Edina - June 2023

Neighborhood embraces four beloved adults with disabilties

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

JOINT PAIN

For some of our patients, the goal is hoisting the trophy. But you just want your joint pain to go away so you can hoist your grandkids. At TRIA Orthopedics, we’ll treat your shoulder so you can be there to lift them up. When that happens, it feels like we all win. It’s why you’re treated and how you’re treated by TRIA.

“We’re still not well-versed in winter yet, but I love the summers. It’s beautiful here. I love how clean the air is here [and] the lakes that we have. It really is a beautiful place.”

—Amy

Photo: Chris Emeott

Lippert, Edina transplant and nutritional therapy practitioner, page 44

DEPARTMENTS

14 — Childlike Wonder

Especially for Children emphasizes the importance of play.

16 — Forty-Forty Flats is Uniquely Affordable

The 118-unit senior community is set to open in October.

18 — Go Fetch … a Beverage

Restaurant group is brewing up its own pet project.

22 — A Stitch of Tradition

The Picket Fence keeps the love of needlepoint alive.

FEATURES

28 — A Place to Call Home Neighborhood embraces four beloved adults with disabilities.

34 — Generosity of Spirit— and a Whole Lot of Heart

Peter Brosius on theater’s potential to inspire and empower.

TASTEMAKERS

44 — A Long Road to Healing

A journey toward better health became this resident’s teaching tool for empowering others.

FROM THE EDITOR

Irecently attended a photo shoot for this issue for an article I wrote about an adult group home here in Edina (page 28). While there, I enjoyed seeing the unique personalities of each of the residents. I couldn’t help but smile when Rob burst out with a huge smile, arms batting back and forth in excitement. I was so touched when Corbin took my hand as she made her way outside for her picture to be taken. I loved hearing about what activities Leo enjoys and seeing Katie open up after an initially shy introduction.

I felt so good after that photo shoot, filled up in a way I hadn’t felt in a while. To use a phrase from Edina resident and artistic director of Children’s Theatre Company, Peter Brosius (page 34), there was a lot of “generosity of spirit” at that house. From the residents themselves to the parents, the caretakers who quietly stepped in when needed, and my photographer and art director who were so warm and encouraging to all throughout the process.

And I think it was also so refreshing to step outside of my own bubble, into someone else’s life and experience that’s so different from my own. It’s far too easy to live insular lives, filled only with people who are like us. But it’s often when we step out of those bubbles that we create room for new levels of compassion, joy and understanding.

I feel really lucky to have met so many warm, open-hearted Edina residents in the making of our June family, pets and senior living issue—and not just from the above article, but in the educators, civil servants, business owners and artists featured in these pages. As you read this issue, I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as I did!

Photo: Chris Emeott

4630 FRANCE AVENUE SOUTH EDINA

publisher Susan Isay editor Amy Overgaard president Pete Burgeson

WE’RE CELEBRATING WITH HUGE SAVINGS!

A SIMPLE SUMMER ENTREE

GRILLED CILANTRO LIME

CHICKEN is an easy and flavorful grilling recipe that is perfect for a summer evening on the patio. It is delicious with rice and grilled veggies and in tacos and burrito bowls.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4–6 chicken breasts)

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 1 tsp. lime zest

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp. honey

• 1/2 tsp. cumin

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Pound the chicken breasts to even thickness. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, garlic, honey, cumin and salt. Place the chicken breasts in a Tupperware or Ziplock plastic baggie, and add the marinade. Be sure that the marinade covers all of the chicken. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and cook for 6–8 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness and size of the chicken breasts. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure that the middle of the chicken breast is 165 degrees F. Serve, sprinkled with more cilantro. Enjoy!

Contributed by Taylor Ellingson, a local cookbook author and food blogger at greensnchocolate.com. Find her @greensnchocolate on Instagram.

Photo: Taylor Ellingson

CAPTURE SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR OUR 2023 PHOTO CONTEST

Want to see one of your photos in the pages of this magazine? Submit your photos to the Images of Edina photo contest, co-hosted by the City of Edina.

Local photographers of all abilities are encouraged to submit photos—whether it’s a picture of your family, pets, a local landmark or a beautiful landscape you saw while out and about. Submissions are open through June 23.

—Editorial Staff

Photo Contest

Rules and Details

• Submissions are accepted until June 23 at edinamag.com

• Entrants must live, work or attend school in Edina.

• Entrants may submit up to five photos, with no more than three in any category.

• Photos should be taken in Edina.

• Generally, photos should have been taken within a year of the submission date.

• Readers’ Choice voting takes place from July 1–31 at edinamag.com.

GROW Plants as Pets

Kind of like a pet, indoor tropical plants act as a living thing that give us company 12 months a year. We water and feed houseplants regularly, even giving them baths a couple times a year to lift dust and reestablish luster.

The more sun tolerant of our indoor plants get to join us outside in the summer months, putting on impressive growth and even blooms. Some of us have houseplants that last months, some years or even decades. While we see the trends of plants come and go, there will always be the demand and desire to care for a living thing and to have

some tropical guests share our company in our indoor spaces.

Just like there’s a pet out there for everyone who wants one, there’s a plant out there, too. Green thumb or not, you can start a plant journey at any stage of life.

Contributed by Sarah Davis, general manager at Sunnyside Gardens. She’s been with the company for 18 years and enjoys helping people find success with gardening. Find more on Instagram @sunnysidegardensmn.

A Weekend Jaunt Down to Mason City

I had a speaking engagement in Mason City, Iowa, earlier this spring and became smitten with the cozy Midwestern town just two hours south of Edina. Mason City has something for everyone in your family and makes for a relaxing getaway not too far from home. I’ve planned a long weekend in Mason City for this summer, and in the spirit of sharing, here are five things on our list to do during our visit.

The Music Man Square Museum

Mason City is the hometown of Meredith Willson, the composer and playwright of the popular Broadway musical The Music Man

The Music Man Square museum is dedicated to Willson and the musical, complete with exhibits, costumes and memorabilia from the original production and 1962 film— including all 76 trombones.

