EDITOR’S NOTE
S
ummer is coming, and not a moment too soon. That’s what we’re all telling ourselves after a particularly wicked winter this year. As May comes to pass, I’m looking forward to getting outside, walking around town, and enjoying the sights and sounds of everything Austin has to offer. There’s something magical about the way spring blossoms into summer, sort of like how our community is blossoming into a must-experience Minnesota destination. Our community keeps growing and improving, with more people coming back to call Austin home and new discoveries waiting for residents to share. Of course, one of the biggest industries in our area is medicine, and we’re pleased to showcase some of Austin’s brightest professionals and biggest boons to the area. We’ve featured three Austin All-Star doctors who represent our community’s incredible medical background and future on Pg. 44. Speaking of incredible medical backgrounds, Dr. Joshua Liao is proving how great research at the Hormel Institute can be on a daily basis. The medical researcher spends more than 100 hours a week studying and conducting experiments to find a way to cure breast cancer, and he shared his insight — including what kind of foods can best help prevent cancer — with Austin Living on Pg. 40. Yet for as many new developments found in Austin, there’s always something waiting to be rediscovered. That’s what a group of childhood friends who met at now-defunct Shaw Elementary School found when they took a trip to a Caribbean Island in January. From their adventures with Barbie to the exciting food they found, you can relive a wonderful trip with them on Pg. 35. It’s safe to say there’s plenty going on in Austin this summer, and we’re ready to give you insight into our delightful city. So get a glass of lemonade ready and don’t be afraid to sit outside as you take in a little Austin Living.
Got ideas?
We at Austin Living magazine want to hear what you think, and we need your brightest ideas for coming issues. Favorite musicians? Finest artists? Goofiest pranksters? Best storytellers? Local nightlife? We are openminded. We are heading into our warm months, which should bring out how visually appealing Austin is. Call Trey Mewes at 507-4342214. Feel free to pen a letter, too. Our address is on the right.
EDITORIAL Editor Trey Mewes Contributing Writers Rocky Hulne Trey Mewes Jason Schoonover Photographer Eric Johnson ART Art Director/Story Layout Colby Hansen Graphic Designers Susan Downey Colby Hansen Kathy Johnson Kristin Overland SALES & PROMOTION Advertising Manager Jana Gray Sales Representatives Heather Ryks Ben Ankeny Brenda Landherr Merry Petersen MARCH-APRIL 2014 Volume 2, Number 3 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 507-434-2214. To purchase advertising, call 507-434-2220 © A Minnesota Publishers Inc. publication
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what’s inside MAY-JUNE 2014
on the cover
OUT ON THE TRAILS
This biking aficionado shares a few tips and tricks for beginning mountain bikers
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features EXPLAINING CANCER This Hormel Institute Researcher shares his experience combating cancer
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AUSTIN’S ALL-STAR DOCTORS
Austin Living showcases some of the best doctors in Austin
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departments
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64 SEEN 6 AUSTIN HOME & VACATION SHOW
Austin looks at the latest, greatest home and garden options
8 FOODIE THROWDOWN
About 150 area residents decide this year’s top chef
10 VALENTINE’S DINNER
Paint the Town Pink kicks off with a sweetheart dinner for area couples
12 PAINT THE TOWN PINK
This year’s cancer research fundraiser was the biggest yet in our community
14 AUSTIN PACKERS STATE BASKETBALL
The Austin High School Boys Basketball team makes yet another historic state run
HOME & HEARTH 16 MAKEOVER
An Austin Living Mother’s Day surprise for this area mom and daughter
22 HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
An area couple’s life in Japan is reflected throughout their Austin home
30 COOKING COLUMN
Starting summer with a bang and a memory
TRAVEL 32 FRIENDS FOR LIFE
These Austin natives rekindle a Shaw school bond on Caribbean island
extras 56 BEHIND THE SCENES
Another look at Austin Living
58 AUSTIN LIVING MARKETPLACE
OUT & ABOUT 50 LIVING TO SERVE
One Austin woman finds meaning in helping others
54 RYDJOR BIKE
Chad Burma gives advice on best mountain biking practices
60 AREA HAPPENINGS
The biggest upcoming events in Austin
62 BOOK REVIEW
Terry Ersland reviews “Vacationland”
64 WHY I LOVE AUSTIN
Its neverending learning opportunities
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SEEN | Home & Vacation Show The annual Home & Vacation Show was once again a hit, as thousands of people flocked to Packer Arena March 21-23. This year marked the show’s 40th anniversary, and it didn’t disappoint. More than 60 vendors selling everything from heavy machinery to comfortable beds, luxury bathroom fixtures to gorgeous outdoor landscaping ideas were on hand to help potential customers. Families enjoyed hourly prize drawings, a magic show, trout tank fishing and always-delicious Girl Scout Cookies.
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(1) Boy Scouts Willy, Sam, Michael and Jayson (2) Girl Scouts Massey, Naomi, Carrie and Liana (3) Susan Batchelder, Custom Drapery and Blinds (4) Luxury Bath Remodeling. Bathroom Betty (Carol Wilkinson) and Ron Simon, Owner (5) Kaedan Ankeny, Jaycees Trout Tank (6) David Wagner and Amanda Gunderson, Home Federal (7) Kevin Jochumsen, New Dimension (8) Kelly Olson and Katie Danielson, Y-Waste Removal (9) Dan Buchanan, Mosquito Squad (10) Everett De Young and Harold Skip Mayhew, Disabeled American Veterans 6 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
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SEEN | Foodie Throwdown The third annual Foodie Throwdown was a smash success at the Hormel Historic Home. This year’s event, which took place on March 22, brought in more than $3,000 for the HHH and a lot of tasty treats for about 150 area residents. Gareth Hataye and Alan Rasell won the main dish category while Kristine Merten and Elizabeth Diser took home the top dessert category.
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(1) Kaela Bemis, Blake Flores, and Brett and Emily Harris (2) Victor Rey and Selena Hataye (3) Chefs Elizabeth Diser and Kristine Merten (4) Neal and Berghyn Hull (5) Bob Silbaugh and Jim and Janice Mino (6) Todd Hepler and Sara Hull (7) Donna Kluczny and Mike Merten (8) Elizabeth Jacobson, Leah Erickson and Kim Hepler (9) Jane Arhart and Diane Baker (10) Phil Toupin and LaTia Childers (11) JT Thompson (12) Craig and Kelly Lady May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 9
SEEN | Valentine’s Dinner This year’s annual Sweetheart Dinner at the Hormel Historic Home had a twist: It was the kickoff event for the fourth annual Paint the Town Pink breast cancer fundraising event. Area couples heard the kickoff presentation and got a large Valentine’s meal, followed by a night of entertainment featuring the River Rats Dueling Pianos group. This Feb. 14 event marked the first day of Paint the Town Pink’s 10 day-event, which raised more than $160,000.
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(1) Heather Ruzek, Teresa Jette, Karol Langemo, Megan Higgins and Pam Schwartz (2) Jane Justice, Steve Orcutt, Brenda Orcutt, Jim Ondich, Sheila Ondich and Steve Justice (3) Tom and Sarah Stiehm (4) Cindy Seavey and Louise Anderson (5) Bruce Yokiel, Tami Yokiel, Kim Underwood, Judy Enright, Wayne “Hoot” Enright and Kathi Finley (6) Gretchen Erickson, Ted Hinchcliffe and Julie Nace (7) Scott Shorter, Kristie Shorter, Martha Chancellor and Denis Boergan (8) Jeff Grev, Randy Kramer, Maynard Akkerman and Mark Ourada (9) Robin Akkerman, Tracy Ourada, Chris Grev and Peggy Drennan 10 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
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SEEN | Paint the Town Pink The third annual Paint the Town Pink was the biggest cancer fundraising event yet, as organizers brought in $162,000 through events like the Plunging for Pink jump into Eastside Lake, the fourth annual Austin Bruins Paint the Rink Pink, and myriad other events. The record-breaking results came despite a brutal cold snap with dangerous wind chills that caused organizers to cancel several events throughout the 10-day event from Feb. 14 through Feb. 23.
