Did you know that you can customize your own debit card? Upload an image from our gallery or an image of a breast cancer survivor you love or maybe of someone that is fighting the good fight today. For every card that is ordered between January 27-February 28, 2018 First Farmers & Merchants State Bank will donate a portion of the $9.95 fee to the Hormel Institute for Cancer Research. Visit www.ffmbank.com/personal/my-card-creator to order yours today. Use promo code PINK when ordering your card.
STATE BANK Must have an active Checking Account with First Farmers & Merchants Bank to order. $9.95 fee will be deducted from the account once submitted for processing. Deliver time of card may range from 10-14 days. Debe tener una cuenta de cheques activa con First Farmers & Merchants Bank para ordenar. Se deducirá una tarifa de $ 9.95 del cuenta una vez enviado para su procesamiento. El tiempo de entrega de la tarjeta puede variar de 10 a 14 días.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Something fresh It’s a new year and, of course, we all wish you the very best for a profitable and successful 2018. For a number of years we’ve used Austin Living Magazine as a vehicle for sharing the stories of our neighbors — and over the course of these years, we’ve had some great stories to tell. And, as readers, you’ve responded favorably to which we can’t thank you enough. After all, if we don’t tell the engaging stories you’ve become used to, then we don’t have readers. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to improve this product and breathe some fresh air into its pages — and, what better time to do this than with the first edition of 2018. Mind you, we’re not reinventing the wheel. Some things work well, but we thought the time had come for a change in other areas, to make sure we are bringing you the very best publication we can. First off, you will notice a simple, but big change to the cover. By removing the red bar across the masthead we’ve opened up the cover to a more basic and eloquent layout. In essence, the cover now Eric Johnson, Austin Living Editor breathes easier with open space we hope becomes more inviting to our readers. Inside, we’ve made another simple change. Austin Eats became Area Eats for one very basic reason: There are some spectacular eating establishments, both large and small, not only in Austin, but the surrounding area. You will also notice two new additions. The first you will come across is “Worth a Thousand Words,” a great new way to usher our readers to the pages that follow. Each issue will feature an image from our area that captures the very essence of southeast Minnesota. Sometimes this photo will be taken by our staff, sometimes it will be submitted by our readers. If you have a photo you think fits this idea, please send it to me at photodesk@austindailyherald.com The second is a new healthy eating column brought to you by Austin’s own Jen Haugen, registered dietitian. Some of you may remember Jen from her time as the Hy-Vee dietitian and her book, “The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden.” Her column is called “Around the Table,” and will feature advice and a healthy recipe that can involve everyone in the family. These changes and additions, however, will not change the stories we bring to you. These are stories of our area and its people — people you often will know. And, as always, we invite you to tell us your stories or share with us your ideas. As I said earlier, without the readers we don’t have a magazine. Thank you, again, for letting us share these stories of your neighbors and also again, we wish you the very best in the new year. 2 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
PUBLISHER Jana Gray EDITORIAL Editor Eric Johnson Contributing Writers Christopher Baldus Rocky Hulne Eric Johnson Deb Nicklay Michael Stoll Photographer Eric Johnson ART Art Director Colby Hansen Graphic Designers Susan Downey Kim Ehrich Colby Hansen Eric Johnson Kathy Johnson SALES & PROMOTION Advertising Manager Heather Ryks Sales Representatives Mike Delhanty Brenda Landherr Heather Ryks JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 Volume 6, Number 1 EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: Editors, Austin Living 310 2nd Street NE Austin, MN 55912 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without written permission. For comments, suggestions or story ideas call 507-434-2235. To purchase advertising, call 507-434-2220 © A Minnesota Publishers Inc. publication
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There are times when everything just works. Take your bathoom from a dream to beautiful. Completion with Showplace wood products.
Freeborn Lumber Co. 917 Plaza Street W Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-377-4284 January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 3
WHAT’S INSIDE
SEEN 6 HALLOWEEN AT ST. MARKS
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2018
SUPER GIRL
Trick or treaters of all ages take to the halls.
8 AUSTIN PACKERS BOYS SOCCER
Jessica Cabeen is a driving force of positivity in education
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Making a memorable state run.
10 CHRISTMASTIME IN AUSTIN
Strolling with Santa in Christmas in the City.
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS 12 NOD TO THE PAST AREA EATS 14 LIKE MAMA USED TO MAKE
Bella Victoria offers fresh, authentic Italian cuisine.
HOME & HEARTH 18 AROUND THE TABLE
Always room for soup.
20 SUNRISE OF A NEW WAY
SolarChoice program offers Austin homeowners a way to tap the sun without putting anything on their homes.
THE LIST
‘I JUST WANT TO HELP’ Austin grad follows winding path into funeral services to offer the support once afforded her family
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24 RESOLVE TO SET HEALTHY GOALS
Resolutions can be a good first step for better fitness, eating habits.
OUT & ABOUT 28 FIGHTING WITH DEDICATION
A single-minded push behind curing cancer comes from the drive of education.
30 MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
When it comes to standing Austin out as a Top 5 city, it’s more than just tourism.
34 THE FORCE BEHIND THE CAUSE
Kathi Finley spearheads one of the largest cancer fund drives in southeastern Minnesota as Paint the Town Pink continues to grow.
TRAVEL 52 SCIENCE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST Local artist, knitter and jewelry-maker Mary Wolcott shares her craft
The Science Museum of Minnesota is a central hub for science nestled in the heart of St. Paul.
LOOKING BACK 58 EXPLORING THE VILLAGE OF ROSE CREEK
Railroads amidst a creek and roses helped the town to flourish.
BOOK REVIEW
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62 COMPLEXITY OF TRAGEDY
1970s novel by Judith Guest brings mental health to the forefront.
WHY I LOVE AUSTIN 64 BLESSED TO BE IN SPAMTOWN Father James Steffes.
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SEEN | Halloween at St. Marks Even though Halloween was two months ago, we had to print these pictures provided by St. Marks Lutheran Home taken at its annual Halloween Trick or Treating event. The spooks and cutes of the halls were on parade as residents and tykes alike took part in the fun-filled event.
6 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
Thorne Crest
Senior Living Community
“Live longer & stay stronger.”
“I regularly participate in our fitness and wellness programs and my increased activity has improved my balance and energy levels…and I Roger Lonning feel great!” -Thorne Crest resident
“ I love that I can walk down the hall and use the pool everyday, winter or summer. It helps to keep me limber and active.”
Mary Stiles
-Thorne Crest resident
Call to schedule a personal tour and receive your free gift! Take an Online Video Tour at ThorneCrest.net
1201 Garfield Avenue Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-373-2311
“Our goal is to help residents stay healthy and active. We offer a complete wellness program to improve fitness levels, mobility, balance and more!”
Leah Atz
-Wellness Director
Awarded Large Business of 2017/2018 by ALFC Chamber of Commerce!
Thorne Crest Senior Li v i ng C om mun i t y
www.ThorneCrest.net
Thorne Crest is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not-for-profit provider of senior health care since 1930.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 7
SEEN | Austin Packers The Austin boys soccer team has been one of southeastern Minnesota’s premiere teams but after this season they can now be counted as being among the state’s best after a third-place finish and near miss to reach the Class A championship game, losing to St. Thomas Academy in Minnesota Class A Boys Soccer Tournament semifinals.
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(1) The Packer faithful get on their feet at the start of the Minnesota Class A Boys Soccer Tournament semifinals at US Bank Stadium. (2) Austin’s Mooday Wah cuts underneath St. Thomas’ Chase Kill. (3) Austin’s Lonyjera Okal, Kevin Ortiz, right, and Mooday Wah, left celebrate Wah’s goal in the first half. (4) Austin’s Sam Bailey runs the ball in a crowd in the second half. (5) Austin’s Henry Tolbert races for a shot in the second half against. (6) Austin’s Muyi Ochogi heads the ball over St. Thomas’ Logan Davis during the first half. (7) Austin’s Dylan Hanegraaf tries to control the ball against St. Thomas’ Vernon Lovegreen during the second half. (8) The Austin student body erupts after the Packers take a 1-0 lead.
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SEEN | Christmastime in Austin It just isn’t Christmas in Austin until Christmas in the City and its annual kick-off event the day after Thanksgiving on Main Street. Complete with a parade led by Santa Claus and the ensuing lighting of the downtown lights, it ushers in the season for the people of Austin. It also is the starting line for the other Christmas in the City events scattered over the following couple of weeks in various parts of Austin with crafts, cookies and our favorite gift giver — Santa.
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(1) Santa Claus waves to people as he passes on the way to the lighting ceremony for Christmas in the City. (2) Santa Claus reaches down to push the button to light the Main Street lights. (3) A snowman waves to the crowd during the Christmas in the City kickoff. (4) Dylan, left, and Jeremy Miller color hands to hang from a Christmas tree sponsored by the Zonta Club. Kids were encouraged to write on the hands positive things hands are used for. (5) The Austinaires sing carols. (6) Little 22-month-old Ian Bain watches as Santa Claus walks by. He is with Kari Bain, left, and Sarah Bain, right. (7) The crowd gathered for Christmas in the City. (8) Mrs. Claus greets a little girl during the Hormel Historic Home’s Soup & Santa. (9) Families lined up for a chance to meet Santa Claus at the Hormel Historic Home. (10) Children and their families laugh at the antics of Mixed Nuts at the Hormel Historic Home’s Soup and Santa. 10 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
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WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
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Nod to the past Photo
by
Eric Johnson
An old tractor rests in a harvested field just south of Blooming Prairie. The scene harkens back to a past age of farming. If you have a photo you think would be worth sharing, send it to Eric Johnson at photodesk@austindailyherald.com. Resolution must be 300 DPI and at least 14 inches wide.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 13
AREA EATS
Each dish from Bella Victoria comes with large portions and plenty of flavor, bringing a taste of Italy to Austin. 14 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
Like mama used to make Bella Victoria offers fresh, authentic Italian cuisine By Michael Stoll • Photos
by
Eric Johnson Executive Chef Carlos Victoria puts the finishing touches on the Frutti di Mare.
