F R E E WINTER
2016
Coming Home The Home Free vocal group comes home for a concert in Mankato
Also in this issue: The Pie Peddler bakes up a storm for the Mankato Farmers Market Child actors paving their careers in Southern MN Santa’s Little Helpers helping children with gift-giving
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Contents
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12
MATURE LIFEST YLE • WINTER 2016 • VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1
FEATURES 6 Coming Home A capella group Home Free returns to Mankato for its annual holiday concert.
10 The Pie Peddler The crust is truly the star of The Pie Peddler’s fruit pies, sold at each Mankato Farmer’s Market.
16
12 A Family Affair The child actors of MSU Theatre and Dance work hard and play hard.
16 Joy of Giving Santa’s Little Helpers aims to empower kids to give gifts to the adults in their lives.
DEPARTMENTS
20
15 Book Review: Holiday Gift Guide 20 Travel: Voluntourism 22 Calendar of Events
Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 3
PUBLISHER’S NOTES
Welcome to the Winter edition of Mature Lifestyle…
W
elcome to the winter edition of Mature Lifestyle! This issue is packed with stories to prepare you for the winter season...and some stories that inspire hope of spring and summer. I say this because I’m thinking of the pie lady story and going to the Farmer’s Market already! Our Mature Lifestyle cover features the musical group, Home Free. Yes, I am a Home Free groupie. In 2013 I was glued to the television watching them compete on the NBC program, “The Sing-Off.” You would have thought I was crazy, dancing around the living room after they won. If you haven’t googled the song, “Ring of Fire” that they have performed...you need to. As I watched the brothers from Mankato, Chris and Adam Rupp plus the others, tour the countryside in their RV, it was a realization that these young men have worked really hard in pursuing their singing career. Talent abounds in the Rupp family as mother, Cindy, is the director of music at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato. And mom says it best, “They are so good. Whether you’re young or old, they seem to appeal to all genres and ages. We are all very proud of the fact that they started in their hometown of Mankato and have won a national TV show.” Mark Dec. 20th on your calendar and attend their “Home Free for the Holidays” concert at the Verizon Center. Next is our story of the Pie Peddlers, Jean Jacobs and Charlie Saffert. I have ordered pies and salted nut rolls from them
4 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
for Thanksgiving the last several years. It’s a treat for my family to try the different flavors...everyone has their favorite and we look forward to them every year. True confession: I have not tried their Whoppie Pies but that will be my first stop at the winter Farmer’s Market. Simply delicious. Continue on with our story entitled, “A Family Affair” which features children who are actors in the productions at MSU and throughout southern Minnesota. A visit to grandparents in Kiester started the career of Joshua Brooks and he comes from a long line of entertainers. It takes a family commitment when a child wants to become an actor. Kudos to the Brooks family. Please take a minute and read the story about Sesamae Glackler-Riquelme and her vision for starting “Santa’s Little Helpers.” This event gets larger every year and at a very young age Sesamae is learning how important it is to give more than you receive. For more information or if you want to be a part of this event in future years, visit her facebook page, santaslittlehelpers or email Sesamae at santaslittlehelpers13@gmail.com In closing be sure to check out the calendar of events and our story about travel called, “Voluntourism 101.” But mostly enjoy the colors of winter and reading this issue of Mature Lifestyle!
Kelly Hulke, Publisher
Mature Lifestyle is a Quarterly Publication of the Home Magazine, Mankato, MN. A Property of Community First Holdings, Inc.
Publisher Kelly Hulke Sales Manager Mary DeGrood Sales Executives Yvonne Sonnek Debby Carlson Deena Briggs Dorothy Meyer Editorial/Photography Amanda Dyslin Graphic Designer Deb Granger Production Heather Zilka Sirena Tanke Office Julie Bundy Jolynn Kurtz Advertising Information: Home Magazine 1400 Madison Ave., Suite 610 Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 387-7953 fax 387-4775 homemag@homemagonline.com
On the cover: Home Free, left to right: Rod Lundquist, Chris Rupp, Austin Brown, Tim Foust, Adam Rupp
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Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 5
Coming Home by Amanda Dyslin
Home Free is an a cappella group that won the fourth season of NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” Photo courtesy of homefreemusic.com
6 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
left to right: Tim Foust, Austin Brown, Rob Lundquist, Chris Rupp, Adam Rupp
HOME FREE
T
he now world-famous a cappella group Home Free has a huge entourage, including people paid to tell them where to go and what to wear when they get there. They’re touring abroad, tickets to their shows are in demand, and they’ve got a new album out, “Country Evolution.” So why keep up the tradition of coming home to little ol’ Mankato every holiday season? “First of all, their mommy is here,” said Cindy Rupp, mother of founding members Adam and Chris Rupp, from Mankato. “But not only that, they come back for Hosanna (Lutheran Church). That’s where they started out. And they’ve got support at home from people here in Mankato who are all proud of the fact that a hometown group won a national TV show.” NBC’s a cappella competition “The SingOff” is the aforementioned TV show. The night of Dec. 23, 2013, the Rupp brothers and 350 fans, friends and family members gathered at Hosanna for the national airing of the show’s finale, during which Home Free was declared the winner of the title, $100,000 and a recording contract. The all-male group shortly after released its first studio album on Columbia Records, and two more have followed. The night of the show’s finale, one of the first questions asked by a fan was, “Are you ready for the ride?” “We’ve been asking ourselves that question for the last three months,” Chris Rupp said. “I’m glad this is finally over, and we can talk about it now. Yeah, there’s a lot of cool stuff coming.”
