Progress 2022-Heart Part 1

PROGRESS EDITION ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

HEART

Cindy Gandrud, director of the Meals on the Go program in Albert Lea, right, seals up meals to be taken out to residents in late January, along with David Callahan, cook at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea, and Nancy Brandt, dietary aide, not pictured. In addition to other duties, Gandrud volunteers three days a week to prepare meals for distribution. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR Albert Lea woman finds joy in volunteering with numerous organizations in the community

By Sarah Stultz sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

S

ince she was a child, Albert Lean Cindy Gandrud has known the value of volunteering.

“My mom and dad volunteered, and I not only saw that but I was a part of it so much,” Gandrud said.

She watched them take part in their volunteer efforts, and the way of life became engrained in her as she grew into adulthood.

Gandrud now leads Albert Lea’s Meals on the Go program, is chairwoman of the Friends of the Library board and is involved in numerous efforts at First Lutheran Church. She was involved in several other service opportunities before the COVID-19 pandemic that she hopes she will be able to pick back up soon.

“It’s my heart,” she said. “I enjoy giving back to the community. It has given a lot back to me.”

For her efforts to give back in numerous parts of her life, Gandrud is being recognized as the Tribune’s annual Citizen of the Year.

“It is difficult to imagine how any one citizen has done so much and continues to offer so much for our community, especially when it is

Tribune Albert Lea

“It’s my heart. I enjoy giving back to the community.

It has given a lot back to me.”

— Cindy Gandrud done with so much joyful, selflessly enthusiastic energy,” said Bill Buege, who nominated Gandrud for the award.

A life of volunteering

Gandrud, 72, has lived in Albert Lea most of her life with the exception of about eight years.

Her experiences as a youth helped shape her into the giving person she is today.

Buege said Gandrud accompanied her dentist father as he provided dental care for nursing home residents and she remembers traveling with her mother as she brought a woman to visit a relative in prison.

As a youngster, she babysat for people, then volunteered as a nursing assistant in nursing homes and became a candy striper in Naeve Hospital, he said. Later, she volunteered at both the old Carnegie and

David Callahan, cook at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea, plates up beef stroganoff and carrots in late January for the Meals on the Go program.

Through the program, meals are delivered once a day every weekday.

Austin Community College libraries. She worked nights as a volunteer advocate at the Victim Crisis Center, was a respite volunteer at Senior Resources, provided canine therapy with her dog at nursing homes and volunteered care for hospice patients. She hopes to resume

many of these services when COVID restrictions are lifted, though there are still many other efforts she is involved in.

Retired from the Albert Lea Public Library, Gandrud now works See AWARD, Page 2

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Adapting to ongoing changes McDonald’s leaders credit flexibility, positivity for success in last two years. Page 5

‘Proud of so many things’

Learning a new language

Blue Zones Project lead looks back as she prepares for retirement. Page 6

Despite COVID-19 pandemic, adult ESL students, teachers press on. Page 7

PAGE 2 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PROGRESS 2022 | HEART | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

AWARD Continued from Front Page

part time through Curt’s Long Term Care Pharmacy, delivering prescription medications to nursing homes and group homes.

She said she was introduced about 10 to 12 years ago to the Meals on the Go program through Virginia Hermanson, a longtime family friend. The program delivers meals Mondays through Fridays to people throughout the community.

Hermanson started her as a driver delivering food to residents, and then as a checker, who helps box up the food and get it ready for distribution.

When Hermanson retired, Gandrud took over doing intake — people call her to get added or removed from the list or to make changes in their dietary restrictions.

Then, about five years ago, Joann Schwartz, who led the whole program at the time, retired, and she asked Gandrud to take over as director.

In that role, every weekday morning Gandrud calls Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea, whose staff prepares the food, and lets them know the stats for the day — how many people will receive food, who may have canceled for that day or if there is anyone new to add to the list.

On Mondays and Tuesdays, other volunteers help dish up the food with the health system staff and get the food out to the volunteer drivers. Gandrud fills in the other three days of the week.

She said the program, which started 50 years ago, serves about 75 people presently and has about 55 volunteer drivers altogether.

In addition to providing a healthy meal for residents, it also is a way for them to get interaction with others.

“It means a lot to these people that really need it,” she said. “A lot of their children call and thank us because not only do we deliver a meal, we check on them.”

While many of the residents the program serves are older, there are some

From left, David Callahan, Cindy Gandrud and Nancy Brandt box up meals to be taken out to residents as part of the Meals on the Go program. The meals are made in the kitchen on the lower level of Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE younger people that get the food, too. Some get it long-term, while others it’s only for a short-term period after a surgery.

“If the need is there, we do it for them,” she said.

Cost is $2.90 per meal, and if people qualify, they can get a waiver from the county to cover the cost.

Gandrud said beyond the visits to drop off the meals, many of the drivers go above and beyond and build relationships with the people they serve, helping them with other projects at their homes if needed.

