Profile 2016 by Kate Noet

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t w e n t y- f i f t h Anniversary Edition

A glimpse into the lives and activities that make our community unique.

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l lprofile MAY 2016

t w e n t y- f i f t h AnniversAry edition

content

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Citizen of the year

A glimpse into the lives and activities that make our community unique.

Faribault Daily News

or 25 years now, the Faribault Daily News has been writing about the people and places that make this a great community in its Profile section. With such a vibrant community of volunteers and great people and places in Faribault, we look forward to bringing you Profile for 25 more years. This year, we are looking closely at some of the people and places that make Faribault such a diverse community, including a story on the Somali community, a feature on the Divine Mercy Catholic Church Perpetual Adoration Chapel, a look at Faribault’s very own Minnesota State Academies, the rise of food trucks, and much more. We’ll also profile our Citizen of the year − Dee Bjork − who has brought so much to downtown Faribault as a business owner and also as an ambassador for the city. And of course, we’ll feature our 12 Unsung Heroes. This publication is a direct result of the teamwork by the staff of the Faribault Daily News and you − the story ideas and experiences you provide us, the nominations you provide of residents who do good community work and the support through advertising in our publications. We hope you enjoy our 25th anniversary edition of Profile. It’s a keepsake for you that offers a glimpse of just a few of the many reasons why we love Faribault.

May 2016 | A special section of the Faribault Daily News 514 Central Avenue | Faribault, MN 55021 PUBLISHER Sam Gett EDITOR Jerry Smith RICE COUNTY ADVERTISING MANAGER Mark Nelson COVER DESIGN & LAYOUT Kate Townsend-Noet Profile 2016 is distributed to subscribers and readers of the Faribault Daily News at no additional charge. It is available for individual sale at the front counter of the Faribault Daily News for $1. All rights reserved. ©2016.

Unsung Heroes

12 The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and Minnesota State Academy for the Blind not only make a difference in the lives of many people, they are unique Faribault assets.

19 21 After over 40 years in retail and a litany of jobs within it, Faribault’s Brian Freed finally found his true calling in a place far away from his original path: a barbecue food truck.

It is said that on the Sunday following Easter in 1998, a ray of sunshine was cast on the door leading to the Divine Mercy Catholic Church Perpetual Adoration Chapel when it was unlocked for the public for the first time.

Ask Faribault Police Chief Andy Bohlen who the most popular officer in the department is and the answer comes quickly; the officer who runs on four legs instead of two. And it’s not particularly close.

There are two things you notice right away when meeting Faribault High School EL Coordinator Sam Ouk in his office, and both of those things are intentional.

15 “What brought me here specifically was the previous Somali community here; I thought it might be a good place to start. I landed in Minneapolis first,” said Nasir Harun, who has four children.

26 Looking to try something new? Want to try living dangerously – but also not too dangerously – and feel a rush? The Faribault BMX Track is a great place for people of all ages to go and get in touch with their wild side.

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30 Local horticulturist Roger Koopman has a nationally recognized garden with hundreds of varieties of hostas.

It has been around since the late-1960s, and there’s no doubt the game has changed over the nearly five decades. Church League Softball in Faribault has not only been a way to bring members of faith together outside of the traditional Sunday worship, it has been a time for members of several churches in Faribault to let out their competitive side and to support one another.

If people are looking for the ideal model of generosity in the Faribault community, look no further than Butch Schwartz.

44 Being a pro at the two Faribault golf courses isn’t always about the golf. Jon Vee of the Faribault Golf Club, and Mark Fitzenberger of Legacy Golf, each wear many hats in running their respective clubs.

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A deserving

Citizen of the Year Dee Bjork’s

efforts to do good in the Faribault community don’t go unnoticed By JERRY SMITH jcsmith@faribault.com

B Dee Bjork’s passion for Faribault and the people who live here made her a perfect choice for the Faribault Daily News Citizen of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Amelia Jane Vohs)

ig heart. Big personality. Very humble. Those are three of the most common phrases heard when you ask folks in Faribault how best to describe Dee Bjork. When she wasn’t stepping outside the business she and her sister Beth Westerhouse owned – The Crafty Maven – to meet and greet not only customers, but also complete strangers, Bjork could be found promoting downtown and being an ambassador for Faribault the past nine years. Even since The Crafty Maven closed in January after being open since 2007, you can still find Bjork doing the latter. With a little more time on her hands, she recently accepted the position of Executive Director of The Faribault Foundation and continues to do good for the community. Bjork says she comes by the traits naturally as

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her father was not only a longtime business owner in Faribault, but also a rather large personality. Her mother was stoic, which is why Bjork thought the two got along so well. The two were like peas and carrots for 55 years of marriage before her father Robert died in 2003. “We lived with Ward and June [Beaver],” she said of her life growing up with three sisters in Faribault. “My parents have always been selfless and it is something all of us girls try to emulate. They were always involved in the community. Dad always said ‘leave it in better condition than you found it,’ and I have lived by that my entire life.” With that attitude and all of the good she does for Faribault proper and downtown, it was an easy choice to name Bjork as the Faribault Daily News Citizen of the Year. “She’s one of the people in the background, but is always there helping to make things better for Faribault,” said last year’s Citizen of the Year Tami Schluter. “She’s always helping others. You can always count on Dee.” Schluter nominated Bjork for the honor during a meeting of past winners to choose the 2016 Citizen of the Year. It’s her passion for Faribault that the owner of the Historic Hutchinson House admires most about Bjork. “She leads by example,” Schluter said. “She’s been doing that for as long as I’ve known her. She’s very deserving of the honor.” Bjork was flattered and humbled by the award, but in true Dee Bjork fashion, she gave accolades to someone else. “This really shouldn’t be my award, it should be mom and dad’s award,” she said. “They prepared me and all of us girls for that.”

Good to Faribault If you were to look for the one defining moment that put Bjork at the forefront for the Citizen of the Year honor, it would be an exercise in futility, not because they don’t stand out, but because there have been so many. Take for instance the work Dee, her

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Past Citizens of the Year 1993 - Irene Purdie 1994 - Helen Hoffman 1995 - Charlie Champlin 1996 - Fran and JoAnn Miller 1997 - Bill Korff 1998 - Keith Shaffer 1999 - Lynn Erickson 2000 - Donn Johnson 2001 - Barb Handahl and Donna Crowl 2002 - Gerry Heyer 2003 - Gary Kindseth Dee befriended Deanna at a young age and her efforts helped the student not only be able to take band classes, she was also able to own her own saxophone. (Submitted photo)

sisters and many others in the community have done to make sure children in the downtown area have a green space, known as Michelle’s Garden. Michelle’s Garden is a community garden that was developed with a little girl and downtown resident, Michelle, in mind. It was created with the belief that all children deserve a yard to play in. Michelle’s Garden started when Bjork saw a mom sitting on a towel on the curb and kids were sliding off the trunk of a car to entertain themselves. “It broke our hearts,” Bjork said. “We thought this would allow them green space and a way to get out of the parking lot.” Michelle’s Garden is located behind Vohs Floor Store, 208 Central Ave. North. An extension of that project is Faribault’s Second Street Garden, which is located next to DuFour’s Cleaners. “It’s a bigger undertaking than Michelle’s because it has more square footage, but it also had a lot of mature weeds, a lot of rocks,” Bjork said. “We’ve really been

working at it for over a year now and we’re working on some funding to do some permanent things like a concrete pad.” Ann Vohs, co-owner of Vohs Floor Store, got the ball rolling for the community garden in 2015. She said working with her sisters has been a source of inspiration. “One of the first things you notice about Dee is that she is upbeat and positive. That’s very infectious,” Vohs said. “She really finds joy in doing good for the community.” Other projects and acts of kindness are too many to mention, but the community is well aware of all she does. “[Dee] has a real open heart and the people in Faribault appreciate her,” Vohs said. “I know I do. I’m proud of her for this honor.” While Bjork plans to stay active in the community as executive director of The Faribault Foundation and helping to take care of the two downtown gardens, to name few, her focus has somewhat changed. Her life has taken a turn more toward family. My life is a little bit different now,” she said. “I can take care of my 90-year-old mother now. It’s such a gift to be with her more. Her and dad helped shape who I am today.” Reach Regional Editor Jerry Smith at 507-333-3134, or follow him on Twitter.com @FDNJerrySmith

Richard Carlander, Lifetime Achievement Award 2004 - James Wolf 2005 - Dan Burns 2006 - Todd Markman 2007 - Milo Larson 2008 - Matt Drevlow 2009 - Dr. George Wagner 2010 - Ron Goettsch 2011 - Nick Stoneman 2012 - Chuck and Paul Mooty 2013 - Chad Wolff 2014 - Henry Doyle 2015 - Tami Schluter

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HEROES

What is it about the kindness of strangers that warms our hearts so much? It’s not rare in Faribault, that’s for sure. Each year, the Faribault Daily News solicits nominees for its annual Unsung Hero awards, and each year we wait with anticipation to see how many nominations we will receive.

Each year, we end up getting more than enough names of individuals those nominating believe do much for the community, but don’t get recognized as they should. Here, then, with gratitude on behalf of the community, we present the 2016 Unsung Heroes.

