E G A R E V A
E O J EEN EIGHT D N A US O THO W T L L FA
Mike Guetter:
His incredible story of survival
Josh Linn: Hunger for the hunt
Paul Lakin:
Teacher, veteran, family man
Patrick Petermann: Heart of gold
AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 1
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JOE 4 AVERA GE Stranded in the wilderness:
10 14 18 How the trip of a lifetime nearly ended in death for Mike Guetter
Making a difference:
HELP PAVE THE WAY TO A GREAT FUTURE
Patrick Petermann’s “incredible, caring heart”
Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes is offering community members, businesses, club alumni, families, and other interested donors the opportunity to purchase granite pavers that will be placed within the outdoor landscape of the Club’s new $150 facility and park area. Pavers are 8” x 8” and can contain up to 6 lines of text. Each line is limited to 9 characters. Punctuation and spaces count as characters.
218-847- 5700 • www.bgcdl.org PAGE 2 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
Josh Linn’s innate appreciation for the outdoors
Paying it forward: Paul Lakin spreads no-stringsattached kindness
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For more information stop in at the DL Chamber of Commerce 700 Summit Ave or call Pat Petermann 218-234-1609
In his nature:
Pg. 17 - Gear up for hunting season Pg. 24 - How well do you know your beer Pg. 26 - A brief history of football Pg. 28 - Cut to the core Pg. 30 - How men can benefit from yoga
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AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 3
Dick Kopel, left, Mike Guetter and their faithful companion Sam, with the backpack that was all they were able to salvage from their ordeal in the Canadian wilderness, 41 years ago this September. (Submitted Photo) Mike Guetter holds up the Bic lighter that helped light the campfire that saved their lives, after their canoe capsized on the Churchill River 41 years ago.
A dream trip turned nightmare
DL’s Mike Guetter and friend once survived 16 days stranded in the Canadian wilderness STORY & PHOTOS BY VICKI GERDES
PAGE 4 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
W
hen Wabasso, Minnesota native Mike Guetter and his friend Dick Kopel — along with their faithful canine companion, Sam — set off in a 1963 Chevy pickup from their home near Park Rapids, headed for Leaf Rapids in Ontario, Canada, they were very excited. After all, the August 1977 road trip was the start of a seven-week idyll in the wilderness that had been more than a year in the planning — though as any outdoorsman will tell you, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate, even with the best-laid plans. From Leaf Rapids, the intrepid trio would journey by canoe up the Churchill River to Hudson Bay — an epic 500-mile outdoor adventure that was to be the focal point of a year-long hiatus from Guetter and Kopel’s budding careers in the corporate world. “We were roommates in college (at Mankato State University),” Guetter says, “and we both started working for General Mills in Minneapolis the same year, in 1972, so we roomed together there, too.” The two came up with the idea for the trip while having drinks together one night during the fall of 1976, at a bar in Minnetonka: “As soon as the snow
Using a map of Manitoba, Canada, that he has on the wall of his rural Detroit Lakes home, Mike shows the distance between where he and friend Dick Kopel capsized their canoe on the Churchill River to where they would have had to hike to reach the rail line.
leaves next spring, we’re going to do it,” they promised each other. On March 1, 1977, both men handed in their resignations at General Mills, and one month later, they packed up and headed to the rural Park Rapids home they had rented for the summer to start planning the details of their trek. The two men spent months researching everything about their route — the same route once used by Canadian fur traders to bring hundreds upon hundreds of animal pelts out to Hudson Bay for shipment overseas. They also made the decision to bring along a third companion: A 130-pound golden Labrador named Sam. The dog had accompanied them on previous outdoor adventures, so they simply added dog food to their lengthy list of supplies for this trip. Sam had a canine-sized backpack to carry his own provisions,
just as they would carry theirs. “We picked up several good sets of maps, clothing, food and other outdoor gear,” Guetter says. “We figured the trip would last about seven weeks, so we had to take enough provisions with us to last the whole way.” “We put everything in plastic bags in case the packs got wet, then packed and repacked everything — in fact, we probably overpacked a little,” Guetter admits — though they also had to make sure they weren’t carrying more weight than they could handle. They did some test runs around lakes in Park Rapids to make sure they were comfortable with their gear. In short, they did everything they could think of to prepare for their journey. Little did they know that an unexpected mishap would turn their dream vacation in Canada into the stuff of nightmares.
Canada, here we come
On the morning of Aug. 12, 1977, Mike and Dick packed up their small pickup truck, attached the canoe to a rack on top, called for Sam to get inside and headed north into Canada. Upon their arrival in Leaf Rapids, Manitoba, the two men unloaded the vehicle near the Churchill River, which would be their home for the next seven weeks. “Dick went to visit the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and ask if we could park our vehicle there (outside their headquarters),” Guetter says. “He told them we would call back in seven weeks, and asked that if they didn’t hear from us to please notify our parents so they could plan our rescue.” Ultimately, that lifeline wasn’t needed — though it would end up being a pretty close call. The early part of their journey was AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 5
‘Dream vacation’ swept away downriver
The two men knew they were coming up to a difficult portion of the river, with some rock rapids leading into a waterfall. After walking around the river and surveying the path ahead, they decided they would canoe through a smaller section of PAGE 6 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
Mike holds up the fishing hook that he tried to fashion from some rope and a couple of nails after he and his friend lost their fishing poles when their canoe overturned.
rapids, then portage around the rest, past the waterfall, and continue on their journey. “We took off and made it to the main channel,” Guetter recalls. “All at once, our canoe started to tip. There must have been a submerged rock shelf or something beneath the surface that we couldn’t see. We lost our balance and capsized.” At first, they thought everything
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and so on. The food pack went second to last.” Down to just one backpack and a waterlogged canoe, the two men tried to push their watercraft to shore, but were unable to stop it from going over the falls. Mike was able to keep hold of their one remaining backpack, which because there were two sleeping bags stored inside, remained buoyant enough to help keep him afloat.
