River Valley Woman June 2022

When a shy bladder isn’t to blame.

Being the last man standing at the urinal may be inconvenient and embarrassing for your partner, but difficulty urinating and frequent bathroom breaks may also be signs of an enlarged prostate. While it’s a common condition for men as they get older, it shouldn’t be ignored. With expert urology care in Mankato, Mayo Clinic Health System will help you make sure he gets the right treatment, close to home.

BY EILEEN MADSEN Editor

Or rather—meets River Valley Woman, where for this month only, it’s a man’s world.

I have to admit when researching content for this special theme, a good man was not hard to find! They are everywhere in the river valley, so we had to create some special features to accommodate them all.

Like father like son might sum up the life and career of our cover guy, Jeff Wersal. From a young age, observing his criminal investigator dad, he knew his future would also be in law enforcement. Commander of the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, Wersal takes a pro-active approach to his duties by not only making our communities safer, but also helping those with crime and narcotics issues turn their lives around. Yes sir.

Mankato Diversity Council’s executive director, Mohamed Alsadig is the personification of River Valley Woman ’s slogan, “Go. Be. Do. Connect.” An advocate for getting along with each other by being open-minded, Alsadig’s goal as a leader is to allow others to shine. A stand-up guy.

Have you noticed that synonyms for fellahs are used to express exasperation (Man!), or admiration (Dude!), or reference to a group (Hi guys!), regardless of which sex one is speaking to? Unsure why that doesn’t go both ways. Next time you greet your male bestie try “Hey girl, hey!” and report back.

Artist and social media sensation, Justin Ek is painting the town red…and yellow, black, blue, and green. Whatever colors are left over from his family’s Bellissimo Paint and Coating business are what ends up as murals and on canvas. This young dad of three, also promotes and organizes successful cultural events, whilst crediting his wife for helping him stay on track. This nice guy finishes first.

Brad Ranweiler and sons Brady and Cory had a dream. One that recurred for nine years, until one day they woke up at the Detroit Autorama in 2020 to find it a reality. Winning the top

prize for their 1963 Chevy Bel Air wagon that Brad, owner of Show Cars Auto, found abandoned in a grove. 26,000 hours later these boys and their toy took home the coveted Ridler award.

I like cars. My fondness for them developed mostly through osmosis from my car-loving husband. The first new car we bought was a nifty 1989 Suzuki Swift GT. It took a while to see the beauty of a twin cam, 16-valve engine, but if you stare at it long enough (a uniquely male activity that us gals will do if we wish to spend quality together-time in the garage), you form an attachment. When we were dating he drove an old 1968 Saab Sonett, two-seater, with a passenger seat that had a tendency to slide without warning. I drove a beater 1970 Ford Galaxie 500 with a back door that would fly open if you took a corner too fast. Guess we were meant for each other. We now remember times in our over 40 years together, by the cars we’ve owned.

Seth Yokum is the poster boy for good environmental stewardship. Owner of Aqualogical Resources, and our Spaces feature, Yokum creates custom living and natural features for homes and businesses. Not only are his ponds, living walls, rain gardens, and aquariums beautiful, they also serve a purpose—sustainable aquatic systems. His home basement, which houses Koi fish, a coral reef, pond plants and more, is a living, breathing world of the naturally occurring life cycle. Dude!

Let’s hear it for the three men showcased in our newly created “Applause!” spotlight. This short feature lets readers know who is doing good in the river valley through volunteerism, community service, diversity and cultural awareness, entertainment and more. This issue honors City Mouse band, Pat Woratschka, and Charlie Johnston. For they are jolly good fellows.

Success Stories is another new theme that allows people to share their career journeys. We all want to know “how they did that,” and State Farm Insurance Agency owner Aaron Hatanpa, and Made with Love Soap entrepreneur Mathias Ove, will let you in on the secrets.

Hey girls, hey! It’s June, so man up— the boys are back in town.

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By CHRISTINE NESSLER PHOTOS BY ALICE HQ PHOTOGRAPHY

rom his very first memory of his father wearing a suit and tie with a shoulder holster, Jeff Wersal was destined for law enforcement. As soon as Wersal figured out just what it meant for his father to be a criminal investigator for the Nicollet County Sheriff’s Office, he wanted law enforcement to be his career, too.

Wersal, commander of the River Valley Drug Task Force since 2015, has a passion for helping people through addiction. That passion stems from his service-minded upbringing and the loss of his twin brother Jon in 2020. Through his work on the Drug Task Force, his role with the Blue Earth and Nicollet County Drug Courts, and his community education about drugs and addiction, Wersal advocates for people with addictions every day.

Jeff’s parents, Don and Chris Wersal, were the first people to influence his life. The years they dedicated to the community through their roles with Nicollet County taught their son about public service. From a young age they encouraged him to be active in his hometown community of St. Peter.

At just 16 years old, Wersal began doing ride-a-longs with deputies of the Nicollet County Sheriff’s office. Many of those men became mentors for him. By 18, he joined the Sheriff’s Reserve, a program that recruited non-licensed volunteers to help with special events such as parades and fairs.

Leading by example, his mother taught him public service isn’t all parades and fairs. One needs to plan for adversity so, when challenges arise, you are ready to respond. During the 1998 tornado in St. Peter, Chris was the assistant emergency management director and later transitioned to the disaster recovery coordinator for Nicollet County.

“My mom and dad were deep in the trenches during that time, and I got to help with all of it,” Wersal said.

Public service is also about the people of the community, and it was Wersal’s father who taught him about compassion. This lesson has proven critical for his daily interactions with people and families struggling with difficult circumstances created by addiction. The lessons learned and experiences early in life, confirmed his belief that, through law enforcement, he would be able to help people and make a difference in their lives.

Wersal graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a degree in law enforcement in 1999. He worked as a jailer and dispatcher for Nicollet County and as an officer for the City of North Mankato prior to starting his career as a deputy for the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office in 2002.

In 2015 he accepted the role of commander of the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force. As commander, Wersal

administers the Office of Justice Program grant which partially funds the drug task force, supervises task force agents and staff, and oversees high-level felony arrests. Although part of his time is spent on administrative tasks and collaboration with law enforcement and the county attorney’s office, he is ready when duty calls and he needs to be in the field.

“Our investigations are proactive,” Wersal said. “We don’t react to crime. We go after people who are selling poison to decent people and ruining families.”

Wersal finds it rewarding to have successful drug and violent crime investigations that are stopping dealers and preventing further destruction due to addiction.

Bob Nance, retired investigator for the State Crime Bureau, BCA, has known Wersal since meeting him as a motivated and eager to learn new officer for the City of North Mankato Police Department. Nance always admired Wersal’s willingness to help others.

“When you first start out in narcotics, your number one goal is making arrests and putting them in jail,” Nance said. “But, with Jeff, along with any experienced narcotics guy, you slowly start to have a little more empathy for these people. You know there is more you can do than throw people in jail.”

For Wersal, his first-hand understanding of addiction played a role in his great empathy for the victims of addiction. His twin brother Jon took his own life in 2020 after battling with the addiction of alcoholism. The loss of his brother and best friend has made his mission of helping addicts turn their lives around even more important to him.

“In interviews, I’ve seen Jeff asking individuals if they need treatment or what the Drug Task Force can do to help get them off the drugs and get them the help they need,” Nance said.

Over the years, Wersal has witnessed the success of the people he’s helped.

“Some people get out of jail or prison and go right back into it, but a lot of people don’t,” Wersal said. “When I run into those people later in life, they still thank me for getting them into the system so they can get cleaned up and turn their life around.”