‘Books have been my passion’

Aside from the Meals on the Go program, Gandrud is chairwoman of the Friends of the Library, which meets monthly and operates the used bookstore on the lower level of City Hall. The organization raises funds for the Albert Lea Public Library, where Gandrud worked for many years.

In addition to the

Other nominees for Citizen of the Year Award Robert (Bob) Hanson Lioba Forman Lisa Hanson Shari Jenson Aaron Farris

Citizen of the Year Committee John Holt Cindy Lunning Crystal Miller Rick Mummert Don Nolander Tom Sorenson Sarah Stultz

Cindy Gandrud, right, hands off bags of meals to a volunteer to be delivered through bookstore, another of the the Meals on the Go program.

Friends of the Library’s big priorities is the twice- after limited hours because backgrounds. There are happening in the library. lawyers, poets, writers and “Books have been my pasannual book sales. This of the pandemic.

Gandrud said she enjoys a young mother, to name a sion,” she said. “It’s fun to year, board members also welcomed patrons back the people she works few, and children’s librarian see people get excited about to the library when it re- with on the board, who Patty Greibrok also particiSee AWARD, Page 10 opened for more hours come from a variety of pates to tell what things are

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PAGE 4 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PROGRESS 2022 | HEART | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

CELEBRATING UNSUNG

HEROES WE ASKED READERS TO SUBMIT LETTERS WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR LOCAL HEROES AND WHY THEY INSPIRE OTHERS

Community members have made a big difference in the lives of many Sister has a bond with patients beyond words Unsung hero: Jazmin Johnson.

I grew up watching my sister go from a CNA, to a LPN. Jazmin is now in her last semester of the RN program. The road in this journey hasn’t been easy for her, but never once have I seen her give up. She inspires me every day to pursue my career in the nursing field as well. Watching her bond with her patient is something that goes beyond my words because of how she always puts them and their care first! She’s a true super hero.

— Nominated by Ana Hernandez of Hayward

Teacher changed son’s life for better My unsung hero is LaChelle Sandon, a teacher at Lakeview school.

LaChelle was my son, Liam’s, teacher for almost two years. Through the Covid shutdown she was 100% completely on his side and supportive despite reprimands for being too involved. I am a single mother of seven children and had six boys in the home, schooling them alone. LaChelle had begun teaching my son in the options classroom after he could no longer be in the regular classrooms at Halverson, and she was the first person to ever truly get his personality and issues completely. She was always so understanding of our struggles, and when we began homeschooling, she went above and beyond what she was expected to do and even bent a few rules to help out with some household problems that were preventing my ability to be totally present for my kids. She cares so much about all the children who come through her classroom, takes it all really to heart and those kids matter to her more than any other teacher I’ve ever met in my entire life. I had a house fire and I no longer live in Freeborn County, and she still connects with us and checks in on my son and the rest of my kids frequently.

I can’t think that there is another teacher with more heart who takes her job more seriously, and her job has to be one of

the most difficult teaching jobs as she is in the classroom exclusively for children who have behavioral issues and learning disabilities with very little support because there’s such a shortage of teachers and paras in her field. When she is low on resources, she takes it out of her own pocket.

She does her best to work within the restrictions of the administration, and your pain as a parent is her pain. Your struggles are her struggles, and she always does everything she can in and outside the school to support the parent and the family. If this woman is not an unsung hero in Freeborn County and Albert Lea school district, I can’t think of who is. This woman has never received the praise that she deserves, and even though no one notices, she continues on because she takes it all to heart. It matters to her on a deep level, and I can truly say that because of our relationship with her in the educational system, she changed our life and prevented the possible institutionalization of my son by her stellar performance on and off the job.

LaChelle Sandon is and always will be the unsung hero of any child in the options classrooms.

brightens our office with her great sense of humor and oh so good cooking skills.

I hope you’ll consider recognizing my kind and humble friend Analynn.

She truly deserves it.

Thank you.

— Nominated by Joanna Dye

To know this woman is to love her I would like to nominate Wanda Wangsness.

She was my son’s kindergarten Sunday school teacher and made him enjoy every moment.

She also works at St. John’s and goes above and beyond for the residents. To know Wanda is to love her. She is a hero in our books!

— Nominated by Tammy Kesler of Albert Lea

Mother is a compassionate caregiver

My mom, Diane Stollard, is very much an unsung hero. My father was diagnosed with ALS in January and passed away in June. My dad’s disease progressed very quickly, and my mom cared for — Nominated by him at home. We never Amber Oakland once heard her complain.

She was always so busy worrying about everyone else’s feelings and how we might be doing with it all. During that time she had kidney surgery.

