Generations 2019

Generations TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN • DETROIT LAKES

FEELING

SNAPPY Dave Bear and Jim Sinclair are a couple of regular shutterbugs

ALSO INSIDE: The very unique gift of ‘animal whisperer’ Georgia Nagel Jim Huff, multi-medalist Senior Games competitor RSVP program offers a pathway to volunteering ...and more

Generations Supplement to the Detroit Lakes Tribune, March 24, 2019 511 Washington Avenue · Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218-847-3151 · Fax 218-847-9409 · www.dl-online.com

Melissa Swenson, Publisher Marie Johnson, Editor

Viola Anderson, Circulation Manager Anna Hinsverk, Magazine Designer

4 GOOD TO GIVE

14 top of his game

PAGE 2 | GENERATIONS

6 Hot shots

18 the dog whisperer

12 improving memory

20 comfortable flights

001758752r1

Upcoming Trips

MICHIGAN TULIP TIME FESTIVAL: May 7-10 Come an admire whirling windmills, klompen dancers and of course the gorgeous color of tulips in bloom.

NIAGARA FALLS AND MACKINAC ISLAND LILAC FESTIVAL: June 8-15 Explore the beautiful Niagara Falls and experience this awe inspiring natural wonder before we visit gorgeous Mackinac Island to immerse ourselves in its beauty.

ARK: August 19-24 Be mesmerized by the life-size recreation of Noah’s Ark and be inspired by the amazing Creation Museum.

DOOR COUNTY: September 22-25 Discover charming villages nestled by quiet harbors, peaceful country settings, limestone bluffs, historic lighthouses and hundreds of miles of pristine shoreline.

CANADIAN ROCKIES: July 8-17 Travel with us thru the Canadian Rockies one of the most extravagantly beautiful ranges on Earth.

CANYON COUNTRY W/ NATIONAL PARKS: September 7-20 Celebrate our country as we see some of the nature’s best scenery.

NEW ENGLAND CAPE COD: September 21 – October 6 Enjoy the splendid fall foliage traveling the New England States.

ALASKA DATES - HOSTFEST DATES - BRANSON DATES AVAILABLE BEST OF SCANDINAVIA: September 4-13 Hosted by Julie & Craig Johnson The remarkable cities of Stockholm, Oslo, Bergen and Copenhagen will come alive with history, Viking legends, Hans Christian Anderson and The Little Mermaid.

ITALIAN VISTAS: November 11-23 Marvel at must-see sights, sample regional cuisine and connect with new and captivating cultures.

Call for detailed itinerary: 701-232-3441 or 800-598-0851 www.judysleisuretoursinc.com Visit us on facebook @ www.facebook.com/judysleisuretours/ sgoulet@cableone.net

Questions?

Contact Melia@dlccc.org for more information or visit our website!

Contact me!

LaCarra@dlccc.org or 218-844-4221 ext. 116 or stop in!

826 Summit Avenue, Detroit Lakes, MN • www.dlccc.org GENERATIONS | PAGE 3

‘IT’S GOOD TO

gIVE’

By Marie Johnson mtjohnson@dlnewspapers.com

D

ebbie Carlson knew she still wanted to do something after her days of work were done.

When her part-time position as a pastoral care assistant at Oak Crossing was eliminated in 2010, she says, she was already reaching retirement age. She didn’t necessarily need or want to find another job at that point, but she didn’t want to just sit at home a lot, either.

Her friend, Mary Kessler, gave her an idea. Kessler had a volunteer gig as a tax preparer through Mahube-Otwa’s Tax Aide Program, and she encouraged Carlson to look into it for herself.

Carlson took her friend’s advice, checked out the program, and liked what she saw.

By the following tax season, she was trained in, certified, and ready to go. She’s been at it for nine seasons now, and she says she really likes it.

“I’m a numbers person,” she says. “I’ve always enjoyed math as a subject, and I always did our (family’s) tax returns.”

During tax season, Carlson spends two to three days a week at Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership in Detroit Lakes, sitting down at a computer with local seniors and low-income residents to help them fill out and file their taxes, for free.

She also helps with property tax rebates and rental refunds.

“Part of the reason I do this is because lower income people and the elderly, here they’re trying to survive on almost nothing already, and they’re being charged hundreds of dollars to have their tax returns done… I think that’s outrageous,” Carlson says.

RSVP PROGRAM PROVIDES LOCAL SENIORS WITH A PATHWAY TO VOLUNTEERING The other big reason she does it, is for the fun. Yes, you read that right — the fun. Preparing tax returns might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but Carlson says the people she works with make it meaningful and enjoyable.

“They’re all fun people to work with — we have a hoot! And we’re also serious about doing the best job that we can possibly do,” she says. “The people that we serve are so appreciative. And Mahube has been so generous in hosting us, and kind. So

motion for the benefit of themselves and their communities. The program started nationally in 1965, and was introduced as a program of Mahube-Otwa in 1976.

“The RSVP logo is, ‘RSVP: Lead With Experience,’ and that says a lot about what it’s about,” says Cynthia McDonough, RSVP Director at Mahube-Otwa. “These volunteers, they’ve got a lot of knowledge.