One part of that system is Drug Court. Drug Court is meant to break the cycle of addiction and crime by offering rehabilitation to non-violent substance-abusing offenders through job training, education, and counseling. Drug Court focuses on any addiction that is affecting the lives of the participant and causing them to break laws. This could be drugs, alcohol, or even gambling. 

 “Addiction is a mental health disease,” Wersal said. “Anybody who is addicted also has mental health issues and they have to be treated for both.”

All participants in the Drug Court system go through treatment for addiction and mental health.

Wersal serves on both the Blue Earth and Nicollet County Drug Courts. His role is to help identify appropriate candidates for the program and to give progress updates to other members of the Drug Court team.

Another piece of his advocacy is to prevent addiction through education.

“This is a safe community, but there are a lot of dangerous things in this community that people don’t know about,” Wersal said. “I give a lot of drug presentations and every time I do, people are amazed at the kinds of things that go on in their community because they just don’t see it.”

He sees it. He doesn’t have the luxury of being naive to the issues faced in our communities. Knowing about violent crimes and drug crimes gives him the responsibility to help educate others to prevent further destruction in the lives of innocent people.

“When people get involved with drugs it destroys their lives,” Wersal said.

Jeff gives 20 to 30 drug presentations a year to community groups, schools, medical professionals, fire departments, church groups, and more.

He works hard, but he knows how to play hard, too. His passions are hunting, riding all-terrain vehicles, and cooking. As a young boy, his grandmother taught Jeff and his brothers how to bake and cook.

“I do all the cooking,” Wersal said. “Whatever my kids and wife want me to make, I can make for them.”

While Jeff doesn’t have a favorite recipe, he does particularly enjoy grilling and smoking meat, something that morphed quickly from a hobby into a business.

Dave Karge, retired deputy for the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office, is a former coworker and friend. The pair enjoyed smoking meat together in their backyards so much that they decided to make their own smoker and take their skills on the road for local barbeque competitions.

Having experience in metal fabrication, Jeff created a smoker out of an old anhydrous tank from Highway Ag in Le Center and a wood burning stove gifted to him by his uncle.

Their first competition was the Minnesota in May event in Austin. They won first place in the “Anything Spam” category—with what they call “turds”—a stuffed jalapeno pepper made with Spam rather than the traditional little sausage. Shortly after Karge and Wersal started competing— and people began approaching them to cater various events—the coworkers-turned-friends became business partners as well.

“We realized each other’s strengths and we worked well together,” Karge said.

Dave also mentioned that Jeff’s style of communication plays an important role in their partnership. “You never have to wonder where you stand with Jeff. He is open, honest, and will tell you the truth no matter what it is.”

Wersal and Karge started 2 Pigs BBQ & Catering in 2008, a name Wersal’s wife came up with in jest of a law enforcement nickname. 2 Pigs BBQ offers catering for businesses and various events including weddings and graduations. You can also find 2 Pigs BBQ at the Nicollet County Fair each year. On the menu is smoked pork, brisket, ribs, homemade sides and, of course, their famous barbeque “turds.”

Don’t look for their information online though, this business happens strictly through word-ofmouth advertising.

“We could be a lot busier, but we just do it for a little extra money and fun,” Wersal said.

Jeff and Dave cook by instinct and taste. They have perfected their smoked meat through time and experience in a smoker that doesn’t even have a temperature gauge. They have created their own secret meat rub recipe, and various BBQ sauces.

“If I gave out those recipes, I think Dave would kill me,” Jeff said. “A lot of ingredients went down the drain trying to perfect those.”

Wersal spends his extra time enjoying an acreage outside of Lake Crystal with his wife Crystal, and his two sons, Max and Jake. He appreciates the calm and quiet of the area and the nice people who live here.

His kids can go to a small school in a small community, and he can help his father-in-law with the harvest each fall.

Just like his barbeque, there are a lot of ingredients in keeping his beloved community safe. However, this recipe is not a secret. Wersal puts a big dose of dedication and heart into his work to help addicts turn their lives around by making high-level felony arrests related to drugs and violent crime and then rehabilitation through programs such as Drug Court. Next, he adds a pinch of passion to educate the community on the dangers of drugs. Finally, he tops it all off with a dollop of compassion learned from his father, and gained through the loss of his brother.

“The system gives a lot of chances to addicts before they end up going to prison,” Wersal said. “There is a lot of help out there for people if they accept it.” RVW

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MOHAMED ALSADIG CONNECTING WITH

By BROOKE WOHLRABE

There’s a lot to be said about the power of connections, and the ways that people connect.

Longtime Mankato resident Mohamed Alsadig connects with people through his work at the Greater Mankato Diversity Council, his KSUM talk show, “The Quiet Storm,” or by cooking them a meal in his down time. No matter how people connect with others, Alsadig believes it’s important to show each other that we have more in common than we think.

Alsadig saw the importance and power of connections at a young age. He was born in northern Sudan, but grew up in the United Arab Emirates.

“I grew up in a very diverse background,” Alsadig said.

Mohamed went to an American high school in United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he had classmates from Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, Kuwait, and more.

“I was fortunate enough to have a family that believed in getting me out there and meeting friends and not saying, ‘If they look like you, then you can be friends.’ They taught me to be more open-minded,” Alsadig said.

One of Mohamed’s favorite stories is that two of his best friends in high school were from Minnesota. One went on to the University of Minnesota and the other to the University of St. Thomas. They’re still in touch to this day.

“I like to tell that story to tell people that we shouldn’t limit ourselves to the environment we live in. We need to open our minds. Even if we disagree, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn more about each other,” he said.

Alsadig graduated high school in UAE and moved to Mankato to attend Minnesota State University, where two of his brothers had also graduated. He majored in management information systems (MIS) with a minor in management. After graduation, Alsadig intended to return to UAE, but got interested in other materials the college wasn’t offering—like network security—and took a few classes to get certified.

He received an offer from what was then Midwest Wireless, and worked there through ownership changes to Alltel and then Verizon.

“After that, I kind of got bored with the corporate world. It wasn’t something I wanted to continue in,” Mohamed explained.

He was approached by a non-profit, LA-MANO, to help with small business development for underserved communities and minorities. His work there involved collaborating with the Greater Mankato Diversity Council and Small Business Development Center.

After about 10 years at LA-MANO, Alsadig took his current role as executive director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council, but not without some hesitancy on his part.

Mohamed had been a board member of the diversity council, and had also as served as both vice president and chair. He’s also long-time friends with former executive director, Bukata Hayes.

“The position was vacant for a long time and a few people asked me if I was interested and I declined,” Alsadig said.

As for why he declined, he said, “I shy away from leadership. I like to push people to be leaders and see the people who work with me and collaborate with me shine more than I do.”

But his good relationship with the staff prompted him to apply because he realized that an executive director was needed. He started in that role in October 2021.

Mohamed explained what the Greater Mankato Diversity Council’s purpose.

“We play an important role in bringing people to the table and getting them close to each other and educating them on how to be accepting and welcoming,” he said.

One aspect the council focuses on is education, especially in schools. The program, PRW (Promoting Respect Workshops) goes from first grade through high school. Each grade discusses a different topic, from ageism to racism. Volunteers go to the schools—but that hasn’t happened since the pandemic. Mohamed hopes the council will be able to get back into the schools in fall.

The council is also contacted by school districts outside of Mankato, to teach the PRW programs. The diversity council also has a history of working with Minnesota State University, Mankato.