The Historic Park Inn Hotel

The Historic Park Inn Hotel is the last remaining hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The hotel underwent a complete restoration in 2011.

Lime Creek Nature Center

Outdoor and nature lovers will appreciate the Lime Creek Nature Center, a 400-acre nature preserve that offers hiking trails, fishing and wildlife.

Northwestern Steakhouse

Northwestern Steakhouse is a local institution that has been serving customers for over 90 years. The restaurant is known for its delicious steak and Greek cuisine; the Greek Spaghetti is one of its most popular dishes.

Contributed by Edina resident Jasmine Brett Stringer, an on-air lifestyle expert, author and founder of Carpe Diem with Jasmine and #ShareTheMicMN. Find her on Instagram @carpediemjbs.

Your Care. Your Choice.

We are a community of care – dedicated to you.

As the Twin Cities’ largest and most experienced cancer treatment provider, we know that treating cancer calls for more than compassion. It means giving our patients access to more than 100 cancer care experts, evidence-based treatment paths, close-to-home locations and comprehensive services to support the whole person.

Our compassionate team works tirelessly towards one common goal –fighting cancer.

A Multigenerational Adventure

In this middle grade novel, Maizy Chen’s mother brings her from Los Angeles to Last Chance, Minnesota, to help her grandparents and their Chinese restaurant while Opa, Maizy’s grandfather, recovers from illness.

As Opa teaches Maizy to play poker, he begins telling her the story of their ancestor Lucky Chen and what led him to flee San Francisco in the 1800s and ultimately run the Golden Palace in Last Chance. Lucky’s tale is delivered in installments throughout the book. Meanwhile, Maizy meets local kids, encountering both fast friends and offensive comments. And when Bud the Bear, a large wooden statue outside the Golden Palace, goes missing, Maizy is determined to figure out who took Bud and why.

Last Chance may be a fictional town, but author Lisa Yee includes fun

Minnesota details throughout.

If you read this aloud as a family— it’s a wonderful pick with its multigenerational characters; adventures in the past and present; colorful restaurant regulars; courses of mouth-watering Chinese food; and a young girl who wants to solve mysteries, make things right, see the people she loves find their way back to each other—and occasionally nudge folks to a realization with a custom fortune cookie.

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance was named a Newbery Honor Book, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature

Contributed by Megan Maynor, children’s book author, Minnesota Book Award Finalist and Edina resident. You can find her books at meganmaynor.com.

mnoncology.com

La Vie En Rosé

Not so long ago, most Americans would see something pink in a wine glass and assume it was sweet white zinfandel. It makes sense, because in the mid 1980s, Sutter Home white zinfandel was the number-one selling wine in the United States.

This version of pink wine is the result of a wine-making snafu. In 1972, winemaker Bob Trinchero at Sutter Home was fermenting zinfandel grapes, and while trying to produce a dry zinfandel, a “stuck-fermentation” occurred—leaving the alcohol low, the sugar higher and the wine pink. Trinchero decided to bottle the sweet wine and labeled it white zinfandel. But here’s something that may surprise you: white zinfandel is not rosé.

Rosé is a wine that has been around since ancient Roman times vs. disco times. It is traditionally dry (not sweet!), lower in alcohol, light and refreshing. It’s perfect for entertaining, as it is served cold like a white wine but usually made with grapes traditionally used for red wine.

Want to dip your toe into the world of rosés? It’s the perfect time to try, as the second Saturday in June is National Rosé Day. Here are some great pink picks under $20 available locally: A to Z, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Chaval, The Beach, Pratsch and Scaia Rosato.

Contributed by Alison Perrier Briggs, a level two sommelier and Edina resident. She grew up in the wine industry, has worked vintages on three continents and has hosted over 200 wine classes and events.

Childlike Wonder

Especially for Children emphasizes the importance of play.

By Hanna McDaniels

WHEN DAVID AND LINDSAY KOERNER MOVED back to Minnesota from Denver a couple years ago, they enrolled their son Beck (5), who was 2 at the time, at Especially for Children’s (EFC) Edina/Edinborough location.

After Lindsay went back to work last year, they enrolled their daughter Runa (2) at EFC’s Edina/Edinborough location, as well. “Both kids have formed such

great bonds with their teachers,” David says. “Knowing that both of our kids would be in the same familiar spot, with teachers we all love, made the transition to working so much easier for my wife and the whole family.”

EFC was founded in 1976; the first Edina location opened in 1982, followed by the Edinborough location in 1987. “We offer a play-based, hands-on learning

style curriculum,” says Anna Wilson, director of EFC’s Edina/Edinborough location. “This really gives the children a good opportunity to learn through their own worlds and their own knowledge. With this, our teacher’s role is to step in and introduce concept questions to help them relate to what they are playing with … Our learning is around social learning, learning from those around you, asking

critical questions, getting children to think about what they’re doing.”

For the Edinborough location in Edina, one of the most distinct activities offered is a partnership with the Brookdale Senior Living, which operates out of the same building. The children join Brookdale residents for an annual dance performance, trick-or-treating and spring flower planting. “We also go over there and read stories, play with puppets and play simple games—just simple activities that both the children and the seniors can enjoy,” Wilson says.

This partnership allows both the children who attend EFC and the residents of Brookdale to have consistent intergenerational relationships. “It’s really important for [children] to get that type of exposure in their life and to interact with other people in a different age,” Wilson says. “There’s a general sense of compassion that children develop when they’re around people of other ages … And for the seniors—they just light up and love the children coming over.”

“Our children have both really enjoyed activities with seniors in the building,” David says. “These activities are things that are harder to find in the wider community.”

EFC Edina/Edinborough also offers daytime dance classes; outings to nearby parks like Edinborough and Centennial Lakes; and many other activities, which emphasize physical play, developing large motor skills and getting outside in the fresh air.

David says that since starting at EFC, Runa’s language has grown so much. For Beck, he says, “It laid the foundation for social-emotional skills, solving problems through play.”