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difficult at times, with a lot of wind and rain, and unexpected obstacles in their way. At one point, about halfway through the trip, the winds got so bad that the three explorers were stuck at a camp for three days, unable to travel further. Eventually, however, the route got easier — and they thought the worst was behind them. “The river was narrowing, we had the current with us, so the weather didn’t affect us as much,” Guetter says. “We were on the ‘downhill’ side of the trip. “We’d get up in the morning and start paddling, stop at noon and have lunch… it was so peaceful,” he continues. “There were no cars, no houses, no people. We didn’t see anybody at all. You were literally out there by yourself, hundreds of miles from anyone or anything, except nature. There was so much wildlife, so much life, all around us.” When the explorers got to Billard Lake, they noticed what appeared to be some abandoned buildings, which they later discovered to be the remains of a small native fishing village. “We ended up camping overnight at Billard Lake,” Guetter says. “I remember that night the Northern Lights were absolutely fabulous. Dick and I sat up until about 2 a.m., just watching the lights move around in the sky, like a continual kaleidoscope.” Because they had been up so late the night before, the two men didn’t break camp until about 10 a.m. the next day. “We were in super spirits,” Guetter says. “Billard was our last lake, so we wouldn’t have to fight against the wind so much. The canoeing would be easier from this point, and we didn’t have very many portages ahead.” They were also looking forward to the nice treat they had stowed away in their canoe for later — a goose they had shot down earlier that morning and planned to roast for dinner.
We were in the water up to our necks, and the canoe was about 80 percent submerged underwater… We got around the bend (in the river) and couldn’t see water ahead, so we knew the rapids were coming up... – Mike Guetter, recalling the moment before he and his travel companion were swept over a waterfall during a canoe trip in Canada
would be alright. Their canoe was still right there beside them, and Sam was a strong swimmer, so they thought they could just make their way to land. “We were in the water up to our necks, and the canoe was about 80 percent submerged underwater,” Guetter says. “We thought we could start swimming and pull the canoe to shore.” Unfortunately, the current was so strong, and the canoe so heavy with equipment and extra water inside, that “we couldn’t maneuver the canoe at all,” he adds. “We got around the bend (in the river), and couldn’t see water ahead, so we knew the rapids were coming up. We started to untie our packs from the canoe… the cooking pack, the clothes pack,
“We spotted a rock about 20 feet from the main channel of the river,” Guetter says. “Dick (who had kicked off his boots by this time) said he was going to try to swim for that rock, while I kept hold of the backpack.” The current was so strong that after about 30 seconds of trying to swim away from him, Dick had only managed to move about five feet. “I said, ‘Dick, get back over here and hold onto the backpack with me,’” Guetter says — which he then did. Caught in the current, the two men were inevitably swept over the falls and into the water below. They were fortunately able to escape a swirling eddy and find their way back to the main current, with the backpack still between them,
AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 7
fashion leggings out of some helping to keep them afloat. of their remaining clothing, “About 2 to 3 minutes latto protect his feet as much as er, we found we were able to he could. touch bottom,” Guetter says. “We started walking along “The river kept getting shalthe shoreline, and came up to lower, so we were eventually this tributary that was about able to stand up and walk to the shore, where we both col- This is the original Cheez Whiz jar from the abandoned fishing 30 yards wide,” Guetter says. cabin where Mike and Dick lived for two weeks. Mike filled the lapsed.” jar with dried mussberries, which were a staple of their Canadian “We had to get across, so we stripped naked, put our By this time, Sam had adventure-turned-survival tale. clothes in the backpack and been lost — though they just left it lay overnight,” Guetter says. swam to the other side.” both thought they had spot“About 2 or 3 in the morning, everything The air temperature was about 50 deted the dog swimming to shore on the was dried out and we were warm, so we grees, and the water about 40 degrees — opposite side of the river, they were crawled into our sleeping bags and went so needless to say, the swim was not a unable to see or hear him when they to sleep.” pleasant one. called. “We got to the other side, put our “We must have been in the water clothes on, and kept walking,” Guetabout 10 minutes,” Guetter says. “The wa- Taking stock ter said. “We had to cross three or four ter temperature was about 40 or 50 deWhen the two men woke up the next of those (tributaries) before we got back grees. By the time we got out, my legs morning, they did a quick inventory of to our old campsite on Billard Lake — were numb from the knees down and I what little they had left. the same one where we had watched the was shaking so hard. We just laid there for “We had a set of maps, some clothes, Northern Lights a few days earlier.” a while.” two sleeping bags, and one set of boots,” They spent the night at the campsite Eventually, Guetter could feel his com- Guetter says, noting that he had managed before taking off for the fishing shack; panion shaking him, trying to get him to to keep his on his feet. “Dick was bareunfortunately, there were “another 4 or start moving around and get the circulafoot.” 5” tributaries along their path. tion going in his limbs once again. Hoping that some of their lost pro“The water was really cold!” Guetter “Dick asked if I had a lighter in my visions had washed ashore or gotten exclaims, noting that to this day, he has a pack (the only bag they were able to snagged on some branches along the rivlingering aversion to swimming as a resalvage),” Guetter says. “I had a Bic er, the two men spent about half a day sult of that experience. lighter in a plastic bag, so we quickly searching, without success. Sam, too, had Finally, the two men arrived back at found it.” apparently been lost to them. There was the fishing village. Dick was able to get the lighter to no sign of him anywhere. “There were three buildings there,” work, so Mike went into the woods to try After taking stock of where they were Guetter says. “One of them was an 8x10to find some kindling for a fire. Their axe and how few provisions they had left, foot shack, with two spring beds and a went down the river with their canoe, the duo found themselves with two oplittle stove in it. That became our home so he had to make do with whatever he tions: The railroad tracks, about 60 miles for the next 14 days.” could gather with his hands. straight east, or the abandoned fishing One of their first projects was to sal“We were able to get a small fire going shack they had seen a few miles back, on vage enough tin to make a large “SOS” around 9 p.m.,” Guetter remembers. “It Billard Lake. sign and place it along the lakeshore. was getting dark, and cold, and we were “Dick had no shoes, and we had no “We made it as big as we could,” both completely soaked to the skin — but tent,” Guetter says. “Plus, because we Guetter says. we realized that if we could get a fire gowere closer to the North Pole (than back Then they began to forage for food. ing, there was a chance we might make it home), the effect of the magnetic (field) Having managed to salvage the goose out of this alive.” variations on our compass would mean from their impromptu hunting trip, they They stockpiled as much wood and that true north would be about 10-15 desmoked the bird and made the meat last kindling as they could forage without grees off.” for the first few days. benefit of axe or saw, and settled in for a Faced with such adverse conditions, “We also found a half a jar of Cheese long, cold night. the two men decided that the closer opWhiz, and a small berry patch,” Guetter “We spent all night sitting around that tion was better, so they headed back tosays, noting that they later determined fire, trying to dry out our clothes and ward the fishing shack. they had found some mussberries. sleeping bags, and whatever provisions “We knew the fishing village was di“Every day, we’d each pick a pop can we had left,” Guetter says. rectly under a plane route,” Guetter says, full of berries and heat them up over It wasn’t much — though both men “so we hoped we could flag down an airthe stove,” he adds, “and we’d get one were immensely cheered when they spotplane.” spoonful of the Cheese Whiz.” ted the goose they had shot earlier in the Because Mike still had his boots, he First the goose meat ran out, then the day, floating slowly down the river nearby. was the one tasked with carrying the Cheese Whiz, until all they had left was “I went out and grabbed it, then backpack — though Dick did attempt to PAGE 8 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