It’s great that they come forward and they offer to share their skills, because they have a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge from their lifetimes of work.”

Mahube-Otwa is a private, nonprofit community action agency that provides services to low-income and elderly people in multiple counties, including Becker.

In Becker County alone, McDonough says, there are currently 147 active RSVP volunteers. They work in a variety of capacities, volunteering at any one or more of the county’s 25 “volunteer stations.” Some RSVP volunteers prepare and deliver meals for Meals on Wheels, for example, or tutor kids at local elementary schools. Some work on land restoration projects at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, while others help out at the food shelf or work at nursing home gift shops.

Whether indoor or outdoor, active or stationary, year-round or occasional, whatever kind of volunteer opportunity might be of interest to someone, is usually available.

“These volunteers, they’ve got a lot of knowledge.

It’s great that they come forward and they offer to share their skills, because they have a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge from their lifetimes of work.” -Cynthia McDonough, RSVP Director at Mahube-Otwa

PAGE 4 | GENERATIONS

all-around, it’s just a good group of people to be with.”

Carlson is one of about eight or nine current Tax Aide Program volunteers at the Detroit Lakes office, down from 14 a few years back. The volunteers are from “all backgrounds,” Carlson says, with some having prior tax experience and some not.

Before they begin their volunteer work as tax preparers, they all go through training and become certified.

The Tax Aide Program falls under the umbrella of Mahube-Otwa’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP, so all Tax Aide volunteers are also considered RSVP volunteers. RSVP is a nationwide program designed to put the skills, talents and life experiences of seniors into

RSVP Tax Aide Program volunteers Debbie Carlson, right, and Mary Kessler look over a client's tax returns at the Mahube-Otwa office in early March. While tax preparation may not be everyone's cup of tea, these two really enjoy it.

As Kessler says, "We love our job!"

(Marie Johnson / Tribune)

RSVP in a nutshell The Retired Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP, is America’s largest volunteer network for people age 55 and older, with more than 45,000 volunteers across the country. RSVP is designed to make volunteering a more meaningful experience for seniors by offering iwnformation, support and guidance. The program is intended to help seniors put their life experiences, skills and talents into motion for the benefit of their local communities.

In the Detroit Lakes area, MahubeOtwa Community Action Partnership oversees the RSVP program. MahubeOtwa RSVP serves the following counties: Becker, Clearwater, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Otter Tail, Todd, Wadena and Wilkin.

• Volunteer opportunities: Tutoring or reading to elementary school students; leading senior exercise groups; helping with Let’s Go Fishing trips; being a nursing home care attendant; assisting with tax preparation; helping at nonprofit thrift stores; ringing bells for the Salvation Army; doing general office work or being a general handyman for nonprofits; helping with Meals on Wheels; assisting at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge; helping out at historical societies, museums and libraries; and more.

The Tax Aide Program is in need of more volunteers. If that doesn’t suit you, a wide variety of volunteer opportunities are always available through the Mahube-Otwa RSVP program.

(Marie Johnson / Tribune)

• Volunteer hours: Are flexible. There is no minimum hours requirement.

McDonough says one of the great things about the RSVP program is how flexible it is. Volunteers determine what they’d like to do, and how much time they’re willing to commit to it. There’s no minimum number of hours required; some choose to volunteer one hour a week, others one hour a month, and others just do it seasonally or as they can. The only firm requirement to become a volunteer through RSVP is that you must be at least 55 years old.

The program does offer some benefits, such as mileage reimbursement, excess liability insurance and annual recognition luncheons, but McDonough says those aren’t the primary motivators for the seniors who sign up.

“They’re out for service. They’re not looking for anything in return, and they’re so awesome,” she says. “They’re retired, and they’re used to their routine and now they’re off that routine, so many of them call me and just say they want something to do.”

That’s just what happened with Carlson, who found the tax preparer gig to keep her busy. She also volunteers once a week through RSVP at the place of her former employer, Oak Crossing, where she helps nursing home residents get to their Catholic Church services when they can’t manage it on their own.

The time commitment Carlson makes to volunteering is more than most, but that’s her choice and she likes it that way. She likes the camaraderie between the volunteers and the good it does her, personally.

“It’s good to give,” she says. “It’s good to give, and you keep your mind active. It keeps you young.”

There’s always a need for volunteers for the Tax Aide Program and other RSVP opportunities.

For more information about RSVP, and to volunteer, contact Director Cynthia McDonough at 218-847-1385 or cmcdonough@mahube.org, or visit mahube.org. 

• Volunteers must be: Age 55 or older; willing to travel within the service area and have dependable transportation; compassionate, patient, flexible and respectful of others; willing to work with diverse groups of people.

• Volunteer benefits: Mileage reimbursement; ‘excess’ liability insurance; annual volunteer luncheon; and newsletters about the local RSVP program. Also, studies show that people who volunteer lead longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

• For more information: Contact Mahube-Otwa RSVP Director Cynthia McDonough at 218-847-1385 or cmcdonough@mahube.org, or visit mahube.org.