For many years, Austin residents have wanted a restaurant that served authentic Italian dishes. Their requests were answered on Oct. 15 when Bella Victoria Italian Cuisine opened its doors. In the dining room, co-owner Mario Victoria greets guests and shows them to their tables. His brother, Executive Chef Carlos Victoria, controls the kitchen, bringing over 30 years of experience to each plate. Each dish comes out looking like a work of art and, in true Italian form, with enough food to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites. The Victorias came to America from Michoacán, Mexico. “Our parents came to America in the 60s and worked for a franchise called Two Guys From Italy,” said Mario. “After we grew up, they brought us over and we’re still working with Italian food. It wasn’t really an adjustment. We didn’t do any cooking in Mexico. Our mama did all of the cooking, so when we came here, we had to start from scratch and we got thrown into Italian food.” “Italian was the first kitchen we knew,” Carlos said.
“I’ve been cooking Italian since I was 14. I started with my cousins in 1983. I feel like I’m Italian because I always worked in Italian.” The cousins he is referring to are the Victorias that own Victoria’s Ristorante and Wine Bar just down the interstate in Rochester. Since beginning in the 80s, Carlos has helped open 300 Italian restaurants. He worked in Las Vegas for several years, working with the private chefs of high rollers before working in Italian restaurants at Texas Station, the Aladdin, and the Bellagio. He took notes from other chefs to help perfect his craft. Twelve years ago, he left Las Vegas and came to the Twin Cities to help another cousin, Alex Victoria, open Amore Victoria. He came to Austin to help his brother open his restaurant. “We’ve always worked for somebody and we’ve had the dream for the last two years to have our own,” Mario said. Continues on Page 16 January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 15
Mario Victoria fans out a napkin as Bella Victoria prepares to open for the day. Mario, along with his wife Magdalena Carranza, are coowners of the restaurant.
Continued from Page 15 Mario named the restaurant Bella Victoria after his wife, co-owner Magdalena Carranza, his “bella,” or “beautiful.” It was through a friend of hers that they came to Austin. “The building owner is a friend of mine, and he offered the building to start the restaurant in Austin,” she said. “It’s more convenient for us. There was nothing in town that offered authentic dishes from Italy.” The restaurant is very much a family business, with members of the Victoria family taking responsibility of operating the restaurant. “(Mario and Carlos) have the kitchen experience,” Carranza said. “I mainly do the paperwork and my daughter is helping with licensing. Everyone has their roles.” Chef Carlos takes pride in the food that he prepares. “I do very good lasagna, very good tiramisu,” he said.
Each meal at Bella Victoria isn’t just a feast for the stomach, but one for the eyes as as each dish explodes in bright color. 16 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
“(Tomato sauce) is made from scratch everyday. It has fresh onions, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes, and fresh basil. All of the herbs are fresh. There’s no secret, you just have to know when to add spices to the sauce. I can create any fine dining Italian dinner. The menu and the recipes are all mine. We have at least 300 dishes not on the menu, but we want to have something special everyday.” Carlos said they plan to rotate the menu two to three times a year. Like any good Italian restaurant, when you go to Bella Victoria, you become a part of the Victoria family. “It’s all family here,” Mario said. “So far we’ve been pretty lucky that everything has gone so well. Business has been very, very nice. The response has been nice. Everybody is thanking us for coming here, but it should be the other way. We’ve been more than grateful that people have been coming here.” Mangiare!
First time at Bella Victoria?
Spinach Salad
Chef Carlos Victoria recommends these dishes for new customers. For a full menu and business hours, search Bella Victoria Italian Cuisine, Bar, Catering, & Event Center on Facebook.
Appetizers • Caesar Salad – you can’t go wrong with this staple made from baby romaine, heirloom mini tomatoes, house-made dressing, oven roasted pecorino wafer, and croutons. • Spinach Salad – a combination of spinach, pears, pomegranate, almonds, fresh mozzarella and house-made white balsamic vinaigrette that provides a fresh bite.
Scallops Italiano
Lasagna
Entrees
• Lasagna – classic Italian comfort dish piled high with beef, noodles, and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses topped with Chef Carlos’s excellent house-made meat sauce. • Ravioli di Pesto – house-made pesto accompanies ravioli stuffed with creamy cheese that melts in your mouth. • Scallops Italiano – wild mushroom and parmigiano risotto topped with a peppercorndusted scallop perfectly pan seared under the watchful eye of Chef Carlos. • Frutti di Mare – a shellfish lover’s dream, this dish comes with mussels, scallops, clams and shrimp served over a bed of pasta and Chef Carlos’s house-made sauce.
Dessert
Tiramisu
• Tiramisu – a Chef Carlos specialty, you will not want to share this classiclly indulgent Italian dessert.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 17
HOME & HEARTH
Around the Table
A tasty bowl of cream of tomato soup can set the day.
Always room for soup By Jen Haugen, RDN, LD
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hrough the years, I’ve acquired more than 100 cookbooks, to help me on my quest of the elusive “best” recipe. I especially love soup recipes. A winning recipe has to be loved by my family (they actually want seconds or fight over the leftovers), and it has to be simple to prepare. Each recipe is an outward extension of me, and my work, and my love. If a recipe fails, I fail. Or so I think. As I’ve made soups over the past 18 years, they’ve evolved from canned varieties to hearty, homemade versions. There have been successes and there have been failures. The elusive tomato soup recipe has been a hard recipe to transition from canned to homemade, until now. Soups are special – they have a way of nourishing us down to our core, from both the love that’s put into each stir of the spoon and the warmth they bring from the inside out. The good ingredients that go into any soup, simply make you feel good. The steps to making a good soup mirror the steps in becoming our best, or feeding greatness. Greatness in ourselves, greatness in our families, and greatness in our community. — 1. Begin with a heavy dose of gratitude and positivity. These are the flavor builders, or day builders, as I like to call them. When 18 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
we begin with gratitude, it leads to more positivity, and the day becomes brighter, bolder, and filled with zest. Flavor builders in soup tend to be vegetables that are first caramelized in the pan to bring depth and flavor to soup, this greatly affects the outcome of the soup. Without these flavor builders, the soup is unremarkable and lackluster. In the same way, our day must begin with heavy amounts of gratitude and positivity. It flavors everything about our day! — 2. Stir up habits that inspire living your best and accomplishing great things. In interviews with the most successful people, research has found that morning habits can make a huge difference in our days: getting up one hour earlier to have time for quiet reflection, eating breakfast, and focusing on priorities for the day. These habits stir up living at our best. Just as cream and broth in soups bind the flavors together, so do our habits. Our habits create our days. — 3. Sprinkle in ways to lead and share your talents with others. This is where the soup shines with the right ingredients added. Each of us have gifts to share. Imagine if we all lived in ways where our gifts were fully realized and utilized! Soup is meant to be enjoyed together; it’s nourishing and inspires warmth, and leaves you feeling good. I hope this recipe inspires you to gather around the table with your family and friends.
About Jen Jen Haugen, is an author, speaker and consultant, where she inspires audiences to feel positively radiant, balanced, and nourished from the inside out. She’s a sought-after culinary educator and loves to teach through zesty workshops that move audiences into taking action to live a life they’ve always dreamed of. She is the author of “The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden,” found locally at Sweet Reads, and on Amazon. Schedule your next workshop with Jen by contacting her at jen@ jenhaugen.com. Subscribe to her blog at www.jenhaugen.com.
Cream of Tomato Soup Serves 8 •4 tablespoons unsalted butter •1 (28 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained with juice reserved •1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved •1 onion, finely chopped •2 tablespoons light brown sugar •1 tablespoon tomato paste •2 tablespoons flour •1-¾ cups chicken broth •½ cup heavy cream •Salt and pepper to taste 1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add drained tomatoes (keep the reserved juice), onion, brown sugar, and tomato paste. Sauté approximately 5 minutes. 2. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly stir in broth and reserved tomato juice. Simmer for 10 minutes. 3. Puree the soup using an immersion blender, blender or food processor (in batches). 4. Return soup to the pot and stir in cream, and season with salt (simply add ½ teaspoon and taste to determine flavor) and pepper. This recipe was adapted with multiple changes from “The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.” January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 19
Sunrise of a new way
HOME & HEARTH
SolarChoice program makes use of sharing the bounty of the sun’s rays among customers By Christopher Baldus • Photos
Looking at Daphne Wagner’s house, you would not necessarily know it’s unique, at least not since she took the sign down. The little placard was in the way when she mowed the lawn. AFter a few weeks of that, she stashed it in the garage. Her’s is like many Austin homes in that it’s dependent on old technology. It still uses heating radiators, a concept that dates back to the mid-1800s, for example. What sets her home apart is its new sun-tapping technology. There are no solar panels on her roof, however. Only 25 percent of rooftops are suitable for solar installations, according to Austin Utilities. She’s
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by
Eric Johnson
a subscribing member of a community solar project, SolarChoice, through Austin Utilities. That’s why she had a little lawn sign advertising the program. Her son had been interested in installing solar at his home, she said, so when this opportunity came about, it led her to see what it could do for her. It has lowered her electricity bill, she said. “Anyone who subscribes starts getting the benefit on their bill the first full billing month after they sign up,” said Kelly Lady of Austin Utilities. Continues on Page 22
Daphne Wagner is one of the people currently subscribed to the community solar program SolarChoice.
Austin is tapped into panels located on land near Owatonna. The solar garden provider hopes to expand to possibly another site if there is enough interest. Photo provided
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 21
A group of people interested in Austin Utilities’ SolarChoice community solar program met at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center in November to learn about the project that is slowly gaining steam in the community.
Continued from Page 20 A community solar project — sometimes referred to as a solar garden or shared renewable energy plant — is a solar power plant whose electricity is shared by more than one household. Individuals purchase panel subscriptions upfront and receive bill credits for the electricity created by their share of the solar garden. Austin is just one community involved in the program through wholesale electric provider Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency. The others are Rochester, St. Peter, Princeton and A close up of just a few of the solar panels locaed near Owatonna. Photo provided
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Preston. Combined, they had 564.5 panels subscribed to in November. As of late November, Austin Utilities had 26 customers subscribed to 132 panels, according to Lady. SMMPA, of which Austin Utilities is one of 18 members, has a contract to buy all electricity generated for more than 20 years from a five-megawatt solar photovoltaic array owned and operated by Lemond Solar Center, LLC. The array began operating in June 2017 on about 40 acres near Owatonna. It produces enough electricity to power about 775 average homes.
