Her Voice Magazine - Spring 2023

By DeLynn Howard

Her Passion

By Jen Salvevold

By Chelsea Ornelas

By Theresa Jarvela

In her 32 seasons with the Raiders, Jane Peterson has recorded more than 700 wins, including three national titles and 17 total trips to the national tournament. She’s among the top 10, all-time winningest volleyball coaches in the history of National Junior College Athletics Association and has earned numerous accolades.

On the cover:

This picture was taken about an hour before Lisa Chambers fell off a cliff. Her hat was seen floating down the river about an hour after this picture was taken. Contributed.

By Jan Kurtz

Her

On

By Lisa Chambers

By Kathleen Krueger

Lisa Chambers says, “For me, Aug. 12, 2021, was a day I had been anticipating — filled with my love of waterfalls and hiking. It ultimately marked the beginning of a deep bond with many of the women whom I had just met. It’s also a day I can barely remember but will never forget.”

Her Impact

By Carolyn Corbett

Mari Kivisto is making an impact in her community. Find out how in Carolyn Corbett’s story on Page 38.

Her Relationships 34

Friendship dues

By Sheila DeChantal

It’s easy to lose personal connections with friends when well-meaning plans are scattered to the winds. Many years ago, Sheila DeChantal and her friends made a conscious effort to stay connected.

Her

By Sheila Helmberger

Do you know what a scull is? What about a coxswain? A regatta? Let writer Sheila Helmberger take you on a ride with the women of the Brainerd Lakes Rowing Club to find out.

Her Table 50

Adding spring to your plate

By Sue Ready

The shift in seasons brings a timely change for home chefs. The weather always inspires and influences what we create in the kitchen. Now is the perfect time to start enjoying the many seasonal dishes of warmer months that bring a lighter fare.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Susie Alters Eller

SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS

COORDINATOR/ COPY EDITOR DeLynn Howard

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mollie Burlingame

PHOTOGRAPHER Joey Halvorson

BY DELYNN HOWARD

Yes, it’s only February. And yes, we still have snow. But a girl can dream, can’t she? Spring is surely around the corner.

I’m sure the ladies of the Brainerd Lakes Rowing Club are also looking forward to the upcoming warmer weather. They’re headed to a regatta in Duluth this summer. Be sure to check out Sheila Helmberger’s story on Page 44 to find out about the passion these women have for this hobby.

Mandee Ingvalson knows all about passion as well. She decided to hop on her motorcycle and ride 1,116 miles in about 18 hours. Find out why in her story on Page 8. And shifting gears, Mari Kivisto also puts miles on a bike — her mountain bike. Being part of the local biking community is important to her. Carolyn Corbett tells us Mari’s story on Page 38.

Breezy Point resident Lisa Chambers is new to Her Voice. Lisa reached out to me late last summer asking if I’d be interested in running her story. Boy, am I glad she messaged me! Prepare yourselves. This one will bring shivers up and down your spine. Lisa talks about her journey of healing, in more ways than one. Her story starts on Page 28.

Have you ever thought about asking your friends to pay dues? Me neither, but the idea Sheila DeChantal and her friends had was a great one. Sheila writes about “Friendship Dues” on Page 34 and it’s sure to inspire.

Advertising: (218) 855-5895 Advertising@BrainerdDispatch.com

Comments/story

These women. These stories. I’m always amazed every time a magazine comes together. Just when I think I can’t have better stories and better inspirations, more wonderful women rise up to have their stories told.

Passion. Impact. Healing. Inspiration. It’s all here and more in one magazine — Her Voice. By Women. For Women. About Women.

“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow”

— English Proverb

LEAVING NO WHAT IFS

BY JEN SALVEVOLD

Mandee Ingvalson on her motorcyle.

Like the books we read, our life is chapters. We add to the story continuously. For Mandee Ingvalson, her latest chapter started 10 years ago. That chapter is called “Leaving no what ifs.”

At 36, Mandee decided being a passenger on her husband’s motorcycle was OK, but she wanted to learn to ride. And she made that happen. There may have been tears at first, as it can be intimidating, but like all fears, she overcame that. And within learning and fighting those fears, she found being a rider in a male-dominated activity was liberating as a female.

Mandee’s first motorcycle trip, she had put on 100 miles. Two weeks later — 500 miles. All with the support of her husband of 17 years by her side. With many miles thereafter, an opportunity approached.

It was two years ago, after Mandee and her husband and local friends were out for a ride, that they stopped for lunch and it was brought to Mandee’s attention a motorcycle group called “Mile Monsters Inc.” They support boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, with 100% of any money being raised going to the boys. And Mandee heard of a challenge called “Ride 1K in a Day” which is a 1,000-mile motorcycle ride done in 24 hours. She put the two together as she could do the ride and raise money for boys with DMD. With time, the idea of this ride became a reality and Mandee started to plan. She got to understand the boys’ disorder and even got to know some of the boys, one in particular, Gaven, and had planned her motorcycle trip to meet him and his family close to her end location. What else could she add to this trip? Mandee knew she had to do this ride alone.

On Oct. 13, 2022, at 3 a.m., Mandee left Nisswa. The clock started the moment she got a fuel receipt and odometer photo as the proof she needed along her trip. After Minnesota, she hit Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and finally Texas. It was 18 hours when she arrived at Richardson, Texas, at 1,116 miles. Her last odometer photo and fuel receipt of 15 cents stopped the clock. Mandee raised $4,600, $2,100 more than she was hoping for.

Mandee’s husband and youngest son met Mandee in Texas at her hotel that night. That Saturday morning, she rode her motorcycle an additional 250 miles to meet the boy she had gotten to know. When I asked Mandee what she wanted to happen after agreeing to my interview, she said, “I want women to ride.”

She wants to teach them and support them and wants the world to stop telling women they can’t.

Mandee had stickers made that she planted and handed out along her trip with her catchphrase “Leaving no what ifs,” like Mile Monsters Inc., pushes, “Get out there and be epic.”

When Mandee talked about the trip, she said it changed her. She said her head was finally clear and she learned a lot about herself.

“It changes your outlook on life, and makes you aware of what’s important and what needs to change,” said Mandee.

Mandee has made an amazing support

system within the motorcycle community and they have become a family to her. What lies ahead? She plans on making many more long distance rides in the future.

Jen Salvevold is the owner of {Photojenic} Photography. She is also employed with Evolve Vacation Rental as a photographer for the state of Minnesota and works in healthcare with ProMedica Hospice & Home Health. She is a wife of 28 years and has three successful grown children. She also loves to craft, cook/bake, bike, explore and sell handcrafted items in her Etsy store.

Mandee Ingvalson, and her new friend, Gaven, pose near her motorcycle in Texas.

"It changes your outlook on life, and makes you aware of what’s important and what needs to change."

- Mandee Ingvalson

Grandma Riley, the mystery quilt and a butterfly

I first heard about the mystery quilt from my sister, Thais, who heard about it from a lady at church who had read an article by staff writer Travis Grimler in the Aug. 3, 2022, edition of the Pine and Lakes Echo Journal.

“She (the lady from church) asked me if I was related to Cecilia Riley,” Thais recalls. “I told her my grandma’s name was Cecilia Riley; then she told me to check out the article in the Echo.”

According to the account, a quilt had made a long journey from Washington state to Pine River, Minnesota. It seems the daughter of one of the women who worked on it felt it belonged not in Washington state where she resided but in Pine River where it was made so she sent it to her niece who brought it to Heritage Group North who delivered it

BY THERESA JARVELA

to the Historic Pine River Railway Depot where it went on display 87 years after its completion.

Once Thais finished reading the article she viewed the quilt at the Depot, took

a photo of Grandma’s signature and emailed it to her sisters, Toni, Tammy and myself. Our interest was piqued.

There are 30 squares on this quilt, each containing a butterfly embroidered on it

Toni Kleiner, Theresa Jarvela, Thais Kline stand in front of Mystery Quilt. Contributed photos.

and 16 of the squares have embroidered signatures and the date of completion, June 6, 1935.

But what does the discovery of this quilt mean for us after finding out that our grandmother was one of the women who worked on it?

Toni says, “I was only two years old at the time Grandma Riley passed so when I saw her name on the quilt, all the stories and memories I’d heard of her became, in a sense, real to me.” She adds, “I still use her brownie recipe, white sugar cookie recipe, recipes for her homemade whole wheat bread and white bread and the recipe for her pie crust as well. I think of her a lot when I’m baking.”

Thais was born after Grandma died but she, too, felt more of a bond after viewing the quilt.

“To tell you the truth that actually made me feel like I was part of her or she was actually a part of me because I never got to know her and I’ve never really gotten anything that she had.”

Perhaps my youngest sister, Tammy, has a special connection to Grandma since she quilts, too, and even though Grandma passed away before she was born she feels that connection. “I was thinking I had never met her but seeing her signature on the quilt made her real. “Plus, I had no idea that she did any kind of quilting,” Tammy said, “which made me feel good because I like to do stuff like that so maybe that was passed down through the genes.”