In addition to offering school education, the Greater Mankato Diversity Council also does business trainings. Topics include implicit bias, diversity 101, and more.

Mohamed Alsadig, executive director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council, also hosts KSUM talk show "The Quiet Storm."

We play an important role in bringing people to the table and getting them close to each other and educating them on how to be accepting and welcoming.

Favorite thing to cook: Middle Eastern, Pakistani, BBQ. I’m fairly good with Italian food as well.

Favorite artists: Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Anita Baker, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, Prince, Mint Condition, Michael Jackson, Babyface, Quincy Jones. There’s a lot.

Favorite places he’s traveled: Sudan to visit family. It’s a very simple life there. One of my dreams is to travel to Japan as I’m very interested in learning more about the culture.

Businesses reach out. Together, the council and business owners work together to figure out what changes need to be made in regards to policies or culture within the workplace.

“Every business has its own challenges,” Mohamed said.

As the name suggests, the Greater Mankato Diversity Council covers communities outside of Mankato city limits. That’s because no other community in the area has an organization like this, with the nearest being in Rochester or the Twin Cities.

Citing a need for an organization like the Greater Mankato Diversity Council, Alsadig said, “With the change in demographics, it’s essential for communities to have something like ours to promote understanding between different cultures, backgrounds, genders and faith.”

He noted that we live in an age where misinformation is widespread. Some may fail to understand other cultures because of their political or religious beliefs.

As demographics continue to change, Alsadig said that, by 2025 or so, minorities may become the majority.

“Our ultimate goal is to promote understanding and respect between each other. Given my background, one of the things I’m proud of is I bring a global understanding to this role,” Alsadig said.

As he knows from his own life experiences, starting young is key. That’s why the PRW student program starts in first grade. The program also works to reach the parents, because some may not understand the different backgrounds their children may be interacting with at school.

By day, Alsadig connects with students and businesses around the community and, in the evening, he connects with people as the host of his KSUM radio talk show, “The Quiet Storm.” He has done this as a volunteer since 2004.

“I love music. Back in UAE, I was the school DJ and the friend people went to for music. I always wanted to have my own radio station, that was kind of my dream,” Alsadig admitted.

Alsadig’s brothers and father were a great influence when it came to music and Mohamed recalled listening to music while he did his homework and his dad read the newspaper in the evenings.

While in Mankato Mohamed met Jim Gullickson, former station manager at KSUM, and he pitched the idea of a show and music that’s not represented in the area.

“He liked the idea and said, ‘Okay, let’s start.’ It’s jazz, Motown, soul, R&B,” Alsadig said of what’s played on ‘The Quiet Storm.’

As with his role with the Greater Mankato Diversity Council, he would prefer to be out of the limelight. That worked for a while—until he started to meet people who recognized his voice.

“Before the articles came out,” Alsadig said—referring to area magazine and newspaper stories about him—“people did not recognize me or know who I was, which is something I love. But sometimes when I’m out talking to someone, someone else next to us will recognize my voice and ask if I’m the host of ‘The Quiet Storm.’”

When he’s not working or on the air as a DJ, Mohamed enjoys cooking. He’s a self-taught cook and said he paid attention to his mother when she was in the kitchen when he as a kid. He remembers asking her questions

about what spices she was using and why. Over time, he’s begun to experiment on his own.

“I’m always trying new things. I don’t commit to one recipe. If I cook something one day, tomorrow, if I do it again, it might not be the same,” he said.

This passion has led to a small catering business that he has on the side, along with several others. Alsadig has dabbled in start-ups since he was young. He also has some businesses with family overseas.

“People call me an entrepreneur, but I don’t know if I’m to that stage yet. I don’t like to sit still,” Mohamed said with a laugh. “I like to keep moving and doing something. You never know where you might hit it right.”

As if Alsadig isn’t busy enough, he’s also pursuing a degree in law enforcement. He felt compelled to do that after working as a part-time community liaison for the Mankato Police Department for several years. He was considering going full-time, but life happened.

“It was an amazing role to be in, though it’s controversial. Someone has to do the work, but do it right,” he said.

As with everything else he has done, Alsadig loved going out on foot patrol and talking to people. He preferred that to driving around, because of the opportunities it provided to connect with people.

While Mohamed is unsure what the future holds for him, he plans to stay in Mankato, as he says it’s home for him.

“There’s a lot of work left to do in the community, but we also need the community to participate,” he said. RVW

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By LORI MATHIOWETZ

When words are insufficient, we reach for art. So, it’s no surprise that Old Town Mankato is experiencing an artistic burgeoning that is spreading like wildfire. We collectively long for artists such as Justin Ek who steadfastly create, giving us the most unifying experience that exists to share our humanity: art.

ART

On Riverfront Drive, in the Frost Plaza above the Wooden Spoon, you will find Ek’s studio among The River Valley Makers, a treasure trove of local creators fanning the flames of this artistic renaissance, bringing culture and diversity to Old Town.

In high school Justin primarily drew on paper. Later, he moved to playing with digital art on his phone, which led to virtual house painting, which led to graphic art, and only later in adulthood did he begin mural painting.

Of course, Minnesota winters don’t lend themselves to outdoor mural painting, so during the winter months, Ek began doing studio art, where he very intentionally challenged himself to change techniques in order to grow and study.

Followers of his popular TikTok and Instagram platforms have watched his evolution from dark to light, faces to nature, brush strokes to dripping. His social media content stands in stark contrast to the normally shy artist as he takes on a sort of online persona, giving followers a glimpse into his artistic process.

Ditching the paint overalls for a bunny suit and foregoing brush strokes and canvas for swords and couches, Ek flows between comedy and performance art. He is adept at traversing serious topics such as mental health, race, and parenting young children, giving the world a raw and vulnerable window into how he personally navigates, using the creative process as a healing modality. Making videos gives him the opportunity to experience the thrill and exhilaration he felt in the creative process twice.

“I like to document my painting because I like to think that when I’m an old man one day, I’ll get to look back at this catalog of things I did and enjoy it again,” Justin said.

Part of what Ek paints is left in the hands of fate since he uses leftover paint products from the family business, Bellissimo Paint and Coating, for sustainability, guiding his process.

“Occasionally, I’ll buy a tube or two of paint just to mix up all the white paint and stretch it further, but I’m kind of left at the liberty of what is leftover that I can make use of,” he said. “If I get a good color, I hold onto it as long as I can—water it down, stretch it out— whatever I need to do.”

Justin’ father, Eduardo, immigrated to the U.S. from Yucatan, coming through Texas and traveling as a migrant worker to California, Wyoming, and many other places before finally landing in Minnesota. He learned English from artist Bob Ross’s videos and, growing up, Justin recalls that painting was a sort of private practice for his father. His older brother is a graffiti artist and his younger brother a photographer, so—although their father didn’t actively teach or coach them in their creative pursuits—what he modeled in his artistic solitude had an obvious influence on his sons.

Ek, whose art can be found at Minnesota State Mankato, Bellissimo’s on Riverfront, Old Town Mankato, North Mankato, and St. Peter, couldn’t recall the first person to give him a canvas, but he thinks it was likely a piece of wood from Ikea.

“I used to have NO resources, so when I got a canvas, it was like a coveted thing, and I was going to repaint it 60 times,” Justin said. “It’s just a portal to create for me.”

This habit has persisted for Ek and, rather than attaching himself to something he has painted, he has no problem working over it many, many times until he feels like the painting is where it needs to be.

