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Discovering The Mature Lifestyle Make the Great Outdoors great again Column inside

The Great Outdoors

JJuly l 20 & 21, 2017

July 2017

Mixed Nuts have fished together 34 years; Edina man first cast his line 80 years ago BY SUE WEBBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER If it’s fishing season, the Mixed Nuts are out and about in Eden Prairie. For the last 34 years, a group of 64 men ranging in ages 33 to 88 has gathered twice a year for fishing trips. “We just got back from Canada,” said Terry Eggan. “Thirty guys spent five days on three houseboats fishing.” Eggan’s dad, the late Willard Eggan, is credited with starting the group. Willard, a home builder and active member of the Eden Prairie Lions, died in 2014 at the age of 93. “He started Mixed Nuts with four friends, and then asked me if I wanted to go,” said Terry Eggan, who is the founder and president of the Eden Prairie Area Let’s Go Fishing Chapter that provides free fishing and boat excursions for seniors, youth and veterans. Now the Mixed Nuts group has expanded to include members’ offspring and grandchildren. In the spring, the group goes to On-

tario to fishing for walleyes. In the fall, they’ve been known to stay in cabins and fish on Leech Lake.

Curt Connaughty Curt Connaughty, a Korean War veteran, former president of the Eden Prairie Lions, and retired teacher and principal, has been a member of the Mixed Nuts group for a dozen years. “It’s a great group,” he said. “We’re from all different backgrounds, but we all get along really well. We rent houseboats, and we’re together for four days.” He credits Terry Eggan with doing “such a wonderful job of organizing the group,” along with Lyle Hookom. The men shop for food the night before their trip and, Connaughty said, “We eat well. Three people are responsible for every meal. They do the setup, cooking and are responsible for cleanup. They follow a rigid menu.” Connaughty said he first was exposed to fishing as an elementary school student, when he fished with his grandfa-

ther. “I grew up in St. Charles, Minnesota, and we went to Whitewater Creek at Whitewater State Park,” he said. “There were a lot of good trout there.” Now, he fishes six times a year at a variety of places: Lake Minnetonka, on the St. Croix River, on the Mississippi River near the Whitman Dam north of Winona, and at Blackduck Lake in Beltrami County. Connaughty began teaching in Eden Prairie in 1955. He started the district’s football program in 1957 and the track program in 1958, and later became a principal. Though he’s been formally retired since 1986, he said, “I’m still doing things for the school. I run the clock for football and I start track meets around the metro area.” He’s also found time within the last 18 months to write a book, published in April, titled “The Right Place at the Right Time.” It’s a collection of reminiscences about his childhood, up through his years in education. He anticipates a book-signing event coming up this summer at a to be announced location.

Ken Lantto, a longtime fisherman from Edina, also is a member of the golf league at the Edina Senior Center. (Submitted photo) His wife, Mary, taught second grade in Eden Prairie Schools and later started her own Eden Prairie Nursery for preschoolers. A past president of the Eden Prairie Rotary, Connaughty is still active with that group. He’s an active golfer, and he and his wife are avid travelers. The couple, 62-year residents of Eden Prairie, have five children, all graduates of Eden Prairie High School, plus 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and another great-grandchild due in August. Some of the grandkids have taken to fishing, Connaughty said.

Bob Hallett Bob Hallett has been a member of Mixed Nuts for 20 years. “It’s a really fun group of people,” Hallett said. “They’re really nice and helpful. It’s nice having younger people along to help, too.” He recalls fishing for the very first time when he was 3 or 4 years old. He and his dad were at Lake Minnewashta in Glenwood, Minnesota, Hallett said. Walleyes are still his favorite, and he pursues them “mostly in May and June,” he said. The biggest walleye he caught weighed 9 pounds, he said. He also does some ice fishing in the winter. Last month, he and a group of retired The Mixed Nuts, a group of fishermen from Eden Prairie, spends five days on houseboats in Canada each summer. (Submitted photo)

MIXED NUTS - TO LAST PAGE

The Great Outdoors July 2017

Discovering The Mature Lifestyle July 20 & 21, 2017

Make the Great Outdoors great again There’s an antidote for the blues and the “blahs,� for boredom and burnout and for lethargy and “inner inertia.� It’s called “outdoors.� Too many people — especially seniors — don’t get outside enough. Spending time outdoors is good for your health at every age. There’s a reason why teachers want kids to go outside during recess. “Fresh air and exercise� really are good for you, and big kids need to get outside to play too. That’s why biking, hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, hunting, skating, skiing, swimming, running and even walking are such popular outdoor physical activities. It’s why outdoor sports like baseball, soccer, tennis and golf attract thousands of participants every year. Being active outside helps us stay fit and healthy, and it’s fun.