I was nine years old when Grandma Riley

died on Dec. 14, 1957. The memories I have of her go back many years but when I saw the quilt and her signature, those memories came to life and I felt a stronger link to her.

I recalled her love of crossword puzzles, bingo, black licorice and hard chocolates, her love of baking and her sense of humor.

While there are many questions surrounding the mystery quilt, I have questions of my own. Why did the quilters choose butterflies for their creation? Was it because butterflies symbolize transformation, change, rebirth and even resurrection? Or could there be another reason? There are those who say that if a butterfly lands on you it is bearing a message from the deceased. Maybe, maybe not. But I say, if that’s true, why not a butterfly on a quilt with a signature and a date? Perhaps I’ll never know the answers to my questions, but in my mind’s eye,

standing alongside my sisters, I see Grandma. She’s sitting with her back to us, inspecting her handiwork on the quilt spread out before her. She caresses the butterfly, touches her signature then slowly turns, glances our way and smiles.

The names on the mystery quilt are: Marie Kruckow, Daisy Jurk, Anna Sjostrom, Mae Marsh, Marie Olson, Margaret Marsh, Amanda Hutton, Mildred Olson, Polly Siltman, Esther Shepard, Ida Graham, Gizella Prorencher, Lily Westfall, Flora Bates, Winnie Burgett and Cecilia Riley.

If you have any information regarding this quilt or questions, contact Heritage Group North at heritagegroupnorth@gmail.com or Bev Kramp at 218-251-3475.

Tammy Venezia, who resides in Virginia, is a quilter like her grandmother.

Grandma Riley

Theresa M. Jarvela, freelancer and author of the cozy mystery series, “Tales of a Tenacious Housesitter,” makes her home in Brainerd, Minnesota.

Celebrating

WOMEN OVER 90

In the summer 2022 issue of Her Voice, writer Jan Kurtz asked our readers to acknowledge, honor and lift up women aged 90 and older. The readers did just that.

In this issue, Gen Mollenhauer and Dorothy Baird are being recognized through submissions their friends or family members made.

Readers, do you have an elder woman in your life you want to lift up and honor? Her Voice wants to help you do that.

For possible inclusion in the summer magazine, email high resolution photos, the woman’s name, age and a short quip about them whether it’s something they always say or a piece of advice to delynn.howard@ brainerddispatch.com or by mail to Her Voice, Attn: DeLynn Howard, 506 James St., Brainerd, MN 56401. Deadline is May 1.

Geneva “Gen” Mollenhauer

Geneva “Gen” Mollenhauer is 95 years of age and resides at the CRMC Care Center, said her daughter, Janie Stanton.

She was born at her parents’ home in Staples, graduating from Staples High School and from the New York Hairdressing Academy in Fargo, North Dakota.

Gen’s attitude about life is rather simple. She believes we should all remain connected, make fun of our work, share our memories and make a party of the smallest ideas. To quote her: “We have to make our own fun!”

In 2012, Gen was honored with Crow Wing County’s Senior Volunteer of the Year award and also the Distinguished Service Award. She has a servant’s heart, working tirelessly with fellow Auxiliary members at the Ironton Legion Club, providing food for events, marching in parades, or making sarmas.

She could be found on any given day at the care center delivering mail or playing piano or helping take residents shopping at Walmart or the casino — whatever the plan called for.

“I have had a great life. I am proud of my family. It’s a joy to watch them grow up, raise their families and witness their successes. My family and friendships mean everything to me,” Gen said.

“We have to make our own fun!”

- Gen Mollenhauer

‘JUST STOP BY’ Dorothy Baird

Dorothy Baird and I have become somewhat unlikely friends. I first met Dorothy when my husband and I retired and made Longville our full-time home.

Dorothy and I both sat in the “widow’s pew” — on the left side and toward the back of the little white clapboard country church building in Longville. Dorothy, Rene and Alice — the real widows in the pew — sat together toward the windows. I was the “choir widow” and sat next to the aisle.

One Sunday, I introduced myself to Dorothy. I explained we were now living in Longville full time and she said something like, “Well, I live in the trailer park across from the Catholic church. I’m in the second trailer when you come into the park. Stop by and see me any time. I love to have company.”

I didn’t take her up on this for a long time. Nobody just “stops by” anymore; we always call ahead or schedule way in advance and the idea seemed awkward to me. But week after week in church, Dorothy kept up her openness and invitations. At first I was afraid I would end up knocking on the wrong door, but one Sunday I clarified with her which home was hers. Dorothy promptly came to the door and invited me right in.

Before I knew it, she had a pot of coffee going (in an electric percolator – who still uses those?) and we visited over coffee and cookies. When I left, she thanked me

several times for coming to visit. This is how Dorothy likes to socialize. Just stop by and she’ll make a pot of coffee.

Dorothy is 103 years young right now. She lives alone in her trailer in Longville for the spring and summer months and with her daughter in Florida during the winter. She’s a tiny person and dresses in a buttonup shirt with 3/4 sleeves, long slacks and slip-on shoes. Her face is cracked with age and her gray hair is cut in a short bob, trimmed around her ears so it doesn’t bother her hearing aids. She spends her time in her house and yard where she mows her own lawn, tends her flowers, cleans her house and washes the windows.

I continue to stop and visit Dorothy at least once every week. My grandchildren love to see her when they visit me and she’s quick to pull out a jar of licorice or a plate of cookies for them. During COVID restrictions, we sat outside, socially distanced and visited; sometimes, I ordered a takeout lunch from the coffee shop in town and we dined on her porch.

At first our conversations were just two strangers getting to know each other, but over time we have both found this to be a true friendship where we’ve started to share more intimate thoughts.

On the surface, this doesn’t sound like much, but for me it has been a true blessing. One of the most difficult adjustments for me in retirement has

BY COLLEEN MORAVEK

been the loss of my work friendships. Every day I went to work and was around many people with whom I built warm and caring relationships. When I retired, those relationships changed in a way that left me lonely and craving new friends. I can still phone some of those work friends and visit or catch up but their lives are, of course, busy with work and it’s just not the same. In this small town I’ve discovered it’s easy to meet people, but it’s been difficult to establish close friendships — the kind of relationships where conversations go below the surface — where one can dare to talk about religion or politics or fears, hopes and dreams.

In one of our early visits, I remarked to Dorothy she was the only person in church who had invited me to visit in her home. I’ve come to understand that’s how she is — a rare soul who is always open and inviting. Just “stop by” her place … any time.

One day when we were visiting, Dorothy put her hand on my arm and said warmly, “I’m so glad we’ve gotten to know each other.” Well, that’s a door that swings both ways; my life is certainly richer for knowing her, too.

Let’s face it, Dorothy is very old and I don’t know how much longer I’ll get to enjoy her friendship, but for now I’ll just keep “stopping by” between April and October.

Not Your Average Jane

PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

At first encounter, Jane Peterson seems like an ordinary gal. You’ll catch her in sweats and sneakers most days. She’ll offer a friendly smile and nod. Her comfy style and laid-back demeanor are deceiving, though. She’s definitely not average.

Peterson is a wife and a mother of two grown sons. She’s a physical education instructor at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. And, she’s the long-time head coach of the college’s women’s volleyball team — an incredibly successful coach.

In her 32 seasons with the Raiders, she’s recorded more than 700 wins, including three national titles and 17 total trips to the national tournament. Every time her team takes the court, there’s a 71% chance they’re going to win — even higher when they play on their home court. She’s among the top 10, all-time winningest volleyball coaches in the history of National Junior College Athletics Association and has earned numerous accolades, including having been named state, region and national Coach of the Year numerous times and named to the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2012. She’s coached hundreds of women and has a knack for unleashing players’ potential, forming tightknit teams and mentoring young adults through challenging times in their lives.

As a kid growing up in southern California, Peterson never dreamed she’d make a living from volleyball. Societal pressures nearly kept her away. But somehow, coaching and teaching opportunities kept popping up. When she finally let go of what she thought she should do and instead followed what she loved to do, she found her true calling and has lived a fulfilling life — one of authenticity. Peterson is bringing her players and CLC students along for the ride in that pursuit.

Q: Tell us about your early years of volleyball.

JP: I grew up around the game but didn’t start playing until my sophomore year of high school, which is pretty late, especially by today’s standards. I took to the game quickly and earned a scholarship to play volleyball at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Coach Jane Peterson serves the ball at team practice.

I was the first girl in my high school to get an athletic scholarship. The year was 1982 and Title IX was newly implemented. It was an interesting time. The National Collegiate Athletic Association and colleges were figuring things out in those early years. Our coach and the women’s athletic director at William and Mary were working hard for us, fighting for us to have the equal opportunities and experiences as male student-athletes.

Q: How did you get into coaching?

JP: My senior year of college, there was a recruiting service that came to campus to find teachers for a private school. You only needed a four-year degree. I figured, “Why not?” I taught math at a boarding school in Wisconsin and coached volleyball, basketball and softball. Coaching was where I had the most fun. I got to connect with people. I was comfortable in the gym/on the field. I loved it. But it was hard for me joined big companies, big accounting firms, went to

do the same. Finally, I gave coaching. There is a lot of autonomy in teaching and rewards I get come from the people right in front of me.