Chris’ prediction was certainly true. Great fortune has come to the group during the past two years, including an ever-increasing fan base that can be seen firsthand whenever they return to Mankato. Cindy said their homecoming show grows every year. At first the holiday show was being held at Hosanna, but the group has gotten too big. The “Home Free for the Holidays Tour” will be held again this year at the Verizon Wireless Center on Dec. 20. Cindy said “The Sing-Off” was definitely the catalyst that rocketed Home Free to fame, but she said it’s important to note that the men had been pursuing singing (continued on next page)
Cindy Rupp is the mother of Chris and Adam Rupp of Home Free. Photo: Hosanna Lutheran Church
“Country Evolution” is Home Free’s most recent album. Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 7
Coming Home
(continued from previous page)
as a career full time for years before. The journey had been a steady climb since 2000, when then-Mankato teens Matt Atwood and Chris and Adam Rupp sang together to compete in Hosanna Lutheran Church’s annual talent contest. “(‘The Sing-Off’) really brought them up to the plate, as far as popularity across the world,” Cindy said. “And now they are all over the world. God has blessed them.” Group members have come and gone over the years, with the Rupps remaining as the only original members. The current lineup also includes Rob Lundquist from Brooklyn Park; Tim Foust, originally from Nederland, Texas; and Austin Brown, a native of south Georgia. With the addition of two southern singers, Chris said Home Free became a country act, a genre they adopted during their audition for “The Sing-Off.” The decision to go country clearly has served them well and was punctuated the night they won the competition. Chris reflected on that moment at Hosanna when the taping was finally broadcast. “We bawled like manly men,” Chris said. Thinking back on that whole experience, Cindy said, as parents, she and her husband were so proud to be there for the first day of the show in Los Angeles and again for the taping of the finale when they won. “Aside from speaking as a mother and being proud of the group, as an entertainer and musician myself, I am also proud of the group,” she said. “They are so good. Whether you’re young or you’re old, they seem to appeal to all genres and ages.” ■
(right)“Crazy Life” was released in 2014.
8 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
Adam and Chris Rupp grew up in Mankato and started their career with winning the talent contest at Hosanna Lutheran Church. Three albums later, the brothers have just released their 3rd album and are popular throughout the world. Photos courtesy of homefreemusic.com
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Across 1. Not for 5. Light-headed? 10. Give up land 14. Creatrure for Crockett’s cap 15. Tattered and torn 16. Catch wind of 17. Vamoose 20. City sought by Raleigh 21. Thing in the plus column 22. Suffix for “acrobat” 23. “...slithy toves did ___ and gimble” (“Jabberwocky”) 25.Enter a pool 29. Homestyle entree 33. Dull, hollow sound 34. Oscar winner Sean 35. Direction away from “to” 36. Make a beeline toward 40. Money Roll 41. Superior rating 42. Construction support 43. School gathering 46. Bart and Belle 47. Use a beam for surgery 48. Summa ____ laude 49. “Who knows?” gesture 52. Apprehended by cops 57. Traveling straight up? 60. Allocate (with “out”) 61. Apline tune 62. Common food fish 63. Lofty poems 64. How coquettes chat 65. “Clapping” aquatic animal
Answers on pg. 14
3.9” x 10.25”
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Down 1. Result of overtraining, perhaps 2. Christmas tune 3. Frog’s relative 4. Chinese leader? 5. Bring up, as a subject 6. Adds fat for cooking 7. Football great Graham 8. Extreme utmost degree 9. Do a salon job 10. Carpentry tool 11. Congers and such 12. Chip’s cartoon chum 13. Prefix with “while”, once 18. Searches for weapons 19. Hind’s mate 23. “Arabian Nights” character 24. Yin partner 25. Upside-down “e” 26. Answers to charges 27. Readies, as a rifle 28. “Go on...” 29. Irving’s “A Prayer for Owen ____” 30 Bidder’s amount 31. Loud, as a stadium crowd 32. Government paperwork 34. Member of the wking. class 37. File folder parts 38. Contract workers? 39. Unknown, on a TV sched. 44. Dodges 45. The kinds of “We Three Kings” 46. “____you jest!” 48. Barbaric 49. Schmendrick 50. Act on, as advice 51. Assign stars to, perhaps 52. Mark of “Game of Thrones” 53. Drunkard 54. Not false 55. Sicilian hothead? 56. Indian lentil dish (Var.) 58. Empire State Bldg. site 59. Baby’s first word, sometimes
Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 9
THE PIE PEDDLER
Peddling Pies
by Amanda Dyslin
I
t’s an unassuming little white convection oven in an unassuming little kitchen in a lovely little Tourtellotte Park neighborhood home. For most people, the size of one’s oven wouldn’t often come up in conversation. But for Jean Jacobs, tales of this particular appliance surprise a lot of people. “People always assume I must have at least two ovens,” said Jacobs, the baker behind The Pie Peddler in Mankato. “Nope, it’s just the one convection oven. I can bake six pies at a time.” That’s part of what makes the success of The Pie Peddler so intriguing. During peak times of the Mankato Farmer’s Market in July and August, Jacobs and her partner, Charlie Saffert, bring 48 large fruit pies and 100 small ones to sell. It’s a business both have worked pretty much full time at for the past nine years, which is in addition to their other day jobs. “We just bake on the Fridays before (the Farmer’s Market), but with the prep time, packaging and everything else, it’s 40 hours a week,” Jacobs said. But it’s a labor of love, they said – especially come Saturday mornings during the Farmer’s Market season. “I love meeting the people and seeing the smiles on their faces,” Jacobs said. “Especially when they come back and tell us how great the pies are,” Saffert said. Before The Pie Peddler came into being, Jacobs had baked pies for family and friends for years. Nobody else wanted to make the pies for gatherings, so she happily took the charge. 10 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
Charlie Saffert, left , and Jean Jacobs are the women behind Mankato’s Pie Peddler. Baking six pies at a time, they have grown their business into one of the most popular tables at Mankato’s Farmers Market.
Experimenting with recipes and really enjoying the art of baking made Jacobs curious about expanding her endeavors. Jacobs and Saffert have friends who were selling green beans at the Farmer’s Market, and their experience helped show them what it took to be a vendor. “They said, ‘You have to have a lot of quantity or the customers don’t think you’re serious. Don’t come in with just a little card table; come in with a big display,’” Jacobs said.