SMMPA is poised to add another array. According to its 2016 annual report, if customers subscribe to at least 25 percent of the output of a three megawatt solar array, SMMPA will have a solar developer build it and contract for the output. Lady said the SolarChoice program is at about 8 percent of its goal to make that happen. “There are 2,481 panels that need to be subscribed to to cause an additional three megawatt solar facility to be built,” Lady said. Subscriptions are for six years or 12 years and customers may sign-up for more than one panel if they wish, according to the Austin Utilities website. Pricing is set on a per panel basis. Each customer may purchase the output from enough panels to cover up to 75 percent of their average monthly usage over the most recent 12-month
Austin Utilities’ Kelly Lady led the informational meeting.
period. A six-year plan costs $340 per panel or 12 monthly payments of $28.34 per panel. A 12-year plan is $660 per panel or 12 monthly payments of $55 per panel. When the subscription ends, so do the bill credits. If a subscriber moves to another address in town, their SolarChoice subscription moves too. If they move out of the service area, the subscription can be transferred or sold. Austin Utilities schedules free workshops to explain the project to potential subscribers. The workshops are designed to help you understand more about SolarChoice. For dates and times, as well as to register call 507-460-1706 or go on the web at http://austin.revtrak.net.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 23
Metro Image
THE LIST
Resolve to set healthy goals Resolutions can be a good first step for better fitness, eating habits 24 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
Story
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Eric Johnson
Most everybody has probably done it at some point in their life. The holidays have come around and the time has come where you look at yourself in the mirror and vow a New Year’s resolution to get in shape. It seems a cultural norm to fall into this yearly promise to better one’s self. However, resolutions can sometimes be difficult, for whatever the reason, to maintain. Many of us get halfway into January before falling off that betterment wagon into old habits, but that’s not to say that the New Year’s resolution isn’t the place to kick off a healthier trend in your life. “I think resolutions are a great kickoff point, just because they feed into the initial motivation,” said YMCA Director of Healthy Living Katie Bielefeld. “It’s just about finding
something that continues to motivate that person past that jump off. I think there’s a place for resolutions, but I don’t think resolutions are the answer to somebody getting healthy.” Getting healthy requires work and planning, and it’s the planning that should be one of the first places you start. “I would say get with somebody that’s got a plan and find an accountability to that plan,” Bielefeld said. “I guess my feelings are — jump in, start doing something. Sometimes people over-think things too much and so that causes them to just stop instead of doing something, even if it’s not 100 percent correct or to the plan. As long as it’s something, I feel that’s better than just waiting to figure it out.” Using a resolution as a jump-off point is a good start to launch a plan of action, but that action requires a plan. On the food front, Hy-Vee dietitian Megan Groh also suggests the resolution is an ideal starting line, but with moderation. “I think if you ease into it you kind of set yourself up,” Groh said. “When you don’t ease into it and you fall off the bandwagon, I think you tend to feel more guilty and you’re more likely to fall back into old habits more easily.” Like Bielefeld, Groh finds the idea of a plan can set a person on the right path. “I think it’s a great idea to write down a plan, because you need to think about what’s going to happen if I don’t stick to my plan,” she said. “How am I going to get back on track?’” The key then is to use resolutions as a jumping off point and moving ahead with the expectations that maybe things won’t go according to plan — and according to the experts, that’s OK. So long as you keep moving forward. “What I think is important to understand is that you don’t necessarily have to stay on track 100 percent,” Groh said. “Take food specifically. Anticipate that you will fail and that’s OK. Knowing that is going to help you sustain your goal.” The same goes with exercise. Even if you don’t make a set goal, continue pushing forward. “Progress is progress,” Bielefeld said. “It maybe wasn’t in the same time frame, but it’s another jumping-off point. We’ve got to this point, let’s move forward again. Eventually they are going to hit that goal.”
Martial Amouzouvi Kpongebe makes use of a treadmill at the YMCA.
Continues on Page 26 January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 25
Often times workouts are made easier and more fun by doing them in groups.
Continued from Page 25 The YMCA’s Katie Bielefeld and Hy-Vee’s Megan Groh, each took three common resolutions from the vantage point of their professions to come up with ways to meet goals set in the pursuit of making those resolutions a reality.
Lose weight n Healthy snacking is actually good for you. Snacking is a great pick-me-up, and it provides an opportunity to include all the important food groups in your diet. Snacking also can keep you from overeating at your next meal. Think protein and fiber to help with satiety. Winning snack combination: Greek yogurt plus blueberries. — Megan n Make strength-training a priority in your
workouts. Your body requires more calories to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat. Building muscle naturally increases the amount of calories your body will burn each day. Try incorporating some compound lifts into your weekly workout routine like pull-ups, bench press, squats, overhead press, dips and dead lifts. Keep in mind, lifting requires knowledge and practice of correct form to not only protect yourself, but to maximize the potential benefits of the lift. Never be afraid to ask for a spot, self-check form in mirrors, or schedule a workout or two with a certified trainer to learn the moves with correct form and cueing. — Katie
Enjoy life to the fullest n Many forms of social gatherings are organized around food, as food is a way people are often able to connect. Eating can be both nutritious and enjoyable. Guacamole is an excellent choice for social gatherings. Made from avocados, guacamole is high in monounsaturated fats which may help to lower blood cholesterol. You can dip the guacamole with tortilla chips, baked chips or even vegetables like carrots, jicama and peppers. — Megan 26 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
n Group workouts are an excellent way to make new friends, find accountability and camaraderie among others with similar fitness goals and preferences. Try a new class! You’ll probably be surprised to find out just how excited people are to see new faces join their workout circles. Group exercise instructors are well-prepared to make your experience one that is enjoyable. Show up and they’ll make sure you’re well taken care of. If you’re unsure what to expect, call the facility and plan to meet the instructor before class to educate you on the equipment, and moves you’ll see during their workout. — Katie
Stay fit and healthy n In the world of human health, mag-
nesium is a key nutrient for many vital functions in the body. Deficiency of this mineral is thought to be linked to more than 20 disease conditions. Despite this importance, it’s estimated that more than 80 percent of Americans do not get enough in their daily diet. Sprinkling wheat germ, sunflower seeds and your favorite fruit on yogurt or hot cereal is a great way to start the day with a magnesium boost. — Megan n Plan for progress. As tempting as
it may be to jump into a new workout routine, work to Metro Image complete fatigue and leave the gym dripping in sweat and walking on Jell-O legs to your car, err on the side of moderation. Track the work you do, and label it from 1-10 based on how hard you feel you’re working. We call this the Rate of Perceived Exertion. To begin, work to maintain an RPE of 5-7 for your first weeks. Slowly begin to increase that to 6-8,9 or even 10 for some exercises as your body acclimates to the new stress. By planning for progress, working to progressively increase the intensity, you’ll reduce the chances of muscle soreness, illness or injury that could ultimately set you back if you are stuck recovering longer than intended. My motto: Go for habit, then go hard! — Katie
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 27
OUT & ABOUT
Fighting with dedication Researcher Sonali Lad, left, and doctoral student Nissi Paidimukkala both work out of Dr. Rebeca Morris’ lab at The Hormel Institute. 28 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
A single-minded push behind curing cancer comes from the drive of education By The Hormel Institute • Photos Provided If one stepped into a lab or cancer research seminar at The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, the level of expertise and years of education and knowledge of its faculty would be immediately apparent. From the interest in science first ignited as children, to the dedication it takes to achieve a doctorate degree in such a specialized science, the path is steep and rigorous. The Hormel Institute, UMN is an academic research institute, which means education is a major priority. Researcher Sonali Lad in Dr. Rebecca Morris’ lab is currently a graduate student at the University of Minnesota Rochester. Doctoral student Nissi Paidimukkala is also a student under the advisement of Dr. Morris, and both are in the Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology (BICB) program at the University of Minnesota-Rochester. Executive Director Dr. Zigang Dong and Associate Director Dr. Ann Bode helped to develop the curriculum Dr. Rebecca Morris. for the BICB program. Both Sonali and Nissi have approximately a semester left and Dr. Morris is their adviser. “It is very important to me to support aspiring students as they pursue their education and hopefully join the scientific research community,” said Morris, head of the Stem Cells and Cancer lab at the Institute. “I know how important the encouragement and support of professors are in helping teach, guide and help young scientists and young adults as they pursue their careers.”
Doctoral student Nissi Paidimukkala gives a presentation titled “Identification of Regulatory Elements in Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Skin Carcinogenesis Using High Throughput Sequencing.”
About the BICB program The vision of the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BICB) program is to conduct research and provide education through the establishment of academic and research programs. All BICB academic and research programs collaborate among the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR), The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMTC), Mayo Clinic, IBM, National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the Brain Sciences Center to advance informatics and computation and to support a strong life science industry in Minnesota. Computation is the vanguard of today’s biomedical research. UMR’s Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BICB) program is the vanguard of biomedical computation. UMR combine the strengths and skills of eight internationally renowned partners - University of Minnesota Rochester, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Mayo Clinic, IBM, The Hormel Institute, Cray, Inc., National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the Brain Sciences Center - to create a one-of-a-kind opportunity for research and graduate education at the intersection of quantitative sciences, biology and medicine.