The Central Lakes volleyball team, coached by Jane Peterson, gets some practice time in.

Q: How did you end up in Brainerd and at Central Lakes College? How has your role evolved at CLC?

JP: I met my now-husband, Keith, when we were both teachers at the boarding school in Wisconsin. He got a job at Brainerd High School and I came with. I helped coach the varsity team at Brainerd High School in 1988 and pursued my graduate degree in athletic administration at St. Cloud State University. I was an assistant coach at SCSU for one season after I finished my degree.

In 1991, the coaching job at CLC opened up. I was tired of driving back and forth to St. Cloud. I wanted to start a family. At that time, it was just coaching and very part time. I started as the volleyball and softball coach. When the college hired a new men’s basketball coach and that position was full time, I expressed strongly I wanted to be full-time. I was denied. In the early 2000s, after we won our second national championship, the faculty union stood up for me and I became full-time. Today, I teach yoga and strength training classes, as well as the Theory of Coaching and Fitness for Life. I also help manage aspects of the athletics budget and take on special projects as assigned. For example, I’m currently developing curriculum for a coaching certificate.

Q:What has kept you at CLC? Did you ever consider coaching at a higher level?

JP: Early on, I considered bigtime college athletics and had full support from my husband. Right after we got married, I had a graduate assistantship offer from Dave Shoji at the University of Hawaii. But big-time coaching is just a grind. I wanted to coach but didn’t want to devote my whole life to it. I’ve had really good work-life balance here. I get to teach classes and work on projects or initiatives for the athletics department. We liked the Brainerd community, we made friends, our kids made friends, we built a house — I’m where I’m supposed to be. I haven’t regretted turning down Coach Shoji’s offer.

Coach Jane Peterson gives her players advice during a practice game.

Q: How has coaching changed in the last three decades? How have you changed?

JP: People are more aware of neuroscience today than 30 years ago. There’s more focus on the psychology of performance. Only recently have people been researching how to give feedback and how to coach someone for better performance — in sports and in life.

I’ve changed a lot. I thought I had plenty of knowledge back when I started, but now I know a lot more and, at the same time, I think I’ll never know enough. I’ve been reading a lot about growth mindset lately. I know now volleyball is about coaching people.

Yoga (as a practitioner and instructor) has really changed me, too. It’s

heightened my awareness and helped me live a more intentional life. I’m on a mission to live authentically. I’m not perfect at it, but I’m just trying to live the best life I can.

Chelsea Ornelas is a wife, mama to two little boys, full-time marketer, and movement junkie. She loves connecting with people and learning their stories (which means she asks a lot of questions). In 2017, she and three friends hiked the Grand Canyon from rim to rim in a single day. Her favorite phrase is, “Clear is kind.”

Finnegan

sfinneg1@amfam.com

more facts about Jane

First job ever: Scooping ice cream.

First coaching job: Worked as a volleyball camp counselor at a Marv Dunphy (Pepperdine) camp in the San Diego area.

Last book you read: “The Inner Knight” by Billy Allen.

The last show you binged on: I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I’m a fan of the podcasts “Kelly Corrigan Wonders,” “This American Life” and “Coach Your Brains Out.”

First music album purchased: “Saturday Night Fever.” My mom bought it for me. She wouldn’t let me see the movie. I was 14.

A snapshot of a moment from your current day-to-day bringing you joy: When I get home and my husband has dinner ready.

sfinneg1@amfam.com

Coach Jane Peterson gets down on the floor with her players during a practice.

Marty Gegner’s ability to do detail work changed drastically in 2004, when she lost her sight in one eye and was diagnosed with advancing macular degeneration in the other. After a self-proclaimed “pity party,” Marty turned to abstract scenes, painting how her vision now showed her the world, complete with floaters. By losing one eye, she was forced to see things, literally, through another lens.

Dream catcher

BY JAN KURTZ | PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Thirty miles outside of Mexico City, two ancient pyramids ascend out of the earth, constructed by the Teotihuacan people around 200 CE. A thousand years later, the Aztecs inhabited that space including the Pyramids of the Sun and of the Moon. It was here that young Marty Gegner played among archeological treasures and a history already integrated into her psyche. It was here, in the early 1500s, that her father’s side of the family arrived with Hernán Cortés, the

Spaniard whose army overthrew the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma.

Marty was about two years old when her family moved from Santa Fe to Mexico City. Playing among the pyramids was normal. “I also considered my walks in Chapultepec Park with my mother normal, including what she taught me there. “Once,” Marty recalls, “my mother pointed to a tree and said, ‘Come meet our new friend, hug it with me.’ I did. Then with

the impatience of a seven-year-old, I asked; ‘How long do I have to hug it?’ I’ll never forget her reply: “‘Until you feel it hug you back.’”

Hugging trees was a lesson in intuitive living — a gift passed on from her grandmothers to her mother, and finally to Marty. “Intuition is something we all have,” Marty points out. “It’s a birthright. Use your intuition — it’s a muscle, even though it is invisible, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.

You have to learn to trust it, even when it feels a bit uncomfortable.”

Her family trusted, openly discussing dreams, intuitive “feelings,” speaking of sensing “the presence” of other beings in their ancestral adobe home and having her abuelas, Tula and Lucia, take remedies to the sick. She never regarded her abuelas as curandera/healers, any more than any grandma making chicken noodle soup for a cold — what is strange to one is normal to another.

Mexico provided Marty with her first cultural context and her first language, Spanish. During her eight years there, she was in the care of various nannies, students attending the university, from different countries, to which she attributes her love of cultures and languages. Her father insisted she speak both proper English and proper Spanish. To that end, he enrolled her in the only British Immersion School in Mexico City. “Imagine my reentry into the states,” Marty quipped, “with a Hispanic surname and a British accent!”

Back in Santa Fe, her tapestry of cultures added the Navajo, Pueblo and Hopi. “In the 1800s,” Marty began, “the U.S. Indian Agency deemed it illegal for any ‘white man’ to sell anything, including food, to the Indians. My family ignored this rule. In return, we were made honorary members of the tribes, including sacred ceremonies. As a child, I stayed with an elder in the small, adobe hogans, where we shared ‘what we saw when we were half dead,’ in other words, our dreams.”

“Use

—

- Marty Gegner

free! Our daily goals are to be the best help we can be so you can be the best you can be!

Throughout high school, Marty read everything she could about dreams. At age 18, she had a dream that not only changed, but saved her life. “One Friday night,” Marty relates, “I was to attend a rehearsal dinner with the bride and other bridesmaids. I just ‘knew’ I was not to leave my house. I told my mom I was afraid to go, so we called the bride and told her I wouldn’t be attending.” Marty paused. “Later that night, the bride and her sister were killed when their car was hit by a train at a blind intersection.”

This further motivated Marty to study dreamwork, choosing the Hayden Institute in North Carolina, followed by classes with Jeremy Taylor, author of “Where People Fly and Rivers Run Uphill.” It was an honor to study one on one with him for six years. Uncovering a dream’s metaphor, researching meanings from symbolic archetypes and considering quantum physics along with vertical thinking were part of the coursework.

“The human brain is constantly active,” Marty explains. “It multitasks even when we’re asleep.” Quoting the Koran, she continued, “The only time God has our undivided attention is when we are asleep.

“The Bible is full of dreams and interpretations,” she said. Marty invites us not to just think inside or outside of the box, but consider there is NO box.

Marty’s trust in the invisible led her deeper into intuition, journaling her dreams and following her instincts. She began offering dream seminars, did personal consultations and even helped with crime cases.

Examples of Marty Gegner’s work. Submitted.

“When I lived in Washington, D.C., I had government contacts, some coming to me for my insights. In the D.C. sniper case, they were looking for two men in a white van. I dreamed that it was a blue sedan, called the authorities, and they found the blue sedan, and made the arrest.

Marty also does dream work through her art. “As a child, I loved going into the school’s art closet to smell the crayons,” Marty recalled, “but my artwork developed when my young son was in a play and needed a make-up artist. I continued doing make-up for other productions until a friend encouraged me to apply for a job. That job was for Julia Child!” Marty later worked for the “Good Morning America” show and with such actors as Tom Selleck and Kevin Costner.

Her ability to do detail work changed drastically in 2004, when she lost her sight in one eye and was

diagnosed with advancing macular degeneration in the other. After a self-proclaimed “pity party,” Marty turned to abstract scenes, painting how her vision now showed her the world, complete with floaters. By losing one eye, she was forced to see things, literally, through another lens. There are multiple ways to see the world. The lens of culture, intuition, energy frequencies, dimensions and quantum sciences all form our ethos, each a stepping stone to life’s bigger picture.

You can begin your intuitive journey by hugging a tree and feeling it hug you back.

“I dreamed that it was a blue sedan, called the authorities, and foundthey the blue sedan, and made the arrest.”