“That might be two or three years until it metamorphoses into something else. But once I create something, it means nothing to me, to be honest. I don’t like to assign a lot of permanence to my art,” he said.

While online Ek’s process may look chaotic, it is anything but. Being a parent of three young children and making time to create has taken both discipline and flexibility.

“If you can’t do a giant painting that day, focus on completing smaller things. With a newborn, sometimes you do a base coat and then know you’ll come back to it later. You have to shift your practice a little bit,” he said.

For the most part, Justin does not deviate from his routine and, after school drop off in the morning, he is in the studio, painting. He credits much of his ability to commit to his routine to his wife Jane, who is a mental health therapist and has taught him much about work/life balance.

“I’ve learned ways to be more organized through her and definitely have some type A tendencies now. You have to show up for yourself and do the work,” he said.

EVENTS

One of the first catalyst events growing the vibe of Old Town Mankato was the Dia de los Muertos celebration started by Ek and his mother in the Bellissimo Paint parking lot. This year a lot of collaborative work made an even bigger celebration happen. That necessitated closing down Riverfront Drive. Twin Rivers Center for the Arts was the fiscal sponsor and, with the support of the Old Town Association, the businesses, and the Hub food trucks, the event was incredibly successful. Next year will boast a Luchador Ring, a Mariachi Band, Azteca Dancers, and a Mayan Indigenous Shaman from California who travels here in partnership with MSU.

Ek reflected on how culture-sharing has this sort of magical quality to it where these events take on a life of their own. 

BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO ANIMALS OR BE ABLE TO SPEAK ALL THE WORLD’S LANGUAGES?

JE: I would rather speak to animals, but at the same time, I think they deserve to be left alone by humans. Omnilingualism would, for me, remove some of the mystique of the world. If I had to pick, I suppose animals; perhaps they have hidden knowledge.

BE CRITICIZED OR BE IGNORED?

JE: I am a creature of solitude. I thrive on independence and chaos; being left alone is quite desirable to me. However, criticism is a fast track to growth. I thrive on measurable growth. I choose criticized.

BE ABLE TO TIME TRAVEL OR BE ABLE TO TELEPORT?

JE: I would time travel to visit my ancestors. My lost history is something that would be priceless to connect with.

BE TRAPPED IN A ROMANTIC COMEDY WITH YOUR ENEMIES OR BE TRAPPED IN A HORROR MOVIE WITH YOUR FRIENDS?

JE: Reconciliation is easily a better route than endangering loved ones.

LIVE THROUGH THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE OR LIVE THROUGH AN ALIEN INVASION?

JE: Alien invasion seems more civilized to me, for some reason.

Frost Plaza, River Valley Makers Club Noon-4pm Thursday & Friday 10am-4pm Saturday

June 11: Old Town Art Fair

October 7: Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Old Town

October 29: Old Town Day of the Dead

November 26: Shop Small in Old Town

February 3-5: Old Town Indigenous Art Festival

 “There’s so much value in cultural events. There were so many different groups of people that were there that day simply enjoying the event,” Justin said.

When prompted about what the magic was behind this vibe, Ek responded, “That takes welcoming people. It’s a place of peace; people aren’t thinking about things like politics, they’re just enjoying something together that they’ve never seen before.” This spirit of curiosity that the public is able to engage with Ek’s collaborative efforts in Old Town has breathed life into other events there as well. One of the most successful being The Indigenous Arts Festival—a Snow Sculpture Festival started by Justin, his brother Alex, and Megan Schnitker of Lakota Made.

“It felt rewarding. This year the sculpture was really impressive and melted pretty fast, but it’s more about the experience of watching people put it together and that idea of non-permanence and temporary art.”

Next year they have partnered with MSU and have more support to make it a bigger event.

Ek’s commitment to art burgeoned naturally into a commitment to community events.

“Obviously, it’s great to see it grow and to see your culture enjoyed by so many, but we want to attract people to our community—we want to show these other communities that it’s a safe place to live and is a culturally inclusive, welcoming place for people to live and spend their money,” Justin said. “ If you look at where the labor force will be in the future, the Latino community is a huge piece of that, and channeling that and developing the kind of community that embraces that work force is going to mean better economic success for our future in Mankato.

Ek encourages those who would like to get involved in their community to lean into what you’re good at, figure out what your best foot is, and then put it forward.

“You will always be happy with that because you’ll be doing what you love. Keep removing barriers until there’s nothing left but to create.”

You can follow Ek on TikTok: movingone, and on Instagram: justinm.ek. RVW

My husband was recommended to follow a low carb diet, and he also needs to lower his cholesterol. Through my reading, I have found that he can eat basically nothing because many of the foods listed to lower cholesterol are high in carbs. What should we do?

Your husband has more options than water and the front lawn. Research has shown, following a diet that is primarily plant-based is a guaranteed way to not only lower cholesterol, but increase overall longevity and quality of life. Too much dietary cholesterol causes inflammation and plaque formation in your arteries, putting you at serious risk for stroke or heart disease. Cholesterol is found in foods of animal origin such meats, eggs, and dairy products. Limiting the animal products in your diet will lower your cholesterol, but if you and your husband aren’t ready to jump onto the vegan wagon, you can still make an impact by decreasing the amount of animal products in your diet. Perhaps you could try a “meatless Monday” or commit to vegan breakfast during the week.

Get your Fiber

Foods high is soluble fiber prevent the digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol. Oats, apples, bananas, oranges, broccoli, asparagus, kale, spinach, quinoa, lentils, chick peas, and black and pinto beans are great examples. While you may think these foods are high in carbs, your body

CORINNE JORDAN, MD, FACS General Surgeon President, Physicians Group New Ulm

does not process them as such because of the fiber. Glycemic Index is a system of assigning a number to carbohydrate-containing foods according to how much each food increases blood sugar. Foods that are high in refined carbs and digested quickly have a high glycemic index, whereas foods high in protein or fiber have a low glycemic index.

Increase your Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids can protect your heart from clots and inflammation, thereby protecting you against heart disease. They can also raise your HDL levels (the “good” cholesterol). The most well-known source of Omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, or trout. If you are opting out of animal products, you can find these Omega-3 fatty acids in chia, Brussels sprouts, hemp seeds, walnuts, and flaxseed. Hemp seeds can be added to anything for a nutty flavor. They are low-carb, high protein, high in fiber, and heart healthy.

Run for your life

Moderate physical activity can positively impact your cholesterol levels. Work up to at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week or vigorous aerobic activity for 20 minutes three times a week. Get a puppy. Walk the puppy. Play with the puppy. Not only will this lower your cholesterol, but studies have shown having a pet will also lower your blood pressure and increase your overall sense of well-being.

Stay healthy friends!

By RUTH KLOSSNER

"Sometimes in Detroit, a nobody from nowhere shows up with something amazing…it’s priceless when you’re that somebody." —

Show Cars Automotive, New Ulm

For the Ranweilers of New Ulm—dad Brad and sons Brady and Cory—a dream came true in Detroit a little over two years ago. A car that they had spent nine years building won the top award, the Ridler, at the Detroit Autorama. It was a labor of love for the family—but one with roots going back decades into the past.

Brad Ranweiler, a 1972 New Ulm High School graduate, painted his first car while still in school, then started his own body shop right out of school. The shop, located at the junction of highways 14 and 15 just north of New Ulm, evolved into a shop with six employees, doing everything from collision repair to full restoration paint jobs. It now manufactures and warehouses parts and specializes in quality reproduction of 348-409 Chevy parts.