Wilson says the main goal in all activities is to make learning and school an exciting place for children where they actively want to go. “Our hope is that we can … instill in the children early on that school is a fun place. It’s a safe place. I feel good here. I feel like I’m a part of something.”

Especially for Children, 3300 Edinborough Way Suite 120; especiallyforchildren.com

Especially for Children Child Care

Photo: Courtney Perry

Forty-Forty Flats is Uniquely Affordable

By Daniel Huss

FORTY-FORTY FLATS, a 118-unit 55+ housing community set to open in the late fall of 2023, checks all the boxes in terms of location. It sits adjacent to community services, transit, retail stores and other commercial properties. And it’s affordable, too.

The property, which is being developed by Lupe Development Partners and Ecumen, which will also manage the building, is located at 4040 West 70th Street. The City of Edina and Edina’s Housing Foundation own the land.

But how exactly did this partnership come to life? A two-story office building had previously sat on the property for this new development. “When the parcel became available, the Edina Housing Foundation bought it,” says Stephanie Hawkinson, Edina’s affordable housing development manager, noting that the property was already guided in the land use plan for up to 118 housing units.

The foundation’s team knew it wanted to develop the property for affordable housing units to work toward the city’s goal of creating 1,804 affordable housing units by the year 2030, in accordance with its 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

“Every city needs to do a comprehensive plan,” Hawkinson says. “Plans are based on migration trends, poverty levels and employment numbers,” among other things. The Forty-Forty development represents about 6.5 percent of the city’s goal.

A Request for Proposal was sent to developers, and the Ecumen and Lupe

The 118-unit senior community is set to open in October.

Rendering of Forty-Forty Flats, set to open October 2023.

plan was selected as the winner. “You look for both strong owners and developers,” Hawkinson says. “In Ecumen and Lupe, we’re confident in both.”

Traditionally, affordable housing has been offered in smaller unit numbers within market-rate buildings. But Hawkinson says what makes the Forty-Forty development unique is that not only are all the units designated as affordable but it’s also only for seniors. Additionally, there’s a requirement in place that keeps this building affordable for 99 years. “Most developments only stay affordable for 20–40 years,” Hawkinson says. She notes that there are two other buildings in Edina where every unit is designated as affordable— The Sound on 76th and Amundsen Flats. They’re both family buildings.

While acknowledging the uniqueness of the 99-year commitment, Anne Stanfield, senior director of business development at Ecumen, says the nonprofit senior housing and services company is more than ready. “Ecumen has been around for more than 160 years,” she says. “We’ve committed long term to our communities, serving some for more than 100 years.”

At Forty-Forty Flats, leases will be restricted to qualifying tenants ages 55 and older with earnings ranging from 30–80 percent of the Hennepin County Area Median Income. Applications will open midsummer.

“We’re expecting demand,” Stanfield says. “We’re getting interest from Edina [residents] and interest from throughout the Twin Cities.”

Apartments will be available in studio and one- and two-bedroom configurations. Amenities include a fitness center/club room, rooftop patio, community garden, office center (workspace) and an art/community room.

“Designs will have the end user in mind,” Stanfield says. “The building will be ADA compliant, and the apartments will include grab bars in the bathrooms, lower countertops, wider hallways and hand railings … We’re really excited about it, and we think residents [will be] excited too.”

Forty-Forty Flats, 4040 W. 70th St.; 952.232.0001; ecumen.org

Ecumen @ecumen_org

By Renée Stewart-Hester

THE MINDS BEHIND TAIL CHASER

DOG BREW hope their target audience laps up their latest business venture—one 12-oz. can at a time. The clean-ingredient brew features beef or chicken bone broth that can be added to dog food to enhance flavor or poured into water bowls for a low-calorie, low-sodium beverage.

Ingredients include beef or chicken bones and water (broth), carrots, cabbage, rice, malt and thyme. “It’s a really clean label,” says Edina’s Luke Derheim, one of the owners behind the brand, along with Minnetonka’s David Benowitz.

Other Tail Chaser owners include John Mihajlov, who co-owns Finnegans Brew Co. in Minneapolis, along with Jacquie Berglund, Finnegan’s founder and co-owner. The brew is made at and distributed out of Finnegans.

Is Tail Chaser a novelty item? Is the product only feeding into pet owners’ penchant for humanizing their pets? The answer is no if considering the shelfstable ingredients. Derheim explains that the bone broth, rice and cabbage aid in dogs’ digestion. Thyme helps improve pet breath odor. The water, while obviously assisting with hydration, can aid dogs with food texture concerns (It happens.) or older pets suffering from tender dental issues. As a food topper, the brew softens dry dog food, making chewing easier.

Derheim and Benowitz are also part of the ownership team of Craft & Crew Hospitality (Dukes’s on 7 in Minnetonka; The Bar Draft House in Hastings; The Block Food + Drink in St. Louis Park; The Howe Daily Kitchen & Bar in Minneapolis; Pub 819 in Hopkins; and Stanley’s Northeast Bar Room in Minneapolis). Their restaurant experience is important to the story of how Tail Chaser got its start. “We really thought there was a market for it,” Derheim says. “We see how much people spend on their pets at our restaurants.”

Each of the restaurants has tapped into the market with dog-friendly, heated Pawtios and menus for the canines to

Photo: K Schulz Photography

From left to right: Luke Derheim, John Mihajlov, Jacquie Berglund and David Benowitz at Finnegans, where Tail Chaser is brewed.

Where to Buy

Tail Chaser is available online ($17.99/eight pack) and locally at Chuck & Don’s, Cub and Lunds & Byerlys ($10.99/ four pack). Craft & Crew venues sell it for $4/can. Product is also available in North Dakota and Wisconsin.

enjoy while their two-legged friends enjoy meals and beverages off another menu. And if you doubt the success of a menu that features “dogs drink free Tuesdays” and eight menu items, the 100,000th meal was served to some lucky “good boy or gal” in 2022 after seven years of offering a menu that caters to the canine set. “Our dog food sales on our Pawtios have also increased every year since we launched our dog menu in 2016,” Benowitz says. “We know there is a target market, and people love to spoil their dogs.”

