IMPACT 2020

IMPACT Making an

in Kandiyohi County and beyond 2020

Thank you to the workers and volunteers who impact our community every day.

New Programs. New Delivery Options.

Creating opportunities. Changing lives.

• 8-week Liberal Arts and Sciences courses • Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway • Photography and Design Degree • Poultry Certificate • Professional Photography Certificate • Medical Assistant, Electrician programs expand to Hutchinson • Virtual admissions, counseling, advising, financial aid, tutoring Ranked #1 Minnesota Community College, 2020 & 2021, niche.com

85%

Students receive financial aid

Hands-on and Online Virtual Experiences

A+

Safety rating in niche.com community college ranking

WILLMAR | HUTCHINSON | ONLINE An equal opportunity employer/educator

ridgewater.edu

|

800-722-1151

NOW HIRING

for Multiple Positions We believe you will find the Clara City Senior Living a fun and rewarding place to work. The Care Center offers a full array of benefits, competitive pay, and flexible scheduling.

Stop in for an application or call Cindy 320-847-2221 at Clara City Senior Living for more details!

Due to COVID-19, we are currently following the restrictions of no visitor or volunteer entry into the Care Center and Assisted Living.

When the day comes and it becomes safe to open our doors we will have numerous volunteer opportunities such as: reading to residents, visiting, playing games or cards, assisting with bingo, giving rides, peeling potatoes with residents, sitting in on bible study, helping at picnics, special events, tending to gardens, helping with crafts or decorating, playing instruments. As a volunteer to our residents, you are counted on as one of their friends. The rewards are endless!

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Kris Nelson-Jensen, Activity Director at 320-847-7217.

WE ARE HERE

1012 N Division St. Clara City 320-847-2221 www.claracityseniorliving.org

FOR YOU AT EVERY STAGE! CARE CENTER

INDEPENDENT SENIOR LIVING

Assisted Living A Tradition in Caring

Apartments Available Now!

The Time of Your Life Begins Here • Independent living units.

• Emergency call system • Social and recreational activities along with full access to campus wide events • Noon meal and weekly housekeeping.

For a tour of our facility, or for more information, please give us a call.

We’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Prairie Park Place

1100 Warrings Ave, Clara City • 320-847-3785

CAMPUS AMENITIES • Secure memory care areas • On-site Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy services • Large spaces for family gatherings • Phone & cable access in each room • Short-term Rehab Therapy Suites • Assisted & Independent Living • Activities offered, along with full access to campus wide events

Space Available Now! 200 Wachtler Ave, Clara City • 320-847-7208

• A Community of Compassion for Over 50 Years!

• Hosts individualized and campus wide activities • Therapy suites to help you recover with all the comforts of home • Physical and Occupational outpatient therapy with most insurances accepted • Assisted Living and Independent living attached to the Care Center • Beautiful outdoor courtyards

For more information or to arrange a personal tour of our facility, please contact us today.

1012 N Division St. Clara City 320-847-2221 www.claracityseniorliving.org Like us on FacebookClara City Senior Living

impact

Welcome to

IMPACT 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 Even camping has changed.............. 12 Struggles with mental health.......... 16 Keeping clients active....................... 19 Plot of a bestselling novel?.............. 22 Fine arts finding their way............... 25 Haircuts no longer routine.............. 29 Resurgence in gardening.................. 34 A grounding like no other................ 40 Moving people, packages................. 43 Public health responds...................... 46 Handling the calls................................. 51 Citizen team ready to help.............. 54 It’s more about rehabilitation........ 57 Grocery shopping...................................

im·​pact | \ ‘im-,pakt \ Definition of impact

1a: to have a direct effect or impact on Merriam-Webster Dictionary

2: to have a strong effect on someone or something.

Oxford Languages

2020 has brought a lot of changes – and that may be an understatement We’ve all seen changes no one would ever have imagined. And, therefore, we are all learning to navigate everyday things in a new way. Our jobs, routine shopping and/or traveling, even getting a “routine” haircut is no longer routine. Interacting with our family, friends and neighbors – everything has changed and we are having to look at everyday tasks in a whole new light.

Stories and Photos by

In Willmar and throughout Kandiyohi County and the surrounding area, our friends and neighbors continue to go about their daily tasks, but in a new way.

Linda Vanderwerf Tom Cherveny Shelby Lindrud Carolyn Lange Mark Watson Erica Dischino / photographer

The West Central Tribune has shared the stories of “frontline” workers most impacted by the year’s massive changes; in this publication we take a look at some of the more “everyday” tasks we used to take for granted.

Individuals, businesses and organizations share how things have changed.

PUBLISHER: Steve Ammermann EDITOR: Kelly Boldan MAGAZINE EDITOR: Sharon Bomstad MAGAZINE DESIGNER: Tasha Kenyon AD MANAGER: Christie Steffel

Whether it’s the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the impact that has had on our daily lives, or the civil unrest movement spreading across the nation, we have all likely experienced times of distress and been forced to take a fresh approach to many otherwise mundane or routine experiences.

In many cases the stories we share here tell how COVID or other life-changing events have impacted our daily lives and how we have learned to adapt. Other stories shine a light on how some employees simply choose to make an impact every day by doing their jobs with caring, compassion and the goal of making a difference – making an IMPACT.

A publication of West Central Tribune, OCTOBER 2020 2208 W. Trott Ave, Willmar MN www.wctrib.com

4 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

There are many of these stories across the region, and these are just a sampling. We hope you enjoy the stories shared here as we all navigate a “new normal” as the saying goes. And we all strive to make a positive IMPACT on those around us.

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 5

CHANGES IN FOOD SHOPPING BEHAVIOR:

78%

OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAID THEY MADE A CHANGE IN WHERE THEY SHOP FOR FOOD

40%

shopped at fewer stores

28% shopped more online

15% said they avoid stores where they typically shopped

11%

changed the store they shop most often

10% shopped at different types of stores

42%

are minimizing trips to the store

10% have stopped going to stores

41%

reported cooking more of their meals

ONLINE SHOPPING LEAPED shopped online in 2019 said they shopped online in February said they shopped online in March & April Source: SupermarketNews.com, Food Marketing Institute

Changing the way people shop Grocery stores no longer taken for granted

BY LINDA VANDERWERF

I

lvanderwerf@wctrib.com

t didn’t take long last spring for people to develop a new appreciation for their local grocers.

When so many other businesses closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, grocery stores of all sizes joined the limited types of businesses that kept operating.

“I don’t think anyone will take their grocer for granted again,” said Jamie Pfuhl, president of the Minnesota Grocers Association.

“There’s a whole new appreciation for grocery workers.”

The industry made some immediate changes and has kept adjusting practices as regulations and guidance from health officials evolved.

As safety protocols change, management at Coborn’s Inc. of St. Cloud continues to adjust, said Coborn’s Executive Vice President Dave Meyer.

“We feel our new ‘normal environment’ may look different at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Meyer said.

“Unfortunately, we think the current environment is going to be the new normal for the next several months.”

Nearly overnight, whole families were home together and eating all their meals

there. Grocery shopping habits changed, disrupting supply chains.

“People were panicked in the beginning, buying things that maybe didn’t even make sense, just to feel more secure,” Pfuhl said.

People in the industry noticed a few trends among its customers, Meyer said.

“Guests are making less frequent trips to stores, but they are buying more during each trip,” Meyer said. “Online sales for curbside pickup and home delivery have risen dramatically.”

In situations like natural disasters, the grocery business is able to respond and direct food to where it’s needed. “Our industry is able to support the community,” Pfuhl said.

However, the pandemic caused a nationwide and worldwide disruption in the supply chain.

Early shortages eased somewhat, but others continued, Meyer said. Those included liquid hand soap, paper towels, paper napkins, disinfectant wipes, cleaning supplies and Campbell’s soups.

Retailers expected the fall packing season to replenish supplies of canned vegetables, tomatoes and fruit, he said.

DAVE MEYER, COBORN’S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Minnesota’s grocers worked with local suppliers and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to realign supply chains where possible, Pfuhl said.

“Farm to fork” programs that had supplied restaurants or schools didn’t have a market any longer, and “we worked with the Department of Ag to figure out how to get that food used,” she said.

In some cases, manufacturers had to retool their plants to package food in quantities appropriate for grocery sales.

They also dealt with COVID-19 hot spots in some processing plants.

“It’s been amazing, in an unprecedented pandemic, the response and the ability to continue to get food to the community,” Pfuhl said. “We are so proud we have been able to continue to do this in the most responsible fashion.”

Her association has heard from grocers all over the state, she said. “Nine out of 10 say their customers have been so appreciative,” she added, and the people working in the stores have felt that. 

JAMIE PFUHL, MINNESOTA GROCERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 7

Keeping it fun

From normal to mild chaos, grocery business maintains

BY LINDA VANDERWERF lvanderwerf@wctrib.com

W

alking through the aisles of DoMat’s Family Foods with owner Tim Mattheisen can take a little time.

He seems to know everyone who comes into the Benson store. Mattheisen, 75, who is of Irish descent, happily spouts Norwegian and German greetings to his customers.

Some of the people in the aisles are relatives. Some worked there when they were in high school.

A man brushes past him at the end of an aisle and says, “Sorry about that.” Mattheisen calls after him, “I don’t see tears.”

“How was your birthday?” a woman asks.

“Finer than frog’s hair” is the answer.

He greets Benson Mayor Terri Collins as she turns a corner with her cart. “She beautifies Benson both with her presence and her flowers,” he said.

While life around DoMat’s changed with the coming of the coronavirus pandemic, some things didn’t.

“Everybody needs a little laugh and a little joy in their life,” Matthiesen said. “Even if this stuff is around, you still have to have fun. ... I have fun every day.”

After the state went into a shutdown in March, grocery stores stayed open as essential services.

The store installed plexiglass “sneeze guards” at counters and a sanitizing station at the door. Some people wore masks in the store from the outset, and nearly everyone wore them after the governor ordered it last summer.

Mattheisen still gives treats to kids but no longer out of a package of cookies. He switched to small packs of chewy fruit snacks that are individually wrapped. Sometimes he has to send them with parents, because kids don’t come to the store as often.

“It went from normal to kind of a mild chaos in the matter of a couple weeks,” he said. “My normal week is probably about 65 hours, and I was putting in about 80, and my son (Matt) was doing about the same.”

The store had a 30 to 40 percent increase in business in the first two weeks.

“Everybody was home,” he said, and people were told they should have a two-week supply of food in their homes – “double what they normally would buy.”

SUPPLY AND DEMAND Keeping shelves stocked was a problem for grocery stores nationwide, and Benson was no different.

Ordering takes longer than it did – both he and Matt probably spend an hour or more twice a week placing orders.

8 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

“If there’s departments that seem to be draining, we look at what’s available in the whole warehouse for those departments; we can see how many cases they have,” he said.

Keeping shelves full is important, and they’ve been pretty successful, he said.

Supply problems have cropped up. Early on it was toilet paper and other paper products.

“I don’t know where that came from,” he said. “Everything people could get their hands on, they were taking – three or four packages. ... I suppose it’s one of those things you don’t want to be at home without.”

The store had only two afternoons in the spring without any toilet paper or paper towels on the shelves, he said.

Other shortages that came along were pancake mix, canned soups and facial tissue.

The increase in business leveled off but at a higher level – the store stayed busier than before. “I think that’s from people still staying home; they’re not venturing out like they used to,” he said.

People who used to shop in bigger towns may be staying in Benson now, too.

DELIVERIES, PICKUP The store has delivered groceries every afternoon for decades, Mattheisen said. Curbside pickup was added last spring.

Granddaughter Halle Hansen, 20, a Ridgewater College student, spent a lot of time filling delivery and curbside orders.

Mattheisen, the oldest of 10 children, has employed many siblings over the years and

U.S. CONSUMERS FELT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC:

Nearly 50 million households in the United States reported their income fell by

more than 25 percent during the pandemic.

Source: brickmeetsclick.com

MEAL KITS

The University of Minnesota Extension Service developed a 14-day meal kit in spring 2020, including items that would be found in rural grocery stores and would feed a person who needed to isolate at home for two weeks.

The kit was designed to offer a ready list for people who needed to stay in their homes that could be ordered and purchased from local grocers.