Guest column

... by Bob Ramsey But you don’t have to be an elite athlete or a fitness nut to benefit from being out-of-doors. Mother Nature is open 24-hours a day and free of charge for everyone — even couch potatoes, tech geeks and the athletically challenged. As it turns out, even doing nothing while outside is good for you. Enjoying time spent outdoors isn’t just good for your physical health, it’s good for your mental health. All you have to do is show up and pay attention. Getting close to nature has a calming effect on the mind. It promotes

perspective and clarity. Things seem less complicated out in the open; and it’s difficult to stay stuck in negativity out where the sun is shining and the sky is blue. That’s why treatment and rehab centers often feature natural settings and plenty of outdoors areas. Likewise, the senior community where I live faces a city street and nearby stores and professional buildings, while behind lies a quiet park featuring a small lake. I tell visitors that we can walk out the front door into the midst of commerce and the community and out the back door into the more pastoral serenity of a natural setting. It’s the best of both worlds.

Naturally, residents gravitate to the park and frequently sit on the park benches to enjoy the view or walk around the lake at their own pace. It’s nature’s therapy at work. Obviously, there is something peaceful, grounding and healing in the sights, sounds and sensations of the outdoors and in observing nature’s critters at work and play. Like the time I was dozing by a pool when I awoke with a start, because something was nibbling on my fingers. It was a squirrel. I frantically tried to chase it away; but it refused to be chased. Eventually, it left of its own accord when I ceased to be entertaining (or tasty). Then, I began wondering. Can I catch something from this squirrel? Is there such a thing as “squirrel fever?� What about rabies? I worked myself into such

a tizzy I ended up going to urgent care, where the doctor assured me I was OK. Even such a misadventure with nature, however, provided welcome relief from everyday pressures. Nature nurtures our mental wellness in many ways. And lastly, experiencing the outdoors not only boosts your physical and mental health, it’s good for our spiritual well-being as well. Getting outdoors is good for our soul. It replenishes the spirit. Feeling God’s presence through nature allows you to follow author Ian Brown’s advice to “let your inner butterfly out.� Enjoying nature firsthand (not through a TV, computer or hand-held device) improves your mind, body and spirit. There will always be lots of excuses for avoiding the out-of-doors; but there are

no good reasons. Thoreau was right when he said, “We can never have too much nature.� That’s why F. Scott Fitzgerald lamented later in life, “After reading Thoreau, I felt how much I have lost by leaving nature out of my life.� You don’t want to make the same mistake. It’s time to make the great outdoors great again — in our minds, our daily routines and our lifestyles. Enough cocooning. Follow your teacher’s advice and “Go out and play!� Bob Ramsey is a lifelong educator, freelance writer and advocate for Vital Aging. He resides in St. Louis Park and can be contacted at 952922-9558 or at joyrammini@ comcast.net.

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The Great Outdoors July 2017

Discovering The Mature Lifestyle July 20 & 21, 2017

Minnesota fishing still sacred to seniors MIXED NUTS - FROM

FIRST PAGE teachers from Eden Prairie were at Rainy Lake. “We caught enough fish to eat and some to take home,� Hallett said. Within days of that trip, he was getting ready to leave for another fish-

ing trip in Canada. “I’ve taken a grandson and granddaughter to Canada to fish with me,� Hallett said, adding that his wife, Janet, also fishes occasionally. Hallett was an elementary school principal in Eden Prairie for 31 years. He and his wife, also an

educator in Eden Prairie, retired in 1998.

Ken Lantto In Edina, Ken Lantto, 86, also is a fisherman. A native of South Haven, Minnesota, he first cast a line when he was in the third grade, Lantto said.

He was the youngest of 17 children in his blended family, he said. His favorite fishing spot is Lake Sylvia, he said. “It’s an absolutely fabulous lake,� he said. “I fish for crappies basically, and once in a while sunfish.� In the past, he also enjoyed yearly trips to Can-

ada to fish for walleyes and northerns, he said. Lantto originally trained to be a teacher but wound up in the trades and eventually became a carpenter and then an industrial arts teacher for the last 19 years of his career in Edina. A 57-year resident of Edina, Lantto said, “I love it here.� Lantto married his high

school sweetheart, and the couple had five children and 15 grandchildren. “I’ve been blessed with outstanding health, and I’m grateful for that,� said Lantto, now a widower. “My church and the Single Mingle group are very important to me.� He also is a member of the golf league at the Edina Senior Center.

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The Great Outdoors July 2017

Discovering The Mature Lifestyle July 20 & 21, 2017

What the experts say about walking The Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, which could include walking. According to the Mayo Clinic website, it is possible to walk your way to health.

“The faster, farther and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits,â€? the website said. The website explains: “Physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated,â€? the website said. “Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life. “For example, regular brisk walking can help you: •Maintain a healthy

weight •Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes •Strengthen your bones and muscles •Improve your mood •Improve your balance and coordination Technique is important, too. Turning your normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and

purposeful movements. Ideally, here’s how you’ll look when you’re walking, according to the website: •Your head is up. You’re looking forward, not at the ground. •Your neck, shoulders and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright. •You’re swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is

OK. •Your stomach muscles are slightly tightened and your back is straight, not arched forward or backward. •You’re walking smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe. The website points out other considerations: •Choose your course carefully. •Warm up. Walk slowly

for five to 10 minutes to warm up your muscles and prepare your body for exercise. •Cool down. At the end of your walk, slow down for five to 10 minutes to help your muscles cool down. •Stretch. After you cool down, gently stretch your muscles. If you’d rather stretch before you walk, remember to warm up first.�

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