She quickly came home I’d like to nominate my co-worker Analynn Peter- and barely took time for herself. Her kindness, son as an unsung hero in our community. I work as compassion, selflessness, devotion and love a bank teller with Analcompletely have me in ynn at Security Bank. awe. My mom is a reAnalynn and her hustired nurse who worked band, Scott, teach ATV in the community startsafety each year to ing at Good Sam, then young riders and volunNaeve Hospital and teer at the state park. ended her career at AlGood people, good combert Lea Medical Center. munity members. But Many past patients conI’m mainly writing to tinuously have such woncomment on what a derful stories about my sweet and patient bank mom and what an amazteller Analynn is. She ing nurse and friend she takes her time to listen was to them. It makes me to and help our customers. She often puts folks very proud of her and exat ease with kind words, tremely proud to be her daughter. a welcome smile and a Thank you. good laugh. She goes out of her way to accom— Nominated by modate people, more so Tara Richards than the job calls for.

Analynn is also an amazing co-worker and friend, generously helping co-workers out by mending and tailoring clothing and blankets, and never asks for anything in return. She’s an understanding and empathetic listener and “Mom, can we PLEASE

Co-worker is understanding, empathetic

Contributions to early childhood development are lasting

go to Wende’s today?”

Wende Taylor has made a huge difference in not only my own life but in hundreds of lives within our community. This mom of three has nurtured more than 140 children to become strong individuals within our community from a very young age. For the past 25 years, she’s set the bar for day care in Freeborn County. Home Away From Home Daycare has more than lived up to the name. She makes kids feel comfortable, supported and ready to take on this big old world on their own unique terms. Wende’s kids are so well prepared for preschool and kindergarten that teachers have even remarked, “she’s one of Wende’s kids isn’t she?”

Her level of commitment and compassion to her kiddos goes well beyond child care. Many of her day care families become like family.

She’ll probably set some sort of record for being invited to more graduations and weddings than anyone ever. That’s how deeply her connection with her day care kids goes. It’s oftentimes an everlasting bond built on trust, discipline and most importantly, love.

“She is one of the most loving and generous people I know! She is so caring toward others and will do anything and everything for them! She will always put them first! She always makes everyone around her happy — she lights up a room when she walks in! She is so fun and playful and can put a smile on anyone’s face! I have so many just amazing, wonderful memories with Wende! I love her so much! And she deserves everything after everything she does for everyone!”

She’s a woman of action even when it comes to furry friends, rescuing many stray cats over the years, along with building shelters and providing food for strays in the community.

For more than 10 years she helped spearhead a charity golf tournament with all the proceeds going to cancer research.

In her spare time, she befriended a resident at St. John’s, whom she met on a walk visiting the eagles.

Oh, and if you’ve had a chance to try her chili, that is award-winning in itself. “She makes the best chili in the whole wide world.”

Early childhood

development is a cornerstone of a strong community, and her contributions here are well overdue of appreciation.

“She is one of the most selfless, kind-hearted people I’ve ever known.”

“Wende is the best!”

— Submitted by Taylor Friehl of St. Louis and friends of Taylor in Albert Lea

Employee’s work helps ensure community well-being

on the Class A wastewater license.

By going above and beyond in his duties in wastewater treatment, Dustin, along with his cooperators, helps ensure the community’s health and well-being.

— Nominated by city of Albert Lea staff

Jack Frost Closet founder is helping to fill a need

I would like to nominate Carol Jolly for the unsung heroes.

Carol Jolly started Unsung hero: Dustin Jack Frost Closet six White, foreman at the city years ago. (Over 6,000 of Albert Lea’s Wastewahave been helped — new ter Treatment Plant number to come in when “Dustin is one of the they finish in January). quietest employees, but She saw the need to help his works speaks for itour community memself,” says Brandon Husbers in need. (She also ton, his supervisor and started this while at the superintendent of the vocational school for a wastewater treatment DECA project). She replant. cruited her friend CorWastewater treatment rine Anderson to help is a vital service for the her. I have seen firstresidents and businesshand the passion, dedies of Albert Lea, with cation and love that has staff at the treatment gone into this countyplant ensuring operawide project. Their site tions run 24 hours a day, opens in November and seven days a week, evcloses in February, and ery day of the year, no they are open two days a matter the conditions. week! It is her life misThe Albert Lea plant sion! She works with processes 3.5 million our smaller county comgallons of wastewater munities to make sure on average per day, with nobody is left out. Evwastewater flowing to ery person who comes it through 127 miles of into Jack Frost Closet is pipe and 23 pumping treated with the utmost stations. This is where respect and compassion. all the wastewater — They may come in with from sinks, bathtubs, only flip flops as shoes, toilets, washing maand they leave with chines, dishwashers and a coat, coordinating more in the city — goes scarf, mittens, boots and for cleanup before beeven socks or a blanket! ing discharged to the They spend time with Shell Rock River. each person or family Knowing the plant into make them feel speside and out, Dustin takes cial and welcome. It the lead on maintenance feels more like a store projects, can fix almost than a give away site. anything in the plant and Many don’t speak our troubleshoots electrilanguage, and yet Carol cal issues. He also comes finds a way to communiup with practical ideas cate with them. to complete projects in Jack Frost Closet is a a timely fashion. He has project of ShineFest, a been with the city since nonprofit under AZ One 2009. and has received fundOn weekends, Dustin ing from the Golden K willingly takes calls from Kiwanis Club. She has his fellow plant operators received funding and needing assistance, with new coats and handno additional pay. made quilts from many He maintains the reindividuals, groups and quired licensure for companies. Dave Syhis position, including verson and Select Foods a Class A Commercial have been wonderful Driver’s License and partners for Jack Frost Class B Wastewater OpCloset. erator License. In addiIf you have any question to the required litions please contact me. censes, he obtained the She is very deserving of state’s Type 4 Biosolids this award!