Ken and Pat Kangas

Ray Snesrud

Dawn Hill

Logan Ledman

Ken and Pat Kangas are a dynamic duo that gets things done, said Dayna Norvold, one of many in the community who nominated the Kangas’. Both of them have been active volunteers and supporters of Rice County Habitat for Humanity. Ken is our “go-fer” guy and landscaping pro, Norvold said. We send him to “go-fer” stuff when we need it on site and Pat keeps our volunteers well fed. They are both active in organizing our annual Raise the Roof Dinner, too. I love that Ken and Pat have been with Habitat since the early days of the 1990s. They have a firm belief that everyone deserves a decent home to live in and they put their time in to make it happen. I love the relationships they have formed with our Partner Families. They continue to be invited to birthdays, confirmations and other special events for families - years after their initial relationship began on the job site with these families. Ken and Pat have a joyful sense of humor, a firm belief in the goodness of people and an active spirit that gives back to the community in various ways. How lucky we are to have them in our community. The Kangas have been active members at First English Lutheran Church for over 50 years, said Pat Rice. During that time, they taught Sunday School and confirmation and were often representatives to the Synod Conventions on behalf of First English. They have championed the group of First English Thrivent members to look forward and find ways that they can help not only the church, but Faribault a well. Pat and Ken Kangas are a great team; they care about others and show this by their many acts of kindness. Ken and Pat are always willing to help out. Mel and I have seen how they’ve helped us when asked to organize the Faribault Area CROP Walk each year, said Mel and Mary Sanborn. Ken and Pat do not seek the limelight but we feel they do make our community a better place to live and deserve to win an Unsung Hero award.

Ray Snesrud is a hero to people struggling with addiction. He has developed a non- profit organization, Men of Integrity, in Faribault to assist men in their recovery by providing a sober living environment and a mentoring program. According to nominator Yvette Marthaler, Snesrud has mentored dozens of young men, assisting them to find sobriety and success in the community. He also volunteers for the Rice County Chemical Health Coalition, speaking to young people, sharing his story of recovery and aiding prevention efforts. His compassion, endless energy and bravery in sharing his story are inspiring to many people in the Faribault community.

Dawn has devoted 13 years teaching in the elementary department starting as a kindergarten teacher and accepting assignment changes to meet students’ educational needs, said nominator Paula Schnoor. She is currently teaching pre-K at Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and she has been actively involved with different programs at MSAD such as currently representing her elementary team as part of the education lead team and being a director of high school drama club , coordinating the Scarecrow Fest, coaching elementary/middle school volleyball in the past. She also is a proud alumni of MSAD, along with her husband Ronald Hill. They have two children, Danton and Rebekah, who are students at MSAD, too. [Dawn] has a dream to see MSAD to continue to thrive in providing education and activities to deaf children and for MSAD to be a part of the Faribault community.

Logan Ledman is the co-creator of the FCTV series “1855.” The show looks into the history of Faribault and relates local icons to modern day values, said nominator Samuel Temple. Ledman has shown time and time again that he does not treat this like grunt work that he simply slumps through, but that he is genuinely energized by our town’s story and its current conditions. He sees modern issues affecting the citizens of the town and addresses them on his show, under the story of Faribault’s past. His authentic care for the town is worth note because he is not, nor has he ever been, a citizen of Faribault. His care and compassion for the people’s attitudes toward the town is moving. You can see in each episode of “1855” Logan’s true interest and investment in the town, from someone that is not only 15 years old, but a non-resident. Endless hours are given by him to show people why this town is as great and has as much rich anecdotes as Logan sees.

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HEROES

Ruth Hildebrandt & Karen Churchill

Daisey Sanchez

Ardy Murphy

Ruth Hildebrandt is a long-time volunteer at Ruth’s house as well as a volunteer at her church, AAUW, Rice County Steam and Gas and many other organizations. She served as a school teacher for many years as well. Not only has she been a dedicated weekly volunteer at Ruth’s House for 12 years, she has brought many new ideas to the organization to help it grow, according to Ruth Hickey. At Ruth’s House, she has served on the Gala committee, which started out small and has grown through the years because of her dedication. In the early stages of Ruth’s House she was very instrument in getting our mailing list started and updated and at one time we called her the label lady as she did the same thing for two other organizations, Hickey said. She is a dedicated civil servant (usually behind the scenes) and an Unsung Hero of many years to the Faribault community. Karen Churchill is also a long-time volunteer at Ruth’s House, starting in the very beginning as Ruth’s House opened its doors. Hickey said she stopped in one day before we were opening and asked if we needed any help with anything and that she wanted to volunteer. She began by making phone calls and some clerical work and then moved into doing the payroll and bookkeeping as a volunteer for several years and continues to serve in bookkeeping capacity with the organization. She has been a Gala committee member, has served on the Board of Directors and on the finance committee, has contributed many donations to the mission of Ruth’s House and has been a willing worker in many capacity weekly since 2004. She has also served at her church and other organizations in the Faribault area. She is dedicated and willing to serve her community. Karen can usually be seen working behind the scenes and is a real Unsung Hero.

Daisey works as the clinical care manager for HealthFinders. Every day, she goes above and beyond for the underserved in the Faribault community, said nominator Katy Hargis. She will stay late and will reach out and connect members of the community to each other and most of all, she really cares about the health and wellness of the community HealthFinders serves. Sanchez never asks for accolades or thanks and the Faribault community would be a bit smaller if she did not do what she does, Hargis said. Daisey deserves to be an Unsung Hero for Faribault.

Ardy has spent many hours volunteering for the American Red Cross – Rice County Chapter setting up for and teaching First Aid CPR to many residents locally. According to nominator Kathleen Gerbig, Ardy developed, chaired and organized the Tour of Tables – a fundraiser first for the local Red Cross and now continuing for a local organization close to her heart. She has sung in the church choir for many years and has been a cheerful mostly silent helper to neighbors and friends in the Health Offices of our school district. Ardy was nominated with her husband Loren, who was a 2015 Unsung Hero.

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HEROES Robert Koehler

Barbara Mrosko

Beth Ellerbusch

Before there was the Energizer Bunny, there was Bob Koehler. Bob has been a busy guy for decades in the community of Faribault. Here are some of the activities for which he has been involved: • He has volunteered on a Governor’s Task Force for a Sogn Valley NSP coal burning power plant. • Bob went over and above as a parent volunteer for Boy Scout Troop 304 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and Troop 309 at First English Lutheran Church. • In 1976, Bob was a member of the committee that founded River Bend Nature Center in Faribault. He has volunteered time grooming trails for cross country skiing and various activities at the nature. • Bob has been a hospice volunteer in Faribault giving comfort to people at the end of their lives. • He has been a Stephen’ Minister at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. • Bob and Phyllis Koehler were part of a group of people who helped form Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Faribault. They are still active members there today. • Bob has been a member of the Faribault Police Reserve for approximately 28 years. • Bob has volunteered for numerous sporting events in Faribault, such Faribault Senior High School cross country meets and community organized bike rides. • Bob is a member of the Faribault Police Department Civil Service Commission, where he volunteers his time to assist in the selection and hiring of Faribault Police Department police officers. • Bob is a retired teacher from the Faribault Public Schools, where he taught biology for more than 30 years.

When Barbara Mrosko and her husband Gary chose to make Faribault their home a few years ago, she knew she could serve her Trinity Church community as an organist in worship services, as accompanist for worship services at various local care centers and as a member of the mixed choir and hand bell choir. But she did more, according to Diane Cloeter, the person who nominated her for the Unsung Hero award. Mrosko joined the church Quilters and Pie-Makers. She was elected to the School Board of Faribault Lutheran School and helps occasionally with the school music programs. But she wanted to find ways to also serve the community of her new town and once she started looking, she kept finding more to do, Cloeter said. She spent many hours as an assistant at Buckham Library. She connected with local volunteer organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Community Cathedral Café, Faribault Senior Center’s “Fashions On Central” clothing store, and Ruth’s House. Then she added helping with Red Cross blood drives, serving as an election judge and providing transportation for people who have medical appointments in Rochester or Minneapolis. Her unselfish, low-key volunteerism makes it hard to pin-point all the organizations and people whose lives Barb has touched. Wherever there is a job to be done, Barb Mrosko is there to help, never seeking any recognition. This cheerful, tireless volunteer is truly an Unsung Hero.

Our mom, Beth, is the most caring, loving, hardworking, dedicated person we know, say her daughters Jena Bothun and Sara Sjodin. She not only is the best mom who we look up to and is always there for us, she has given back to the community over the past two decades. She has worked at First English Lutheran Church for over 20 years and has touched the lives of hundreds of families. She wears many hats at FELC: the Parish Education Director and Youth director, along with coordinating sedar meals, confirmation, Good Friday services, acolytes and helping the new pastors get up to date with all the children ministries and the ins and outs of First English. She is the one to go to at FELC for any and all information and help. Her dedication and hard work over the past 20 years oftentimes go unnoticed and she would rather have it that way. She does more at FELC than most even know. She loves helping others and seeing the children be happy is why she does her job, not for the recognition. Same goes for teaching dance for over 20 years. She loves teaching and helping the children grow and become not only great dancers, but wonderful children who are responsible and respectful. [Our mom Beth] has taught us everything we know and we look up to her and hope to be as great as a mother and person as she is.

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Profile 2016

Gary Meier, left, and Mike Cashman, right, have a conversation in American Sign Language in front of their old school, the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in Faribault. (Philip Weyhe/Daily News)

Schools for deaf and blind are unique Faribault assets

By PHILIP WEYHE pweyhe@faribault.com

hey are almost as old as the state of Minnesota itself. They offer unique educational experiences that can be found in few other places. They make a difference. The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) and the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind (MSAB) are two institutions that aren’t always talked about in Faribault. Perhaps, though, they deserve

a spot at the top of the list of what makes this city special. “We are great students. We can tackle any issue equal to or greater than other students. Being here, the students are far less isolated. They are open to far more opportunities,” said 1974 MSAD graduate Mike Cashman. Cashman was speaking specifically about the deaf school he attended, but the point could likely be extended to the students at the blind school about a mile uuu

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The original Mott building, built in the 19th century, played host to students in the Minnesota State Academy of the Deaf’s earliest years. (Courtesy of MSAD)

“The kids who attend here find instant friendships, instant relationships.” - MSAD teacher Betty Shallbetter down the road. The two schools came from the same place after all, and although they have very different students with very different needs, the general message that learning is for everyone is shared between campuses. That philosophy is common among not just students, but also teachers and administration. At both schools, those hearing or visually impaired are discovering one another and learning to work past limitations, while the non-impaired are developing new ways to understand their surroundings. “I think every day I’ve been here, the students have taught me some new way to revisualize my world,” said 19-year MSAB worker Joan Chavie.