The quantity aspect was part of what fueled some doubt by onlookers in the beginning. A boy had previously attempted to bring pies to the market, but the demand became too much to bear for him. Jacobs wasn’t worried, though. “I said, ‘Try and stop me. Let’s go,’” Jacobs said with a laugh. The Pie Peddler was then born, with Jacobs and Saffert committed to bringing pies May through Oct. 31 to the parking lot
of Madison East Center. (Now the summer market is held in the Best Buy parking lot.) They started slowly at first, but the demand quickly grew. “We started with basic fruit pies: apple, blueberry, cherry, peach and raspberry,” Jacobs said. “Then we started to do different styles of pies. We started to make half and halfs and three-part pies with a Y-shaped divider crust.” The crust truly became the star of Pie Peddler Pies, as is often reflected in comments they receive from customers. Jacobs began with a family recipe and evolved it, eventually landing on a crust recipe that is lauded by all who taste it. “We tweaked that for a good season and a half, and now we’ve got it down,” said Jacobs, who keeps the recipe top secret. The fruit filling is made fresh by a vendor in Minneapolis. Jacobs puts the pies all together and bakes them, and Saffert handles labeling and packaging, as well as assists with various other details of the business. They also bounce ideas off of each other, including the invention of their “swirl pies,” which incorporate a small amount of one filling into another. For example, Jacobs makes an apple pie with a swirl of blueberry. “I thought she was crazy,” Saffert said. Saffert was proven wrong when a man, having wanted a blueberry pie, ended up buying an apple-blueberry swirl when the plain blueberry ran out. The next Saturday he came marching toward the women, who were a bit taken aback at first, until he leaned into Saffert and said, “That was delicious.” One of their latest inventions is the 4 Floor pie, which layers four flavors of filling equally in one pie. The twinberry pie, which layers raspberry and blueberry, is also fairly new. They also make salted nut rolls, whoopie pies and cake balls. Jacobs and Saffert also make an annual trip to a farmer’s market in Greeley, Colo., to buy peaches from Saims Fruits Inc., a family operation which now picks peaches
especially for them and has them waiting every year. They drive dozens of cases back to Mankato, and they can the peaches and use the rest to make fresh peach pies. They sell the cans and the pies at the market, and the products are in great demand each year. Now, with the winter Mankato Farmer’s Market in its third year, the women get even less of a break from The Pie Peddler operation than they previously had. The market isn’t held every week, but the upcoming dates of Dec. 19, Jan. 9, Jan. 23, and Feb. 6 at Drummer’s Garden Center will keep them busy. “That’s OK. I always said, the moment it’s not fun anymore, we’re not going to do it,” Jacobs said. In February and March, they’ll finally have a chance to relax. Although the work never truly stops, they said. They’re always thinking about what comes next. “One thing we’re going to change for next season is I would really like to have a spot where people can preorder the pies they want so they can pick them up next week,” Jacobs said. The idea came about because, a couple of hours into the Farmer’s Market each week, the most popular flavors that people love are already gone. That’s a pretty good problem to have. The Pie Peddler pies are $12 for a 9-inch ($15 for fresh peach), $5 for a 4-inch, and $2 for a 3-inch. The Winter Farmer’s Market will be held 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 19, Jan. 9, Jan. 23 and Feb. 6 at Drummer’s Garden Center. ■ Top to bottom: The 4 Floor pie, which layers four flavors of fruit filling, is one of The Pie Peddler’s latest inventions. (ACBR=Apple, Cherry, Blueberry and Raspberry) Whoopie pies are one of the popular non-pie baked goods made and sold by The Pie Peddler. The Pie Peddler sells pies and other baked goods at the Mankato Farmer’s Market. The crust is truly the star of Pie Peddler pies. Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 11
A Family Affair by Amanda Dyslin
Home Free is an a cappella group that won the fourth season of NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” Photo courtesy of homefreemusic.com
12 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
CHILD ACTORS
K
iester is a very small town, and that becomes even more apparent when you have a pre-K child to entertain. The need to occupy the time of their grandson led Fred and Jeanne Brooks of Kiester to buy and build a swing set in their yard years ago. And as children will do, Joshua Ryder Brooks made it clear what interested him most about that swing set: the box it came in. “We heard him singing, and we turned around, and he was in the box with a stick, singing ‘Just Around the Riverbend’ from ‘Pocahontas,’” said Jeanne, adding that, to Joshua, the box was his boat and the stick was his oar. “He’s very creative.” This creativity began to really bloom at age 3, Jeanne said, and developed into quite a love of the arts. Cut to five or so years later, and Joshua has become one of the most prominent child actors on the stages of the Minnesota State University Theatre and Dance department. “We’re so proud, but we are most happy because this is what he loves to do,” Jeanne said. “His thing is singing and dancing and acting, and it comes to him so easily.” Joshua is one of many MSU Theatre child actors with their sights set on theatrical careers. And Joshua’s grandparents and
Opposite page: Top left: Joshua Ryder Brooks (bottom right) played the role of Randy in “A Christmas Story: The Musical.” Top right: Aliya Mukamuri (middle) played the part of Martha in “The Miracle Worker” this fall. Bottom left: Aliya Mukamuri (left) is a prolific performer with MSU Theatre who has taken on diverse and challenging roles. Bottom right: Joshua Ryder Brooks was the only child actor in MSU Theatre’s musical “Titanic” this fall. All photos courtesy of MSU Theatre
mother are three of the many loved ones of these children who commit just as fully to making their dreams come true as they do. For Joshua the acting bug bit when he was staying with his grandparents at age 3. His mom, Diana Brooks, was serving with the Coast Guard during the BP oil spill, and Joshua stayed in Kiester for four months. Disney musicals were his favorite movies. He learned all the songs and acted out the parts. Soon he was taking dance classes, and by the summer before kindergarten, he was playing The Frog Prince in a Child’s Play Theatre production. A variety of productions with Child’s Play and Trinity Lutheran Church in Kiester followed before Joshua made his way to MSU Theatre, debuting as Wally Webb in “Our Town” in 2014. The School in Wells, has managed to stay a very good student while taking part in MSU Theatre shows. He was the only child actor in the gigantic musical “Titanic” this fall, playing the role of Jack Thayer. And he most recently played Randy, one of the leads, in “A Christmas Story: The Musical.” Randy is Joshua’s favorite role so far, and it’s one of Jeanne’s favorites, too, because she says the character is so much like Joshua’s own personality. His commitment has impressed her a great deal. “I say, ‘Joshua, let’s rehearse your lines,’” Jeanne said. “He says, ‘Grandma, I know my lines.’” No matter how many times Jeanne has seen Joshua on stage, her reaction remains the same. “I cry every time,” she said. “His greatgrandmother, my mother, was a professional performer – a musician – and I think of my mother when I see him. He’s quite the entertainer.” Aliya Mukamuri is another prolific performer who already has been in two productions this fall with MSU Theatre. An eighth-grader at East Junior High School,
Aliya Mukamuri (bottom left) played the role of Analiese in MSU Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical.”