GENERATIONS | PAGE 5

HOT SHOTS

LONGTIME FRIENDS JIM SINCLAIR AND DAVE BAER HAVE BECOME A COUPLE OF

REGULAR SHUTTERBUGS

By Vicki Gerdes · vgerdes@dlnewspapers.com

T

hey share a love of hunting, fishing and the outdoors, but longtime friends Jim Sinclair and Dave Baer spend more of their free time these days shooting wildlife through the lens of a camera than the sight of a rifle.

The two Detroit Lakes residents credit their friend and fellow outdoorsman Lee Kensinger (who was on vacation at the time of this interview) with inspiring them to take up photography, a decade or so ago now.

“The three of us spurred each other on,” says Sinclair, noting that he and Baer both delved more deeply into their new hobby after each of them retired from the Detroit Lakes Fire Department.

“We’d just take our cameras and start driving around, taking pictures and learning from each other,” Baer adds.

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, Hamden Slough and Dunton Locks County Park were some of the three shutterbugs’ favorite spots for taking photos when they were starting out, Sinclair says — and they remain favorites to this day.

As their passion for — and skill at — photography increased, they began venturing further afield as well, taking their cameras along on vacation to

explore places like the U.S. Virgin Islands, Turkey and the Caribbean.

“It made me want to start traveling more,” Sinclair says, “because you can bring a piece of it back home with you to show people (in photographs).”

“One of my favorite places ever was the redwoods (i.e., Redwood National Forest) in northern California,” he adds.

“We take photos on all of our trips,” Baer says, adding that besides the Virgin Islands, he’s also gone to Ireland, Austria and Germany, among other places.

In 2013, Sinclair and Kensinger approached Washington Square Mall Manager Dawn Olson about the possibility of starting up a photography show at the mall; the Lakes Area Photography Show just wrapped up its seventh year on March 10.

Out of that first show grew a photography group that included among its members at least one well-known professional: Former Detroit Lakes Tribune staff photographer Brian Basham.

“Brian helped us all to be better photographers,” Sinclair says. “He was always willing to answer our questions.”

Baer joined the group, as well. The Detroit Lakes Photography Group holds monthly meetings, goes out on photo safaris together, and also has a Facebook page where members post their photos and compare notes.

“We’d see someone post a photo that we liked and ask, ‘How did you do that?’” Sinclair says.

Over time, their skills improved to the point where they were the ones answering the questions.

Part of the learning process involved figuring out how to use photo editing software, and how to print and frame photos.

MORE ON: Page 10

“We’d just take our cameras and start driving around, taking pictures and learning from each other.”

-Dave Baer PAGE 6 | GENERATIONS

001834882r1

"Atlanta" by Dave Baer, taken in the summer of 2018, features the Atlanta Lutheran Church in Atlanta Township, Becker County. (Submitted Photo)

Washington Square Mall Suite 15A 808 Washington Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

DON’T IGNORE THE SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS

223 N. Jefferson Street Wadena, MN 56482

218-631-4966

001758733r1

“Our Vision is to Help Yours”

MENTION THIS AD TO RECEIVE

30% OFF

YOUR NEXT FRAME AND LENS PURCHASE!

FRONT: DR. ROBERT MCCAMY BACK: MANDI & LORRI

Washington Square Mall, Detroit Lakes • 847-2127 GENERATIONS | PAGE 7

Above: This photo of an osprey in flight, just after having caught a fish for dinner, was captured by Jim Sinclair off the Pacific coast in northern California during January 2017. ) Below: “Sunflower Sunset” by Dave Baer, taken in the summer of 2018, depicts a field of sunflowers near Ulen. (Submitted Photos)

PAGE 8 | GENERATIONS

This photo of a lone heron posing atop a tall tree at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge was taken by Jim Sinclair in April 2018. (Submitted photo)

NORTHLAND MONUMENT INC DENT LAKES GRANITE Dent Office - Dent Lakes Granite 37243 State Hwy. 108, Dent, MN 56528

218-758-2187 Toll Free: 800-648-7831

001826606r1

Monuments Markers, Slants, Hearts, Benches & Custom Monuments

Family Owned & Operated since 1984 • Offices in Dent, Anoka & Longville, MN

GENERATIONS | PAGE 9

FROM: Page 6 “It helps to better compose your photo if you didn’t frame it quite right (in the camera lens),” Baer says — and if an image is overexposed or underexposed, editing software like Adobe Light Box can help fix that.

Baer also discovered his favorite form of photo printing — metal prints — through a seminar that was held during the Lakes Area Photography Show a few years back.

“We’ve had some really good speakers there,” he says.

Today, both Baer and Sinclair have prints of some of their favorite photos hanging inside the La Barista coffee shop in downtown Detroit Lakes.

“I’ve sold quite a few prints here,” Baer says of the shop, adding that he has also set up his own Facebook page, Baer’s Den Photography, for marketing his work.

“Lee sold a bunch of his photos to a local bank to help decorate their walls,” Sinclair says, and he and several other members of the Detroit Lakes Photography Group have had some of their prints decorating other local businesses, as well. “We have others who sell postcards with their photos around the community, too.”

