Progress 2020 Health & Spirituality

Progress Health & Spirituality

Albert Lea Tribune

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Dr. Della Simmons, an optometrist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea, demonstrates part of an eye exam on a clinic employee. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Helping A.L. area residents

SEE 20/20 Optometrist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea likes the variety of her job

By Colleen Harrison

colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com

Della Simmons has been an optometrist for about 25 years, 20 of which have been with Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea.

A

That was 25 years ago. chance move to Albert Lea inspired by a vacaSimmons started her career at tion turned into a home Midwest Vision in Albert Lea and for one Albert Lea eye was there for about five years doctor. before moving to Mayo Clinic Health System in Originally from Indiana, Della SimAlbert Lea. mons went to Ball Simmons calls it State University luck that she purthere before getsued a career in opting her optometry tometry. She thought degree from Indiana it’d be an interesting University. Simmons — Della Simmons, career, and when she got married while started practicing it optometrist with in college, and after turned into much graduating she and Mayo Clinic Health more. her husband moved “I honestly think to Albert Lea. Her I’m very lucky,” she System in Albert said. husband, Mike SimLea Simmons said her mons, a fishing enjob always keeps her thusiast, had been to Ely before and loved it, and a on her toes. It’s more than just findsmaller community away from big ing glasses for her patients, she said. city life was what the couple was looking for.

See VISION, Page 2

“I honestly think I’m very lucky.”

What’s inside?

The church dartball tradition

‘Like coming home’

Providing food to seniors

Efforts support cancer patients

League brings churches together for fellowship and fun. Page 3

After storm, Vineyard Church now sharing space with Our Father’s House. Page 4

NAPS program gives food to seniors in need in the community. Page 4

Albert Lea nonprofit benefiting people in multiple states. Page 5

Page 2 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | Health & Spirituality | saturday, February 29, 2020

Vision Continued from Front Page

Being an optometrist in a family practice means she handles everything from regular checkups for just about any age, to treating pink eye and diagnosing and treating other diseases, such as glaucoma. Anything that requires surgery would be referred to an ophthalmologist — a surgeon for eyes — or another specialist.

“I like it because there’s a lot of variety,” Simmons said.

Simmons said the Albert Lea clinic has seen an increase in patients with the closing of Shopko and its eye clinic, keeping her as well as the clinic’s other optometrist, Eric Youlden, plenty busy. A

25

third optometrist, Ragna Godtland, was expected to start at the clinic in mid-February. Leo Skorin is the Albert Lea clinic’s ophthalmologist.

Simmons said she likes being in Albert Lea and likes being affiliated with Mayo Clinic. She said the clinic helps her to enhance her medical skills and offers her a full scope of specialists she can refer patients to when needed.

“It’s a good place,” she said.

As far as routine reminders she gives her patients, Simmons said stressing the importance of not sleeping in contact lenses — unless your eye doctor has specifically told you it’s OK — is one she goes over a lot. Another is reminding people that if they’re dealing with dry eyes, something that

occurs more as people age, they need lubrication drops — not “get out the red” drops. The anti-redness drops just treat the cosmetic condition; they’re not helping your dry eyes, she said.

With any job, including and especially one in the medical field, there are challenging times.

Simmons said treating someone who is losing or has completely lost their vision is always hard, and has always been the worst part of her job.

“Unfortunately, you can’t cure everyone,” she said.

Still, Simmons focuses on the positive, and the variety of it she sees, from giving infant eye exams to helping a senior see better.

“I’ve seen a lot more than I ever thought I would,” she said. “I love what I do.”

By the numbers

Years Della Simmons has been an optometrist

3

Optometrists at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea

20

Highlight on health in last year

Jan Birkhofer donates blood in November at Bridge Community Church in Albert Lea. Birkhofer, who said she has been donating for around 47 years, has one of the rarest blood types: AB-negative. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Years Simmons has been an optometrist at Mayo Clinic Health System

Emergency medicine Dr. Jessica Schoen, who works in the emergency rooms at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea, Austin and Rochester, takes part in additional training in labor and delivery in September at the Albert Lea campus.

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EXPERT CARE IN ALBERT LEA.

Mayo Clinic Health System offers expert care when and where you need it. From checkups, surgeries and emergencies to convenient care at the Same Day Clinic or Express Care inside Hy-Vee, we are here for you and your family. For care around the clock and from the comfort of home, patients can use Express Care Online, call the nurse line or visit Patient Online Services. Learn more about the variety of health care services available in Albert Lea by visiting mayoclinichealthsystem.org.

saturday, February 29, 2020 | Health & Spirituality | Progress 2020 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Page 3

A player throws a dart at the board during the postseason tournament in 2018. Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune

The church dartball tradition

Brotherhood Dartball league brings churches together for fellowship, fun

By Tyler Julson

tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com

This past fall, the Brotherhood Dartball League began its 50th year, bringing teams from numerous area churches together for a little fellowship and friendly competition.