License for applying waste material to land — Nominated by Jean and is setting his sights Eaton of Albert Lea

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022 | HEART | PROGRESS 2022 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PAGE 5

McDonald’s area supervisor Tony Segura and Tyler Engel, general manager of the East Main Street restaurant, said they are thankful for their employees who have adapted well during the pandemic and also to the community, which has continued to support the company. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Adapting to ongoing changes in the pandemic

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

Flexibility and a positive outlook.

That’s the key to adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic for the three McDonald’s stores in Albert Lea. Tony Segura, area manager who oversees Albert Lea’s McDonald’s restaurants as well as others in the region, said at the start of the pandemic, there were a lot of changes happening very quickly.

“Every day was fluid,” he said.

When the restaurants had to close for dine-in service, they weren’t sure how well it would go over to only have drive-thru available for customers.

Despite their doubts, however, Segura said they ultimately found the response was comparable to sales before the pandemic when both indoor and drivethru was available.

Tyler Engel, general manager of the Main Street restaurant, said to adapt to the changes, there were a lot of shift changes, and shift managers had to learn on the fly about what changes would be implemented.

At that time, delivery was not an option for the restaurant, and curbside was not yet popular. The restaurant in October 2020 started delivery through DoorDash.

The first year of the pandemic, the McDonald’s on East Main also started a third drive-thru lane during the peak lunch and dinner

meal rushes.

“It really did help alleviate the long line to the road,” said Segura, who has worked for McDonald’s for almost 19 years.

To operate the third line, an employee would bring outside a mobile register, and the register would automatically transfer orders inside to the staff making the food. Once the food is ready and bagged, an employee would run the food out to the drivers.

Staff used walkie-talkies to communicate.

Segura said the third line was used for most of the summer months in 2020 at that location because of the volume of people who come to that site. Of Courtesy Corporation’s 64 stores, he said some other locations also did the same thing at their restaurants.

The McDonald’s at Trail’s was allowed to be open inside for truckers and travelers after the first five or six weeks of the pandemic, though tables were stacked and blocked off.

Segura said the East Main location opened this past summer for indoor dining when school was out, but closed again for indoor dining when school started in the fall because of staffing reasons.

The same happened at the Bridge Avenue location, although that site opened again on Christmas break for indoor dining and has stayed open ever since.

“I think everyone knows it’s a challenge everywhere,” Segura said of the staffing shortage. “We’re

McDonald’s employee Shainia Prestholt brings an order out to a customer in late January. not exempt from that, but we do have a lot of things in place that help us have the upper hand.”

He said the company tries to be flexible with people’s schedules and promote a people-first philosophy.

Even if someone can only work one day a week, it can still be helpful for the overall team.

The company also provides a few different tuition

Request your consultation today: publisher@albertleatribune.com

assistance programs for its employees, and he said it provides a good atmosphere and training program.

Despite the challenges the pandemic has brought, Engel, who has worked at McDonald’s almost 19 years, said he always tries to focus on the positive. The company also does contests internally to keep staff motivated.

Engel oversees about 55

people between employees and managers at the East Main location, and Segura said there are about 40 to 45 employees at each of the other locations.

About a quarter of their workers are longtime employees.

Segura said he is a grateful for a staff that has been able to adapt to all of the changes of the past few years.

“I’m so appreciative to have people who are willing to dive in with you and make it work,” he said.

He said he has had multiple people contact him about good customer service, and he receives compliments about the staff regularly.

He also credited the owner-operator of the stores, Courtesy Corporation, who provide a lot of support for

PAGE 6 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PROGRESS 2022 | HEART | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

‘I am just proud of so many things’ BLUE ZONES PROJECT LEAD LOOKS BACK ON IMPROVEMENTS AS SHE PREPARES FOR RETIREMENT

By the numbers

By Kelly Wassenberg news@albertleatribune.com

It’s like raising children.

You take each and every day as it comes. That’s all you know. Then you suddenly turn around and see the big picture all at once. You see all the growth that has transpired over the years and how far they’ve come.

It can be overwhelming.