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(1) Bruins goalie Jacob Stack serenades the crowd and Bruiser during the jersey auction following the annual Paint the Rink Pink game at Riverside Arena (2) Kathi Finley hugs Gail Dennison of the Hormel Institute during the kick-off for this year’s Paint the Town Pink (3) Danielle Goulet calls out a bid during the jersey auction (4) Billy Jack, a white lab belonging to Bob Mallory returns to Bob after retrieving on his dip in East Side Lake for the Paint the Town Pink Polar Plunge (5) Austin Bruins player Josh Bretner shows off his jersey as bids begin during the jersey auction (6) Kathy, right, and Brenda Sorenson make the leap (7) Tony Rollie of Tolly’s Timeout takes the first plunge in this year’s Plunge for Pink (8) Austin’s Luke Dietsch looks back at his shot on Aberdeen goalie Chad Catt (9) Kristy Mittelsted, Mikayla Austin and Zane Klinger (10) Brenda Potach makes a bid on the jersey of Bruins’ player Sam Kauppila (11) Members of team Pacelli (12) Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm laughs as he reads a proclamation for the Paint the Town Pink kick-off
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SEEN | Packers State Basketball The Austin High School Boys Basketball team once again made Austin proud as it went to the Class AAA state basketball tournament for the third straight year. The boys, led by seniors Zach Wessels, Ajuda N ywesh and Bret Lukes threw down a pushed past Alexandria and Holy Family Catholic to secure a second birth in the state championship game. Unfortunately, the Packers lost to DeLaSalle once more in a tough 60-40 loss, but Austin came away with a second-place trophy and another reason for Austin to be proud of itself.
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(1) The Austin Packers with their Class AAA runner-up plaque (2) Austin’s captains Zach Wessels, from left, Ajuda Nywesh and Bret Lukes hold up the Class AAA runner-up trophy after the title game against DeLaSalle at the Target Center (3) Austin’s Zach Wessels, Bret Lukes and Ajuda Nywesh were named to the Wells Fargo All-Tournament Team (4) Austin’s Gach Gach shoots in the lane (5) Austin fans get loud before the start of the Minnesota State Boys Basketball Class AAA Tournament quarterfinals against Alexandria in Williams Arena (6) Austin fans Sela Fadness and Krissy Nicol celebrate (7) Austin band member Katie Maxa (8) Austin head coach Kris Fadness (9) Austin band member Tyler Amick takes to the cymbols (10) The Austin crowd applauds during a time out in the Packers’ Class AAA semifinal game against Holy Family (11) Alexandria’s Brandon Bistodeau comes down on Austin’s Noah Brehmer during the first half of their Minnesota State Boys Basketball Class AAA quarterfinal matchup (12) Austin’s Bret Lukes goes around Holy Family’s Justin Dahl
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HOME & HEARTH
Making a great Mother’s Day BY HEATHER RYKS PHOTOS BY ERIC JOHNSON In honor of Mother’s Day, Austin Living wanted to give back to one deserving area mother. If anyone is deserving, it is Tessa Smith. She is a mother of five, ages ranging in ages from 8 to 19. Along with her daughter, 17-yearold Trystann, we put Tessa in the very talented hands of the stylists at The Style Lounge. A full color, cut and makeup was the perfect Mother’s Day experience for this mother-daughter pair. Continued through page 21
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Trystann Maly
Before
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TOLD BY STYLIST SARAH WOLFE
Trystann came in with very straight silky hair. She was looking for a change without cutting off too much length. We decided to add some blended layers and shorten up her ends to give her more overall volume. When it comes to her color, she was looking for something rich and vibrant. After looking through many pictures and deciding which tones would work best with her skin completion, a red/violet look is what we came up with. I did a block coloring technique which entailed coloring sections of her hair
different shades of red/violet to give it a more dramatic and dimentional look. For styling products, we used Redken’s Extreme Anti-Snap, which is a leave in conditioner for moisture followed by Redken’s newest product, Pillow Proof Primer, before adding any styling products. Redken Aerate was used for volume at the root before blow-drying her hair. Before using any hot tools, we sprayed on Redken Iron Shape for heat protection and then used a 1-inch curling iron in a wrapping motion to give her a trendy wavy look. Redken’s All Soft Argan-6 oil was used to break up her wave and give added shine and she was finished after setting her new look with Kenra-25 hairspray. For Trystann’s makeup, we did a color match for her foundation and concealer. An eye brightener was used around her eyes and the perfect shade of pink for her cheeks. She wanted more of a dramatic eye so we did a “smokey” effect and finished her off with a neutral shade for her lips.
May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 19
Tessa Smith
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TOLD BY STYLIST KATELYN NIELSEN
Tessa had not had her hair done for a rather long time and she told me that she wanted to keep things easy to maintain. She brought in pictures that required a lot of maintenance, so we talked and we went with a cut that would be easy and still keep her feeling like a young, hip mom. We chose to go with a rich copper brown color with blonde highlights throughout the style to give the color dimension and movement. After the color was complete, we gave her a new haircut as well. We cut about 4 inches or so off her length and gave her some new layers. For styling products
I used the Argan-6 oil on her ends to make her hair feel silky and fresh, I then sprayed the new Redken product, Pillow Proof Blowdry Primer on her hair, which acts as a hair primer to amp up any other products that we were to put on there. I used guts at her roots to lift the hair off the scalp, as she said she wasn’t liking how flat it was looking/feeling. Then we proceeded to finish styling. Tessa told me that on a normal day, she wears her hair on the top of her head in a big bun and when she would style it she wouldn’t really know what to do, or she would get impatient. I gave her a smooth blowout and kept her hair very straight with a slight bend on the bottom. After we completed her styling, I finished her hair with a finishing hairspray called Strengthening Control by Pureology. For makeup, we used bare minerals makeup. We wanted to give her an easy look that she could re-make at home. We started with a foundation and concealer application and then created some purple and brown eye shadow’s and did a light “smoky” eye. We finished her off with a more natural lip color.
May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 21
HOME & HEARTH
BY TREY MEWES PHOTOS BY ERIC JOHNSON
Peggy Keener lived for 30 years in Japan. The culture she loves has come to Austin with her as furniture and signs from the Land of the Rising Sun can be found everywhere in her house. 22 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
Continues on page 24
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Peggy Keener uses every inch of her home with simplicity and functionality in mind. Downstairs is a room that serves as both a work area and a guest bedroom.
The Keeners’ dining room.
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eggy and Glen Keener are ready to settle down after their 28th move. Peggy, who grew up in Austin, was ready to settle back in town in a lovely Chicago-brick home in the southwest side of the city after a lifetime of adventure overseas. After all, the Keeners spent more than 30 years in Japan, and it shows as their home is full of memories and memorabilia from the whirlwind years they spent teaching English and working in the military. “We’re settling down right here,” Peggy said. “There are so many wonderful memories here.” For Peggy, the home was an opportunity to display the memorabilia she and Glen collected over the years, as well as to change a beautiful home to suit their needs. The home, spread over three lots, was built in the 1970s and remodeled in the ‘90s, according to Peggy. Yet when the Keeners moved in toward the end of February, Peggy knew the house would need more changes. So she spent about three weeks remodeling her new home. “I’ve done something to every room to the house,” she said with a laugh.
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Peggy took down wallpaper throughout the home and repainted it all in white, adding a simple, clean elegance to every room. She replaced the carpet in certain rooms and at one point, contractors removed a sink that sat only a few feet away from a bathroom. “We’re not sure why that was there,” Peggy said. Perhaps the biggest change was when the Keeners converted what used to be a sun porch into a gorgeous, luminous viewing room on the north side of the home overlooking Turtle Creek. The room, which catches the sun at almost every time of day, is also temperature controlled so the Keeners can enjoy a view of the trees or watch a little TV whenever they want. “It’s reverse-cycle heating,” Glen explained. “It heats in the wintertime but cools in the summertime.” The contractor raised the ceiling and added insulation throughout the sun room, while new carpet was put in and Peggy added a few touches of her own — a daruma (a large statue of the founder of Zen Buddhism, which is seen as good luck and a talisman of encouragement in Japan) here, comfortable chairs there. Continues on page 27
Peggy Keener gives a tour of her kitchen that features lots of space and allows for plenty of outside light.