In the fall of 1981, Brad bought a pile of parts that once was a 1963 Chevy SS Impala. Over the next nine years, those parts were redone, with attention to the detail of the original 1963 design. That process changed the business to Show Cars Auto, specializing in 1958-1964 Chevy parts as clients looked to have their own Chevy redone.

Parts were difficult to come by so the shop started to manufacture them.

“We did the top cars, the best of the best. We became well-known for doing black cars. We drew from the whole Midwest,” Brad said.

Show competition began with that 1963 Impala that Brad built when the boys were kids. He lost in competition in Canada in 1981, but came back and rebuilt the car. He continued to attend the shows to learn what it took. Nearly 30 years later, in the fall of 2010, Ranweiler won the GM design award as the best restored car at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas—with the same 1963 Chevy Impala.

That win changed things forever. Ranweiler’s award at SEMA drew the attention of various groups that wanted to be part of his next build.

“I called home and told the boys that the direction of the wagon changed,” Brad recalled.

Sometime before that, the Ranweilers had acquired a 1963 Bel Air wagon that had been abandoned in a grove, sold at auction, then brought to New Ulm to be a partshauling shop car.

The red Chevy wagon was destined for something great—but it took nine years to get there. Work started in November 2010.

“We didn’t realize how big a project it would be. We thought a year or two, then we realized the mountain we were climbing,” Brady said. “Dad would go to the Detroit show every year to learn what needed to be done.”

Brad responded, “Then we thought maybe we’d get done in four years…but we knew it wouldn’t be done until it was really ready.”

Virtually every single piece of the wagon was redone, with only small pieces of the original left as they were. The body was altered to make it a two-door—General Motors had only produced four-door wagons. The Ranweilers built the engine, using an original ’63 cast iron 409 block. And the list of modifications went on and on, as detailed in a photo book the family put together of the whole process. 

See the Winner at Autofest

Ranweiler Impressive now

Local residents will have the chance to see the 2020 Ridler winner this summer. Impressive will be set up in Detroit style—just as it was at the 2020 show— inside the arena of the Civic Center during New Ulm’s Autofest, June 25-26.

“It will be a full display for the show. It’s a six- to eight-hour set-up,” Brady noted.

What a transformation! It’s hard to believe that the red 1963 Bel Air Wagon became the 2020 Ridler Award winner.

Black, burgundy, and chrome flow from front to rear throughout the interior.

Impressive on display at the Detroit Autorama the last week of February 2020. The wagon will be displayed in this way at the New Ulm Autofest June 25-26.

While Brad and the boys are the showmen who present the cars, mom Marlys prefers to stay in the background and observe. Cars are a major theme in all their lives, but sports are a close second—and one that led Brady and Cory to additional auto knowledge.

The boys got interested in baseball as little kids. When they kept losing baseballs, they made their own, grabbing tape from the shop and wrapping rocks.

“That love of baseball drug dad out of the shop to go to games,” Brady said.

Both boys went on to play baseball at Minnesota State University, Mankato— Brady from the fall of 1995 to 2000 and Cody from fall 1997 to 2002. There they also found the automotive engineering technology and manufacturing technology programs.

“That’s where their knowledge of

 “There are people who believe that this car existed, but there’s barely anything on it that existed. It’s our idea of how the engineers should have designed it,” Cory said.

Parts and services for the custom wagon were sourced from all over the United States—Washington state, California, Alabama, and more.

Over the nine years, the Ranweilers spent 26,000 hours on the car, while still maintaining family life.

Though Show Cars Automotive has a penchant for black cars, Brad noted, “It’s not about the make or color of the car. It’s about the details, quality of workmanship, and engineering. There’s a point where the car isn’t just a car anymore, but a piece of art.”

Finally, the family deemed the car, named “Impressive,” ready for the Detroit Autorama, and a chance to compete for the top award, the Ridler. That was the last weekend in February 2020, less than a month before the “world shut down” due to Covid.

The Ridler Award, established in 1964, is one of the country’s most prestigious automotive awards. It emphasizes creativity, engineering, and quality workmanship. Winning it is the ultimate goal for custom car show competitors.

The award, sponsored by Meguiar’s, is awarded annually to an exceptional vehicle that falls under strict “never been shown before” guidelines. The vehicle must make its first public showing at the Detroit Autorama and must be “minimally operable”—able to start, stop, move forward and backward under its own power, turn left and right, and stop using the brake pedal.

The process to narrow down the field for the Ridler is called the Great 8 and the eight cars—or in some cases, trucks—chosen to compete for the Ridler are announced on opening day.

A panel of seven expert judges then examines every detail of the Great 8— spending eight to 10 hours judging each car.

“They look for the finest of defects. Every aspect of the car has to be as close to perfect as possible,” Brady said. “It’s basically the Super Bowl for cars.”

Brad noted, “There were cars from all over the world, even Australia. They were flown in or shipped in.”

“There was a lot of nervous anticipation,” Brady commented. “There were billionaires. Most owners are from a different way of life than us. There weren’t many owner-builders. I only know of one other.”

On the second evening of the show, in front of a huge audience, the 2020

technology game from. It was pretty high tech,” Brad said.

But Brady countered, “Cory and I went to school for auto tech, but so many things we learned from dad. He figures things out. He was raised that way, looking for different ways to put things together. All in all, he’s smarter than both of us. He’s competitive. That competitiveness was ingrained in us.”

That same competitive spirit has been passed on to the next generation as Brady has two sons—Hunter 22, and Cole 19—now playing baseball at MSU.

One is a business management/sports management major, the other a business management/finance major.

But, Brady noted, “We can always teach them the car end of things.”

Cory and wife Jaclyn have three children, Morgan 16, Parker 12, and Avery six.

Ridler winner was announced, in these words, “Wow! It’s an Impressive winner and it’s a family affair, father and sons Brady and Cory, the Ranweilers of New Ulm.”

Those who win this prize become members of a very elite group. Interviewed shortly afterwards, Brad said, “The dream is gone. It’s a reality now.”

Brady added, “It’s definitely a dream come true to do it as a group together. There were tough days; there were a lot of good ones. Today is going to rank as one of the best days of my life.”

The Detroit Autorama was not held in 2021 so the Ranweilers were the longest running winners of the Ridler in history—holding the title from February 2020 to early March 2022—because of the unforeseen circumstances caused by Covid.

With other in-person car shows cancelled during the pandemic, entries for the 2020 SEMA Battle of the Builders show were submitted online. Entries were cut to 40, then 12—with those 12 taken to Los Angeles for in-person judging and filming. Impressive again took top honors. Because it won that event, the Ranweilers were invited to the 2021 SEMA live show, where they won the GM Design Award with the wagon.

Impressive has been well-traveled, clocking 45,000 miles in its cocoon in a special designed, easy load, easy unload trailer that’s safe for the car.

“There’s almost no place we haven’t traveled in the last 18 months,” Brady said. “We’ve been to California, Alabama, New York, Cleveland, and a lot more.”

“Now we have a new dream, a new goal. It might never happen. We can spend the rest of our lives and never achieve it,” Brady said, but noted that another build is in the works. RVW

Brad Ranweiler and sons Brady, back left, and Cory with Impressive

By RUTH KLOSSNER

Indoors or out, it doesn’t matter to Seth Yocum. After all, the concept is the same—to clean the water by creating sustainable aquatic systems.