Though many of the players got started in the league in different ways, the reason for staying in the league is almost always the same.

Chris Sorensen, who plays for Pickerel Lake Church, started in the league in the mid-90s after returning home from college to help his father farm. Sorensen said he started playing because it is a tradition at his church, and he followed in the footsteps of his father and uncles. He talked about why he has stayed in the league for over 20 years.

“We’re all competitive, and we all want to do really well,” Sorensen said. “But it’s really all about the fellowship — being able to get together and visit with the different guys and even the guys on your own team you don’t see much during the week.”

Currently there are 12 teams in the league, and they meet each Monday night to play three games of dartball. Rules are the same as baseball, except players go through the “batting order” taking turns throwing darts at a board with designated spaces that each have different outcomes. The entire league plays on Monday nights with two teams meeting at the various churches for one-on-one match-ups. They play three games with nine innings and a batting order of nine players, all sitting along the side of the throwing lane.

When the game is over, teams share a small meal, usually complete with sandwiches, cake, pickles and a beverage.

Players from both teams mingle and chat with one another during the meal and enjoy their sense of brotherhood.

With 12 teams and roughly 10 to 12 players on each team, there are about 130 players in the league.

Barry Coughlin plays for Ascension Lutheran Church and has also been playing since the mid’90s. He said his favorite part is the camaraderie he shares with everyone else who plays. While he admits he might not know everybody’s name in the league, he recognizes the people he has played dartball with.

“I’ve marveled over the years,” Coughlin said.

Each church in the league has its own board. Tyler Julson/Albert Lea Tribune

By the numbers

50 Years the Brotherhood Dartball League has been in existence

12 Teams in the league

10-12 Players on each team

Lonny Hagen removes his practice throws from the board during the 2018 postseason tournament. Hagen started playing in the league in 1991. Sarah Kocher/Albert Lea Tribune “Sometimes you’ll see a person one night a week, sometimes one night a year at dartball. Then you’re going around town and you’ll see somebody and think ‘Where have I seen him before? It’s dartball.’

We all have something in common. If nothing else, we’ve all got that.”

Lunder-Round Prairie,

Trinity Lutheran, Conger-Bear Lake, Ascension, Mansfield, Pickerel Lake, First Presbyterian, Emmons, Glenville, United Methodist, Alden and First Lutheran Albert Lea are the 12 churches currently in the league.

When the regular season is over, all 12 teams meet at one church for the

season-ending banquet and a tournament to crown the champions.

The league also collects fees throughout the year to help with some of the costs for their expenses, but also to donate to local charities. A large portion of the money collected throughout the year goes to the Salvation Army, the

Ecumenical Food Shelf and the Alden Area Food Shelf.

Lonny Hagen, who started in 1991 and is the secretary/treasurer, got his first attempt at throwing a dart in his grandfather’s basement.

“A lot of it is just passed down from family member to family member, getting

the younger guys involved,” Hagen said. “You try and make a team, you grab what you have and get some subs if you need them and before you know it, everyone is having fun.

That’s what keeps it going, is the fun.”

John Hubly, the league’s current president and a member of Lunder Round Prairie, echoed his fellow players’ feelings.

“I think the more fun part of it is the two teams getting together and heckling back and forth throughout the games,” Hubly said. “It’s not so much about winning — sure you would like to win — but it’s the friendly banter. You get together, heckle each other and it’s just a lot of fun.”

Page 4 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | Health & Spirituality | saturday, February 29, 2020

The Rev. Matt Hundley of Albert Lea Vineyard Church stands at the front of the auditorium at Our Father’s House, where services are being held for both churches. Sarah Stultz/ Albert Lea Tribune

‘couldn’t have worked out much better’ after storm, vineyard church now sharing space with Our Father’s House

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

A week after Albert Lea Vineyard Church signed a purchase agreement last July for the building it had leased on Adams Avenue, a heavy storm ripped off the building’s roof.

The Rev. Matt Hundley said after the church found out the expense of repair was going to exceed what the insurance would cover, the church decided not to move forward with the purchase.

For a few months, the church members were, in a sense, like “vagabonds,” he said, without a home for their services and other activities.

They met at the indoor

and outdoor pavilions at Edgewater Park from July through October and had received invitations for the congregation to meet at different times on Sundays at United Methodist Church, First Lutheran Church, St. John’s Lutheran Community and Our Father’s House. Other churches had also offered other days for the church to use their buildings. Once it started to get a little too cold to have services at the park, Hundley said the church decided to take up the offer from leaders of Our Father’s House and began sharing the building with that congregation in November.

The two congregations

Vineyard Church has been meeting at Our Father’s House since November. share expenses at the building, which he said has worked out great for both churches.