That’s how Ellen Kehr described the process of looking back over the last 13 years of the Blue Zones Project in Albert Lea. She plans to retire from her position as organizational lead of the program later this year.

The Blue Zones Project started as a first — the pilot program to test how the vision of Dan Buettner to inspire and empower everyone to live better and longer lives would work in communities throughout the country.

Albert Lea was selected to be part of the pilot project due to its size and demographics. The community they chose had to have a population between 10,000 and 20,000, so metrics could be measured to properly ascertain the effectiveness of the program, yet the community couldn’t be so populous and spread out that they couldn’t manage the project.

According to Kehr, strong city leadership was very important to the Blue Zones Project, as well. At the time, she was on the Albert Lea City Council, and her husband, Randy Kehr, was the executive director of the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives from the Albert Lea Economic Development Agency, the superintendent of schools, the director of the Family Y, the United Way and the administrator of the local health care system were also on board with the project.

Kehr said they brought in everyone they could, because it was imperative to the program’s success to have everyone at the table to address two of the community’s most significant health concerns: tobacco use and obesity.

“Pretty much everyone is in agreement that tobacco and obesity are the top drivers of chronic illnesses that we’re going to end up with someday,” she said.

That meant change needed to be across the board — community, workplaces and schools.

“Our work sites have been very organized and extremely strong for this whole 13 year process, starting with the pilot, and they never stopped.”

The worksite wellness committee still exists and meets monthly. Improvements have been made by employers adding worksite gardens, pickleball courts, basketball hoops, providing healthier snack options and water bottle filling stations, and adopting volunteer policies giving people hours to volunteer with local groups.

Fourteen of the largest 20 employers have adopted tobacco-free campuses.

Coupled with the City Council making city parks tobacco-free zones and raising the age to purchase tobacco products to 21, Albert

$8.6

MILLION Savings in annual health care costs for employers as a result of a decline in smokers

34 The place Freeborn County now stands in the Minnesota County Health Rankings, which is up from 68 out of 87 counties

2.9 Years added to the projected lifespans of residents within one year of participating in the Blue Zones Project

choices, you’re setting them up for failure,” Kehr said.

A complete streets policy and sidewalk assessment policy was adopted in 2009. In the same year, a community walking audit and bike and pedestrian plan was completed. The city also dedicated acres and acres of public land to expanding community gardens and disc golf courses, for the dog park, the splash pad and the community boathouse.”

These building blocks create what is referred to as a built environment.

“Then we built the Blue Zones walkway, and then started filling in sidewalk Ellen Kehr stands in Albert Lea City Hall, where she served on the City Council and became the organizational lead for gaps, many miles and miles the Blue Zones Project in Albert Lea. KELLY WASSENBERG/FOR THE TRIBUNE of sidewalk gaps, creating new sidewalks to connect our neighborhoods to each other, to their schools, to the core facilities of our community,” Kehr said.

“Then came the downtown streetscape, the Front Street bike lane, the South Broadway redesign Randy Kehr, the late husto cut down on crash rates band of Ellen Kehr, served and help revitalize that as the executive director corridor.” of the Albert Lea-Freeborn Kehr said one of the next County Chamber of Comprojects on the agenda is merce for over a decade. reconstructing East Main During that time, he also Street with sidewalks and was co-chairman of the better pedestrian crossChildren with the “Lakeview Locomotive” walk with parents Blue Zones Project leaderings. She reiterated how and teachers along Lakeview Boulevard to school toward ship team. Following his important it will be for the beginning of the Blue Zones Project. The group, termed death, the Blue Zones Projthe program to continue a walking school bus, walked to school three days a week. ect honored him by creatto maintain and expand its TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO ing the Randy Kehr Award built environment. for Initiative and CollaboraLea has seen a decrease in which naturally increase The metrics when it comes tion in his memory. adult smoking rates. Pre- physical activity and make to measuring the benefit of His many accomplishvious audits noted 23% the town more friendly for the built environment has ments after moving to smoked, whereas the rate those who want to walk or shown an increase in natuAlbert Lea included being now is approximately 16%. ride their bike. ral momentum activity level the first mentor of the Randy Kehr The schools were a criti“We did these things by 40%, Kehr said. The inSTARS mentoring proplanned with a goal one cal piece of the puzzle, too. fluence of that pilot project gram, honorary chairman step at a time, building Not only are they a large has not been confined to the of Freeborn County Relay for Life, president of the one initiative and then the employer, but bringing the county of Freeborn.