Joshua Ryder Brooks, a third-grader, played the role of Jack Thayer in “Titanic.”
(continued on next page) Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 13
A Family Affair
(continued from previous page)
Aliya played the part of Martha in “The Miracle Worker” and was recently Analiese in “A Christmas Story: The Musical.” During the past five years she’s been in a variety of other productions, including “Annie,” “Les Miserables” and “Hairspray.” Amy Mukamuri, Aliya’s mom, said her acting bug bit in first grade when she and her older sister, Maya, were in The Merely Players’ production, “Wind in the Willows.” When Aliya was in second grade and Maya was in fourth, they were both cast in MSU Theatre’s production of “Annie,” and they all fully realized the commitment it takes to be part of such a hard-working theater. “My dad is a theater professor, so as a kid, I kind of knew the hours he put into productions,” Amy said. “But as a parent, you just don’t realize the late nights and the length of time it takes. It was a huge commitment for our family.”
But it’s one they are happy to make, Amy said, because Aliya has truly found her passion. She currently has her sights set on a Broadway career.
“This is really what she wants to do,” Amy said. “We have been comfortable with it because she loves it so much. I think that makes it easier as a parent.” ■
On the Mainstage … “Antigone” – Jan. 28-31 & Feb. 3-7, 2016, Andreas Theatre “Rumors” – Feb. 18-20 & 25-28, 2016, Ted Paul Theatre “Mary Poppins” – April 7-10 & 14-17, 2016, Ted Paul Theatre
In the Studio …
Coming up next in the MSU Theatre season
“Oleanna” – March 30-April 2, 2016, Andreas Theatre “Boy Gets Girl” – April 20-23, 2016, Andreas Theatre
Dance … Fall Dance Concert – Dec. 4-5, Ted Paul Theatre Spring Dance – April 29-30, Ted Paul Theatre
Tickets & Info … MSUTheatre.com or 389-6661
Answers to crossword on page 9
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BOOK REVIEW by Terri Schlichenmeyer
S
hopping is easy. You do it at least once a week, just because. It’s fun, relaxing,
enlightening, and social. You love to shop… except when you have to shop for a gift for someone and you don’t know what to buy. Gah. In that case, how about a book? How about one of these books…..
FICTION Who doesn’t want a thriller for mid-winter reading? For sure, your giftee will, and The Jaguar’s Children by John Vaillant is the one to wrap. It’s the story of Hector, who’s being smuggled into America from Mexico when the truck he’s in breaks down. He’s sealed inside and the smugglers have left but he has a cell phone and your giftee will have a page-turner. Wrap it up with A Free State by Tom Piazza, a thrilling novel of a former slave who, in conjunction with the leader of a minstrel troupe, concocts a dangerous ruse so that he can make music on-stage with white performers. Oh, did I say that a slave hunter is on his trail? For the historian who needs a little fiction now and then, Viet Man by D.S. Lliteras may be the thing to wrap up. It’s the story of a warrior, after he comes home, and the memories of battle that he struggles to forget. Wrap it up with The Guyana Contract by Rosalind Kilkenny McLymont, a ripped-fromthe-headlines thriller about a high-powered female executive whose new work assignment seems suspiciously underhanded – a feeling
she especially gets when she learns that a man from her past is involved, too… If your giftee would love the gift of laughter, then wrap up Formerly Fingerman by Joe Nelms. It’s the story of a guy who’s down-andout and, coincidentally, at the top of a list of witnesses for a murder trial… except he didn’t really see the murder. Wrap it up with You Could Be Home By Now by Tracy Manaster, the story of a young couple, an older retiree, and a viral news story that should’ve never seen the light of day.
GENERAL NON-FICTION Music lovers know what they like, and I’ll bet yours will like Playboy Swings by Patty Farmer. It’s the story of how an iconic men’s magazine (and the empire that sprang from it)
changed the way we find, enjoy, and listen to music. Wrap it up with The Song Machine by John Seabrook, a book that examines why we listen to and love the music we can’t get out of our heads. The gardener on your list will plant her fanny down and read, once you’ve given her The Reason for Flowers by Stephen Buchmann. It’s all about flowers, their history, the places they’re grown – even the critters that help them bloom. Wrap it up with a pair of garden gloves and a pretty trowel. The grammarian in your life will love owning The Handy English Grammar Answer Book by Christine A. Hult, PhD. It’s a nice reference book, ready-made for a quick look-up and argument settler. Double your giftee’s (continued on page 18)
Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 15
SESAMAE GLACKLERRIQUELME
The Joy of Giving by Amanda Dyslin
F
amilies come in all varieties. Sesamae Glackler-Riquelme knows that some kids don’t have a mom and a dad. Sometimes the special adults in a child’s life are not parents. Sometimes they are older siblings, or aunts and uncles. Oftentimes they’re grandparents. That’s why on Dec. 5 at First Congregational United Church of Christ, there were once again plenty of grandmas and grandpas drinking coffee and chatting with friends and neighbors while their grandchildren shopped for a special gift for them for Christmas. “We do have a lot of grandparents who come through,” said Marisel Glackler-Riquelme, Sesamae’s mom. “It’s really sweet.” This year marked the third installment of Sesamae’s Santa’s Little Helpers store. Thousands of dollars in brand new, adult-oriented gifts are donated each year and set up at the church to look like a store. All children (not just those whose families are in need) are invited to the church to choose up to two gifts for adults in their lives free of charge. The children are paired with helper elves to usher them around the store, while the children’s loved ones wait in a room together. Volunteers wrap the child’s chosen gifts so that they remain a surprise until they are given to their loved ones on Christmas. Sesamae, now 15, was initially inspired in 2010 to come up with the event that aims to “empower children to experience compassion.” Her dad, Mick Glackler-Riquelme, was deployed with the military overseas, and he had always been the one to help Sesamae shop for her mom. Sesamae felt something was missing from her holiday that year: the joy of giving. “It wasn’t the present itself, it was the experience that she got when she surprised me after picking out a specific present for me – that feeling of giving a gift to someone,” Marisel said. 16 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
Sesamae Glackler-Riquelme started Santa’s Little Helpers to give children an opportunity to “shop” for gifts for the adults in their lives.