A long history It was only five years after Minnesota even became a state that MSAD (then called something else) enrolled its first student. According to Cashman, who literally wrote the book on the

school’s history with the now deceased Douglas Bahl, Minnesota’s interest in providing an education to the deaf and hearing impaired was part of a national trend. “The trend started in 1817 when the very first school for the deaf in Connecticut was started,” said Cashman in sign language with Amy Amundsen interpreting. “Deaf schools started springing up all over the country after that. Minnesota followed suit.” Cashman said it was influential families with ties to deaf children that sparked the interest. In Minnesota, and specifically Faribault, it was the Howe family, which included a deaf daughter. They started some activity before Minnesota was even a state in the mid 1850s. After Minnesota was officially a state, legislators in the Twin Cities pushed for a deaf school and citizens of Faribault offered up 40 acres of land to host the school. The site was originally at the current location of Faribo West Mall.

Betsy Shallbetter, a vision impaired teacher at the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, shows some of the technology she uses to teach students in her social studies class. (Philip Weyhe/Daily News)

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Profile 2016

“Let us found a school for them, so that those who do not have physical sight, may yet have the light and have it more abundantly.” - Harriet Tucker

Braille technology has improved significantly in recent years, as evidenced by the devices used at MSAB. On the left, is a sort of braille typewriter, and on the right is a braille display and keyboard, which is hooked up to a computer. (Philip Weyhe/Daily News)

Charles Batcheler, David Frost and Rodney Mott were chosen as commissioners, but after a few years, the job was left to Mott. And he would be involved for the next half-century, according to Cashman. Cashman and 1966 MSAD graduate Gary Meier explained the development of the actual school sites over the years. The first school building was on Central and First avenues. That building was sold, though, and the school was moved to the current site on Olof Hanson Drive. Over the years, many structures have come up and gone down. The academy now consists of 10 buildings, the oldest being the laundry facility, built in the 19th century, followed by Noyse Hall, built from 1903-1910. Cashman said the key to MSAD’s early success was its leaders, and specifically Mott. “[Mott] was an outstanding man for the deaf community. He took care of this school,” Cashman said. Meanwhile, about three years after the deaf academy started, Faribault opened its doors to the blind as well. Inspired by the determination of

Harriet Tucker, MSAB began to serve the visually impaired in 1866, making 2016 the school’s 150th anniversary. “Let us found a school for them, so that those who do not have physical sight, may yet have the light and have it more abundantly,” Tucker wrote in the 19th century. For more than a century, the school was located on a hill, overseeing the Straight River and downtown Faribault. Eventually, it moved to its current location on Sixth Avenue, not far from MSAD.

Serving communities Both academies have developed not only in their physical forms, but in their educational practices, methods and populations. They’re both state-funded academies with living quarters and myriad facilities available. They’re also destinations. Places where students, who struggle to relate to their peers in public schools, can learn among people like

themselves. “The kids who attend here find instant friendships, instant relationships,” said MSAB teacher Betty Shallbetter, who is visually impaired. “They don’t feel like the odd one out.” The academies, using the latest technology, small classroom sizes and trained staff, are able to work through students’ impairments and provide the kids with the best possible education. Here, the students don’t have to feel like they are falling behind due to disadvantages in the classroom that they can’t control. Instead, they can focus on learning. And what that creates, according to teachers Shallbetter, Chavie and Connie Telschow at MSAB and alumni Cashman and Meier at MSAD, is community. “There’s just so many good mentors available to me that I cherish from my time here,” Cashman said. “There are lot of friends here I grew up with. Lifelong friends. We’re a family here.” Reach Reporter Philip Weyhe at 507-333-3132 or follow him on Twitter @philweyhe.

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Eucharistic Adoration is the adoration of Jesus Christ, truly present in the Holy Eucharist. The Blessed Sacrament, which is in Divine Mercy Catholic Church’s Perpetual Adoration Chapel, is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus displayed in a special holder called a monstrance. (Photo courtesy of Divine Mercy)

Divinity of Jesus Christ omnipresent at Divine Mercy’s Adoration Chapel By JERRY SMITH jcsmith@faribault.com

t is said that on the Sunday following Easter in 1998, a ray of sunshine was cast on the door leading to the Divine Mercy Catholic Church Perpetual Adoration Chapel when it was unlocked for public use for the first time. That symbolic ray of light has been shining on the Faribault adoration chapel ever since. From the historic day in 1998, the Adoration Chapel has been

visited by thousands of adorers who have prayed holy hours and visitors who come to spend quiet, prayerful time with Jesus. “We spend an hour with Jesus every week,” said Libby Smith, who is in charge of the chapel and scheduling adorers present when it is open. “It’s the closest place to Heaven and the time you are closest to Jesus.” The chapel, located on the east side of the Mother Samuel Building at 104 2nd Ave. SW, is open 24 hours a day, closing only during mass times and for inclement weather. Smith says the door is locked during the nighttime, but adorers who are at the chapel are there to open the door when someone rings the doorbell.

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Profile 2016

Heart priest] Fr. Dave and I knew without a doubt that the grace I asked for was given right when I asked for it,” Rose said. “About nine months later, on Divine Mercy Sunday, Perpetual Adoration in Faribault was started.” On a historic day in 1998, Libby said a mass was held at St. Lawrence Church, and then everyone walked down 2nd Street with the monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament to the chapel, which was originally built in 1965 and used by the Dominican nuns. The door was opened and has remained opened 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both Libby and Tom have been adorers – called “Guardians of the Eucharist” – since the adoration chapel was established in 1998. Both can count on one hand the number of hours they have missed since it has been open. Both take an hour each week and both fill in for others who cannot make it. “You have to believe in the true presence to have that hour,” Tom said, noting that Eucharist Adoration is the adoration of Jesus Christ, present in the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is defined as the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus displayed in a special holder called a monstrance, and people come to pray and worship Jesus constantly throughout the day and night at the adoration chapel. At least one adorer is present when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed.

People come to pray and worship constantly throughout the day and night at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel. (Photo courtesy of Divine Mercy)

“People come all day and all night,” said Tom Smith, a lifelong Faribault resident who has been an adorer from the start.

History of the chapel

A look at the outside of the Adoration Chapel. (Photo courtesy of Divine Mercy)

In June 1997, Divine Mercy member Kathy Rose traveled with her family to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the EWTN studios in Alabama on a Eucharistic pilgrimage. A priest told Rose to pray for a “very special” grace, which she said she did. After the live show, she met Mother Angelica, who assured her that her prayer was already answered. “Later when our family returned back to Faribault, I talked to [Sacred

The test of time Libby first heard about a chapel being planned from her brother-in-law Kerry Smith, who was one of the organizers. She had no idea what it was, since she said she is a convert to the Catholic faith. “I had never heard of the adoration before,” she said. “When the chapel first opened, I had a Thursday 5-6 a.m. hour. This hour every week became very special to me and I found great comfort in praying for Jesus, who is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.” uuu

Eucharistic Adoration What is it? Eucharistic Adoration is the adoration of Jesus Christ, truly present in the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus displayed in a special holder called a monstrance, and people come to pray

and worship constantly throughout the day and night.

Why is it important? Perpetual exposition is our profession of faith as a people of God, as a

Eucharistic parish, that we truly believe that Jesus is here, that He is welcomed, loved and adored by us.

More information

Eucharistic Adoration or the Divine Mercy Catholic Church Perpetual Adoration Chapel, visit www. divinemercy.cc/#!adoration-chapel/ cdyw

If you would like to know more about

− Source: Divine Mercy Catholic Church

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“We have many adorers we call ‘chapel angels. They take many night hours when needed and are always on board to help out.” - Libby Smith

On a historic day in 1998, a mass was held at St. Lawrence Church, and then everyone walked down 2nd Street with the monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament to the Adoration Chapel, which was originally built in 1965 and used by the Dominican nuns. (Photo courtesy of Divine Mercy)

Libby said that adorers have come and gone at the adoration chapel and sometimes it is a struggle to keep all of the hours covered and she sometimes gets discouraged. She said when this happens, the phone will usually ring and someone calls to take an open hour, or an adorer who already has an hour takes another one. “We have many adorers we call ‘chapel angels,’” she said. “They take many night hours when needed and are always on board to help out.” One of those “chapel angels” is Steve McDonough. When his wife Cheryl − who was a longtime adorer − passed away from cancer a couple of years ago, her husband Steve covered her hour, while also still covering his own. He continues to

have this hour today. “Steve is an amazing person,” Libby said. “He remains upbeat despite his wife’s passing and still believes it is important to continue his wife’s hour of adoration.” Libby says the Divine Mercy parish (as it is called today) has gone through many changes over the years, with the merging of three parishes. She believes having the Perpetual Adoration Chapel has impacted many lives and also helped the parish grow and become one Divine Mercy Catholic Church. “We are in a better place because of it,” she said. Reach Regional Editor Jerry Smith at 507-333-3134, or follow him on Twitter.com @FDNJerrySmith

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The Faribault Diversity Coalition offers a number of avenues for easing integration for immigrants, from English classes to neighborhood walks and even visits to local colleges. (Photo courtesy of Faribault Diversity Coalition)

‘Salaam alaykum’

could help bridge communication gap with Somalis in Faribault By DANIEL BORGERTPOEPPING dborgertpoepping@faribault.com (Editor’s note: Quotes in this story were interpreted by Mustafa Abdille, a Somali-American.)

shift in demographics is nothing new in the United States. In fact, it is one of a very few certainties that can be applied with assured results. From the first immigrants who colonized the eastern shore of this continent before pushing inland and wresting more territory to their control, to more recently when census bureau statistics display a projected decrease in the population proportion

of white Americans of 16 percent by 2055, changes are guaranteed. The integration of foreign populations into a new host demographic carries with it all the expected challenges, not the least of which is often an inability to communicate effectively between the two. But even before that hurdle can be cleared, a sharing of collective experiences serves as a common connector and, when that connection does not exist, it becomes that much harder for the starting pistol to sound. A common theme continuously crops up when discussing the reasons behind emigrating to the United States from Somalia with men who have made the trip.