Still, neither one of them intends to give up their day job — Sinclair at Bremer Bank, Baer at Markuson Baer Insurance — in order to make a career out of their favorite hobby.

“It’s not about making money,” Sinclair says.

“A lot of what we make goes back into buying equipment,” Baer adds — or gas for the car, travel expenses, etc.

Photography doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby, however: Sinclair said that his wife Deanna has taken “a lot of really good, creative photos” with nothing but her iPhone camera.

“You can have all kinds of fun with just (the camera on) your phone,” he says.

When it comes to camera equipment, Baer’s best advice for new photographers is, “Start inexpensively and work your way up.”

“What type of equipment you want to invest in depends on the kind of photos you want to take,” Sinclair adds.

Though there is some luck involved in getting “the perfect shot,” being at the right place at the right time also involves some planning — and patience, Baer says.

“You have to put in the time,” he adds, noting that wildlife photography, in

particular, often involves sitting in the same spot for hours in order to capture that one moment worth preserving for posterity.

In addition, Sinclair says, you have to train yourself to spot those moments when they come along, whether it’s out in nature, at a family gathering, or just enjoying daily activities.

“I see things with a very different eye than I used to,” he adds.

Another tip is to just get out there and start shooting — anything and everything that catches your eye.

“Sometimes you take one good shot for every 20 bad ones — or you might not get anything,” Baer says, adding that things like lighting (i.e., the time of day), background activity, and weather conditions may make it impossible to get exactly the shot you want on a given day.

“Just experiment,” says Sinclair. “The beautiful thing about digital is that it doesn’t cost anything to take lots of photos… it kind of opens up your imagination.” 

“I see things with a very different eye than I used to.” -Jim Sinclair Jim Sinclair captured this image of a sandhill crane in flight at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, and entered it in Tamarac's 2013 photo contest, where it won first place in the wildlife category. (Submitted photo)

PAGE 10 | GENERATIONS

Pre-arranging your memorial makes good sense

I

n times of grief, important decisions are difficult. In a family’s sorrow, selecting a marker shouldn’t be hurried.

Planning for that time now, in advance of need, allows you to make sound, rational choices.

The time is right to make this caring decision.

New T ra

nsitional Care Unit

Providing care for over 50 years, located in Menahga, Minnesota, Greenwood Connections continues to provide several living options for seniors.

Green Pine Acres Skilled Nursing Facility Long Term Care & Short Term Stay Rehabilitation Woodside Manor Assisted Living Assisted Living with Services

Let us show you a selection of finely-crafted memorials.

You can count on Greenwood Connections to provide only the highest quality of care for yourself or your loved one

1710 Pebble Lake Road • Fergus Falls 218-736-3228 • 1-800-664-2549 • FergusMonument.com

Sometimes there are more choices than cherry or apple.

001839756r1

427 Main St NE, Menahga, Minnesota 56464

218-564-4101 Visit our website for more information: www.greenwoodconnections.com

You have important decisions to make when it comes to your care. the way you want it.

Transitional care, home care, assisted living services, apartment living and our nursing home community are just a few of the options we provide. Perham Living works with you and your plan that works for you right now. Together, we’ll make choosing care as easy as pie.

Meet with a team member for more information or to tour our Community. You have choices. We have options. Call 218.347.1800 or visit www.perhamhealth.org

Perham Living 735 Third Street Southwest Perham, MN 56573 (218) 347.1800

Home Care perhamhealth.org Home Care

GENERATIONS | PAGE 11

TIPS TO IMPROVE MEMORY

F

orgetfulness can affect anyone.

Few, if any, adults can say they have never lost their keys. And once the keys are found, people move on without giving much thought to why they did not immediately remember where they left them.

Isolated incidents where people cannot recall where they placed their car keys or other minor bouts with forgetfulness do not occur by accident. In fact, the Harvard Medical School notes that they are likely byproducts of age-related changes in thinking skills. When people reach their

50s, chemical and structural changes in the brain may begin to occur, and these changes can affect a person’s ability to process memories.

Father Time may be a formidable foe, but people can take steps to give their memories a boost as they get older.

• EMBRACE RECOGNITION INSTEAD OF TRUSTING RECALL. Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist who specializes in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, notes that human beings are better at recognition than recall. That means people are more likely to remember something they read, such as a note or a list, than something they’re simply told.

• RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF REPETITION. The Harvard Medical School notes that people might be more inclined to remember what they hear if they repeat it out loud.

Names and addresses might be more easily remembered after they’re repeated out loud because repetition increases the likelihood that the brain will record the information and be capable of retrieving it later. When studying for exams, many students repeat important points to themselves time and again, and that same approach can be applied by adults who are trying to improve their memories.

• EAT A HEALTHY DIET. A study published in 2015 in the journal Neurology found that people who eat healthy diets with lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish, and little alcohol and red meat, may be less likely to experience declines in their memory and thinking skills. The study followed more than 27,000 people in 40 countries for an average of roughly five years. All participants were 55 and older and had diabetes or a history of heart disease, stroke or peripheral artery disease. Those who ate the healthiest diets were 24 percent less likely to experience cognitive decline than people with the least healthy diets.