Sonali’s current research is partially funded by Morris’ Paint the Town Pink grant and her theses is titled “Looking for Bone Marrow Derived Epithelial Cells in Mammary Cancer.” She selected the BICB program over general lab research because she appreciated how the field of bioinformatics allows data gathered to branch out and be sequenced. Her next step following earning her master’s degree will be to determine if she’ll enter the industry or continue her higher education by pursuing a doctorate degree. Nissi, finalizing a research project under the advisement of Morris, presented her research project to The Hormel Institute titled “Identification of Key Regulators in Keratinocyte Stem Cells Using High Throughput Sequencing.” She first became interested in cancer research as a 10-year-old after her grandfather — who never smoked or drank — died from lung cancer. “’I’ve learned how complicated cancer development is — it is not just lifestyle and environment, but also genes,” she said. “It pushes me further when I see the advances research has made and how it positively impacts and affects survivors of cancer.” January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 29
OUT & ABOUT
More than meets the eye
When it comes to Austin standing out as a Top 5 city, it’s more than just tourism Story
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Eric Johnson
Pictured above, left to right: The Riverland cast of “She Loves Me.” Riverland is just one of the theater options in Austin; 1910 Fresh Mexican Kitchen owner Israel Gonzales prepares sangria at the newly-opened location. The 1910 is a recent addition to Austin’s vast number of eating establishments; Austin takes the volunteer spirit and runs — or in this case rides — as volunteers help roll out a new fleet of red bikes this summer. Vision 2020 is one of the many organizations in Austin driven by volunteers. 30 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
When Discover Austin submitted its application for Minnesota Monthly’s “Best Minnesota Town,” contest, it quickly became aware there was a lot of competition. Several communities from around the state thought they had more than enough to tout. “There were over 30 applications that were submitted,” said Discover Austin Executive Director Nancy Schnable from her downtown office. But what the magazine discovered pretty quickly was that maybe Austin had a little more for people than maybe some residents of Austin even knew. A panel whittled that list down from 30 to 10 and then a big online voting push from the public brought that list to five — including Austin. “Just Austin alone had over 30,000 votes, so when people [went online] to that website — www.bestmntown. com — to vote, they see that list, maybe it sparked a thought — ‘I didn’t know Austin had all of this,’” Schnable said. On Nov. 30, Minnesota Monthly, at a party in the Twin Cities, named Bemidji as the contest’s winner. “Unfortunately, we did not get first place, but we’re still winners as it’s a great promotion for Austin; it really highlighted the attributes we have and there is still a lot of good things going for Austin,” Schnable said. “We’re very proud to be in the top five of the ‘Best Minnesota Town.’” It’s certainly been no secret that Austin has plenty of things to get people out and about, but what this contest has shown is that there is even more than residents suspected. “It’s been incredible for Austin,” Schnable said. “It really puts us in a spotlight that’s a positive thing to kind of showcase things that maybe people in our community might not recognize, but also people around the state.”
Schnable and Discover Austin were required to write an extensive essay that highlighted specific areas that, in theory, sets Austin apart from the other communities not only in the initial 30, but the other four in the top five listed — Bemidji, Walker, Waconia and just up Highway 218 in Owatonna. While we couldn’t print everything, Austin Living sat down with Schnable on a fairly mild, November day and asked her to pick five specific areas she thought set Austin apart. If you thought Austin had a lot to provide before, this might be the mass of the iceberg floating beneath the tip.
Art and Music
Over the years, Austin has become an anchor for the arts and music in southeastern Minnesota. It boasts a thriving music scene with groups like the Austin Symphony Orchestra and Northwestern Singers. It’s home to three different theater groups: Riverland Community College, Summerset Theatre and the Matchbox Children’s Theatre, and its arts community has exploded with the Austin Area Commission for the Arts and the stillgrowing Austin ArtWorks Festival in August. These are just a few areas of a community that oftentimes endorses itself as being a tourist destination for its own residents. “When you’re close to things, sometimes you don’t see them until you stand a little farther back,” Schnable said. “Being in the top five has really shone a light on the way that visitors look at Austin as well as people from the outside.” Continues on Page 32 January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 31
Continued from Page 31 Woven within that culture of the arts and music goes the idea of eating — a partnership that works easily with the idea of a night out. Discover Austin highlighted that a couple years ago with the “Be a Tourist in Your Own Home Town” contest that challenged people to go out and eat at over 30 of the more than 60 eating establishments in Austin. “It was an eye-opener to a lot of residents because you kind of get into your own routine where you go to five, 10 of them,” Schnable said. “But once you gave them a list and challenged them to go to over 30 of them, it was a great experience. People tried things they’ve never tried before.”
Minnesota Nice
This seems like a gimme for any Minnesota community trying to top a list like this. If you want people to visit, being nice might be the top reason for getting people there. But the idea expands past simply welcoming people with a smile to one establishment or another. It’s an idea that encompasses lending a hand to those within the community residents call home. “This one kind of comes up to the top because when Austin has a need that arises, the community usually responds,” Schnable said. Naturally, that idea also expands to highlighting Austin, especially when volunteers are needed for events that bring people into the community. It’s that volunteer spirit that lifts Austin. Schnable pointed to things like the Community Home Improvement Project (CHIP), Habitat for Humanity, Vision
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2020, Paint the Town Pink and so many other examples that not only help out a cause, but that bring people together as a community. “We really, truly do have a lot of ‘Minnesota Nice’ here in Austin when it comes to volunteers, if there is a need,” Schnable said.
Nature and Water
People, when asked about chances to get out into nature, will more than likely first mention the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center — and they wouldn’t be wrong. Boasting 518 acres complete with miles of walking trails, activities and wildlife, the nature center is the go-to destination for the outdoor-minded, but it’s only part of a vast outdoors network interwoven through Austin that features 28 other parks and encompassing a whopping 900 combined acres. “What really brought it to the surface was when our board did a retreat,” Schnable said. “We were trying to ‘discover Austin’ in a different way and we got some Segways. We were going through town and the leader said, ‘I can’t believe all the beautiful parks here in town.’” The number of parks often acts as a measuring stick to a community. Not to be outdone with places like the nature center and Todd Park, Austin and the area also boasts a growing water recreation system within the Cedar River Watershed District that includes the Cedar River, Dobbins Creek and Turtle Creek. “They provide opportunities for canoeing and kayaking, fishing and enjoying nature from a different view,” Schnable said. “We can’t forget about East Side Lake and Mill Pond. If you want to tour East Side Lake, we have the Spamtown Belle.”
Sports
The nice thing about Austin is its large number of sporting activities. While not necessarily something that sets Austin that far apart from other communities, what really stands it out is the sheer variety. In the summer there is plenty of baseball here: the Austin Blue Sox and Greyhounds amateur baseball programs played at the iconic Marcusen Park; the oldest American Legionsponsored baseball team in Minnesota, from Post 91; and Austin Youth Baseball. There are also several outdoor courts to play basketball. And that’s only a small number of the activities. In the winter, things continue with the Austin Bruins, which have given fans the chance to watch quality hockey action. The Bruins have also had, and continue to have, impacts on downtown Austin. “Not only does it bring visitors into town for the game, but once they get here they maybe are going to the game, but they then look across the street and they see the Italian [Bella Victoria] they can go to. It becomes an economic factor as well,” Schnable said. Another aspect that makes so many sporting activities attractive is getting people involved with one another as a community. “When I moved to Austin, I went down to Rotary Centennial Park and there were all sorts of diversity playing basketball,” Schnable related. “All sorts of different ages; some of them I would say were older high school kids and some of them were middle school-aged kids. Even though sometimes there is a language barrier, sometimes basketball erases that.” “The older kids were teaching the younger kids, regardless of their background, how to play basketball.”
Education
That diversity, seen so often in sports, is also prominent in education. Austin hosts not only two school districts: Austin Public Schools and Pacelli Catholic Schools, but Riverland Community College as well. “Diversity brings me back to my education thing where people are kind of learning to work together to make this community thrive,” Schnable said. “There are 53 languages represented among students in Austin Public Schools and Austin has really embraced that and learned to work with that.” All of these ideas, paint Austin as a place for people to get out and do something. Like the other four communities in the top five, Austin is a gem with many facets and opportunities. The contest itself has been an open window into the soul and heartbeat of Austin. “It’s been a great process because some people will come in and kind of question,” Schnable said. “From the outside it doesn’t look as deep as it possibly is. Once we get talking, you kind of see people immerse themselves in it and learn more from it. It’s been overwhelmingly positive, not only from our standpoint, but to teach people, to let people know what’s all there. It’s kind of the ripple effect.” Pictured above, left to right: A pair of teams kick off a Hispanic basketball tournament at Rotary Centennial Park. This path is just one of many winding through the picturesque Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. Austin Public Schools has embraced the strong march of diversity in its schools. January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 33
OUT & ABOUT
Throughout Paint the Town Pink’s run Kathi Finley has been a driving force of the massive fundraising effort.
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e c r o f The d n i h e b e s u a c the Kathi Finley spearheads one of the largest cancer fund-drives in southeastern Minnesota as Paint the Town Pink continues to grow By Christopher Baldus • Photos Seeing lights on late at night in a second floor laboratory of The Hormel Institute means the world to Kathi Finley. Partially, it’s because she directs the Paint the Town Pink fundraising campaign that helps fund the cancer research. It’s also a personal mission to resist helplessness. She loves her part-time job with the Institute, but is anxious for the day that it will no longer be needed. She works toward the day when “there is no more sitting in a doctor’s office and listening to a doctor say ‘I’m really sorry, there is nothing more we can do for you,’” she said. “I’ve sat there with a friend and heard those words. It is devastating to hear somebody beg for their life, or to beg to have a doctor try to do anything to save them.” So Finley directs a campaign to back research into preventing cancer, prolonging lives and finding a cure. When she sees the light, she knows, “scientists are working diligently, pouring their knowledge and their education and their passion into finding a cure for cancer,” she said. “That’s pretty darn special. That’s dedication to me, and drive. Because I’ll never find the cure for cancer, ever, but at least I can try to raise funds to help the people who can, and that motivates me.” Finley was asked by the Institute to be the Paint the Town Pink director after it grew too
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Eric Johnson
large too quickly for the Austin Convention and Visitor Bureau. The campaign continues to grow. It all began with the Austin Bruins hockey team’s “Paint the Rink Pink” promotion in 2011 to raise awareness about breast cancer. Then, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, picked up on it, expanding to events beyond the rink. Finley joined the steering committee at the end of that 2012 pink season, which these days begins in the fall and goes to spring. “We could not do it without her ambassadorship and all her hard work helping us coordinate the efforts,” said Gail Dennison, director of development and public relations for The Hormel Institute. Paint the Town Pink events vary, with big events such as the Plunging for Pink and many smaller ones. “Each one has something really cool and special about it.” Finley said. “The Cedars for example, they get all of their clients involved and they do pink events. They do cupcake eating contests or a pie throwing contest. It’s just always something really fun that gets an older generation involved. And then you have the little Critters out at Woodson collecting pennies.” Continues on Page 36 January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 35
Members of the HYPOthermic Heroes run from the water following their jump last year during the Plunging for Pink at East Side Lake while Justin Hovde, with the Dutchtown Jumpers cannonballs. File photos
Continued from Page 35 The 2018 dates for Paint the Town Pink are Jan. 27 to Feb. 11, with three weekends of major events along with smaller events in between. It’s poised to grow beyond that time frame, however. “Now we are getting into things that are going to be done during the summer, during the fall, because it’s a lot, timewise, and it’s a lot financially for people to try to handle in a two- or three-week span of time as far as getting donations or making donations,” she said. When you want to attend multiple events within the limited window, it adds up. “We don’t want it to be financially draining,” she said. “We want it to be fun with the benefit of raising money.” Paint the Town Pink succeeds because of wide support. “I am one spoke in a really big wheel, and quite honestly, if communities didn’t embrace this, if citizens of the communities didn’t take their time and their energies to organize events, or to donate to events, or citizens of the community don’t take time to attend these events, there would be no Paint the Town Pink. So every person along the line that does something to contribute to any one of these events, they’re all part of the solution. They’re all doing something beyond themselves to help everybody.” Finley describes her job as a “point of contact” for people and the campaign and the Institute — to bring awareness. 36 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
Dennison says Finley is more: “She has the biggest heart for those battling cancer and a desire to do something about it.” Finley has met many people who have been diagnosed with cancer and died, but she also knows many that have survived. One is her step-daughter, Felicity, now 24, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after a routine physical for a mission trip. “Your life changes in a second,” Finley said. “When it’s your child, it just rips your heart out.” Felicity underwent an operation that left a scar in her neck, which changed the dynamics of what is usually a joyful experience for a high school girl — selecting a special dress. “I remember taking her to shop for her homecoming dress following her surgery,” Finley said. “It wasn’t about the style of the dress or the color of the dress. She wanted to cover the scar from the surgery.