Vineyard Church meets at 9 a.m. Sundays, and Our Father’s House meets later in the morning.

Both churches are also

still able to continue with their other activities outside of Sundays, including the youth group and a men’s group for the Vineyard Church.

“It couldn’t have worked out much better,” Hundley said. “It has been

overwhelmingly positive.”

The pastor said some of the members who started Albert Lea Vineyard Church had actually attended Our Father’s House in the past.

“Us coming back here is a little bit like coming

home,” he said.

The pastor said the Vineyard congregation will for sure be using Our Father’s House until June 1, but what will happen after that remains unclear.

“We don’t know where we’re headed right now,” he said.

The church could consider staying or it could consider other options, depending on cost. He noted the difficulty with finding the church’s own space is that many of the buildings were used for other purposes previously and some are too small for the church’s 150-people congregation.

“We are open to whatever options there are,” Hundley said.

NAPS program helps seniors in need receive supplemental food By the numbers

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

For many years, a program funded through the federal farm bill has helped local eligible seniors receive free food.

Named the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, or Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors in Minnesota, the program provides a 40- to 50-pound box of food each month to seniors who meet income requirements and are registered with the program.

Food is distributed every third Monday of the month in Albert Lea at both Senior Court, Senior Tower and the Fairlane Building at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. Volunteers also deliver food boxes to seniors who are not able to pick them up.

Volunteer Hazel Spiering, who is the site manager at the Fairlane Building location, said once people are signed up for the program, she or another volunteer will give the participant a card that lasts for three years. Participants show the card each time they come to pick up their food.

The program, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, includes food from Channel One Regional Food Bank that is distributed with the help of local volunteers.

Food boxes include food meant to supplement a person’s diet, such as canned fruits, vegetables, juices, milk, cheese, canned meat, peanut butter or dried beans, cereal, and rice or pasta.

Terry Perkins, another

40-50 Approximate pounds of food in each box a person receives each month through the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors

60 Age or older that residents must be to be eligible for the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors

50 NAPS distribution centers throughout southeastern Minnesota

Senior Resources senior advocate Ashley Shaft, Senior Resources chore manager Sandy Jensen and volunteers Hazel Spiering and Terry Perkins are all a part of the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune volunteer at the fairgrounds site, said in the earlier years of the program, participants received excess foods from farmers but that has evolved over the years to include more of a complete package, such as fruit, juices, cheese and cereal. During the summer, participants can get vouchers to the Albert Lea Farmers Market.

“People really appreciate getting this food,” Perkins said, noting it can

supplement food received through other resources such as the Albert Lea Salvation Army or Ecumenical Food Pantry.

Perkins, Spiering and Ashley Shaft, a senior advocate at Senior Resources who works at the Senior Court and Senior Tower distribution sites, said participants in the program have decreased over the years. There used to be as many as 180 families between all of the

Foods NAPS participants receive • Canned fruits packed in juice or light syrup • Canned vegetables with low sodium • Bottled 100% juice • Nonfat dry and shelf stable lowfat milk • Lowfat American cheese • Canned meat like chicken, beef stew, chili or tuna, and peanut butter or dry beans • Cereal and rice or pasta sites, but it has decreased to roughly 50 families at the fairgrounds site and 50 at the senior facilities.

Perkins and Spiering

said they have both volunteered through the program for at least 10 years.

Spiering said she found out about it through her

church bulletin. She went to her pastor, asked what the program was and has been involved ever since.

Shaft and Spiering said there are about six volunteers at the senior sites and 10 at the Fairlane Building. More volunteers are always welcome.

People interested in volunteering can contact Shaft at Senior Resources.

To find out more about registering for the program, people can contact Maria Villagrana at 507-424-1704.

Items needed to register are proof of residency, proof of identity and age, and knowledge of current gross household income.

saturday, February 29, 2020 | Health & Spirituality | Progress 2020 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Page 5

Jane and Richard Miller run Ministries of Project Happiness out of their Albert Lea home.

Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Local nonprofit’s efforts support cancer patients across the country

By Colleen Harrison

colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com

Ninety percent of hotel sheets end up in landfills, according to one Albert Lea couple. So they decided to do something about it.

Richard and Jane Miller lived in Colorado and were on a trip to donate socks and other items to the homeless when they realized that many hotels and motels throw away their used sheets after only a few months. Some might be stained, but otherwise there’s nothing wrong with the sheets. The couple decided there had to be a use for the materials, and eventually found out they could make bandannas by tearing the sheets and then hemming them. They started dying them as well to offer different colors to the homeless people they gave the items to, and eventually started making do-rags to donate as well. It was while they were living in Colorado that they started the nonprofit Ministries of Project Happiness, and also led a nondenominational Bible study and a homeless ministry out of their home, as Richard Miller is a certified pastor.

