitch, Inc. does a lot of custom orders, owner Linda Klemmensen also kept a permanent stock of Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms spirit wear in her shop.

Last January, the fire meant smoke damage for all of the clothing she had on hand.

After a conversation with her insurance company, Klemmensen was able to take this inventory home and wash it. At one point, there were almost 40 boxes of the leftover clothing in her garage – making for many, many cycles through the washer.

Finally, in August, she was able to host a “Fire Sale” in Central Park. Everything was at least half off, and all proceeds went to the Blooming Prairie Chamber of Commerce.

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GYM CLASS HERO

Owatonna gym teacher Tim Hunst adapts to COVID-19

By LUCAS SEEHAFER lucas.seehafer@apgsomn.com

N

ot even 24 years of experience in the classroom was enough to prepare Owatonna Middle School physical education teacher Tim Hunst for the massive changes that came with the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Hunst has been a teacher within the Owatonna school district for 21 years, the past 11 of which have come at the junior high and middle school levels. With that amount of experience comes a

comfortable routine and a set expectation of how things are supposed to go. Wake up, teach a unit on basketball, discuss the importance of physi-

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

ABOVE: Tim Hunst was inducted into the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2018. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Profiles 2021 | Page 45

Owatonna Middle School gym teach Tim Hunst (right) guides his students on a fat tire biking adventure. Use of the bikes has become a priority for Hunst as he adapts his gym classes in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Julie Sullivan)

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE cal activity for one’s health, coach a hockey practice, go home, go to bed.

COVID-19 and the ensuing move to the online classroom drove that routine into chaos.

It is human nature to seek out comfort and potential solutions from others when such chaos inflicts the multitudes simultaneously, and America’s gym teachers are no exception, according to Hunst.

“There were ideas flying everywhere.

Page 46 | Profiles 2021

Obviously, within social media groups — teacher social media groups — and stuff like that. People [were] throwing a lot of ideas out for people to try.”

The remainder of the 2019-20 school year functioned as a trial-anderror period for Hunst and his gym classes, where the main goal was simply to trudge forward. With the arrival of summer came a time for critical reflection and a significant amount

of planning for the upcoming school year.

“The big thing for us was just figuring out how to make [the various gym classes] work and how to make it worthwhile if we’re going to do it,” Hunst said after hockey practice on a mild Wednesday evening in February. In addition to teaching he serves as the head coach for Owatonna’s junior varsity team and is an assistant for the varsity team that has taken the

Big 9 Conference by storm. “[W]e tried some stuff last year and it just really wasn’t what we wanted it to be, where basically we were having people just kind of ‘Hey, tell us what you did.’ That was a tougher piece. We started doing live Google Meets and we’d be running workouts during that.”

Part of the process of improving the gym class experience — not only for the students, but also for the teacher educating and grading the

Tim Hunst as father and coach In addition to teaching physical education, Tim Hunst has coached girls hockey at the varsity and junior varsity level for nearly two decades. He is currently the head coach for Owatonna’s junior varsity team and an assistant for the varsity, where his daughters Sydney, a senior, and Lilly, a freshman, are key contributors. The Huskies are 11-1 overall as of press time and are outscoring their opponents 83-12. Sydney is fifth on the team in points with 22 while Lilly comes in eighth with 12. Hunst often leads elements of varsity practice and loves coaching his daughters.

Owatonna Middle School gym teacher Tim Hunst (right) shows a student how to ride a fat tire bike. Use of the bikes has become a priority for Hunst as he adjusts his classes in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Julie Sullivan)

students — included incorporating GPS applications such as Strava and Map My Ride. These apps were able to track the students and provide data such as distance traveled, total exercise time, and energy expended, which provided objective data Hunst could analyze and incorporate into his classes. “[B]asically, ‘Show me where you went and how long it took you.’ Then we could basically be doing virtual hikes together.

We tried to use that time to say, ‘This is when you would be getting active, this is what you would be doing.’ So, we just did it virtually.”

Changes of such significance aren’t always met with enthusiasm by children, their parents, or school administration.

However, according to Hunst, the buy-in has been great by all parties involved, even from those within the community.