• BREAK THINGS DOWN. Breaking things down into small chunks also can help improve memory. If tasked with remembering something extensive, such as a speech, focus on a single sentence at a time, only moving on to the next sentence when you’re confident you have successfully committed the preceding sentence to memory. 

PAGE 12 | GENERATIONS

The post-retirement experience is changing.

People are choosing to unretire or return to work, in some fashion, after retirement.

Contact us today for more information: HomeInstead.com/519 or call 701.478.1010

Each Home Instead Senior Care® franchise office is independently owned and operated. ©2019 Home Instead, Inc.

Home Instead, Inc., commissioned two separate online surveys each consisting of 502 people in the United States & Canada to determine attitudes surrounding a return to work after retirement. One survey was comprised of 502 people in the United States (451) & Canada (51) who have unretired. The other survey was comprised of 502 people in the United States (451) & Canada (51) who said they have plans to retire within the next 5 years. The margin of error is +/- 2% points with a confidence interval of 95%. The fieldwork took place between May 7 & 10, 2018. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRA-certified researchers & abides by MRA code. www. unretireyourself.com

BECKER COUNTY TRANSIT

• Work • After School activities • Shopping • Summer Rec • Dining • Banking • Medical Appointments • Socializing • College Classes • Easy to schedule • Professional Driver Staff

Here to get YOU there!

Monday to Friday 7am-6pm • Saturday 10am-2pm • 218-847-1674 • Toll Free 888-847-1674

1320 ROSSMAN AVENUE • DETROIT LAKES, MN 56501

GENERATIONS | PAGE 13

AT THE TOP OF HIS GAMES JIM HUFF IS A MULTI-MEDALIST IN STATE SENIOR GAMES COMPETITIONS

By Kaysey Price · kprice@dlnewspapers.com

I

t’s apparent Jim Huff has become quite shuffleboard, disc golf, swimming, jump an athlete, as he opens up a briefcase rope, table tennis, horseshoes, pickleball, and hundreds of first-place medals cycling, tennis, track and field, trap spill out. shooting, race walk, road race, racquetball Huff has competed (and placed) in two and spincasting. There are also a few team Senior Games competitions every year for sports: basketball, softball and volleyball. the last 15 or 16 years, but he didn’t start out a top competitor.

“I usually say the first year I participated, and the second year I competed,” he says, recalling being shaky at the starting line of his first race, feeling like he used to decades earlier as a high school athlete.

After that first race, though, Huff was hooked.

“I’ve been doing them ever since,” he says.

Huff travels to South Dakota each summer to participate in the Senior Games competitions in Watertown and Aberdeen, though there are Senior Games in just about every state. He and his wife Sandra have lived in Detroit Lakes since 1977, but they both grew up in South Dakota, so their trips back there for the games aren’t just to compete, but also to see old friends and family.

Each state holds its games annually, which include competitions in archery, badminton, basketball free throw, basketball shooting, billiards, bowling, bean Huff is also an avid outdoorsman. Here he is with a bag toss, golf, huge carp he caught. (Submitted Photo)

Huff says there’s something for everyone, and it’s been a great way for him to try out activities he’s always been curious about.

He started out doing a lot of the runs, like the 50-yard and 100-yard dash but, eventually, he tried out the javelin and then a hammer toss activity.

It’s a whole weekend affair and once the winners of each activity are announced, they’re invited to the National Senior Games competition, which is held in a different state each year. Huff says he’s been invited, but he’s never had the chance to go. It’s always been too far to travel.

For Huff, it’s not really about the competition (though that part is fun). It’s more about the people who participate.

“It’s just kind of a neat thing. After a few years, you get to know people. It gets to be like a family reunion,” he says.

The “family reunion” part is also literal for Huff, because his wife and two daughters, Lori Spurlin and Wendy Klein, regularly go to the games with him and also compete. He says his daughters were chomping at the bit to go race in the games with their dad.

They weren’t able to sign up until they turned 50, which just happened only a few years ago for them.

The competition and medals come second to family and friends.

Ness Granite Works

3 miles N. on Hwy 59, Detroit Lakes

1-800-309-5191 BUY THIS MONUMENT

001704111r1

$895.00

Buy Factory Direct and Save!

Avoid Funeral Home & Salesmen Commission!

ORDER NOW FOR MEMORIAL DAY DELIVERY.

We are your only local monument company!

001703332r1

GENERATIONS | PAGE 15

Top left: Huff enjoys hunting, too. He has hunted his entire life, really getting into turkey hunting recently. Top right: Huff is also on a curling team in Detroit Lakes. He stays active all year round. L-R: Jim Sinclair, Mike Nustad, Jim Huff, Kenny Gulseth. Bottom right: Huff races at the Senior Games in South Dakota. Some of his favorite activities to participate in are the track and field competitions. (Submitted Photos)

FROM: Page 14 “Every year we get done, me and my daughters always say we’re going to get going training sooner,” Huff jokes, adding that before they know it, the competition is right around the corner, and they haven’t done much for training.

It’s not like Huff is just sitting around the rest of the year, though.

He’s quite an active guy, with a number of hobbies. He plays on a curling team in Detroit Lakes and he’s hunted and fished his entire life.

