Her Voice Magazine - Summer 2023

AlyssaManning, FNP Oncology

Dr.WadeSwenson Oncology

MariahNieman, FNP Oncology

By DeLynn Howard

Her Career

Bringing

the

big

screen

back to Little Falls

By Sheila Helmberger

On the cover:

By Sheila DeChantal

By Sue Ready

Susy Prosapio’s latest project involves reviving the old Falls Theatre that originally opened 90 years ago. Soon it will be possible to enjoy a dinner next door to the theater and enjoy a flick on the big screen after.

Lisa (Jordan) Ackerman is the executive/artistic director of The Crossing Arts Alliance in downtown Brainerd. Photo by Joey Halvorson.

By Michelle Oie

Her Art Inspiring the muse within

By Sue Sterling

By Susan Smith-Grier

By Alyson Levig

Lisa Ackerman began her career at The Crossing Arts Alliance in 2014 as the part-time executive director. Read Susan Smith-Grier’s story to find out how Lisa has helped the organization grow even through a pandemic.

Her Story

Girl power(ed)

By Sarah Nelson Katzenberger

Three female Crosby-Ironton High School students powered through some big obstacles over the course of the school year only to come out on top.

By Janet Kurtz

Her Heart 34

Right where she’s needed

By Chelsea Ornelas

Riah Stroot felt torn and conflicted as she approached high school graduation and was facing decisions about what was next for her. Find out what she decided and where she was needed at just the right time.

Her Family 36

Turning grief into purpose

By Kathleen Krueger

Suz Pohl’s infectious laugh and overflowing generosity are hallmarks of who she is at her core. But those who know her well, know her big heart also carries an immeasurable amount of pain and grief. Find out how Pohl turned her grief into purpose.

Her Table 38 In my garden

By Sue Ready

Nothing says summer like fresh fruits and veggies. Sue Ready has some tantalizing and refreshing summer recipes to share -- straight out of the garden.

HER VOICE

By women. For women. About women.

Ready, set, summer!

Mohs

DIRECTOR Susie Alters EDITOR

GRAPHIC

PHOTOGRAPHER

The sun is shining, flowers are beginning to bloom, road construction is in full force and traffic is starting to get busier in the Brainerd lakes area. Yep, it’s finally summer! I don’t know about you but after what seemed like such a long winter, I’m ready for it.

I’m ready for something else, too. Her Voice magazine is celebrating 20 years this year — and this summer issue marks my 10th year as copy editor for Her Voice. I’m honored to have had a hand in this wonderful magazine for the past 10 years but this particular issue is extra special to me. I have been named editor of Her Voice and it’s a title I don’t take lightly.

BY DELYNN HOWARD

Every issue we produce is full of stories about your mothers, daughters, sisters, neighbors and friends. The Brainerd lakes area has amazing women living here. And it’s because of your story ideas, your willingness to have your voice heard, the talented writers and all of our wonderful advertisers’ support that we’re able to continue creating this inspiring magazine.

Inspiration always seems to be a common theme with Her Voice. Amanda Munkeby definitely falls into that category. Amanda lost her right leg in 1996, at the age of 15. A month in, she was confined to a wheelchair. But from the time of her first prosthetic, her mission was to learn how to walk. She’s doing so much more than walking now. Check out Amanda’s story written by Sheila DeChantal on Page 8.

Doris Mezzenga, Linda Straight and Susie Ilstrup all have something in common. These women volunteer their time at two local food shelves. Doris is in Crosslake and Linda and Susie are in Garrison. Why do they volunteer and give of themselves so freely? Because it gives them purpose — they want to make a difference. It doesn’t get more inspiring than that. Read their story by Sue Sterling on Page 20.

The title says it all — inspiring the muse within. That’s Lisa Ackerman, executive/artistic director of The Crossing Arts Alliance in downtown Brainerd. To read how Lisa and Crossing Arts got started, check out the story on Page 24 written by Susan Smith-Grier

So, with this issue in your hand, grab your favorite summer beverage, find a comfy spot in the sun, sit back and get ready to be inspired.

Celebrating

WOMEN OVER 90 Marion Leonard

Last summer, writer Jan Kurtz asked our readers to acknowledge, honor and lift up women aged 90 and older. The readers have done just that throughout the year. Here are the final two submissions to Celebrate our Elders. Thanks to all who have submitted. I hope we can continue to remember, respect and honor those elders who have paved the way for so many of us in this lifetime. They are wise. They are beautiful. They are loved.

Marion Leonard, age 92, married to the love of her life for 72 years. They had five children. Marion was known for being there for people in times of need and dropping off meals and treats to neighbors, friends and family when she was more active.

To this day, Marion will always be seen with her lipstick on and a smile on her face.

“Attract what you expect. Reflect what you desire. Become what you respect. Murrow what you admire.” (Quote on Marion’s wall)

By Jen Salvevold

Joyce Jorgenson & Katherine Austin

Katherine Austin and Joyce Jorgenson are two amazing women over 90 who meet regularly with a group of women to knit, crochet and weave items which are donated to The Giving Tree. It sits in front of the Brainerd Police Department and is stocked with handmade hats, scarves and mittens. During the coldest months of the year, the warm items are available and free to anyone who is cold and needs the extra warmth.

The project started out modestly and has grown every year. Last year, over 400 items were made and donated. This year it was 579 (and still going at the time of this writing). It has taken many hours and dedication by this small group of women and some generous donations by others who have heard about them and donated yarn and finished items.

Katherine set a goal to make 100

warm hats this winter. After she did that, she started on her second 100 and is now working on her third.

Joyce has been working on this project for several years. If you see someone out and about with a very warm looking hat, there is a good chance it is one of hers.

Both women have always been busy

and active in their lives. And their kind hearts are still helping to make their community a better place.

For more information or for anyone who would like to help next winter, call Ann at 218-963-2268. Katherine and Joyce will be knitting all summer.

By Susan Menk

Helping others

ONE STEP AT A TIME

BY SHEILA DECHANTAL

PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Amanda Munkeby grew up on a dairy farm in Bemidji, Minnesota. Like most young kids who have the opportunity to grow up in that kind of environment, Amanda had a love for the outdoors. When she wasn’t in school, she spent her days riding bike, horseback riding, taking part in 4-H, and riding around the farm on their 3-wheeler.

At the age of 15, Amanda’s life changed forever.

While riding around the yard on the 3-wheeler, Amanda crossed a road as she often would do, to visit the neighbors. On this day in 1996, a neighbor driving a truck did not see Amanda and hit her broadside as she was crossing on the 3-wheeler. The right side of her body was hit the hardest from the impact as she faded to unconsciousness.

Amanda was stabilized in Bemidji and then airlifted to a Hennepin hospital where she would spend the next six weeks. While the doctors were able to work on healing Amanda’s collapsed arm and fractured pelvis, the reconstructing of her right leg proved to be beyond what they could do. Around four weeks in, the decision was made to remove the damaged leg, just below the knee cap. There was no other option.

At a month in, Amanda was confined to a wheelchair prior to the first of what would be to date around 20 prosthetic legs. Amanda recalls there wasn’t a lot of rehabilitation offered at the hospital. From the time of the first prosthetic, Amanda’s first mission was to learn how to walk.

“It was an awkward sensation,” Amanda shared. “Not so much painful as uncomfortable. You have parts of your body now bearing weight that were not intended to bear weight.” For a time, while Amanda learned to use the prosthetic for movement, she was homeschooled. As a sophomore, when she did return to school she remembers being self-conscious, yet, she was in a small school and everyone — students and teachers alike — were very supportive. “Being in public was a little harder. People would stare. Young kids would say things out loud like, “‘Mom, look! She doesn’t have a leg!’ As a young adult, this was hard.”

“It was an awkward sensation. Not so much painful as uncomfortable. You have parts of your body now bearing weight that were not intended to bear weight.”

- Amanda Munkeby

While the early years of being an amputee had its trials, Amanda knew she could live a full life just like anyone else. Married shortly after high school, she went on to have four children and dedicated her time to raising her family. Like most, when raising young children, there was not a lot of extra time, yet as the children grew older, Amanda began to find her way back to doing some of the things she had enjoyed as a kid. It was about six years ago she made the decision to run.

“I wanted to run. So I started to run. It felt odd and it was not without pain. My prosthesis was made for walking, not running. There are prosthetics made for running, but they were expensive, so I ran with a walking prosthesis, and the first time I ran about a mile, I was so emotional. I could not believe I accomplished this — it was like I died and had gone to heaven all at the same time.”