The kit was developed in consultation with Extension nutrition educators. It includes non-perishable foods and was designed to provide healthy meals that would be easy to prepare. A letter to be included in the kit offers sample meal plans.

a long succession of grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

“We had a lot more” orders when shutdowns began, Hansen said. Especially in the first few weeks, she and another employee each filled 15 to 20 orders a day.

“We call her PTOA, Poor Tired Old Halle,” Matheisen said, smiling at her.

While delivery was not new, some of the routine changed. At an assisted living building, deliveries no longer went directly to apartments. Orders were left at the building’s door, and workers there took in the groceries.

A BIT OF HISTORY Mattheisen started in the grocery business in 1960, at the age of 15. In 1972, he and partner Eugene Doscher bought the grocery store where he had worked.

They renamed the store using part of each last name. When Doscher retired 13 years ago, the Mattheisens decided to keep the name. “It’s a lot easier sticking with a name people know,” he said.

The store has had three locations. They built the newest one and opened it about 3½ years ago.

It’s always been a family operation.

Mattheisen’s wife, Carol, does the books.

Son Matt is the store manager and will likely take over sometime soon. He already does “everything I don’t like to do,” Mattheisen said. “I couldn’t do it without him.” 

The list of ingredients included canned soups, vegetables and fruit, oatmeal, pasta, tuna, dry cereal, crackers, applesauce and peanut butter. Pancake mix and syrup were in the kit along with coffee and tea. Snacks like microwave popcorn, cookies, dried fruit, nuts and pretzels are also included.

HALLE HANSEN & TIM MATTHEISEN

In addition to food, the kit comes with disinfectant, disposable gloves, soap and toilet paper.

Source: University of Minnesota Extension

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC

The Food Marketing Institute regularly watches trends in retail and wholesale food marketing.

Before the virus

90%

of grocery shoppers reported dining out sometimes.

During March & April,

45%

87% of all families According to the study,

consider eating together as important, and the COVID-19 crisis has amplified that view.

said they used restaurant delivery

35%

indicated cooking at home six to seven days a week.

41%

Of survey respondents,

report cooking more of their meals since the pandemic.

Source: SupermarketNews.com, Food Marketing Institute

A PRESCRIPTION FOR YOUR FRIEND IS NOT A PRESCRIPTION FOR YOU.

Bring your unneeded prescriptions & over-the-counter medications to the Rx/OTC Drop Box at the Law Enforcement Center lobby at

2201 23rd St. NE., Willmar, MN 56201

10 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

KELLY BAETH

320.979.7653 BROKER

MATT OLSON

320.979.7419 REALTOR

EARL RICH

320.894.5399 REALTOR

www.newlondonrealestateinc.com follow us on:

RON BAETH

320.894.3975 BROKER

BRADY LINDQUIST ASHLEY SCHAEFER

320.212.6139 REALTOR

320.354.5494 OFFICEADMIN

VIEW LISTINGS IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 11

Campers new and familiar enjoy the local waters Late start, but big finish at Green Lake County Park

BY TOM CHERVENY tcherveny@wctrib.com

S

unshine splashing on the waters of Green Lake, campfires crackling in fire rings, and children laughing and splashing each other on the beach.

These are familiar scenes at Kandiyohi County’s Green Lake Park on the north shore of the lake in Spicer, and they were repeated this year with one difference: These happy campers were wearing face masks when they ventured to the park store.

And behind those masks was something new too. “Lots of new faces,” said Dean and Laura Anfinson.

The two have been managing the popular park and campground for 18 years. No year

has been as challenging. Minnesotans took up fishing, camping and other outdoor activities at record levels this past year, in good part due to the pandemic.

That kept the Anfinsons and others we rely on for those opportunities very busy. In the park store, the couple and their two part-time staff members made a point of sanitizing all “touchable” surfaces every two hours. Every four hours, they sanitized bathrooms and other areas where campers share facilities.

JEFF & ANNE CHRISTINA, CAMPGROUND HOSTS

12 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

The pandemic threw a wrench in the Anfinsons’ plans well before the camping season began. There was a lot of uncertainty about when Gov. Tim Walz would allow campgrounds to open. The Anfinsons made up their minds they’d have the park and campground ready for the Minnesota fishing opener in early May, as they do every year.

They toiled away, and every week watched the afternoon broadcasts of the governor’s announcements to see if they could open.

FAST FACTS :

Plan now for your future

5 COUNTY PARKS Kandiyohi County offers

DEAN AND LAURA ANFINSON, CAMPGROUND MANAGERS

with modern campgrounds, including Big Kandiyohi West, Big Kandiyohi East, Diamond, Green and Games lakes.

The parks have a total of

371

Comfortable Living Spaces Indoor & Out

CAMPSITES

B & D Market

Fun Social Activities for a variety of Interests

Ideal Cooperative Living for Those 55 & Better!

Free

1 Gallon Milk Oak Grove-1%, 2% and or Skim

With a Purchase of $50.00 or more!

B & D Market Expires: 12/31/2020

320-523-1626

1002 West Lincoln Ave • Olivia, MN

CALL OR STOP BY FOR INFORMATION OR A TOUR • Friendly “Community” Atmosphere • Maintenance Free • Underground, Heated Garage and Storage

• All Appliances Included (laundry in each unit) • Safe – Secure • Home Ownership • 7 Spacious Floor Plans

Senior Housing Cooperative 55+ 1400 Willmar Ave. SE • Willmar, MN • 320-222-8988 • www.ipwillmar.com IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 13

FAST FACTS “Disappointed,” said Laura when they learned the opening had to be delayed until June 1.

She said they called all of those with May reservations. Most were able and willing to move their reservations back. There were also some who canceled. They just decided not to take any risks due to the pandemic.

Campers and day users at the park have been very good about observing the new pandemic protocols, said the Anfinsons. It’s been different. In past years, kids played night games and were frequently playing basketball and volleyball. Not so much this year, they said.

Once it opened, the always busy campground saw more campers than usual. Most of the regulars continued to come as well, but without a doubt, there were more new campers to the park, they said.

On the other hand, day use at the park was average. Locals continued to come for hard ice cream at the store and to get gas for their boats at the dock, at about the same rates as other years, they said.

One big difference was in the demand for paddleboards, float pads and other water toys offered by the Anfinsons’ Green Lake Rentals at the park. They had quite a few customers make trips from the Twin Cities and other locations just for the opportunity to spend a few hours on the water with the toys. In past years, they’ve never had as many people come as far for just an afternoon of water fun like that, they explained.

The Anfinsons are not surprised by the park’s popularity. “The park sells itself,” said Dean. The attraction of 10 acres of land with mature trees on Green Lake, beach and water access included, makes this a popular destination for many.

The park offers 61 campsites, with seven or eight available for tents. The close proximity of three sites led the Anfinsons to close them this year to maintain safe distance between campers.

They said the park has been very fortunate. The campers have been very good about being careful, and the campground hosts have been no less than “amazing” in how much help they’ve provided, said Laura.

They were able to make up for some of the late start. When high school sports practices begin in late August, campground use typically drops by one half. Not so this year, they said. The campground was booked solid.

They’re confident that people will continue to turn to the outdoors for recreation as we manage the pandemic. They began booking ice fishing house rentals during the sultry days of August – earlier than any year before. 

$8.5 million

Games Lake County in investments were Park has two cabins for recommended for the parks overnight stays and there in the coming years in a are plans to eventually master plan developed offer seven cabins. for the park system by the Mid-Minnesota Lake Carrie County Park south of Atwater is the county’s Development smallest park. It offers a picnic area and boat landing.

Commission.

The planning process included lots of input from citizens and park users.

Saulsbury County Park is owned in conjunction with the city of Spicer and its beach and picnic area are among the most popular day-use destinations in the region.     

Online reservations began as a pilot project in 2018 and have proven popular with campers and park managers.

The county parks play an integral role in Kandiyohi County’s tourism industry.

Tourism is second to agriculture as a contributor to the local economy.

001790176r1 001790176r1

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH LIVING DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTHY FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

KANDIYOHI KANDIYOHICOUNTY COUNTYAREA AREA FAMILY YMCA FAMILY YMCA Treat Your Spirit, Mind and Body Treat Your Spirit, Mind and Body

Come be a part of where community comes together at the Kandiyohi County YMCA!

GIVE GIVETHE THE GIFT GIFT OF OFHEALTH HEALTH

Gift Certificates Gift Certificates Available For: What *Membership the YMCAFor: Available has*Personal to offer: *Membership Training *Personal Training • Youth Development *Fitness & Youth *Fitness & Youth programs Programs Programs *Y & Apparel • Health Wellness *Y Apparel *24/7and Option classes facilities *24/7 Option Available • HealthyAvailable Aging

1000 Lakeland Dr SE program 1000 SE56201 PO Box 757Lakeland Willmar,Dr MN • Volunteer Box 757 www.kandiymca.org Willmar, MN 56201 320PO 222 9622 320 222 9622 www.kandiymca.org Opportunities

Join Today!

1000 Lakeland Drive SE | PO Box 757 | Willmar, MN 56201 320-222-9622 | kandiymca.org 14 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

LET US GUIDE YOU

Home

Call us today

JALANNY RUPP BROKER/AGENT 320.894.4512

JANE VIKSE BROKER®/OWNER 320.979.0632

JASMINE VIKSE REALTOR® 320.894.3862

320-796-1000 IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 15

DR. ASHLEY KJOS, CEO OF WOODLAND CENTERS

16 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Suffering in silence?

People in area are struggling with mental health during pandemic

BY LINDA VANDERWERF lvanderwerf@wctrib.com

I

t didn’t take long after the global pandemic began last winter for area mental health practitioners to note an increase in people reporting feelings of depression and anxiety.

Everyone lives in a different world now, said Dr. Ashley Kjos, CEO of Woodland Centers in Willmar, and no one knows if things will ever go back to the way they were.

“In reality, we never really have that much control, but we like to think we do,” Kjos said.

Dealing with the change brought on by the pandemic “has been a huge adjustment and will continue to be,” she said. “There’s a lot of scary things for people to face right now. ... I think it’s significantly affecting people’s sense of well-being.”

Suicides increased in the region, too. While some of the people were familiar to the area’s mental health professionals, some were “people we have never seen before,” Kjos said.

It has led her and others to believe that many people are suffering in silence, Kjos said.

Mental illness still carries a stigma, she said, and many people hesitate to seek out help.

For people who don’t know where to begin to seek help, the state has a helpline

to call at 800-862-1799 or email helpline@ mentalhealthmn.org.

During the pandemic, therapy sessions are taking place through video calls.

“I think people are just struggling all around,” Kjos said.

People have lost their jobs, had to close businesses and had their kids attending school from home.

Things people might have been looking forward to, like vacations, sporting events or concerts, have been altered or canceled.

Even introverts have been affected by the isolation people are experiencing.

In Renville County, county social workers meet regularly with about 30 clients with mental illness. Supervisor Jen Olson said they have found a variety of responses from the clients.

JEN OLSON, WOODLAND CENTERS

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: 1-800-273-TALK(8255) – The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

STATE MOBILE CRISIS SERVICES: Every county in Minnesota provides Mobile Crisis Services for both children and adults who may be experiencing suicidal feelings or a mental health crisis. Services are available in each county 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Crisis teams are available for phone support and face-to-face crisis help.

Mobile Crisis Services numbers to call in west central Minnesota: • For Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Big Stone, Swift counties: 1-800-432-8781 • For Stearns County: 1-800-635-8008 • For Pope County: 1-701-364-0431 • For Redwood and Yellow Medicine Counties: 1-800-658-2429 CRISIS TEXT LINE: Text MN to 741741. The Crisis Text Line provides free crisis support 24/7 for any crisis.

Source: Minnesota Department of Health

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 17

FAST FACTS : THE STRESS OF A PANDEMIC An infectious disease pandemic can be very stressful for people. The uncertainty about the disease causes stress, and it can be compounded by changes in family, work and financial situations. Some signs of the increased stress: • Changes in sleep or eating patterns.

• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating.

• Worsening of chronic health problems.

• Worsening of mental health conditions.

• Increased use of tobacco and/or alcohol and other substances.

Source: CDC.gov

Some clients tend to isolate themselves anyway, and “they feel life hasn’t changed much,” she said.