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Peggy Keener’s master bedroom.
An assortment of scales and medical spoons are displayed in the Keener home.
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One of the rooms in the Keener house was revamped into a sunroom that allows natural light to flood in from three different directions.
Continued from 24 “It just made no sense to me to have a room that you couldn’t use everyday,” Peggy said. “That was a concept I just couldn’t imagine.” Peggy had the countertops and sink replaced in the kitchen and the gold-colored fixtures in the bathroom with silver, to match her sensibilities. In the basement, she decided to use what used to be the recreation room as an office and alternate guest bedroom for her grandchildren. To that end, she recreated her favorite version of a desk — a 20-foot island spanning one side of the wall. It’s something she has put in several of her previous homes, always using kitchen desk cabinets “to get the right height.” With just four of those, she not only has foundations to hold up the two-foot island, she also has storage space and plenty of room for her sewing and writing. She has plenty to write about, after all. She, her husband and their children went to Japan in the 1960s after Glen accepted a military contract to serve there.
While Glen stayed busy, Peggy found herself as a TV personality on the NHK, Japan’s national network. She carved a career out of teaching English on TV, through radio programs, in several books and on nationwide lecture tours. Her first memoir, “Potato in a Rice Bowl,” was released in 2010 and has earned six international awards thus far. Keener is already working on her second memoir, of course. There is a lot of inspiration inside the Keener home. Peggy can point out each large cabinet, hutch and decoration and recite its story. As she explains it, the Japanese didn’t mass produce furniture, so more often than not she either commissioned certain pieces or picked up items that are hundreds of years old. She developed a passion for pieces built from the 1860s to 1912, during the Meiji period. During that time, politicians overthrew the previous Tokugawa shogunate, a military dictatorship of sorts, and gave much of Japan’s governing power back to the imperial throne. Continues on page 28 May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 27
A hibachi grill is on display in the Keeners’ living room with an assortment of teapots and lunchboxes.
Continued from 27 Under Emperor Meiji’s rule, Japan opened its borders to trade with the west after a 200-year self-imposed exile, which caused Japanese tradition to blend with Western ideals and technology in all facets of life, including carpentry. “I think I must have lived in the Meiji Era, in a previous life,” Peggy said. “I just love things from that period.” There are banners sewn into pillows, medical equipment and tea pots, baskets and trinkets, shop signs with bawdy backstories and ornate chests that were once filled with treasures inside the Keener residence. All of which Peggy and Glen plan to pass on one day, either to museums or to their children and grandchildren. “There’s a lot of history in this house,” she said. For now, Peggy and Glen are excited to be back in Austin and share their stories with the community. For Peggy, who graduated from Austin High School, there’s simply no place quite like her hometown. 28 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
In the corner of the Keeners’ dining room stands a set of cabinets that also served as stairs in a Japanese home. Space is tight in Japanese homes so furniture often times served a dual purpose.
The bathroom is another example of simplicity and taste in the home of Peggy Keener.
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HOME & HEARTH
Starting summer with a bang and a memory BY ELIZABETH DISER, HY-VEE
CHEF
Summer always reminds me of little lights floating through the air like tiny fireflies, dancing around the woods with random squeaks of joy, giving away our positions when the sparklers extinguish. We use the other lights to help guide us back, only to grab a handful more and disappear into the dark with nothing but a fizzling light stringing a thin line between us and our parents. When the first burst of color beckons us back like the sound of a bell ringing for lunch, we swarm our parents and take our seats to watch the brilliant lights take over the sky. The woods remain silent except the persistent thrum of the fireworks, letting us know we are nearing the end. The finale incites cheers and laughter from children and parents alike, filling the night. Other memories come to mind, like the smell of grilling food, playing games like ladder ball and sitting by the lake overlooking the skyline of Duluth, which bursts into colorful explosions with a mirror effect, like seeing fireworks all around. Only the ripples of a passing boat in the water break up the reflection of the sky. That is the most recent memory I have of the Fourth of July, which is coming faster than people think. Though the scenery has changed, our family has grown bigger. The games we enjoyed and the smells of the grill remain. One year it’s steak and chicken, the next it’s hot dogs and brats. The nice thing about my family is they don’t mind trying new things. That might be because I am always bringing something different to try — some successful and some not.
Flank Steak Tacos • 1 whole flank steak, trimmed Steak marinade • ½ cup olive oil • 1 Tablespoons Cayenne pepper • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced • 1 lime, juiced • 2 Tablespoons sugar • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced • 1 Tablespoon salt • 1 teaspoon pepper 30 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
• • • • • • • • •
Corn tortillas Sour cream Onion Salsa 1 white or red onion, peeled and cut in half and sliced thin 1 lime, juiced 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced Salt and pepper to taste
Directions —Preheat grill to high heat. —Combine ingredients and marinate steak for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. —Combine ingredients for onion salsa and let sit for two hours. —Remove steak from marinade and place on the grill cook for three to four minutes on each side remove and place on cutting board let rest for couple of minutes. Slice the steak in thin strips for taco. Assemble your own taco. —If you want more spice add more Jalapenos or add Salsa Verde to tacos.
TRAVEL
Austin natives Deb Dixon, JoAnn Brede, Paulette (Todalen) Hagen, Mary Lou (Prestegaard) Ratz and Candice (Hanson) Mathison pose for a photo on the beach in front of their condo in Nevis.
FRIENDS★FOR★LIFE These Austin natives rekindle a Shaw school bond on Caribbean island BY JASON SCHOONOVER • PHOTOS PROVIDED Time doesn’t stand still for five Austin natives, who couldn’t help but laugh — and giggle like schoolgirls — as they talked about their rendezvous on a Caribbean island and recounted memories of their girlhood in Austin. Their jolly behavior was fitting, reminiscent of the laughter and giggles they shared in January when Mary Lou (Prestegaard) Ratz, JoAnne Brede, Paulette (Todalen) Hagen and Candice (Hanson) Mathison traveled to Nevis, in the Caribbean Sea, to visit friend and former Shaw Elementary School classmate Deb Dixon, who now lives on the island. 32 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
“They came here as professionals, as workers, as women, and yet we could giggle and laugh and tell funny stories and connect as if we hadn’t been apart,” Dixon said. Shaw Elementary School in southwest Austin was torn down in the 1990s, but it takes more than a razed school building and 2,500 miles of separation to break up the “Shaw Girls,” as Dixon calls the group. “We’re 60 now, but our common point is grade school and fun and enjoyment and what we had,” she said. Continues on page 34
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Continued from page 32
‘Very different’
Paulette Hagen, JoAnne Brede, Deb Dixon and Candice Mathison stop for a photo during a hike in Nevis.
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The women went their separate ways after school. Mathison co-founded Austin’s DarCan Food Service, the business that serves food at the Mower County jail. Ratz lives in Minnetonka and works as a nurse at Park Nicollet. Brede is a social worker for a private foster care agency in Minneapolis. Hagen, who has lived in Austin most of her life, retired in December as a pharmacy technician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin. She also worked as a waitress for several years at the Oak Leaf and Jerry’s Other Place. Dixon lived in Milwaukee, Wis., for several years before moving to Nevis in the late 1990s after a stint in the Peace Corps in South America. She works in corporate development. “We are all very different,” Brede said But when the group was together in Nevis, Brede said it felt like they’d just come off the playground at Shaw school. “Really the best part was the friendships being rekindled,” she said. The women renewed their friendship by meeting at Austin’s Applebees a few times when Dixon visited her mom and other family in Austin. They talked about going to Nevis, but plans never got serious. Finally, as Dixon tells it, Brede put her foot down in an email after one reunion, saying it will never happen if they don’t set a date. “She was absolutely right,” Dixon said. From there, plans rolled out quickly with the women originally aiming for an April trip. The women admit it was a challenge to organize five work and family schedules, but that proved easier than securing travel. The airline canceled all April flights to Nevis, which ignited a barrage of phone calls and emails between the women and the airline. “We were just frantic for about two solid weeks of calling,” Brede recalls. The women changed the trip to January and the plans finally were completed.