Through his business, Aqualogical Resources, Yocum has custom designed ponds, rain gardens, aquariums, aquaponic, and other aquatic systems in southern Minnesota and the surrounding states since 1997. He uses natural processes and the latest technologies to create systems tailored to the location and situation. He harnesses his passion for natural environments to create environments that match what one would find in nature.

Seth is passionate about the process of nitrification.

Yocum combines plants and animals to harness the Nitrogen cycle in indoor living walls or aquarium designs, as well as outdoor ponds and rain gardens. The naturally occurring cycle turns ammonia from fish waste and aerobic decomposition into Nitrite, and then Nitrate, which are progressively less harmful forms of Nitrogen. That process is the primary source of nutrients in an aquaponic system.

The basement of Yocum’s 1899 farm house in rural Lake Crystal demonstrates that principle in a self-supporting live wall and Koi pond.

Koi fish produce Nitrate through their eating, breathing, and waste. That, in turn, is sent to plants as fertilizer. The plants clean the water, which is sent back to the fish. 

Seth Yocum

Hubbard Building, Mankato

Aqualogical Resources Aquatic Research Lab, Cambria

Home Office Showplace, Golden Valley

Garden Pond, Lake Crystal

Basement Level Live Wall Mogwai Collaborative, Mankato

Automated Living Wall Ecosystem, Hubbard Building, Mankato

North Shore Stream & Pond, Plymouth

Aqualogical Resouces Aquatic Research Lab, Cambria

 “Plants are great water filters,” Yocum said. “And Koi are the cows of the fish world.”

The same process can be used to clean lakes and streams.

The non-profit Blue Earth Project—of which Yocum is a board member— is launching a pontoon boat, mounted with an aquaponic system, on Lake Crystal Lake this summer. It pumps lake water onboard where plants suck out the nitrates and phosphorus—and puts clean water back into the lake.

“It may not seem like much, but that pontoon can filter 2.5 million gallons of water in a season. It’s all natural, it takes nutrients out of the water, with the by-product being clean water and whatever plants we grow. We can reclaim the micro-nutrients and get clean water at the same time,” Yocum said. “There are so many solutions, based on the simple process of nitrification. That’s the basis of everything.”

Yocum’s basement—the Aqualogical “Aqua Lab”—also features a 150-gallon living coral reef.

Similar projects—both salt- and fresh water-based—have been created in locations around the area, adding life to spaces while still being ecologically conscious. In the closed loop system, plants live in a clay media that supports bacteria and microfauna to act as a filter for the water. Fish provide nutrient breakdown and a source of ammonia for nitrification to provide food for plants.

The fish feed the plants and the plants clean the water for the fish. It’s as simple as that.

The same principles are fundamental to outdoor ponds.

“We are literally poisoning our lakes and streams and aquifers and drinking water. When something as simple as growing some plants will help correct the problems, I feel compelled to share my discoveries with everyone that will listen,” he said.

Through Aqualogical Resources, Yocum provides a full range of aquarium, pond, lighting and aquaponic products. He does the projects from initial consultation through the completed project, designing and constructing for homes, offices, or gardens. RVW

Rainwater Mitigation, Lake Minnetonka

Aqualogical Resources Aquatic Research Lab, Cambria

Aqualogical Resources Aquatic Research Lab, Cambria

As we dive into summer, we often find ourselves immersed in all of the activities from sports programs, vacations, family reunions, and all the other fun things we only get four warm months to do! With our schedules packed full, it is often hard to find the time to make and prepare a nutritious meal that the whole family can enjoy. Sometimes this scenario may lead to going through a fast-food restaurant to solve the lack of time we all experience. Even though mealtime is limited, with a little forethought, we can pack our own meals for the road that are guaranteed to be more nutritious, costeffective, and satisfying for the entire family. One way to make this process a little easier would be to utilize a cooler if available. If not, no worries! There are plenty of options that don’t require refrigeration or cooling.

If packing a cooler is an option for you, some great go-to choices to include next time you hit the road for another summer adventure would be to include grocery store deli meat, previously grilled then chilled chicken breast, cheese cubes or slices, and if space allows, sliced tomatoes, leaf lettuce, pickles, etc... Combining any combination of these ingredients on whole wheat bread, pitas, or wraps would provide a quick, simple, and filling sandwich that can be easily assembled, and are rest stop friendly. If sandwiches don’t do the trick, preparing hard-boiled eggs ahead of time would be a great filling option to include as well. Along with these choices, including munchie type of foods would be a great idea when there is no time to stop when on the road. This would involve packing a variety of single serving yogurts, string cheese, and meat sticks.

Other important foods to include in your cooler are pre-cut veggies (cucumbers, peppers, carrots, celery) with dips of choice (my family’s go-tos are Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressing, everything hummus or guacamole). And don’t forget to add a variety of fruits such as berries, pre-cut melons, and other family favorites would provide a sweet addition to the car time munches.

Being on the road and traveling often may prove that it’s difficult to even assemble things out of the cooler for snacking on the go (or your children are STARVING and you don’t have the time or patience). For this reason, it’s important to include items that don’t require cooling, stopping or assembly. Be sure to pack items like peanut butter, nuts and seeds, trail mixes, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, granola bars, apples, oranges, and bananas.

Next time you hit the road, give these travel food items a try!

HOLLY ELLISON, RD, LD Campus Dietitian MNSU – Mankato

HILLTOP 2010 Adams St. Mankato, MN 507-625-9070

SKIN HEALTH + SUN PROTECTION

Your friendly Hy-Vee Pharmacy staff is here to help you with all your summertime questions! Ask us if any of your medications can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. We can suggest products to help keep you protected from sunburns, insect bites, poison ivy/oak and much more!

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DAD

From cracking dad jokes and killing spiders, to coaching us to always keep our eye on the ball – dads are awesome! And, while they may not always admit it, we know they care about their health. June is Men’s Health Month as well as the month we celebrate Father’s Day, so let’s say “I love you” with the perfect picnic served with all of his favorite foods (and maybe a few healthy ones too)!

This summer try switching up some of your sides with something besides potato and pasta salads that your family and friends will love.

FRUIT

TRY FRUIT KABOBS OR PACK SEASONAL FRUIT LIKE SLICED WATERMELON AND CHERRIES.

WHOLE GRAINS

WHOLE-WHEAT CRACKERS, CORNBREAD MUFFINS AND LIGHTLY SALTED POPCORN MAKE GREAT ADDITIONS TO YOUR PICNIC BASKET.

PROTEIN

MIX IT UP WITH DEVILED EGGS, LOW-SODIUM DELI MEAT, MIXED NUTS, BEAN- OR CHICKPEA-BASED SNACKS.

DAIRY

CHEESE STICKS OR FRESH MOZZARELLA PEARLS ARE PERFECT TO PACK FOR YOUR NEXT PICNIC.

VEGGIES

TRY SUGAR SNAP PEAS, MINI BELL PEPPERS TO DIP IN HUMMUS.

SHORT ON TIME?

For last-minute gatherings, swing by Hy-Vee for fresh fruit and veggie trays, cold sides like broccoli supreme salad, and custom charcuterie boards. Remember: Father’s Day comes just once a year. Make sure Dad knows how special he is, and make sure he’s healthy for years to come!

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ lbs. fresh green beans

1 ½ tsp. Hy-Vee salt, divided

1/4 c. Gustare Vita olive oil

2 T fresh tarragon, chopped

1 T Gustare Vita red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. Hy-Vee black pepper

2 c. red and/or yellow grape tomatoes, halved

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced & separated into rings

½ c. Soiree crumbled Mediterranean herb feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

Fill large saucepan half full with water; bring to a boil. Add beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer 8 to 12 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; immediately rinse under cold water.