Some think the coronavirus is a political ploy and will go away after the election.

Others are experiencing serious anxiety, and they stay home, avoid social events and become upset when they see people not wearing masks.

The social workers print out information about COVID-19 for those who don’t have cable TV. They formerly met in person, but now it’s phone calls and video calls. When they speak, the workers talk to them about staying safe and healthy, keeping up a daily routine and staying active.

A community support technician visits them in person but doesn’t go into their homes since the pandemic started. The county purchased camping chairs for all of them, so they could sit outdoors if they wanted.

TIPS FOR SELF CARE Kjos offered some general advice for people who feel they are struggling. ▶ “Unplug” from news and social media, because the constant flow of information can be overwhelming. ▶ Let yourself cry. It releases endorphins and can be a cathartic experience to “just let yourself feel it.” ▶ Get outside, even if it’s for five minutes. ▶ Seek out good things that are happening in the world and focus on “those slivers of hope.”

18 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

▶ Find a way to connect with other people, whether online, on the phone or in person with proper precautions. ▶ Don’t be afraid to seek professional help.

SUPPORT FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS “Are you an Essential Worker?” the Facebook post asked.

It invites people who are feeling overwhelmed to participate in Woodland Centers’ support groups for essential workers via Zoom conference calls. The meetings are free and open to anyone who wants to sign up.

Kelly Rosendahl, supervisor of Woodland’s mobile crisis response, said the meetings are intended for anyone who could use a little extra support during an upsetting time.

In the space of a week or two, schools closed, businesses closed, people lost their jobs, and many who still had jobs began working from home.

People classified as essential workers kept working, knowing they could be exposed to a life-threatening illness with no known cure and, at the time, little effective treatment.

Rosendahl said she heard about hospital systems elsewhere setting up phone lines for their staff. “I approached Dr. Kjos and said, ‘This is a really good idea,’” she said, but she wanted to expand on it.

Anyone considered an essential employee is welcome. That includes hospital and nursing home workers plus people who work at grocery stores or in manufacturing.

Rosendahl said she started with two groups, one in the morning and one in the evening each week.

They are informal groups, and the group can talk about whatever they want.

Sometimes they talk about coping with grief, missing their “old normal” or racial inequality in local communities.

The group sometimes talks about how to maintain flexibility, too.

People who can maintain flexibility through all the changes tend to cope a little better, Rosendahl said. “When we get willful and don’t want to flex anymore because we’re tired of the changes, there’s when people start to struggle.” 

KELLY ROSENDAHL

FAST FACTS : HEALTHY WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS • Know what to do if you are sick and are concerned about COVID-19. Contact a health professional before you start any self-treatment for COVID-19.

• Know where and how to get treatment and other support services and resources, including counseling or therapy (in person or through telehealth services).

• Take care of your emotional health.

Taking care of your emotional health will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family.

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.

• Take care of your body: Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate; try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals; exercise regularly; get plenty of sleep; avoid excessive alcohol and drug use.

• Make time to unwind with other activities you enjoy.

• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

• Connect with community- or faithbased organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, consider connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.

Source: CDC.gov

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the activities residents of Gleseners Assisted Living can do outside of their home, but staff continue to help them enjoy the outdoors. Daniella Ridl, from left, Jacquie Distad and LeAnn Gass enjoy a walk in Bird Island.

‘We got this’ Gleseners helps those with traumatic brain injuries live their best

BY TOM CHERVENY

E

tcherveny@wctrib.com

very job comes with its challenges, but LeAnn Gass likes to point out that she and her staff have the odds in their favor.

Or as she puts it: “It can (be challenging), but there are more of those good days than there are the bad days.”

Gass is the community support manager at Gleseners Assisted Living in Bird Island.

It is somewhat unique as an assisted living facility in that it focuses on providing care to adults who are survivors of traumatic brain injury.

Staff help survivors of brain injury live the best life they can and be as independent as they can be, she said.

SPONTANEITY Gass began her work there in 1998, and has never turned back. There are few rewards better than improving the lives of others, she explained.

“It can be just so very heartwarming to be a part of someone’s recovery. You get to be their second family,” said Gass.

That sense of family has never been more important. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for residents to enjoy the social interactions with family members, friends and others as they once enjoyed.

There are still Zoom meetings, telephone IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 19

calls, and pre-arranged visits with family, but not the spontaneity or frequency of interactions as was the case formerly.

The resident who enjoyed Sunday lunch with his family on the farm has had to forgo that weekly trip because of the pandemic.

The residents who enjoyed spontaneous hugs from family or visitors have had to practice social distancing.

Excursions with Let’s Go Fishing, trips to the beach or park for a picnic, all of these are the kinds of activities the pandemic has put on hold, explained Gass.

What has not changed is the positive attitude the staff bring to their jobs each day, according to Gass. The motto of one staff member sums it up best. Every time a new challenge arises, she responds: “OK you guys, we got this,” said Gass.

UNIQUE HISTORY, DEVELOPMENT Gleseners Assisted Living has been serving adults with traumatic brain injuries since 1993.

Rosemary and Mark Glesener recognized the need for the care and opened the facility in Bird Island. It became part of the Employee Owned Network Inc. in December 2016.

The Bird Island facility currently is home to 11 residents who have their own apartments in the downtown facility. The facility is able to provide housing for up to 15. Until the pandemic, it also offered day services to people with traumatic brain injuries who live in their own homes.

Gleseners Assisted Living currently has 15 direct care staff. The staff members help residents with the activities of daily living, such as preparing meals, dressing and bathing, or cleaning their apartments. The individual needs of clients vary, explained Gass.

Working with Big Stone Therapy, the facility helps its clients manage cognitive and physical limitations caused by their injuries. She is witness to the progress new clients make.

One woman was unable to propel herself in a wheelchair when she arrived, said Gass.

She is now able to do so and get around on her own.

There is a variety of programming to help residents develop their cognitive skills. Brain injuries can impede an individual’s ability to focus on tasks or plan things out. Speech therapy and ways to help clients overcome memory losses are among the services.

Keeping clients active, and providing them with incentives and opportunities for daily, physical exercise, are core to the care provided, according to Gass. Clients make progress in their abilities, and enjoy a better quality of life because of it.

The rural, small town location helps make it all work, according to Gass. She said the clients here enjoy strong family support, and lots of community support as well.

Until the pandemic, a number of the residents spent time outside of the facility as volunteers. They assisted the Renville County Food Shelf, the Back the Pack program as well as a day care center. One resident worked at the local grocery store.

Trips to the grocery store by residents are among the casualties of the pandemic.

Residents now work with staff and the Bird Island Market to order their groceries for curbside pickup.

Gass said the pandemic has led to many changes, and is sure to lead to more. It’s all about adapting and finding the best way to continue the services offered here.

“We have to find different ways,” she said. 

GLESENERS FAST FACTS : Founded in 1993 in Bird Island by Rosemary and Mark Glesener Somewhat unique as an assisted living facility due to its focus on assisting those with traumatic brain injuries Gleseners has been part of the Employee Owned Network, Inc., since 2016

15 direct care staff members are currently assisting 11 residents Residents range in age from

30 to 71 There are more than

100,000

Minnesotans and over

5.3 million

people across the United States with disabilities from traumatic brain injuries, according to the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance

Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries.

The other leading causes include automobile and bicycle crashes, shaken baby and inflicted brain injury, domestic abuse and other forms of violence, sports concussions, and strokes and aneurysms, according to the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance.

20 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

866.665.4556

Kandiyohi.com

growing

Industrial Development

expanding

building

Entrepreneurial Culture

001617442r1

Ag Innovation & Technology

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 21

Turning the page A whole new story at Pioneerland libraries

BY SHELBY LINDRUD

P

slindrud@wctrib.com

eople of the future might be forgiven for thinking the year 2020 was the plot of a bestselling novel with the pandemic, social uprising and political intrigue.

Unfortunately, the past several months have been all too real and the challenges and consequences have touched all aspects of life, including the member libraries of the Pioneerland Library System.

“I had big plans in March,” said Jake Fejedelem, head librarian of all the libraries in Renville County. “They all got derailed within a couple of weeks.”

FINDING A GOOD BOOK NO MATTER WHAT As so much in society, the libraries shut their doors to the public by mid-March, closing the book on so many programs and events.

22 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

“It was so sudden,” said Andrew Bregar, head librarian at the Willmar Public Library.

As quickly as possible, the library system started brainstorming on how to provide services to its loyal patrons.

“Our mission is to always be there as much as we can,” said Laurie Ortega, Pioneerland Library System executive director. “We didn’t want to close for a month.”

A bright spot was the system’s digital collection, e-books and audiobooks people could check out even with the physical library closed. Pioneerland has a digital collection of nearly 13,000 titles and growing.

“That was an opportunity for us to really push that out,” Ortega said.

However, no matter how successful digital books have become, many people still want a physical book in their hands.

They were impatient for the opportunity to again check titles out, as they made known to Fejedelem.

“People were shouting from their cars wondering when they could get books again,” Fejedelem said.

Pioneerland began curbside pickup at its libraries in late April.

Patrons were able to check out books using the online catalog and then pick them up at their local library.

“It was the safest way to provide access to our physical collection,” Ortega said.

Curbside has been so successful that Fejedelem expects to continue the service even after the pandemic health rules have been removed.

Checking out books online works when you know what you are looking for, not so much if you just want to browse. To assist readers in finding new stories to enjoy, Fejedelem started a grab bag program where he would choose books and movies for patrons, based on their likes. Fejedelem enjoyed the

FAST FACTS : TOP SELLING TITLES ON AMAZON AS OF AUG. 21, 2020, INCLUDED:

“Too Much and Not Enough”

by Mary L. Trump “Where the Crawdads Sing”

by Delia Owens “The Room Where it Happened”

by John Bolton “White Fragility”

by Robin DiAngelo “Midnight Sun”

by Stephenie Meyer

JAKE FEJEDELEM, head librarian of all the libraries in Renville County, Pioneerland Library System, checks the shelves at the library in Olivia.

opportunity to share unique or less popular titles with his patrons.

Some Pioneerland libraries started allowing patrons in the libraries at the end of July or whenever it was safe to do so, but only for about 15 minutes at a time and with limited numbers of people allowed at one time.

“People prefer to come into the library,” Bregar said.

Many of the libraries have also tried to offer some sort of summer reading program

for kids, even though the libraries themselves are mostly locked down to them. Bregar said it was important to have a summer program to make sure kids do some reading during the summer and be ready for the next school year. Willmar’s program has been mostly online, but the library has been offering ice cream and prizes to entice young readers.

“It has been a scaled down program,” Bregar said. “As long as they are reading, that is what is important.”

MORE THAN JUST BOOKS Over the years libraries have become more than just places to check out books. Instead they are like a community center, with entertaining programs scheduled through the year for adults and children alike.

COVID-19 changed that and the Pioneerland librarians had to decide how they wanted to move forward. A lot of IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 23

FAST FACTS : PIONEERLAND LIBRARY SYSTEM AND BOOKS Formed in

1983

13 cities and counties signed on in the beginning Today there are

32 member libraries

across Big Stone, Swift, Kandiyohi, Meeker, McLeod, Renville, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine counties

Pioneerland’s physical collection has

647,137 publications

Pioneerland libraries started doing virtual storytime, summer reading and craft programming.

“Librarians have been really creative in what they are doing,” Ortega said. “We have committed librarians.”

The Appleton library had curbside pickup of its weekly coloring pages and kept its Coffee, Cookies & Chat Book Club going by having outdoor meetings. There were also learning kits available for checkout, filled with books, games and toys about a specific subject like animals, science and under the sea.

At the Granite Falls Library, there were Family Take and Make projects such as making rock candy, online storytime and Story Strolls at Memorial Park.

Willmar also sought to find ways to offer much of its programming in virtual or socially distant ways.

Bregar and his staff came up with fun activities such as take home craft projects, an online book club and a story walk at Robbins Island.

“We’ve done trivia night, game night,” Bregar said. “Everything we can think of.”

TO BE CONTINUED Like so many organizations and businesses, Pioneerland Library System is waiting to see what the future might bring while starting to plan for the fall and beyond.

“I think we will be playing it day by day, week by week,” Ortega said. “I wish I had a crystal ball.”