When hearing the stories of many immigrants to the United States, both here in Faribault and across the country, motivation behind the decision is often related to economics and finances. The decision to leave one’s culture and one’s homeland is not taken lightly. “The only reason I’m here in the States is because of the civil war in my nation. Everybody loves their country and wants to stay and live and die in their nation, but it’s impossible when there is a civil war going on and your life is in jeopardy and that of your family,” said Faribault resident Abdirahman Mahamoud, who has also spent time in Dallas and California. “If, down the line, there is some stability, I do plan on going back and at uuu

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“The only reason I’m here in the States is because of the civil war in my nation. Everybody loves their country and wants to stay and live and die in their nation, but it’s impossible when there is a civil war going on and your life is in jeopardy and that of your family.” - Faribault resident Abdirahman Mahamoud

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Timeline of the Somali civil war 1991: Former British protectorate of Somaliland declares independence. 1993: U.S. Army Rangers killed after two helicopters are shot down in Mogadishu. The U.S. mission ends in March 1994. 1995: United Nations peacekeepers leave. 2000: Ali Khalif Gelayadh announces government, the first since 1991. 2001: Somali warlords decline to support transitional administration. 2006: Hundreds of injuries and deaths during fighting between militias in Mogadishu. 2009: Terrorist organization al-Shabab recaptures territory, prompting U.N. World Food Program to withdraw. AlShabab then formally allies with al-Qaeda.

The Faribault Diversity Coalition provides English classes from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Photo courtesy of Faribault Diversity Coalition)

least visiting.” Financial opportunity is the story of the second leg of their journey; one that took them from California or Arizona or Texas to Faribault, where they found manual labor positions requiring little English language experience to be in greater supply. The first leg of the journey for many of them was made to protect their lives and those of their family, rather than their pocketbooks. “What brought me here specifically was the previous Somali community here; I thought it might be a good place to start. I landed in Minneapolis first,” said Faribault resident Nasir Harun, who has four children. “It was difficult to find stability and that’s when I heard about Faribault and the companies that are here; labor-based, I was able to work and provide for my family and find financial stability in the process.” Sonji Davis, area manager with the local WorkForce Centers, said difference in experience with education from immigrant to immigrant presents

some problems that they are working on addressing. “We’re trying to help in our way. We know it’s difficult when you have some of the individuals who come over were able to be educated,” said Davis. “But for many, it’s their first experience. We’re trying to get to the end goal but it takes time.” As new entrants to a foreign land that would become their home, the desire to be around those with similar cultural and life experiences manifested in the concentration of Somali populations in certain cities like San Diego, Toronto and Minneapolis. Information passed through the grapevine that there was a significant number settled in one small town led many Somalis to Faribault; opening a door for new immigrants to more easily learn about the laws and etiquette in the United States by having others who had been on these shores longer to help ease the integration process. But even for those who have

been in the country for years, the process is not straightforward. While complimentary of how effectively the public school system has helped their children accelerate to a basic level of functionality and beyond, adults are slower learners when it comes to new languages. Inability to communicate is the second hurdle to be cleared and is one to which significant resources have been assigned to address. “One of the challenges we face as a community is the lack of understanding between each other. You’ll often see folks in the community walking around and as a group of men are having a conversation, that individual may say ‘hi’ to us. Some of us don’t even understand that’s a greeting and we don’t respond to that,” said Harun. “I can see how that, over the years, may have pushed certain people away from coming into our community.” Once the communication divide uuu

2013: Al-Shabab turns to attacks in Kenya for retaliation for its military involvement in Somalia. − Source: BBC Somalia Profile

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“What brought me here specifically was the previous Somali community here; I thought it might be a good place to start. I landed in Minneapolis first. It was difficult to find stability and that’s when I heard about Faribault and the companies that are here; labor-based, I was able to work and provide for my family and find financial stability in the process.” - Faribault resident Nasir Harun, who has four children is bridged, in this case with an interpreter, what drives these men becomes much clearer. Their first thought when asked of reasoning and challenges and hopes turns often to their children. “The public school systems have been great in getting our children up to communication level so they can be understood and can communicate just fine,” said Harun. “For people like myself who struggle in learning a language as difficult as English, I do feel there is a lack of resources or if they’re available, they aren’t advertised or promoted to our community.” According to Harun, there is a significant desire in the Somali community to meet the more established demographic halfway; in this case, by taking steps to learn the language being used around them. “If we could bridge that gap of communication, and there’s a lot of people

willing to take that step to learn the language and effectively communicate with the community at large, it would solve some of the issues we’re having and open the dialogue into understanding each other better,” said Harun. One of the problem areas that has been addressed has been communication between the Somali community and the Faribault Police Department. Harun said the addition of FPD’s first Somalian police officer, Said Hilowle, has built on an already solid foundation. “The police department has been excellent in working with our community and trying to integrate our community with the established demographic here in Faribault,” said Harun. “With Said there, it eliminates that language barrier. And he’s a police officer first and foremost, so while he is doing his job he is able to make us understand the reasoning behind a traffic

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stop or why you don’t approach a police officer when he pulls you over, which we are accustomed to.” But the men stressed that bridging the divide could be partially helped by any individual when coming across a Somali member of the community. Any greeting, especially the Arabic greeting “salaam alaykum” which means “peace be upon you,” would indicate openness they would be happy to reciprocate, said Harun. “That customary greeting would be great and open that communication a lot better,” he said. “That shows us that the person knows a little bit about our culture and we’d be more than happy to give them more of an understanding.” Daniel covers Faribault government, business and public safety. Reach him at 507-333-3128 or on Twitter @FDNDaniel

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Uncle B’s Last Chance BBQ Shack menu The regular menu for Uncle B’s Last Chance BBQ Shack: • Pulled Pork Sandwich • Pulled Chicken Sandwich • BBQ Baked Potato (butter, sour cream, cheese, topped with choice of meat) • Hot Dog (deep fried) • WOW Burger (brisket, hamburger mixture, topped with caramelized onion, pepper jack cheese, bacon and special sauce) • Sassy Dog (deep fried hot dog topped with cheese and pulled pork) • Boss Hog (deep fried hot dog topped with cheese, pulled pork, bacon bits and cole slaw) Brian Freed, right, sits in front of his food truck, Uncle B’s Last Chance BBQ Shack, with regular customer Dennis Hill. Freed fell in love with barbeque while living in Texas in the early 80s. (Philip Weyhe/Daily News)

‘Last Chance’ proves successful for Faribault food truck owner By PHILIP WEYHE pweyhe@faribault.com

fter over 40 years in retail and a litany of jobs within it, Faribault’s Brian Freed finally found his true calling in a place far away from his original path: a barbecue food truck. Freed, 58, spent about three years in competition barbecue from 2010-12, before turning hobby into career and starting Uncle B’s Last Chance BBQ Shack in 2012. He got help on the name of the food truck from his wife, Cindy, who provided a rather blunt reminder of where he stood in his working life. “I’ve tried a few careers in my life, so last chance seemed appropriate,” he laughed. The truck specializes in meat, barbecued meat to be precise. With

regular menu offerings like pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, brisket, deep fried hot dogs, stuffed baked potatoes and burgers, the menu sufficiently whets the appetite for meat lovers. Last Chance also caters, and there the menu expands to potato salads, green salads, cheesy potatoes, vegetable medleys, deviled eggs and more. Specialty buffets include breakfast items like caramel pecan rolls and muffins, as well as taco bars and potato bars for lunch. Of course, for many customers, Friday is the one to get excited about. It’s the only day of the week that Freed’s speciality ribs are on offer by the bone, ½ rack or full rack. “It’s good food, man,” said regular customer Dennis Hill. “He makes the best ribs, and I love some ribs.” Recently, things got a little sweeter at Last Chance with the addition of

• French Fries Basket • Onion Ring Basket • Sweet Potato Fries • Pop and Water • Desserts See more on Uncle B’s Last Chance BBQ Shack Facebook page. Call Brian (507-210-4858) or Lori (507291-0786) for catering and fundraiser opportunities.

desserts from Freed’s new partner Lori Davies. She’s been making homemade chocolate and candies for more than 20 years. Her additions to the menus include choices like chocolate torte, pumpkin bars, cupcakes, tuxedo brownie bites, cake truffles and more.