Amanda wanted anyone who had a

prosthesis to feel this accomplishment or anyone who experienced anything healthwise that made them feel they couldn’t do things to know they can. She knew the cities had programs in place to help people reach goals both physically and mentally, however she wasn’t seeing it offered in central Minnesota. Driven by a passion to be a resource to her community after attending a mobile clinic in 2019, Amanda reached out to Aaron Holm, founder of Wiggle Your Toes, who had lost both of his legs in an accident in 2007.

Wiggle Your Toes, founded in 2008, has a mission to help amputees regain independence and mobility. With a mission to help others live their lives to the fullest, Aaron’s incredible drive made Amanda take notice. Meeting with Aaron and sharing her story as well as her desire to do the same here in central Minnesota was met with excitement and encouragement. Aaron

has encouraged and supported Amanda in creating a Wiggle Your Toes program for those right here in our community. The things that were not accessible to Amanda as she learned and made her own way, was something she wanted to be certain others did not need to struggle through.

“This is the community I want to serve. We need information here and we need to educate others,” Amanda said.

In 2022, Amanda offered the first Wiggle Your Toes Brainerd Lakes Area Mobility Clinic. This clinic served as an adaptive fitness event for all ambulatory fitness levels. This adaptive strength and agility workout is offered for free for whoever wants to attend. This pilot program continued January to April of 2023. Amanda spends time with attendees to discuss creating healthy habits, learning to move from light stretches and bending, to strength training, bringing services that were once only offered in the metro.

“I wanted to run. So I started to run. It felt odd and it was not without pain. My prosthesis was made for walking, not running.”

- Amanda Munkeby

Amanda Munkeby lost her leg at 15. Not only did she learn to walk again with the help of a prosthesis but she also enjoys kayaking, biking and horseback riding.

To learn more about the Wiggle Your Toes Mobility Clinic in our area, contact Amanda at: amandalewis457@outlook.com or call 218-407-4814. For more information on Wiggle Your Toes, visit wiggleyourtoes.org/

Amanda continues to enjoy outdoor activities much like she did as a child. She has gone from that first triumphant mile of running to run many 5Ks and a half marathon in Rochester, Minnesota. She enjoys kayaking, biking and a little horseback riding.

Amanda is a member of the Lakes Area Multisport group that meets to run, bike swim, train and encourage. Last year she participated in Last Runner Standing at Ski Gull and is looking forward to participating this year at both Ski Gull as well as in Duluth.

Amanda’s desire to help others in central Minnesota is inspirational. Her drive and passion to live life to the fullest despite the obstacles we are given is something we should all strive for.

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.

HEALINGThe art of

BY SUE READY

PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Karolyn Brenny is a holistic body therapist. She has a passionate interest in personal empowerment, self healing, well-being and spiritual growth through the healing art of energy therapy in its many forms. As a mother of four children she saw a need to address some of her family’s health issues by using a natural alternative and holistic method of healing of mind, body and soul. She began incorporating more natural foods into their diet as well as exploring various types of alternative healing. Prayers have always been a part of their family’s daily routine. She focuses on asking for protection for herself and family, a healing technique that pushes negative energy from oneself into energy healing. At this time the family of six was living on a family farm in rural Rice. Karolyn began to explore more natural alternative and holistic healing of mind, body and soul through energy and its many forms. In 2007 she opened a clinic on their property called Karolyn’s Integrated Healing Hands. Karolyn views herself as a facilitator helping clients heal emotionally or mentally on many different levels to become whole. She has a spiritual approach to life: “Everything I need comes from God — He will provide.”

Karolyn Brenny opened a clinic in 2007 called Karolyn’s Integrated Healing Hands and views herself as a facilitator helping clients heal emotionally and mentally.

Karolyn Brenny and her husband, John, left, took over Brenny Funeral Chapel in 2019 and renamed it Brenny Funeral Family Chapel, as they run it with the help of two sons and a daughter-in-law. Karolyn has found a niche in working with the funeral home business.

related to energy therapy.

In 2015 John and Karolyn relocated from Rice to Baxter after their youngest daughter graduated from high school. Karoyln’s husband John had worked with the prior owner of Benny Funeral Chapel from 2012-2019. On Valentine’s Day in 2019, John and Karolyn took over the funeral homes and changed the name to Brenny Funeral Family Chapel. Their business is family run and locally owned with two sons and a daughter in law also part of the staff. There are now five locations in central Minnesota. Brenny’s working model is based on “serving your family as your own.”

Besides owning her own business, Karolyn has found a niche working with the funeral home business. An aftercare program is offered for clients to help those suffering from grief, traumas, depression and experiencing suicidal thoughts. Karolyn’s experience from grief counseling classes and holistic healing provide needed support to group participants to accept that grief both physically and emotionally is a very normal thing in the grieving process. Under Karolyn’s direction, her clients receive the necessary tools to manage their grief and accept where they are at this time of their grief journey.

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Karolyn has the necessary skills for energy healing being a certified therapist in integrated energy, integrated energy master trainer, holistic body vibrational healing and cranial sacral. Over the years Karolyn has found success making her own products, natural and organic, which include essential oils and sprays. She has over 100 different products that a dear friend and mentor encouraged her to create for her clients, friends and family. Each product is made with love and healing energy. Karolyn utilizes social media, her website and magazine publications to promote her business. She offers a variety of classes and training sessions

Looking to keep her life balanced with all the challenges of daily multi tasking, Karolyn notes the importance of self care. Each morning her routine includes prayer, meditation and some form of exercise to maintain a balance to gain better mental health and inner peace for the day.

Currently, Karolyn is involved in an organization called EntreWomen, a community for women business owners in the Brainerd lakes area. The focus is connection, support and mindset coaching to encourage women to take another step towards the ideas and goals they have in their heart to pursue. “I find the connection useful because it helps me stay motivated with my goals

and dreams for my business,” noted Karolyn.

Karolyn sees herself in a role to serve the community, particularly families to help them improve the quality of their life through energy healing. In her words, “All of us have lived life and gone through our own physical, emotional, mental and spiritual traumas in life. I help people turn their grief, sadness, and heartaches back into love and joy. I help them release their anger, distrust, guilt and fears and fill them back up with forgiveness, innocence and strength to move forward once again with life. Families are my heart and soul,” she said. Karolyn Brenny embodies the spirit of empowerment. With her positive, caring

attitude she helps others find their strengths, develop better interpersonal relationships, become more focused and achieve their personal goals.

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.

“I find the connection useful because it helps me stay motivated with my goals and dreams for my business.”

- Karolyn Brenny

While Susy Prosapio was serving as the director of Great River Arts in Little Falls, she was looking out of the window one day and her eyes landed on the theater across the street. She thought how fun it would be to revive it.

BRINGING THE BIG SCREEN Back to Little Falls

BY SHEILA HELMBERGER | PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Every small town should have a Susy Prosapio.

With a deep love for her community, she invests her time and talents in making Little Falls a better place for everyone.

Her latest project involves reviving the old Falls Theatre that originally opened 90 years ago. Soon it will be possible to enjoy a dinner next door to the theater and enjoy a flick on the big screen after. “The thought we had,” she says, “was to

make it a theater with an attached restaurant and bar so you could bring a beer or wine into a show. It’s not an original idea. There are theaters around the country that do that. We thought it might be a fun addition here, too.”

Before she tackled the theater project, she wet her feet on a few other projects around the town of less than 10,000.

Susy and her husband Phil had two young children when they moved

to Little Falls 32 years ago. Phil was an orthopedic surgeon and Susy decided to become involved in her new community. She served as the coordinator of family services, as a healthcare consultant and with various nonprofits as well as serving a stint on the school board. Originally from Fargo, she has an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from Princeton University and is a graduate of The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

In 2014 she helped found The Purple Carrot, a start-up food market. “When I found that I had to drive 30 miles to get the flour I wanted to make some bread, I threw the idea out to some of my friends who were into natural foods.” Today the co-op has 720 members. When Susy was searching for a building to house the Purple Carrot, she stumbled on the structure that is The Shoppes of Little Falls today.

“It started as a little bit of an experiment,” she says, “to try to provide a home for local artisans. We developed an interesting little community of vendors. When they decided they were getting a little crowded they purchased the building next door and expanded into that one, too. Between the two buildings, there are about 80 vendors in the 13,000 square feet. Visitors can find everything from local authors to jewelry makers, wood turners and quilters. “We originally thought we would keep it for 6 to 9 months and

we’re going on seven years,” she laughs. “We like to say we’re the arts and crafts fair that doesn’t go away.”