-

Marty Gegner

Janet Kurtz's book, Northern Shores/ Southern Borders: Revelations of a Bilingual Life, is available at local stores as well as online with Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It just became available as an e-book, so read away!

‘Happy Chappy’ serving at Woodland

BY KATHLEEN KRUEGER | PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

“She’s an angel.”

That’s how Lyle Krueger, a 94-yearold resident at Woodland Good Samaritan Care Center describes Chaplain Eusebia Rios. You can tell he means it by the big smile that comes across his face when he sees her enter the room.

The Rev. Rios has been serving as the chaplain for Woodland Good Samaritan Senior Living and Nursing

Care facilities since Feb. 6, 2022. Chaplain Rios is a retired military chaplain with 33 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and 18 deployments to her credit. Her military honors and memorabilia create an impressive display in her office and the walls of the Spiritual Wellness Center at Woodland.

Chaplain Rios has a Latino heritage from her parents, but her own

geographical roots are here in Minnesota. She was born and raised in the Twin Cities. Her father carries the distinction of establishing and pastoring the first Spanish-speaking protestant congregation in the Twin Cities. Being closer to family members was one of the reasons Chaplain Rios chose to accept the position at Woodland in Brainerd over positions available in other states.

Woodland Good Samaritan resident Lyle Krueger, 94, sits with the Rev. Eusebia Rios, the “Happy Chappy.”

- Chaplain Rios

HIDING FROM GOD IN THE MILITARY

Since Chaplain Rios’ father was a pastor, it would be easy to assume she chose the path of spiritual leadership to follow in his footsteps. But her experiences as a pastor’s daughter had turned Rios bitter toward God and church. Because of this, she never attended religious services or sought out religious counsel during her first eight years of service as an enlisted member of the armed forces. She chose oral surgery as her military career path and distinguished herself in that area with her oral surgery skills and strong leadership abilities.

It wasn’t until 1995 that she met her first military chaplain.

“Chaplain Dixon always had this big annoying smile,” she recalls. “I couldn’t get rid of him.” Finally, she made a deal with him. “If I come to chapel, will you stop bothering me?” He agreed. Rios went to chapel that first time and never stopped.

In an evening service the Holy Spirit moved her heart in such a way she couldn’t resist him any longer. With much weeping at the front of a chapel service, she surrendered herself to God and asked Jesus to come into her life. It wasn’t long after that she realized God was calling her to lead others to follow Him and began the process of seeking an endorsement as a military chaplain.

“If I come to chapel, will you stop bothering me?”

The Rev. Eusebia Rios holds a bag of coffee which she says is essential, while writer Katheen Krueger looks on.

“The artist asked me a few questions about who I was, what I did for a living and what were my hobbies and I told him I’m a chaplain. I am an ordained minister and I serve in the United States Air Force and I love playing softball. And as he was drawing the caricatures, he envisioned me as a pastor, swinging a bat and smacking Satan out of the stadium. It was pretty funny, but it has been a focal point of encouragement at times for me,” the Happy Chappy explained about the drawing that hangs in her office.

MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MILITARY CHAPLAINCY

Becoming and maintaining the title of chaplain in the military is more complex than many might realize. The military requires a minimum of a Master of Divinity degree and an Ecclesiastical Endorsement as a military chaplain from a denomination. In addition, the person must serve on training tours as a military chaplain candidate and be invited by the military to serve as a chaplain.

Chaplain Rios spent about five years pursuing the education and training

necessary to apply for her endorsement and acceptance as a military chaplain. Her chaplain training included time spent in trauma centers and as a hospice chaplain as part of her Clinical Pastoral Education.

Although Chaplain Rios is ordained through her own denomination, as a chaplain she serves members of all faiths, Christian or non-Christian, while still maintaining her commitment to her denomination and personal religious beliefs. This means she is there to help facilitate the spiritual

needs of all persons. It can mean helping them connect with other spiritual leaders, resources related to their faith or physical space where they can worship or meditate in accordance with their customs. It also means she collaborates with other spiritual leaders who minister within the facilities she serves.

She has served on boards that have had as many as 32 different religious organizations represented and is a strong supporter of the freedom of religion.

“The tapestry of faith is incredible,” says Chaplain Rios. “Because I am sold out to my convictions, I can interact with people of other religions without compromising my faith. (Being a chaplain) is the greatest spiritual playground in the world.”

SPIRITUAL MINISTRY AT WOODLAND GOOD SAMARITAN

Chaplain Rios is known as the “Happy Chappy” among the residents she serves, partly because she has adopted that “big annoying smile” that filled the face of her first chaplain in the military. Residents turn their heads with expectation when they hear her laugh or a loud “Amen” in the hall.

If she’s not leading a Bible study, visiting with residents, or facilitating a fun activity, you may find her in the Spiritual Wellness Center, a recent addition to the spiritual facilities at Woodland. Located in the 200 Building, just around the corner from Mae’s Cafe, this area is open for staff, residents or family members to retreat to for some spiritual respite. There is always coffee available, a selection of books and resources, and if the Chaplain is in her office, she is always happy to chat or pray with those who request it. Outside of work, she may be visiting with other veterans at the local VFW post or serving in a variety of capacities in her local church congregation.

“God uses imperfective people all the time,” says Chaplain Rios. She humbly counts herself among them.

Kathleen Krueger has been a full-time freelance writer since 2011. Her book, “Hey Freelancer Go Clone Yourself” shares advice based on the experiences of her successful freelance career and that of her co-author. Learn more about Kathleen on her website: KathleenKrueger.com.

Chaplain Rios stands near a dartboard she says is a way to start up conversations. “I look at the dartboard in an inspirational way. No matter how big the target, sometimes we can just miss the “mark” all together. That is why God is so important … He will help us recover and get back on target and regain our faith focus… restoring our joy. Amen.”

“Because I am sold out to my convictions, I can interact with people of other religions without compromising my faith. (Being a chaplain) is the greatest spiritual playground in the world.”

- Chaplain Rios

healing On the trail to

healing

BY LISA CHAMBERS

I remember my right foot slipping and trying to catch myself. I remember a root or a branch that got in the way. In a matter of seconds, I had fallen off a cliff into the river below and my world suddenly went dark.

Healing from a near death trauma experience is a long and tedious process. The physical injuries mend and fade away, but overcoming the mental aftereffects, the haunting memories and learning to live with the story is entirely different. For me, Aug. 12, 2021, was a day I had been anticipating — filled with my love of waterfalls and hiking. It ultimately marked the beginning of a deep bond with many of the women whom I had just met. It’s also a day I can barely remember but will never forget.

I’m an ambassador for the outdoor adventure group Women Who Explore. In August 2021, a small group of us were gathering from across the United States to Umpqua National Forest, located in southwest Oregon, for our first ambassadors-only retreat. Many of us were just meeting each other for the first time. Our five-day getaway was planned around exploring hotsprings, hiking to waterfalls and a visit to Crater Lake National Park. Everyone was excited to get to know each other the first night and I felt at ease being around like-minded women. Our trip had nearly been canceled since much of Oregon was consumed by wildfires and the air around us was thick and heavy with a smoky haze. The next morning, we started out with a soak in a nearby hot

spring. Afterward, the plan was to split into two groups, take an easy hike to an area with multiple waterfalls and have lunch along the trail. I remember feeling happy and laughing with the others as we continued to get to know each other. My group started out hiking in single file along the narrow trail. The terrain was wet and slippery as we started to climb and it was hard to hear each other speak from the sound of the flowing water. Below us on one side of the trail was the Umpqua River. On the other side of the trail was a weeping wall of water seeming to come from everywhere. I remember being completely mesmerized. The glistening trickles of water flowed in an otherworldly orange glow cast by the sunlight peeking through the smoky air. It was purely magical.

“I remember being completely mesmerized. The glistening trickles of water flowed in an otherworldly orange glow cast by the sunlight peeking through the smoky air.

It wasmagicalpurely . ”

It is my divine moment and mine only.

It was at that moment, while my eyes were fixed on the water dancing through the foliage, that I felt my foot slip from beneath me. I remember scrambling, grasping, falling … then nothing.

I had fallen approximately 27 feet off a cliff into the Umpqua River and was now out of sight and unresponsive to the shouts from above. In the course of my fall, I was found partially floating in a face-up position. The daypack I was wearing had slipped up and over my head and landed on my face with the weight of it now keeping my head just below the water’s surface.

Although there is so much I cannot recall, there is an image and an awareness embedded in my brain impossible to describe. Perhaps this is the near death experience I live with. Even though I was found with my eyes closed, I can still perfectly “see” darkness and light before me while underwater. Is it the darkness of my backpack resting on my face with the sunlight peering around it? Or is it the light and darkness of life and death? I remember a vivid awareness of being underwater, yet feeling neither panicked nor at peace. It was a calm acceptance of a wrong I couldn’t make right, an affirmation of a situation I couldn’t fix. I had no concept of length of time. I couldn’t breathe and yet, I was totally OK with it. As hard as I try to find the right words, I’m convinced this experience is impossible to describe for a reason. It is my divine moment and mine only.