Top: With the help of many volunteers, Sesamae Glackler-Riquelme creates a “store” at First Congregational United Church of Christ for children to pick out gifts for the adults in their lives. Right: There is a gift-wrapping room at the Santa’s Little Helpers event so the presents can be a surprise for the children’s loved ones.
Sesamae realized there are many other children out there who are just as unable to give to the adults in their lives every holiday season. They don’t have much or any of their own money, and they don’t have a way to get to the stores. And so two years ago, when Sesamae was 13, she got Santa’s Little Helpers off the ground. “She really had a vision, and we kept asking her, ‘How do you see this happening?’” Marisel said. With a lot of legwork, Sesamae’s family enacted that vision. Donations of everything from jewelry to kitchen supplies to wallets to board games were collected and displayed to look like a store in Sesamae’s family’s church. The first year, 200 children attended. “I think what was really cool that first Christmas was when we were sitting there talking about how a couple hundred kids were, at that moment, getting excited about giving their parents a present,” Marisel said. “We said, ‘Sesamae, take this in at this moment.’”
Last year, despite personal difficulties for the family, the event got even bigger. With Sesamae’s grandmother sick and the family on the verge of losing their home, the family dedicated themselves to giving back. They gathered even more donations, and they rallied even more volunteers. About 300 children attended. This year, the family was expecting 400 or more children to attend. Any child age 15 or under was able choose up to two gifts for their adults. The gifts don’t cost anything. “She’s getting better at connecting with organizations and spreading the word,” Marisel said. Sesamae and her family are proud of how big the event has become. “It’s just really interesting because, at the beginning, it was this tiny idea,” Marisel said. “Me and her dad are extremely proud.” Because of Sesamae’s work with Santa’s Little Helpers, she received the Mankato Spirit of Youth Award in May 2014. The Spirit of Youth Award recognizes
“It wasn’t the present itself, it was the experience that she got when she surprised me after picking out a specific present for me...that feeling of giving a gift to someone.”
outstanding youth, youth organizations and community members who support positive youth development. She was also the area store winner of the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship in spring 2014. This award recognizes outstanding kid volunteers in the area. ■
Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 17
Book Review (continued from page 15)
pleasure by adding Check These Out by Gina Sheridan, a book about books.
HISTORY Want to hear a whoop of pleasure when the gifts are opened? A Little History of the United States by James West Davidson will make that happen. It’s a lively, not-so-little look at the little ways that people from all walks of life, cultures, backgrounds, and incomes came together to make a nation. For the political animal on your gift list, what could be better than War Plan Red by Kevin Lippert? This little volume explains that, though the border between the States and their neighbor to the north is one that’s barely noticed, the relationship that Canada has had with the U.S. (and vice versa) wasn’t always so amicable; in fact, once upon a time, there were thoughts of invasion!
COOKING / FOOD The mixologist on your list will truly enjoy Cocktail Noir by Scott M. Deitche, an allthings-gangster look at speakeasies, gin joints, hooch, authors who write about them, and recipes. Mystery fans will like it, too. Also look for Best Food Writing 2015, edited by Holly Hughes. Your foodie will love you for it. The foodie on your gift list will love this pair of memoirs about food: first, there’s Life from Scratch by Sasha Martin, a book about a food writer who undertook an unusual project, and how it helped her face her memories. Pair it with Eating Viet Nam by Graham Holliday, foreword by Anthony Bourdain. That’s the story of a man who also undertakes an unusual (and actually quite risky) project overseas.
PETS AND ANIMALS The lover of felines doesn’t want to unwrap just any old “cat book,” which is why you’ll want to find Wild Cats of the World by Luke Hunter, illustrated by Priscilla Barrett. Filled with pictures, drawings, and pages and pages
18 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
of information, this gorgeous book is probably exactly purrfect. Can your giftee teach an old dog new tricks? Apparently so, as you’ll both see in The Secret History of Kindness by Melissa Holbrook Pierson. It’s a book about how dogs – and other animals – learn and how a trainer can facilitate the link between canine and human. Give. Sit. Or wrap it up with Buster: The Military Dog Who Saved a Thousand Lives by Will Barrow, as Told to Isabel George.
LGBT STUDIES If there is a young adult on your list who’s recently come out – or who knows someone who has – then This Book is Gay by James Dawson has answers to a lot of questions, including those from people who’ve come out already and who offer advice. It’s a quick-toread, easily browse-able book that treats all subjects factually. Bonus: you can borrow it back if you have questions of your own… If there’s someone on your list who’s fascinated by (or uninformed of) LGBTQ history, then The Gay Revolution by Lillian Faderman could be the best gift he (or she!) gets this holiday. This brick of a book is filled with over 700 pages of tales of the fight for basic rights and the triumphs as they happened. Wrap it up with a book that looks at another facet of LGBTQ history: QDA: A Queer Disability Anthology, edited by Raymond Luczak. It’s a book filled with stories – 48 of them – written by authors who explore what it’s like to be disabled and gay.
AFRICAN AMERICAN INTEREST No doubt, there’s a historian on your list. That means you’ll want to wrap up Warrior for Justice: The George Eames Story by Kathy Andre-Eames, foreword by Dale Brown. It’s the story of activist George Eames who, despite being wheelchair-bound, fought for civil rights beginning some fifty years ago. It’s also a tale of the author (Eames’ wife) and her partnership with him in racial equality and help for those with disabilities. Wrap it up with Florynce ‘Flo’ Kennedy: The Life of a Black Feminist Radical by Sherie M. Randolph, which is the story of a world-changing black feminist in a white feminist world.
BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS What do you give to your best friend? If that’s a question you’ve been asking, then Five Years in Heaven by John Schlimm is the perfect answer. It’s a book about the friendship between a thirty-something man and an eighty-something nun who teaches him a thing or two – as he’s also teaching her. Another great story to give is White Eskimo by Stephen R. Bown. It’s the tale of Knud Rasmussen and the exploration of the Arctic. Who hasn’t dreamed of running away to join the circus? No doubt, your giftee has and Love in the Elephant Tent by Kathleen Cremonesi is the right book to wrap. It’s the story of an administrative assistant who leaves her life behind to start a new one as a dancer in a circus. But adventure isn’t all she finds, and that’s a jumbo story. Pair it with American Ghost by Hannah Nordhaus, another unusual story:
Nordhaus writes about her family, particularly her great-great-grandmother’s ghost.
BUSINESS & FINANCE For the about-to-be-retired person on your gift list, you probably can’t find a better, more helpful book than Get What’s Yours by Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Philip Moeller, and Paul Solman. It’s a book about social security: what to know, what to look for when it’s time to sign up for it, and how to get the most out of it. How great is that? Make it even greater by wrapping it up with Social Security Works! by Nancy J. Altman and Eric R. Kingson, a book about how to fix Social Security.
HEALTH / DEATH & DYING How does someone deal with a life they know is about to end? If that’s something your giftee has interest in, then We Know How This Ends: Living While Dying by Bruce H. Kramer with Cathy Wurzer might be a good choice for a gift. It’s Kramer’s story of a diagnosis of ALS, and how he made each day count, despite that he knew what was imminent. Wrap it up with tissues. That’s all – except to say that you might want to add After This by Claire Bidwell Smith. For the person who loves to work out, show you care by wrapping up Fit Not Healthy by Vanessa Alford. It’s a cautionary tale of one woman’s obsession to excel, physically, and how it completely backfired… If there’s someone on your gift list who’ll be making some serious decisions in the coming year, The Eldercare Consultant by Becky Feola could be a nice book to give. It’s a question-answering, comfort-giving, mindsettling kind of book that could give your giftee a little peace in life.
WISCONSIN AUTHORS Milwaukee: land of Brewers and brewers, right? If there’s someone on your list who loves the city-on-the-lake, then Milwaukee Mayhem: Murder and Mystery in the Cream City’s First Century by Matthew J. Prigge is a great book to wrap up. Great for Wisconsin historians, too. Also for the historian: Native People of Wisconsin by Patty Loew, now revised an expanded. It’s a look back at Native
Americans in the Badger State, from the earliest years to modern times. If your giftee loves re-enactments, or imagining what life was like for our ancestors in the Midwest, then A Settler’s Year: Pioneer Life Through the Seasons by Kathleen Ernst, Photographs by Loyd Heath is a great gift. This book gives modern-day readers a look backwards, with the help of Old World Wisconsin. Lots of pictures in this book. Irresistible! Wrap it up with Polka Heartland: Why the Midwest Loves to Polka by Rick March, photos by Dick Blau. For the passionate dancer in your family, it’s perfect.
LITTLE KIDS’ BOOKS Even little ones suffer loss, and if there’s a child on your list who fits that statement, then wrap up Love from a Star by Katherine Cutchin Gazzetta. It’s a sweet little story that lets your giftee know that she’s loved, no matter where her missing person is. And if the missing person is in the military, then pair it with Papa’s Backpack by James Christopher Carroll, the story of love between a child and his soldier father. If there’s someone on your list who just started school this fall (or will within the next few months), then School Days around the World by Margriet Ruurs and Alice Feagan would make a nice gift. It’s a kid-friendly look at the school days of other kids in other countries. Wrap it up with I Want to Eat Your Books by Karin LeFranc and Tyler Parker. It’s a cute story of a monster at school who’s determined to make literary mischief.
MIDDLE-GRADE READERS Kids who love all things spooky will surely love unwrapping A Curious Tale of the InBetween by Lauren DeStefano. It’s a dark tale of a girl whose best friend is a dead boy, and when she meets a child at school who lost his parents, they go in search of answers. Scary? You betcha! Kids this age love tales of superpowers, so why not wrap up Treasure of Norse Mythology by Donna Jo Napoloi, illustrations by Christina Balit. It’s a wonderfully illustrated anthology of mythology, folk tales, and ancient SuperPowers. Readers of fables might
Season’s Readings!
also like the books in the Top Secret Files series: Gangsters and Bootleggers and The Cold War, both by Stephanie Bearse will give kids a behind-the-scenes peek at life during those times.
YOUNG ADULT For the teen who’s a born skeptic, Debunk It! by John Grant is a just-right gift. It’s a book about misinformation: specifically, several topics are picked apart here, and teens who like to examine issues and current events will love that. The book to pair it with, naturally, is Speak Up by Halley Bondy, a book that will give your giftee tips on firmly speaking out on the issues he (or she!) has debunked. And now the housekeeping: titles can change. Release dates can change, too, and some things may not be available at the last minute. If you’re at a loss or can’t find what you want to give this holiday, help is at hand! Get yourself to your nearby bookstore and throw yourself at the mercy of the lovely / handsome bookseller, the one with the great big smile. He or she has SuperPowers when it comes to this kind of thing. Seriously. ■ Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 19
TRAVEL
Voluntourism 101
How to travel and make a difference
Have you ever wondered if there’s more to a vacation than amusement parks and beachside sunsets? Do you dream of immersing yourself in a culture, all while impacting the people as much as they impact you? If so, volunteering while vacationing – also known as voluntourism – is for you.