Knowing there is a market for a product isn’t enough to garner success in the retail game—there are other important ingredients. “A lot of planning and conversations went into launching this product. It takes a dedicated team to get a dog product like Tail Chaser to have the visibility we are seeing now,” Benowitz says. “We had many people at the beginning tell us not to launch this product or that it wouldn’t work. However, we kept pursuing aggressively and meeting with everyone we could in the pet space and have now found some great partners. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, so the stress levels for the most part have been relatively low.”

He adds: “Feedback has been really positive since we launched in 2022. We have regulars who come in with their dogs now and purchase Tail Chaser weekly.”

Tail Chaser Dog Brew; tailchaserdogbrew.com

Tail Chaser Dog Brew @tailchaserdogbrew

Photos: Chris Emeott

ARTS

& CULTURE A Stitch of Tradition

The Picket Fence keeps the love of needlepoint alive.

By Hanna McDaniels

NEEDLEPOINT HAS BEEN WOVEN into people’s lives for thousands of years. Today, its colorful stiches can be incorporated into almost any household decoration, from pillows and framed art to stockings, ornaments, upholstery and more.

A form of embroidery that involves yarn being stitched through an openweave canvas, this craft can be done with meticulous hands of any age, crafting a landscape, pattern or anything of the artist’s choosing to make a beloved piece of art.

Digging into the resources at the American Craft Council provided by Beth Godrich—a librarian at this national nonprofit organization— provided a small glimpse into the history of this handicraft.

The origins of needlepoint can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Their traditional stitches were called halfcrossed stitch, described as a simple diagonal stitch. To this day, the halfcross stitch, also known as the tent stitch, is the most popular stitch for needlepoint and is the foundation of learning in order to master needlepoint. Over time, this hobby spread to European countries and eventually to the United States. Needlepoint’s popularity initially took off in the 17th century, and in the

Photos: Chris Emeott

Top: Molly Burns and Ginny Mahoney

Right: Detail of a painted needlepoint canvas available at The Picket Fence.

past several years, it has seen a surge in popularity among a younger audience eager to discover screen-free hobbies.

For The Picket Fence needlepoint shop in Edina, the history of needlepoint in this family-owned business runs deep with tradition, as well. Edina resident Ginny Mahoney is the current owner, but the shop was started by her mother-inlaw and mother-in-law’s sister in 1972. It was from these women that Mahoney learned everything about needlepoint as a young woman. She eventually grew to love it so much that she took over the family business in 2015 and now runs the store with her daughter.

“When I was a young mother, my mother-in-law taught me how to needlepoint. I was 26 … I just fell in love with it as soon as I learned how to do it,” Mahoney says. “When I took over the store, my daughter Molly, who I was pregnant with when I was learning to needlepoint, [became] my assistant. It is very special.”

The store is a beloved destination for many Twin Cities residents who have a passion for needlepoint or want to get started in this hobby. Here, novices and aficionados alike can purchase handpainted canvases, a multitude of colorful yarn and all other necessary supplies. “These canvases can be hand-designed in our shop, or people can buy one of our hundreds of canvases that already are complete,” Mahoney says.

Dedicated in-house artists create original and custom hand-painted canvases for stitchers to bring to life. Mahoney

FINANCIAL GOALS, MEET ROYAL.

Borrow

says that needlepoint artist Ruth Ann Fleming, who’s in her 90s, has worked at the store for 45 years. Mahoney's mother-in-law first hired needlepoint artist Mary Louise Pivec as a teenager to work at the store; decades later, Pivec has made this unique type of artistry her lifelong career. Both women can create custom designs of just about anything— from a pet’s portrait or children’s faces to family homes, crests, favorite sports, school logos and more. “We have everything under the sun when it comes to canvases,” Mahoney says.

The Picket Fence also provides a teacher in-store to help customers master the foundations of the craft. “We also have a lot of great books, [online] videos and resources available for people to reference to get started on their needlepoint journey,” Mahoney says. And if you’ve completed your canvas but need help finishing it for display, the store’s staff can help with that, too.

The unique canvases and staff support of The Picket Fence are world-renowned; Mahoney says they sell all over the country, as well as internationally; just recently she packaged an order that came in from Istanbul.

Mahoney notes that once a customer starts needlepoint, the tradition is often passed on. “It is such a tradition for my customers … We’ve been in business long enough to have at least four generations of stitchers come in,” she says. “I have one big family that had a grandmother that stitched 12-inch high nutcrackers and gave [them] to [her] grandchildren every year. When she passed, they lined up hundreds of those stitched nutcrackers in honor of her.”

At the Picket Fence, the tradition of needlepoint—and the community it creates—lives on in the owners, employees and every customer that walks in the door, new or old.

The Picket Fence, 3907 W. 54th St.; 952.920.7888; thepicketfenceinc.com @picketfenceneedlepoint

Top: Molly Burns, Betsy Larson, Ginny Mahoney and longtime staff members Maureen Monchamp and Sandra Mitchell in front of a portion of the yarn selection at The Picket Fence.

Bottom left: Detail of a painted needlepoint canvas.

Bottom right: Needlepoint Viking pillow that was finished in-store.

LAUGH. LEARN.

Written by Amy Overgaard Photos by Chris Emeott

A Place to Call Home

On any given summer day, passersby will likely see Katie Mueller shooting hoops in her driveway. If you’re lucky, you may see one of her famous trick shots, where she stands with her back to the basket, lobs the ball over her head and sinks the shot.

Katie lives in a group home in Edina with Corbin Leih, Rob Crolick and Leo Nemeth. But the four of them, all adults in their late 30s with various disabilities, are more than a group of residents in a group home— they’ve become family. They’ve lived together for 15 years, and as Rob’s mother, Peggy Crolick, says, “The kids just absolutely have gravitated toward one another, and they really love each other … There are two who function at a higher level, and they watch out for the ones who don’t

function at their level. We didn’t realize that would happen.”

Pat Leih, Corbin’s mother, says, “They’ve really formed a family.”