Whisk together olive oil, tarragon, vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add beans, tomatoes, shallot; toss to coat. 2 3

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. To serve, transfer salad to serving platter; sprinkle with feta cheese.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 180 calories, 12g fat, 3g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 10mg cholesterol, 820mg sodium, 12g total carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 6g sugars, 0 added sugars, 7g protein. Daily values: 6% iron, 0% vitamin D, 10% calcium, 10% potassium.

This simple, make-ahead side dish is guaranteed to be a hit! And since you’re able to prep up to 2 days in advance, everyone can stress less and celebrate the most important men in their life more.

507.625.9070

AGraff@hy-vee.com

What is your business and position?

I am the owner of Hatanpa State Farm Insurance Agency. We have agencies in Mankato, Mapleton, and Lake Crystal. We help our clients with a wide range of insurance and financial service products. Everything from auto, home, and business insurance to life insurance and investment planning.

What would you like readers to know about you?

My wife Jess and I have five children from ages five to 24. I grew up in the Twin Cities and moved to Mankato 22 years ago to open State Farm agencies in Mankato and Mapleton. My wife is from Mankato and I feel so lucky to be able to raise a family, work, and live in such a great community. Over the last 22 years, our agency has grown from three licensed agents to 15. We serve clients throughout Minnesota. Our office is a Lifetime President’s Club agency and we have consistently ranked in the top 50 multiline State Farm agencies out of over 19,000 agencies nationwide.

Why did you go into the insurance field?

I don’t think an insurance career is what most kids dream of and I was no different. I learned about the insurance industry from my dad, who worked for another insurance company for his entire carrier. When I graduated from college, he recommended that I get a job in the insurance industry and go work for State Farm. Luckily, I listened to his advice and got a job working in the claims department at State Farm in 1996. After four years of handling claims, I got the opportunity to move out of the Twin Cities and open State Farm agencies in Mankato and Mapleton.

What does the word success mean to you?

I always felt that success in this industry is measured by the number of people we help. Not every insurance company is the same and success to us is helping the most people we can get into State Farm. State Farm is a customer-owned mutual insurance company and does business very differently from most of our major competitors. Every decision the company makes is viewed through the lens of what is in the best interest of State Farm’s owner mutual auto policyholders. A customer-owned company like State Farm has a goal to not maximize profit, but to manage the company to provide the best possible rate for our owners and provide unmatched claims paying ability. In 2020, with the pandemic and people not driving as much, State Farm’s claim payments went down significantly because of less accidents. Because State Farm collected too much premium from our clients, the company returned $4.5 Billion to our mutual auto customers in direct dividends and rate reductions over the last two years.

What unique skills do you bring to your profession?

Spending four years handling claims with State Farm was such a valuable experience. Having actually paid the claims and seeing firsthand how coverage works allows me to give real world advice to our clients. My claims experience taught me how the law works when it comes to insurance issues. I’ve helped families recover after having a horrible thing happen to them and I’ve negotiated liability settlements with plaintiff attorneys. I know what’s going to happen after the unthinkable and I use this experience when helping our clients protect themselves and their families.

Did your mom and/or dad teach you anything that you carry with you today?

Many, many, things. Never giving up and never letting anyone outwork me was something I learned from my father. He grew up on a family dairy farm and, when I was a kid, he always would joke about all the tasks they would have to do on the farm when they were “resting.” As a self-employed business owner myself, I know the workday never ends and I find myself doing all kinds of work after the office closes, when I’m “resting.”

What did you want to be when you were a kid? Did that change when you got to high school?

I’ve always wanted to work for myself. That stayed the same for as long as I can remember. As a kid I started several businesses, including the traditional lemonade stand, pulling a wagon around selling vegetables door to door, and making and selling flower planters out of my parents’ garage. I’ve been lucky to be self employed for 26 of the 30 years I’ve had a job.

What has failure taught you?

I’ve always looked at failure as being an opportunity to work harder and get better. If I wasn’t the best at what I was doing, I have always prided myself at being the hardest working at what I was doing.

Do you get involved in your community?

Greater Mankato is the best place to live, work, and raise a family, hands down. A huge part of this is because we have a great culture of public service in our community. We have so many people in our community that are willing to step up to help with their time and resources to help their neighbors. We encourage public service within our team and have been involved with many community organizations over the years, including the YMCA, Educare, MyPlace, Greater Mankato Growth, Junior Achievement, and the Children’s Museum of Southern.

What shows do you binge watch?

Like most people, we spend time on the couch at the end of the day watching all the Netflix and Prime super shows.

What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done?

When I was 25 I had two little kids depending on me. I resigned my corporate State Farm claims job, sold my house, and moved my family to Mankato. All for the opportunity to become self-employed and start a business in a town I’d never lived in and didn’t know anyone. That was a pretty scary experience.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I spend a lot of time outdoors playing sports, hunting, running and road biking. I started doing triathlons a few years ago and enjoy the competitiveness and trying to be better each day.

What would surprise people to know about you?

My first job in high school was hand painting Christmas ornaments for people that had a booth at the Minnesota and Wisconsin state fairs. I sat in my parents’ basement and painted ornaments all summer and then worked 16 hour a day selling them at the state fairs each August. I was the kid that would sit in the booth and personalize the ornaments. Long days and a lot of soap opera watching those summers. Family?

My wife Jess and I have worked together in the agency for the past 15 years. She also serves on the Mankato City Council representing Ward 5. We have five children. The oldest is Jack and he is a second year law student at the University of Iowa. Our oldest daughter Claire is in the nursing program at Mankato State. Our daughter Lenlie is nine and loves softball, volleyball and basketball. Our son Jennings is eight and plays baseball, basketball, loves reading and Minecraft. Our youngest son Huxen is five and will start kindergarten in the fall and knows everything a five-year-old could possibly know about sea creatures and the planets.

What is your business and position?

I am general manager of Patrick’s On Third, and founder of Made With Love Soap & Candle Co.

Tell us about your work at Patrick’s on Third?

We are a full service restaurant in downtown Saint Peter. Patrick’s on Third has been absolutely amazing to me. Patrick’s was my first job, going way back to 2005. I was washing dishes then and I worked there through high school. I left to go to college for a while, but I missed my home town, my family, and my Patrick’s Family, so I returned to the river valley and started working at Patrick’s again. I managed the kitchen for a while and bartended there a little on the side. When a front of house manager position opened up, I went for it. That eventually led to a general manager position in 2014. Patrick’s owners John Mayer and Minnow have been absolutely amazing to work for and with. From them I learned so much about the restaurant industry and just business in general.

Tell us about Made with Love Soap? Why did you decide on this type of business?

Honestly, as Plato wrote “Our need will be the real creator” comes to mind. As my family was expecting our daughter, and trying to budget for an addition to the family, we chose to make some more conscious spending decisions, and—as an avid natural soap user—I didn’t want to budge. So in 2011, I tried my hand at some super small batches of homemade soap. Shortly thereafter, we gifted soap to friends and family towards the holidays. There was a lot of interest and support from people and they wanted to purchase more. So, I thought, if we are going to sell soaps, we better start a legitimate business. We launched Made With Love Soap Co. officially in 2012. Soap bars quickly turned into making shampoo, lotions, candles, and so much more in the following months.