Susy and her husband helped revive the bakery in town after it closed. Phil couldn’t imagine living in a town without a place to get a doughnut, so they bought the Little Falls Bakery and Deli and ensured it stayed open. They also renovated the building that Tony’s First Avenue and Framing is located in.

“It is all just a way to give back to our community. Our downtown is beautiful, but we had a lot of empty buildings. Some were built in the 1800s and early 1900s. They are old, but in good shape and this is such a nice place to visit.”

While she was serving as the director of Great River Arts, she was looking out of the window one day and her eyes landed on the theater across the street. She thought how fun it would be to revive it. An initial attempt to purchase it was turned down but last August they completed the sale.

Susy owns The Shoppes of Little Falls which has about 80 vendors/local artisans including authors, jewelry makers, wood turners and quilters. She and her husband, Phil, also revived the bakery in town and helped renovate the building that Tony’s First Avenue and Framing is located in. Susy also helped found The Purple Carrot, a start-up food market. “It is all just a way to give back to our community. Our downtown is beautiful, but we had a lot of empty buildings. Some were built in the 1800s and early 1900s. They are old, but in good shape and this is such a nice place to visit,” Susy said.

The project to revive the theater is funded in part by the Initiative Foundation, a regional community foundation. “They have been tremendously helpful in allowing us to do some of the extras that will make The Falls Theatre and Ciao Thyme extra special buildings,” she says. The theater will open first and Ciao Thyme will follow.

There is a lot of learning in the latest project.

“In the 1930s the original theater was built as one huge theater. In the late 80s it was divided into two screens. We will leave those two and add a smaller screening room in the building with the restaurant.

“If I had a hammer and a nail they would probably never meet,” she laughs about her hobby of renovating. ‘Honestly, our local contractors are all so excellent and

we’ve developed a wonderful working relationship with them.”

“I’m 63 years old,” she laughs. “I keep saying this project is my last one but I’m planning to be around a while yet. Once we get these businesses up and operating, what we seriously hope is that these businesses find other people to take them on and that they will be open and operating in our community for a long time.

I am so lucky that this community embraced our family the way they did. The residents supported my husband’s medical practice and helped us raise two kids. Getting to do this work in the place we call home is just so much fun,” Susy said.

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

“It is all just a way to give back to our community. Our downtown is beautiful, but we had a lot of empty buildings.”

- Susy Prosapio

Mirror, Mirror

BY MICHELLE OIE

50. A good number if we’re talking miles per gallon. Perhaps not so great if we’re talking birthdays.

At 50 I don’t particularly enjoy taking selfies or seeing my reflection in the evening window much less a mirror. In early 2022 I lost my hair from having COVID. After 15 months of growth to my shoulders, half of it fell out again from who knows what. Now I see new gray hair shouting for attention as my dark, natural color pushes the fake blonde out of sight. Left unattended my naturally curly hair is as unruly as 5-year-olds chasing cats with water toys. I can’t say my goal was to have three different colors at two different lengths but heck, maybe I’ll start a trend.

As I continue my reflection inspection, I see faithful eyebrows that aren’t sure why I’m thinking about shaping them after all this time. I move on. I decide if my eyelids get any puffier I won’t ever see my eyelashes again. The bonus there is that

my eyeliner now doubles as eyeshadow. I see pink remains of once treated precancerous skin and a nose piercing trying hard to convince me I’m not that old.

I continue inspecting and ponder, “Why do nose hairs want to be seen so badly? Don’t they understand their role on the face and the purpose of their placement? Hmmm... teeth could be whiter. Will the wild turkeys accept me into their flock if my under chin skin gets any looser?”

As I sigh there’s one thing I know for sure, there will be no songs written about how good I look in the morning. I soon realize this critical voice is not being very nice so I counter with, “Michelle, you’re not 20, you’re 50!” Then the wise words of my father-in-law come to mind, “Don’t worry. It’ll get worse.”

Why do I do this? Why am I so critical of my looks? We know society’s idea of

beauty because we’ve been force fed it all our lives. We’re told if we resemble society’s idea of beauty we’d be wanted, romanced, loved and live happily ever after. We seem to be in a never-ending search to achieve ultimate beauty, constantly taking inventory of how we fit in and measure up to others. Been there. Done that.

“Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.” - Mark Twain So let me ask you, “Do you love your body?”

KNOW YOUR BODY

Learn how your body works. What can and can’t it do? Learn how it reacts to certain foods. Sometimes this is a crash course. How does it react to life events like injury, stress or age? Do you need eight eight hours of sleep at night? Are you sensitive to heat? What happens if you don’t drink enough water? How does your

MOMENTBEGINS“BEAUTYTHEYOU DECIDE TO YOURSELF.”BE

“JUST BE”

“SMILE”

“CHOOSE HAPPY.”

“STAY POSITIVE”

“YOU’RE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, AND STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM, AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK.”

“YOU ARE FANTASTIC!”

“YOU ARE LOVED YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE ENOUGH.”

body talk to you? How well do you know your body’s language?

Learn how your body talks to you, then be sure to listen. Ignoring it could have a very bad end result. Knowing when and why your body’s engine light comes on will help keep you healthy and happy.

APPRECIATE YOUR BODY

Once you know your body a little bit better you can start appreciating it. Think about all your body has done for you: it might have birthed children or earned you a living. It got you to where you are right now. Look at your hands. Think about the gifts they’ve wrapped, meals they’ve prepared, babies they’ve held and the people they’ve hugged. Maybe they have written numerous letters or applied a few Band-Aids. Now look at your feet. Think about all the places they’ve brought you, the cars they’ve driven and all the things they’ve kicked or climbed. Your internal organs work especially hard for you. Think about all the diseases they’ve destroyed, the food they’ve processed to give you energy and the cells they’ve replenished. Your heart beats constantly to keep you alive.

Do you appreciate all your body does for you? A positive self-image keeps you happy and healthy. Self-loathing creates sadness. Your body is a miraculous machine. It does what it does so you can do what you do. Even if it doesn’t work perfectly, appreciate all it has done and still does for you.

RESPECT YOUR BODY

When you know and appreciate your body, you begin to respect it. Respecting your body means taking care of it. If I

never changed the oil, rotated the tires or brought my car in when the check engine light came on, how long would it last? Not very long. Feed your body good fuel, take it for a walk and talk nicely to it. Is that easy to do? Not always, no. It takes time, thought and planning but this is the only body we get. You might have to teach yourself new things about food. You might have to break old habits or learn to take deep breaths. Make the effort to do good things for it and not damage it. Be nice to your body and the likelihood is good that it will be nice to you (hopefully).

ACCEPT YOUR BODY

Once you respect your body, you are more likely to accept it. Have you heard the saying, “You would never let someone talk to you the way you talk to yourself”? We can be our own worst critic. Be honest. What do you really see when you look in the mirror? I bet your first thought isn’t, “MAGNIFICENT! What a work of art!” Why can’t that be our reaction? Why can’t we celebrate our physical differences and be okay with what we see and who we are? I challenge you to look in the mirror and see what makes you unique and accept it.

TRUST YOURSELF

Once you know, appreciate, respect and accept your body, you know yourself pretty well. But do you trust yourself? Do you trust yourself to go for the walk you had planned today? Do you trust yourself to stop counting calories because you have the knowledge to maintain your weight? Will you reach your goal of drinking enough water today? If you don’t know how to take care of yourself, take some steps to learn how. Break old habits. Practice positive self-talk like, “I

am worth it.” The more often you do what you say you will do, the more you will trust yourself.

Please realize how fantastic you are. You have gained so much strength and wisdom over a lifetime of accomplishments. You are amazingly beautiful to so many people in this world. There are things only you can do because you are uniquely gifted. So the next time you look at that person in the mirror, be kind and forgiving. She’s been through a lot and she needs you to be her friend.

Michelle Oie is a Finding Purpose coach, inspirational speaker, writer and soonto-be author. Her passion is helping people find their unique life purpose. She loves Jeep Wranglers, peanut butter and hitting all green lights driving through Brainerd. Take The Happiness Quiz and learn more at www.michelleoie.com.

“YOU’RE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, AND STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM, AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK.”

FOOD SHELF VOLUNTEERS GIVE BACK AND

BY SUE STERLING | PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Make a difference

Food shelves are places most people don’t think about. You know they exist, but they are there only for the underprivileged, not you, right? Well… not really.

It could be your neighbor who goes there because their paycheck doesn’t go far enough with the high cost of food. It could be your elderly uncle or grandmother because they paid so much for their medications that they don’t have enough money left for food, or it could be the student at the local college who works to pay tuition and keep gas in the car, and food is just low on the list of priorities. Or it could be you, and you are just too ashamed to let people know life is tough right now and

you just need a little help. For all these reasons and more, there are people in the Brainerd lakes area who are there to help.