Photo courtesy of emAZE
20 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
V
oluntourism is the act of traveling and spending time volunteering, typically for a local nonprofit or charity. You could volunteer for a single day or the duration of your vacation. Many people think voluntourism only happens while traveling abroad, but this is not always true. There are countless opportunities for traveling and volunteering within the United States as well as overseas. Voluntourism has existed for decades, but recently there has been a significant increase in participation. This increase can be partially attributed to millennials, a group who, as a whole, desire to get more out of their travel experiences than previous generations. According to a recent report from Reuters, there are an estimated 10 million
volunteers a year who embark on philanthropic travel. They help build schools in Peru. They visit orphanages and teach children in Haiti. They travel to Hawaii and help with ocean preservation. They go to the Philippines to lend aid to the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. Travelocity is a good source to begin looking for such opportunities, as it long has been a supporter of voluntourism through its Travel for Good campaign. The program is launching a nationwide search for three people who are looking to travel for a worthy cause and will fund the travels
Choosing a destination you would like to go beyond just for volunteering purposes can help make the experience more enjoyable. Photo courtesy of Brandpoint
of these voluntourists. (Visit www.travelocity.com/travelforgood for more information.) When considering whether a voluntourism vacation is for you, consider the following.
Think about what matters to you The list of causes that you can support as part of your volunteer trip are almost endless. Take time to think about your passions and what matters most to you. The top five volunteer programs include medical/health (disaster volunteering ranks as No. 1), education, wildlife, conservation and orphanages. Knowing what cause is most meaningful to you is the best starting point.
Brainstorm where you’d like to go The most popular destination for voluntourism is the Philippines, but there are so many locations you can consider. Most causes are not isolated to one particular part of the world. Do you want to help fight hunger domestically or abroad? If you want to help save the rainforest, you could go to Africa, Central America or numerous other locations. You should consider other things you’d like to do beyond volunteering so you can find a location where you can do it all.
MANY MEDICARE OPTIONS Help to make tHe RIGHt CHoICe
As your local licensed agent, I can help you make a plan for Medicare. Just want health coverage? Need a prescription drug plan? A plan that covers both? You have options with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota: ➜➜ Platinum
BlueSM with Rx (Cost) has three medical plan choices and optional prescription drug coverage ➜➜ Senior GoldSM lets you build our most comprehensive health coverage ➜➜ MedicareBlueSM Rx (PDP) gives you three options for stand-alone prescription drug coverage
Look into voluntourism assitance What if you could have some or all of your voluntourism expenses covered? There are a number of organizations that can assist with your travel expenses. For example, Volunteer Forever offers travel scholarships several times a year.
Adopt the right mindset Some people go on vacation to be served, while voluntourists go on vacation to serve. While volunteering, you may have experiences very different from your normal day-to-day life. Maintain a positive attitude, be flexible, and be willing to help and learn. Remember that traveling can make you a better person, and traveling for a cause is the ultimate way to make a positive difference to others. ■ Source: Brandpoint
Matt Barnes <agency/agent Name> 1704 N. Riverfront Dr., Suite 102 [agency logo/ <agency/agent contact information> Contact me today Mankato, MN 56001 agent photo] to learn more. ttY 711 507-388-2968 [agent/agency e-mail address] TTY 711 [agent/agency website URl] [ Blue Partner ] Blue Partner ] [ E L I T E
Blue Cross offers Cost and PDP plans with Medicare contracts. Enrollment in these plans depends on contract renewal. Plans are available to residents of the service area. You can also call Blue Cross for plan information or to enroll. Call 1-877-662-2583, TTY users call 711, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Central Time daily. H2461_091514_T08 CMS Accepted 09/21/2014 S5743_ 091514_K01_MN CMS Accepted 09/21/2014 Authorized independent agent/agency for Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus®, nonprofit independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Mature Lifestyles WINTER 2016 21
HEADLINE WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE
Bend of the River Photography Exhibit Through Dec. 31 Blue Earth County History Center and Museum, 424 Warren St., Mankato 507-345-5566 Minnesota Valley Civil War Round Table 12/15; 6-8 p.m.; New Ulm Public Library 507-359-8334 Sister Cities, Then and Now: Saint Peter, MN and Petatlan, Mexico 12/16; 11:30 a.m. Melva Lind Interpretive Center, Linnaeus Arboretum, Gustavus Adolphus 507-933-6181 Ugly Sweater Party! 12/19 Indian Island Winery angie.winter@indianislandwinery.com Our History Matters 12/17; 6-8 p.m. Blue Earth County History Center 424 Warren St., Mankato 507-345-5566 Bourbon Street Duo 12/18; 7 p.m. WOW! Zone 507-625-2695
Rave on! The Buddy Holly Experience 1/8; 7:30 p.m. The Fairmont Opera House 45 Downtown Plaza 507-238-4900 Climb 2 Feed Kids 1/10; 9 a.m. Taylor Center, Bresnan Arena, Minnesota State University, Mankato 507-381-9155 Red Dirt Road 1/15; 8 p.m. WOW! Zone 507-625-2695 MSU Theatre presents “Antigone” 1/28-1/30 at 7:30 p.m.; 1/31 at 2 p.m. Andreas Theatre, MSU 507-389-6663 Faculty Writing Retreat at Mount Olivet Conference and Retreat Center 2/3 (two-day event) Mt. Olivet Conference and Retreat Center, Gustavus Adolphus marketing@gustavus.edu MSU Theatre presents “Antigone” 2/3-2/6 at 7:30 p.m.; 2/7 at 2 p.m. Andreas Theatre, MSU 507-389-6663
Start-Up Lab 12/22; 4-6 p.m. 227 E. Main St., Suite 200 507-389-8875
The Best of The Second City 2/5; 7:30 p.m. The Fairmont Opera House 45 Downtown Plaza 507-238-4900
Echos Big Band New Year’s Eve at the WOW! Zone 12/31; 7:30 p.m. 507-327-3496
Amore Affair 2/13; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 510 Main St., Henderson RoadHaus 952-200-5684
New Year’s Eve Bash with the Shane Martin Band 12/31; 8 p.m. New Ulm Event Center maren.newulmec@gmail.com
The Gustavus Choir Home Concert, 2016 2/13; 7:30 p.m. Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus marketing@gustavus.edu
Party Like it’s 2016! Featuring the Hicktown Mafia Band 1/2; 8 p.m. New Ulm Event Center maren.newulmec@gmail.com
The Gustavus Symphony Orchestra & Gustavus Jazz Lab Band Internation Tour Home Concert 2/14; 3:30 p.m. Bjorling Recital Hall, Gustavus Adolphus marketing@gustavus.edu
MSU Theatre presents “Rumors” 2/18-2/20; 7:30 p.m. Ted Paul Theatre, MSU 507-389-6663 River Hills Home & Lifestyles Show 2/19-2/21 River Hills Mall 507- 387-7469 MSU Theatre presents “Rumors” 2/15-2/27 at 7:30 p.m.; 2/28 at 2 p.m. Ted Paul Theatre, MSU 507-389-6663 River Hills Boat & Vacation Show 2/26-2/28 River Hills Mall 507-387-7469 The Hunts 3/4; 7:30 p.m. The Fairmont Opera House 45 Downtown Plaza 507-238-4900 String Quartet 3/5; 7 p.m. Red Rock Center, 222 E. Blue Earth Ave., Fairmont MN 507-235-9262 The Vasa Wind Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles in Concert 3/12; 1:30 p.m. Bjorling Recital Hall, Gustavus Adolphus marketing@gustavus.edu Lightwire Theatre Presents: Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey 3/13; 3 p.m. The Fairmont Opera House, 45 Downtown Plaza 507-238-4900 MSU Theatre presents “Oleanna” 3/30-4/2; 7:30 p.m. Andreas Theatre, MSU 507-389-6663
winter
22 WINTER 2016 Mature Lifestyle
Find more events, and more information, at greatermankatoevents. com.