“It just all fell into place, and we all felt like OK this was meant to be,” Mathison said. From their persistence with the airline, the women adopted a slogan: “We are bold not old,” or WABNO. They even made T-shirts with the slogan. A January trip proved a blessing in disguise because of Minnesota’s weather. While Mower County was in one of the coldest winters on record, highs in Nevis were in the mid-80s — typical Nevis weather. “What a great winter to go in January,” Ratz said.
‘Even Barbie’s here’ The women received a warm welcome in the Caribbean, from a beaming Dixon holding up a sign reading “Shaw Girls! Welcome to Nevis!!” to another familiar face at their beachside condo: Barbie. “We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, even Barbie’s here,’” Brede said, noting most of them had original Barbies as girls. The iconic doll first came out when the girls were in school together. Dixon’s original Barbie became the group’s mascot, going with them almost everywhere. They even dressed Barbie in the appropriate swimsuit or evening attire based on the activity. “Barbie just became part of our little group,” Dixon said. The women stayed together at the condo, where it didn’t take long for the women to rediscover their bonds. “It was absolutely wonderful,” Dixon said. “Our foundation is so much the same.” The women share many memories: teachers, TV shows, Girl Scouts, the death of President John F. Kennedy, Skinner’s Hill — many even had crushes on the same boys. “We just realized we have all of these common memories,” Dixon said. “Our highlights were the same.” Along with attending Shaw School, the girls were in Girl Scouts together, each had a parent who worked at Hormel Foods Corp. and three attended St. Olaf Lutheran Church. Continues on page 36
Some of the “Shaw Girls” go horseback riding on the beach.
JoAnn Brede, Mary Lou Ratz and Deb Dixon pose by a cannon in the Caribbean.
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The women went to Nisbet Sugar Plantation Resort to dance to reggae and steel drums one night.
Deb Dixon’s husband, Tambo, cuts a coconut for the “Shaw Girls” from Austin.
Continued from page 35 “It was a neat time to grow up in Austin,” Ratz said. The same group, except Ratz, attended a Beatles concert together at Minneapolis’ Metropolitan Stadium Aug. 21, 1965. Dixon’s parents decided to take the girls to concert, and the women now realize how fortunate they were, especially since the band rarely traveled after that. Many of the women most remembered the Fab Four playing “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and Hagan still has her ticket from the show, which cost $5.50. Mathison got lost at the show, which she remembers as a scary experience as she felt like she was in a whole different world. Still, she said clips of Beatles fans screaming are accurate to what she felt at the show. “I think half the time you couldn’t even hear the music,” Mathison said. Of course in Nevis, the women played Beatles music and 36 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
would often sing along. “That is a memory of ours that will stay with us forever,” Mathison said. Brede even recalls the same girls impersonating The Beatles for a fifth- or sixth-grade talent show. “We were really in to The Beatles,” she said with a laugh.
Cooking up memories Meals became a large group event in Nevis. The women packed their bags with food, particularly Spam and several other Hormel canned goods. “I haven’t seen that much Spam in years,” Dixon said. Mathison became the group’s chief chef. Since she’s on medication and can’t be out in the sun a lot, she stayed back at the condo from time to time and cooked. One day, Mathison marinated ribs for 24 hours and slow cooked them, which was a hit with the girls, who asked for the ingredients.
The “Shaw Girls” pose outside Sunshines, a wellknown grill and bar that serves the famous “Killer Bee” rum punch.
Deb Dixon greets her fellow “Shaw Girls” with a sign at the airport on St. Kitts.
“A cook never tells,” Mathison said with a laugh. Mathison also made things like bacon wrapped jalapenos, stuffed mushrooms, garlic cheese bread and more. She even cooked a chicken Alfredo similar to a dish she serves at the jail. “She treated us to the most magnificent food,” Dixon said. On several evenings, the group cooked together and even started singing as they made food. Several memories resurfaced for the women, like Mathison being jealous of Brede’s tent dress in eighth-grade. Mathison and Ratz’s mothers wouldn’t let them get a tent dress for fear it made the girls look pregnant. Dixon even pulled out an old diary. “There all these years later at 60-61 we are still as giggly and silly as we were then,” Brede said.
‘Everybody had their own vacation’ The women spent much time relaxing at the condo or on the beach. They worried about going in high season, fearing the
island, which is only about 5-by-7 miles, would be busy. But that wasn’t the case. “You felt like you had the whole beach to yourself the whole time,“ Brede said of their condo. Everyone compiled a bucket list and started checking off items. Dixon made a list of things the women could do in Nevis. “Everybody had their own vacation,” Dixon said. “We never felt like all five of us had to do everything together.” Brede and Hagen went horseback riding, but Hegan’s horse kicked and she fell off. She hit her head and had the wind knocked out of her, which meant she was more comfortable walking along the rest of the way. “I checked that off my bucket list and handed in my reins,” she said, noting she felt sore when snorkeling the next day and had pain for some time afterward. The group hiked in a rain forest, drank fresh coconut water and snorkeled in St. Kitts. Ratz recalls the lush flora and fauna. Continues on page 38 May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 37
Continued from page 37 “Where else do you see a monkey crossing sign,” Ratz said. On the hike into the mountains, Mathison remembers being bitten by ants and other insects. Hagen and Brede went fishing with Dixon’s husband, Tambo. “Wasn’t our normal sunfish and walleye that we’re used to in Minnesota,” Brede said. Ratz praised Tambo for, like Dixon, being a great host. “He was just so patient and gracious, too,” Ratz said.
A Nevis tradition The women are talking about meeting in Nevis again every five years as long as they can. Dixon said they’re welcome all the time in Nevis. The group grew closer through the trip, and Dixon now has a deeper appreciation for her roots and family in Austin after she moved. “I am really blessed that I have this group of friends that I can go to for anything,” she said, noting they all understand each other in a unique way because of their similar upbringing. Hagen agreed the group can always count on each other. “Those are friends forever — friends for life,” Hagan said. To Dixon, the joint memories, values and experiences growing up in Austin keep the women connected, even across thousands of miles. “We will never, ever be apart from each other,” Dixon said. “We are now reunited.”
A sign on Reggae Beach on St. Kitts says it’s time to relax and abide by “island time.”
Paulette Hagen, JoAnn Brede, Tambo and Mary Lou (Prestegaard) Ratz fish on the Caribbean.
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May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 39
By Trey Mewes Photos by Eric Johnson
Dr. Joshua Liao, a scientist with The Hormel Institute has recently secured funding through the Department of Defense to research pancreatic cancer. 40 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
Dr. Joshua Liao relaxes into a padded office chair one dreary April afternoon, unaffected by the overcast weather as he launches into an explanation why stir frying food can actually prevent cancer. He’s excited about his talk, ready to break down the chemistry behind complex ideas into conversational topics. It’s a skill he’s had plenty of time to master, since he routinely spends most of his day inside a laboratory, buried in his work and discussing it with others. He has a knack for looking at a problem from a different direction. It’s something that has served him well, as he constantly looks for ways to break down an issue — from ribonucleic acid (RNA) cloning to the causes behind breast and prostate cancer — and find a way to use it in a hospital. That’s why Liao, 54, heads up The Hormel Institute’s translational cancer research team. He oversees ways to turn cancer research into medical solutions and is in the midst of researching ways to get near-immediate feedback on a patient’s cancer treatment. “I probably spend more than 100 hours a week here,” he said with a grin. “I try to get home by 1 a.m. every night. I’ve done it for years, so I’m used to it.” Continued on page 42
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM 3532 Hwy 63 South • Rochester, MN 55904
May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 41
Continued from page 40 Liao found his calling early in life. Growing up in China, Liao entered college at 17 and became a full-fledged doctor by 22. Though he initially began his career as in internal medicine like his father, he decided to study pathology due to his mother, a fellow pathologist who suggested he obtain his master’s degree in that field. At 25 years old, Liao began work at a hospital. Yet he soon found himself wondering why some of his patients were more affected by cancer than others. He especially grew interested in liver cancer after seeing so many patients. It was at that point he knew he wanted to research cancer, and what made it tick. He found himself applying to the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, as he was intrigued with its postdoctoral medical nutrition research. During his studies, he sought out Jan-Ake Gustafsson, who took a liking to Liao and acted as a mentor during Liao’s time in Sweden. Little did Liao know, he picked a good mentor. Gustafsson, one of the world’s leading biology, biochemistry and medical nutrition professors, is renowned for his discovery of a type of estrogen receptor cell in the 1990s. Gustafsson would eventually chair the N obel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Committee from 2002 to 2004 and eventually accepted a prestigious position at the University of Texas-Houston. “I didn’t know he was an important man,” Liao said with a laugh. “I was just asking to be admitted, and he had accomplished so much.”