If you visit the house, Leo will likely greet you at the door, invite you in and offer a tour. “[Leo] is like the ambassador of the house. He’s Mr. Hospitality,” Peggy says. “He’s just the nicest kid. He’s so polite. I mean, they’re all nice, but he’s just got a manner about him that’s very welcoming.” Leo says he loves living near Braemar, where he likes to walk on the track and read the newspaper. He’s also quite the athlete, playing tennis, floor hockey, softball, basketball and golf in the Special Olympics. But he’s not the only athlete in the house. Aside from loving basketball, Katie is also a skier and golfer.

Neighborhood embraces four beloved adults with disabilities.

Katie Mueller

Virgil, Pat and Corbin Leih

Peggy, George and Rob Crolick

Leo Nemeth

In fact, she competed in Ireland in 2003, where she won an international championship for the Special Olympics in golf. She also loves the Minnesota Twins, enjoys drawing and is quite the social butterfly; she loves talking to neighbors who walk by the house.

Rob has Angelman syndrome, which leads to physical limitations; he needs assistance walking and is also nonverbal—but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand what’s happening around him or the conversations taking place. In fact, his parents say his understanding continues to grow. His big smile and palpable excitement over something he enjoys can light up a room.

Corbin also has a million-dollar smile and a quiet, joyful presence that you notice the moment you meet her. She has a seizure disorder, and despite her limited (though ever-growing) vocabulary, her mother describes her as social and

happy. “She is happy all the time,” Pat says. “If you ask her, ‘How are you doing, Corbin?’ She’ll go, ‘Happy.’ But she is. She just smiles.”

The four of them live in their Edina home, which is managed by Living Well Disability Services, an organization that operates 36 homes across the Twin Cities for people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities. While 35 of those homes are also owned by Living Well, their home in Edina is different.

This house is co-owned by Rob and Corbin’s parents—George and Peggy Crolick, and Pat and Virgil Leih—all longtime Edina residents. “The kids,” as they’re often referred to, moved into the home in 2008, but the Leih and Crolick families’ journey started years prior. The two families have known each other since their children were at Cornelia Elementary together.

After Rob and Corbin graduated Edina High School and entered their 20s, their parents started working on a plan to help their children thrive throughout adulthood. What resulted was several years of research around the best options for adult disability care, working closely with their case managers at the Minnesota Department of Human Services to secure a license for a private group home, purchasing a property in Edina and renovating it to become ADA compliant and fully accessible. At that point, they interviewed and found two additional housemates for Rob and Corbin; that’s how Katie and Leo joined the house. “We were looking for the right chemistry and really, fortunately got it,” George says. Pat adds that this great chemistry is among the kids as well as all the parents.

When looking for a house for their children’s group home, it was important to both families that the house be in Edina—where Rob and Corbin had grown up, gone to school, attended church and felt comfortable in the community.

“[Rob and Corbin] went to grade school blocks from the current

“We wanted [Rob and Corbin] to be in this community [where they grew up]. We thought community was really important, and we were lucky ... the community is really supportive.”

George Crolick

house, and so we wanted to be in this community,” George says. “We thought community was really important, and we were lucky to be able to do all that, and the community is very supportive.”

It’s a community that has continued to embrace them. The four residents are now well-known throughout the neighborhood— especially Katie and Leo, who are both highly social and more likely to be outside and chatting with neighbors.

Kim Sabow lives in the neighborhood; she and her family have lived there for 23 years. Since the group home was established, she’s made a point of stopping and saying hello anytime one of the residents is outside. For Sabow, it was an opportunity to model for her children what it looks like to interact with people who were different from themselves. “People are afraid of things they don’t understand,” she says, noting that in her experience, people often don’t know how to act around those with disabilities. “I didn’t want my kids to be afraid of people with disabilities,” she says.

Over the years, they’ve become relationships that mean a lot to Sabow and her family. “I know [the residents] better than I know the other people on our street,” she says, simply because of their daily interactions. And not just for Sabow, but for her whole family.

Though Sabow’s children are grown and don’t live at home anymore, she says their family text thread often includes mention of fun interactions with the residents

that she and her husband experience—like receiving a pile of drawings from Katie, bringing home cookies from the State Fair for Leo or hearing Katie shout good morning from her open window when Sabow’s husband was walking their dog at 5 a.m.

And the Sabows aren’t the only neighbors who regularly stop and chat with the residents. “There are so many people in the area that know the kids,” George says.

“We adore them. We really do,” Sabow says. “I’ve appreciated how much they’ve touched our lives as a family ... And, you know, when the moms and the dads come over and they’re out tending to the garden or doing whatever, I think they love it [when] they see people in the neighborhood acknowledging them and interacting with them. I mean, isn’t that what every parent wants?”

50 Years of Serving the Community

Last year, Living Well Disability Services celebrated 50 years of serving Twin Cities families. It started as Dakota’s Children in 1972; the founders were a group of parents, volunteers and community partners who saw a need in West St. Paul for longer-term care for people with disabilities. The organization developed a person-centered approach to emphasize the needs of individuals with disabilities and the families that support them. Its mission is to transform the lives of people impacted by disabilities through the delivery of exceptional services. Fifty years in, Living Well owns and operates 36 homes for people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities throughout the greater Twin Cities Metro area.

Interested in supporting Living Well? Its annual gala is August 18 at The Depot Minneapolis. For details and to register, visit livingwell.org. There, you can also find both part-time and full-time job openings.

Living Well Disability Services, 1168 Northland Drive, Mendota Heights; 651.688.8808; livingwell.org

Living Well Disability Services @livingwellds

Living Well staff help support the residents. Top row: George Crolick, Virgil Leih, Rose Ahiamadji, Pat Leih, Gregory Odhiambo, Jamie Randall and Peggy Crolick. Front row: Leo Nemeth, Katie Mueller, Rob Crolick and Corbin Leih.

GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT— AND A WHOLE LOT OF HEART

Written by Zoe Deal • Photos by Dan Norman

Buccaneers

There’s a heart to every story or, as Edina resident Peter Brosius says, “Anything good comes from a deep place.”