In the moments after I fell, the women in my group and the others down the trail went into action. I am forever grateful to the gentle soul who got to me first, cradled my head and lifted it out

of the water so I could breathe. I cannot adequately thank all the women who had a role in my rescue: those who got help by running, yelling and sending out a signal of our location, those who helped get me out of the water and kept me warm in their arms, those who offered anything they had in their packs to aid in my comfort, and those whose voices were reassuring when I couldn’t comprehend their words. I am beyond grateful for their compassion. They are the true heroes in my story. My memories of falling and the hours that followed are an array of disconnected

fragments. With our remote location, it took two hours before I was safely in an ambulance and another hour and a half ride to the nearest hospital. It is that window of time that haunts me. As I slowly regained consciousness, I remember looking across the river and having no clue how or why I was there. I remember shaking uncontrollably, my head pounding and the pain in my back unrelenting. My awareness felt like a murky in between of reality and a nightmare. Since the severity of my injuries were unknown, the means of getting me out were also uncertain.

“As hard as I try to find the right words, I’m convinced this experience is impossible to describe for a reason.”

Much of Oregon was consumed by wildfires and the air was thick and heavy with a smoky haze as three women walked on a trail during a Women Who Explore ambassadors-only retreat in southwest Oregon.

I remember hearing the thumping sound of an approaching helicopter. As it grew closer, it never came into view. Then, disappointingly, the noise faded away. Whether it was too smoky or our location too narrow, it was deemed unsafe as a means of evacuation. As my clarity improved, my focus was solely on getting away from the river. I don’t remember who or how many people were with me other than a paramedic in my face wearing a white shirt. The decision was made that I

was able to walk out. I don’t remember making that choice, but it aligned with the overwhelming “fight or flight” response I was feeling. With a borrowed fanny-pack around my waist that served as handles for others to support me, I was guided on the trail out to the dirt road where the emergency vehicles were waiting. My next memory was seeing a big red digital clock in the ambulance that read 2:50, approximately two hours since I had fallen. No one likes hospitals, especially

when you’re alone as an ER patient. I remember lying on the stretcher and being wheeled inside and seeing the lineup of doctors and nurses awaiting my arrival. The bright lights, the overlapping of voices, the hands examining my body, and the endless questions were overwhelming. At some point, one of the leaders in our group arrived and called my husband to tell him I had been in an accident. I spoke to him too, although our conversation was muddled with my confusion and sobs.

Lisa Chambers, third from the left, stands with the women who participated in a Wilderness First Aid course in Flagstaff, Arizona.

After all the exams and subsequent MRIs, it was determined I could be released from the hospital later that evening. I still felt like my brain was engulfed in a thick fog, but the pain meds offered some temporary physical relief. I left the ER with a bad concussion, a line of staples down the back of my head, a broken rib, a broken vertebrae, a wicked black eye, and a multitude of deep bruises that would rise from beneath my skin.

I now had a choice to make. I could go home to Minnesota, or go back to camp to the women who held all the answers of what had happened. I chose the latter. As someone who is wired for detail, I felt the only way I could understand what I had been through would be to speak with those who had witnessed it, too. However while I was in the hospital, the other women had a chance to debrief

their experience and then decided on their own to not overwhelm me with mine. Although their intentions had well meaning, the details of my accident were shielded from me upon my return to camp. I, in turn, shielded them from my pain and leaned into their encouraging words of support the following days. When there is trauma, thoughts fill in the gaps where a memory should be. Oftentimes those thoughts are even more frightening when one’s imagination has free reign. While I was protected from the details of my own near death experience, the voids in my memory were replaced with anxiety and filled with fear. The unknown had a powerful grip on my mind that would continue to torment me. Even though I had a private conversation with the woman who ultimately saved my life, I desperately wanted to hear the

others’ perspectives too. I wanted to see pictures more than anything to give me the missing pieces my brain couldn’t provide. Without the information, the details I so badly needed were replaced with anger, shame and a heavy guilt of the shadow I had cast on the getaway. When I returned home to Minnesota, I felt an unbalance in my life I wasn’t prepared for. While I received an outpouring of support from family and close friends, I felt incredibly alone. When other women told me how strong I was, I had never felt weaker. My husband did his best in navigating the course of when I needed him close and when I wanted to be left alone. While I could hide most of my injuries, my black eye took weeks to fade away and became the signature of my newfound social anxiety. I no longer wanted to leave the house. I was fearful of running into anyone in public and having to respond to anything pertaining to my accident. Luckily, I found refuge with my husband on the privacy of our pontoon boat, spending countless late summer hours cruising the waters of the Gull Lake Chain. I’m grateful for his patience, but the contours of my healing were complicated. There came a day when we both agreed I needed more help than he could give. While I couldn’t control what had happened or what I knew, it turned into my need to control the smallest details of everything else. I started weekly therapy sessions which we aptly nicknamed “Trauma Tuesdays.” I often wondered if the memories I carried with me were embellished out of

Now the same arms I felt around me by the river were holding me again, taking the weight away.

“It was never just my story. It had been our shared story all along. For months, I held onto the weight of that day.

“When the course finally ended, we all embraced in tears. Getting our Wilderness First Aid certification was important, but secondary to the healing we needed which brought us together again,” Lisa said, of the group of women she bonded with after her accident.

fear and anxiety. I had, after all, walked away from the river that day. I know the root or branch that broke my fall was instrumental in keeping my injuries to a minimum. I also believe, as does the woman who found me first, that something divine intervened in my fall. I still needed, figuratively, something else to hold on to; something that allowed me to understand the events of that day were as real as I imagined.

It finally happened. A few months later, a group of us who had been together in Oregon were enrolled in a Wilderness First Aid course in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was a direct response to our shared experience on that smoky day in August. I was admittedly nervous and fearful that hearing the blend of their voices and being in their collective company again would be triggering. Thankfully, our reunion provided the connective tissue we all needed to heal as a group. I was able to read the incident report recounting a friend’s experience of that day. I was shown the transcript of the

emergency text messages sent from the Garmin InReach (a navigational and rescue device) and the urgency that read, “severe injury send help” and “felloffcliffinriverr.” But the most powerful healing came from when the women finally shared their story with me. They described, with tears and detail, the trauma they witnessed on Aug. 12, 2021. For some, the aftereffects they faced were as difficult as mine. It was never just my story. It had been our shared story all along. For months, I held onto the weight of that day. Now the same arms I felt around me by the river were holding me again, taking the weight away.

There was a feeling of empowerment as we completed the Wilderness First Aid course together in Arizona. The instructors knew we had been through an emergency situation recently, but the anonymity within our group kept our story safe. Some emergency scenarios were difficult to play the role of victim or rescuer, but we did it anyway with our collective strength and resilience. The

quiet whispers of “‘Are you OK?’” let me know my triggers were theirs too. There were even moments of awkward humor that kept our mood intact. When the course finally ended, we all embraced in tears. Getting our Wilderness First Aid certification was important, but secondary to the healing we needed which brought us together again. The past roles of victim or rescuer from Aug. 12 were blurred because we were all survivors. Our shared story has now become our shared journey as our friendship and deep bond continues to move forward. New adventures creating new memories are a privilege to share with these women and I am forever grateful for each and every one.

Lisa Chambers lives in Lake Shore, Minnesota, with her husband, Shawn. She continues her involvement as an ambassador with Women Who Explore encouraging all women to adventure in the outdoors. Her favorite things in life are spending time with her family, escaping to the mountains at every opportunity and traveling to faraway places she’s never experienced before.

Lisa Chambers displays a badge to represent her Wilderness First Aid certification she completed in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Friendship Dues

BY SHEILA DECHANTAL

We’ve all done it. You want to stay connected to your friends/family. You say, “‘Let’s get together soon’” or “‘We need to have coffee, lunch, etc., and catch up!’” We mean well, yet life is full.

Weeks of planning to get together turn into months; months can turn into years. It is so easy to lose that personal connection when wellmeaning plans are scattered to the winds.

Many years ago, three friends and I made the conscious effort to be sure this was not what happened to us.

Heidi Schmidt, Sara Moe and Cindy Bartel, and I all worked together for many years at the local Baxter Walmart. This is where we met and began a lasting friendship. While working together, we had opportunities to connect in the break room or meet up for lunches or the occasional after-work dinner and drinks.

Our goal is to provide you and your vehicle with the highest quality glass repair and replacement by our certified technicians. We are proud to say we have been serving the lakes area since 2006 and we look forward to serving you as well.

We are a member of AGSC (Auto Glass Safety Council) and follow all AGRSS standards which assures that we only use the highest quality materials for each and every install.

Sheila DeChantal, left, Heidi Schmidt, Cindy Bartel and Sara Moe take a selfie at the airport before leaving for New Orleans, the first trip they took after paying their “dues” in March 2019.

In 2004, I was the first to leave Walmart for another job opportunity. Not wanting to lose track of the friendship we built with me not being a part of the day to day connections, it was then we began to make plans of how to stay connected. In doing this, we knew we had to be intentional with our plans if this was going to work. Beyond us all no longer working at the same place, we also lived in different towns — I was in Brainerd, Sara in Crosby, and Heidi and Cindy in Motley.