“We’re really fortunate that [Owatonna Middle School Principal Julie Sullivan] has given us a ton of support for P.E. With that, we’ve got freedom and with freedom comes responsibility. We have a lot to live up to, her expectations are

ing winter break — along with spiking cases of COVID-19 both in the area and around the state — brought with it a renewed desire to execute gym classes in a way that was engaging, but still safe. By-and-large this meant conduct-

“The big thing for us was just figuring out how to make [the various gym classes] work and how to make it worthwhile if we’re going to do it.”

- Tim Hunst

very high for what we’re doing, and we feel like we’re doing everything we can to meet and hopefully exceed those expectations. Just trying to get creative with the lessons to try and make it so that it is worthwhile. Otherwise you don’t get any buy-in at all.”

The return to in-person lessons follow-

ing classes outside, but as Minnesota residents are aware, Mother Nature often has ideas of her own.

“Now that we’re back, the biggest thing for us was getting outside. The polar vortex was not kind, so we ended up doing more inside stuff than we wanted

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Profiles 2021 | Page 47

us out there. We have our own course at the middle school that’s been to do,” Hunst said. packed down for us. Even the general The bitter cold temperatures that physical education kids had the opwere present during the first two-thirds portunity to do that.” of February forced gym classes to take The temptation for many may be to place indoors. Hunst channeled the “return to normal” once the pandemic kids’ energy on bicycle maintenance has finally run its course. And while and repair as he teaches an elective that transition will undoubtedly occur biking class once the weather begins over time and in all areas of life, Hunst to warm. And as the temperature rose believes that some of the changes in the latter moments of February, that were adopted in response to gym classes were able to return to the COVID-19 are here to stay, not only great outdoors and reap the benefit with his gym classes, but in teaching of their hard work on the bikes. in general.

A good portion of the bikes the kids “I think that you have to evolve. I worked on were so-called “fat bikes,” think we’ve seen some things that which possess thicker inner tubes on work and obviously some things that their wheels specifically designed for don’t. But being able to access what traversing snow and other rustic enwe’re doing with technology, having vironments. With some help from the the ability to connect with the kids city Parks and Recreation Department, through the Google classroom, and the kids were able to ride the bikes being able to post stuff out there for near the school. them to do has been big.”

“Park and Rec has been fantastic.

Virtual classroom sessions on We have tremendous support, not just Wednesdays are likely to extend beour administration, not just the school yond the winter months and with that district, but we have great community Hunst will continue to hold voluntary support. [Parks Manager] Jesse Wilker gym classes in the park. He and school administration have found that will come over and pack the trails for

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Page 48 | Profiles 2021

“I think that you have to evolve. I think we’ve seen some things that work and obviously some things that don’t. But being able to access what we’re doing with technology, having the ability to connect with the kids through the Google classroom, and being able to post stuff out there for them to do has been big.”

- Tim Hunst

empowering the kids with the ability to choose for themselves whether or not to participate has been beneficial in running a successful gym class. “[J]ust an opportunity for kids to choose to do the physical activity with us, we felt like that was probably something that’s been really beneficial; something we didn’t have before and obviously going for hikes and snowshoeing and stuff like that is a great opportunity to create great relationships. And for us in the middle school, it’s relationships, relationships, relationships.”

As in middle school, as in life. The

COVID-19 pandemic has forced a lot of change in the world, and middle school gym classes in southern Minnesota were not and will continue to not be immune. Still, Tim Hunst was able to remain focused on the children and providing them with not only a quality education, but also growing their relationships, with each other and with him.

Reach Regional Sports Editor Lucas Seehafer at 507-444-2375. © Copyright 2021 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

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places to go, things to do.

Arts, culture, and entertainment in Southern MN has a free and expansive online resource website that serves tourists, locals, and the area’s burgeoning cultural arts sector.

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Welcome To...

OWATONNA Minnesota O

ver 20 parks, hiking trails, golf, tennis, public beach, River Springs Water Park, cross country and snowmobile trails, plus...nearly 700 lodging rooms, a variety of restaurants, unique shopping area, annual festivals, sports events and activities for everyone.

Whether you are coming for a visit, thinking of moving here or already live in Owatonna–we hope your stay is a pleasant one. Owatonna is known for its quality of life, and the people who call it home.

For Any Questions About The City Of Owatonna And Its Services Call 507-444-4300

www.ci.owatonna.mn.us

Profiles 2021 | Page 51

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Page 52 | Profiles 2021