the berries. “The longer we were there, the more we had to expand our picking area, and as it got colder, the more the berries would just explode — so even our meager food supply was dwindling,” Guetter says. Though they saw at least 2 or 3 airplanes passing overhead every day, none of them stopped. “The planes would come directly over the top of us, and we’d run outside, running and screaming and waving our arms,” Guetter says. “Our days were pretty much spent conserving our energy (for these efforts).” They also “spent countless hours talking to each other,” he adds, “about family and friends, and all the things that were near and dear to us.”
Unexpected blessings
On the seventh day of their life on Billard Lake, at about mid-afternoon, the two men heard something rattling around outside the shack. “We thought it might be a beaver or a muskrat,” Guetter says. “But we opened the door — and there was Sam! How he managed to find us, I’ll never know. It had rained for several days, so he could not have followed our scent. It’s a complete mystery.” Somehow, some way, their faithful companion had managed to find his way back to them — though he hadn’t gotten by unscathed in the days since they’d seen him last. “As bad a shape as we were in, I think he was worse,” Guetter says. “He would just eat, and drink, and lay on the floor in front of us. He was probably near death — but having him back sure did lift our spirits for a couple of days.” On Sept. 24, 1977, at about 5 p.m., the two men both heard a helicopter flying directly over the fishing shack. Once again, they went outside and began waving their arms, jumping up and down and yelling. “The helicopter turned around and
Mike has retained a small number of souvenirs from his Canadian wilderness adventure 41 years ago, including a compass, plastic spoon, prayer book, Bic lighter, and of course, the Cheez Whiz jar. He has also kept the voided check that he cashed at a bank in Thompson, Manitoba, to help him and his friend get home after being rescued.
came back toward us,” Guetter recalls. “It set down on the shore, and two guys got out. We told them our story, and they said they hadn’t seen us — they saw our SOS, and thought they’d better stop and check it out.” After leaving them with the lunch they had packed for the day, the guys headed back to the helicopter. “They told us, ‘as soon as we get high enough in the air to transmit, we’ll radio Thompson (the nearest city) to send a rescue plane out and pick you guys up,” Guetter says. “And that’s what they did.” The rescue plane arrived later that evening. “We had to pick Sam up and carry him — he was so weak he couldn’t walk down to the plane,” says Guetter, tearing up a little at the recollection. When the plane arrived back in Thompson, they were greeted by a medical team. Both men had lost around 30 pounds during their ordeal, so the doctor cautioned them to restrict their diet to soup, ice cream and other easily digestible foods for the first few days. A gentleman who lived in Thompson, Al Wiggins, heard their story and offered them a place to stay for the night. “He said we should come spend the night with him and his wife, Gillian,” Guetter says. “We had nothing — no I.D., no cash — so we were entirely dependent on the kindness of others. Al took us back to his house, Gillian made us some soup, and we stayed up all night talking, telling them our story.” After spending a couple of days recovering at the Wiggins’ home, Al took the two men back into town and stopped at the bank. “I was able to write a $400 check and
cash it right there in Thompson,” says Guetter, noting that the Wigginses had probably intervened on their behalf and offered to cover the check if it didn’t clear. “I’m still in contact with Al and Gillian.” After they returned home, the two men were a bit of a media sensation for awhile: They were interviewed by Jim Klobuchar of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, a reporter from a Winnipeg television station, and just about every other television, radio and newspaper outlet in the region. After spending a couple of months recovering and enjoying the holidays with their families, the two men headed to Mexico to finish out their one-year hiatus with some serious beach time, as they had originally planned. “After our year off, Dick and I went in separate directions,” Guetter adds, a note of sadness creeping into his voice as he admits that they lost touch. As for Sam, “I knew Dick was more attached to him than I was,” Guetter says, so he surrendered full custody of the dog to his friend. “Sam lived for another 7 or 8 years after that.” Beyond that, Guetter says he still doesn’t know Dick’s ultimate fate, having tried to reconnect with him multiple times over the years, without success. It’s his one regret from that chapter in his life. “It was an adventure,” says Guetter. “It was a tremendous opportunity that we took advantage of, and we were fortunate enough to do it and never look back. We learned so much about ourselves, and about nature… I never had a day of regret about it.” AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 9
Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Detroit Lakes and Perham, Patrick Petermann, stands where a new club building is set to be built in Detroit Lakes. (Paula Quam/ Detroit Lakes Newspapers)
Heart of gold
Boys and Girls Club Director Patrick Petermann finds deep satisfaction in making a difference STORY BY EMILY DRISCOLL
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etermann has a long background in assisting troubled kids and adults struggling with things like addiction or behavioral issues. He has been coaching and mentoring since high school. The certified social worker started counseling in 1980 at a working therapeutic ranch in his home state of North Dakota. He spent 14 years there, moving up the ranks from social worker to executive director, a position he held for several years. Petermann’s original path was teaching, but he says social work proved to be too fulfilling a career to PAGE 10 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
pass up. “I feel that it only takes one person to have an impact on somebody that needs it. If I can listen to someone’s problems and just be there for them, that is what I do,” he says. One of Petermann’s main focuses is social skills training, teaching kids how to redirect their anger and better handle strong emotions. “If I can help find a solution, let’s get it done,” he says. “Being compassionate in the work I do is what makes me and those I serve successful, successful in life.” There is deep satisfaction in making a difference in the the lives
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of others, and Petermann thrives on that, as well as the hope that others will eventually pay it forward to someone else. He pays it forward in his professional life every day, giving back to the people and communities of the Lakes Area through his leadership role with the Boys and Girls Club. With a mission to “enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens,” the club provides after school and summer programming to kids ages 5-18. The
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“Most people want to do what’s right, and they just need some guidance,” says Patrick Petermann, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes and Perham.