The Austin Bruins event that started it all off, Paint the Rink Pink, has been a successful draw every year as the jerseys of the players are auctioned off with funds going to The Hormel Institute. File photo
2018 Major Paint the Town Pink events • Plunging for Pink – Jan. 27 • Fishing for a Cure – Feb. 3 • Paint the Rink Pink – Feb. 10 • Smashing Cancer Demolition Derby – Feb. 11 Anyone who has ideas or is interested in participating in the 2018 PTTP is encouraged to contact Kathi Finley at 507-460-0259 or by email at GoPTTP@gmail.com.
“People are well-intentioned and they ask because they are concerned,” but seeing her daughter’s discomfort with having to talk about it and having people ask about it was heart-crushing. “You can’t take that away. You can’t make that better,” Finley said. “There is nothing you can do.” It’s a feeling of helplessness she doesn’t want to feel again. Her step-daughter, although not cancer free, “is living a normal life,” she said. “It’s a real blessing to get to hear the success stories,” Finley said. “Because there is a lot of tears and a lot of sadness that go along with cancer. When you get to be motivated by an encouraging story of survival, it’s huge, huge! It’s great. It’s heart-filling and heartwarming.” January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 37
Super Girl Jessica Cabeen is a driving force of positivity in education
By Deb Nicklay • Photos
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Eric Johnson
As Woodson Kindergarten Center students head to their buses, principal Jessica Cabeen is always sure to be there giving high-fives and hugs.
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y her own admission, Woodson Kindergarten Center Principal Jessica Cabeen has always been “a square peg, round hole-type of girl,” she said.
The more visible signs might be seen in the Super Girl outfit she wore in the annual Woodson Halloween Parade or that shade of (hot) pink spray dye she wore in her hair for the day when her kids met their goal during a penny collection as part of Paint the Town Pink. And, on this day, Cabeen greets her visitor with her signature enthusiasm, and wearing a pair of shoes that say “Smi” on the right, and “le” on the left. But if you think these are just light-hearted affectations, think again. Cabeen is dead serious about nurturing children. And taking a different path is just one way Cabeen has distinguished herself. It comes as no surprise that a Better Leaders, Better Schools podcast site headlines her guest blog information with the headline, “Unconventional Leadership.” Cabeen, 41, is increasingly looked to as an educator of note not only in Austin, but across the country. Education always played a major role in Cabeen’s life. Her dad was a guidance counselor; her mother, a speech pathologist. Later, she was determined to combine her nurturing side with her love of music and turn it into a music therapy career — an unusual path at the time. While some parents might have urged her to follow a traditional path, her dad urged her to use her best gifts. “My dad would say, ‘If this is what you want to do, I’ll make sure you get whatever you need to get there,’” she said. “He really cultivated my interest.” She earned her degree in music performance and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; afterward, she worked at a children’s home near Dixon, Ill., and at Opportunity Village in Clear Lake, Iowa. After five years, she landed a position as a music therapist in St. Paul Public Schools — the first time she worked with students in a school setting. She worked with the autistic, the emotionally disturbed, and children with fragile medical conditions. Her recollection of that time is filled with affection for both the students and teachers with whom she worked. While working in Clear Lake, she met her future husband, Rob. After their marriage, they welcomed two boys to their family: Kenny and Isaiah now 12 and 11 respectively. After they moved to Austin, Rob landed a job with Austin Utilities. Along the way, she earned her master’s degree. Cabeen came to Austin to become special education coordinator at Ellis Middle School and Austin High School. She loved working with then-Principal Katie Berglund, she said. She not only was able to get her school administrative feet wet, she was able to work with special needs kids. “It was a great opportunity, one that I really enjoyed,” she 40 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
said. “It was really neat coming to a community like Austin — the commitment its people had to kids was incredible.” Her decision to leave Ellis came with the opportunity to be a principal at Woodson in 2011. “It gave me the opportunity to lead a building, but also the opportunity to lead in a building where my son was starting school. I got to be a first-year principal and parent at the same time,” she said. She was referring to son Isaiah, who is from Ethiopia. That year marked his first schooling — and he knew no English at that time. Today, he is in honors math. “He is a rock star,” she said proudly. She didn’t feel like a star when she first took over the Woodson job, however. Continues through Page 43
Jessica Cabeen crouches down to ask a student what it means to be nice and happy. Below from left, Cabeen jokes with one of her teachers, something she regularly can be found doing and on another day helps students get into their winter coats as school begins wrapping up the day.
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First and foremost at the center of Cabeen’s passion for education are the students she educates.
Cabeen dances with the students as she prepared them for the Woodson Holiday Sing. 42 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
“I did not know how to lead at the elementary level,” she said. “I thought, ‘This should be easy. Uh-no,’” she said. She found setting development expectations was more difficult than she had anticipated. How do you expect the best when the best is so hard to evaluate at that age? “I also didn’t realize the importance of play,” she said. Her teachers, as it turned out, were her teachers — a move by staff that helped Cabeen understand a number of things about kindergartners. For instance, she came to realize that play-based education actually spurred creativity and critical thinking skills. But just as importantly, she found that at Woodson, “we are family.” “I found you can’t segregate the program from the person,” she said. She recalled with a chuckle when a couple of her staff cornered her in her office, almost demanding that she go home for the day. They knew, Cabeen added, how easy it was for educators to become so committed they did not take time for themselves and their families. She also found she had been used to working with smaller groups — and now, she had 400 charges to watch after. Cabeen makes no bones about the fact that her teachers quickly became her partners. And, she learned. Early on she decided that PBIS — Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports — was a program she wanted to embrace and training got underway
for herself and staff. In simple terms, it is a way to teach students about how you expect them to behave. The earlier you can help instill the need for responsibility and respect, the educational journey — and life journey — improves. Woodson is a happy place, she said, “a safe and caring environment — but we’re also high on student achievement.” She said many hours have been spent with a savvy staff about ways to enable their students to be the best they can be. Cabeen makes sure learning goals and student growth data are posted for all to see. She always has her eye on providing technological opportunities for students and staff in the primary years, and creating and implementing a successful year-long district wellness initiative that partnered with community agencies and businesses. Her Reading Buddies initiative with Hormel Foods is a highlight of the school year. Cabeen, said teacher Ellie Verdoorn “is a creative leader who is always motivated to bring new ideas and initiatives into the Kindergarten Center; Jessica recognizes and appreciates the special qualities that each staff member brings to the students. “She helps us all make learning fun — which is the best way to learn.” Cabeen is also part of a leadership circle of educators in Minnesota. She facilitates the Minnesota P3 Principal Leadership series as well as the Principal Academy through the University of Minnesota. Earlier this year, she spoke
“It was really neat coming to a community like Austin — the commitment its people had to kids was incredible.” Jessica Cabeen fervently at a podium shared by Gov. Mark Dayton, about the need for 4-year-old preschool and funding for early childhood education. She was also named the 2017 National Distinguished Principal for Minnesota, “a wonderful honor,” she said. The program recognizes and celebrates elementary and middle school principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, character and climate for students, families and staff in their learning communities. She accepted the award during ceremonies in Washington, D.C. in October. In true Cabeen fashion, she involved all her kids in the celebration. During an assembly, students and staff all worked to decide what kinds of things she should pack in her suitcase for the trip. After all, that’s what your family does.
Cabeen at home in her office, surrounded by so many things that mark her passion for education.
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Hayley Newman, and Austin graduate, is currently interning with Worlein Funeral Home with a continued eye toward helping people.