The Crosslake and Garrison food shelves are both run by women who have volunteered for years to help those who come to them for food.

Doris Mezzenga is the director and coordinator of the Crosslake Food Shelf, next to Abra Landscaping on County Road 3 in Crosslake in The Gathering Event Center building. She started in 2006 when her father-in-law, August Mezzenga, needed help. When he died in 2008, she took over. At that time, the food shelf was open only one day a month and they served about

20 families. In 2010 they moved into a larger facility owned by Ben and Jill Gibbs. They now serve 55-60 families twice a month.

When asked why she does this, Doris quickly responded, “I want to make a difference in people’s lives. If people need food, they can come here to get it regardless of where they live.” Doris likes helping people and anything she can do to make somebody else’s life better is heartwarming for her.

“You give them their food and they’re so appreciative, and just seeing the smile on their face when they come to get food; it just lets you know you’re making a difference in this world…one family or one person at a time,” she said.

Doris Mezzenga, left, is the director and coordinator of the Crosslake Food Shelf.

Clients can pick up food for neighbors or relatives. She talked about a young gal who would come to get food for five people who lived in her apartment building. They were all young people trying to make ends meet, and they all help each other out. This gal loads up all the boxes, drives them to her residence, hauls all the boxes into the laundry room, then calls everyone to come and pick up their food. These young people are so appreciative they have given the food shelf workers handmade prayer beads, lucky crystal stones and even a bottle of wine. Two of those five people are a single mother and a single father. Both of them greatly appreciate the diapers the food shelf gives them.

Feeding the hungry is one of Doris’ goals. She, like the 10-12 other volunteers who give of their time to this food shelf, just couldn’t take money for doing this.

“I’ve been so blessed in my life. I just want to make a difference,” she said.

Doris Mezzenga says she can’t imagine taking money for her work at the Crosslake Food Shelf. Feeding the hungry is one of her goals, she said.

“You give them their food and they’re so appreciative, and just seeing the smile on their face when they come to get food; it just lets you know you’re making a difference in this world…one family or one person at a time.”

- Doris Mezzenga

Linda Straight is the co-manager of the Garrison Food Shelf. She started in 2017. She read about the job in her church bulletin and it was an opportunity only five miles from her home. She thought it would keep her busy and fill her need for social contact. She was right. The Garrison Food Shelf works in conjunction with Dorothy’s Rainbow thrift store in the Garrison shopping area. They serve about 20-30 clients a day and have 20 volunteers willing to put in some time to help out each month. There is also a roster of approximately 20 volunteers that work at the thrift store three days every week, and it is the major financial support of the food shelf.

“We couldn’t provide and distribute food for folks without the support of all our hardworking team of volunteers,” Linda said.

Volunteering makes her feel like she’s doing some good and it gives her a purpose. She likes keeping busy. Working there makes her feel like she’s accomplished something at the end of the day. Linda also credits the job with keeping her healthy physically and mentally.

“We couldn’t provide and distribute food for folks without the support of all our hardworking team of volunteers.”

- Linda Straight

Linda Straight, co-manager of the Garrison Food Shelf, says volunteering makes her feel like she’s doing some good.

What’s the best part of her job?

“It’s the people we serve. They are very appreciative of what we’re doing for them. And it gives me a reason to get up in the morning, and be productive,” said Linda.

Susie Ilstrup is co-manager of the food shelf and treasurer of the Garrison Area Caregiver Board.

“It gives me something to do and takes away the winter blahs,” Susie said when asked why she volunteers. She loves talking with the folks that come in and shares nutritional ways to use the food, as well as how to cook it. She loves meeting people and getting to know the other volunteers. She feels the job calms her and gives her a purpose.

These ladies want you to know there is no stigma attached to using these services. If you need food, you could go regardless of where you live. There are no restrictions; they do not require proof of your income or where you live. On your first visit, you will be asked to fill out a form with your name and ages of family members, but that’s it. That

information is shared only with Second Harvest Food Bank in Grand Rapids. Both of these food shelves are run by volunteers. They receive no monetary recompense, but their hearts are full of the love they share with every client that comes to them for help. Doris, Linda, and Susie are women who definitely make a difference in this community and the world. They are truly an inspiration to others who long to find a purpose in their life.

Sue Sterling is a freelance writer, photographer and calligrapher living in Brainerd. She loves writing human interest stories and personal essays. She is currently the Auxiliary President at the Brainerd VFW Post 1647. Sue has three sons, seven grandchildren and a cat. When she’s not at home at her computer or art table, she loves traveling and spending time with her family in the Twin Cities.

Judy Ward, left, Susie Ilstrup, Linda Straight, Jeanne Johnson and Gayle Walther make a great team at the Garrison Food Shelf.

WITHIN Inspiring the muse

Lisa Ackerman, executive/ artistic director of The Crossing Arts Alliance, holds a piece of pottery, one of the many items displayed in the gallery.

BY SUE SMITH-GRIER PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Everyone has an ember, if not a flame, of creativity within. Yes, even you. Downtown Brainerd is home to The Crossing Arts Alliance, a place to fan that ember into a roaring fire of creative expression if you are so inclined.

Executive/Artistic Director Lisa Ackerman invites you to wake your sleeping dragon of creativity with a trip to this nonprofit gem of inspiration and artistry. Crossing Arts is a unique destination where you can view art, buy art and make art. Most of all, it is a place where you can be transported to a world of imagination and celebration and inspire your muse of creativity.

IN THE BEGINNING

The start of the new millennium saw the creation of The Crossing Arts Alliance in the Menk building in downtown Brainerd. It moved around to other locations until 2009 when the organization was housed at the Franklin Arts Center. The board of directors and Evelyn Matthies helped pave the way for it to be one of the inaugural organizations to be established there.

Lisa Ackerman (t that time Jordan) began in 2014 part-time as executive director. Crossing Arts was in room 114, a small space for the gift shop with an adjoining smaller space for the office. The organization’s gallery was on the second floor. Being distant from the office presented a security issue so eventually it was moved into the gift shop space which made the gift shop smaller. The children’s art programming took place in the cafeteria area in the basement. Because it was so distant from the Crossing Arts offices, the connection between the two was seldom recognized. The children’s programming was despite the organization having a small staff.

Lisa wanted to do educational programming for adults also. “We started doing a few classes,” she said. “We did felting, and we had a few painters come in. At first, Franklin was not full so we were able to rent space on a limited basis.” The adult classes were in different rooms depending on which ones could be rented for the activity. Although the children’s programming, adult classes, the gallery, gift shop and organization office were situated in one building, they were not together. This proved to be inconvenient.

GROWING INSPIRATION

Under Lisa’s leadership, the organization and the offerings grew until a crossroads was reached. She knew Crossing Arts could become an important hub for arts in the Brainerd lakes area. Lisa, along with the board, began to look at the needs and resources of the community and organization. In time, a space became available in downtown Brainerd.

Mary Boran suggested Lisa consider looking at a vacancy which was located on Laurel Street. Lisa invited the board to view the property with her. “We were all standing looking at this empty space which had been empty for quite some time and we thought ‘we have the potential to expand not just what Crossing Arts does but to make a real impact downtown.’ It was really kind of a trust fall.”

Lisa Ackerman stands in front of the You Betcha mural located on the wall outside of The Crossing Arts Alliance building in downtown Brainerd.

With additional financial help, Crossing Arts found its new home on Laurel Street in the center of downtown Brainerd. The first event was a wearable art show. Artists walked down the red carpet wearing amazing art pieces they constructed. This singular event was very well received and it was standing room only.

Lisa remembers her amazement. “I took a moment to stand outside and look in the window and I thought ‘this is happening in Brainerd!’” She chuckled. “How cool is that? And it was 100% the right move for us. We’re still visioning for the future, and we fully expect that in a couple of years we’ll be able to provide more than what we do now.”

ADAPTING, CHANGING, THRIVING

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it challenges and opportunities. Crossing Arts managed to adapt well. Lisa wanted to ensure kids would still have art projects available since the second Saturdays Children’s Program had to close temporarily. She and her staff brainstormed and created “little bags of inspiration.”

These little bags of random art supplies were first given out through Full Tummies, an organization that addresses food insecurity. People were coming for the food but there were record turnouts for kids wanting the bags of inspiration.

“We quickly transitioned from, here’s a bag of random stuff, into highly intentional arts programming with Creativity Kits. The whole thing with the pandemic was how do you reach people who can’t come to you. It really expanded our thinking because people can’t come to us for all sorts of reasons. It took the pandemic to make us see it.”