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Finding his niche Liao earned his Ph.D. in medical nutrition in 1996, shortly before he departed Europe for the U.S. He soon immersed himself in groundbreaking work, though not the type he expected. Liao inadvertently found a connection between male and female hormones, and prostate and breast cancer. He had tried to replicate a Canadian scientist’s experiment, which involved studying the right amount of estrogen and androgen, female and male hormones, that would induce prostate cancer. When he ran the experiment, Liao found a different result. He had induced breast cancer instead. “I screwed up the doses,” he said. Though he says his boss was mad at first, Liao stumbled onto something new: No one had ever induced breast cancer through a combination of estrogen and androgen before. Liao thinks the reason why that occurred was due to the ratio of male-to-female hormones. “As you get older, your hormones go down,” he said. “This happens in everybody.” Because a person’s gender-specific hormones decrease as they age, it may allow for more opportunities for cancerous mutations, according to Liao. Liao eventually moved from Kansas to Georgetown University, to Detroit and finally to The Hormel Institute in 2007. He decided to specialize in breast cancer during his career and was excited about the possibilities available at the Institute.
As the team leader of translational cancer research, he has up headed several intriguing projects and is a prodigious author of scientific articles. It’s a good fit for Liao, who has experience in the doctor’s office and in the lab. “Most people have experience in one or the other,” he said.
His life’s work Liao has recently researched RN A chimeras, a type of mutated RN A gene signature of breast cancer. RN A tends to act as the messenger to a cell’s DN A, and the chimeras can affect how a cell mutates — whether it stays healthy or becomes cancerous. By identifying chimera signatures, Liao and other scientists hope to eventually use that data to monitor a patient’s treatment plan. Cancer treatments are uniform, with certain types of chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy used to combat malignant cancer cells no matter what the disease. To Liao, and to other medical researchers, that’s not good enough to consistently help people. Each person’s DNA is ever-soslightly different, so a uniform cancer treatment doesn’t always work on a patient. If doctors found a way to routinely look at a patient’s RNA chimeras — which is easily cloned into a large enough batch to properly examine — they could see how well a cancer drug is working for that patient, which can help a patient’s treatment in the long run. “We can tailor it to patients,” he said. Liao’s team’s work has exciting applications, though it
could take years before scientists see results. Experts have researched DNA for almost 100 years, but RNA research is relatively recent — “only the past 10 years or so,” Liao said. Still, Liao is ready to find results. And he’s always willing to talk about his work. “I get paid by taxpayers, so they should get something back,” he said with a laugh. Liao routinely takes phone calls from fellow scientists, advocates and journalists around the world who are interested in his work, and he’s always willing to explain the science behind cancer prevention and treatment. After all, he’s well known in the community for his talk on stir fry. On that dreary April day, he explained how stir frying vegetables in a little oil helped to release dormant vitamins that aren’t always absorbed into a person’s body. The oil helps to break down the vitamins and fibers, which a person can more easily digest and use. In a general sense, that’s why Asian stir fry can actually be healthy — Asian cuisine uses more vegetables than U.S. food, and the oil can contain more healthy vitamins and minerals. That’s part of what Liao learned studying medical nutrition in Europe. “You can greatly reduce your risk of cancer that way,” Liao said. Liao hopes his team and the Hormel Institute can greatly reduce cancer risks overall. And Liao is already in the lab, ready to do just that.
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Austin’s
All-Star Doctors Austin Living gives a look at some of the best doctors in town BY TREY MEWES • PHOTOS
BY
ERIC JOHNSON
Austin is no slouch when it comes to medicine: We’ve got research institutions, large hospitals and great access to health care. Yet the superheroes who keep Austin super healthy aren’t always in the spotlight. They work long days, see many patients and help transform the way we heal from serious injuries and illnesses. Austin Living scoured the area in search of some of Austin’s best and brightest doctors who contribute much to the area. We found doctors who are ready to help hospitals step into the next era of medicine, doctors who can help patients walk again, and doctors who know the best ways to keep your mouth healthy. These All-Star Doctors are incredible representatives of how well the medical profession helps those in Austin. Continues through page 48
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Dr. Bobbee Hyland May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 45
Jeffrey Beckenbaugh Practice: Orthopedic surgery Age: 47 Years in Austin: 1
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Jeffrey Beckenbaugh is a big Mayo Clinic fan. The 47-year-old grew up in Rochester, worked at Mayo when he was younger and heard about the hospital from his father, a hand surgeon. Though he has had other careers, Beckenbaugh was always drawn to the medical profession. “Since I was exposed to that pretty much my whole life, it was almost one of those things that I just kind of considered as just an interesting and fascinating job the whole time,” he said. He took a bit of a circuitous route to becoming an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, however. Beckenbaugh worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years before he realized a career in medicine could be a lot more interesting and rewarding. From there, he earned his medical degree in 1997 and finished his residency in 2003. That’s where he found how much he enjoyed joint replacement surgery. “There’s a lot of technical aspects to it; that can make it a little more challenging,” he said. “Getting people back and moving is extremely rewarding because it’s one of those deals where people are extremely limited and they get up and move around, and they’re just grateful. It’s lifechanging for them.” He still remembers the time he attended a dinner for hip and knee replacement surgery patients, all of whom were walking around and celebrating their newfound mobility. “It’s probably one of the more rewarding things I’ve ever done,” he said. “You never see all those people in a room in the same time and go, ‘Holy cow, we’ve done this for this many people and changed all their lives.’” Beckenbaugh is a relatively new transplant, as he came to the Austin medical center last July. He enjoys the city and is amazed at how motivated and friendly patients here are, especially where their health care is concerned. He likens treatment at Mayo’s Austin location to a hometown feeling — patients see their family doctors, follow up with specialists, get physical therapy and more. “I’ll walk by therapy on my way to surgery all the time and see my patients in there,” he said.
Gayette Grimm Practice: General surgery Age: 41 Years in Austin: 2 If Dr. Gayette Grimm wasn’t a doctor, she’d likely be a car mechanic. On the surface, it’s a strange career shift, but in reality it’s an extension of Grimm’s determination to heal an ailing body. “To me, the human body is the most awesome and cool machine there is,” she said. “I wanted to fix it. I wanted to know how it worked and I wanted to fix it.” The self-described “Iowa farm kid” has come far since completing her residency in 2004. She led the Prairie Du Chien Memorial Hospital as its chief of staff for three years before coming to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin in 2012, just as its new expansion opened. She has made a huge impact in Austin since she and her family moved here, as she has taken on many roles within the Austin hospital. Aside from general surgery, Grimm is the co-chair of the surgical and procedural committee throughout all of Mayo Clinic Health System’s hospitals, which means she helps align practices, policies and communication between hospitals in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Georgia. She helped oversee a transition to put more patient information and general paperwork online so medical staff could see a patient’s medical history and decide on treatment accordingly. “Mayo is doing a good job at trying to integrate patient care across multiple locations,” Grimm said. “That’s really important when you start thinking about getting your care in a small town where you live and then trying to go to a bigger facility because your place doesn’t have resources.” Aside from administrative duties, Grimm also sees patients on a regular basis — from pre-operation meetings with patients to performing quick skin lump removal to larger procedures like gall bladder surgery, endoscopies and even emergency room care. “As a general surgeon, I basically say I do everything from the neck to the pelvis,” she said. “Other than the hearts and the lungs, I kind of take care of you from here to there.” She and her family love being in a larger town that still feels small, and the Grimms especially enjoy Austin’s arts and education opportunities. Yet she also loves serving Austin’s patients in the clinic and in the office as a champion of good healthcare practices. “I’m fairly outspoken,” she said with a laugh.