Downtown Business Association, president of the next one on top of that initia- project to schools encour“That pilot has created Cloverleaf Lions Club and chairman of the National more than 70 Blue Zones tive,” Kehr said. “We did it ages children to develop Vitality Leadership Team. Together with his wife, he communities across the slowly over 13 years so that healthier lifestyle choices also led United Way campaigns and volunteered with at times as we were doing at a younger age. Along with country,” she said. “Milthe Freeborn County Humane Society. all of this, it just became so policy changes that led to 20 lions of people are part of the Blue Zones family much a part of our culture.” minutes of recess per day at Along with being one of the elementary level, water today.” the city’s largest employ- bottle filling stations were stands, and schools began to choose healthy choices, Kehr is sure the success ers, city leaders have also added, healthier options opting for walk-a-thons over without setting up an en- the program has seen will adopted policies to create were added to vending food-related fundraisers. vironment and a culture See PROJECT, Page 10 more built-in environments, machines and concession “If you ask individuals that supports those healthy

REMEMBERING AN ALBERT LEA COMMUNITY HERO July 15, 1948 Nov. 23, 2017

Areas in which Blue Zones has created change in the community School Bus

Community policy & built environment • Complete Streets Policy, 2009 • Community Walking Audit, 2009 • Bike and Pedestrian Plan, 2009 • Sidewalk Assessment Policy, 2009 and 2015 • Blue Zones Walkway, 2010 • Front Street bike lane, 2012 • Downtown Streetscape, 2013 • Expanded Community The Albert Lea downtown streetscape incorporated many Gardens, 2010 and 2014 of the principles encouraged by the Blue Zones Project.

• Tobacco Free Parks Or- TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO dinance, 2015 • South Broadway Rede• Bridge Avenue Corri- are Designated Blue Zones sign, 2015 Schools dor, 2020-2021 • Safe Routes to School, • Indoor recess kits 2017 • 3 school gardens Schools • Tobacco 21 Ordinance, • Walk and Go Breakfasts 2019 • All Albert Lea Schools • Standing desks

Worksites

The bike lanes along Front Street in Albert Lea were added in 2012.

• Walk-a-thons over food• Smarter Lunchroom related fundraisers Policy machine • Vending • Water bottle filling stachange policy tions at all locations • Concession stands have • All Kids Bike Program healthier options • Walk and Roll & Walking

• Added standing desks • Some locations have added pool tables, basketball hoops, pickleball courts and walking tracks.

• Healthy snack stations and healthier items in vending machines • Walking tracks and walking moais • Yoga, Zumba and meditation rooms • Water bottle filling stations • Worksite challenges • Worksite clinics • Volunteer policies • Breastfeeding rooms • 14 of the top 20 worksites have tobacco free campuses • 15 of the top 20 worksites in Albert Lea are Blue Zones Worksites

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022 | HEART | PROGRESS 2022 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PAGE 7

Rau Htoo, 38, works to master the English language in ESL classes offered through Adult Basic Education. KELLY WASSENBERG/FOR THE TRIBUNE

LEARNING TO SPEAK A NEW LANGUAGE THOUGH NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, STUDENTS PRESS ON IN ADULT ESL PROGRAM

By Kelly Wassenberg news@albertleatribune.com

Rules are everywhere.

They’re a way to ensure order over chaos. They let people know what is to be expected of them in certain situations.

Unfortunately, the English language doesn’t concern itself with rules.

“That’s what’s hard about English,” said Betsy Schroeder, English as a Second Language teacher in the Adult Education Center through Albert Lea Area Schools. “Every time English makes a rule, they break it. And that’s the hardest thing is that [the students] are just starting to learn a rule and then they run across something that breaks that rule.”

Schroeder and her students often laugh about it.

“Why do we make rules if we break them?” she said.

Schroeder has been an ESL teacher for 23 years and teaches the advanced ESL students.

Penny Jahnke, the adult education coordinator, said the program is serving 141 students from 16 countries covering 11 different languages — the most popular of which is Karen followed

by Spanish. Students range in age from 16 and up, and their educational levels vary greatly.

Some come from countries in which women do not attend school and don’t even know the alphabet. Others have degrees in their home

countries, but need a better understanding of the English language to be able to utilize that knowledge in a career here in the United States.

Most of the students are refugees, including Rau Htoo, 38, and Shay Lay

“These students that are coming to school are probably some of the most hardworking and dedicated students you can find.

— Penny Jahnke Moo, 20.

Htoo is a refugee from Myanmar, who spent 10 years in a refugee camp before coming to the United States. This is in his second year of the program.

Htoo said his decision to come to the United States was based on the opportunities the country has to offer and was able to learn some English before immigrating to the country.

“America is a good place for refugees,” Htoo said.

Htoo is one of many who

Sha Lay Moo, 20, was born in a refugee camp and didn’t know any English before coming to the United States. She is now in the advanced English class at Brookside. work full-time jobs on top of coming to class in order to increase his understanding of English in all its forms — spoken, written and read.

Moo was born in a refugee camp on the ThailandMyanmar border. While she See ESL, Page 8

By the numbers

16

11

Minimum age of someone to join the ESL program at Brookside

Languages spoken by current ESL students from 16 different countries

141 Students enrolled in the ESL program

Say what? Grammar rules/exceptions for ESL There are many common spelling rules most are familiar with, yet there are exceptions. When thinking of these rules, it becomes easier to imagine why a non-English speaker may have difficulty mastering the language. Below are just a few.