Crossing Arts continues offering over 400 Creativity Kits a month covering a wide range of art activities. Parents, grandparents and even teachers get these kits for the kids because they provide fun, entertainment and arts education. Lisa said, “I think of it in terms of the next couple of generations of arts appreciators are getting their education now. It’s planting the seed for the fruit that will be gathered in future generations.”

“I took a moment to stand outside and look in the window and I thought ‘this is happening in Brainerd!’”

- Executive/Artistic Director Lisa Ackerman

Lisa Ackerman holds a piece of red glassware in the gallery at The Crossing Arts Alliance.

A SPACE FOR INSPIRATION

The Crossing Arts gallery features area artists of all persuasions for your viewing pleasure. Even the gift shop lends itself to inspiration as it is styled in art museum fashion. Unlike a museum though, you get to purchase the objects that speak to you to beautify your home or give them as gifts to special people.

Looking ahead, Crossing Arts gallery exhibits include a skate deck show in July, photography in August and a pottery cup show in September. Area artists and would-be artists look forward to October for the annual 8x8 fundraiser when all types of art pieces created on an 8x8 canvases are donated to auction off. This is a highly accessible event people look forward to while having an opportunity to support Crossing Arts and the work Lisa and her staff do there.

The Kringle Market is November through December. This is a special event for everyone who desires to give one-of-akind gifts during the holiday season. Speaking of the future, Lisa said, “We see even more amazing things. We see something that’s a destination for locals and visitors alike.”

Crossing Arts is a place where individuals of all ages come to get inspiration, arts education and creative motivation.

Susan J. Smith-Grier, mother, grandmother, writer, storyteller, blogger, and Reading Corps tutor of early elementary kids, enjoys the changing seasons of Minnesota lake country. She lives for those moments when the possibilities light up the eyes of her awesome school kids and delights in the power of words and story.

The Crossing Arts Alliance like to have fun with their days. This particular day was beach day with Tony Powers, sitting, Molly Koop, left, Lisa Ackerman, Heather Friemann, Karissa Janacek and Trisha Peterson. Contributed.

the Changing

CULTURE

+ Culture HER PASSION

BY ALYSON LEVIG

Three minutes. That’s how long it took for Dorothy Whitmer to realize the important role shorelines truly have for water quality. Before those three minutes, Whitmer was a gastroenterologist living in the Twin Cities with a weekend cabin she’s owned on Gull Lake since 1989.

Her love of lakeshore homes was nurtured by childhood summers spent at her mother’s cottage at the “tip of the mitt” in Michigan starting when she was 10 years old, summers that shaped her future toward better water quality in her favorite lakes. It was why Whitmer joined a Michigan water council as a young adult and why she took the lakeshore quiz they sent in 2016, believing she’d pass.

She didn’t.

“It surprised me at first,” Whitmer remembered. “But the quiz asks very specific questions about how your shoreline is maintained, so I knew what I was doing wrong. Though from it, I became determined to improve my shoreline, rather instantly.”

Whitmer’s newfound determination set many things in motion. At her lakeshore cabin on East Gull Lake, she ceased mowing her lawn to the edge of the lake’s grasp, allowing a buffer of natural forbs and grasses to return and root down her shoreline. This vegetation shielded the waters of Gull Lake from potential runoff from her property.

Whitmer also became more active in the Gull Chain of Lakes Association (GCOLA) and in 2019 founded the GCOLA Lake Steward program with two dedicated volunteer naturalists, Sheila Johnston and Kris Driessen. To launch Lake Steward, GCOLA sent her fellow members the same quiz that changed her perspective on shorelines three years earlier.

“The Lake Steward mission is to ‘change the culture’,” Whitmer explained. The mission expresses Whitmer’s hope to change individuals’ ‘neat and tidy’ perspective on lakeshore lawns to ‘wild and free’ as she once did.

Dorothy Whitmer and Randy Johnson, Gull Lake. Contributed.

Instead of applying fertilizers and pesticides, mowing to the edge or implementing rip-rap to get a neat and tidy look, Whitmer’s program encourages a vegetative buffer to grow between a lake and lawn and existing or downed trees to remain. These practices encourage lakes to once again become pristine and revert shorelines to be as natural as they were before European settlement.

“It’s actually less effort and less money to let shoreland be ‘wild and free,’” Whitmer said. “I saved $500 within the first year.”

But saving money isn’t the reason Whitmer founded Lake Steward; improving the water quality of lakes for future enjoyment was.

“The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which ranked the top 3,000 Minnesota lakes, has Gull Lake listed as highly vulnerable because of its phosphorus levels,” Whitmer said. “So we’re trying to prevent those current levels from increasing.”

As fewer excess nutrients have entered the Gull Lake Chain from Lake Steward properties since the program’s inception, Whitmer also commented there should be a reduction in algae blooms.

“With the current number of 82 awarded Lake Stewards, we are cutting roughly 1.5 tons of algae every year,” Whitmer said.

Those current Lake Stewards collectively make up around three miles of protected shoreline on the Gull Lake Chain — all because of a simple three-minute quiz.

Besides the protected lakeshore miles,

one of Whitmer’s goals of Lake Steward is to expand the outreach and number of quizzes taken within the Brainerd lakes area. Another is to advance the GCOLA Shoreline Habitat program.

“It’s for the lakeshore owners who want to go the extra mile for water quality and habitat,” Whitmer explained. Restoring one’s shore involves replacing 10 or more feet of the existing manicured lawn along the shoreline with Minnesota native wildflowers and grasses. Besides the plants and cover seed, this task may also include coir logs and erosion matting to help protect the shoreline as the new vegetation establishes. To encourage shoreline plantings and aid with the expenses, GCOLA provides cost-share funding from its partnership with Cass and Crow Wing counties for landowners who desire to take this extra step.

As the Lake Steward program continues to expand, Whitmer has called on fellow Lake Steward Awardees, to assist existing volunteers, by becoming ambassadors who encourage fellow neighbors to take the quiz and help obtain more protected lake miles. With these additional volunteers, the number of quizzes taken has doubled in 2022 compared to 2021. These Lake Steward Awardees also answer questions related to the program in GCOLA’s magazine, while also demonstrating its simplicity.

“We’ve recently added the ‘Ask a Lake Steward’ section to our quarterly news magazine,” Whitmer said. “The photos inside showcase our members having fun either sailing on the water or relaxing in their lawn hammocks which makes this simple message resonate: ‘To do more for our lakes, do less.’”

To help spread the word, GCOLA

Lake Steward partnered in 2021 with Minnesota Lakes and Rivers (MLR), a statewide organization of lake associations, to bring Lake Steward to more than 25 lake associations throughout Minnesota so far.

“If we can change the culture statewide,” Whitmer said. “It will be even more powerful right here on the Gull Lake Chain.”

Alyson Levig is a part-time freelancer who enjoys being out in nature. Her writing reflects this passion as all of her work engages nature and the wildlife living in it from her point of view. When she’s not writing, Alyson can be found working fulltime at Jacobson Excavating and Landscaping in Brainerd, which takes up most of her time. In the free time she musters, Alyson enjoys hiking, hammocking, kayaking or maintaining her garden at home with her friends and family. Alyson also maintains a blog in which she publishes some of her writing or hiking adventures, reflecting on the beauty of God’s creation she witnessed. Feel free to follow her adventures at https://pinesandprairies.com/.

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DO YOUR PART IN PROTECTING OUR LAKES?

Take the three-minute quiz here gcola.org/lake-steward-program to learn what aspects need to change to improve the water quality and habitat near your lakeshore home and become a Lake Steward today.

GIRL POWER(ED)

Three CrosbyIronton girls beat the odds and leave their mark on Main Street

BY SARAH NELSON KATZENBERGER PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

Some people just won’t take no for an answer. That was the case for three high school girls at Crosby who defied gender roles and expectations when they all three decided to register for Ranger Made, Crosby-Ironton High School’s take on shop class.

Last winter, Brenna Nelson, Ava Mellema and Kenzie Bill, signed up for

the class because they wanted to try something new.

“We didn’t really even know each other until we took this class,” Kenzie said. “I really liked the idea of learning to use the machines, but I didn’t expect what we got from this class.”

Ranger Made is more than a shop class;

it’s a vision to provide students with career path options by building unique skill sets, purpose and entrepreneurial know-how as they head into adulthood.

The section of classes includes wood shop, metal fabrication, automotive care, computer-automated drafting, robotics as well as a flexible classroom and a retail store. The program came

with a $3.6 million expansion of the high school building and was the brainchild of teacher Thomas Ringhand.