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I just want to help
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Austin grad follows winding path into funeral services to offer the support once afforded her family By Deb Nicklay • Photos
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Eric Johnson
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fter two years of college at Winona State University, Hayley Newman was at a crossroads. She had enrolled with the thought of becoming a teacher, but once she got into her studies, “I decided it just wasn’t going to be my calling,” said the 22-year-old Austin native. Then she recalled a career she had first thought of, back when she was senior at Austin High School. That was a tough year. Newman lost two grandmothers within 12 days of each other. Her family was hit hard, but she was impressed by the help her family received from both the Worlein Funeral Home staff, especially Jim Stough and Mary Kittelson, as well as the staff at Kahler Funeral Home in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. The handling of the arrangements, working with the family and referrals for grief support impressed Newman, and, she said, “planted the seed” for a future career. Today, Newman is in her fourth month as an intern at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin. Newman knew she had some of the needed ingredients for a mortuary science degree. She had entertained thoughts of careers in business, or the ministry; combined with her interest in teaching, even though she did not pursue it as a full-fledged career, were all good skills for preparing for being a funeral home director. Living in a Twin Cities-based Mueller-Bies Funeral Home during her studies was “a huge blessing.” It was by happenstance she was able to find the accommodations — her rent was given to her free of charge in return for some office duties, answering phones and providing help during visitations. “I hadn’t very much experience, and I wanted to make sure this was for me,” she said, adding she was able to get a sense of what the life was about. Continues through Page 47 January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 45
She completed her degree at the University of Minnesota School of Mortuary Science and is now more than happy with her career choice. She will intern at Worlein Funeral Home for a year; she has already had clinicals — required of her studies — at both Bonnerup Funeral Home in Albert Lea, and O’Halloran and Murphy Funeral Home and Cremation Services in St. Paul, before her internship began. “They have made me feel comfortable” from the first day, she said. A requirement of her internship, required by state law, is to work 2,080 hours, complete with 25 reports made in each of the following: completing embalming reports, handling funeral arrangements and handling services. To date, she has worked on eight services; she just recently worked on her first full set of arrangements (She had worked on others, but with more supervision). She was grateful, she added, that the Worlein staff was so good at allowing her to progress in the internship at a comfortable pace. Most probably don’t realize the extent of the details to be handled in the position. Making sure photo boards, food,
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“
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Right now, I am going with the flow,” she said. “But I know that I would like to say this will be my forever career.
flowers and music are all handled is just the beginning. Working with the family, writing obituaries and programs — all take time and timing. “Funerals can be held anywhere — it could be held at the Eagles, or in a park. We will do anything we can do to take the burden off the family,” she said. “And I don’t care how much work it takes, as long as the family’s needs are being met.” “Every family’s services are going to be different,” she said. The university, she said, made her feel “like I was really well-prepared” prior to her internship. While funeral staff members are not counselors in the strict sense, they are ready to refer families to agencies and services to help them through the process, including grief counseling. “Even though we’re not counselors, we will tell you about the people who we know are,” she said. Worlein Funeral Home facilitates two grief support groups a year, one in the summer and one in the winter. Worlein coordinates with Austin Mayo Hospice Home Care, which has its grief support group in the spring and fall. The Worlein grief support group
For all of her other reasons for entering the world of mortuary services, it comes down to one above all others. “I just want to help.”
is held at the Mower County Senior Center. Once she has completed her internship, she will have to make a decision on how she wants her career to look — which could range from establishing her own funeral home, working for an existing funeral home, or taking the time to consider her options. “Right now, I am going with the flow,” she said. “But I know that I would like to say this will be my forever career.” Kittelson said she was impressed with Newman’s commitment to the profession. “Lots of young people have inquired over the years about a career in funeral service, but Hayley followed through,” she said. “I am excited to see her actually working at her chosen profession and putting into action what she has worked so hard to accomplish. “I am excited to have her as a co-worker and I believe she is a perfect fit for funeral service.” Newman chuckled when asked about the reaction from her friends when she told them she was following the career as a funeral director. “It still goes one of two ways. One person will say, ‘Still working at a funeral home, huh? Cool.’ The other reaction will be, ‘Why?’” Newman knows that while you cannot change how people look upon the career, she knows that ultimately, “it is
“It still goes one of two ways. One person will say, ‘Still working at a funeral home, huh? Cool.’ The other reaction will be, ‘Why?’”
just about helping people” along on a journey that is a part of everyone’s life. “When one of my grandmothers died, I watched Mary (Kittelson) work with my grandfather — when she directed him to grief support, you could see how it helped him so much. And that’s what this is really about. That’s what I tell people — I just want to help.” January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 47
Portrait of a Creator Local artist, knitter and jewelry-maker Mary Wolcott shares her craft By Mike Stoll • Photos
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Eric Johnson
W
alking into the Austin home of Mary Wolcott, it is apparent that you’ve stepped into the house of an artist. Fresh off of a sale held at her home, Wolcott had several paintings and many pieces of jewelry that she was still in the process of putting into storage. Each painting showed particular attention to detail, while each piece of handcrafted jewelry was unique. Wolcott, who has lived in Austin her whole life (“I won’t tell you how many years,” she joked), keeps herself busy with art and jewelry making. “I first took an art class from Jim Wagner and that’s how I started,” she said. “When I was in school and I stayed with a friend, she had paper and I just started drawing people. Nobody directed me; I just did it.” After that, Wolcott dabbled in different types of artistry. “I like to try a lot of different things,” she said. “I’ve tried oil, acrylic, pencil-drawings – I’ve done two pencil drawings of my grandkids that look just like them – and I started doing all of this other stuff.” Wolcott says she is not a big fan of doing landscapes and
her preferred medium is oil paint and her preferred work is portraits. “I do portraits from a small photograph or a picture from ‘National Geographic’ and I really do it inch-by-inch,” she said. “Most people just splash the paint, but I don’t.” Hanging on the wall of her home is a portrait of a young woman. “That’s one of my mother that I did about three or four years ago from a little tiny painting of when she was 20 years old,” she said. “My daughter wants me to paint a picture of myself. We’ll see.” Continues through Page 51
Mary Wolcott has done plenty to keep busy throughout her life including painting, jewelry making and sewing of crafts. Above, Mary paints in some detail on one of her paintings.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 49
Mary shows off one of her knitted hats.
One such portrait caught the attention of a stranger. “A long time ago, I did a painting of Red Skelton in his clown outfit and they were having a sale at the Holiday Inn or the Red Cedar Inn, I can’t remember which one,” Wolcott said. “Some guy bought it for $35. He was from Chicago. I had never met him or anything. I wasn’t proud of the painting, but it looked just like him.” Wolcott estimates that she’s done anywhere from 20 to 25 paintings. On the kitchen table were several pieces of jewelry from her previous sale. “I had two or three tables full and the kitchen table full of jewelry,” she said. “I made most of it; there were a couple of antique necklaces I didn’t make. I used to work in an antique shop (Kingsley House) for 14 years. It’s not in business any longer. They’ve been out of business for quite a few years. It was down a block from Main Street.” Wolcott’s interest in making jewelry came from a friend’s shop. “It started out as a fun thing and now 50 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
‘It’s fun doing it and I’m just going to keep on doing it.’
I just keep doing it,” she said. “I’d go to Colorado and pick up the stuff. I had a friend that had a shop in Colorado. She had some Indian jewelry and one was called a fetish. It has birds and animals on it to ward off evil spirits.” “It never warded off any of mine,” she added with a laugh. Wolcott prefers to use stones when making her jewelry. “I like the turquoise,” she said. “I use real coral turquoise, jasper, sterling silver. I’ve made some glass pieces, but mostly stones. To me they’re better than glass.” Since she began making jewelry, Wolcott has sold approximately 50 pieces. “I used to go to craft shows, such as one in Blooming Prairie and one at the high school,” she said. “I don’t sell my items that often anymore. It takes a lot of energy and I’m running out of energy. You can only have a little spot and I think I have too much. That’s why it’s easier to have (sales) here (at home). I do much better here. I usually have ones like this twice a year.”
Mary surrounded by some of her work, including a portrait of her mother and her jewelry.
Although she does not take special requests, Wolcott does repair jewelry. But when she isn’t painting, making jewelry, or dancing with the Austin Cotillion Club, Wolcott is busy knitting hats and decorating jackets. “I used to knit a long time ago,” she said. “When my kids were little, I’d knit their sweaters for school. Then I kind of quit. I got to play golf and got to play Bridge. Now, I go to a knitting meet at the senior center and we all make something. I’ll also buy jackets and decorate them, maybe hand paint something on them.” “I’ve got to quit the jackets though,” she added. “They take up a lot of space.” Wolcott sells her hats, but also gives some to a good cause. “I’ve given a couple of hats to my friends that had cancer,” she said. “Pretty soon I’m going to give more away.” When it comes to her hobbies, Wolcott has no plans to stop. “It’s fun doing it and I’m just going to keep on doing it,” she said. January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 51
TRAVEL
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It’s hard to miss the nearly three-story high astronaut within the museum, hovering over everything.
The world at your fingertips The Science Museum of Minnesota is a central hub for learning nestled in the heart of St. Paul By Rocky Hulne • Photos
by
Eric Johnson
to get people in here, When Netflix’s and it was a fun way second season of to ignite that nostal“Stranger Things.,” gia. I think a lot of started, the science people in Minnesota fiction commuremember coming nity was filled in here as a kid and with enthusiasm having fun.” and binge-watchThe Science ing sessions. The Museum of season also had a Minnesota originally minor detail that opened in 1907 as pushed plenty of the St. Paul Institute the viewers toof Science. It has wards checking out been in its current actual science. location since 1999. In one epiIt is the most visited sode, a character museum in the is wearing a 1980s five-state region. Science Museum of Through its move Minnesota sweatand expansion, the shirt featuring a museum holds plenty dinosaur skeleton. of fun for visitors After a viewer across its three floors noticed the shirt, On the bottom level of the museum is the popular Diof exhibits. they contacted the nosaurs and Fossils Exhibit filled with the remains of It offers a wide museum, which the mighty creatures that once dominated the Earth. mix of hands-on put it up on their activities, historiFacebook page. cal artifacts, and interesting exhibits to touch anybody’s Soon, people were flocking to the museum to get the shirt scientific curiosity. Imholte said science is becoming and check out the museum, which is located on the scenic more and more important to every day life in modbed of a river bluff, overlooking the Mississippi River and ern society. According to the Minnesota Department of right across the street from Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Employment and Economic Development, over the past “We have several people in our department who are 10 years, growth in jobs related to science, technology, huge ‘Stranger Things’ fans who did not notice the shirt engineering and math have seen three times greater growth until we were told about it,” said Science Museum of than the growth of non-STEM jobs. Minnesota Public Relations Specialist Sarah Imholte. “They Continues through Page 57 wanted [the shirt], so we brought it back. It was a fun way January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 53
The Science Museum of Minnesota has one lone mummy on display, giving Minnesotans a prime chance to connect with ancient Egypt.
Hundreds of Native American artifacts are on display in special, climate-controlled rooms as to better preserve each piece.