More recently, he started turkey hunting (within the last five years or so), and now he’s a member of the Lake Area Gobblers, an extension of the Northwestern Turkey Federation. With this group, Huff takes kids and adults who have never hunted out to try to help them bag their first gobbler, and he says he’s having quite a bit of fun with it.

Last year, he took five or six people out hunting, and this year he’s gearing up again, looking for donations for their annual fundraiser, which is right around the corner.

Huff is also quite a craftsman, making wood sculptures and rocking chairs for all 10 of his grandkids and all five of his great grandkids.

“Anything that’s got to do with my grandkids is fun,” he says, adding that he’s happy he’s healthy enough and gets to make as many memories with his great grandkids now as he did with his grandkids.

He says they’re all pretty impressed by their grandpa for all the competing he does, and the feeling goes both ways because he’s pretty darn proud of them all, too.

Huff says he’s already starting to think about the Senior Games again. The first competition he will go to is in July. This year, he says, he and his daughters really are going to start training earlier and see just how well they can do. 

PAGE 16 | GENERATIONS

001834969r1

“For Your Family’s Comfort” Visit Your KOHLER® Registered Showroom

I’m your SRES,® and I can help you with your next step.

A Seniors Real Estate Specialist,® or SRES,® is a REALTOR® who has received extensive training helping 50+ home buyers and sellers. They understand the decision to move can be difficult and can help you navigate your choices and want to serve as a resource and guide.

You can count on a Seniors Real Estate Specialist to guide you through the process of selling or buying your home, making the transaction less stressful and more successful.

Jude Ostgarden

Cell: 218.850.9498 jude@trecdl.com

18550 Highway 59 North - Detroit Lakes, MN Green’s 218-847-7542 Modern 218-847-7459 nick@gpmh.biz • www.modernheatingandplumbing.com

1110 Highway 59 South • Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Office: 218-844-8008 Fax: 218-844-8010 www.trecdl.com GENERATIONS | PAGE 17

THE DOG WHISPERER

GEORGIA NAGEL, ‘PET TALKER’ AND SACRED ACTIVIST, HAS A DEEP CONNECTION WITH ANIMALS

By Nathan Bowe · nbowe@dlnewspapers.com

P

eople around Detroit Lakes know Georgia Nagel as a pet sitter, a former house cleaner, and now a published author. But what a lot of people don’t know is that she has a very unusual gift: She has a sixth sense when it comes to understanding animals.

“She’s an animal whisperer,” says Sandy Lia of Detroit Lakes, who has known Nagel for about 20 years. “I don’t know if the word is spiritual, but I sort of think it is — she’s kind of a greater spirit with animals.”

As a pet-sitter and dog-walker and supporter of the local animal shelters, it’s not surprising that Nagel loves animals.

But what will surprise some people is that she reveals in her first book, “Pet Talker: Listening to Those Who Speak Silently,” that she can mentally communicate with dogs, cats and other animals — both living animals and those that have passed on.

She does psychic readings for pet owners, and has been successful in helping people find their lost and missing pets.

“I am a Sacred Activist,” she says on her website, The Georgia Connection. “I live, breath, and teach the sacred connectedness

between the Spirit and the Earth, the bond that exists between all beings, all energy.

My personal journey has been intertwined with animals, nature and Earth medicine.”

According to her website, she’s a Level I and II Reiki practitioner, an ordained minister who has performed weddings and ceremonies, and a Shamanic Practitioner who is well versed in the use of essential oils and rocks to help with emotional healing.

In addition to her love for animals, Nagel

Lakes and has known Nagel for more than 10 years.

“The single, really amazing quality of Georgia is that she really instantly goes below the surface of anything,” Chivers says.

“Not everyone does. It’s such an inherent quality in her. Her book, ‘Pet Talker,’ really drives home how she is able to do that.”

Nagel, 58, grew up on a dairy farm near Richville in Otter Tail County, Minn. and has always loved animals. She graduated from Perham High School in 1978. A farm girl, she worked for four or five years at the American Feeder Pig Tele-auction, getting pigs that had been sold over the phone sorted and ear-tagged in Perham.

“Sometimes there were 2,000 or more pigs in there,” she says.

The tele-auction shut down after a big drop in the hog market.

Nagel moved to Little Pelican Lake and started a cleaning business, with residential and business clients. Three years into that, she added the pet business, and with that came a growing awareness of her ability to communicate with pets. Four or five years ago she quit cleaning and focused exclusively on her pet-sitting business.

“The single, really amazing quality of Georgia is that she really instantly goes below the surface of anything… It’s such an inherent quality in her.”

-DelRae Chivers, friend of Georgia Nagel’s also has a soft spot for people in need. She was among a small group of Detroit Lakes residents who recently helped a homeless man (and his dog) get back on his feet. She also recently posted on Facebook about stopping to help a girl whose dog had been hit by a car.

It’s all part of how she interacts with the world, and there’s nothing superficial about her, says DelRae Chivers, who works at the Lakes Crisis and Resource Center in Detroit

North Star Nursing

It’s a Jungle Out there!