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Bobee Hyland Practice: Dentistry Age: 30 Years in Austin: 6 At first, Bobee Hyland wasn’t sure what kind of medicine to practice. She knew she wanted to be a doctor of some sort, but she didn’t know what she wanted to study after she completed her pre-med degree at Gustavus Adolphus College. That changed after she got a dental checkup. She discovered her passion for dentistry after visiting her local dentist, who asked her why she wasn’t pre-dental instead of pre-med. Now, the Austin native is among the experts in tooth reconstruction as a dentist at Elrod, Green and Hyland. “You can put your artistic abilities together along with your scientistic abilities, combine them, and make a really fantastic career out of it,” she said. She’s a part of a team that sees more than 6,000 patients every year. As a general dentist, she sees almost every kind of tooth problem around. And there are myriad problems, each with its own solution. “Every cavity grows at a different rate in a different spot, every tooth is shaped differently,” she said. “Even if it’s the same cavity on the same tooth between two different patients, nothing is ever the same.” Aside from the excitement every day can bring, Hyland’s specialty is using a computer-aided design device called CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, or Ceramic Reconstruction) to design individually-tailored crowns right at Elrod, Hyland and Green’s office. Hyland is able to create a 3D depiction of a person’s mouth, map where a crown, inlay, veneer or filling needs to go, and create a ceramic piece to go into the tooth. From there, Hyland and her staff are able to dye the tooth to the proper color and even match the ceramic to the same shade as the rest of the patient’s mouth. “The technology is constantly changing,” she said. “Things are dramatically different than they were five years ago.” Yet she still finds time to participate in Austin life. She was a part of the first girls hockey team at Austin High School and just recently became a high school hockey referee. She also likes to scuba dive and go camping with her family, though she also loves being able to stay in her hometown. “Austin is an amazing place,” she said. 48 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
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OUT & ABOUT
Living to serve One Austin woman finds meaning in helping others BY ROCKY HULNE • PHOTO When Erica Frank moved to Austin from her rural home near Wells, Minn., four years ago, she was looking for a way to meet people her age. The 23-year-old Frank decided to get out and volunteer. After all, what better way to meet people than to help them? And she’s glad she did. Frank, now the Austin Rotoract Club President, loves the feeling she gets when helping the community. It has helped her connect to Austin’s bustling social life. “I moved to Austin and I was looking for a way to get to know people,” Frank said. “It’s a good option for people my age to get involved in the community. It’s a great way to make friends while helping out.” Frank is active in coordinating all of the events for Rotoract, an active organization in fundraising in the Austin area. Rotoract is an offshoot of the International Rotary Club, which also has a chapter in Austin. Like many service clubs, Rotoract exists not only to help others but to help people bond, one of many such clubs to do so. For Frank, the opportunity to serve means an opportunity to do great work like at the Annual Day of Caring, which helps people in the community
50 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
BY
ERIC JOHNSON
complete projects that they are not able to do themselves. It’s not a specific Rotoract activity — United Way of Mower County organizers usually put the event together — but it’s another way for Frank and other young volunteers to help out. That’s what makes volunteering so much fun for Frank. She said it feels good to give back the community. After all, It’s a two-sided affair for the volunteer and the one who’s getting help. “I think it’s something where everyone wins,” Frank said. “Everyone is getting something from it. It’s a great way to bring in your ideas and make a difference.” Frank works at IBI Data, which keeps her busy, but she still finds time to squeeze in her volunteer work during the week when she can. “It definitely keeps me busy. I’m able to mix it in with my breaks at work,” she said. Frank encourages anyone to come and join Rotoract. She said the organization helps out in any area, so all new ideas are welcome. Yet she said volunteering in general is an important goal, too. Frank also plans to continue volunteering as long as she can. It’s what she does, after all.
Erica Frank May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 51
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OUT & ABOUT
t u O e h t n o s l i a r t
Chad Burma is a well-recognized face in the Austin biking community as store manager of Rydjor Bike Shop downtown. 54 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
A local bicycle enthusiast shares his favorite spots to ride in Austin and surrounding areas BY JASON SCHOONOVER • PHOTO
BY
ERIC JOHNSON
The first time Chad Burma ever went mountain biking, he flipped over his handlebars two times. Yet he was hooked: “For whatever reason, I kind of fell in love with it after that,” he said. Biking has gone from a passion to a career for the 33-year-old Burma, the store manager at Rydjor Bike Shop in Austin, where he has worked since 1997. But biking is more than a livelihood for Burma. When he’s not working at Rydjor, he still hits the trails in the summer months — both in Austin and across the region. “It’s a really great asset that we have in this town,” Burma said of local trails. Burma often rides the city trails, and the addition by Wildwood Park, the trails north of Hormel Foods Corp. and through Todd Park are some of his favorite Austin spots. “That Wildwood trail is definitely the most beautiful stretch of trail that we have in town,” he said. He also enjoys a loop of trail along the Cedar River near the bandshell in southwest Austin — another secluded spot — though it gets a little buggy during the summer. “I think most people that want to ride these trails want to ride the secluded areas,” he said. But Burma’s biking isn’t limited to Austin. He often heads out of the county across Minnesota and into Iowa and Wisconsin for mountain biking. Some people go off-road in vehicles; Burma goes off-road on a bike. “That’s definitely my passion and what got me into riding is getting out in the woods with friends and riding trails,” he said. Burma described riding mountain bike trails as being similar to riding a deer path, with narrow, technical and rocky trails that are physical and difficult. One of Burma’s favorite mountain biking destinations is the Levis/Trow Trail system, which consists of a 34-mile network of trails in Clark County, Wis., with camping and other amenities. “It makes for a really fun weekend with friends to be able to go there and hit trails and camp for the weekend,” he said. Closer to Austin, Burma and friends ride Eastwood Trails in Rochester and there’s some trails in Decorah, Iowa. Burma also enjoys the Root River Trail System, especially near Harmony, as a paved trail. For a nearby place to mountain bike, riders can travel through part of MyreBig Island State Park on the east side of Albert Lea, with spots along the lake to stop and rest. “If you’re a novice mountain biker and you just want to get off the road and ride in the woods, that’s a great spot to go,” he said. For mountain biking, Burma recommends a bike with large, knobby tires and front or full suspension. He also recommends a helmet, gloves and padding, and something for hydration. “With mountain biking it’s not if you’re going to fall, it’s when you’re going to fall,” Burma said. For road rides, it’s more about aerodynamics and comfort, with lighter gloves and lighter clothing. When it comes to mountain biking, Burma urged people to be patient, not have high expectations of yourself right away, and be willing to take chances. “Hopefully you like mud, because you’re going to probably get really dirty,” he said. May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 55
INSIDE AUSTIN LIVING
We continue to have as much fun as possible putting out Austin Living Magazine every issue. From adventures inside Austin’s hospital to a touching mother/daughter makeover, we always have plenty to talk about when we put together the final product. One of our big features this issue is dedicated to highlighting area doctors and the great work they do. We regret we couldn’t feature every doctor in Austin, but we think we’ve found some great physicians, surgeons and dentists to focus on. Of course, one of our photoshoots took place inside an actual operating room inside Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin. That meant photographer Eric Johnson and editor Trey Mewes had to jump inside “bunny suits,” as the medical staff called them, to step inside the OR. Dr. Gayette Grimm was kind enough to take this photo of Johnson and Mewes. Johnson, without whom we couldn’t put together Austin Living, was also present at the Style Lounge for this issue’s fashion photoshoot. We decided to mix things up with a mother/daughter makeover, in honor of Mother’s Day, which takes place on May 11, 2014. Above, Johnson is photographing Trystann Maly’s amazing makeover courtesy of stylist Sarah Wolfe. 56 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
Behind the scenes
May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 57
AUSTIN LIVING AUTOMOTIVE
HOME IMPROVEMENT
DAVE SYVERSON AUTO CEN TER: 2310 East Main Street, Albert Lea, MN www.davesyverson.com (507) 373-1438 Experience the difference with Dave Syverson’s non-commissioned sales team. Visit your local Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Jeep, LINCOLN, Nissan, Volkswagen, Ram dealership serving Albert Lea and surrounding areas. Access the most upto-date internet car buying tools on their website.