Brosius has spent his life seeking out beautiful truths, stories that need to be told and artists that need a new platform or audience. Over 26 years as artistic director of Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) in Minneapolis, Brosius has nurtured dozens of original and reimagined productions into the international canon for young people.

“It’s exciting to make work when you’re not only focused on articulating clever, comic bits and funny choreography but you’re also trying to deliver a very tender heart,” Brosius says.

When he moved to Minnesota 26 years ago with his wife, playwright and novelist Rosanna Staffa, and 4-year-old daughter, Daria, (son Gabriel would arrive the following year), it was another phase in a life defined by art.

The son of a community theater aficionado growing up in Riverside, California, Brosius spent much of his childhood on stage. “I remember never not being in a show. I was always, always, always in a show,” he says.

“I loved the challenges it posed—how to get to that place where you’re crying on stage. How to get to that place where you’re so terrified or so moved or so joyous. The physical challenges, the musical challenges, the emotional challenges—they were all just fun,” Brosius says. “I was very grateful to my mom that it was just part of our lives, that we were always in shows.”

Brosius took on fewer roles as a young adult coming up during the Vietnam War, instead leaning into politics, student government, social justice and the anti-war movement. He briefly enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, to pursue a career in law before leaving and heading to Europe.

It was a formative year. He worked at a kibbutz in Israel, lived in Norway, worked on a farm in Denmark and then lived in Greece for a while. He hopped freighters. Hitchhiked. And, along the way, met a few East Coast students who inspired him to enroll at Hampshire College, a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, upon his return to the states.

“[Hampshire College] allowed me to look at a whole panoply of things, from puppetry to dance to theater to devising work to preperformance art, working with sculptures and painters,” Brosius says, as well as creating his own original pieces.

It was there that he met lifelong friend (and

now fellow Minnesota resident) Jack Zipes. “He had translated a number of pieces from a German company [The Grips Theater] that made really interesting, socially engaged, quite political work for young people,” Brosius says. Upon graduation, Brosius left for Germany to track down this company and learn all he could.

“I showed up in Berlin and just hung out with them and saw all their shows and saw all the theater that [was] happening in Berlin at the time which was mind blowing,” Brosius says. “[The productions were] really researched and engaged and captured the zeitgeist and language of young people of the day.”

During Brosius’ time in Berlin, one such production resulted in the Berlin city government issuing a ruling that said any teacher who brought their students to see the production would be fired instantly. Instead, all the teachers “refused to bow to the censorship,” he says, and came to see the work; the government backed down.

“That’s sort of been a North Star for me— |to make work that matters and to make work that starts good conversations, that’s about something,” Brosius says.

Peter Brosius on theater’s potential to inspire and empower.

Alice in Wonderland

In the years that followed, Brosius went all in on performance art. He studied clowning, mime and dance. He joined a street theater company, making work in the South Bronx and East Harlem. He watched, he learned and realized he didn’t know enough, so he applied to New York University (NYU) and pursued a master in fine arts in directing. (It was while at NYU that he met his wife, who he describes as, “a brilliant, extraordinary woman, who is so ridiculously talented.”) Upon graduation, he did a fellowship in Europe, worked at theater companies in Los Angeles and Hawaii and directed productions across the nation. Then, he found his way to CTC, where he could focus on original and reimagined productions.

Some of Brosius’ favorite productions he’s been involved in through the years include: Seedfolks, an adaptation of Paul Fleishman’s book by the same name with one actress taking on all 22 roles; an original piece inspired by the work of Buster Keaton; a production for preschoolers called Animal Dance, featuring postmodern dancer Ann Carlson, improvising alongside untrained, live baby animals; and Locomotion, beautifully directed by Talvin Wilks, which tells a story about a young man in the foster care system who finds his voice through poetry.

When asked what connects his favorite pieces together, Brosius responds with one word: beauty.

“We’ve made a lot of work that I really love,” Brosius says. “For the work to be successful … it needs a generosity of spirit. You have to care about the audience … Any artist wants to make work that they love, but it’s an additional challenge that not only do you want to be satisfied with it, but you are inviting that audience to go on the journey with you.”

In life and in art, Brosius is the picture of joy and optimism. He’s a foodie, and he is quick to share his favorite local spots (Raag Progressive Indian Cuisine, Coconut Thai and Mr. Paul’s Supper Club are top of mind) and he speaks of Edina’s ice cream scene (coffee ice cream being a favorite) with unbridled enthusiasm. He says, “We have La Michoacana [Rose], Edina Creamery and Sweet Science [Ice Cream]. For me, that’s a trifecta of pure happiness!” He also enjoys walking his “goofy” golden retriever, Louie, at Arden Park and seeing independent films at the Edina Theatre.

In conversation, he seems fulfilled, focused, full of life—a man whose glass is not just half full but brimming over. And really, what would you expect from a man who has spent his life immersed in the artistic world of young people?

“Young people are so smart, they’re so funny, they’re so quick, they’re so open and they’re so optimistic. I think for many people who are adults, these are difficult times to live in … but young people see that we’ve made a mess of things and plan to make it better. You’re in this space with the people who are going to make it better. So, you’re usually optimistic,” Brosius says.

A passion for community-building and empowering young people are the driving forces behind his work, especially during his tenure at CTC where he has nurtured challenging, insightful and engaging works that speak to audiences of all ages. It’s a legacy that is sure to continue upon his departure from CTC in June 2024.

Though many would say the Twin Cities is lucky to have him, Brosius considers himself the lucky one.

“I’m very, very lucky to be able to work with all of the incredible artists and staff and board members and donors that I get to work with,” Brosius says. “I feel really lucky to have had this opportunity for this amount of time.”

Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.874.0400; childrenstheatre.org

Children’s Theatre Company @childrenstheatrecompany

Left: Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Right: Cinderella Next Page: The Scarecrow and His Servant

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CHRISTINA B. JOHNSON Artist

Refresh your home with custom artwork. Christina B. Johnson has been sourcing clients with her colorful paintings since 2018. Shop her work at Edina-based Foxwell Shoppe and At Home & Co., or contact Christina for a consultation.