The staff at Pioneerland will continue to do what they can to offer its patrons services in a safe way.

“The library is still here, it hasn’t gone away,” Bregar said.

The most important thing librarians want people to know is the libraries are open and ready to help, even if things aren’t quite the way they were before.

“We are open and more than happy to see people,” Fejedelem said. 

Digital collection is approximately

13,000 titles and growing

Pioneerland headquartered at the Willmar Public Library Willmar Library was established in 1904 and was one of the famous Carnegie Libraries

Andrew Carnegie provided $10,000 to build the Willmar Library Willmar Library had about

1,100 books

when it opened on Feb. 26, 1904 24 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Employee Lizeth Rios checks out books at the Willmar Public Library.

Hold the curtain Fine arts struggle, but plan to survive

BY SHELBY LINDRUD slindrud@wctrib.com

T

he saying is the show must go on, but 2020 put that old adage to probably its most difficult test in decades.

ACT ONE: CORONAVIRUS ENTERS THE STAGE The Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra members were on stage, ready to begin a concert for area children in March when suddenly the pandemic arrived in Kandiyohi County. Buses of children were already arriving when the concert was called off.

“We were told it wasn’t going to be held,” said Barb Holmgren, flute player for the orchestra.

That was only the first of a handful of performances the orchestra was forced to cancel this year, including its annual Young Artists Concert and the remainder of the 2019-2020 concert season.

The same is true at the Milan Village Arts School, where director Ron Porep has been spending his time canceling classes, refunding money and hoping for a brighter 2021.

When the school closed, it canceled dozens of classes and events through the summer.

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 25

www.MarcusConstruction.com

YMCA Early Learning Center | Spicer, MN

Bright Light Head Start | Willmar, MN

We were proud to assist with both of these daycare centers to renovate existing buildings and help make a dent in the regional daycare shortage.

How can Marcus reimagine a building and make a difference for you?

“It happened so quickly,” Porep said. “The problem was it was very fluid. You couldn’t really strategize.”

The Little Theatre in New London was already planning for a transitional year in 2020 since it no longer needed to worry about providing space for New LondonSpicer Schools productions. The virus turned it all upside down.

“We had planned a lot of new programming,” said Bethany Lacktorin, program director at the Little Theatre. “In the end we didn’t get to bring any of it.”

ACT TWO: MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION The coronavirus required most arts organizations and artists to find different ways to reach audiences. They recorded or livestreamed performances online or on public access channels, offered online classes or brought small groups or individuals together for shows or lessons.

“We’ve had to find different ways to do things,” Holmgren said. “It’s really difficult when you have to control your crowds.”

At the Little Theatre, they created Art by Appointment, starting with the Museum of Portable Sound. Individuals would make an appointment with the theater to experience one of three different audiovisual productions.

“The hope is to create sort of a menu,” said Lacktorin. “People will be able to pick one of three.”

In Willmar, The Barn Theatre received a Main Street Willmar grant to provide for “Child’s Play,” weekly outdoor programs involving theater and fine arts. The program

was designed to bring cultures together to play and create spaces for fun, learning and making new friends Classes at the Milan arts school were canceled but art continues to be created in the studios, which were opened earlier in the summer.

“We only allow a booking a day,” Porep said. “We have pretty strict controls.”

Jumping online hasn’t been easy for some. Daily operations don’t lend themselves easily to digital, such as the classes in Milan or concerts with the orchestra.

“You can’t really play together,” Holmgren said.

Porep believes most attend the art school for the entire in-person experience and he doesn’t want to change what has been successful too quickly. Instead he will be deliberate with any changes.

“The time to change the school is not in the middle of a crisis,” Porep said.

The changes brought to the arts have also impacted funding. The Southwest Minnesota Arts Council provides grants to arts organizations and artists to help fund exhibits, shows and projects. Usually the rules for the grants are pretty strict, but like everything else, the virus has brought changes.

“It is a whole different world for us,” said Nicole DeBoer, executive director of the arts council.

The council is working closely with grantees both regarding past grants and future projects with the goal to keep these places funded and running into 2021.

“I feel confident we will be strong again in the next couple of years,” DeBoer said.

ACT THREE: WE WILL MEET AGAIN Despite the hardships 2020 has brought to the arts scene, no one believes it is the end. Eventually the audiences will be able to return and the show will go on.

“The arts really enrich our lives and without them your whole culture suffers,” Holmgren said.

Porep said even when the virus started spreading in the area, students were not canceling their lessons and were disappointed when the school shut down. He feels those students, the classes and events will be back as soon as it is safe to do so.

“The future is really bright for the folk arts,” Porep said. “Art is the ultimate mindfulness.”

There have been positives due to the pandemic that could continue even after the health emergency is over. One benefit could be the need to think more creatively on how to reach out to the public, no matter the business. This could lead to more opportunities for artists.

“I think there is a greater appreciation for creative problem-solving,” Lacktorin said.

“Artists are coming in the forefront of solving these issues in other ways.”

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 27

FINE ARTS FAST FACTS : SAMPLE OF FINE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA MUSIC Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra • Celebrated 62nd season in 2020 • Several concerts per year willmarorchestra.com/ Prairie Winds Concert Band • Regional concert band based in Willmar • Performs throughout the year prairiewindsconcertband.com Minnesota Valley Community Concert Association • Based at the Fine Arts Center in Montevideo • Has brought music performances of all kinds to community for over 50 years concertassociation.net/MontevideoMN

ART Milan Village Arts School • Founded in 1988 • Specializes in folk arts • Offers classes in wide range of mediums and styles milanvillageartsschool.org • 320-734-4807

ARTS COUNCILS Granite Falls Art Council • volunteer run arts organizations • Owns and operates K.K. Berge Building in Granite Falls • Holds variety of arts events and exhibits granitefallsarts.org • 320-564-4240 Willmar Area Arts Council • Established in 1997 • Advocates for the creative arts • Manages Studio Hop and Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! willmarareaartscouncil.org • 320-235-8560 Southwest Minnesota ARTS Council • Promotes arts development in 18 counties in southwest Minnesota • Grants funds and technical services to arts organizations, artists and educational institutions to sponsor, promote and create arts in communities swmnarts.org • 507-537-1471

THEATER The Barn Theatre • Originated as Willmar Community Theatre in 1964 • Move to current downtown Willmar location in 1989 • Hosts plays, concerts, talks and other arts exhibitions thebarntheatre.com 321 4th St SW, Willmar • 320-235-9500 New London Little Theatre • Locally owned, independent art space in New London • Operated by the Crow River Players • Hosts concerts, theatrical performances, independent film and community events newlondonlittletheatre.org 24 Central Ave E, New London • 320-557-5584

Also, the new ways arts organizations implemented to reach their audiences virtually could continue after the pandemic, increasing the number of people reached.

“I think this will be good in the long term,” said DeBoer. “We are going to come out of this better, stronger and better able to reach out to people.”

Years from now people will look back on the COVID-19 pandemic as an important historical event, but not one that kept the arts down for long.

“This is just another hiccup to work our way through,” Porep said.

One thing is sure, to get through the pandemic, artists and arts organizations of all kinds will need the public’s support both during the pandemic and after.

“If you want us to open up, you need to support us now,” Lacktorin said. 

Cutting it close to the edge COVID changes the barbershop experience for the barber and clients

BY CAROLYN LANGE

U

clange@wctrib.com

sually there’s one man in the barber chair getting a $14 haircut while a couple other guys are shooting the breeze and solving the world’s problems while waiting their turn for a haircut in Ron Schueler’s one-chair barbershop in downtown Willmar.

COVID-19 changed that.

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 29

Now – instead of hanging around until the chair opens up – each customer needs to call ahead to make an appointment at the Razor’s Edge.

Schueler doesn’t like stopping a haircut in midstream to answer the phone to set up an appointment with a customer. He liked it when people just wandered in and chatted while they waited.

Now, he said, the world’s problems have to be solved one-person-at-a-time instead of being a group decision.

He’s joking.

Kind of.

“I missed the camaraderie,” said Schueler of the 2½ months when he was forced to close his shop during the pandemic shutdown.

He’s happy to be working again, even if he’s not a fan of the required masks that he and his customers wear.

“I hope we can get rid of the masks. And as soon as we get the OK, I will get rid of the appointments,” said Schueler.

The temporary closure of barber shops and hair salons was tough on businesses and customers.

Dan Drevlow, who was getting a haircut and beard trim, said – clearly tongue-incheek – that his hair length was rivaling that of fashion model Fabio during the pandemic.

After his first return visit to the Razor’s Edge, the pile of hair on the floor was so deep that Schueler was “standing in it up to his knees.”

A CLOSER LOOK Schueler, who went to barber school after graduating from high school in 1969 in Raymond, has been cutting hair since 1971.

In the early years, he worked for other barbers as he hopscotched around the state

30 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

before opening up his own shop in Willmar around 1976.

Schueler said talking with people is what makes his job so enjoyable.

“People. I love people,” he said.

“Even me?” asked Drevlow.

“Even you, Dan,” he responded.

Schueler admits having a little time off from work to do projects around the house wasn’t all bad, but the lack of revenue was definitely “tough on the pocketbook.” He worked with his landlord to defer rent on his barber shop until he opened for business again.

Schueler said his biggest fear was that “nobody would show up” when he reopened.

Depending on the day, he can see 10 to 30 customers every day.

He was also concerned about how many of his customers had “passed on during that period, because you don’t have contact with them,” he said.

But as soon as he was open for business, his phone started ringing and he was booked up for the day in about 15 minutes.

Schueler said most of his customer base has returned and all are “very understanding” about the new regulations.

He has hand sanitizer and a stack of paper masks on a table by the door for those who come in without a mask and his “plan of action” that details what is expected of customers entering his barbershop is written in magic marker on poster paper that’s taped to the window.

Some salons with multiple stations have taken additional steps, like checking each customer’s temperature

at the door and installing plexiglass barriers between chairs.

While COVID-19 dealt an economic blow to Schueler, other factors are also taking their toll on old-fashioned barber shops like his in rural Minnesota.

“Most of the barbers retire and nobody takes their place,” he said, adding that many small towns don’t have barbers any more because they can’t afford to stay open.

Although he’s been cutting hair for nearly 50 years, Schuler said he has no plans to retire.

“I plan to keep going. I’ve got my health yet and I’ve got two new knees so I’m going to keep working,” he said. 

FAST FACTS : HAIR BY THE NUMBERS Prior to COVID an average of

20 customers got a haircut every day at Razor’s Edge

During the COVID shutdown the Razor’s Edge lost

52 days of business Barber Ron Schueler lost income from

1,040 haircuts during the shutdown

Most of the former customers returned when the shop reopened June 2

“Inspire Every Student, Every Day”

Extraordinary People Deserve Extraordinary Care.

Hospital: (320) 693-4500 Litchfield Clinic: (320) 693-3233 Dassel Clinic: (320) 275-4330

Meeker Memorial ....

Committed to you. Committed to our community.

Our #1 priority is our students’ safety while upholding our tradition of excellence in Academics, Arts and Athletics.

www.meekermemorial.org

Enroll Today! www.nls.k12.mn.us Questions? Call 320.354.2252

Good Health Starts with Great Water!

Contact Rekow Management WATER SOFTENERS DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS SALT DELIVERY BOTTLED WATER AND MUCH, MUCH MORE LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED BY: JOHANNECK WATER CONDITIONING, INC. 101 LITCHFIELD AVE SE • WILLMAR

(320) 235-8040 WWW.ECOWATERNOW.COM

We are here for all of your retirement income planning needs.

101 South 1st Street, Suite 50 Montevideo, MN 56265 P: 320-269-7889 F: 320-269-3220 IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 31

Woodland Centers Mental Health Check Ups -

www woodlandcenters com or 320 235 4613 .

.

ARE YOU WANTIN TO DO MORE OR THE MENTAL HEALTH O YOUR EMPLOYEES

1

-

-

WHAT IS POOR MENTAL HEALTH COSTIN YOUR $USINESS

Did you know

WOODLAND CENTERS MENTAL HEALTH CHECK UPS

2

?

1 in 5 ADU TS will experience a diagnosable Mental Illness in any given year .

More than half of those individuals will go untreated

CAN HELP YOU DO JUST THAT

.