AREN ’S HEATIN G: 101 3rd St. SE, Austin, MN (507) 433-5652 www.arensheatingandcooling.com Steve and Penny Arens working hard to make “Our Furnace Company Your Furnace Company” for 30 years since 1983. Selling “Top Rated” Bryant Equipment. We will service any make or model. 24 HR Emergency Service. Free Estimates. Call Today (507) 433-5652.
HOLIDAY CARS OF AUSTIN : 2701 West Oakland Ave., Austin, MN www.holidaycarsaustin.net www.holidayford.net (888) 267-1356 Holiday Cars of Austin is proud to be one of the premier dealerships in the area. From the moment you walk into our showroom, you’ll know our commitment to Customer Service is second to none. We strive to make your experience with Holiday Cars a good one – for the life of your vehicle. Whether you need to purchase, finance, or service a new or pre-owned vehicle, you’ve come to the right place.
DINING TORGE’S LIVE: 1701 4th St. N W, Austin, MN (507) 433-1000 www.torgeslive.com Torge’s has the best regional entertainment and the coldest beer in Austin! Enjoy 22 flat screen HDTV’s, a large outdoor patio with fire pit, live music, and daily food and drink specials. Torge’s Live Sports Bar and Grill is Austin Minnesota’s best nightclub!
EDUCATION NIACC: 641-422-4245 1888-GO-NIACC www.niacc.net NIACC has a history of providing quality post-secondary opportunities. Ranked #14 in the nation for student success, NIACC offers a long list of opportunities: Adult/Developmental education, Career/Technical education, the first step to your bachelor’s degree, & Workforce development.
FINANCIAL ACCEN TRA CREDIT UN ION : 400 4th Ave. NE, Austin, MN (507) 433-1829 www.accentracu.org Open to anyone who lives, worships, works or attends school in Mower, Olmsted, Freeborn or Winona County. Check us out for home, auto, business or personal loans. Credit unions have better rates and fewer fees. Mobile banking available 24/7. Become a member today. Locations in Austin and Albert Lea.
FLORAL THE HARDY GERANIUM: 100 1st St. SE, Austin, MN (507) 434-2409 Unique and creative floral gift shop specializing in contemporary floral arrangements for any occasion. Weddings, funerals, corporate events, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc. Stunning permanent botanicals. Boutique style gift shop with designer handbags, jewelry, home decor and greeting cards. Garden Center open May through September.
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BRICK FURN ITURE: 504 N orth Main St., Austin, MN (507) 4338833 www.brickfurnitureaustin.com Locally owned. Specializing in great quality. Low sale prices every day. Top service after the sale. Name brands such as La-Z-Boy, Smith Brothers of Berne, Sealy, and Daniel’s Amish. Lots of wall decor. Many other varieties of decor to choose from! BUDGET BLINDS: 310 1st Ave. S., Albert Lea, MN (877) 373-8535 www.budgetblinds.com/AlbertLea We proudly serve the local community by offering high quality and stylish window coverings for any occasion. Our lavish selection of window treatments includes shutters, blinds, draperies, shades and even window film. Call us today to schedule your free in-home consultation. Looking forward to helping you beautify your home! CUSTOM DRAPERY & BLINDS BY MICHAEL ESCH: 1120 Aspen Drive, Burnsville, MN 55337 Voice: (952) 895-0618 www.cdabbyme.com Custom Drapery and Blinds by Michael Esch is one of the leading window coverings businesses in the area. Our mission is to provide a top quality product at value oriented pricing with the strongest customer warranty in the business. EN DRES WIN DOW CLEAN IN G: 1101 8th Ave. SE, Austin, MN (507) 437-3633 www.endreswc.com Professional window cleaning for both commercial and residential customers. Endres Window Cleaning program delivers consistent quality and reliability - you will find that we are the best value in the business. We pride ourselves on our punctuality and top rate service. Our computer-driven organizational methods and our management staff insures that we will not let you down. Give us a call for a free estimate. FREEBORN LUMBER COMPANY & DESIGN CENTER: 971 Plaza Street West, Albert Lea, MN www.freebornlumber.com (507) 377-4284 A family owned business that began in 1946. Stop in and visit their new facility and design showroom. Freeborn Lumber features quality building materials, new home design, kitchen remodels, cabinet design, agricultural buildings and outdoor living spaces. HOME SOLUTIONS: 603-1st Ave. S., Albert Lea, MN (507) 373-3435 www.homesolutionsmidwest.com Update your home with windows, siding, sunroom, gutters, Gutter Helmets, sunshades, or metal roofing. We make homes new again.
INSURANCE LISA HINES AGENCY - AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE: 701 W Oakland Ave. Austin, MN 55912 (507)433-2160 As your American Family Insurance agent, I believe there’s more to insurance than the policy itself. It’s about providing dependable protection and service. That’s why earning your trust is my policy. Stop in for a free insurance quote.
MARKETPLACE THOMPSON INSURANCE, INC.: 507 1st St. NW Suite A., Austin, MN (507) 437-9025 Thompson Insurance, Offering Better Solutions through Atlas Insurance Brokers. We compare rates from over 50 insurance companies including AAA, Progressive, Travelers, The Hartford, Met, Safeco, Integrity, West Bend, Selective and many more. This allows us to provide you a customized, comprehensive and cost effective insurance plan for your Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Business Insurance, Life Insurance and Health Insurance needs.
SERVICES AUSTIN UTILITIES: 400 Fourth St. N E, Austin, MN (507) 4338886 www.austinutilities.com Austin Utilities is offering great rebates to residential customers who purchase energy efficient appliances and heating and cooling equipment. Look for products with the ENERGY STAR label that meet our Minimum Efficiency Requirements (MER)*. When you purchase your energy saving equipment, ask for a rebate application, fill it out, attach your receipt, and send it to your utility! CONSERVE energy for the environment and SAVE money for yourself.
AUSTIN DAILY HERALD: 310 2nd St. NE, Austin, MN (507) 433-8851 www.austindailyherald.com The Austin Daily Herald is an award-winning daily newspaper that prides itself on its accurate and timely hyper-local news coverage. Herald readers are the most informed members of the Austin and Mower County communities, and have access to the best deals, promotions and coupons for local businesses.
SHOPPING MEDFORD OUTLET CENTER: 6750 W. Frontage Rd., Medford, MN (507) 455-4111 www.medfordoutletcenter.com Our shopping destination continues its 20 year commitment of offering an exciting shopping experience of your favorite famous brands to southern MN and traveling tourists. We are located on Interstate 35 at exit 48 with close by dining and lodging. GYPSY K CONSIGNMENT: Oak Park Mall, Austin – Next to Younkers. (507) 433-5555 Open Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm, Thursday 11am-7pm, Saturday 11am-5pm and Sunday Noon-4pm. High-end consignments. Clothing, shoes, jewelry, special occasion dresses, purses and home decor. We buy and sell name brand items.
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Austin’s ready for the summer with a bunch of concerts, shows, gatherings and more. There’s plenty of Austin Living to experience once you get out and about! All event details, including date, times and location, are subject to change.
April 25
n Black and White Ball When: 6 p.m. Where: Holiday Inn Ballroom Annual fundraiser for Relay for Life Mower County sponsored by IBI Data. Silent auction, auction, music, dancing and more.
April 26
n Fifth annual Taste of Nations When: 11 a.m. Where: Oak Park Mall The annual multicultural celebration promises to bring thousands of people together from dozens of countries and myriad backgrounds. Celebrate the diversity in Austin with food, games, entertainment and music. Contact 507-434-2863 for more information. Free to the public.