Following a passion Born and raised in Faribault, Freed moved straight into retail after high school. In 1980, a job at PettigrewSmith Auto Supply brought him to Texas. And he found his way into barbecue there. “There was a man doing barbecue in a parking lot where I worked,” Freed said. “He taught me so much in the time I was there. He was awesome, just uuu

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an incredible man.” food industry. Freed learned and developed in the craft over He and wife Cindy considered started a the course of two years in that Texas parking restaurant, but after years and years of working lot and carried within four walls, the new-found Freed was looking passion with him, for a little bit more as he moved back freedom. He found it to Minnesota. in a food truck. He continued to “A food truck work in retail, but seemed like the best it was never quite fit. I felt inspired by what he wanted. it,” he said. “I think By 2010, he it’s not being stuck in had developed one place. I get to meet a deft hand for more people and make barbecue and more people happy.” he was ready to With regular take it to the next spots in front of Ace Hardware in level. He joined a Faribault and in front team to compete of Firehouse Liquor nationally in Dundas, Freed has in barbecue been able to develop a competitions, anywhere from Brisket is one of the many barbecue offerings at Uncle B’s Food regular customer base. Arkansas to It’s the festivals and Truck. (Philip Weyhe/Daily News) Wisconsin and all big events that really bring in the profits, over Minnesota. The competition started to get too expensive, though. but Freed realized he could take his talents to the “It’s really fun,” Freed said. “Everyone does workplace. He dropped his retail career after over something different (at the festivals). They’re all four decades of work in it, and jumped into the really cool people. We like to trade foods and all

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that.” The food truck industry is a competitive one. In Faribault, the intensity is certainly several notches down from that of the metro, but nonetheless, a moving eatery like Last Chance isn’t going to have customers if people don’t know where it is. Freed isn’t necessarily social media savvy. You won’t find him on Instagram or Twitter, but he has conquered Facebook, which he said has been vital for his business as a complement to word of mouth advertising. In the end, though, Freed said it comes down to the quality of the food and the fairness of the price. If you’re asking him, you won’t find better bang for your buck anywhere than at Last Chance. “I’ll get the most tender, tastiest produce I can get out there,” he said. “I don’t cheat anyone on a portion either.” Freed figures he has a good seven years left running the truck before a likely retirement at 65. He hopes that won’t mean the end of the truck, though. “I want to sell it to someone that can continue the venture,” he said. “Hopefully, I can teach somebody all I know about good barbecue just like I was taught.” Reach Reporter Philip Weyhe at 507-333-3132 or follow him on Twitter @philweyhe.

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Popularity doesn’t keep from his K-9 duties

By DANIEL BORGERTPOEPPING dborgertpoepping@faribault.com

sk Faribault Police Chief Andy Bohlen who the most popular officer in the department is and the answer comes quickly; the officer who runs on four legs instead of two. And it’s not particularly close. “Everyone loves Chase. The dog team seems to be the most popular,” said Bohlen. “Certain people want to see the police chief or fire chief or mayor, but kids just want to see Chase. He by far outweighs everyone else.” Chase, a jet black German Shepherd from Slovakia, will celebrate his two-year anniversary with the Faribault Police Department in May. At 84 pounds, he’s big for a working dog, according to his handler Officer Mike Thul. “I’m leaning him out a little bit for summer, but I don’t want to run him too lean,” said Thul, who lobbied for years to get a K-9 unit in the department. “He’s an import specifically for this. The reason they import them is that it’s hard to get a dog

Faribault police officer Mike Thul and his partner K-9 Chase pose for a photo. Maintaining a K-9 unit with one dog and one officer costs around $6,000 a year. (Photo courtesy of Faribault Police Department) Chase, a Slovakian-bred German Shepherd import the Faribault Police Department has been using since May 2014 as a K-9 officer. (Daniel Borgertpoepping/Daily News)

with that kind of drive from the United States. They’re available but rare. Over there, dog sport is huge, so they get bred for that and they’re able to put up some fantastic dogs.” When Thul says “drive,” he is referring to a nervous, anxious energy that Chase displays that allows him to flip a switch and go from a seemingly normal, playful dog into a wholly different beast. While Thul has had big dogs before, Chase is on another level. “I’ve never had a dog with this kind of drive. He’s a beast. He’s a dope machine,” said Thul. “He makes me look so good. We do something once and he’s got it. Now we just fine-tune it. We balance what we need him to do with what he wants to do.” Having some measure of independence is important for a K-9. According to Thul, dogs without some independence are more apt to miss or ignore things in the field in the name of obedience. “Super obedient trial dogs are always looking for direction and coming back to check on you,” said Thul. “There are uuu

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By the Numbers 11: Number of narcotics arrests attributed to Chase in 2016 16: Number of hours of mandated training per month for Officer Thul and Chase 30-45: Minutes it takes for fastest human officers to locate a simulation suspect in a building 8: Minutes it takes on average for Chase to locate a simulation suspect in a building $5,900: Average yearly cost of maintaining a K-9 unit − Source: Faribault Police Department

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“He’s become almost a mascot for the department. People love Chase, they love seeing the K-9 car be at things. He turned out to be such a great social dog. It’s so much work to have a dog like this, but it’s so rewarding.” Officer Mike Thul and K-9 Chase march in the 2014 Faribault Pet Parade. (Daily News file photo)

other dogs where you call them back and they’ll pass someone or pass a doorway with scent on the way back. I want him to say, ‘I’ll come back to you, but I have to check this first.’” The utility of having a dog with the training and abilities of Chase in the field are seemingly boundless. Not only does it allow a wider range of activities to be conducted, it helps maximize the efficiency in activities that are conducted by human officers as well. Thul said simulations have been run where officers have been told to find someone pretending to be a suspect in a building and the best times range from 30 to 45 minutes. Chase does it on average, in eight minutes. But despite being on the force for nearly two years, Chase has yet to register a physical apprehension; a streak Thul is eager to keep going. “We would really prefer not to use him as something like that. We’ve had a couple opportunities where we were definitely legally able to use him, it’s just I didn’t feel morally right so we didn’t,” said Thul. “If we can have someone give up just by having the dog there, it’s a much better win for us than to end up hurting somebody. We respect the amount of

damage he would do to somebody. That’s on me to make sure that it’s the right thing to do and we use it the right way.” The mindset the officers use with Chase is that he is more of a locating tool with a use-of-force option than anything else. But for all the damage Chase is capable of inflicting when the situation warrants, when he is switched off he acts like a normal dog. “When he acts aggressively it’s because he’s been rewarded to do that. But he’s not an aggressive dog. He’s very gentle and friendly; very social,” said Thul. “We do a bunch of stuff with kids, demonstrations where he has kindergarten kids hanging off his neck and playing with him and he does great in that environment too.” The initial cost for getting Chase was around $75,000, which included the necessary equipment and car, said Bohlen. Maintaining the unit is the only ongoing cost, which is under $6,000 per year. Chase’s effectiveness in the field and the advantages a second dog would provide for full shift coverage has Bohlen interested in procuring another four-legged officer, though

- Officer Mike Thul

The Faribault Police Department’s K-9 Chase wears a ballistic vest that was purchased with money from a past anonymous donation. (Submitted photo)

the Faribault City Council has yet to authorize that. While it is just Chase for now, Thul said all the work it takes is worth it. “He’s become almost a mascot for the department. People love Chase, they love seeing the K-9 car

be at things,” said Thul. “He turned out to be such a great social dog. It’s so much work to have a dog like this, but it’s so rewarding.” Daniel covers Faribault government, business and public safety. Reach him at 507-333-3128 or on Twitter @FDNDaniel

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“I’ve never had a dog with this kind of drive. He’s a beast. He’s a dope machine. He makes me look so good. We do something once and he’s got it. Now we just finetune it. We balance what we need him to do with what he wants to do.” - Officer Mike Thul One of the most important aspects of a good K-9 unit is the relationship between the dog and its handler. Chase and Officer Mike Thul have been working together since Chase arrived in Faribault. (Daniel Borgertpoepping/Daily News)

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In his office at the Faribault High School, Sam Ouk is proud of the work he’s accomplished thus far with the EL Program in the school. (Kevin Krein/Northfield News)

Sam Ouk: By Kevin Krein kkrein@northfieldnews.com

here are two things you notice right away when meeting Faribault High School EL Coordinator Sam Ouk in his office, and both of those things are intentional. The first is Ouk himself, who wears a suit and tie to work every

day. The second is the array of martial arts trophies that Ouk keeps displayed in the corner of his work space. Ouk said both are in an effort to have conversations about success — what success looks like and how you can drive success.

Helping others find a way to pay it forward

“The way I dress and the way I carry myself here at work relates better to older students and their families,” he said on his attire choices. “The younger students are more driven by seeing those martial arts trophies.” Ouk has been in his position in Faribault for two years now. Prior to that, he was EL Coordinator for the Rochester School District from 2010 until 2014. He grew up in Rochester as a Cambodian refugee after his mother and grandparents immigrated to the area from the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp in Thailand. “Growing up not knowing English and having to balance the Cambodian culture at home and the American culture outside of home was not easy,” he said. “The ESL teachers at school were extremely helpful and supportive. As a child, I wanted to be like them so I could help others in my situation too.”

Ouk attended Hamline University and had the opportunity to study abroad while in school — traveling to Switzerland, Senegal and then student teaching in Brazil. Outside of his work in the school system in Faribault, Ouk has been heavily involved with the Faribault Diversity Coalition. He said he sees how closely his work for both is connected. “As kids come here to America, the world opens up for them,” he said. “They get an opportunity to go to school and integrate with the rest of the student population. Parents don’t have that. Their world tends to close down, to the walls of their own homes and their neighborhoods.” Ouk said his work with the Diversity Coalition is an effort to prevent that from happening to immigrant and refugee families living in the area. “My work in the school and the Diversity coalition

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“Growing up not knowing English and having to balance the Cambodian culture at home and the American culture outside of home was not easy. The ESL teachers at school were extremely helpful and supportive. As a child, I wanted to be like them so I could help others in my situation too.” - Sam Ouk have to work together,” he said. “The most important thing we have to show the students and their families is upward mobility.” Even though he’s only two years into his position in Faribault, he sees it as the kind of place he can stay until he is ready for retirement. “I don’t want to leave something that I’ve started,” he said, referencing the school’s EL Program. “As long as the district and the community see me as being valuable and helpful, I will stay.” Ouk said he thinks of Faribault as a friendly community. “I know there are some tensions and misunderstandings between the different ethnic groups,” he said. “I feel like that’s another opportunity where I can help and create a community where all are welcomed and respected.” Faribault School District Superintendent Todd Sesker commended Ouks ability to communicate — both with community members as well as his colleagues in the school system. Ouk has been building the EL Program from the ground up during his time in the school and Sesker believes he’s done a great job of both hiring new staff, as well as training with current staff members. “Sam has come up with proposals that not only fit the mission and vision of the school district, but they fit well with who we serve,” he said. “We are proud to have hired him.” Kevin Krein covers arts and entertainment, non-profits, community events and people, and matters relating to Rice County and the surrounding townships for the Northfield News and the Faribault Daily News. You can reach him at 507-645-1106, or follow him on Twitter: @NfldNewsKevin.