At first, a group of us would occasionally make plans to get together for a movie, lunch or dinner, or maybe a local event or weekend to the cities. At that time, this included a few others beyond us four. As the years went by and our gatherings became less frequent, it was the four of us that wanted to avoid the inevitable drifting apart. A plan was formed for each of us to be responsible for planning a month — three times a year. When it was your month, you planned the meet up (coffee, biking, dinner, a weekend getaway, etc....) and if we could make it, we would. This worked wonderfully for many years, and in December of 2016, we made a gamechanging decision when Heidi came up with the idea for “Friendship Dues” which changed our meetups in ways we never could have imagined.

As a group. we made the decision that instead of buying each other Christmas and birthday gifts, we would instead put in $20 a month. This would be due each time we met up and we would save this to be used toward a trip. In December of 2016, we kicked this off by putting in $80 dollars each — the amount we determined we would have spent on gifts for one another. Then in January of 2017, we began to put in $20 per month each, with Cindy becoming our Friendship Dues treasurer and keeper of the records.

Over the next months, we all discussed suggestions of what we felt would be a fun trip to take together. That added to the fun of our monthly meet ups as we brainstormed ideas. In March of 2019 we took our first trip with our “dues” to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. We were giddy with excitement. Our dues paid for our flights, hotel and taxis. Food, drinks and any excursions were paid for on our own.

It worked wonderfully! Not only did we all go on a great adventure together to a place none of us had been, but we also didn’t feel the pressure of having to save money for the trip or planning on a large expense all at once. At the end of this trip, we had $20 left in our account.

“Being intentional in your planning and commitment to one another is key! Our monthly organized meet ups are what really made this work as well as created a lot of fun memories.”

- Sheila DeChantal

The friends enjoy hurricane beverages at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Once we returned from New Orleans, we were excited to begin planning our next adventure. Over time, we came up with the idea to go to Boston, Massachusetts, in October to see the sights of Boston, as well as of Salem. We laughed thinking, who goes to Salem in October? We do! At this point we also made the decision to increase our monthly dues to $25 per month. Our original plan was to aim for October 2021, however COVID safety precautions caused us to hold off until October 2022.

Once again, thanks to the Friendship Dues, we had money put away to cover our flights, VRBO and a rental car. We spent five wonderful days exploring Massachusetts, taking tours, visiting historical gravesites, trying the famous Boston Cream Pie, partaking in a Boston Tea Party reenactment, as well as a full day of exploring in Salem and learning about the witch trials. (Turns out, many people go to Salem in October!)

These trips are something in our early friendship days we would have never even dreamed possible. We highly recommend this for any group of friends or family who want to be more intentional in finding time to be together. You can really design this any way you wish. You don’t have to plan for the big trips involving planes and hotels — you can just as easily set this up for weekend trips in your own state, girls’ weekends, or a fun adventure of dinner and a play or concert. Your groups can be as small as two people or as large as 100-plus, with the fees being what works best for you and your plans. The ideas are endless. The results are priceless.

If anyone does this, I would love to hear your outcome.

Sheila DeChantal is an event coordinator, freelance writer, lover of friends, family, community, creating fun local events, adventures, books and coffee. She is the Friends of The Brainerd Public Library president and the vice president of Camp Benedict. In her spare time, you will find her reading, writing, hanging out with friends, or enjoying time with her husband Al, and granddaughter, Kylie.

“We spent five wonderful days exploring Massachusetts, taking tours, visiting historical gravesites, trying the famous Boston Cream Pie, partaking in a Boston Tea Party reenactment, as well as a full day of exploring in Salem and learning about the witch trials,” Sheila said, about the group’s most recent trip.

How to start your own Friendship

Dues:

• Gather a group of committed friends or family

• Choose your goal (or just get started like we did with no goal other than to get started)

• Decide how much and how often your group will put in to your savings

• Assign one person to oversee, keeping track of the dues

• Be intentional.

“Our dues paid for our flights, hotel and taxis.”

The friends snapped a selfie before having lunch at Cheers in Boston.

HER IMPACT

+ living life

Shifting

BY CAROLYN CORBETT

Mari Kivisto’s beginning in biking was on a purple twowheeler her auntie gave her for her fifth birthday. It was all decked out with a basket and tassels on the handlebars. There were training wheels, but those training wheels didn’t last too long.

Fast forward to 2012 when the first seven miles or so of the Cuyuna trails opened up. It wasn’t long after Mari got her first “real” mountain bike.

“I always biked when I was a kid. It was freedom. It was exhilaration. It was a challenge,” she says. She really enjoyed her biking, but discovering mountain biking was discovering a whole different thing. Different and wonderful.

Mari found it great to be part of the local bicycling community. She volunteered to work the mountain biking races.

Mari Kivisto poses with her fat tire bike.

Photo by Joey Halvorson.

In 2016, a friend suggested she check out becoming a ride leader for the mountain bike team. She’d coached other sports, but this was unlike anything she’d done before. The ride leaders participated along with the kids, with a ratio of one or two adults to six or eight kids. Everybody was putting themselves outside their comfort zone and doing workouts after the bicycle rides.

Mari noticed they needed a little extra help in organization because the team was growing. So seven years ago she took on an assistant coach role. The size of the team doubled over the next couple years. Everybody rides. Everybody races. Everybody’s got their own goals and each can make it as challenging as they wish for it to be. Somewhere along the way of trading in cotton T-shirts for Lycra and Spandex, they developed a safe space where they could poke at their own limits, to find out how deep they could dig and to urge each other to be their best versions.

Youth sports gives adultsan opportunity to make adifference in the livesofyoungpeople, buildconfidence, andtobeactive!

“I always biked when I was a kid. It was freedom. It was exhilaration. It was a challenge.”

- Mari Kivisto

Two people ride fat tire bicycles on the Cuyuna Connector Trail between the city of Cuyuna and the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. Contributed.

Mari always felt like she had more to contribute and more to give back. She really loved the bicycling thing and began wondering how she could share it with others. When she found this biking community, she had a way to do that. “It really fills my cup to be able to teach skills that help people find confidence and grow,” she says.

Mari believes in asking questions, living the questions and living into the answers. Her gut feeling has always been, ‘How do I do more? How do I make an impact?’ She makes an impact through acts of service and human connection. She does it through sharing herself with others.

An occurrence took place last August that touched her deeply. It happened at a biking event called Crusher. Every year the coaches encourage all team members to ride in the Crusher, and Mari was talked into racing it herself in 2022. There was an enthusiastic cheering squad of supporters stationed right at the bottom of a hill where the racers would shoot back out onto the tar. As Mari rode by this animated group, one little voice exclaimed, ‘That’s my coach!’

“It really fills my cup to be able to teach skills that help people find confidence and grow.”

- Mari Kivisto

A Sure Shift skills student poses with his mountain bike after graduating from level one. Contributed.

‘That’s MY coach’ stuck with Mari for the next lap, and she’s thought about that little voice often over the past months. Seven years ago, when she got into coaching, she never knew how much being ‘YOUR coach’ would mean to her. “I didn’t know,” she says of coaching, “that it would laser focus my intentions, how it would hold me accountable to keep growing or how proud I would be of a group of humans who are not bonded by blood.”

Mari not only coaches youth. She and her business partner, Derrick Justin, operate Sure Shift. In the beginning, Sure Shift was primarily about guiding bikers. It’s evolved over the last couple years to become more skills-based instruction. Mari and Derrick still do guiding; however, many people find they can go for a ride on their own and decide they want to bike better, be safer or feel more comfortable. As instructors, the two address whatever goal the client has. It’s often a matter of getting back to foundational skills. Making small changes can help clients be more balanced, stable controlled.

Mari Kivisto gives a thumbs up in a selfie with two mountain bikers at the Huntington Mine Pit area after a guided ride. Contributed.

Then they go forward from there. They talk a great deal about how folks process what’s coming at them. Then when they face an obstacle out in the real world, they don’t panic because they know what to do. Mari and Derrick do a lot of private lessons, tailoring the instruction to the individual. Mari finds one the best parts of skills training has been the “aha” moments when clients say, “Oh, that makes so much sense.” Or, “Oh, that makes it so much better.”

Sure Shift is a vehicle for change and personal growth, whether folks want to feel more comfortable in the outdoors or they want to feel more confident in themselves. Mari has a favorite quote that pushes her to keep growing: ‘We cannot guide others where we haven’t gone ourselves.’

She’s not only talking about biking. She’s talking about how people process the world. Mari wants to help clients recognize why they are afraid, why they

lack confidence or where there might be some barriers that can be worked through together. She explains everyone has a voice in their head that processes things around them. That voice is trying to ‘help’ by telling us, ‘We’re going to stay away from this or that thing to keep us safe and keep us comfortable. But in

reality, what the voice is doing is holding us back.’ So, the question is how to find the skills and learn to process new obstacles. It’s about life. Biking is one vehicle to these realizations, but those same skills are important everywhere in life. That’s Sure Shift - a vehicle for change.