Untreated Mental Illness leads to Higher medical costs Decreased productivity Higher absenteeism Increased disability costs

Mental health services are critical to maintaining overall health Fear induced anxiety and stress reduces immune systems

:

-

.

HOW DOES A MENTAL HEALTH CHECK UP WORK

3

Your employee calls and schedules a session with one of our therapists when in need at 320 235 4613 ,

-

-

.

If there is a waiting list your employee will go to the top of the list ,

.

The sessions do not include a Diagnostic Assessment and are intended to help your employee work through any issues they are having and maintain their mental health ,

,

.

Your business is invoiced directly for the session .

How do you get Mental Health Check Ups or your employees -

The Process

4

1 Your business decides who receives this benefit employee only or employee and family members 2 Each person receives up to 3 Mental Health Check Ups 3 The cost of each mental health check up is 100 and your business will be invoiced once a quarter 4 The contract is put into place 5 We help you educate your employees on H W and WHY to use this benefit 6 You are only invoiced for mental health check ups that take place .

-

?

.

-

.

.

$

-

,

.

.

.

.

.

.

-

.

Woodland Centers Weekly Online (zoom) Support Groups These support groups will focus on topics such as: Anxiety Compassion Fatigue Possible Triggers Self-Care Depressive Symptoms Substance Use Education Building Resilience

Option 1: Essential Worker Support Groups Wednesdays @ 9am via Zoom or Tuesday @ 6pm via Zoom Option 2: Education Group: Do you work in a school system? (any position in a school system) Thursdays @ 4pm-5pm via Zoom Option 3: "Nuevo Grupo’’ Apoyandonos el uno al otro platicando sobre nuestra salud mental Martes: 11:00 am or 6:00 pm por Zoom There is NO COST and it's easy to sign or get more information Call 320-212-2693 or email elly.rosendahl@wcenters.org or Para registrarse o ara obtener mas informacion Llame al 320)-441- 9521 o correo electronico sonia.gomez@wcenters.org Bro ght to yo by Woodland Centers and Kandiyohi - Ren ille Co nty Statewide ?ealth Im ro ement Partnershi

34 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Farming for food Amid concerns about food availability, more people than ever are growing their own gardens or buying locally produced vegetables from farmers markets and CSAs this year.

BY CAROLYN LANGE

I

clange@wctrib.com

t’s a warmer-than-usual morning in late July and sleek purple eggplants and broad-shouldered bell peppers hang from stems in long rows of plants at the Easy Bean Farm near Milan.

MIKE JACOBS AND MALENA HANDEEN

Located along the Chippewa River, Mike Jacobs and Malena Handeen grow 15 acres of organic vegetables at their Easy Bean Farm.

For the last 24 years they’ve operated a Community Supported Agriculture business, commonly called a CSA. Customers pay an up-front subscription fee to buy “shares” of the annual crop that is delivered once a week in boxes brimming full of produce.

The farm has never had trouble selling their 200 shares to customers in west central Minnesota and the Twin Cities, but this year they sold out faster than ever as people staked their claim on a weekly box of fresh veggies.

“We could’ve doubled our membership this year because there was so much interest, and there were so many people trying to get a share from us,” said Handeen.

“It was a wall of people always calling, especially over the last couple weeks before

we started up, we just had so many people inquiring about it and trying to join.”

She’s heard the same from other CSAs all over the country.

“People are suddenly much more concerned with where their food is coming from, and concerned with the assurance that their food is in fact coming. And there’s also an interest in supporting people that are locally producing edible goods.”

WAKE-UP CALL Seeing empty shelves in grocery stores because of COVID-19 has apparently served as a wake-up call to consumers who are worried that fresh fruits and vegetables grown on farms in California or Mexico may not make it to grocery stores in their neighborhood.

Numerous avenues of obtaining locally grown food have expanded this year.

More people have started gardening, with reports that mail-order garden seeds were in short supply this spring and local garden stores had increased demand for seeds and garden tools.

The community garden in Willmar had an increase this year in the number of people IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 35

paying $20 for a 12-by-16-foot plot of land to raise vegetables. Some longtime gardeners there also increased the number of plots they rented.

“People are concerned there may be a shortage of food,” said Mary Vinar, one of the organizers of the community gardens located on Willmar Avenue. “It’s kind of back to grassroots.”

Nate Erickson, a University of Minnesota Extension Educator in Kandiyohi County, where the Master Gardener program is based, said he’s also seen increased interest and inquiries in gardening.

“It seems like, since March, there have been people that have never thought about gardening or raising their own food, that have really started to get into raising their own food,” said Erickson.

Erickson also helps run a nonprofit organization called MnYou Youth Garden where kids in the program raise vegetables in Willmar and Olivia. They sell the produce at farmers markets and through their CSA, which gives a box of produce away to someone in need for every box that’s purchased. Excess produce raised by the kids is given to local entities, like the Kandiyohi County Food Shelf, which has

also seen increased demand this year because of the impact of COVID. Growing your own vegetables isn’t a walk in the park. “It is work. And it is hard work. You have to really like it to enjoy it,” said Vinar. But the “pride in what you grow” makes everything taste better, she said.

Handeen couldn’t agree more.

CSA LIFE Planting a 15-acre garden that includes multiple varieties of numerous vegetables, herbs and melons typically starts around February at the Easy Bean Farm.

Seeds are planted and babied in the greenhouse, shares are marketed and Jacobs and Handeen prepare themselves for day after day of long hours of physical work outdoors. They typically have four employees during the peak months of planting, cultivating, harvesting and delivering the vegetables.

The crew often includes college-age kids eager to learn the ropes. Part of the job description includes someone on the team making the noon meal once a week, usually using the vegetables that are ready at the time.

They continue planting throughout the season and in June and July are doing a crazy dance of seeding, planting, cultivating, harvesting – all at the same time. Their first deliveries of tender spring greens are NATE ERICKSON

36 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

typically in mid-June. Their last deliveries are typically in mid-October, with boxes full of potatoes, kale and winter squash.

Handeen said she hopes this new energy and interest in growing, buying and eating local food because of COVID extends to the future and takes on new meaning for consumers.

“The choices that you make about where your food comes from is a reflection of your honoring the earth and it’s possible to make choices that are loving towards the earth by the foods you choose to consume,” she said.

In the past, buying local produce seemed to be a “luxury” reserved for “foodie” people, said Handeen. COVID may have helped create a “societal shift” in that thinking. “It’s like a little bit more mainstream thinking to be concerned about securing food and supporting local food production,” Handeen said.

For people thinking of starting their own CSA, Handeen advises to start small and get a business plan. “You can’t just lose money year after year after year.” And you will lose money for at least a couple years, she said.

For those who want to garden as a “labor of love” to feed their families, the time and effort is well worth the investment. 

FAST FACTS / RESOURCES : According to “Minnesota Grown,” there are about 80 community-supported agriculture farms and about 200 farmers markets in the state.

Minnesota Grown, which is supported by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, publishes a directory every year of CSAs, farmers markets, garden centers, wineries, fruit and vegetable growers, pick-your-own farms, livestock producers, meat processors, Christmas tree growers and locally grown gourmet products like honey, wild rice and cheese.

Most farmers markets, including ones in this region, begin in June and continue to offer locally grown produce into October.

FARMERS MARKETS WILLMAR: 6:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, U.S. Highway 12 East NEW LONDON: 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Holm Park, northwest corner of the Mill Pond SATURDAY MARKET: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Kandi Mall east side parking lot, Willmar MIDWEEK MARKET: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Kandi Mall east side parking lot, Willmar

FARM CRISIS HELPLINE The farm economy, which has been depressed for the last few years, has taken another economic hit because of the coronavirus. That has resulted in additional emotional stress for farmers.

There are free resources for farmers facing economic and emotional challenges.

MINNESOTA FARM AND RURAL HELPLINE 833-600-2670 x 1

MINNESOTA RURAL MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS Ted Matthews: 320-266-2390 Monica McConkey: 218-280-7785

NAMI MINNESOTA NAMI Minnesota is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. They offer information, classes, support groups, and suicide prevention training.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call: 800-273-8255 (Veterans, press 1) IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 37

Lighting the Way! S Stop top iin n ttoday oday tto o sset et u up p yyour our llighting ighting cconsultation. onsultation.

320.231.1620 | 310 Cty Road 9 SE, Willmar, MN Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9:30-5. Sat. 9:30-3 Like us on Facebook!

38 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

COMMUNITY OUTREACH C O U N S E L I N G Community Outreach Counseling is dedicated to helping you experience a more fulfilled life.

We strive to encourage and strengthen families, marriages, relationships and individuals.

We understand that life is hard and we want to help you navigate the difficult challenges you are facing.

Tim Johnson, MA LMFT Kelly Kveene, MA LMFT Molly Swenson, MA LMFT Brittany Gay, MA LPC Candidate Alisa Johnson, MS, LPC Candidate Brenda Wiese, MSW LICSW Kristy Nystrom, MA LMFT Merica Overcash, MA Cindy Koll-Tengwall, LSW

217 Industrial Dr SW - PO Box 284 - Willmar 320.905.4206 — 320.200.7480 Fax

Membership Milestones

Becoming a member of the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is a great way to: ○ Increase visibility and gain a voice in the business community ○ Receive business referrals, promotion, and publicity ○ Become involved with volunteer and networking opportunities

Looking for ways to network, get involved in the community and/or promote your business? willmarareachamber.com • chamber@willmarareachamber.com • 320-235-0300

Nationally Recognized. Regionally Preferred.

• Shoulder & Elbow • Hand & Wrist • Hip • Knee • Foot & Ankle • Sports Medicine • Joint Replacement

Heartland Orthepdic Specialists’ specialty-trained providers have been serving the area since 2007. Our team approach, advanced techniques, superior quality measures, and positive outcomes are just some of the reasons we’ve been recongnized nationally and remain the region’s most preferred orthopedic providers.

Don’t let an injury keep you or your family from doing the things you love. Call 320.214.7355 to schedule an appointment.

HeartlandOrthopedics.com 2800 1st Street South, Suite 220 Willmar, MN 56201 IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 39

High flier

COVID-19 pandemic brings down local pilot

BY CAROLYN LANGE

A

clange@wctrib.com

t 6 feet, 6 inches tall, with a ready smile and a penchant for striking up a conversation, Captain Jon Noeldner cuts a striking figure standing near the cockpit of the United Airlines Airbus he pilots.

A bonafide “hand-shaker” who doesn’t take himself too seriously, Noeldner is known for personally greeting adults boarding his plane and encouraging kids to climb into the captain’s seat for a photo.

He doesn’t even mind if the kids push the buttons.

“I can put them back,” he said.

What’s harder to put back are the thousands of airplanes, flight attendants and pilots – like Noeldner – who have been grounded during the coronavirus pandemic.

Concerns about spreading COVID-19 have resulted in thousands of canceled flights and lost revenue for airline companies.

Noeldner said United Airlines had 600,000 planes in the sky on one particular day in March of 2019. This year – on that same day – there were 60,000 planes.

Noeldner, who lives in New London and commutes 1,300 miles to his job with United Airlines in New York City, sits in the captain’s seat on an Airbus that crisscrosses the country, ferrying families to vacations and business people to meetings.

That stopped March 18 when he landed an Airbus for the last time.

Because of his seniority, union agreements and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 40 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Security Act funding that prevented airline furloughs until Oct. 1, Noeldner, 49, wasn’t laid off, but he was sent home with a reduced salary and no clue of when he would return to work. Some employees took early retirement or a long-term leave of absence.

Being grounded for nearly six months wasn’t horrible, Noeldner said. He spent time with his wife and three sons and – to be frank – was relieved not to be in a crowded plane and potentially be exposed to COVID-19.

In August he received the call that he’d return to work in mid-September.

It won’t be the same when he goes back.

Noeldner estimates United Airlines’ employee base will shrink by about 30 percent, with potentially 30,000 people furloughed, including about 2,850 pilots – mostly young pilots who are low on the seniority ladder.

Because pilots’ job security with an airline is typically based on the start date, Noeldner,

who’s worked at United since 1997, said if the furlough list gets down to him, the company probably won’t be in business any more.

But the reduction in the number of pilots means Noeldner will lose his rank as captain.

“I’m going to go backwards and go to the first officer’s seat,” he said. “So that’s happening.