He’s got an incredible, caring heart. He works extraordinarily hard for our club families and for the entire community. -Tami Skinner, Boys & Girls Club program director
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Tami Skinner, the program programming is designed to director at the Detroit Lakes build self-esteem and help club, has worked with children develop and succeed Petermann for the past five academically, socially and years. She says he keeps the civically. work environment light and fun, Life in the Lakes Area and more importantly, leads by would be different without the example. club, especially for children “He’s got an incredible, caring of low income families. heart,” she says. “He works Petermann suspects there extraordinarily hard for our would be, “more kids just club families and for the entire hanging out on the streets, community. He never gives less more kids failing in school Pat Petermann, right, with his wife, Wendy, and their than 100 percent in anything because we provide tutoring daughters, Sarah and Amber. (Submitted Photo) he does. It’s great to have services, some kids who somebody who is so missionwould not get a hot meal every focused and who raises the bar every night.” opportunities for other businesses day, for everyone.” The club has made headlines in town — family get togethers, When he’s not out making recently as it’s outgrown its old meetings — it’ll just be more useful a difference in the community, facility and is currently in the midst for the community as a whole.” Petermann enjoys spending time of a major construction project on Watching the new facility come to a new building. The club averages fruition is a highlight of Petermann’s with his daughters, Sarah and Amber, who are in their early about 150 kids per day, and there’s career at the club — another was twenties, and his wife of 26 years, a need in the community to serve starting the Boys and Girls Club Wendy. He loves the Lakes Area and more. Thrift Store. The Detroit Lakes store is an avid hiker, Vikings fan and The new facility, Petermann says, helps raise money for the local club Twins fan. will be able to serve up to 235 kids in addition to charitable events and Reporter Marie Johnson contributed per day. And it won’t only serve efforts like the Polar Plunge, raffles, to this story. kids: “There will be partnership grants, an annual campaign, etc.
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Bonded by nature For Detroit Lakes man, the outdoors is all about drawing people closer
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or Josh Linn, it’s about the memories and bonding with family. He loves hunting, fishing, photography, videography and taxidermy. He loves the outdoors and he loves a challenge. But to him, all those things are really about bringing people closer together. Linn, who owns Artistic Taxidermy on Highland Drive, and his wife, Sarah, who runs a home daycare, have three children, all PAGE 14 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
STORY BY NATHAN BOWE
adopted from White Earth. Jeremy, 9, and Niswi, 6, are brothers that the Linns babysat for several years before adopting them about two years ago. “The court considered us next of kin,” Linn says. Their daughter, Autumn, 4, was left at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s hospital and the Linns have had her since birth. The couple did foster care for five
years prior to adopting. “We knew if we wanted to adopt, it would help to get foster care experience,” to become known and trusted by county human services workers, Linn explains. If those young kids dream of a life on the couch, glued to their cell phones, they can forget it. On a recent sunny day, Sarah was playing in the yard under the happy gaze of a yellow Lab while the boys
Josh Linn with an elk he hunted on a family hunting trip out West. The Linn brothers (opposite page far left photo) with their dad’s first elk. From left are Josh, Zach, dad Larry, and Adam. Josh (opposite page right photo) packing out an elk on a hunting trip out West. (Submitted Photos)
were busy pounding nails into long, narrow logs and building a stockadetype fort outside. All the kids have been involved to some extent with hunting and fishing. Jeremy has bagged some fine-looking spring turkeys, and he, his dad and a cousin have taken a canoe trip to fish the Boundary Waters. “The cool thing about the Boundary Waters is it’s so quiet —
you bump your paddle on the canoe and it feels like you’re polluting,” Josh says. “There no better way to bond. There’s something cool when you’re a kid and feel a fish on the line, ‘cause you did that. That did that.” In a weird way, he adds, it’s sort of like the team effort of packing out elk after a kill out West — the hard work, the sweating, the carrying the meat in a pack, it brings people closer: “Nothing bonds like that.”