Mari Kivisto poses with a group after a family skills session. These sessions are designed to teach families how to ride confidently together. Contributed.

In addition to Sure Shift and coaching the mountain bike team, Mari has other significant involvements. She is certified by the Bike Instructor’s Certification Program, one of the top certifications in the country. There are three levels and she is a level 2 certified coach. Also, starting in 2020, she became a Demo Team member for the Minnesota Cycling Association, doing skills instruction and developing curriculum. It was an honor, Mari says, when she was asked to participate in that capacity “because these folks are really good at what they do, really passionate.”

Those folks bring back to the kids all the things the Demo Team feels are so important: ultimately, getting kids out into the woods, to ride bikes with their friends, in a safe place, while learning life lessons. The more adults she can connect with that way, the better.

“You can’t reach all the kids,” Mari says, “but you can reach other adults who can reach kids.”

Carolyn Corbett wrote her first magazine stories during the five years she spent sailing the Bahamas. Back ashore, she continued freelancing and has over 250 articles published in various regional and national magazines. Carolyn was the professional English and writing tutor at CLC for 3 1/2 years. She loves cats, laughter, lattes and playing with words.

Mari poses with her dogs, Indy and Burke, at the Croft Mine parking lot in the Yawkey Unit in Crosby.

Photo by Joey Halvorson.

“We cannot guide others where we haven’t gone ourselves.”

- Mari Kivisto

There is a group of women in the lakes area who gather on Friday mornings in the summer and fall on the shores of Gull Lake off Madden’s Resort. Part of the Brainerd Lakes Rowing Club, the women come to enjoy the sights and sounds of the water, to

get the exercise the sport offers, and for the camaraderie offered by the group. They are looking for others to join them.

This year they hope to make history by competing in the group’s first ever regatta.

BY SHEILA HELMBERGER

In just its third year, Deby Zarling, Shelly Thelen, Brooke Watland, Susan Moen, KC Brekken, Danise Miller and Peggy Rutman attend the morning rowing sessions regularly.

“Most people don’t even realize there is a women’s rowing group here yet,” laughs Zarling, who is a board member for the club. “It’s so new, she said.” Zarling said she already owned a scull and knew she wanted to get involved after seeing an article about the beginning of the club in a local magazine.

The rowing club owns its own boats and there is no need for special equipment or previous experience to join the Friday morning gathering. “We have a small, strong handful of women that really fell in love with it,” Zarling said. “Now we’d like others to join us and give it a try for themselves.”

Deby Zarling glides across the water in a shell.

Rowing is done in boats of various sizes. A double or a boat with two people, uses either one or two oars per person. A four-person boat requires each person to use two oars or a large boat with eight rowers requires one oar each. In addition to the rowers, a coxswain, the person who wears a headset and calls out the instructions to the others over speakers in the boats, completes a team.

“It wasn’t something I had to think too long or hard about,” said Thelen, of joining the club. She always enjoyed using the rowing machines at the fitness centers when she worked out. Thelen decided to try it on the water. “Last year I just thought, you know what, the rowing club is all new so no one will know what they’re doing. June 10th was the first time I went out.”

Her first experience was rowing in a double. The next time she rowed in a larger boat with more people and enjoyed that larger size more. “When you get more people in the boat, it’s more stable.” Thelen said when a group is rowing in tandem, the feeling is euphoric on the calm water.

A newly formed boys high school team in Brainerd participated in a regatta in Duluth last year and another one in Canada. Inspired, the women decided they would like to enter a race, too.

“My thought is not that we’re going to win,” Thelen said regarding this summer’s competition. “We’ve only been together two years. But, look at us. We are going to compete. The more people we get to go, the more boats we will take,” she said.

Watland serves as the coach for the women’s club and also as a coxswain. A 2017 graduate of Brainerd High School, she has always loved participating in sports. When she attended the University of Minnesota and learned you could walk on to the team, she did just that. After starting with 130 other students, she made the cut down to seven, made the team and fell in love with the sport.

“We’ve only been together two years. But, look at us. We are going to compete.”

- Shelly Thelen

Susan Moen, K.C. Brekken, Shelly Thelen, Peggy Rutman, Deby Zarling. Danise Miller are part of the Brainerd Lakes Rowing Club. Contributed.

“I learned what a good workout it is. Then, I saw all of the benefits of it. To row, you strap your feet into foot stretchers on the boat. You’re seated backwards and the seat slides. That’s where you get the full body aspect. You’re using your legs, your back, shoulders and arms. Head to toe, you’re engaged,” Watland said. “Rowing is one of the most all-inclusive sports, using over 80 percent of your muscles. It’s a very team-oriented sport. If you don’t do it together, you don’t do it at all and in order to move places, you all have to be moving as one.

Watland said she’d love to see everyone out there, regarding the Friday morning sessions. “We provide the equipment. We will coach you. I have grown to love teaching new people the sport. It’s very beautiful and serene out in the morning on the calm water and it’s a sport you can do all your life,” she said.

Zarling, Thelen and Watland all agree if you feel frustrated after trying the sport the first time, give it a second chance. “It can take a couple of times to get the hang of it but then you’re going to love it,” said Zarling.

For more information about the Brainerd Rowing Club, go to www.brainerdlakesrowing.org or call 218-330-8695.

COMMON ROWING TERMS

SHELL - The boat itself, short for rowing shell SWEEPING - rowers have one oar per person SCULLING - rowers have two oars REGATTA - a rowing race with multiple teams COXSWAIN -person who steers the boat and calls out commands

Sheila Helmberger lives in the Brainerd area and is a frequent contributor to Her Voice.

Picture taken at Maddens resort on the Wilson Beach side. Contributed.

Jordyn Sistad

Co-Owner and Director of Nursing at Clark Lake Homes

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from The College of St. Scholastic in Duluth, MN.

Hometown Brainerd, MN

Family

Husband Milan, daughter Emma, 2 and one on the way! We have one dog, Sadie.

First Job

When I was 16, I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Edgewood Vista in Brainerd, MN.

Why was it important? How did it help you in your current position?

My position helped me learn how to effectively interact and communicate with patients and work as a team. When I started working as an RN, I valued the CNA’s I worked with so much for their hard work and had a great understanding for how important is to work together.

Something that might surprise people: I became a business owner at the age 30 and I have twin brothers.

Favorite part of your day: Being able to work with my family and making a difference in the clients’ life.

What do you like most about your company: We treat our staff and clients like family. We work as a team to better the lives of our clients.

Most memorable moment on the job:

Having a life flight helicopter land in the backyard of one of our adult foster care homes.

When you are not at work, what are you doing?

My husband and I love to travel and experience new places. We love spending time with our friends and family and enjoy weekend getaways on the lake. Our daughter loves the water!

Reichert Vice President

Her Story

I have been apart of the Reichert Family since 1998 and my proudest moment was becoming our Vice President two years ago.

To me, our company’s essence is Community. We are the first people to greet the children of our next generation of Warriors every single morning and the ones who wish them a good evening. With that comes a great

Mental Wellness

responsibility to set the tone of their day, to show respect for each other (and to teach that) and to let them know there is someone who cares.

I feel it’s my role in the company to give that to all of our staff so they can pass that along throughout their days. Everyone counts. We are all family.

www.Reichertbus.com

8342 Industrial Park Road, Brainerd, MN 56401 218-829-6955

www.reichertbus.com/apply

Recent years have tested us. There is a growing awareness of mental health which breaks barriers of the stigma involved. Seeking therapy should be the accepted norm like going to your doctor.

We serve people of all ages. Northern Pines is here to

help you find clarity and inner peace!

In 2021 we purchased an island! We will soon have more mental wellness conferences, retreats, and learning opportunities open to all. We hope to infuse nature and mental wellness in all of the events.

Life is full of twists and turns. If you struggle with your mental wellbeing,

Please, Don’t Suffer In Silence! It would be our privilege to serve you or your loved ones at Northern Pines Mental Health Center. Our goal is to Enhance Lives and Restore Hope! For more information please visit our website: NPMH.org.

Kevra Cherne

Laura Vaughn is the Executive Director for Northern Pines Mental Health Center.

Laura Vaughn

Nancy Rosemore

Education: BA in Communications Disorders from Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, MA

Hometown: Born in Ipswich, MA, and have lived in MN for 40 years, Brainerd lakes area for 34

Family:

Husband, Jeff; 4 children: Meghan, Eric, Joshua and Ryan; 7 grandchildren; and our chocolate lab, Stout

First job at LSS: I started with LSS in 1988 as a house coordinator at a large group home in Baxter. After about a year, I received my first promotion to senior program manager.

Proud career moment: In 2011, I was selected by Lutheran Services in America to be an NGO observer at the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities. It was fascinating to spend a week listening to nations from around the world discuss how they preserve the rights of people with disabilities and goals they are working on to improve their human rights.