• Home Care Services • Independent Living Skills • 245D Licensure • Personal Care Assistants • Private Duty Nursing

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY

1-800-535-5895

Spring and fall hours may vary.

50622 CO. HWY 17 VERGAS, MN (Between Vergas & Hwy 59)

Heidi Clements & Helen Drewes, Owners

www.northstarnursing.com

PAGE 18 | GENERATIONS

001544253r1

(218) 731-8711 www.trowbridgecreekzoo.com

coming soon!

ABBEY ROAD Beatles Tribute

Sat., March 30 • 7:30pm Adults: $28 • Students $14

CONCORDIA WIND bo QUARTET go Tues., April 2 • 7pm

Adults: $15 • Students $7.50

CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES

Thurs., April 4 • 2pm & 7:30pm Adults: $28 • Students $14

POPOVICH COMEDY PET THEATRE Top left: Georgia Nagel has always lived in the Lakes Area. She owns a pet-sitting business in Detroit Lakes and is a published author, Sacred Activist, ordained minister, and more.

Top right: Nagel poses with the famous Duke, the former mayor of Cormorant.

Right: This card and basket sum up how Nagel feels about animals and spirituality, that “they are our friends, our faithful companions, our guardians...”

(Submitted Photos)

Sat., April 13 • 3pm

Adults: $15 • Students $7.50

HEART O’ LAKES HARMONY

Sat., April 27 • 7:30pm Adults: $12 • Students $5

LAKES AREA COMM. CONCERT BAND Sat., April 28 • 4pm Free Will Donation

She doesn’t just take care of dogs and cats: There have been iguanas, ferrets, rabbits, African frogs, turtles, fish, and a goat named Maurice, owned by a woman north of Detroit Lakes.

That goat was the inspiration for her second book, just released last month, a children’s book called, “Maurice the Goat Finds His Real Family,” with color illustrations by Kris D. Carr.

In the book, Maurice is the only goat on a farm with at least two of every other animal — chickens, cows, horses. He goes off in search of “his family” of other goats, and learns a tough lesson about love and what family really means.

That can be a good lesson to learn in today’s world of blended families, adoption and foster care.

“The book is a story about how a person’s family is whoever loves you and you love them,” says Chivers. “That’s so in line with what we do at the crisis center, that’s just our driving principle here.”

Young people staying at the shelter or involved in programs at the shelter need to feel supported, she said: “Everyone needs to feel like someone extra is in their corner.”

That’s why the Kinship mentorship program at the shelter is actively promoting a Georgia Nagel book-signing for “Maurice the Goat Finds His Real Family.”

The book-signing is set for Sunday, March 31, from 1-4 p.m. at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. The real-live Maurice the goat will be there, and there will be crafts, refreshments, a nature hike and a puppet show for kids.

For more information about Nagel, visit her website, www. georgianagel.com, or see her pet sitting Facebook page, Georgia Nagel The Pet Sitter. 

BIG BAD

VOODOO DADDY Fri, May 3 • 7:30pm

Adults: $30 • Students $15

I AM, HE SAID

Neil Diamond Tribute Fri., May 17 • 7:30pm

Adults: $28 • Students $14

To learn more about these shows call our box office or visit our website!

H I STO R I C HOLMES THEATRE

218-844-7469 • DLCCC.org 806 Summit Ave., Detroit Lakes GENERATIONS | PAGE 19

GET MORE COMFORTABLE ON

YOUR NEXT FLIGHT A

ir travel is a convenient way to travel the world. Each day, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization helps planes safely navigate airspace and provides service to more than 42,000 flights and 2.5 million airline passengers. In a typical year, millions of flights will take off and land at airports in countries near and far.

Still, airplanes are not generally lauded for their comfort, especially in the economy seats. As you plan your trips, pay attention to certain flight details to maximize your comfort.

INCREASE YOUR LEG ROOM: Seats in the emergency exit row generally feature more leg room. If you want

more space to stretch your legs but do not want to splurge on business class or first class tickets, securing a seat by the exit door may fit the bill. Just keep in mind that people who choose to sit in these seats should be physically fit and able to follow emergency evacuation instructions.

PICK A QUIETER RESTING LOCATION: On red-eye flights, or when some shut-eye is desired, the front of the economy cabin, just in front of the aircraft engines, tends to be quieter than the rear of the cabin. A rear location, particularly close to the aircraft restroom, means people will frequently be passing your seat on their way to a bathroom break.

CHOOSE A SAFER SEAT: If you get overly anxious about plane crashes, an extensive study from Popular

Mechanics found that passengers seated near the tail of a plane are roughly 40 percent more likely to survive a crash than those in the first few rows.

TRAVELING WITH KIDS OR EQUIPMENT: Bulkhead seating, or the seats by the physical partition that separates classes or sections of the plane, tend to have more room than others. That can make it easier when traveling with children who need to spread out, or if you’re disabled and have braces or other medical equipment that requires more leg room.

CURTAIL MOTION SICKNESS: If motion

sickness is a nemesis, choose seats over the wings, where cabin bouncing is less pronounced, says the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service.

SIGHTSEE: Naturally, a window seat enables you to gaze out on the passing landscape below. It also can be handy if you want to take a quick snooze against the cabin wall.