Heart-healthy foods for the year ahead
A
attack, stroke or even death. Albacore tuna, herring and lake trout are additional examples of heart-healthy fatty fish.
ccording to the National Center for Health Statistics, heart disease is the leading causing of death in both men and women. Certain factors beyond an individual’s control, such as family history and age, affect his or her risk of developing heart disease, but men and women are not helpless against heart disease. Diet can be a friend or foe with regard to heart disease. A bad diet may elevate a person’s risk for high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke, while a diet rich in heart-healthy foods can lower that risk. The following are a handful of heart-healthy foods for men and women who want to begin the new year on a nourishing foot.
♥ Whole grains: Whole grains help men and women maintain healthy weights while lowering their risk for heart disease, making them perfect dietary additions for anyone who resolves to lose weight and protect their heart in the year ahead. According to the American Heart Association, whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats/oatmeal, rye, barley, and brown rice, are great sources of dietary fiber, while refined grains like white rice and enriched bread contain little fiber. That’s an important distinction, as dietary fiber can improve blood cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
♥ Tomatoes: Researchers at Boston’s Tufts University analyzed more than a decade’s worth of data in an effort to discover the effects of lycopene, which is the antioxidant responsible for giving tomatoes their ♥ Raisins: Researchers from the Louisville Metabolic and Atherofamiliar red color, on the cardiovascular sclerosis Research Center found that consuming raisins three times a system. They ultimately discovered that day may significantly lower blood pressure among individuals with people who regularly consumed foods mild increases in blood pressure. Raisins can help combat the growth with lycopene over an 11-year period of a type of bacteria that causes gum disease, which few people may reduced their risk of coronary heart know is linked to heart disease. In lieu of reaching for cookies or disease by 26 percent. The lycopene potato chips come snack time, opt for heart-healthy raisins instead. found in tomatoes may be even more ♥ Salmon: Though its label as a fatty fish may lead some to question accessible when they are cooked. its nutritional properties, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which Aspiring to eat healthier is a goal for many can decrease a person’s risk of developing an abnormal heartbeat people come the dawn of a new year. For more information about (arrhythmia), slightly lower blood pressure and slow the growth of heart-healthy foods, visit www.heart.org. ■ atherosclerotic plaque, the buildup of which can contribute to heart
Sunday-Thursday Nights: 5-9 pm; Friday-Saturday Nights: 5-10 pm Santa Hours: Friday 6-9pm; Sat. 5-9pm; Sunday 5-9pm Opening Day Parade presented by the Greater Mankato Growth Young Professionals Walk or drive through a Winter Wonderland for free during the Kiwanis Holiday Lights in Mankato’s Sibley Park from November 27 to December 31, 2015. The Kiwanis Holiday Lights will use 1.5 million LED lights in an animated and choreographed display. We’ll keep you comfortable with concessions, heated restrooms and warming houses.
Friday, November 27th – Parade at 6 pm with a brief Lighting Ceremony to follow! (estimated time 7 p.m.) The lights display will open to driving traffic starting at 8 p.m. on opening night in order to ensure the safety of the large number of pedestrians in the area following the parade. People attending the parade are encouraged to arrive early, bring lawn chairs and blankets for along the parade route. There will be extremely limited seating in the warming house near the end of the parade. Check our website for details. Horse Drawn Wagon Rides - Friday, Saturday, Sunday. $5 per person, ride 15-20 minutes and leave every 1/2 hour from concession warming house.
Sibley Park is one of Mankato’s most beautiful parks and it is attached to The Mary Dotson Skating Rink Hours: Sunday - Thursday, 5-9pm and Fri. - Sat., 5-10 pm. Bring your own Mankato’s thriving City Center full of opportunities for shopping, dining skates! and entertainment. Come to town before the lights and enjoy what Mankato Entering Kiwanis Holiday Lights: has to offer in the way of events and activities for all ages. There is no charge to visit the event, but non-perishable food items are accepted by area food shelves each night, and cash donations are also accepted to help support area non-profits. Check our website: www.kiwanisholidaylights.com
Vehicles: All vehicles enter and exit Kiwanis Holiday Lights on Sibley Parkway. This can be accessed from Riverfront Drive. (Map is on website). You can access parking areas via Mound Ave. or Park Lane. Parking is available in the neighborhood near Sibley Park or at the CHS parking lot on the South Side of Sibley Park. Buses: Buses are encouraged to call 507-385-9129 in advance and leave a message with your information or email info@kiwanisholidaylights.com Pedestrians: Can park and enter on Mound Avenue (near Pathstone Living) or off Park Lane (near CHS). Watch for directional signs on Riverfront Drive.
Mature Lifestyle WINTER 2016 23
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