Faribault EL Coordinator Sam Ouk, right, works with student Noe De La Cruz. Ouk, who started in the district in Fall 2014, believes a rising minority population in Faribault presents more opportunities than challenges. (Philip Weyhe/Daily News)

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More Information Races will be held Sundays in May, September and October and Tuesdays/Thursdays in June and Thursdays in July and August. For more information, follow Faribault BMX on Facebook at www.facebook.com/faribaultbmx or on the USA BMX website at www.usabmx.com/tracks/1437

Bikers race at the BMX park in Faribault. The park opens early in May and runs races through October if weather permits. (Submitted photo)

Faribault’s BMX Track a hidden gem waiting to be explored

By MATT BIGELOW mbigelow@faribault.com

ooking to try something new? Want to try living dangerously – but also not too dangerously – and feel a rush? The Faribault BMX Track is a great place for people of all ages to go and get in touch with their wild side. As one of just 11 active tracks in the state, the Faribault BMX track is one of the things that makes Faribault unique. It isn’t only for those who consider themselves hardcore bikers,

either. There’s a big age range in those who use it, from kids who have just started riding bikes to those people in their 40s and 50s. The experience level from those bikers can range from people getting their first crack at motocross to those who’ve done it extensively. “It’s a lot of fun,” said treasurer, board of directors and regular volunteer Andie O’Brien. “It’s a beautiful setting. It’s one of the prettiest track locations in terms of park setup.” The track opened in 1997 as not much more than some hills and an empty field area. Flash forward nearly 20 years and it’s quite different. Through the years, upgrades and improvements have been made to make the track safer and more accessible for anyone interested in participating or watching.

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“We’ve tried really hard to build it up and make additions,” said President Pam Charlton. “The turns have been paved; that was our big capital improvement last year. That just helps with the soil erosion and cuts down on the time canceled due to rain and the amount of time volunteers have to work to throw dirt on top. We’re working on getting a new gate. We’ve done quite a bit over the years.” Yet while it’s been in the city for almost 20 years, it’s still somewhat hidden. It is tucked away in South Alexander Park where it doesn’t draw a lot of attention. It isn’t a main attraction or a huge draw for crowds. But that doesn’t mean it can’t or it shouldn’t. “We don’t know why more people don’t come out,” said Charlton. “I just don’t think it’s well known that it’s out there. I live and work in Northfield and when I tell people about the track, they usually say that they haven’t heard about it.” “It’s important for people to know, it’s for male and female,” said O’Brien. “We have bikes and helmets so people can borrow those things. People can always come and try a race for free, too. Everybody gets one one-day trial to see if they like it.” If people are interested in joining or signing up, the track offers a one-day one-time trial for individuals to see if it’s something they’d want to continue. After that, a yearly membership costs $60. The season runs from early May to late October. Races during the summer are typically held on Tuesday and Thursday nights and in May, September and October, races occur on Sundays. During the weekly races, both O’Brien and Charlton said there are generally around 50 riders. During state qualifiers, that number increases to around 300. All of the work done at the track is done by volunteers. Many of those uuu

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The Faribault BMX Track has been around for nearly 20 years. In that time, it’s upgraded and changed a substantial amount to allow for safer and more familyfriendly accesibility. (Matt Bigelow/Daily News)

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Bikers get ready to race at the BMX course in Faribault. (Submitted Photo)

who do volunteer have kids that race, but they are always looking for more help. It’s not an incredibly time-consuming endeavor and those who do want to can generally make up their own schedule and help out as much as they want. O’Brien said that while the volunteer help is huge for the kids, it’s also a great way to get to know people. “Its 100 percent volunteer run,” said O’Brien. “It’s all volunteers doing everything. We’ve got a good core group behind the scenes. The more people volunteer, the more connected they’ll stay, in terms of a family environment. It’s actually super fun.” “It’s for the kids,” said Charlton. “Our tack operator volunteers and she doesn’t even have any kids. It’s her way of giving back. The other board members, we all have kids who race so it’s fun to see them and we’ve

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developed good relationships too.” The track has a great relationship with the Faribault Masons, which donates money in relation to the amount the track is able to fundraise at different events during the year. Their next fundraising event is July 10 at the Depot Bar and Grill. That event will be the same day as the State Championship Race. A new season is on the horizon at the track in South Alexander Park, as races started May 8 and run through October if weather permits. So what better time than now to head out and try something new?

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Next to a sculpture he built, Roger Koopmans stands in his Faribault gardens — which are known to attract thousands of visitors from across the country. (Kevin Krein/Northfield News)

Roger Koopmans: Oh how your gardens grow

By Kevin Krein kkrein@northfieldnews.com

t 85 years old, Faribault native Roger Koopmans describes his life as both “full” and “good.” The former band leader of the Buddy Koopmans’ Orchestra, he and his wife Kathleen may be best known in the community (and across the country) for the gardens on their property, which they say attract an “avalanche” of national visitors, and have been profiled in a number of magazines and catalogs. “We try to be articulate in what we do,” Koopmans said when discussing his landscaping

efforts. “People like to see that. It’s high maintenance and we keep it to perfection. It keeps us in shape.” His lifelong interest in gardening stems from his father, a horticulturalist originally from Holland, who relocated to Faribault after first living in Boston. “He read an article in a magazine put out by the Horticulture Society and it stated in Faribault, Farmer Seed wanted a manager — preferably a Dutchman,” Koopmans recalled. “My dad read that and said ‘That’s for me.’” Koopmans served in the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea, where he was awarded a Bronze Star. When he returned to Faribault, he went to work for Lehman Gardens where he tended to bedding plants, vegetables and outdoor mums.

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He eventually went on to start Koopmans Landscaping and Design. A great source of pride for Koopmans over the years within his gardens and on his property are the inventive and intricate sculptures and plant displays he has built — one of which is the “Garden Torchier.” Originally something he constructed for himself, requests for the handmade steel plant stand came flooding in from those who saw it featured in garden publications and catalogs. Koopmans continued to make them himself in his workshop until 2007, when his son Glen took over. Residing in Ohio, Glen Koopmans still makes the torchiers by hand, one a time. His business is primarily through word of mouth as well as online sales. Glen said a love of landscaping and gardening was instilled in him at an early age and continues to this day. “Growing up, my parents were generous for giving us kids space to grow our own things,” he recalled. “Whatever was going on in the yard, we helped.” He also stressed how landscaping

and gardening of this magnitude may be on its way to becoming a lost art. “I don’t know if anyone can do what my parents do,” he said. “You don’t see this kind of maintenance very often these days, which is kind of a shame. It’s rewarding and quite nice.” When he wasn’t outside in the garden, Roger Koopmans spent roughly 60 years playing the trumpet with his big band orchestra, playing shows all over the state, as well as in Iowa and Wisconsin. He also spent time as a scoutmaster, was involved in a drum and bugle corps and was the chairman of the committee that built Faribault’s Trinity Lutheran Church. He said these are some of his most important memories of his life in Faribault. Koopmans also continues making minor additions and improvements to the family home that he and Kathleen have lived in for 65 years. What keeps Koopmans out in the yard season after season is his interest in using plants in thoughtful and creative ways. “Too many people buy plants when they are small and they forget what it

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is going to do,” he said. “Is it going to get bigger? Before you know it, it’s crawling up the side of the house. The secret is knowing what the plant material is going to do, and giving it the spacing it needs. You have put some feeling into it.” Kevin Krein covers arts and entertainment, non-profits, community events and people, and matters relating to Rice County and the surrounding townships for the Northfield News and the Faribault Daily News. You can reach him at 507-645-1106, or follow him on Twitter: @NfldNewsKevin.

“We try to be articulate in what we do. People like to see that. It’s high maintenance and we keep it to perfection. It keeps us in shape.” - Roger Koopmans

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The Peony Capital of The World? Built on the Brand Peony Farm property, Faribault Nursery was established in 1868 by Oliver F. Brand. By 1895, Brand’s collection of peony varieties grew to over 1,000 — making it one of the world’s largest collections of flowers. Peony shipments from the nursery were made all over the world by 1920. Faribault celebrated the flower for three years with a Peony Festival parade between 1927 and 1929. Brand retired in 1911 and his son Archie Brand took over the business until his death in 1953. The nursery’s office manger, Myrtle Gentry, ran things for three years prior to selling the business to Bob and Archie Tischler in 1956. Bob Tischler purchased full ownership in 1967 and sold the farm nine years later to Farmer Seed and Nursery. Four years after that, he opened Tischler Peony Garden. He continued to sell and cultivate the flower until 2002. Tischler passed away in 2007.