Just because they’re shrinking.”

And he will be flying a totally different airplane – a bigger 787 that requires extensive new training – and instead of domestic flights, he’ll be flying internationally.

Noeldner said as part of a union vote, pilots who are working will help fund health care costs for the pilots who will be furloughed.

“We try and watch out for each other,” he said.

Noeldner said he feels especially bad for young pilots looking for their first job.

STARTING OUT Noelder started flying when he was 15 years old.

His dad, who had a private pilot’s license, taught Noeldner how to fly when he was going to high school in Madison, Minnesota.

While attending the University of Minnesota to earn a business degree, Noeldner earned more advanced flying certificates, logged hundreds of hours in the air and taught other people how to fly.

He flew for several small regional commuter airlines in his early 20s before landing his current job as a commercial pilot with United Airlines 23 years ago.

He said the future will be a little grim for young pilots, including his niece who just graduated and had an interview lined up with a regional airline when COVID hit. With no

FAST FACTS : Planes and passengers disappear from the sky during pandemic COVID-19 hit the airline industry particularly hard, with thousands of flights canceled and thousands of employees now facing permanent layoffs after federal money – which had helped augment salaries when employees were not working – has now expired.

Data from the Transportation Security Administration shows how the number of ticketed airline passengers in the U.S. dropped when the pandemic hit compared to the same time a year ago.

March 1, 2020

new pilot jobs available, Noeldner said his niece will likely end up teaching for a couple years while waiting to be hired as a pilot.

But Noeldner said flights are returning and he’s confident “everything will come back and turn out” – but it may take time.

“Unless we come up with teleporting, people are going to have to travel, right?” he said.

Upon his return to work, Noeldner will have a long list of new cleaning procedures to do in the cockpit and he will have his temperature taken at least twice a day. His advice for passengers who are flying is to follow the rules, wear a mask, bring hand sanitizer and be nice.

“If people come in with a positive attitude it just makes all the difference in the world,” he said.

Among all the changes, Noeldner said he’ll also have to stop his friendly face-to-face chitchat and handshaking with passengers.

“At least until there’s a vaccine,” he said. 

March 17, 2020 March 23, 2020 March 29, 2020 April 8, 2020 April 19, 2020 May 1, 2020 May 17, 2020 June 1, 2020 June 19, 2020 July 1, 2020 July 17, 2020 Aug. 1, 2020 Aug. 14, 2020 Sept. 1, 2020

2.2 million

vs 2.3 million in 2019

953,699

vs 2.1 million in 2019

331,431

vs 2.4 million in 2019

180,002

vs 2.5 million in 2019

94,931

vs 2.2 million in 2019

105,382

vs 2.3 million in 2019

171,563

vs 2.5 million in 2019

253,807

vs 2.6 million in 2019

353,261

vs 2.4 million in 2019

587,908

vs 2.7 million in 2019

626,516

vs 2.5 million in 2019

720,378

vs 2.7 million in 2019

709,033

vs 2.3 million in 2019

783,744

vs 2.6 million in 2019

516,068

vs 2 million in 2019

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 41

Presented by the

To advertise in our fall edition contact Christie Steffel at csteffel@wctrib.com or 320-214-4317

On the move Transporting people and packages to their destination

BY CAROLYN LANGE

T

clange@wctrib.com

ransporting people and packages has taken on a different look since COVID-19.

The Central Community Transit buses, which provide public transportation in Kandiyohi, Meeker and Renville counties, were nearly empty during the early months of the coronavirus when many stores were closed and non-essential medical appointments were shut down.

“All of our drivers and staff had reduced hours – drastically,” said CCT Transit Director Tiffany Collins.

At the lowest point, bus occupancy was at 11 percent of the normal rate.

But the buses kept rolling and the drivers quickly adapted to the new landscape,

installing plexiglass barriers by the driver’s seat, increasing sanitation, wearing masks, maintaining social distance and taking passengers – including some who were ill – to get tested for COVID. “These drivers really dug in and provided the service they needed to provide,” Collins said. “There was some anxiety and some fear, but they were there to provide the service.

They’ve adapted to our new duties we’ve thrown at them.”

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 43

Because many people were homebound, CCT drivers delivered food, including Meals on Wheels, boxes of free food from the Willmar Area Food Shelf and bags of groceries ordered online from grocery stores.

Collins said the buses delivered nearly 600 Meals on Wheels every week in Kandiyohi County and to several homes in Olivia.

In order to avoid contact at the door, drivers were instructed to: “knock three times and leave,” she said.

As stores opened and medical facilities started scheduling appointments, ridership has increased but is still at about half the normal capacity, even though buses were running “fare-free” from April 13 through Aug. 30.

Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds have helped bridge the financial gap, but the services will continue to be reviewed as the communities adjust to life with COVID-19.

“We’re all longing for the normal and we’re seeing what pieces of that we can salvage,” Collins said. “It’s been a roller coaster for sure.”

BOXES & LETTERS COVID increased the number of people who buy items online that are delivered to their homes. That keeps the U.S. Postal Service and private delivery services busy, but it doesn’t mean they’re making money.

Jeff Warszynski, owner of General Mailing in Willmar, said he’s “busier than ever” but is making less money.

Warszynski said there’s a steady stream of customers through his door, but because most online companies offer free delivery – and free returns – the time he spends helping customers return those packages doesn’t help his bottom line.

Warszynski receives a small reimbursement from the online company, about 70 cents, for sending back free-return packages but he said it doesn’t come close to covering his staff time, which can include putting new tape on boxes and helping people fill out their return labels.

He said about one out of every five customers through his door “leaves money on the counter” in a paid transaction.

FAST FACTS : CCT RIDERSHIP:

Pre-COVID: Average of 5,512 one-way trips every week Early April: 562 one-way passenger trips and 551 food deliveries.

Total of 1,113 trips represents 20% of regular passengers.

End of August: 2,265 one-way passenger trips and 468 food deliveries.

Total of 2,733 trips represents 50% of regular passengers.

CCT MILES

Pre-COVID: Average weekly miles of 18,032 miles per week.

Early April: 5,970 miles for passengers and food deliveries that week.

Currently: Average of 8,270 miles per week.

CCT FARES/REVENUES

Pre-COVID: Average weekly revenue of $12,537 per week.

April 13 - Aug. 31: All fares were suspended to reduce contract between drivers and riders.

CCT ROUTES:

Pre-COVID: 46 full and part time routes.

Early April: 23 routes cut and full and partial routes for the remaining 23.

Current: Approximately 10 routes are not running completely

FOOD DELIVERIES To date, CCT has made a total of 13,487 food deliveries through senior dining, Meals on Wheels and food shelves.

EMPLOYEE HOURS

Early April: Hours reduced by 437 hours per week.

Currently: Hours reduced by 270 hours per week Total: A total of approximately 13,545 hours were cut during the first six months of the pandemic.

Employees: A majority of employees who are able have now returned to work.

Source: Tiffany Collins, CCT transit director. The early April statistics were from April 5-11, which was the lowest point, so far, for CCT in terms of ridership, routes, miles and employee hours.

44 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Because many offices were closed and people are working from home, the amount of daily mail Warszynski processes has decreased because of COVID. Every day General Mailing, which has been in business for 24 years, picks up and processes mail from many local businesses and organizations that send out hundreds of pieces of mail.

But with people working at home, the amount of business mail they process is “down drastically,” he said.

He said people working at businesses like his, UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service are overworked and underpaid and are “all doing a wonderful job” handling important mail, like sending completed COVID tests to labs for local companies and animal testing samples to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

He said it’s important that delivery services remain financially healthy and their workers physically healthy during COVID or those services could be harmed.

While there are concerning issues now, Warszynsk said it’s not all “doom and gloom.” He said he’s hoping the election season will bring an “uptick in mail” with campaign literature. 

JEFF WARSZYNSKI

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 45

At jet speed, they responded Countryside Public Health takes on the challenge of a pandemic

BY TOM CHERVENY tcherveny@wctrib.com

C

OVID-19 likely arrived in the five counties served by Countryside Public Health at jet speed, carried by the unsuspecting as they returned home from travel or business.

It was on April 19 that the first case of COVID19 was confirmed in the counties served by Countryside Public Health.

“OK, here we go,” said Dawn Bjorgan, co-leader of Countryside Public Health’s incident command, of the reaction that day.

Like a team waiting for the game’s starting whistle, this one was ready: By that point, the agency’s staff members had already been preparing for their roles on the front lines in the pandemic for weeks, in some respects months.

They have not slowed down since. Of the 30 staff members, 28 have added COVIDrelated duties to their roles. An incident

command team oversees the public health response in the five counties the agency serves: Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine. The team works with the emergency managers and health care centers in the five counties, and of course, the Minnesota Department of Health.

Bjorgan said she had been mentored by Gloria Tobias, who retired at the end of May after a nearly 40-year career as infectious disease prevention and management coordinator for the agency. Bjorgan said Tobias had been monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19 in China for months, and warning of what it might mean here.

The two lone staff not responsible for COVID-19 duties are occupied with the growing demands of providing Women, Infant and Children services to the region.

The economic upheaval of this virus has increased the need for its help.

POINT OF CONTACT Countryside staff members are responsible for monitoring the virus in the region, assisting those who have been infected and those who are caring for them, and advising those who may have had contact with the infected. They are also the point of contact for those with questions, and those questions come from everywhere. Business owners; school, city and county officials; clergy members; and health care centers all rely on this agency for information and access to much of the help they seek.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 46 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

FAST FACTS : Countryside Public Health is responsible for public health services in five counties: Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine.

Countryside Public Health staff have kept a busy pace ever since the pandemic began in March.

From left are Dawn Bjorgan, Hillary Spray, Maggie Boese, Ashlie Johnson and Chris Boike.

By operating under a joint powers agreement, the counties are able to pool resources and provide staffing that the individual counties could not do on their own.

Countryside Public Health includes a staff of

30

with 28 of them taking on COVID-19 related duties through the pandemic.

Earlier this year, the director estimated the unexpected costs associated with the pandemic to the agency would top

$711,000

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 47

Your Partner In Retirement Planning

Craig Popp, CFA®

Our goal is simple - to help you achieve your financial objectives.

Explore how a comprehensive financial plan will help you focus on today while we focus on providing solutions to reach your tomorrow.

 Early Childhood Programs  Cardinal Place School Age Care  Youth & Adult Enrichment  Adult Education  Facilities Rental

115 Litchfield Ave. · Willmar, MN 56201 • (320) 235-1416 www.raymondjames.com/willmarmn

Individual Solutions from Independent Advisors © Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

WE KEEP YOU

TALKING!

Registration for Fall Classes is Now Open www.cewillmarmn.com | 320-231-8490 1234 Kandiyohi Ave. SW Willmar MN 56201

@cewillmarmn

Providing non-medical service for older adults in the comfort of their home.

Bathing/Dressing Hair Care/Grooming Companionship Medication/Exercise Reminders Meal Preparation/Shopping Laundry/Light Housekeeping Transportation/Errands Medical Appointment Escort Overnight, Respite Care & 24/7 Service Other “Just-For-You” Services

The service that treats Free In-Home Consultation you like family!

Call 320-231-9868

601 4th St. SW Willmar, MN | www.compassionatecareofmn.com

We specialize in Apple and Samsung products

Our Goal...

Care with compassion for your comfort and independence.

Compassionate Cottage I, LLC 1000 Cottonwood Drive NE • Willmar, MN 56201

Authorized Warranty and Installation Center Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm Sat 10am -2pm 1300 5th St SE Suite A, Willmar • Inside Cashwise • 320.444.6421 48 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Compassionate Cottage II, LLC

1506 Upper Trentwood Circle NE • Willmar, MN 56201

At COMPASSIONATE COTTAGE I and II, we provide 24-hour Customized Living Services in a safe and nurturing environment for older adults. The Cottages have private bedroom bathroom suites in a beautiful home setting.

• • • • • •

Personal Care by Trained and Caring Staff Registered Nurse On-Call 24 Hours Medication Management Home-Cooked Meals Housekeeping/Laundry Activities and so much more!

See our beautiful assisted living homes at www.compassionatecottage.com.

Call Nancy, Abby or Bev at 320-235-2775 for a personal tour.

When you are really good at something...