Linn, 37, grew up on a dairy farm between Avon and Cold Spring, Minnesota, near St. Cloud. It was owned by his dad and his uncle, and they milked about 120 cows. Dairy farming is a lot of work, with the key times of the day conflicting with the best hunting times, so his dad, Larry, didn’t get to hunt with his sons as much as he would have liked. But Josh and his brothers Zach and Adam hunted and AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 15
Josh and Sarah Linn with their children, Niswi, left, Autumn, middle, and Jeremy, right. (Submitted Photo)
PAGE 16 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
of the elk, so to beat the odds you have to stay in shape, physically and mentally, Linn says. “If you want to hunt the West, it’s a yearly campaign — I work out five days a week at Anytime Fitness,” he says. “And it’s a matter of being mentally tough — last year my dad hunted all day for six days and didn’t see an elk. The next day at 4:45 a.m. the alarm goes off and you gotta get up. It’s hard. But that’s the day he got an elk and I got an elk.” Linn got into taxidermy work in an unusual way. About 15 years ago he shot a nice buck and took it to his uncle’s taxidermy shop: “I needed a shoulder mount done, and he said ‘you need to come in and work it out, then,’” Linn recalls. So Linn did, and found he liked taxidermy work. It combines his creative side with his love of the outdoors. He opened his own shop in Cold Spring in 2004. “Everything that comes in the door (of the shop), there’s a story,” he says. “People like to tell their story, and that’s what I’m doing, is preserving that memory.” He ended up opening a shop in the Detroit Lakes area in 2008, deciding to move here after visiting a friend. “I liked the wild feel here up north,” he says. “There are forests
not far from here.” He still maintains a business presence in Cold Spring, with a number of clients still there. Linn has other talents, as well. He went to school for photography in Staples, Minnesota, and he and Zach went to guide and outfitters school in Cody, Wyoming. He is also a selftaught videographer who posts his hunting and family adventures on the family’s Instagram, Facebook
“
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fished whenever they could. Now that Larry, 67, is retired, he’s been making up for lost time. Over a three-year span, he had a successful elk hunt with each of his three sons. Those experiences meant a lot to him, and they left on another adventure in late August — for two weeks of hunting in Utah. “My dad and my brothers Adam and Zach were both going, I wasn’t going to hold us back,” Josh says with a grin. “I’m happy when my truck is pointed west.” Linn usually hunts out West several times a year, but it will be tough this fall because he landed a two-week gig as an outfitter and hunting camp guide in Idaho. “Once you know the way critters work, you can do it anywhere,” he says. In Idaho, hunters are usually going after elk or mule deer: “It’s a lot of ‘get up high and glass ‘em up (with binoculars),’” then find a way to get within range without them smelling you, Linn says. Elk, especially, are long gone if they catch a whiff of humans. A hunter’s best friend there is a little chalk to throw up in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. Elk hunters have only about a 10 percent success rate, and about 10 percent of the hunters get 90 percent
Anything naturerelated, I get a kick out of it. – Josh Linn
page and YouTube channel called Bonded by Nature. “Anything nature-related, I get a kick out of it,” he says. One of his favorite adventures was hunting in Alaska, where Zach lived for several years. “It was one of those trips where we got dropped in the middle of nowhere by bush plane, and they come back in a week to pick you up,” he says. “ That’s when you hope you don’t break a leg… We saw grizzly bears and moose. I definitely want to do that again. There’s no one back there. If you hear twigs snapping, it’s not another hunter.”
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AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 17
Helping is his
‘happy place’
Teacher, veteran and family man, Paul Lakin, likes to spread no-strings-attached kindness STORY BY MARIE JOHNSON
P
aul Lakin loves to help people. attached. I tell people to pass on the wouldn’t believe me — or that I had As a teacher, veteran and kindness to someone else in need.” a successful career in the military,” family man, helping is what A Boston native, Paul has lived he says, shaking his head. he strives to do, all the time. in Detroit Lakes since 1999. He and To appease his mother, Paul went At school, he helps his science Amy moved to the area to be closer on to college after high school. He students see “the wonder of science, to family, and he’s now been here started with a stint in the forestry every day,” he says, and he helps longer than he’s ever been in any program at North Dakota State them develop their interests so they other one place in his life. University in Bottineau, but moving can “find their path and be able to be Raised in an apartment in the big from the bustling East Coast to a happy.” city until he was 13, and then in a remote little city of 2,000 people As an Army veteran, he’s active house in the Boston suburbs through was a bit of a culture shock, and he with local veterans groups and helps high school, he fondly remembers decided it just wasn’t for him. organize events that pay tribute to taking the subway to Fenway Park So, he found work in construction, veterans, hoping to foster a culture with his brother to watch Red Sox but he was “making peanuts” doing of respect and gratitude for military games — a team he still roots for all that, he says. Hoping to snag a service: “I feel strongly about those these years later. He loved being near better-paying job, he joined the Army things,” he says. the ocean, and eating seafood. He National Guard to be trained as a At home, he’s a caring husband, never would have guessed that he’d heavy equipment operator. It was father and grandfather who regularly ultimately land in the Midwest. 1980, he was 20 years old, and he had helps with the kids, grandkids, He also never would have guessed no long-term plans to make a career house and yard, and also helps take that he’d become a teacher, or join out of the military. But he ended up care of the family’s diverse array of the military. He was never the best sticking with it for almost 30 years, pets, which range until retiring in from the usual — 2007. My happiest place is when I help people. dog and cat — to He made And when I help someone, there’s no the unexpected, another career strings attached. I tell people to pass on the including two for himself kindness to someone else in need. spotted geckos, a during those -Paul Lakin Russian tortoise, decades, too — and a curly haired not as a heavy tarantula. (Paul’s wife, Amy, is a student, or the most disciplined. His equipment operator, but as a teacher. longtime biology teacher, and she mother understood the importance He earned a degree in science tends to ‘inherit’ exotic animals from of a good education, he says, but education from North Dakota State her students after they can’t take care they were a working-class family University in Fargo in 1989, and of them anymore.) “focused on survival,” and he had no has been at the head of a classroom “My happiest place is when I direction in school. ever since. Amy studied at NDSU help people,” Paul says. “And when “I’m sure if I told my old teachers to become a teacher, too, and that’s I help someone, there’s no strings that I was a teacher now, they where the couple first met. PAGE 18 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
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“
“She likes to tell the story that, ‘We met in chemistry class, and there was definitely chemistry,’” Paul laughs. The two finished college at the same time and found work at a school in Texas. The state was actively recruiting teachers at the time and was offering higher-than-usual salaries. They bounced around a bit over the next decade, moving from Texas to Alaska and then back to Texas again. Each time, Paul trained with a new unit of the National Guard, including artillery and infantry units. It was also during this time that the couple had their son, Reid. It was a simple newspaper clipping that brought them to Minnesota. In 1998, Amy’s mom, who was living in Fargo, sent the couple a want ad placed by the Detroit Lakes school district. The high school was in need of two science teachers, the ad said. It was the perfect opportunity for Paul and Amy. They already knew and liked the community after vacationing here in the summers, and they wanted to live closer to family. They applied for the jobs, and lo and behold, were both hired. Today, they still work in the science department together at Detroit Lakes High School. Their daughter, Elise, was born in 2001 and is currently a student at the school. Paul’s brother moved to Brainerd not long after Paul moved, and just recently, Paul’s older daughter from his first marriage, Danielle, moved to
Above: Paul Lakin, at the edge of an honorary garden he and his wife created at their home as a tribute to veterans. Paul’s a veteran himself; he retired from the Army National Guard in 2007 after nearly 30 years in the service. At right: Paul is pictured at his home in Candor Township. He’s been a teacher in Detroit Lakes since 1999.
AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 19
Paul with his wife, Amy, their daughter, Elise, and son, Reid. (Submitted Photo)
Detroit Lakes with her husband and their kids, so Paul gets to spend more time with all of them, too. “I really feel like I’m a very blessed man for the way things have been rolling for me and my family,” he says. “I love it here. I’m a Minnesotan now.” Like most Minnesotans, Paul enjoys being out in The Great Outdoors whenever he can. He camps, fishes and hunts, but mostly, he’s a self-described “homebody.” He hangs out around his house in Candor Township, a quiet little patch of heaven with colorful gardens and a koi pond in the yard. “I like to putz around my ‘cave,’” he says, meaning fixing stuff and working on projects. “But the main thing I love to do is spend time with family.”
In the Army
One of Paul’s most vivid memories of his experience in the service is the time when a 10-yearold Bosnian boy walked up to him and plopped a box full of grenades in his arms. The boy did it casually, like it was no big deal, Paul recalls, and the moment struck him. PAGE 20 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
Paul and his National Guard unit were tasked with collecting weapons in Bosnia while deployed there in 2003 and 2004. The Bosnian War had ended nearly a decade earlier, but the country was still classified as a combat zone. There was a daily inherent danger in what the soldiers were doing, Paul says, not only because they were collecting active weapons but also because they were at high risk of stepping on landmines, “which were all over the place.” Paul was in the infantry and conducted patrols, but he says his job there “turned into more of just... helping people. And that’s what I love to do.” His unit helped rebuild a needed bridge, brought donated clothes to Bosnian families in need, and helped restart an abandoned school, among other things. “To me, as a teacher, as somebody that works with kids, that’s what we have to focus on — the kids,” he says. “That’s how you change things.” Paul was Squad Leader, and also got to act as a liaison between his base and local leaders from
communities near the base. He worked with Bosnians to determine their needs, and then he worked with the Guard to meet those needs. “We did a lot of goodwill stuff,” he says of his unit. “It turned more into a humanitarian mission… That was the rewarding part for me, that sacrificing my time away from my family was helping other families.” In addition to his time in Bosnia, Paul served overseas one other time, in Honduras in 1986, where he and his unit helped build roads. He also got to shake hands with VicePresident (and future President) George H.W. Bush while he was there, which was a highlight for him: “I love that guy,” Paul says of Bush, who was a military man himself. Stateside, Paul’s seen a lot of country via trainings at multiple military bases. Through it all, he says, he credits his close connection to family as a key to his longevity and success in the Army — and that includes not just his wife and kids, but also his military family. Fellow servicemembers have heavily influenced Paul’s path, and though he’s retired from the military now, he’ll forever be a part of that family.
As such, he does They also build his best to honor Rube Goldberg veterans. He’s machines, which active in the Frazee create a chain reaction from a system of AMVETS and VFW, switches, pulleys, and is a member of levers and such the Lake Regions — basically big Color Guard. He’s Mousetrap games. also part of a team of And a couple of high school teachers years back, when who organize special Paul’s favorite veterans events and football team, the ceremonies at the posed for this picture during one of his routine patrols in Bosnia, New England school, inviting local Paul where he was deployed in 2003-2004. He and other soldiers from his unit veterans in to share would often hand out pencils and candy to kids along their patrol route. Patriots, was mired (Submitted Photo) in the “deflategate” their stories with controversy, he came students. up with a scientific exercise for his “He’s been very instrumental lessons to his students. In his current students to do to test how underin bringing more veterans into the role as a ninth grade physics teacher, inflated footballs might give players building,” says high school Principal he’s well known for his ability to an advantage. Darren Wolf. “He’s one of the point turn challenging scientific concepts “He tries to infuse real life, humor people in helping us set up a nice into fun and relevant assignments by and activity into his classroom to recognition program for veterans in tying them into current events and keep kids engaged,” says Principal the community, and it’s a really cool injecting the lesson with humor. Wolf. “He tries to tie it in, in a way thing.” Paul has all his students build that makes it stick in their brains pressurized rockets out of 2-liter better… Paul’s a great guy. He works In the classroom pop bottles, for example, which they For almost 30 years, it’s been then get to actually launch outside — hard at building relationships with kids.” Paul’s job to prepare and teach always a favorite lesson.