PAGE 20 | GENERATIONS

A BUFFET N I CH 317 FRAZEE ST. E., DETROIT LAKES Open Daily 11 am to 10 pm 218-847-2222 we proudly support DL Newspapers

NEW $3.99 To Go Menu CRAB LEGS

Dinner

$7.38

Ages 2-4

Lunch

$2.49

CHINA BUFFET

$5.49

KID’S BUFFET

ADULT BUFFET CHINA BUFFET

Lunch

Party Platters & Buffet to-go Available!

FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHT AND ALL DAY SUNDAY

SENIOR 60+ BUFFET CHINA BUFFET

Senior Dining Guide

All you can eat buffet and ice cream!

$5.99 Dinner

$7.99

5-8

$3.49 9-12

$4.49

BEVERAGE INCLUDED

BEVERAGE INCLUDED

BEVERAGE INCLUDED

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Expires 12/31/19

Expires 12/31/19

Expires 12/31/19

Main Street Restaurant Check out our daily Senior Specials!

Thank You for Voting us

BEST BREAKFAST in the Lakes Area

ee

Pie & Coff $

M-F 7am-4pm; Sat 7am-3:45pm; Sun 8am-1:45pm

9iday 3nd.a4 y-Fr

Mo

2-4 PM

7 DAYS A WEEK • 900 WASHINGTON AVENUE • DETROIT LAKES 847-3344 GENERATIONS | PAGE 21

O O W D E R P O H S Est. 1973 UB

Family owned and operated by the Cervenkas for over 40 years, the Shorewood Pub is located on the sunny side of the lake!

Stop in for our

THIS IS YOUR PARTY PLACE!

daily feature!

FUNDRAISERS BIRTHDAYS

ANNIVERSARIES WEDDINGS

CLASS REUNIONS CORPORATE PARTIES

YOU NAME IT...WE’LL HOST IT! NO EXTRA CHARGE! • GENUINE HOSPITALITY SERVED DAILY • WE FEST HAPPY HOUR!

DINE IN OR USE OUR FAST AND CONVENIENT DRIVE THRU

We appreciate your support!

BEST MEXICAN FOOD BEST DRIVE THRU BEST FAST FOOD

Monday-Friday 3-6pm

Camping, Breakfast Thursday, Friday & Saturday

ENJOY CHARITABLE GAMING

SUMMER CAMPING

benefiting MN Flyers Gymnastics

May thru October

There’s always something going on at the Pub! We invite you in for the big game, Nascar race, pool and dart leagues, or just some of the...

VERY BEST...

HOMEMADE SANDWICHES and BURGERS IN TOWN! 1743 Long Bridge Road Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

129 Veterans Memorial Parkway • (218) 847-1276 Mon - Sun: 7:30AM - 9:00PM 001761295r1

218-847-3206

BUCK

LUNCH EVERY DAY 11:00AM–4:00PM Choose from a variety of lunches for

Just $5

Including 3 pc Chicken Strip, Deluxe Cheese Burger and more!

847-8154

MCKINLEY PLAZA • DETROIT LAKES 001762465r1

PAGE 22 | GENERATIONS

The American Legion Post 15 810 West Lake Drive • 218-847-8533

Stop in today and support an American Tradition

– HOURS –

Lunch Monday-Friday 11am-1pm

THURSDAYS

16 oz. taps $2.50 all day! 5-8pm $4.25 BREAKFAST SPECIALS Hamburger Basket (lounge only). NO take out.

DAILY, COFFEE INCLUDED! LOUNGE OPEN DAILY HOMEMADE SOUP PIZZA AND PITCHER OF BEER $16 & SANDWICH $5.99

FREE COFFEE! with breakfast or lunch purchase.

Expires 8/31/19

SERVED FROM

DESSERTS

2nd Sunday. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 15 Breakfast fundraiser 3rd Sunday: Lake Region Veterans Color Guard Breakfast Fundraiser 8am-Noon (All Year)

• SPECIALS •

SERVED FROM

Burgers, Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads and Homemade Soups

RESTAURANT Breakfast Monday-Friday 6-1pm Saturday & Sunday 8am-Noon

BREAKFAST 6AM-11AM DAILY LUNCH 11AM-3PM

l You’lh e love t ade homeom f od e and thhome downvice! ser

Muffins & Cookies.

Fresh baked Caramel Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls and Pie.

MON-FRI

1-3PM

PIE & COFFEE ONLY $

1.99

Open Monday - Friday 6am - 3pm Saturday 6am - 2pm Sunday Closed 1201 Washington Avenue Detroit Lakes

Contact Julie for special events.

When you visit the Legion, You support our vets and their mission to better our community!

We invite guests in, and look forward to your company.

218-844-3200

001763615r1

young and old, family memories are made here THE LAKES AREA DINING DESTINATION

Thank you for voting us #1 BEST RESTAURANT

SPANKYSSTONEHEARTH.COM

34785 CO. HWY. 4 • VERGAS, MN • 218-334-3555 001835283r1

GENERATIONS | PAGE 23

PAGE 24 | GENERATIONS