• I before E except after C — or when the letter combination makes the A sound — such as weigh and neighbor. There are still exceptions to this exception as the EI in height does not make the A sound.

• If C is followed by E, I or Y, it typically makes the S sound, such as cell, circle or cynical; but if the C is followed by an A, O or U it will usually have a K sound, such as car, cold or cue. The same rule applies to the letter G, which makes the

J sound in words like gem, giant and gymnasium, but makes the G sound in words like gage, go and guerilla.

There are exceptions to these rules including the word girl that makes the G sound instead J. • When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking — such as dream, pain and coat.

Exceptions include bread, poem and guest.

• When pluralizing a noun that ends in Y, change Y to an I and add ES, such as penny to pennies, the exception is if the Y is preceded by a vowel. Boy only needs an S to make it plural.

• When pluralizing a word that ends in F, the F is changed to a V and an ES is added, such as elf/elves and loaf/loaves. However, if a word ends in a double

FF, such as riff, only an S is needed to pluralize the word.

• VCV stands for vowelconsonant-vowel. In words like these, the second vowel is silent and makes the first vowel say its name like in words like cake, made and bike. Exceptions to the rule

include the word lemon, which is derived from French.

• Some words ending in O have an ES added to them when pluralized, but not all.

For example, potato changes to potatoes, but the word photo changes to photos.

• For many words, the Y ending must change to I when a suffix is added.

Funny becomes funnier and ready becomes readily, but there are exceptions such as shy which becomes shyly.

• Dropping the E is a pretty consistent rule when adding suffixes for words such as write which becomes writing and sense which becomes sensible.

Exceptions occur in words ending in CE or GE in which the C or G sounds remain soft such as courageous and noticeable.

• Pluralizing animals can be quite confusing for those not native to the English language.

• Deer remains deer in its plural form, as does fish, sheep and moose. Mouse becomes mice. Ox becomes

oxen. Goose becomes geese.

To make octopus and hippopotamus plural, the words change to octopi and hippopotami, or you can add an es to make octopuses and hippopotamuses. Either one is correct.

• When nouns end in ch, sh, ss, x or z, the letter combination of ES is used to indicate pluralization, such as beaches, wishes or boxes.

There are exceptions to this rule such as stomachs and monarchs. This exception applies when the CH makes a K sound.

• The 1-1-1 rule states when words of one syllable ending in a single consonant immediately preceded by a single vowel, double the consonant before a suffixal vowel, such as running or jogged. This rule does not apply to words ending in V,

PAGE 8 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PROGRESS 2022 | HEART | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

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Betsy Schroeder has adapted her teaching methods to allow her to provide instruction for students over Zoom at the same time as students in the classroom. KELLY WASSENBERG/ FOR THE TRIBUNE

ESL Continued from Page 7

Moo was born in a refugee camp on the ThailandMyanmar border. While she did receive an education, English was not taught at the camp. She works in the community and is learning English in hopes of getting a better job to help support her family. She has been in the ESL program for five years.

It takes a lot of dedication for ESL students to stick with the program.

“We have students who are working 10-hour shifts, and then are coming to school,” Jahnke said. “These students that are coming to school are probably some of the most hardworking and dedicated students you can find.”

Of those currently enrolled in the program, she reported 61% of the students work full-time jobs

with many of the others staying at home to raise their children while their spouse works.

Regardless of their situation, the Adult Basic Education program tries to remove all the barriers it can by providing both transportation and day care assistance. Computers and mobile hotspots are also available so students can learn on their own time, as well.

Classes run Monday through Thursday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Many students consistently make it to class, while it’s a struggle for those who work overtime at their jobs. Since COVID’s arrival, Schroeder said her class attendance has slipped from 16 to at times just a handful, but Jahnke said they are working on ways to accommodate. They are looking at providing night classes as part of a consortium and

have been working on a high-flex model.

“We have students that are sitting at home, zooming in and watching class, while the teacher is also teaching a student sitting in front of her, and that has been very successful,” she said.

Flexibility is important as students must log between 40 to 50 hours of classroom instruction before they test to go up to the next level.

There are six levels in total — three in the beginner classes and three in the advanced class.

“The immigration population is contributing to Albert Lea and Freeborn County,” Jahnke said.

“They are filling jobs at our production plants.

They are buying houses.

They are having their children come to our schools.

I only see positives about the people who are coming over here. They are hard working and very family-oriented.”

Classes for adults learning English as a second language are at Brookside Education Center. TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

Are you a coach or parent with youth sports?

Submit results and photos to: tribsports@albertleatribune.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022 | HEART | PROGRESS 2022 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PAGE 9

A family history of caring for children SHE STARTS A DAY CARE AFTER SHE’S UNABLE TO FIND A DAY CARE FOR HER OWN CHILDREN

By Alex Guerrero

alex.guerrero@albertleatribune.com

Some people were born into their future professions. Such was the case for Jaclyn Flatten, owner of Jack In The Box Daycare.