Ringhand, beloved by his students, died suddenly in December 2022, leaving a devastating hole in the C-I community and a lot of uncertainty in the future of Ranger Made. “He knew how to use all the machines and the

software,” Ava explained.

When Brenna, Ava and Kenzie started their second semester Ranger Made class in January 2023, they weren’t sure what kind of projects they would be doing or even who their long-term teacher would be.

Duane Anderson, a retired woodshop

teacher and C-I alum, was asked to teach the class and jumped in to help keep Ranger Made going. A typically male driven class, the 2023 spring semester class consisted of five female students.

Anderson assigned two of the girls to an embroidery project but for Brenna, Ava and Kenzie, he had something else in mind.

Kenzie Bill, left, Brenna Nelson and Ava Mellema work together to cut a piece of metal in their Ranger Made class at Crosby-Ironton High School. The girls made a sign for Mixed Company, a coffee shop on Main Street in Crosby.

Johnna Johnson opened Mixed Company in June 2013 just as the momentum in Crosby entrepreneurship was starting to build. Johnson’s parents and grandparents are all C-I alumni and after growing up away from the area, Johnna moved back to Crosby to raise her kids.

“This is where my heart is,” she said. Johnson said Anderson, a long-time customer, approached her last winter with the idea to have the Ranger Made students fabricate a metal logo sign for the front of her coffee shop on Main Street in Crosby.

“I loved the idea,” she said. “But at that point, that’s all it was — a conversation. I didn’t expect it to be real.”

But Anderson was serious. And so were the girls. “He told us, ‘you have girl brains — you can do this,’” Kenzie said. The only problem was no one really had any of the knowledge needed to run the machines to create the sign. After Ringhand’s death, his school computer was scrubbed and the files for running the machines and developing the code needed were all deleted.

“They had to start opening up manuals and learn how to use these really expensive, complicated machines,” Johnson said, adding, “I’m not even sure I know how to use a tape measure!”

Undeterred, the girls solicited the help of a couple of male classmates, Jay Hunter and Trevor Foye, to help them with the technical side of the project and they got to work on the design and communication pieces of the project. Step one: meet with Johnson. “The really cool thing is, they were out of the (school) building actually working with a local business, having real business meetings,” Johnna said. “When they started, they weren’t totally capable of communicating what they needed and what kind of work they would be doing — they hadn’t even turned on the machines yet.”

“We really had to learn as we went,” Brenna said. “We went to (Johnson) with a bunch of questions, but we missed a lot and would have to go back and clarify.”

“The first time we met, everyone was really shy,” Ava said. “Now we all know what we are talking about. So now we put our ideas together to figure out what’s best for the sign.”

With months of work and meetings and frustrating setbacks and approximately 50 minutes of devoted class time every day, things started to take shape little by little.

The Mixed Company logo is complex with custom shaped handwritten style letters. It has heart-shaped cutouts and a squiggly coffee cup designed into it.

Ava Mellema, left, Brenna Nelson and Kenzie Bill stand in front of Mixed Company on Main Street in Crosby. The sign, a project done by them in their Ranger Made class at Crosby-Ironton High School, was installed in late May.

“We learned to keep going. Never give up.”

The team practiced their skills on cardboard, cutting each letter out with painstaking precision. Once they had the shapes exactly how they wanted them and got Johnson’s approval, they started the real project — cutting into the metal.

Cutting out each letter was a class-hour or more worth of work. Johnson said at one point she wasn’t totally thrilled with the finish on some of the letters. Through their trial and error, the girls slightly burned the metal giving it a less desirable finish. Johnson said at that point she wasn’t sure the project would be finished before the end of the school year. “They figured it out,” she said.

“Before it was just this ugly sheet of metal,” Brenna said. “Now, we really made something from it.”

As the school year wraps up, the metal letters for the Mixed Company sign are nearly finished and Johnson plans to have them installed just before the coffee shop’s 10 year anniversary in June.

The girls said they are proud of their work and have learned more than they imagined from their shop class.

“We learned to keep going,” Ava said. “Never give up.”

“We learned to work together and listen

- Ava Mellema

to everyone’s ideas,” Kenzie said, adding that Ranger Made has really created some curiosity in her about what a career in metal fabrication might be like.

“I never considered working at a place like Graphic Packaging — which is right in our school’s backyard,” Kenzie said. “Now that’s something I’m seriously thinking about.”

Johnson said one of the things that stands out to her most is how proud Ringhand would be of the effort the girls made and their perseverance to see the project through.

“Who wouldn’t want to make him proud?” Johnson said. “So many people told them, this is a great idea, but they are the ones that really made it happen…It’s hard work and they are working in a man’s world. He would be

so pleased with what they have done.”

Ava said she’s excited to see the sign go up and when she drives by Mixed Company she imagines what the final product will look like. “I can’t wait to see it all lit up,” she said. “It’s just crazy to see how far we have come and what we made from just this idea.”

Sarah Nelson Katzenberger is a displaced Californian who had no idea there were four seasons until she moved to Minnesota. She is a former missionary, law school drop-out, high school teacher and award-winning journalist with the Brainerd Dispatch. She continues to write for local and national publications and provides unsolicited grammar correction as needed. Sarah lives in Brainerd with her husband Chad and their three baby Vikings, Ellis, Meredith and Truett.

Right where she’s needed

BY CHELSEA ORNELAS

It’s hot, humid and everything is unfamiliar, but Riah Stroot feels at peace. In her heart, she’s exactly where she needs to be in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Her official role as the online media manager for FreelyGiven Inc., is what brought her there. Her volunteer commitments of teaching English and providing children’s ministry are allowing her to learn and grow in ways she never imagined.

Rewind to the spring of 2022. Riah felt torn and conflicted as she approached high school graduation and was facing decisions about what was next for her.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do or where to go after high school,” Riah said via video interview.

A few months before graduation, Nic Davidson, co-founder of FreelyGiven Inc., spoke at a retreat Riah attended at St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd (her home church). He shared about the medical care and spiritual hope mission work he and his wife, Jacelyn, along with their five children, planned to start. They were looking for someone to help manage their online presence.

Riah felt a nudge, but also felt the pressure to continue her education.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” she said. “I weighed the reasons why I wanted to

go to college and why I’d want to go to Cambodia. The reasons for college felt shallow and the reasons for Cambodia felt more important.”

And so, last September, Riah traveled to Siem Reap, the second-largest city in Cambodia (nearly 246,000 people) with the mission team. In the months since she’s arrived, she’s found her rhythm and has learned to be resourceful, especially when it comes to communication. Most Cambodians speak the country’s official language of Khmer (kuh-mer), which Riah’s learning. In the meantime, she gets creative.

“I have had endless conversations through Google Translate,” Riah said. “I also use a lot of pictures, actions, noises and videos. It’s getting easier each day. My main goal is to make sure every person feels seen, known and loved. My actions and my presence can show this.”

During the week, Riah spends her mornings doing language study, updating FreelyGiven’s website and social media and working toward her certification in teaching English as a second language. In the afternoons, she spends time with young adults, teens and sometimes young children. She also teaches them guitar and piano and helps with English lessons.

Three weekends a month, Riah travels an hour outside Siem Reap to Taom (toe-om), a remote and poor farming village. At first, Riah’s focus was to support the Sunday morning Mass and visit the sick throughout the village, bringing them food, a blessing and spending time in prayer with them. After a few months, Riah’s now playing piano for Mass and teaching an English class on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the church. Her goal is to form relationships with the people and empower them.

“Rice is the staple for every meal,” Riah shared. Contributed.

- Riah Stroot

“Learning English is key for the children and people in Taom; it sets them up to go to the city and have more job prospects and access to higher paying jobs, therefore giving them an opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty,” she explained.

She’s had more than 70 students of varying ages attend the class. It’s been so well received, she’s already committed to returning to Cambodia for another year to build the English class into a long-term program.

While Riah has taken on the role as teacher, she’s quick to point out she is the one learning.

“I have learned so much about myself, the world and life,” she said. “Back home, it’s work, work, work and go, go, go. The pace is better here. Life is so much simpler here. Their values and priorities are rooted in family and community. They value each other as humans and have each other’s backs.”

The last nine months haven’t always been easy. Riah has faced homesickness, illness from food and water and loneliness. But she’s leaning into her faith to replenish and guide her.

Her advice for anyone considering a gap year: “I would say if your heart is in the right place and your mind is in the right place and the only thing holding you back is fear, then do it. Nothing bad is going to come from it.”