April 26
n Community Pride Day When: 8 a.m. Where: Throughout Austin The annual spring clean-up of parks, trail areas and public places
April 30 – May 4
n Riverland Theatre presents “Picnic” When: 7:30 p.m. April 30-May 3, 2 p.m. May 4 Where: Frank W. Bridges Theatre, Riverland Community College A classic drama by playwright William Inge about a small Kansas town anticipating an annual Labor Day picnic. Mild adult themes, recommended for ages 12 and up. Contact boxoffice@riverland.edu for more information and tickets.
May 3
n 14th Annual YMCA 5k Run/Walk When: 8-11 a.m. Where: Austin YMCA The annual 5K is geared toward families, as walkers and strollers are welcome. For more information, call 507-433-1804. 60 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
May 3
n Friends of the Austin Public Library Annual Book Sale When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: Austin Public Library The annual library fundraiser offers used books and CDs for sale, among other things. Donations are also welcome. For more information, call 507-433-239.
May 3
n Zonta’s Annual Wine Tasting When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Where: St. Edward’s Corcoran Center The annual Zonta fundraising event includes vendors and crafters who will sell their wares at the annual wine tasting. For more information, call Cheryl at 507-325-2227.
May 3–4
n Northwestern Singers present “Wunnerful Wunnerful – A Tribute to the Lawrence Welk Show” When: 7 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday Where: Paramount Theatre The Northwestern Singers take a sentimental journey through Lawrence Welk’s catalog as the group celebrates the longtime TV show. Tickets are $15, $5 for students and are available at the Paramount. For more information, call 507-434-0934 or go to www.paramounttheatre.org.
May 6
n Riverland Music presents “Trippin’ Through Time” When: 7:30-9 p.m. Where: Frank W. Bridges Theatre, Riverland Community College Riverland’s annual spring concert features several Riverland performers including the College Choir, Frequency and The Riverland Connection. The performance is free, though suggested donations are $5 for adults and $3 for students. For more information, call 507-433-0547.
May 10
n Shaun Johnson’s Big Band Experience When: 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Paramount Theatre Shaun Johnson from Tonic Sol Fa leads an ensemble to create a contemporary big band sounds with a pop take on such luminaries as Tony Bennett and Michael Buble. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For more information, call 507-434-0934 or go to www.paramounttheatre.org.
May 17
n Hanson Family and Friends Concert When: 7:30-9 p.m. Where: Frank W. Bridges Theatre, Riverland Community College The family and friends of the late Ole Hanson honor his memory by bringing feel-good music to the area. KSMQ and the Riverland Community College Foundation are sponsoring the event as a fundraiser. For more information, call 507-434-0934 or go to www.paramounttheatre.org.
May 22
n 2014 Movie Series – “The Godfather, Part II” When: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Where: Paramount Theatre The special movie series continues with the 1970s classic “The Godfather, Part II,” considered one of the best movies of all time. Tickets are $5.
June 6–8
n 11th Annual Flea Market When: 4-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday Where: Mower County Fairgrounds Mower County’s flea market is back once again with interesting finds for everyone. For more information, call Al at 507-433-5605 or the fairgrounds office at 507-433-1868
June 15–21
n Summerset Theatre presents “Fiddler on the Roof” When: 2 p.m. June 15, 7:30 p.m. June 16-21 Where: Frank W. Bridges Theatre, Riverland Community College Summerset will start its season with the classic musical about a Russian Jew who must watch his family and his village change with the times. The show is recommended for all ages. For more information, call 507-433-0595 or go to boxoffice@riverland.edu.
June 26–29
n 10th Annual SpamTown Challenge When: All day Where: Marcusen Park and Riverland Baseball Complex The annual baseball tournament features 16 teams from several states, as well as our own Austin Greyhounds. A special Marcusen Park Block Party will take place on June 28 with guests The Tracy Blake Project. For more information, visit www.austingreyhoundsbaseball.com
May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 61
BOOK REVIEW As the Austin Page Turners committee plans for the 2015 Page Turners author, committee members are taking time to share some of their favorite Minnesota books with Austin Living. Terry Ersland is a Page Turners committee member and is reviewing “Vacationland” by Sarah Stonich.
AN ESCAPE, A RELEASE, A
VACA TION
“Vacationland” by Sarah Stonich tantalizes the readers with a promise of sweet release into a vacation from real life, but instead we meet the underbelly of real life head-on. The novel is set in northern Minnesota at N aledi Lodge, nestled in the deep woods near the Canadian border. The resort is owned and run by a taciturn Czech immigrant named Vac Machutova. Meg comes to live at the resort with her grandfather after the tragic death of her parents. After Vac’s death the resort falls into disrepair, but is slowly transformed into an artist’s retreat by Meg. Its transformation becomes a metaphor for Meg’s own journey toward self-acceptance and understanding of life. Stonich creates a tapestry reflecting the resort’s importance by weaving together the stories of the vacationers and workers of the resort. Each story BY TERRY poignantly probes the human condition, and each helps to shape the person Meg becomes. The novel begins with the startling discovery of a severed hand that Meg’s dog Ilsa carries into the lodge. In the first chapter, we meet the 62 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
adult Meg who is emotionally separated from her resort community, Hatchet Inlet, and even her own husband. She feels life only when engaged in her art. The severed hand, which Meg sketches, is an image of her art and isolation. The following chapters are vignettes that highlight the lives of the vacationers and workers who visit the lodge. Each vignette explores life dilemmas like unfaithfulness, end of life decisions, addiction and sexual orientation. Each vignette reveals the character’s connection to Vac or Meg. As a reader, I found the novel gave me insight into loss and the process of grief. Meg and Vac become more sensitive to the needs of others as they journey toward acceptance of their new lives without their loved ones. I also learned not to judge people by their exteriors. Though gruff and often wordless, Vac is indeed ERSLAND the quiet, wise hero of the book. Even after his death, he helps Meg journey toward a healthy life. This book exemplifies the best of literature. It was enjoyable to read, and it gave me insight into life.
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May-June 2014 | Austin Living | 63 January-February
WHY I LOVE AUSTIN
One woman’s love for learning kept her in Austin Why I love Austin: Its opportunities to learn more about ourselves and others BY SUE GROVE When we moved to Austin in 1975, it was supposed to be for one year, until we could regroup and move back to the Twin Cities. If anyone would have told me I would end up happily staying here, I would have never believed it! Austin has provided opportunities beyond my wildest expectations. Joining the American Association of University Women in 1976 literally saved my sanity and has led to many other experiences both locally and at the state and national level. Then, in 1977, when I started my “six month” job at Riverland Community College, a whole other world opened up for me. We became the pioneers of teaching English to refugees and immigrants moving into Austin, changing the community forever. In 1982, a group of us took over sponsorship duties and ended up being the original welcome center for hundreds of people coming here to seek refuge. We learned so many things about other cultures and that everyone has a story. I have also had the good fortune to be an advisor for Phi Theta 64 | Austin Living | May-June 2014
Kappa, the honor society for two-year colleges. This is another amazing experience I would not have had anywhere else. In addition to finding a fulfilling career, I have found that Austin has an incredible wealth of things to do and to be a part of. For a city its size, Austin provides so many cultural choices: theater, symphony, an art festival, book groups, concerts and more. We have an amazing library, beautiful parks, the Mower County Historical Society, the Hormel Institute, a new Austin Artworks Center and the Paramount Theatre. I find enrichment and support from my faith community at Christ Episcopal Church, where we not only worship together, but we also share life’s joys and sorrows. Being a part of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota gives us a chance to explore the spiritual dimensions of life and more chances to reach out to others. Austin has provided me with wonderful friendships. I am thrilled my grandchildren get to experience the educational opportunities here, especially with the excellent music program and great teachers. Both have had wonderful experiences at Southgate Elementary School and I.J. Holton Intermediate School. Austin honored me with the first Human Rights Award for our work with refugees and immigrants. It also gave me the chance to attend a Blandin Community Leadership Training. I will always be grateful for this. There is so much more, including 10 years on the planning commission, but I have run out of space. So you will have to look for me at the Coffee House on Main (another reason I love Austin!) to discover the “rest of the story.”