“My mom started doing day care when I was around 5 years old,” she said. “I actually have a Bachelor of Science degree in social work.”

So it made sense for Flatten, with three young children by the time she graduated, to start one. Little did she know she’d be working with social workers.

“I could not find day care myself, and my mom told me, ‘Why don’t you maybe think about opening a day care temporarily?” she said. “And I did.”

That was in 2007.

She described running a day care center as being a backup parent with eyes in the back of her head. That makes sense considering she’s currently caring for 19 children in nine families, though she doesn’t manage all of them at the same time.

Some of the kids are drop-ins while others attend every other week.

She has one family from Connecticut and another from Illinois.

“I might have some just in the morning,” she said.

“I might have some just for a little while after school.”

Typically there will be between six to nine children during the day.

“I make sure [the children] are fed, they get their meals, they get their snacks,” she said. “Some of them have quiet time.”

Flatten also tries to incorporate quiet time with

Jaclyn Flatten, owner of Jack in the Box Daycare sits at the table of her home with her daughter, Finley. ALEX GUERRERO/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE her charges, and likes to take them outside when the weather permits.

For her, a typical day starts at 6 a.m. and ends after 5 p.m.

“Some of them will go back to sleep for a little while, and then we do breakfast,” she said. “I get the school kids off on the bus.”

Currently she manages four school-age children.

By the numbers

Besides serving lunch, she’ll do potty-training with lots of diaper changes.

She’ll also incorporate arts and crafts.

“Every child is so unique, so different from the next Hours a day Flatten Age when Flatten was Children Flatten cares child,” she said. works with her day care first exposed to day care for on a typical day During the pandemic, she’s lost one family but gained more older, school- continued to work, and the Flatten’s business is at accepting new children. school kids needed a place 510 E. Hawthorne St. Jack aged children. in the Box is not currently “My other families for day care,” she said.

6-9

11

5

PAGE 10 | ALBERTLEATRIBUNE.COM | PROGRESS 2022 | HEART | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

AWARD Continued from Page 2

passion,” she said. “It’s fun to see people get excited about it, too, people that come into the bookstore or people who come into the book sale.”

Many roles through the church ministry

Lydia Levi, center, cuts a ribbon during a ceremony celebrating Southwest Middle School as the first Blue Zones designated school in Albert Lea. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

PROJECT Continued from Page 6

Kehr is sure the success the program has seen will carry on after she is gone. She is working with Cathy Malakowsky, director of community engagement and enrichment for the city, who will continue to lead the Blue Zones Project.

With Malakowsky’s new

position, which is in charge of the library and parks and recreation department, Kehr said she believes it is the “perfect partnership.”

And Kehr will always be there to lend a helping hand. She’s determined to be one of the effort’s biggest volunteers.

“I am just proud of so many things, that it’s not any one initiative,” she said, reflecting on her years in the leadership

position. “It’s really the combination of all of it together. I’m a person who has always felt — for me personally — that it was important to contribute the best of what I have to my community. Not just to my friends and family, but for the community as a whole. And what I’m proudest of is, to the best of my ability, I’ve been able to do that through the Blue Zones Project.”

People joined walking groups, or moais, to get out and move more as part of the Blue Zones Project. TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

In addition to her passions with books and with helping people through the Meals on the Go program, Gandrud has taken on numerous roles at First Lutheran Church.

Gandrud, who was baptized into First Lutheran Church as a child, has taught Sunday school for 40 years for the kindergarteners, works in the church’s welcome center greeting people and is head of the church library board.

She serves as treasurer and pianist of First Lutheran Church Women and is also on several other committees for the women of the church.

She recently finished her term on the church council,

“I enjoy giving back to the community, to my church, to individuals — and helping them.”

Army food pantry. Also on a Saturday in May and October, Crossroads Trailer brings a semi, which they fill with quilts and baby kits donated from churches near and far and that are distributed around the world.

Two years ago, the team started a food ministry program, where between 100 and 150 people are fed a hot meal on Thursday nights, no questions asked.

— Cindy Gandrud

‘It brought me to tears’

and she coordinates volunteers for the church’s audio booth and on most Sundays and Wednesdays oversees the Powerpoint projection.

She is also a part of the counting committee that meets every other Monday to count offerings given to the church and is a part of the church’s social ministry team, which is focused on outreach.

She said the team collects an offering in March and October with proceeds going to the Salvation

Gandrud said she was shocked when she found out she was selected as the Tribune’s Citizen of the Year because of all of the other wonderful people she knows in the community who are doing good things.

“It really humbles me,” she said. “It brought me to tears.”

She said she is grateful for the opportunities she has to serve in the community and is content with the life she leads.

“I enjoy giving back to the community, to my church, to individuals — and helping them,” she said.