Riah will spend the summer in Brainerd and then return to Cambodia in September for another year with FreelyGiven, Inc. Learn more about the mission team and how to support them at www.freelygiveninc.org.

Chelsea Ornelas is a wife, mama to two little boys, fulltime 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.”

Above: Riah leads an English lesson. Many Cambodians are eager to learn the global business language as it improves their employment opportunities. Below: Music is a universal language and has been a powerful way for Riah to connect with people. Contributed.

A MOTHER’S PROMISE:

Turning grief into purpose

BY KATHLEEN KRUEGER | PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON

If you are needing a hug or a smile to encourage you, Suz Pohl is your gal. Her infectious laugh and overflowing generosity are hallmarks of who she is at her core. But those who know her well, know that her big heart also carries an immeasurable amount of pain and grief.

Kyle and Suz Pohl have parented four children – Gavin, Kegan, Bracken and Mearan. During their three plus decades of marriage, they have watched three of those children suffer the effects of a rare, debilitating disease, Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 7 or SCA7. The disease kills the cerebellum portion of the brain, causing blindness and loss of motor function.

Of the four children, only Gavin, the oldest, escaped the genetic disease. Mearan, their youngest, and only daughter, showed signs of SCA7 at birth and lived only 27 months. It was Mearan’s autopsy that revealed the deadly genetic code which had invaded their family. In addition to the three children, Kyle, their

father, also has SCA7 and is considered terminal.

Kyle’s onset was as an adult and has experienced a slower progression of the disease. He suffers physical disabilities from the disease but lives his life to the fullest of his ability alongside his wife and best friend, Suz. Bracken’s onset was during his preschool years and Kegan’s was delayed until he was in his late teens. Bracken lived until the age of 7 and Kegan left this life at the age of 25.

A PROMISE TO HER CHILDREN

The Pohl family has experienced not only the deaths of three children but the hardships that come with caring for children with long-term medical needs. Living in a rural area adds another level of difficulty and expense to an already devastating situation.

“Every doctor visit meant a trip to the Twin Cities to pediatric specialists,” Suz said. That meant extra money for gas and

meals away from home, time off work, and leaving your other children with friends or family to care for them while you are gone.

When an adult is terminally ill, the individual and the family can receive medical and emotional support from hospice agencies. The Pohls learned the hard way that there are no such services available for terminally ill children in our area. Even now, decades later, it is difficult to find pediatric hospice care in most areas of the United States, even in large cities.

The Pohls had to learn how to provide comfort care for their children themselves in order to keep them at home with them. Suz often felt isolated and discouraged, especially since Kyle needed to continue working to support their family. “I promised Mearan that I would do everything I could to change things for other families facing the same challenges,” said Suz.

CHAMPIONS FOR GRIEVING FAMILIES

To fulfill her promise to Mearan, Suz developed a nonprofit in 2020 called The Pohl Children’s Scholarship Foundation. There are two primary missions of the organization. One is to provide support for families struggling through the long-term illness of a child. The other is providing support for families grieving the loss of a child or loved one.

The support provided to Minnesota families comes in many forms: Healing Kits for children who have lost a loved one, Sunshine Kits for children going through illness/disease and their siblings, gift cards, in-person and virtual peer grief support, horse therapy, a grief camp, scholarships and grief companions. The Pohl Children’s Foundation also hosts an annual Christmas event for their Foundation families at The Castle in Nisswa. New services are being added regularly.

THE BIG DREAM – Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care

The services provided through the Foundation have been deeply appreciated

by 193 children and 100 families over the last three years, but that is just the beginning. Suz has spent countless hours researching how to bring pediatric hospice and palliative care services to our area. When she couldn’t find a hospice agency willing to take on the challenge (there is no precedent for pediatric hospice services in Minnesota), like the Little Red Hen, she said, “Then I’ll do it myself.”

State and federal licensing was obtained, policies and procedures for adult agencies are being rewritten to meet pediatric guidelines and staff have been recruited. The Pohl Children’s Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care has been established but is still in need of certain professional staff, as well as sufficient funding, to meet operational requirements.

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.

HELP THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

“Grief can destroy a family,” Suz explained. “Children, especially, don’t know how to process the loss of a loved one.” Here are some things you can do to help:

• Nominate families that need help

• Sponsor a Healing Kit or Sunshine Kit for $350

• Par ticipate in or donate to their fundraisers

• Volunteer your time, occasionally or regularly

• Invite Suz to speak to your group or organization

The needs and opportunities in our area far outweigh the Pohl Children’s Foundation to meet them. Suz and Kyle Pohl give selflessly of their time and personal resources to help other families dealing with health-related struggles or suffering loss. They are deeply appreciative of those who have come alongside them in these efforts. If you would like to learn more about what the Pohl Children’s Foundation does or ways to help, visit PohlChildrensFoundation.org.

The support provided to Minnesota families comes in many forms from The Pohl Children’s Scholarship Foundation including Healing Kits for children who have lost a loved one.

+ summer recipes HER TABLE

IN MY garden

BY SUE READY

Garden fresh vegetables taste so much better than store bought ones and stay fresh longer. You will be excited to eat the homegrown veggies you’ve nurtured over the late spring and summer months. Planting a vegetable garden gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment, plus teaches you the value of hard work.

May your summer gardening be plentiful and rewarding.

CHEESY VEGETABLE EGG CASSEROLE

Cook’s Notes: Cheesy Vegetable Egg Casserole is the perfect way to highlight all of your favorite seasonal veggies. It’s a delicious make-ahead dish to serve a crowd for brunch or breakfast when paired with zesty feta cheese and then baked into an easy casserole. Some suggested combinations include: asparagus, spring onions, tomatoes, spinach and peppers, broccoli and garlic, zucchini but the list of possibilities can easily go on and on. Chop veggies ahead for easier prep. This egg dish can be made in advance. Just cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to one day before baking. Remove the cover, let the casserole rest at room temperature while the oven is heating up and bake as directed. The recipe serves 6-8 and was adapted from gimmesomeoven.com.

+ INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3/4 cup onions, diced 1/2 cup of each red and yellow peppers, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large carrot (or 1 cup of baby carrots), peeled and diced

1/2 pound asparagus, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces

1 cup diced white button mushrooms

4 ounces sugar snap peas, halved or 1 cup chopped spinach

2 cups chopped broccoli florets

+ DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.

Add onions and peppers, saute for 3 minutes.

Add in garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil with carrots, asparagus, snap peas, broccoli, and stir to combine.

Continue cooking covered for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened and cooked through.

Add the mushrooms, spinach if using, and tomatoes.

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 cup grape tomatoes, halved and patted dry on a paper towel

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, 1-1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, sharp yellow cheddar, or a combination of the cheddar cheeses

12 large eggs, whisked

1/2 cup 2 % milk

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or 2 teaspoons Elote seasoning

Sprinkle veggies with 1/2 of the spice seasoning, stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes, covered. Place veggies mixture on two paper towels to drain liquid. Transfer about half of the veggie mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread the veggies out in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with half of the feta cheese or 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Repeat by adding the remaining veggies on top in an even layer, followed by the remaining cheese. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, mustard, rest of the seasoning and milk with a generous pinch of salt and pepper together until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the casserole comes out clean. Serve immediately.

+ INGREDIENTS:

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup each of sliced radishes, snap peas and cherry tomatoes

1/2 bunch of asparagus spears cut into 2-inch pieces

3/4 cup of red onion slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

Garlic and Herb (salt-free) Seasoning by McCormick, 1 teaspoon

2 cups dried pasta (I used bow tie)

1 cup drained marinated mini mozzarella cheese balls, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup of broth chicken or vegetable

3 tablespoons white wine

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dash red pepper flakes

PASTA PRIMAVERA STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRUMB CAKE

Cook’s Notes: Primavera means “spring” in Italian. In this recipe, the name refers to the crunchy and colorful mélange of vegetables in a creamy pasta dish. Be creative and use your favorite garden veggies or those suggested in the recipe. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth if you want a vegetarian dish. Roasted vegetables give the dish a more intense flavor. Any variety of pasta can be used when making this dish. For advance prep, chop veggies ahead and refrigerate until needed. Chicken or salmon can be added to the dish. Suggested wine pairings include Pinot Grigio, Italian Soave or Viognier. The recipe serves four and is an Ever Ready Special.

+ STREUSEL INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons, cold butter, cut pea size

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup regular oats

1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground

cinnamon

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

+ CAKE INGREDIENTS:

2 cups rhubarb, diced

+ DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray lightly a 9 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

Line pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Smooth out the paper inside the pan making sure it’s flush with sides and corners.