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A photo of the champions in what Faribault staff believes was 1976. Front, L-R: Larry Buhr, Roger Storey, Jim Nelson, Glenn Holman, Tom Waarvik and Daryl Walker. Rear, L-R: Clarence Anderson, Everett Osterman, Wayne Myhre, Gary Peterson, Gary Swanson, Dave Kolsrud and Allen Grinde. (Not pictured, Bob Trench.) (Faribault Park and Recreation photo)

Church League softball: A long history and more than just a game

By BRAD PHENOW bphenow@faribault.com

t has been around since the late-1960s, and there’s no doubt the game has changed over the nearly five decades. Church League softball in Faribault has not only been a way to bring members of faith together outside of the traditional Sunday worship, it has been a time for members of several churches in Faribault to let out their competitive side and to support one another. Jeff Jarvis, community enrichment coordinator for the Faribault Park and Recreation Department, said the earliest

reference of the league the department has on file is 1968. The league was initially set up for those ages 25 and older and both teams and members of those teams had to be affiliated with a local church. The first ball used, he explained, was an oversized ball − 16 inches − also known as a “kittenball.” Due to the size and softness of the ball, most players wouldn’t even use a glove. Louie Perron, a Faribault resident who umpired for more than 30 years and has been inducted into several softball-related halls of fame, recalled several years of the league. As the game evolved, he said catchers, pitchers and the first basemen began to use

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A photo of the champions in 1977. Front, L-R: Bud Meschke, Ray Traen, Denny Glynn and Dewey Van Orsow. Rear, L-R: Jim Meyer, Jerry Heyer, Bill Hohenthaner, Jim Anderson, Herb Chmiel, Jack Ostrom and Willard Peterson. (Faribault Park and Recreation photo)

gloves. With time, the ball went from 16 inches to 14 inches and later 12 inches. According to Jarvis, records show it was around 1982 when the kittenball phased out, which paved the way for a regular-size softball. The year following, the Park and Recreation Department advertised for a “men’s only” church league, he said. By 1987, the league reached 16 teams, representing more than 220 players. Perron said at one point, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church had four teams and other congregations had several, too. Randy Hardy, the interim pastor at Saint Luke’s Church and someone who has both played and umpired the church league, remembers back when there was an upper and lower league in the early 1990s. Two divisions were also established in the 2000s, according to Faribault Daily News’ archives. In 2003, the league was tweaked to offer a “competitive church league and strictly a [recreation] church league.” Despite changes being made throughout the years, like many of the softball leagues around the area, the number of participants, and in turn, teams, began to decrease. “The softball numbers had kind of went by the wayside,” said David Pribbenow, Adult

Our Savior’s Church took the title of the Faribault Church League in 1984. (Faribault Park and Recreation photo)

Program supervisor for Faribault Park and Recreation. “They fizzled out a bit.”

But, at the conclusion of the 2008 season, uuu

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The Divine Mercy Catholic Church team won the Church League Faribault slow-pitch softball championship for the second year in a row in 2013, finishing with a 10-2 record on the season. The Church League is co-ed for players ages 16-and-over, men use wooden bats and women use aluminum or wood. Back row, from left: Jean Brazil, Al Twaits, Tom Guth, Keith Brazil, Darrin Gilbertson, Perry Wengen, Dan Plaisance. Middle row: Tom Miller, Roger Golden, Tom Schoenbauer, Steve Bauer. Front row: Spencer Ellerbusch, Bryan Brazil. Not pictured: Mark Freed. (Photo provided)

the Faribault Park and Recreation Department announced a “new” look after some of the original players suggested the league was getting too competitive. The following year, wooden bats

were put in play for the men players. “It makes it a less dangerous game,” Pribbenow said, of the wood bats that continue to be used.

Hardy called it a wise move. At one point, the church league stopped altogether. In 2010, however, the park and recreation department revived it and announced

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new rules in an effort to “get the Church League back,” according to an article in 2010. On the rules implemented then and which continue today, Pribbenow said though it’s a men and women league, it’s not co-ed rules, meaning players can bat in any order, and play in any position. Perron said throughout the years, it wasn’t uncommon for players to just play one side of the game – either offense or defense. Looking at the numbers from decades ago compared to the more recent years, it’s a stark contrast, as the last few years the league was down to just four teams. But, like it has over the years, the numbers continue to fluctuate and this year it’s up to six teams, a sign that things could be picking up. “I would like it to grow even more,” Pribbenow said. Though smaller in size, it hasn’t altered the spirit of the teams that continue to make up the league. That goes for both the players and the crowd. “What’s fun,” Hardy said, “is our church league has a pretty big cheering section … that’s always a lot of fun.” Win or lose, it’s still a fun event and many find it as a way to connect with one another – including their own families. Pribbenow said the league offers a wide range of ages to get out and play.

“The teams that are in it, they have a really good time,” he said. “It’s cool to see some fatherson duos on the roster.” So as those involved say they would love to see

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According to the Faribault Park and Recreation Department, Church League softball has been around since the late-1960s. The league has gone through a number of changes over the years. (Daily News file photo)

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“The teams that are in it, they have a really good time. It’s cool to see some father-son duos on the roster.” - Randy Hardy

Church League 2016 The last few years, the Faribault Church League softball has been down to four teams. Though numbers are up to six this year, it’s far from where the league once was: 16 teams. Below are the six teams signed up for the 2016 season: • St. Patrick’s Church • Christ Lutheran Church • River Valley Church • St. Luke’s Church • Divine Mercy Catholic Church • Aztec Warriors Frank “Curly” Schreckenberg (left) and Dr. Roy Anderson watch a vintage baseball game from the the seats of Schreckenberg’s 1918 Model T, which he had brought out to the game for the second year in a row. Schreckenberg played softball in the church league until he was 71. (Daily News file photo)

teams signed up for this year’s 10-week league, it gives members of faith an option to gather with others with similar interests. The Tuesday night league has also led to church members reaching an even greater population, with friends being invited to participate, not only for the game, but to grow their faith.

Despite the wavering participation, and the desire to see it pick up, some argue the league itself has continued due to the strong encouragement that is evident during the game − and continues following the game − when the teams meet around home plate for a moment of prayer. “To thank God to compete with each other,”

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Hardy said. “To have a time of fellowship.” After all, standings don’t compare to the message that is passed around home plate following the final out. There, everyone if grateful – win or lose. Reach Associate Editor Brad Phenow at 507-645-1116, or follow him on Twitter @BradPhenow.

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More Information To volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul, contact Amy Troolin at 507323-0095, sadie-marie612@yahoo. com or Bill Lewis at bjlewis37@ gmail.com or 507-301-1977 for more information. For more information about St. Vincent de Paul and all the volunteer work they do in the community, visit their website at www.divinemercy.cc/#!st-vincentdepaul

Butch Schwartz helps unload a truck of food Thursday at St. Vincent de Paul. Schwartz has been an active volunteer in the community for years and has helped programs like St. Vincent de Paul raise money, food and many other things for others. (Matt Bigelow/Daily News)

Faribault’s Butch Schwartz exudes generosity By MATT BIGELOW mbigelow@faribault.com

hat is generosity? Is it donating money to a certain cause? Is there a dollar amount attached? Is it volunteering time to someone who needs help? Can it simply be helping spread the word about something to raise awareness? If people are looking for the ideal model of generosity in the Faribault community, look no further than Butch Schwartz. Schwartz has lived in Faribault since the mid-

1960s and has donated countless hours, dollars and much more to helping those in need. Schwartz is someone who goes about business quietly and has so for a long time. He’s not as active as he used to be, he said. He’s worked with St. Vincent de Paul for the last seven years and served as the president for four years between 2011 and 2015. “I love it, it’s a really great experience,” said Schwartz. “It’s been a lot of fun. You meet great people. Faribault is one of the most generous communities. You go to these fundraisers and you see the way people give money, time and talent, it’s really unbelievable. You can’t find a community like that very often. At Vincent, I see it every day. We do food, clothes and furniture, we pick it up

and we give it away for nothing.” Bill Lewis, the founder of St. Vincent de Paul, served as the president for three years before Schwartz and is the current president. He’s gotten to know Schwartz quite well in their time together and he said you won’t meet a finer person. “Butch is without a doubt one of the kindest people I’ve known,” said Lewis. “He’d do anything for anyone at any time. I swear, he’d take his shoes off his feet or the shirt off his back and give them to anyone who needed them. I can’t say enough good things about him.” St. Vincent de Paul has been an important part of the Faribault community for years now as it has served as a place where those in need of help uuu

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(food, clothes, etc.) can get it. It’s entirely volunteer driven, which makes it an environment built on generosity. “We’ve seen a huge influx of minorities in Faribault,” said Schwartz. “A lot of people think they are looking for a free ride. That’s not true. A bulk of them need help and aren’t making a lot of money.” Schwartz said the relationship between St. Vincent and businesses in the Faribault community are extremely strong. Stores like Wal-Mart, Aldi and Faribault Foods donate food for them to take and give back to people who may not have been able to afford it. “You see a lot of people donate things they may not need to St. Vincent,” said Schwartz. “Sometimes they are just looking to get rid of something, but it also helps others. I think when you do that, you get in a mindset of helping people. Down the road, that leads to more people helping people and it goes on.” St. Vincent de Paul hosts benefits during the year to raise money to stay in business and Schwartz has been a big help selling raffle tickets in that setting. That’s where he thinks it all starts. It’s an environment built on generosity and an unconditional type where people aren’t expecting something in return. “I think that it starts by these different fundraisers,” said Schwartz. “There are varieties of people that are at every fundraiser. I’m not rich; the good Lord didn’t put me here for that. The Faribault community has a huge faith base with strong churches in town. A lot of them that aren’t

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Butch Schwartz and other volunteers unload a truck of food donated to St. Vincent de Paul Thursday. Schwartz is one of many active volunteers in the Faribault community giving his time and energy to helping others. (Matt Bigelow/Daily News)

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even Catholic help St. Vincent de Paul, which is basically a catholic organization. We help anybody. It doesn’t matter faith, creed, race, it makes no difference. If you need food, you can get it from St. Vincent. That all starts at these fundraisers. What you see at these banquets and fundraisers; it’s unbelievable.” And according to Lewis, so is Schwartz’s generosity. “He’s got a heart of gold,” said Lewis. “Pure generosity. He’s always been willing to help. There’s never been anything he isn’t willing to do. When we need something in terms of raising funds, he’s been there to help. When we first started, he was there every day helping out. He’s been incredible.” Schwartz said he isn’t the key to the whole thing. He’d tell you he’s a small part of it. But that’s OK because every little bit of extra help makes all the difference. He’s made a living working, but his calling has been helping people. He’s one of many in the Faribault community that has, or is still doing the same thing. For Schwartz and many like him, the reward for all the volunteer work is as simple as feeling better about themselves. It’s a lifestyle and at this point in his life, Schwartz feels pretty good about what he’s done. “I’ve seen the good Lord work in so many ways, it doesn’t matter to me what religion people are,” said Schwartz. “I just think the good Lord works in a variety of ways and he works in everybody’s life who wants to accept him. It doesn’t matter what they call him. You see it, when you see it over and over; it gives you a good feeling. I’ve gotten more out of being with St. Vincent and going to these banquets than I could’ve imagined. I’m 73 and I feel good about what I’ve been able to do. I’ve always tried to do what’s right. I can’t do everything that I want but I can try to find a way to help in some way.”