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“We’re more than just a museum,” Imholte said. “We do the best we can to bring science to life and ignite that curiosity in people, especially with kids. We want them to make personal connections with people who make a living off of science. Kids kind of have to be scientifically literate to be successful in our society.” Walk into the Science Museum and you may be drawn in by the giant skeleton of a T-Rex in the lobby. Continue walking and you could be startled by the musical sound of bells that ring as you walk up and down the stairs. Find your place on the balcony and you may be blown away by the giant astronaut figure hovering in front of you. Then, you’ll finally make your way to the exhibits, where you can learn about human biology, check out several historical artifacts of Native Americans and a collection of fraudulent medical devices in the Museum of Questionable Devices. Or take in a movie on an IMAX screen. “You could easily spend a whole day here,” Imholte said. “We’re always working on showcasing current science and some of the ways science touches people’s lives. We’re continuously trying to update our exhibits to keep people informed.” The museum offers something for every age group. There are live theater performances for preschool-aged kids to learn about science along with numerous exhibits that would draw in any elementary, middle or high school student and there are classes and camps offered for teacher education. Many of the exhibits are interactive including an exhibit in the Sportsology Exhibit that allows kids to race virtual competitors including Minnesota Twins mascot T.C. the Bear. Part of this success is the active role the museum takes in helping teachers advance a scientific curriculum in their own schools. “We’re really proud of the teacher professional development program,” Imholte said. “We spent a lot of hours helping teachers to bring science to life in their classroom.” It isn’t all about the exhibits at the SMM. It’s also very much about the work being done there and the same time provides an opportunity for visitors to see the science being done. There are nearly three million artifacts on hand at the museum for researchers to study and visitors can watch artifacts being studied within the walls of the museum. The hours of the museum vary seasonally and are available, along with rates, reservations and additional information, at www.smm.org or by calling 651-221-9444. The regular exhibit gallery admission is $18.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 4 to 12 and seniors.
One of the most visible sites are artists that come each day to museum to sketch the skeletons.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 55
What awaits you on a visit to the Science Museum of Minnesota The following list contains a rundown of all there is to see and do at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Set aside a day and take the family through a tour of science on the edge of the Mississippi River in St. Paul.
Dinosaurs and Fossils Exhibit No trip to a science museum would be complete without some dinosaurs. The Dinosaurs and Fossils Exhibit is very popular with kids and artists, who like to sketch the skeletons. The exhibit features skeletons of various dinosaurs, including a triceratops, stegosaurus and a tyrannosaurus rex, all so close you could almost touch them.
Human Body Gallery From hard science to curiosities involving fake medical devices from the past, the Human Body Gallery covers it all. In the cell lab, visitors have a chance to do a little microbiology. In the Museum of Questionable Devices, visitors can take a look at false remedies from the past that were sold as cures. “There are still people out there trying to get your money, saying they will cure whatever ails you,” Science Museum of Minnesota public relations specialist Sarah Imholte said. “It’s an entertaining way to take a look at it and it offers tips to avoid that.”
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Mississippi River Gallery The Mississippi River Gallery gives visitors a chance to get a closer look at life on the river, and it also shows the impact of how weather and modern life impact the river itself. There is also an opportunity for kids to trade in natural objects, like sand, rocks or animal skulls, for points that will earn them rewards. The more facts the kids know about the object they bring in, the more points they will receive.
Sportsology Exhibit If kids want to get out and play, while learning at the same time, the Sportsology Exhibit is the place for them. The exhibit features various hands-on activities that allow visitors to run, jump and compete, all while measuring data on biomechanics and eye coordination. “It’s super fun and there’s some professional athletes who have kind of dipped their fingers in it to help develop it,” Imholte said. “It gets kids active and it shows them how science is at work in their life.”
Experiment Gallery If you want some hands-on experiences with science, the Experiment Gallery is a great place to check out. The gallery is devoted to physical science and chemistry and it offers various activities. The main attraction is the tornado display, where visitors can watch a miniature tornado form before their eyes.
Collections Gallery
William L. McKnight-3M Omnitheater The only convertible dome theater in the United States, the omnitheater offers a variety of films that give a distinct view of nature on a 90-foot wide dome screen that surrounds you. The theater holds 375 people and the films on display rotate throughout the year.
The Collections Gallery is looked at as a “greatest hits” selection of the museum’s 1.75 million-object collection. The most popular section of the gallery, the race exhibit, has been seen by an estimated 4 million people. The exhibit shows the dynamics that make up the different races of the human experience. “It’s about what race is and what it isn’t and how it impacts the every day experience,” Imholte said. The Collections Gallery also has a large display of Native American artifacts kept in a temperature-controlled setting to help preserve the artifacts. January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 57
LOOKING BACK
Exploring the village of
Rose Creek
Railroads amid a creek and roses helped the town to flourish By Jaimie Timm, Mower County Historical Society • All Rose Creek is located in Windom Township and was named for the creek that flows near it and the wild roses that grew on its banks. The first settler in the township was Sylvester Davis, who by some accounts was a typical frontiersman who was a bit rough and uncouth. He opened a tavern on a road frequented by travelers on their way to and from Owatonna, Minnesota. The village itself came to life in October 1867 when the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad began running through Mower County. The depot was built in 1878 and John Cronan served as the first station agent. Selah Chamberlain platted Rose Creek in 1873 and the original village consisted of just four blocks. William Pitcher 58 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
photos courtesy of the
Mower County Historical Society
of Austin opened the first business in Rose Creek when he built a warehouse in 1869 but the first store did not open until 1873 when John Priest opened in an old log house. The Bassett, Huntting, & Co. Elevator went up in 1877 and by 1911, Rose Creek boasted a bank, The Rose Creek Depot, creamery, two elevators, built in 1878. several churches, and the full complement of business houses usually found in such places. Today, the village is home to several long-time family businesses. Some of these businesses include Ulven Hardware (opened in 1913), United Farmers State Bank (opened by Augustine Vanx in 1902 and became the State Bank of Rose Creek in 1906), and was the home of Thill Implements from 1937-1980. Rose Creek celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017.
Opposite page: Early view of Third Street, looking south. The Bassett, Huntting & Co. Elevator can be seen in the background. The small brick building second from the left was the jail building. The next building to the right is the ice house followed by the building that is currently home to Brenda’s Convenience. Right: An interior scene of St. Peter’s Catholic Church around 1910. The first church building for St. Peter’s was a wood structure built in 1889-1890. The land was donated by John Cronan. A stone building was built in 1964.
Left: Grades third, fourth and fifth in Rose Creek Public School in 1919. Miss Wyierock, fifth from left, back row, is the teacher.
Right: The Rose Creek Post Office was established in 1868 and the train brought the mail every day. Isaac Ray served as the first postmaster. For many years, the old telephone building next to Ulven’s Hardware served as the post office. January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 59
Don’t let the cold stop you from enjoying these Austin activities. All dates, times, and locations subject to change.
Jan. 4
Keepsake Quilter’s Guild Meeting
When: 7-8:30 p.m. Where: St. John’s Lutheran Church Monthly get-together of quilting fans young and old. The Keepsake Quilter’s Guild’s goal is to encourage and inspire new and experienced quilters, and to share the love of their craft. Gatherings include opportunities to work on your own pieces as well as special programs with guest speakers presenting ideas, techniques and samples. For more information, contact Penne Lee at penne_lee@hotmail.com.
Jan. 12
Second Floor Gallery Opening - Ian Hanson and Julie Fakler
When: 5-7 p.m. Where: Austin ArtWorks Center Reception to celebrate the work of painter Julie Fakler and photographer Ian Hanson. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 507-434-0934.
Jan. 12-14
Austin Packer Classic Peewee A,B,C Hockey Tournament Where: Packer Arena For more information, call 507-438-6777 or email tournamentdirectorayh@gmail.com
Jan. 27-Feb. 11
Paint the Town Pink
Annual series of events to raise awareness of and funds for cancer research at The Hormel Institute. For more information, go to www.hi.umn.edu, call 507-460-0259, or email gopttp@gmail.com.
Feb. 1
Keepsake Quilter’s Guild Meeting
When: 7-8:30 p.m. Where: St. John’s Lutheran Church Monthly get-together of quilting fans young and old. The Keepsake Quilter’s Guild’s goal is to encourage and inspire new and experienced quilters, and to share the love of their craft. Gatherings include opportunities to work on your own pieces as well as special programs with guest speakers presenting ideas, techniques and samples. For more information, contact Penne Lee at penne_lee@hotmail.com.
Feb. 2-4
Austin Packer Classic Bantam A, B Hockey Tournament Where: Packer Arena For more information, call 507-438-6777 or email tournamentdirectorayh@gmail.com
Feb. 4
Super Bowl Sunday Spaghetti Dinner
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Austin Masonic Lodge Stop by to eat or get some to take with you. Sponsored by the Unity Chapter No. 29 Order of the Eastern Star. For more information, call 507-437-7292.
Feb. 9-11
Calico Hutch Quilting Retreat - Roaring 20’s
Jan. 20
Where: Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center Fun-filled days of quilting with friends plus free demos, massage therapists, Holiday Inn special room rates for 1-4 people, four meals included with the $139 price, show and tell, door prizes, games and demos. contact Penne Lee at penne_lee@hotmail.com.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Austin High School Amazing opportunity for high school kids to build and show off their robotic skills with a specific challenge.
Feb. 11
VEX Robotics Competition
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MacPhail Spotlight Revue When: 2-4 p.m. Where: Historic Paramount Theatre For more information, call 507-396-6730.
Hormel Historic Home
Feb. 16-18
“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” When: 7 p.m. Feb. 16-17, 2 p.m. Feb. 18 Where: Historic Paramount Theatre A Matchbox Children’s Theatre production. Tickets $6 for youth 14 and under, $10 for adults. For more information, call 507-433-1931 or go to www.matchboxchildrenstheatre.org.
Feb. 17
2018 Foodie Throwdown
For more information, call 507-433-4243. • Jan. 8: History Happy Hour - Southern Minnie League by Paul Spyhalski, 5:30 p.m. (social time), 6 p.m. (presentation) • Jan. 16: Hearth and Home - Soup Demonstration by Jack Erwin, 10 a.m. • Jan. 21: Wedding and Event Expo - Plan your wedding or event start to finish, noon to 3 p.m. • Jan. 28: Music Composition Class - Learn to tell a story through music, 2-4 p.m. • Feb. 3: Austin Big Band Paint the Town Pink Event - Enjoy music and food while supporting the Hormel Institute, 6:30-9 p.m. • Feb. 12: History Happy Hour - Flood Wall in a Former Swampland, Part 2 by Tim Ruzek, 5:30 p.m. (social time), 6 p.m. (presentation) • Feb. 20: Hearth and Home - Safety for Seniors by Tori Miller, 10 a.m.