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Over all his years of lesson-making, Paul has inevitably learned a few lessons of his own. The biggest thing he’s come to understand in terms of teaching, he says, is how important it is to create a welcoming classroom where kids feel like they fit in. “We all want to be a part of something,” he says. “I nurture a warm environment, and kids like to be there, and feel like they belong there.” He considers himself fortunate to be able to work with kids, and he takes his role seriously. “It’s a big responsibility,” he says. “You have to have trust.” Because he didn’t have much guidance as a youngster, Paul is all about being a positive guide for his students. He helps kids develop their interests into career or academic pathways, and he encourages those who are struggling to “work as hard as they can and push through.” He’s part of a teacher team that meets every day to talk about student behavior, so they can identify any kids who appear to be having trouble and intervene in a positive way, referring them to counselors or other resources at the school, if necessary. Paul’s teaching philosophy is not only to help kids learn science, but also to help them grow into good people. He teaches his students to tolerate each other’s differences, and to be willing to meet in the middle when there are disagreements: “Compromise is not a weakness,” he says. “It’s the ability to work together with somebody.” He keeps the classroom environment as light and fun as possible, telling jokes and stories, because he believes that approach serves a purpose: “I feel that opens up the door for a good learning environment.” He strives to be relatable and build relationships with his students. He’s 58 now, and considered retirement a couple of years back but decided against it. As long as he feels capable of bridging the generation gap to stay relevant to his kids, he says, he’ll continue to teach. “My life has definitely been an adventure,” he says. “And it’s not over yet.”l phones, they can forget it. Paul talks to students during a veterans program at the high school. He’s been instrumental in bringing more veterans into the school to share their stories with kids. (Submitted Photo)
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How well do you know your beer? Popular beer styles and jargon explained
The recent explosion of the craft brewing industry has made it possible for even the pickiest drinker to find a beer that suits his palate. Many craft breweries produce their own ales, stouts, porters, and lagers. Want to better understand these different beer types? Read on to study up.
them apart from stouts. Porters are dark, and many are described as producing flavors of chocolate, coffee and caramel.
Lagers
Ales
Ales are a type of beer brewed with top-fermenting yeast often referred to as ale yeast. One of two types of yeast used in brewing, top-fermenting yeast is unable to ferment some sugars. Because of that, beers made with top-fermenting yeast may have a sweet flavor. Beers made with top-fermenting yeasts can tolerate high-alcohol concentrations, so they may have a high alcohol by volume, or ABV.
Stouts
Stouts also are made with top fer-
menting yeast, placing them in the ale category, though they are not as sweet as ales. Stouts, including the popular Irish stout Guinness, tend to feature creamy heads. A dark, coffee-like character also is common in many stouts, and that can be traced to the use of unmalted roasted barley during their production.
Porters
Similar to stouts, porters are made with top-fermenting yeast. Porters are brewed with roasted malt, setting
Lagers are brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast and generally feature a lower ABV and lighter color than ales. Examples of American lagers include Budweiser and Coors, though many craft brewers also produce them. Dark lagers are malty and smooth, and such beers typically have a higher ABV than more traditional lagers.
Try a flight
When visiting a craft brewery for the first time, order a flight. That’s a selection of the various beers brewed by a particular brewer, with each beer typically served in a four-ounce glass so you can sample various beers and find the style that suits you best.
– BEER TERMS TO KNOW –
No two beers are the same, and the following beer terms, courtesy of BeerAdvocate.com, can help beer aficionados better understand the beers they love. • Top-fermenting yeast: Two types of yeast are used in brewing, and this type works better at warmer temperatures. Top-fer-
PAGE 24 | AVERAGE JOE 2018 PAGE 24 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
menting yeast, sometimes referred to as ale yeast, is better at tolerating high-alcohol concentrations than bottom-fermenting yeast. Because it is unable to ferment some sugars, top-fermenting yeast often produces fruitier, sweeter beers. Altbier, Kolsch, stouts, and wheat beers are
some examples of beers brewed with top-fermenting yeast. • Bottom-fermenting yeast: The other type of yeast used in brewing, bottom-fermenting yeast ferments more sugars than top-fermenting yeast, producing a crisp, clean taste. Bottom-fermenting yeast is often referred
to as lager yeast, and the eventual flavor of beers produced with this yeast will depend a lot on the strain of yeast chosen and the temperatures at which it was fermented. Pilsners, bocks and dortmunders are some examples of beers brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast. • Hops: People just beginning to explore beer will no doubt hear the word “hops” a lot. Hops refers to the herb added to boiling wort or fermenting beer to impart a bitter aroma or flavor. • IBU: Expressed as a number, sometimes on the bottle or can in which the beer is sold,
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AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 25
A brief history of football From an elite college sport to a worldwide phenomenon
According to Nielsen, 111.3 million people tuned in to watch the Super Bowl last year. And almost twothirds of U.S. adults regularly watch National Football League games. But American football is not relegated to the boundaries of the United States. According to the International Federation of American Football, there are 80 countries with organized federations governing the game. Plus, thousands of youth and adult leagues exist all over the world. Even though soccer has long been a global sport, it seems the other kind of “football” is quickly catching up. The sport known as American football was borne out of the English sports of association football (soccer) and rugby. During the late 19th century, elite Northeastern colleges took up the sport, playing a soccer-type game with rules adopted from the London Football Association. Intercollegiate matches began to spring up at schools such as Rutgers, Princeton, Harvard, and McGill University. Rugby-type rules became preferential among players and spectators. Walter Camp, known affectionately as the “Father of American Football,” transformed the rugby-style game into the one that resembles American football today. Camp brought two key innovations to the game: the opening “scrummage” was eliminated, and a rule was introduced that re-
quired a team to give up the ball after failing to advance down the field a specific yardage. Camp also developed the quarterback position, lines of scrimmage and the scoring scale used in football today. Early games were controversial because of the high rate of injury. Even President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in to ask collegiate teams to revise regulations to make the game less brutal. The committee overseeing the rules would later become known as the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Thanks largely in part to the popularity of college football, professional football began to gain traction with the public. The American Professional Football Association was formed in 1920. That league would later become the National Football League. The first televised NFL game occurred in 1939. Eventually, American football’s popularity would explode.
Cheerleaders were introduced to the game in the 1960s. Currently, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are the most famous squad. Six teams in the NFL do not have cheerleaders: the Chicago Bears, the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Lions, the New York Giants, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Football games typically last for about three hours. Average attendance for an NFL game is 66,957 spectators. American football has become a multibillion-dollar industry. What developed on college campuses has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.