PEOPLE NOTICE. BUSINESS BANKING

• Providing value through expertise, not just money • Strategic advice for big thinkers • Smart money for big ambitions

Ordinary People - EXTRAORDINARY Service!

COLD SPRING 320-685-8611 SPICER 320-796-2265 www.granitecommunitybank.com NMLS# 405434 Member FDIC

BANK • BORROW • INVEST • INSURE

Countryside CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46

“It’s a very good busy,” said Bjorgan as she and four other team members met with this reporter to describe their roles in the pandemic.

Maggie Boese is a registered nurse, as are others on the staff. She is very much on the front line. It’s her role to contact those who are newly infected. She monitors their progress and makes sure they get the health care and services they need.

Countryside offers essential services to those ill with the virus, and that help can definitely be needed. Some of those infected do not have immediate family or others able to help them living near them, Boese explained.

If someone homebound with the disease needs help in getting anything from a prescription filled or groceries to their doors, Countryside staff will make sure it happens.

“I’ve had employers call me and thank me,” said Kris Boike, co-leader of the incident command team and the assistant administrator of programs and services for the agency. The contact by Countryside with those who have been infected – or have had contact with them – is much appreciated, as there are so many unknowns, she and her co-workers said.

Not surprisingly, most of those newly diagnosed are pretty nervous when Boese makes her initial contact with them.

It’s the phone calls that keep pouring into the Countryside offices that keep Hillary Spray, intake management, so busy these days. Countryside is the point of contact for virtually all manner of information, and people making their livings in the gig economy

50 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

have had questions about what they can and cannot do. An employee’s family member has been exposed to someone who is infected. “What should we do?” said Spray of the questions she answers.

AN INFORMED PUBLIC Ashlie Johnson, public information officer for Countryside, makes it her duty to get all of the pertinent information to the public. It can be like running an obstacle course, as things change by the day.

The five counties have seen the largest share of its cases in young people. Johnson said she devotes much of her efforts to reaching out on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat to reach a younger audience. Newspapers and radio are used to reach the wider population.

Earlier this year, executive director Liz Auch of Countryside Public Health estimated the pandemic would cost her agency roughly $711,000 in unexpected costs in the first year.

Staff members are working to return more focus to other public health duties, such as immunizations, but have no way to predict what lies ahead.

They are optimistic. They pointed out that the region is well-served by health centers

and local governments that have a strong history of working together.

Boike is confident that despite the new pressures the pandemic has brought to Countryside staff members, they are ready for the long haul. “I think we support each other, look out for each other’s mental health,” she said.

The great thing about the agency, said Bjorgan, is that someone is always ready to step up and help when a co-worker needs it. “We’ve got this covered for you today,” she said. 

Sending help Dispatcher has been on both sides of a call

BY MARK WASSON mwasson@wctrib.com

D

arin Schirmers is a busy man. Having lived in Willmar all of his 41 years, he’s collected multiple job titles, interests and hobbies; all while he and his wife of 12 years, Magen, take care of their three sons.

Schirmers started working as a dispatcher for the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office in 2005 and isn’t exactly sure himself how he got there.

Having received degrees in welding and in sales and marketing from Ridgewater College, Schirmers said he had wanted to work in law enforcement but his parents talked him out of it.

“They said, ‘Oh you’re gonna be working nights and weekends and it’s dangerous and everything else’ and so I didn’t,” Schirmers said.

Schirmers said he’s done construction work his whole life and has actually owned Rock Solid Concrete in Willmar since 2012.

But when he saw a dispatcher opening, he decided to apply. After passing the physical and written tests and a psychological evaluation, he started his career.

THE JOB It can take a new hire four to six months to complete the initial training portion of the job, with someone typically not feeling fully comfortable until about a year in, according to Schirmers.

Dispatchers log into at least nine different programs at the start of their shift, from local radio channels to more sophisticated online programs.

Emergency services are well-connected across the region, something done after 9/11 when it was realized that New York City police and firefighters couldn’t communicate because they had different radios.

And dispatchers do more than take phone calls or direct emergency services during their 12-hour days.

“There are a ton of things that go on in here behind the scenes that most people do not know are happening,” Schirmers said.

“We enter all the warrants issued by court and are in charge of dealing with all the

corresponding paperwork for those who get arrested on them, in our county, along with anywhere else that someone may get arrested on one.”

Due to the nature of their jobs, not knowing when an emergency will be called in, dispatchers don’t have scheduled breaks.

Their office consists not only of state-ofthe-art equipment, but also a kitchen reminiscent of fire houses across the country.

While dispatchers may take on the superhuman task of identifying and directing resources to people in their time of need, they still need to eat.

Schirmers has also worked as a firefighter for the Willmar Fire Department for the last 20 years and did two years on the Kandiyohi IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 51

County Rescue Squad, something that provides him with invaluable insight.

“Having that experience of being on fire scenes, car accidents and other types of emergencies definitely helps me as I do my job here,” Schirmers said. “Being on both sides of the radio has its advantages.”

Schirmers said the local fire department, along with other emergency services in the area, are very community-oriented, often encouraging people to get out and interact with the community, including teaching fire prevention to kids.

Typically, the department would have a fire prevention night in October but with the pandemic, it may not happen or some modified version of it would have to take place.

COVID-19 has also impacted his job in other ways. Initially they weren’t allowed to take vacations and some people had their vacation times rescinded.

“We didn’t really know what we were really dealing with yet,” Schirmers said.

As a dispatcher, the job hasn’t changed too much, but as a firefighter, the department has had to make adjustments like deep cleaning equipment after every call “It’s been a change, it’s definitely different but nobody has all the answers,” Schirmers said. “Until then, we just do what we do.”

FAMILIARITY Having lived and worked in the area his whole life has helped Schirmers with his job as well.

That has helped him direct calls to where they’re needed. The dispatcher’s screen shows a caller’s location, but it is not always accurate or a wide area may be shown, especially if people are calling from a cell phone or a business center.

Sometimes dispatchers come off as rude, said Schirmers, because they’re trying to get all the basic information they need in order to send the proper emergency services out and they may ask for information to confirm where you are, like cross streets or a house number.

“That’s where living here my whole life helps because I can picture where they are, like if someone gives me an address, you can picture where they are and if that matches with the information you have on your screen, you feel a lot more comfortable sending help,” Schirmers said.

“I think we’re pretty fortunate,” Schirmers said. “Our departments, the city, the police department, the public works department, the utilities, the fire department, even throughout the county, we’re pretty blessed. We’ve got good equipment. We’ve got good people.” 

FAST FACTS :

KANDIYOHI COUNTY DISPATCH

16

Full Time Dispatchers

Dispatch for:

240

calls per day

( that can change depending on the day and time of the year. )

Atwater, Blomkest, Kandiyohi, Lake Lillian, New London Pennock, Prinsburg, Raymond, Spicer, Sunburg, Willmar

7 fire departments

AMBULANCE SERVICES

in Kandiyohi County and in Big Stone County

in Kandiyohi County and

3 ambulance services in Big Stone County

6 First Responder

Average anywhere from

agencies in Kandiyohi County along with the Lakes Area Responders and the Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad;

calls per month.

agencies in Big Stone County

8,000 to 10,000 52 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

FIRE DEPARTMENTS

11 fire departments

5 ambulance services Approximately

KANDIYOHI COUNTY:

2 First Responder

Atwater, Lake Lillian, New London, Raymond, Sunburg FIRST RESPONDERS Blomkest, Kandiyohi, Pennock, Prinsburg, Spicer, Lakes Area Responders, Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad

BIG STONE COUNTY: FIRE DEPARTMENTS Beardsley, Big Stone City, Clinton, Correll, Graceville, Ortonville AMBULANCE SERVICES Browns Valley, Graceville, Ortonville FIRST RESPONDERS Artichoke, Clinton

BELGRADE NURSING HOME & OUTPATIENT THERAPY SERVICES CENTENNIAL COURT APARTMENTS

We believe all people should live in a

SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, AND BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

A 44 bed skilled nursing facility in Belgrade, MN

A small town with a

BIG heart!

• Long & short term care • Adult day services • Respite care

We're here to care for your loved one.

320.254.8215

Bolton-Menk.com

Serving the Petroleum Industry for over 60 Years

WILLMAR

(CORPORATE OFFICE) 3101 3rd Ave. SW Willmar, MN 56201 Phone: (320) 235-5200 Toll-free: (800) 520-2466

MURDOCK

304 US Hwy 12 Murdock, MN 56271 Phone: (320) 875-2641 Toll-free: (888) 875-2641

CLARA CITY

104 1st Street SW Clara City, MN 56222 Phone: (320) 847-2438

LITCHFIELD

61448 US HWY 12 Litchfield, MN 55355 Phone: (320) 693-2411

ST. CLOUD

1106 Lincoln Ave Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 Phone: (320)-252-2110

Dooley’s Petroleum provides propane for home, farm, business and commercial needs. Our home heat customers have the option of being on a keep fill or will call program. Budget plans or contracts are also available. For more information, please call one of our friendly customer service staff at any of our convenient locations.

320.235.5200 | www.dooleypetro.com IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 53

Invaluable training Emergency response teams ready to help out

BY MARK WASSON nwasson@wctrib.com

T

he group talks to each other with a bond that is often shared between those tasked with providing security or help.

There’s laughter, ribbing and knowing smiles directed at each other.

There’s Perry Grimes from Prinsburg, who works at Duininck construction; Angelina Trask from Atwater, who works at the Reading Therapy Center in Willmar; Lisa Kompelien from Willmar, who works as a nurse at Kennedy Elementary School in Willmar; retiree Rick Loseth from Willmar; and Annette Rice, who, with her husband, Rod, is a pastor at Word of Faith Family Church in Willmar.

Gathered on this day, they are all part of the Community Emergency Response Team in Kandiyohi County. They have received training ranging from first aid to emergency preparedness to search and rescue.

Started in 1985 by the Los Angeles Fire Department after an earthquake shook Mexico City that year, the Community Emergency Response Team program is a national effort designed to train citizens in emergency response. Its standardized training has been developed under the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Of the 30,000 people injured during the 1985 earthquake, most were rescued by other citizens and about 600 citizen rescuers died doing so.

TRAINING PROGRAM Locally, CERT is overseen by the Willmar Police Department but in cooperation with the Willmar Fire Department, CentraCare

54 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Emergency Medical Services, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad and Kandiyohi County Emergency Management.

“The goal of CERT is to do the most good for the most people. Priorities are for CERT members to better prepare to take care of themselves, their family/household, their immediate neighborhood and their community,” Willmar Police Chief Jim Felt wrote in an email. “CERT members are also trained on the hazards most likely to affect (the area) where they live – for instance we talk about blizzards and tornadoes but not a lot of earthquakes or tsunamis in Willmar.”

About 34 people have graduated from the training program in Willmar since 2018, but the numbers continue to grow as word continues to get out about the invaluable – and free – training.

The members gathered took part in the June search and rescue effort to locate Donald Wieberdink, an elderly man who was found dehydrated but alive. They had all received individual messages to prepare and then deploy to help in the larger community effort.

“So I put my vest on and right away the newspaper took my picture because I looked like I knew what I was doing,” Rice said with a laugh.

Each member is equipped with a bag of supplies after graduating from the 20-hour training course. Included are personal

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 55

FAST FACTS : COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM ▶ Started in 1985 by the Los Angeles Police Department. ▶ Training standards are overseen by FEMA ▶ Came to Willmar in 2018

So far, about

34 PEOPLE have been through the Willmar Area CERT program

Angelina Trask, a Community Emergency Response Team member, helps pass out personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

protective equipment and first aid supplies, like a traffic safety vest and medical gauze.

While the group is trained to help in emergency situations, they also pull their own weight helping out at community events by doing traffic control or other duties.

“They’re really a force multiplier for us,” Willmar Police Capt. Michael Anderson said.

“They’re super, super helpful because we don’t have enough bodies for a lot of these things.”

Trask, who has some medical background from previously working at the surgery center, heard about the CERT program through her instructor at Ridgewater College where she was pursuing a law enforcement degree.

“I love volunteering any way I can, so I figured it’s up that same alley as well while I’m getting other training,” she said.

Trask has since graduated with that law enforcement degree, something she said pairs well with her CERT training.

People who decide to take the training aren’t required to be on call or to hit every deployment, but it is good training to have around the house.