When the couple moved to Minnesota about four years ago, they found that while there wasn’t as much of a homeless population in the Albert Lea area, there were still people who could benefit from the items, and

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The couple goes around to different hotels and motels in the area as well as different parts of the country to pick up used sheets that would otherwise be thrown away. The Millers take the sheets and wash them, dye them and tear or cut them into different bandannas and do-rags to give to those in need. once again started a Ministries of Project Happiness nonprofit.

“Then we came up here and were here for over a year, and I thought, ‘I want to do something,’” Jane Miller said. “I’m not used to just not doing anything.”

A number of cancer centers in the region now await the deliveries from the nonprofit for patients going through chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.

The couple has made delivery runs around the region, including to Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri, Kansas and up in the Twin Cities and other northern parts of Minnesota. They also have an arrangement where if they bring items to

a local McDonald’s, they’ll get them to a woman at a Wisconsin Ronald McDonald House who will distribute the items. The couple has also started working with Make-A-Wish, and they donate do-rags and bandannas to summer camps for children fighting cancer.

“With millions of sheets out there … We’ve done 43,000, our goal is millions,” Jane Miller said.

“We’ve got millions of cancer patients, you’ve got millions of cancer centers.”

“About 12.7 million people a year are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S.,” Richard Miller said.

See MINISTRIES, Page 6

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Page 6 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | Health & Spirituality | saturday, February 29, 2020 a reduced cost to put more money back into the nonprofit. Those services and the sales are another way to help others locally.

“It helps the community, people that can’t afford a lot,” Jane Miller said. “That gives people a chance to donate if they just have clothing, or even when they don’t have a lot and they come in and buy a piece of clothing for $1, it helps.”

If nothing else, the project fights waste, the Millers said.

“Besides, it’s a huge

recycling project,” Jane Miller said. “It could be used to brighten a lot of people and bless a lot of people instead of just throwing it away.”

“Otherwise, 90% of those sheets are going in the landfill,” Richard Miller said.

At the end of the day, being able to help others makes everything worth it for the Millers.

“It’s so overwhelming, especially when we go out on a trip, to be able to actually get out and do

it, I can’t even describe it,” Jane Miller said. “It’s really touching.”

“When you can go to a cancer center that’s seeing thousands of patients, it really means a lot to know that you’re able to help some of them,” Richard Miller said.

Ministries of Project Happiness is at 807 S. Newton Ave. in Albert Lea. It can be reached on the nonprofit’s Facebook page by the same name, and can also be reached on Richard Miller’s cell phone at 719-289-4805.

While initially the bandannas and do-rags were given out to homeless people, the dorags have become popular for those going through cancer treatment, according to the Millers. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Ministries Continued from Page 5

“That’s an awful lot of people. If we can get this expanded enough, we could maybe help all of them.”

The couple goes on trips out West to distribute items, as well as pick up more sheets. On their last trip, they went through South Dakota, Montana, Seattle, down past San Francisco and back through Utah, stopping at 52 different places to give out bandannas, do-rags and socks to the homeless or to cancer centers. They took 9,000 items to hand out, which they said cost $2,700 to make. Shipping the items would’ve added too much of a cost on, they said, as opposed to driving out and delivering the items themselves.

When the Millers get feedback from someone in need who has received one of their items, it helps motivate them to produce more. They love getting pictures of people enjoying their donations. “(One woman) sent us a message. She said she was

really depressed when she lost her hair and couldn’t find anything that she could wear,” Jane Miller said. “When she was at the cancer center, they gave her a do-rag or a bandanna and it really brightened her day.”

The Millers have also made some purses out of donated items, such as jeans, and fill the purses with toiletries and other hygiene items to give out to homeless women.

The couple does have a volunteer who helps hem and sew some items, but they can always use more help with sewing. They can also always use donations — whether it’s fabric or other materials used to make the items they give out, or clothing and smaller household items they can sell during their sales to put more money back into the items they make, or toiletries to put into the purses and care packages they give out to homeless people.

Richard Miller was able to obtain a grant from Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services that has gone toward thread and dye.

The couple plans to keep

applying for other grants, as their goal is to be able to work full time on the nonprofit. Currently, Richard Miller works part time at Walmart and delivers for the Freeborn County Shopper. He has also been a professional clown for over 30 years, and sometimes is hired for events or parties.

Jane Miller said she cannot work due to medical issues.

The couple is hoping to build up a network of financial support where people and businesses can donate sheets and other items to Ministries of Project Happiness. They also are starting to offer sales out of their home from 1 to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, where items are for sale at a reduced price. All the proceeds go toward thread and dye for the items the Millers make to donate to others, the tags they print and attach to items and then to gas for the distribution trips they go on. Richard Miller always has a stand at the Freeborn County Relay for Life where he sells bandannas and do-rags as well.

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