Schwartz said his wife Kathryn has been instrumental in his life and a quest to help others. He said her generosity is an inspiration for him and her patience has allowed him to do all that he’s done for a long time. A lot of people may not think they’ve got the

Faribault like that. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to do all the things I’ve done. I wouldn’t trade it for all the money in the world. I don’t think anybody that is at St. Vincent would either.” “He’s a great model for this community to look

Butch Schwartz of St. Vincent de Paul said the organization helps those in need in a number of ways. (Camey Thibodeau/Daily News)

time, or the money or the resources to provide help for people in need. It doesn’t take much. Every little bit counts. It’s not always easy, but its right and its rewarding. Schwartz isn’t the face for St. Vincent de Paul. He probably wouldn’t want to be the face for it. He can be an inspiration though for people in the community. “My wife and I, we’ve always looked at helping somebody who needed it if we could do it,” said Schwartz. “There are a lot of people

up to,” said Lewis. “Butch has probably never gotten the kind of recognition he deserves in this community. He knows everyone in town, he’s gregarious and he’s friendly. The best way I can say it, if people could live the way he lives his life, this world would be 1,000 times better than it is today.” Matt Bigelow covers sports for the Daily News. You can reach him at 507-333-3129 or online via Twitter @FDNMattBigelow

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By ADAM J.S. HOLT aholt@faribault.com

Mark Fitzenberger took over as General Manager/Head Golf Professional at Legacy Golf in late 2013. He organizes everything from course maintenance to food and beverage for the course, grill and events. (Adam J.S. Holt/Daily News)

Being a head golf pro means a lot more than just golfing

ecently, Jon Vee was at the bank, where a worker recognized him as the Faribault Golf Club head golf professional. She asked what time he was going to golf that day. Vee responded that he hadn’t been out yet this year. Most people’s idea of what a golf pro does differs greatly from the reality. “Most people think that, ‘Oh, you’re a golf pro, you just play golf,’” Vee said. “That’s not it at all. I haven’t played yet this year. I’ve seen a lot of people play golf [though].” For Vee, who’s in his 15th season as the Head Golf Professional at Faribault Golf Club, and Mark Fitzenberger, who took over as General Manager/Head Golf Professional at Legacy Golf in 2013, it’s a job that goes way beyond golf. The two deal with everything from cart maintenance to food and beverage at their respective courses. At one point, yes, golf pros spent much of their time golfing and teaching the sport. That’s not the case anymore for these jacks-of-all-trades. “The golf pro position has kind of changed over the years,” Fitzenberger said. “Originally it was the guy who stood behind the counter and gave lessons. The golf professional position is now giving your customers the ultimate experience; making them feel warm. People are coming out, spending four or five hours on your golf course.” Both Vee and Fitzenberger are native Minnesotans who had many stops on their way to Faribault. Vee and his wife are from Madelia, and he worked at Rochester Golf and Country Club and The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis before taking over at Faribault Golf Club. Fitzenberger grew up in Stillwater and worked at Tanners Brook Golf Club in Forest Lake — which he still co-owns — with stops at Shoreland Country Club in St. Peter and Dellwood Country Club in White Bear Lake, taking over at The Legacy in November of 2013. The two had different paths in finding their ways to golf. “Actually, nobody in my family plays,” Fitzenberger said. “We moved to Stillwater and [my parents] bought a house on Indian Hills Golf Course. I think when I was 12 years old, I started caddying there and never left. So I’ve worked a golf course for over 30 years now, and I’ve been a golf pro for 25 now.” “It was a thing I got involved with through my parents early on,” Vee said. “I started playing real young and achieved some success at it at a real young age and just knew that somehow I wanted to be involved with this. I didn’t really know what being a golf pro was all about growing up and that sort of thing, and what it all entailed.” uuu

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addition to also becoming a PGA member. All that results in the opportunity to take on a unique, busy and wide-ranging job as a golf pro.

Wearing many hats

Jon Vee is in his 15th season as the Head Golf Professional at Faribault Golf and Country Club. Vee does everything from manage the pro shop to organize tournaments and he’s busy enough he doesn’t get to do all that much golfing himself. (Adam J.S. Holt/Daily News)

Path to pro Once the two aspiring golf pros decided that they did in fact want to be golf pros, there was a process to go through. In order to become a PGA member, there are a couple of main paths to choose. The PGA Professional Golf Management Program is the most common, and nowadays it’s a four-year degree program offered at a number of colleges and universities around the nation. Graduates also go through the requirements that result in PGA membership after completion. There’s also an apprenticeship requirement and everyone must pass a playing test where they hit a target score over two rounds of golf. There are three levels of proficiency to pass, and tests must be taken at PGA Headquarters in Florida. The programs cover everything from food and beverage to grounds agronomy to accounting

HUNTER

and computer classes, as well as club repair and merchandising. It’s as much business school as golf school. Thirty-six work experience credits must be gained as well, at a rate of one credit per month under a PGA pro. Once a prospective professional has completed all that and passed their tests, they need to be approved by their local PGA section — Vee actually runs orientation for southern Minnesota through the Minnesota Section PGA Apprentice Orientation Program. “A year after high school, I decided to get into the PGA program and started working for my boss at Indian Hills and [then] moved on from there,” Fitzenberger said. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever done; I haven’t done anything other than golf.” Vee went to a two-year program in Orlando to get a degree in golf course management, in

Both Faribault golf pros used a similar analogy when describing their jobs. “PGA professionals have turned into wearing many more hats than just being a golf professional,” Fitzenberger said. “You end up wearing a lot of hats,” Vee said. “We do play a little bit and we teach and run tournaments. But more or less, it’s the day-to-day managing of the golf operations of the course.” That means everything. Sometimes it’s asking the course superintendent about needs for the course. Sometimes it’s organizing a tournament or preparing both the course and the food and beverage staff for an event. There’s planning for the week, making sure everything is set for leagues, checking on equipment and maybe even time to pick the driving range of golf balls. Finding time to promote the game is important as well. Weather is a factor, too. April is usually the target date to open courses in Minnesota, but it’s been very warm in early March the past two years, allowing for early starts. “You never know what could happen,” Fitzenberger said. “Just like you never know when you should be at work and when you’re going to be done with work. Because you can’t tell somebody, ‘Well, it’s slow at 3 o’clock, I’m leaving at 3.’ It might pick up, something might happen. It could be 6, 7 o’clock.” The biggest thing is time management. There are a lot of things to keep track of and a lot of people to work with as a head golf pro. Assistant pros generally have it a bit easier. Vee credited his mentors, David Richardson at Rochester Golf and Country Club and Doug Nelson at Minikahda Club for setting a positive example of how to handle things. “I think you find out pretty quickly if you’re going to be able to handle it once you get started,” 

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“I’ve never done anything else, I love the job. But it is demanding. It’s hard on family and time-consuming. Summertime, I’m here seven days a week. If people think it’s a 9 to 5 job, it’s not 9 to 5. But I think if you talk to most golf pros, very few would want to do anything else.”

Save the date

- Mark Fitzenberger Vee said. “Obviously you’ve got to be pretty organized. You’ve got to have a certain personality to be able to deal with a lot of different personalities — that’s just customer service in general.” Not everyone who works as an assistant stays in the field. Vee said he’s had apprentices go on to be head pros at other courses, while others worked for Union Pacific or became insurance agents. But a lot of the business management and customer service skills gained on the path to becoming a golf pro are transferable to other fields. The wintertime is a chance to recharge for golf pros in Minnesota. But Fitzenberger said there’s plenty to do in preparation for the next season, and the restaurant is open on the weekends at The Legacy. He likes to find fresh ideas to get people to enjoy time at the course, whether it’s hosting hog roasts or corn feeds, and challenges his staff to think outside

the box as well. It’s a job where there’s not necessarily such thing as a typical day. New challenges and problems can arise at any time, and they aren’t always simply golf-related. The hours are long — often 60 to 80 hours per week during the season — and it’s hard not only to balance everything at the course properly, but also have a family life, too. Still, while being a head golf pro is not all fun and games all the time, it’s also something both Vee and Fitzenberger love. “I’ve never done anything else, I love the job,” Fitzenberger said. “But it is demanding. It’s hard on family and time-consuming. Summertime, I’m here seven days a week. If people think it’s a 9 to 5 job, it’s not 9 to 5. But I think if you talk to most golf pros, very few would want to do anything else.” Reach Sports Editor Adam Holt at aholt@faribault. com. Find him on Twitter @FDNAdamJSHolt.

Becoming a PGA member It’s not easy becoming a PGA member. Here are the requirements: • Be at least 18 years old or have a high school diploma, as well as proof of U.S. citizenship or be a resident alien • Meet PGA employment eligibility requirements, which means having been employed in a compatible position for at least six months when you register, as well as being full-time employed • Pass the Player Ability Test, which is two rounds of golf with target scores to hit • Register to become an apprentice and go through the PGA PGM Program Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3, for which you have two years to complete each level. Each level’s testing consists of different aspects of both golf and management. • Gain work experience equal to 36 credits — one credit per month under a PGA professional, with the option to gain additional credits by completing a two- or four-year degree through a PGA Golf Management University Program − Source: PGA

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