“My wife has been an EMT for 30-plus years and I would see her go out and say ‘well, that’s kind of cool that she’s doing something for the community but what can I do?’”

56 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

Grimes said about deciding to join CERT. Grimes added that his wife and his daughter plan to join CERT as well.

The impact of CERT in the surrounding area, at least for now, has been subtle.

“I think it’s a pretty quiet impact,” Loseth said. “Sometimes we get dressed up with no place to go, which has been a good thing.”

Anderson said it’s hard to quantify how much impact the training and the team has because if someone uses what they learned in training at home, people wouldn’t hear about it often.

“If people just want to go through the class just for their own personal benefit and to use it at home, we’re 100 percent good with that,” Anderson said. “That’s maybe one less person that in an emergency we’re going to have to go and attend to because they got it. They’ve got it taken care of.” 

Training consists of 20 hours of training - 2.5 hours, once a week for two months, by the Willmar Police Department, Willmar Fire Department, CentraCare EMS, Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad and Kandiyohi County Emergency Management

Joining at the central station in the Renville County Jail are, from left: Scott Hable, sheriff; Marion Harmon, officer; Melissa Swyter, assistant jail administrator; Steve Daak and Natasha Weikle, officers; and Ned Wohlman, jail administrator.

Focus on rehabilitation pays off Renville County Jail staff makes it their mission

BY TOM CHERVENY

R

tcherveny@wctrib.com

enville County Jail Administrator Ned Wohlman hears something from former inmates that few others in corrections ever do.

Thank you.

He not infrequently receives phone calls, emails and even handwritten notes from former inmates. Some come years after they’ve left.

“Thank you for not giving up on me when I gave up on myself,” said one former inmate to Wohlman. He wanted Wolhlman to know that he had rebuilt his family life, had stayed sober, and was working in a job he enjoyed, all thanks to his time in jail.

“That’s why you get up and go to work,” said Wohlman.

It’s also why Wohlman and other officers at the jail always answer the phone calls, even those coming in the wee hours, from released inmates. They are calling for the backup support they need to continue their transition to a healthy lifestyle.

It was at the jail where they first found the support they needed to start that journey.

“Who calls the jail?” said Wohlman of how uncommon this might seem.

FOCUS ON REHABILITATION Since its opening nearly 12 years ago, the 72-bed facility in Olivia has made rehabilitation its mission.

With help from professionals and an extensive volunteer network, the jail offers inmates a wide range of programming to CONTINUED ON PAGE 60 IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 57

Need tires or repairs?

THE KANDIYOHI COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WILL BE RESPONSIVE TO ALL RESIDENTS

BY SERVING AND PROTECTING THE PUBLIC. MISSION FIRST, PEOPLE ALWAYS WHILE STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE.

Auto care is our business!

Give us a call today!

Hanson’s Tire & Lube KANDIYOHI COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Dedicated to keeping our communities a safe place to live.

Diamonds are a

Family Tradition

Family owned & Operated S. Hwy 23, New London • 320-354-2751

Amsden Masonry

Family owned and operated for over 94 years and 4 generations

Rob Amsden

320-235-1682 Kandi Mall | Willmar, MN

Jeff & Todd Paffrath

All-Star Realty is your agency for all Minnesota real estate needs.

Whether you are buying or selling a house, farm, lake house, cabin, land or commercial business, our Brokers and Realtors are top professionals who are invested in the community and ready to serve you.

YO HABLO ESPAÑOL

Lisa J. Mord

Broker 320.212.3810 sold@ tds.net

Roberto Treviño

Denise Knight

Realtor broker 320.295.8887 320-894-3094

roberto.trevino. deniselknight@ realtor@gmail.com gmail.com

716 1st St. S. Willmar • 320.235.3633 58 | IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond

We’re Laying, If You’re Paying! 320-894-6986 robamsden2@gmail.com

Trusted to Fit For over forty years, business owners, engineers and contractors across the nation have trusted CMF for their structural steel. We take building projects from concept through shop drawings and production.

See how your project or career FITS with CMF at cmf-inc.com CMF Inc. 2725 West Gorton Avenue Willmar, MN 56201

Our focus is on your

financial needs.

• CCU on the Go Mobile App • 24/7 Virtual Branch • Bill Pay • Personal, Business and Home Loans • Checking and Savings

co-opcreditunion.com Montevideo Office 2407 E Highway 7 Montevideo MN 56265 320.269.2117

Canby Office 1003 St Olaf Ave N Canby MN 56220 507.223.5737

Benson Office 1501 Minnesota Avenue Benson, Minnesota 56215 320.843.4210

Willmar Office 501 19th Avenue SE Willmar, Minnesota 56201 320.235.1573

IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 59

County Jail CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

put them on the right path. Chemical dependency treatment with staffing from the New Beginnings Treatment Center. Opportunities to earn General Education Development or GED degrees with one-on-one help from either of two licensed teachers who volunteer at the jail.

The list goes on: Anger management, parenting skills, Bible study, Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, behavioral therapy, Native Circle and smudging, and one-on-one help from Safe Avenues for the victims of domestic abuse.

“The last thing we actually do is guard inmates,” said Wohlman.

He knows the facility’s modern security system makes it impossible to bust out of this place. The emphasis here is on putting inmates on a successful path for the day when they leave, he explained.

It starts with an understanding of how they arrived. Staff do not ask inmates what crime they committed. They want to know what led them to make the wrong choices and commit crimes.

More often than not, inmates can speak to many adverse childhood experiences in their lives. Many have come to jail after growing up in homes where they may have been abused, sexually or emotionally. Some come from families where a parent has served time or abused drugs or alcohol.

The traditional approach in jails is to ask: Why did you do that? “If they knew, they wouldn’t have done it,” said Wohlman. The

question he wants answered is: What in your past has caused you to do this?

“If we can get that done, then we can truly help people change their lives.”

The change starts at intake. Corrections officers introduce themselves by first name and will often shake the hands of new arrivals.

The Renville County Jail is a “trauma-informed” facility, said Wohlman. What’s happening in an inmate’s life is taken into consideration in their treatment. The discipline meted out for bad behavior will be different if the inmate is acting out because of a recent hurt, such as the loss of a loved one, he explained.

The jail held an average of nearly 50 inmates per day last year. The inmates include Renville County residents, and others placed there by neighboring counties, the federal Bureau of Prisons and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

The number of inmates makes it possible to offer programming a smaller jail could not, said Renville County Sheriff Scott Hable.

Making a rehabilitation-focused jail work requires the right staff.

“It starts with the staff and how they treat inmates,” Hable said.

Corrections officers must truly care about inmates, he explained.

The jail hires its staff based on their being of good character, he said. “We can train people to do the tasks that we have to have done in the jail. We can’t train their character,” Hable explained.

LINDA HOWARD, INSTRUCTOR NED WOHLMAN, JAIL ADMINISTRATOR

He believes the success of the approach taken by this jail can be understood with one word: “With this philosophy of actually caring about them and trying to do the best to rehabilitate them, it gives them hope,” he said.

The importance of providing hope cannot be overstated, according to the sheriff. “When you’re at the very bottom of the lowest point you’ve ever been in your life and you’ve lost all hope, bad things happen.

You’re either going to hurt yourself or you’re going to hurt somebody else.”

The Renville County Jail has seen its own rewards for its efforts to provide support and hope. The anxiety and tension level among inmates is greatly reduced, and that means staffing needs are as well.

TAXPAYERS BENEFIT The Renville County Jail has the second lowest per capita operating cost of all Class III facilities in Minnesota and the lowest in this region. Class III is the category for a typical county jail, holding both sentenced inmates as well as those being held while their court cases proceed.

Hable and Wohlman believe the biggest benefit to taxpayers is the reduction in recidivism made possible by this approach. There’s no way to know how many people avoid a return to jail because of the programming offered here, but they are certain. The stack of printed emails and the phone calls from former inmates tells them that they are truly changing lives for the better.

“You literally saved my life” is the statement they see often in the letters, said the sheriff. 

RENVILLE COUNTY JAIL FAST FACTS : IN 2019

A total of 817 inmates were booked into the Renville County Jail, and 765 were incarcerated

AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION IN 2019: 49.7 AVERAGE PER DIEM:

$87.44 second lowest per diem rate out of all Class III facilities in Minnesota and lowest in this region

– Serving Kandiyohi County since 1998 –

AGE OF INMATES:

37% 29% 20% 13% 1%

26-35 36-50

18-25

81

51-65

66 +

PHILANTHROPY AT WORK

age of oldest inmate in 2019

BY GENDER:

27% 73%

females

Giving Locally has never been more important.

Help build the local relief and recovery with a gift to the Willmar Area Response Fund to support basic needs, emergency financial support to nonprofits and community initiatives to fill emerging gaps in the Kandiyohi County area.

www.communitygiving.org/donate

males

BY RACE:

68% 15% 11% 5% 1%

white Native American

1601 East Highway 12, Suite 9, Willmar MN 56201 Phone (320) 235- 4380 Toll Free (877) 253-4380 CommunityGiving.org/Willmar

black

unknown

CommunityGiving connects local foundations, donors and charitable partners to create a lasting legacy in the communities we serve. CommunityGiving also serves the Alexandria, Brainerd Lakes, Carver County and St. Cloud areas.

Asian IMPACT 2020: Kandiyohi County and beyond | 61

No Job Too Big or Small, We Do Them All

FARM DRAINAGE DIRECTIONAL BORING Best equipment to do the best job! Anywhere you don’t want to dig!

• Since 1972 • Water management • 3”–24” boots • Tiling fields

• Roads & parking lots • Plowing hdpe pipe • Lagoons • Repair crew

• Geothermal • Waterline • Electric line • Boring roads

• Boring hdpe pipe • On grade specializing • Bore from 4” & up

13201 195th St. SE, Lake Lillian, MN 56253

320-905-8645 • 320-894-3374 Voted Best Farm Drainage 2 Years In A Row!

Excellence Beyond the Cutting Edge Excellence Beyond the Cutting Edge Excellence Beyond the Cutting Edge Excellence Beyond the Cutting Edge

As a steel distributor and parts manufacturer, we are known As a steel distributor and parts manufacturer, we are known for having the steel you need and the people, equipment and for having the steel you need and the people, equipment and processing to help you and your business grow.

As a steel distributor and parts manufacturer, As a steel weare areknown known processingdistributor to help youand andparts your manufacturer, business grow.we having thesteel steel youor need and the people, equipment forfor having the you need people, equipmentand and Learn more growand your career at wcsteel.com Learn more oryour growbusiness your career at wcsteel.com processingtotohelp help you and grow. processing you and your business grow.

Learnmore moreor or grow grow your Learn your career careeratatwcsteel.com wcsteel.com

110 19th Street NW, Willmar, MN 56201 110 19th800.992.8853 Street NW, Willmar, MN 56201

800.992.8853

110 19th Street NW, Willmar, MN 56201 110800.992.8853 19th Street NW, Willmar, MN 56201

800.992.8853

C O M M E R C I A L • R E S I D E N T I A L • A G R I C U LT U R E

ThermoSeal I N S U L AT I O N

FREE

ESTIMATES

FIBER GLASS BATTING

CAREER OPPORTUNIT Y WITH A

$500

SIGN ON BONUS

FOR QUALIFIED WORKERS!

CALL TODAY and set up an interview with Wade

CERTIFIED BLOWN-IN-BLANKET INSTALLERS UP TO 68% MORE EFFICIENT

SPRAY FOAM

THERMOSEAL INSULATION IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A FULL TIME LABORER. • Starting pay will depend on experience with a minimum of $15 per hour.

• Full benefits package includes, health insurance, life insurance, employer matched retirement, paid holidays, & paid vacation.

• Home most night, occasional overnights for out of town work.

• MUST have strong work ethic, be able to work as a team in a fast paced environment, and be willing to learn.

• Advancement opportunities are available, the more you learn the more you earn.

• Qualified spray foamers can earn up to $40k - $50k+ a year.

• CDL is preferred, but not required. If you don’t have one we will help you get it.

320-905-7773

WADE SKINDELIEN

19768 County Rd. 9 NE New London, MN wskindelien@hotmail.com

T H E R M O S E A L I N S U L AT I O N M N . C O M