When: 6-9 p.m. Where: Hormel Historic Home Take part in this annual food competition featuring local chefs preparing foods according to the selected theme, and help determine the winner. $35 per person. For more information, call 507-433-4243.
Feb. 24
Paint the Town Pink Pinko
When: 1-4 p.m. Where: Fraternal Order of Eagles Fundraiser as part of Paint the Town Pink. For more information, go to www.hi.umn.edu/pttp or call 507-460-0259.
Jay C. Hormel Nature Center For more information, call 507-437-7519 or email info@hormelnaturecenter.org •Every Thursday: Free Ski and Snowshoe Rental (if conditions allow), 3-6 p.m. •Jan. 6: Dammen Cross Country Ski Race, 8 a.m. to noon •Jan. 20: Cross Country Ski Lessons, 8:30-11:30 a.m. •Feb. 8: Alex Watson presents “The Birds from the Bookshelf,” 7-8 p.m. •Feb. 22: Tom Pease Senior Concert, 10-11 a.m. •Feb. 22: Tom Pease Family Concert, 7-8 p.m.
Austin Bruins Home Schedule Go, Bruins! All games begin at 7:05 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) at Riverside Arena. Gates open one hour prior. For more information, call 507-434-4978.
Feb. 25
Austin Symphony Orchestra - Beethoven and Bruch
When: 2-4:30 p.m. Where: Historic Paramount Theatre In the opulent acoustic perfection of Austin’s Paramount Theatre, orchestra member and talented high school senior, Emma Anderson will make her Austin Symphony Orchestra solo debut with Bruch’s dramatic and powerful “First Violin Concerto.” The concert will conclude with Beethoven’s ground breaking tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte with his “Symphony No. 3.” Tickets are also available at the Coffee House on Main Street and Hy-Vee. For more information, go to www.austinmnsymphonyorchestra.org.
Feb. 28-March 4
The Austin Immigration Project
When: 7 p.m. (Feb 28-March 3), 2 p.m. (March 4) Where: Frank W. Bridges Theatre, Riverland Community College In a first for Riverland Theatre, students, faculty and community members work together to create a new play that addresses the topic of immigration in our local community. Through the lens of theatre, explore the stories, cultures, and experiences of the people from around the globe who now call Austin, Minnesota, home. All members of the community are welcome to participate in this unique and personal theatre project. For more information, call 507-433-0595.
•Jan. 5-6: vs. Minot Minotauros •Jan. 12: vs. Brookings Blizzard •Jan. 26-27: vs. Bismarck Bobcats •Feb. 10: vs. Minnesota Magicians (Paint the Rink Pink Night) •Feb. 16-17: vs. Aberdeen Wings •Feb. 23-24: vs. Minot Minotauros
ArtRocks Open Jam Sessions The house band sets up and hosts the event. Players bring their guitars, basses, horns, sticks, keyboards, washboards, etc, and singers and songwriters bring themselves, their words, and their voices. The house band will ‘back’ individual jammers, and allow for groups of jammers to get up and play. ArtRocks events are open to friends and family members of jammers, as well as the public. No need to play or perform; listening is an art too. Admission is free. Donations welcome. For more information, call 507-434-0934 or go to www.austinareaarts.org Dates: Jan. 26 and Feb. 23 When: 7-9:30 p.m. at the Austin ArtWorks Center January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 61
BOOK REVIEW
COMPLEXITY OF TRAGEDY 1970s NOVEL BY JUDITH GUEST BRINGS MENTAL HEALTH TO THE FOREFRONT By Bruce Richardson, Austin Page Turners When Faith Sullivan came to speak about her writing last spring at our Page Turners event, she was asked to recommend other Minnesota writers who might be suitable authors for us to consider. We tend to look at recently reviewed books primarily, but Faith suggested an older author, Judith Guest. Guest has written several books over the years, but her first success, “Ordinary People,” is very much worth reading. Mental health, the central issue of the book, is as relevant now as it was in the 1970s. “Ordinary people,” as well as the characters in this book, have problems dealing with the mental health issues the book explores. The book begins with the return home of Conrad from a treatment program at a mental heath hospital after he tried to commit suicide. His attempt seems related to the accidental drowning death of his older brother Buck. His survivor’s guilt has led him to blame himself for losing his idolized brother, his mother’s favorite. Now he has to fit in with old friends at school where he has lost a year and perhaps rejoin the swim team that was a major part of his former life. His drowned brother, an excellent swimmer, was a star for the team. His family thinks it’s best for him to get back to “normal,” become his old self again. Can the old normal be recovered? What mental health steps are necessary for him to succeed and survive? Conrad’s family, his mother Beth and father Calvin, differ in how to treat their returning son. Calvin, a prosperous tax attorney, doesn’t quite know how to approach his son. He is afraid of being too protective but can’t stop himself from constantly trying
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to look for signs of further trouble. He was the one who found Conrad in the bath tub with his wrists slashed. He saved his son, but was he also at fault for his act of self-destruction? Why didn’t he see Conrad’s condition before his suicide attempt? What could he have done to prevent it or can he prevent a repeated try? Beth’s social life: golf, bridge and the good opinion of her society’s friends, seems to prevent her from giving her son any special attention or sympathy. Her attitude seems to be that if he is released from the hospital, he should resume his perfect family place as it was before he bled on her white carpet. “Let’s move on and forget the unpleasant past,” is her position. Conrad struggles in trying to approach her. She seems to reject any communication of feelings and personal connections. Calvin doesn’t understand her behavior and indifference. Is the marriage in trouble too? Guest adds other characters who influence Conrad as he works to understand himself and survive. Some old friends do their best to help, while others are callous and thoughtless in their comments. A new friend gives him needed self value and an old friend from the hospital causes him to question everything again. Conrad’s decision to continue psychiatric counseling after he leaves the hospital connects him to an insightful doctor who doesn’t have easy answers, but does have a sense of humor, sympathetic ear and the ability to help Conrad through his healing. With estimates of more than 20 percent of the population having mental health issues today, Guest’s characters in “Ordinary People” illustrate the complexities and tragedies of those who need help. The movie based on the book was also a winner.
On Being Named... Best Nursing Homes
by US News & World Report
Large Business of the Year for 2017/2018 by ALFC Chamber of Commerce!
5-STAR Overall Rating From the Center for Medicare and Medicaid!
Call to schedule a personal tour!
Thorne Crest Sen ior L i v i ng C om mun i t y
1201 Garfield Avenue Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-373-2311 • www.ThorneCrest.net Thorne Crest is owned and operated by American Baptist Homes of the Midwest, a not-for-profit provider of senior health care since 1930.
January–February 2018 | Austin Living | 63
WHY I LOVE AUSTIN
Blessed to be in Spamtown By Father James Steffes Photo by Eric Johnson I did not choose to live here. I came out of obedience. That is my life. Twenty-five years ago, I made three promises to God and my bishop: that I would be a man of prayer, that I would remain celibate, as Christ did for His mission and kingdom, and that I would be obedient and go wherever I was sent. In July of 2011 my bishop sent me to Austin. I knew very little about Austin at the time, though I had lived nearly 30 years in southern Minnesota after growing up a Cheese Head! I knew there were three Catholic churches, two of which I would be serving as pastor. I knew there was an assortment of other churches of multiple denominations. I was a bit familiar with Pacelli, as one of the Catholic schools in the Diocese. And I knew something about the taste of the original Spam and its museum, which I imagined contained stacks of its uniquely-shaped cans. And that was about it! Honestly, I was quite ignorant of a city that was to be my domicile. The first few months that I was here were spent in my world of St. Augustine, St. Edward and Pacelli Catholic Schools attempting to understand their procedures, operations, ministries, visions, hopes and dreams. And in the midst of this I came to know and love her people. They were welcoming, sincere, hard-working, receptive, innovative, entrepreneurial, serious, fun and funny, hungry for God and charitable to one another. And of course “the women were strong, all the men were good-looking, and all the children were above average.” I had entered into the heart of Minnesota! They welcomed me into their homes and introduced me to their community. Austin quickly became home. Though I spent 30 years in southern Minnesota before coming to Austin, from Winona to Mankato since college in the early 80s, I was blessed for about five of those years to be on special assignment in Rome, Italy and Washington D.C. I experienced opera, Saltimbocca, Osso buco, cappuccino, the Vatican Palace, embassies, inauguration festivities, dignitaries, 64 | Austin Living | January–February 2018
foie gras, the Smithsonian, parades, demonstrations, Metro systems, the FIGC, the Nats and the Capitals. God has graced me and I have been blessed beyond imagining. In my life, I have seen and experienced big and small, metropolitan and rural, affluent and poor, grandiose and simple, the city lights and the dark evening sky, architectural wonders and abundant fields of grain, city streets, express ways, cobblestones, bike paths and gravel roads. In Austin I enjoy what this city and community offers me, and I do not look for what was or may be in my life. And so I enjoy: a magnificent gothic church within walking distance to a Spam sandwich; a steamed burger, or a slice of Malibu Rum cake, some queso dip or ceviche, the Kansas plater, a coffee on Main, Mama Mia pizza or candied bacon (which beats foie gras any day) all with friendly service and genuine acknowledgments and greetings from other patrons I know and who know me; fantastic musical experiences with the symphony or the Austin Artist Series in Knowlton Auditorium without having to fight traffic or look for a parking spot; a parade not only to watch but to be a part of on the Fourth of July Pacelli float throwing candy and waving to people I have come to love; touring the Spam Museum again and again with my out-of-town guests to have them learn about an outstanding Fortune 500 company I am proud of and that continues to thrive and greatly support our community and people throughout the world; to be a part of a school system that is revisioning and striving for a greater tomorrow; to experience the growth of an art center and Austin ArtWorks Festival; to watch the Athletics, Packers (the Red ones) and Bruins, to be a part of a community with a 20/20 vision; to savor many flavors of Spam; and to journey humbly in faith with many who entrust me with personal and sacred moments of their life as we encounter Christ together. I enjoy Austin for what it is: a place with a tremendous past and an exciting future that I love presently as my home. This is where God has me and if I had the choice, I would still choose to live here!