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Enjoy USDA Certified Organic at your locally owned Clean Juice. We offer healthy, organic sandwiches, wraps, salads, smoothies, acai bowls, fresh juice and more! Eating healthy made easy! Dine-in, take out or delivery available.

Clean Juice 3943 Market St. 952.479.7054

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Comfort Keepers® is here to help seniors thrive safely while living independently at home. Our empathetic caregivers are specially trained to provide uplifting care and support. We’re here to help!

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The Goddard School’s safe, flexible and caring environment gives your child the space to take chances, make connections and experience authentic learning so they can become school-ready, career-ready and life-ready.

The Goddard School in Edina 7201 Washington Ave. S. 612.438.2288

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Mainstream Boutique exists for today’s busy woman. Our mission is to love, strengthen and celebrate women. We want you to LOVE what you wear!

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You’re Local. We’re Local. Bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for working professionals in the areas of business, applied leadership, MBA and others. Contact us at link.mnsu.edu/mag today to get started!

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THE ART OF CONNECTION

Edina Art Fair showcases over 250 artists the first weekend of June.

ON JUNE 2–4, the streets of the 50th and France neighborhood will be flooded with artists and attendees for the annual Edina Art Fair. This event showcases hundreds of artists, with creations ranging from ceramics, fiber art, jewelry and photography to sculptures, wood carvings, mixed media and more.

This year’s theme is The Art of Connection. Max Musicant, the executive director of the 50th and France Business and Professional Association, says this theme was inspired by this moment in time.

“We live in a time when so many feel disconnected from each other,” he says, noting that art “serves as an important balm to heal our collective connective tissue. For the 2023 Edina Art Fair, we lean into and

highlight the role that art plays to connect us to each other, our inner selves and the world around us.”

Attending the Edina Art Fair?

Be sure to check out the three artists who were selected for the second annual Emerging Artist Program: Luz Márquez of Andaluz, Eun-Kyung Suh of Munee and Laura Merino-Franco of Primitiva Jewelry. Ben Cooney, who oversees the program, says, “The popularity of the program is a testament to the power of supporting emerging artists in our community.”

The fair also features live entertainment, a kids zone, craft beer gardens and a variety of food options. New to the fair this year will be a vintage clothing market.

—Amy Overgaard

All ages. Free. Noon–7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday. 50th & France Business District; 952.491.0001; edinaartfair.com

Suyao Tian is the featured artist for the 2023 Edina Art Fair. Her work is featured on promotional materials for the fair.

Compiled by Hailey Almsted and Clare Greeman

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LOCAL EVENTS

Edina Farmers Market Opening Day

06/08

The 2023 farmers market season starts June 8 and runs Thursdays through September. Vendors feature fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, breads and more. All ages. Free. 3–7 p.m. Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S.; 952.833.9582; edinamn.gov

Music on the Plaza

06/09

Enjoy music performances from local musicians with this outdoor music series. It takes place on Fridays in June through Labor Day. All ages. Free. Nolan Mains, 3945 Market St.; 952.491.0001; 50thandfrance.com

46th Annual Golf Tournament

06/09

Join the Edina Chamber of Commerce for a day at Braemar Golf Course. Raffle tickets and games are sold for a chance to win additional prizes, and proceeds benefit the Chamber of Commerce. Ages 18 and older. Prices vary. 7 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Braemer Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive; 952.806.9060; edinachamber.com

HOMESTEAD CAMP

06/05–06/08

The Edina Historical Society welcomes kids to experience life in Minnesota during the late 1800s. Campers will perform daily tasks that children performed in that time period, such as cooking, learning and gardening. Ages 6–10. $195/ camper, $315/camper for extended day; 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday. Historic Cahill School, 4918 Eden Ave.; 612.928.4577; edinahistoricalsociety.com

Careers in History Program

06/10 and 06/17

High school students are encouraged to explore careers in the field of history by touring Minnesota museums and learning about different career paths. Sessions include a Zoom class and a museum visit. There are also sessions in July and August. Ages 15–18. $10 (less for BIPOC students and for those experiencing adverse circumstances). 612.928.4577; edinahistoricalsociety.org

Juneteenth Celebration

06/19

This celebration encourages families to reflect on Juneteenth and includes activities, musical performances and food trucks, plus a beer and wine garden. All ages. Free.

4–8 p.m. Maetzold Amphitheater, 7499 France Ave. S.; 952.927.8861; edinamn.gov

AREA EVENTS

Susie Park and Silver Ainomäe 06/01–06/02

Minnesota Orchestra members Susie

Park and Silver Ainomäe play the music of Brahms. All ages. Ticket prices vary. Times vary. Minnesota Orchestra, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.; 612.371.5600; minnesotaorchestra.org

Stone Arch Bridge Festival

06/17–06/18

Enjoy work by local artists alongside music, food, drinks and the views surrounding the Stone Arch Bridge. All ages. Free. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday. Riverfront area on W. River Parkway, from 11th Ave. S. to N. Fourth Ave., Mpls.; 952.473.6422; stonearchbridgefestival.com

To have your event considered: email edinamag@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication.

Due to the fluidity being experienced in the current environment, please note that some events/dates and even some business operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

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STAY CONNECTED AND CELEBRATE EDINA

Photos: Suzanne Ressemann

Edina Art Fair

A Long Road to Healing

A journey toward better health became this resident’s teaching tool for empowering others.

Written By Josie Smith Photos by Chris Emeott

“HEALTH IS MADE in the kitchen.”

These are the words that nutritional therapy practitioner Amy Lippert lives by after dealing for nearly 10 years with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. She says she’s a firm believer that food is medicine.

“I’ve been in the kitchen since I was 2. My mom is Korean. I remember sitting underneath the kitchen table in our home, and I had a bowl of garlic and warm water and my job was to peel the garlic. I’ve always loved being in the kitchen,” Lippert says.