STREUSEL: Use a food processor or a pastry cutter and mix

2 cups strawberries, diced

1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

Zest of one medium lemon and juice

1 1/3 cups flour, divided

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1-1/2 teaspoons ground

cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

butter, brown sugar, salt, flour, oats and cinnamon until coarse crumbs are formed. Stir in nuts.

Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

CAKE: Combine diced strawberries, rhubarb, brown sugar, lemon juice, zest and 1/3 cup flour. Set aside.

In a bowl beat 1/2 cup butter and powdered sugar

+ DIRECTIONS:

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add veggies, onion slices, olive oil, and seasoning mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and spread evenly out on the baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roast veggies while the pasta is cooking for 10 minutes.

Use a spatula to move veggies around on the baking sheet.

Cook another 10 minutes more but be careful not to overcook.

Cover cooked veggies with foil to keep warm. Bring water to a boil and add in the pasta. Lower heat and cook al dente for 10 minutes. Drain water and keep pasta in a colander covered.

In the same pasta pot, melt butter and sauté garlic.

Add in broth, cream, lemon juice and wine. Cook on medium-low heat for 7 minutes. Add in parmesan cheese, cooked pasta and roasted veggies with red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes more.

Serve pasta dish with marinated mozzarella balls and more grated parmesan cheese.

until light and fluffy. Add in beaten eggs and vanilla.

Mix until smooth.

Sift in remaining flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt into butter/eggs/ powdered sugar mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Gently combine batter with strawberry rhubarb mixture. Spoon into prepared pan. Use a sheet of wax paper to press the mixture evenly

down into the pan.

Recrumble chilled streusel mixture and spread over batter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.

Cool cake in pan for 20 minutes, then lift cake on parchment paper to a wire rack to finish cooling. Remove cake from parchment paper.

Cook’s Notes: Strawberries and rhubarb combined with a brown sugar crumb topping create a delicious cake that’s moist, buttery and perfect for a coffee gathering, brunch or dessert. The recipe was adapted from whiteonricecouple.com.

Elevate Wellness

Reichert Vice President

Her Story I started driving school bus the summer prior to my Freshman year at college in St. Cloud. I was able to get paid for my training during summer school and be an Aide on the Special Needs Bus to make money before I got my licensing.

Fast forward 25 years, and I’m the Vice President of our bus company looking to hire more

drivers and pay them to train to get their license! We have a great hiring bonus, monthly attendance bonuses, as well as, Holiday and Year End Bonuses currently! We are 75 years locally owned and operated and definitely “Lakes Proud” as we all live here, work here and spend here!

If you’re looking for more than just a job, we’d love to have you join our Reichert Family!

Holistic Wellness

Their Story

Elevate Wellness is a holistic wellness center that offers a wide range of natural treatments designed to help clients look and feel their very best, whether that means turning the clock back on aging, getting back into shape, relieving pain and inflammation, or simply feeling stronger and

more energetic. Elevate Wellness offers state-of-the-art technology that includes red and infrared light therapy, whole body vibration, ionic foot baths, lymphatic compression, dry salt (halo) therapy, oxygen, infrared sauna, PEMF, and 3D body scans.

We are now training for the upcoming school year and are always happy to hire existing drivers looking for a change as well!

www.reichertbus.com/apply

www.Reichertbus.com

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

www.reichertbus.com/apply

The tools at Elevate Wellness use elements of nature (light, heat, salt, magnetism) to help rejuvenate the body and mind.

15133 Edgewood Drive, Suite 330, Baxter, MN 56401 (218) 579-9500

elevatewellnessmn.com

Kevra Cherne

Laura Vaughn

Executive Director for Northern Pines Mental Health Center

We are enacting our vision to normalize mental health care by expanding our services for our community. Our new Urgent Care Clinic is an example which will help anyone going through a crisis immediately. Seeking therapy should be the accepted norm like going to your doctor. In 2021 we purchased an

island and will 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.

Northern Pines is here to help you find clarity and inner peace! 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. Our goal is to Enhance Lives and Restore Hope!

For more information please visit our website: npmh.org.

Northern Pines Operations Director

Her Story

Kate Sullivan is the operations director at Northern Pines Mental Health Center. Kate carries the agency vision into practicality by putting clear structure and consistency to the work we get to do. Having designed new procedures, Kate is beyond valuable in her ability to keep a multitude of things on task. Ever mindful of the mission of a complex

Clinical Director

Her Story

Kim Schaefbauer is the Clinical Director at Northern Pines Mental Health Center.

Throughout her experience here she has maintained the highest clinical standards of care, while introducing innovative methods.

As an Executive Leader Kim’s input is crucial to our agency’s expansion.

Over the past seven years Northern Pines has expanded by becoming a Certified

agency, Kate balances client care and staff input resulting in effective operations. There is great pride in the success of the agency and the connection to staff who are happy in their careers. Kate’s vision for Northern Pines aligns with her personal mantra: when life drops you to your knees, who comes running towards you. Kate leads so that lives are enhanced and hope is restored.

For more information please visit our website: npmh.org.

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

Community Behavioral Health Clinic and Kim was instrumental in the addition of the following evidence based practices: EMDR, Trauma Focused CBT, ASAM, DLA20, EIMR.

With a hands-on approach to leadership, Kim stays connected to both the work and staff.

Kim is a shining example of excellence in the field of behavioral health.

For more information please visit our website: npmh.org.

Covering 6 Counties: Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena (320) 639-2025

www.npmh.org

Kim Schaefbauer

Kate Sullivan

Laura Vaughn

Sarah Kinkeade

Vice President / Business Banker

Lakes Area

Family

I live in the Brainerd Lakes Area with my husband, John and my two boys, Finnegan and Oliver.

What was your work journey

I actually tried hard to get out mortgage lending in high school, got my degree in Communication business. After a few years I moved into consumer lending of all sorts (from debt consolidation managed lenders and retail banks. During that time, I went and became certified in kitchen and bath design thinking that might be my career path but I just couldn’t leave banking. Eventually, I ended up in business lending and found the ‘spot’ that checked all of skill boxes: Meeting with customers, community involvement, and solving

complicated puzzles for the good of the customer as well as the bank. I then received my MBA, a degree that was a highlight for me personally, but also a capstone to my education and career path. The journey has been completely worth it! It’s given me a broad lending and banking foundation as well as education in both business and art, keeping my brain happy and busy!

Something that might surprise your colleagues?

I am pretty musical. I play the trumpet, piano and even taught piano lessons in the past.

Favorite part of your job?

Helping put the pieces of a business’ financial puzzle together, getting to know their story, and becoming a part of their success while contributing to the success of our organization.

What do you like most about the company you work for?

I am encouraged to be creative! I get to use my concrete as well as creative parts of my brain every day.

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

Traveling with my family (we have been to 29 states with a goal of all 50), landscaping, boating, cooking and sitting by the fire.

Building Trust...

Building Trust...

TheTruth Behind NATURE POEMS

BY JANET KURTZ

How does a nature poem come to be? Start with the leaning white pine tree? Bonsai bent away from the prevailing westerly winds my canoe is tailing?

I could add a rabbit up on that hill with an eagle above it, nesting still. Or, the three otter noisily skimming the lakeshore, busily trimming. . .

The white lily flowers for munching in their late afternoon lunching. While the great blue heron is stalking the bullfrogs that are noisily talking.

Would a woodland poem mention the black flies and their intention to roost on my bare legs and make snacks of all that they find on the lake?

Or, the evening mosquitoes arriving, noting it is time to start diving on us, the warm-blooded creatures that the woodland, at this hour, features!

The dragonfly now takes his cue and sweeps in for the mosquito, but didn’t take into account that bass breaking the waves with one strong pass.

Yes, the woodland can be serene, but looking past the tranquil scene, one might note the natural pain, for we are all part of. . . the food chain!

Life Changing Results

“I suffered from severe reflux problems and had been taking medications for more than 25 years. Bariatric surgery took care of the reflux, the hiatal hernia, and I lost an additional 86 pounds (pre-surgery loss 54 pounds). I have more energy, my arthritis is less painful, I feel better overall, and cut down my blood pressure medications. It is wonderful to be able to eat without feeling awful afterwards.”

-Marsha Mower BARIATRIC SURGERY PATIENT

PERSONALIZED WEIGHT LOSS OPTIONS

At CRMC, we treat each patient as an individual and understand everyone’s weight loss journey may be different. We will customize a plan for you whether it be medical, surgical, or a combination of both. That’s why it feels so good to get well here.

View Marsha’s full story at cuyunamed.org/weight-loss