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AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 27
Gear up for hunting season ‘Must-haves” for a safe and productive hunt
Big game and migratory bird hunting is a billion-dollar industry that attracts millions of enthusiasts across North America. According to Statistics Brain, 12.5 million people over the age of 16 hunt annually, and 220 million days are spent hunting each year. Hunters provide a necessary service, in addition to keeping game animal numbers within reason — they are the eyes and ears on the ground, and they help inform wildlife management decisions. Hunter-supported organizations like conservation groups, habitat enhancement services and restoration outfit also bring benefits back to their communities. Hunters require certain gear to ensure safe and productive trips, and investing in quality hunting equipment can make for a higher success rate and greater comfort. Here are some must-have items for any hunter’s packing list.
Hunting knife
No hunting expedition is complete without a quality knife, which is an invaluable tool. Knives come in different sizes. Many hunters car-
PAGE 28 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
ry a fixed blade knife to field dress a kill and for self-defense against larger animals. Every day carry knives, or EDCs, are another sound investment. EDCs may be paired with other gadgets to form a handy multi-tool, which is vital in many different applications.
Trail markers/light strips
Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts can mark their way to a hunting spot or tree stand and see the path in the dark thanks to illuminated light strips. This helps avoid getting lost at dusk and dawn.
Hunting apparel
This includes coats, pants, waders, boots, hats, gloves and much more. Depending on the game to be hunted, attire will be patterned in camouflage to blend into surroundings or blaze orange to set hunters apart and make them more visible to fellow outdoorsmen. Deer cannot distinguish color, so bright orange is commonly worn during deer season. Sales associates from outdoor equipment retailers can advise about appropriate attire. Considerations to local habitat
and weather should be made.
Storage pack
Hunters require a lightweight, accessible pack that provides easy-toreach storage. A variety of options are available, and there are even models that have a tree stand work shelf, rifle and bow mount, as well as a removable small items organizer.
Swiveling bi- or tripod
A small tripod can help hunters stay on moving game and remain steady for the shot. Pivoting or swiveling action keeps a hunter’s movement smooth and on target.
Binoculars
Every hunter can benefit from a good set of binoculars. High-quality binoculars will feature glare- and fog-resistant lenses.
Tree stand
A tree stand platform gives hunters the advantage of an elevated position, which offers better vantage points and keeps them out of the scent line of prey. Tree stands should be coupled with safety harnesses.
Cut to the core
3 benefits of core-strengthening exercises Unfamiliar with core strength training? Think it’s just another exercise fad? Then it’s time to get to know it better: the truth is, there are many practical benefits to having a strong core. Best known as a way to sculpt toned abdominal muscles, core training does not focus exclusively on the abdomen — a common misconception — but also on the hips, back and chest. As such, it can pay various dividends that greatly improve people’s overall health. Three significant benefits of core strength training are:
1. Improved balance
While working muscles in the hips, abdomen and back, core strength training is training these muscles
to function as a more cohesive unit. This can improve balance, which can prove especially beneficial to those who are aging and may feel like they are losing some of their coordination.
exercises focus collectively on a group of muscles, training these muscles to work together and developing them at the same pace.
2. Uniformity of muscles
According to the online medical resource WebMD, core-strengthening exercises are the best way for people to improve their posture. That’s because some of the muscles worked during core training move the torso by flexing, extending or rotating the spine, while other muscles worked stabilize the pelvis and spine in a natural, neutral position. The Premier Sports and Spine Center notes that some of the benefits of good posture include lower injury risk, better alignment that can lower risk for arthritis, and improved muscle health.
Those who adhere to more traditional strength training workouts may notice certain muscle groups develop more than others, perhaps naturally or because they are willingly or subconsciously focusing on certain areas more than others. For example, a guy who enjoys doing bicep curls might develop especially large biceps but may not focus as much on the muscles in his back. That can lead to muscular imbalances. Proper core strength training reduces the likelihood of such imbalances because the
3. Better posture
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AVERAGE JOE 2018 | PAGE 29
How men can benefit from yoga
Improved stamina, flexibility among many advantages The popularity of yoga has grown considerably in the 21st century — at least, it has among women. Women have embraced yoga en masse, but for some reason men have been more reluctant to do so. A 2012 survey from Yoga Journal found that, among the 20 million yoga practitioners in the U.S., only 18 percent were men. It’s possible those figures have risen in more recent years, but anyone who has recently visited a yoga studio can attest that participants remain overwhelmingly female. That’s unfortunate for men, who could be benefitting from yoga in a lot of different ways. • Yoga can protect against muscle imbalances. Yoga requires various muscle groups to work together to perform certain exercises. This can reduce the risk of muscle imbalances that can develop when men design workout routines that target specific muscle groups. • Yoga can improve flexibility. When performed correctly, various yoga exercises improve flexibility. For example, the big toe pose can help lengthen and strengthen hamstrings, while the downward facing dog pose stretches various areas of the body, including the shoulders, calves and arches. Yoga is not the only way for men to improve their flexibility, but it can be an effective supplement to exercise routines for those who routinely feel tight after traditional strength training sessions. • Yoga can improve stamina. Numerous studies have indicated the positive effects yoga can have on muscle endurance. In 2005, researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, found that PAGE 30 | AVERAGE JOE 2018
the regular practice of Hatha yoga provided a significant boost to chest and abdominal strength and endurance. Such improved stamina can have a trickle-down effect on men who practice yoga and also adhere to strength training regimens and/or participate in competitive sports. • Yoga can help men maintain healthy weights. The Harvard Medical School notes that researchers discovered that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years gained less weight during middle adulthood than those who did not. That might be linked to additional research that
found people who practiced yoga were more mindful eaters than those who did not, making them less likely to overeat, eat when sad or stressed or eat in response to certain cues, including the smell of food. • Yoga has mental health benefits, as well. Harvard Medical School reports that yoga can help alleviate stress, and may be helpful for both anxiety and depression. Yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, exercise and socializing with friends, reducing the impact of exaggerated stress responses on the body.
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