Even though she thought she was living a healthy lifestyle, Lippert began suffering

Amy Lippert

from a variety of symptoms in 2012, including fatigue, hair loss, joint inflammation, digestive dysfunction, anxiety and what she describes as “really bad brain fog.” Over the next five years, her symptoms got progressively worse.

In 2017, she went to her doctor at the time to discuss her symptoms, believing she may have Hashimoto’s; the doctor prescribed her an antianxiety medication to deal with her symptoms instead, which she says did little to lessen them. In 2018, she approached her doctor about performing a full thyroid panel. He refused and instead offered antidepressants, including Xanax. Lippert says she didn’t feel that her concerns were being taken seriously, so she started her search for another doctor.

“I live in my body; I know when something is wrong,” Lippert says.

Desiring a more holistic approach, she made an appointment with a functional medicine doctor who, after dissecting her thyroid peroxidase numbers a little more, diagnosed Lippert with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, emboldening her to continue her pursuit toward better health.

In 2019, she enrolled in a 10-month holistic nutritional education program with the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA). Initially, she wasn’t looking to become a practitioner herself; rather she was looking to apply the school’s functional holistic tools to her own lifestyle.

“I was still feeling really sick. I couldn’t wake up in the morning, [I was] wired at night [and had] brain fog to the point that my brain was having a hard time connecting the dots on things,” Lippert says.

By putting her nutrition education into practice—by adding more nutrient-dense whole foods to her diet and applying other holistic principles to her lifestyle—Lippert says her chronic symptoms significantly receded by September 2020.

“When you start to nourish your body, tune in and take care of yourself, hydrate [and] move, your body has the amazing ability to heal … When you start giving it what it needs, it takes off,” Lippert says.

After experiencing first-hand the changes in her body from these lifestyle changes, she decided to take her training from NTA and become a practitioner, starting to see clients in 2020.

Today, Lippert is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and a

Paleo Cheesecake with a Coconut Crust

EAT FOR YOUR HEALTH—AND ENJOY

IT, TOO

At the insistence of her friends and clients, Lippert started a food blog, Almond Milk and Cookies, in 2021. “I really got serious with it last summer. It’s a labor of love,” she says. “I like to share my recipes, and a nice side benefit is my kids will always have access to the things they grew up eating.”

Want to try some of Lippert’s tasty creations? She’s put together a full day’s menu. Find all the recipes at edinamag.com.

Breakfast:

Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding

“I love this because of how easy it comes together, the delicious creamy texture and ‘chunky monkey’ flavor. Plus, you can make several for the week in advance.”

Lunch: Chicken Curry Stir-Fry

“I love this because it is loaded with great veggies and protein, and I love to add 1/4–1/2 of a fresh avocado for some good healthy fats. Plus, you can make a batch for lunches for the week.”

Snack: Protein Breakfast Cookies

“I love to keep these on hand for quick and nutritious snacks. Paired with 1/2 cup of fresh berries, these are my son’s favorite after-school snack.”

Dinner:

Grilled Veggies with Chimichurri and Perfect Grilled Flank Steak

“For the summer, there is nothing better than a juicy steak, grilled veggies and lots of herby chimichurri sauce.”

Dessert: Paleo Cheesecake with a Coconut Crust “Hands down, my favorite dessert ever: blueberry cheesecake.”

Grilled Veggies with Chimichurri

curriculum manager and associate instructor for NTA. Lippert also has a bachelor’s of arts degree in chemistry, a bachelor’s of science degree in biology and a master’s degree in teaching in secondary education, a background that dovetails nicely with her current profession.

Through her practice, Lippert enjoys helping clients improve their health and wellness by addressing chronic symptoms, such as fatigue, digestive dysfunction, hormonal imbalances and more. She does this through optimizing digestion, sustainable lifestyle practices and targeted nutrition.

Lippert emphasizes that she doesn’t diagnose or treat disease. Rather, she uses nutrition and lifestyle changes to mitigate symptoms and get to the root cause of them. “You’re in the driver’s seat. I’m giving you routes to the destination, [but] you get to choose the path,” she says.

Through her consultation packages, Lippert creates individualized recommendations that will help clients add more nutrient-dense whole foods to their diet. But she tries not to take too many things away from them at once. And she advises clients to start small. “Small, sustainable changes are what will help you develop a new lifestyle,” Lippert says. “As you start to feel better, you’ll want to do more.”

One easy way Lippert incorporates more nutrient-dense whole foods into her own family’s diet is by buying food in its most natural state. For example, she’s more likely to purchase split chicken breasts, with the bones and skin still on it, instead of opting for boneless, skinless chicken. “When you cook it that way, you actually increase the nutrient density of that chicken because you’re cooking a lot of the minerals and a lot of the nutrients from the bones onto the meat and the fat from the skin,” Lippert says.

Lippert’s goal is to help clients create sustainable lifestyle habits, so that by the time they’re done working with her, they feel fully equipped to carry on their new habits without her help.

Amy Lippert, NTP; naturalhealingfoodsnutrition.com

Almond Milk and Cookies; almondmilkandcookies.com

Almond Milk and Cookies

@almond.milk.and.cookies

WINNER: PEOPLE & BEST IN SHOW

Dry Dock Repair

Edina resident captures a man focusing on his sailboat.

ON A SUNNY WALK in September 2021, Edina resident Vicki Hurwitz noticed a man sitting alone and working on a sailboat at Centennial Lakes Park. The scene’s symmetry, textures and angles caught her eye, especially the sails that contrasted with his shirt’s folds. “Though his back was facing me, one could sense his concentration on the sailboat as he worked,” she says.

Hurwitz thought the moment made an interesting photo—and the longer she looked at it, the more she adored what she captured. Now, Centennial Lakes Park has grown into Hurwitz’s favorite location to take photos. “Whatever catches my eye soon becomes a photograph,” she says. As a hobbyist photographer, Hurtwitz enjoys snapping photos as much as editing them.

Photographer: Vicki Hurwitz

Title: Dry Dock Repair

Equipment used: iPhone 14 Pro

To view other Images of Edina photo contest winners, visit edinamag.com.