Favorite part about working for LSS: The ability to make an impact on a person’s life. LSS’ vision is that all Minnesotans live full and

abundant lives in community. PICS (Partners in Community Supports), a subsidiary of LSS, works to fulfill that vision by ensuring people with disabilities have the ability to choose where they live and who provides caregiving for them through selfdirected services.

Why is LSS a good place to work?

The culture and opportunities for growth. LSS has great team members who support you to learn and grow in your career path. There are so many interesting services we provide that lead to a wide variety of career choices. LSS also continually strives to achieve its employee vision statement: that employees have deeply meaningful work that changes lives, the opportunity for their unique gifts to shine and grow, and abundant and balanced lives.

Career advice: Do what you love. It was important for me to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. To be able to do that for 34 years with LSS has been amazing.

Retirement plans: I’ll be retiring this spring in time for crappie fishing and then will spend time visiting family members back east. Then, I’ll come back to Minnesota to watch my grandchildren and perennial gardens grow.

Associate Vice President, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS)

spring Adding

TO YOUR PLATE

BY SUE READY

SALMON, ASPARAGUS AND DILL ORZO SALAD WITH A LEMON HERB VINAIGRETTE

Cook’s Notes: A fresh, healthy and incredibly delicious salad that’s satisfying while at the same time, light. Although it can be enjoyed year-round, it’s especially perfect in spring and summer. It’s a quick and easy meal to make. The beauty is that it can be enjoyed cold, at room temperature, or warm. Serve the salad with warm bread and a glass of crisp white wine. The recipe serves four and was adapted from gimmesomeoven.com/

+ SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

1 tablespoon oil

3/4 pound fresh salmon

2 cups asparagus spears, (tough ends discarded), cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or pistachios

1/3-1/2 cup red onion, diced

+ DIRECTIONS:

Make orzo and cook al dente.

Rinse and chill in refrigerator. In a blender, add in all of the dressing ingredients.

Mix well and refrigerate until needed.

Grill salmon with your favorite spices or oven bake.

Tent salmon until ready to assemble the salad.

In a fry pan, heat oil and saute cut asparagus pieces for 4-5 minutes until crisp and tender.

In a large mixing bowl, add chilled orzo, large chunks of salmon, pine nuts, onions and sauteed pieces of asparagus.

Add to a serving bowl and grate cheese over the top.

Sue Ready is a freelance writer, poet, food writer, book reviewer and former middle school teacher. She is a member of the Northwoods Arts Council in Hackensack and one of the chairs for the Annual August Northwoods Art and Book Festival. Sue blogs at http://sockfairies.blogspot.com with recipes, up north living and travel adventures. Her book reviews are posted on Facebook under EverReady Book Reviews and on her blog.

1 teaspoon lemon zest Optional: Serve with sprigs of fresh dill.

+ LEMON HERB DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon each dried dill and parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Reshake the dressing container and drizzle over the salad.

Note: There will be a little extra but save for the next day as orzo absorbs any liquid.

Cooking Tips: Dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated in a screw-type jar for several hours. Reshake before using.

Grill or oven-bake salmon ahead and tent it to keep it at room temperature. Make orzo ahead according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Rinse and refrigerate orzo until chilled.

The shift in seasons brings a timely change for home chefs. The weather always inspires and influences what we create in the kitchen. Now is the perfect time to start enjoying the many seasonal dishes of warmer months that bring a lighter fare.

LEMON RICOTTA CAKE WITH ALMOND GLAZE

+ CAKE INGREDIENTS:

1-1/3 cups cake flour (scoop and level to measure)

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened Lemon zest from one large lemon

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

+ LEMON ICING INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon softened butter

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Optional: added lemon zest

Cook’s Notes: The perfect dessert to usher in spring and serve for a Sunday brunch. It’s an Italian inspired cake made from scratch with an off the chart delicious lemony flavor and a moist texture. Lemon zest gives it an extra zing. The cake can be iced with a lemon glaze or topped with macerated strawberries or raspberries. The recipe adapted from kristineskitchenblog.com/

OVERNIGHT EGGS BENEDICT CASSEROLE WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

+ INGREDIENTS:

6 English muffins, cut into 2-inch cubes (sourdough muffins were used for this recipe)

2 (6-ounce) packages Canadian bacon, cut into small cubes (I used Canadian bacon that was not sliced as it is easier to cube. Ham steak cubes could be substituted)

2 cups fresh asparagus cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup diced green onions

2 cups grated Swiss cheese

8 large eggs

2 cups whole or 2% milk not skim ( I used 1 cup 2% and 1 cup half and half)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. each freshly ground pepper and paprika

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon each dried chives and parsley flakes

1 (1.25-ounce) packet of hollandaise sauce mix made according to package directions, adding in 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce

Cook’s Notes: The perfect recipe for a special brunch, a holiday meal and entertaining overnight guests. It’s prepared the day before, refrigerated and cooked the next day. How easy is that? It’s a decadent splurge meal when topped with a creamy hollandaise sauce but oh, so good. English muffins are cut into pieces and layered with lots of chopped Canadian bacon and asparagus. The recipe serves six. A packet of hollandaise sauce is a great timesaver) instead of making a homemade sauce. Follow packet directions, adding in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

+ CAKE DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9-inch springform pan sides and bottom.

In a bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt, whisk and set aside.

Cream sugar, lemon zest and butter until pale and fluffy.

Mix in eggs one at a time, adding in extracts and beat.

Add in half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

Add in ricotta and mix just until combined. Add in last half of flour and mix just until combined.

Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake until cake is set and a toothpick comes clean from the center.

Check at 25 minutes.

Cool cake in pan and run knife around edges before removing ring.

+ ICING DIRECTIONS:

Using a whisk, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Ice the cooled cake.

Optional: Toasting coconut and almonds together and sprinkling over icing.

+ DIRECTIONS:

The day before, cube English muffins and place on a baking sheet to dry out a bit, cover lightly with wax paper after a few hours.

Grease well a 9 x 9 baking dish, especially the bottom of the pan.

Add asparagus pieces to a pan of salted water.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Drain and pat dry.

Line pan with 1/2 of the cut muffins. Layer half the Canadian bacon cubes, green onions and asparagus pieces over the muffin cubes.

Sprinkle half of the Swiss cheese over this mixture. Repeat layers in same order ending with grated Swiss cheese.

In a blender, add in eggs, milk, salt, pepper, spices, salt and pepper and mustard. Mix well.

Pour milk mixture evenly over casserole dish. Use a sheet of wax paper to press down cubes into milk mixture.

Cover and refrigerate overnight or for no more than 8 hours to avoid bread breaking up.

Bring casserole to room temperature and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake covered for 30 minutes, uncover and cook 10 minutes longer.

Serve each piece with a drizzle of hollandaise sauce.

(218) 828-1216

(218) 828-0022

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218-825-0522 • www.northcountryfloralmn.com

307 NW 6th Street, Brainerd, MN 56401

BruceMeade FinancialAdvisor

“You’re

Bird Feeders, Bird Seed, Puzzles, Books, Garden Decos and many Gift Items. MN made products: Chaga, Wild Rice, Honey, Hot Sauce, Soaps, Lotions and more.

Store Hours- Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00 • Saturday-9:00-3:00 • Sunday-Closed

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4461MainSt PequotLakes,MN56472-4401

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Bruce Meade Financial Advisor 4461 Main St Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 218-568-2230

Est. 1964

Covering 6 Counties: Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena www.npmh.org | (320) 639-2025 MKT-5894J-A

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RSA’s programs, Louise Seliski Shelter and Alex & Brandon Child Safety Center, save lives by supporting the journey of all people exposed to relationship abuse. relationshipsafety.org

I’ve been interested in woodworking, building and tools ever since I created a pig breadboard in high school! LAHFH is the perfect place for me - I am learning new skills and staying active. It is rewarding to meet the family and work alongside them as we build their new home.

I wanted to help others who need assistance and the habitat builds are definitely worthwhile projects. On my first day, it was amazing to watch all the volunteers work together to raise the outside walls of the home. I would encourage individuals to consider volunteering. There are all types of work abilities needed from clean up, painting, to hammering nails.

When volunteering at Habitat for Humanity I know I am helping a deserving family get into a forever home that will be safe and warm to raise their family. Working with Habitat had shown me how great the need is for safe, affordable homes in our community.

 Kathy Wernberg

 Ginger Augustinack

 Bonnie Henningson

Life ChangingResults

PERSONALIZEDWEIGHT LOSS OP TIONS

Dianne HamiltonofOnamiaunder wentbariatricsurgery thispast July

Injustsixmonths,shedropped110pounds,wentfrom asize4Xtolarge, andsubstantiallyimprovedherhealthand well-being. At CRMC,wetreat each patient as anindividualandunderstand ever yone’s weightlossjourney maybedifferent. We will customizea plan foryouwhetheritbemedical, surgical,oracombinationofboth That’s whyitfeelsso good to getwellhere.

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-Dianne Hamilton BARIATRICSURGERYPATIENT

“I feel amazing, Icando anythingandamjust enjoyingmylife.”