Share your top 5 tips for success based upon your experience. In no particular order:

1. Persistence. Don’t give up on goals or dreams. Stick to the plan and the path. Hard work does pay off.

2. Vision. Plan for the path from day one, make goals, and set milestones. And absolutely celebrate them.

3. Attitude. A positive attitude will carry you a long way. Carry yourself confidently with a positive attitude and it will take you great places.

4. Listen. Listen to your market and market feedback. Listen to your friends and family, listen to your heart.

5. Adapt. The world is ever changing, so innovation is a must. There will be many setbacks, you have to find a path out and remember that nothing is as big of a deal as it feels at that moment.

Do not get stuck in your ways, accepting change is a good thing.

What has any failure taught you?

Failure and setbacks may always be on the horizon, success hinges on persistence and drive. I remember in the very early days, when we lost an account, I was shocked and thought, “What did we do wrong?” I was nice, the product was quality, and the professional relationship was going so well, the shop just wanted to go in a different direction and rebrand the store. I took it very personal at first. I have had shipments of unusable product delivered and missed outgoing order deadlines because of that. I have had wind flip over our canopy while vending at an outdoor music show and that destroyed almost my whole inventory and in so many more ways I’ve failed in the last decade of business. As I mentioned in an earlier question, you have to adapt. If you have to make phone calls or whatever it takes to remedy an issue, be transparent and honest with everyone. People generally will understand, even if it’s not what they want to hear. I’ve learned from my failures that I cannot control everything but, if I adapt, I can minimize failure by setting longer lead times than necessary, bring extra, make extra, plan for situations and scenarios.

Do you get involved in your community? If so, in what ways?

Between my hats as myself, Made With Love, and as general manager at Patrick’s on Third, I’ve always wanted to give back to the community. Patrick’s on Third is always donating to youth groups, school events, charitable events. Patrick’s also partners with Gustavus Adolphus college for their annual community concert. Patrick’s also partnered with CADA, MSU, and law enforcement for SafeBar training. I am an alumnus of the Connecting Nicollet County Leadership Program. I also passed the Region 9 diversity and inclusion program. I currently am sitting my second term on the Saint Peter Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Saint Peter is my home, it’s where I want to live. I’m proud of this community.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

Between dad duty, restaurant manager, and small business owner, I like to sleep.

Although your skin needs sun for vitamin D, it also needs to be protected from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Those sunny rays, which may be appreciated after a long winter, also can cause skin cancer. Skin cancer is among the most common types of cancer in the U.S. and the most preventable.

As a physician and a father of three children, I often provide these sun safety reminders to patients and their families.

1. Choose the right sunscreen.

It’s best to stay out of sunlight when the sun is most direct, usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. But when you are in the sun, choosing a good sunscreen is critical.

Don’t get caught up in brand names, but don’t choose the cheapest product. Go with a well-rated lotion or spray that has the right SPF for your needs. There is minimal extra protection for sunscreens that claim sun protection factor, or SPF, ratings higher than 50. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or 50 on your face, ears, nose and other areas of prolonged sun exposure, especially when you’re spending the day at the pool or lake. Use SPF 15 or 30 for all other areas of the body that are exposed to the sun. Apply sunscreen every hour when playing or sweating in the sun, or playing at the pool. Waterproof sunscreen can last somewhat longer, but everyone’s skin is different. One tip my wife uses is to set her phone alarm to go off every hour when we are at the pool as a reminder to reapply sunscreen. Babies 6 months and younger should not use sunscreen, so be sure to keep them covered or in a shady spot.

There’s been some concern recently as to the absorption of titanium oxide and zinc oxide found in most sunscreens. If these were absorbed, would it be toxic to our bodies? Studies reveal these compounds do

not get below the stratum corneum layer, which is one of the outer most skin layers, before naturally sloughing off. Most sunscreens are well-tolerated with no concerns for reactions due to absorption.

Some sunscreens can cause allergic reactions to you or your child’s skin. If this happens, remove immediately, and try a different or more natural brand of sunscreen. If you continue to have a worsening rash, or swelling of lips or throat, you need to be seen by a medical professional immediately.

Another issue is some sunscreen can be irritating to the skin and cause dermatitis or photosensitivity over time. Many of these sunscreens contained para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), but now this component is rarely used by sunscreen manufacturers.

2. Wear sunglasses.

Sunglasses can protect your eyes from the brightness of the sun, but make sure they’re UV-filtered. Without that, you expose your eyes to the UV rays worse than if you weren’t wearing sunglasses at all.

3. Wear a hat.

While hats do help when you and your family are outdoors, remember that baseball caps usually only protect the face but not your ears or neck, which are common areas skin cancers can develop later in life. Broad-brimmed hats are better but can be challenging with kids as they may not necessarily be something they want to wear. So, be sure to repeat applications of sunscreen to exposed areas.

Using sunscreen and wearing clothing that protects you from the sun can greatly reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. Protect your skin to have a great summer.

GRAHAM KING M.D., Family Medicine Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato, Minnesota

LIVEN UP

Pilot, poet, preacher, teacher, and Morristown, Minnesota native Tom Goeritz is just a regular guy sharing the stories about the people and places that touched his life. From outdoor adventures to heartwarming personal encounters, Goeritz, no stranger to adversity, believes that the joy of life, is the trip.

Nearly every story in Goeritz book of essays has made an impact in some way on his life. It might be a lesson learned, a person who has touched his life, or simply a great experience with friends or family.

“Writing a book makes one appreciate individuals and life experiences more than ever,” said Goeritz. “I am just a story teller, and like you, we all have experiences that could be shared.”

Why “A Bucket of Frogs?” What started out as a legacy book for his family, evolved into a book that Goeritz believes can be enjoyed by anyone. And how, after so many years of happy adventures, as well as challenges, joys, and sorrows, he took a “leap” of faith to share these essays in a book. Hence, the story called “A Bucket of Frogs” became the obvious, and catchy, title.

An easy read, some of his stories you may relate to, will make you laugh, or bring tears. Others may make you shake your head at the foolishness of young kids. The overall message is to bring a greater appreciation of the good in all of us.

Tom Goeritz grew up in the small southern Minnesota town of Morristown, population 750. His father owned a grocery store and locker plant, and Tom spent many hours helping in the business. After high school, he attended Mankato State College.

While going to school full time he worked at a lumber yard and bar tended to pay for his schooling. He received a degree in recreation and park administration. He later obtained an MBA from St. Thomas in 1984 while again working full time.

Most of his career Tom has worked in the senior housing field as a VP of operations. At the height of his career he was responsible for over 22 nursing homes, numerous housing projects, two hospitals and two clinics, exceeding 150 million dollars of operations.

He has faced adversity as both a brain tumor and cancer survivor. From an early age Tom has loved the outdoors, with hunting and fishing playing a large part in his life. Many of his stories talk about the “duck shack” which is a special retreat for him. He often says he is blessed to have so many people he can call a friend.

Tom has always challenged himself. While attending college he taught himself taxidermy. Some of his many talents include: private pilot, auctioneer, poet, teacher, preacher (officiated his two step-daughters’ weddings and conducted numerous Sunday church services). He has scuba and sky dived, cross country and downhill skied, enjoys playing horseshoes, golf, and boating with the family.

His personal philosophy is “Attitude is Everything,” and endorses the belief that the joy of life is the trip.

Tom was the executive director at St. John’s Circle of Care in Springfield, Minnesota and currently does interim work. He and his wife Colleen, live in St. James, Minnesota. Visit tomgoeritz.com for more information. RVW

Members of City Mouse have either been nominated for membership in the various hall of fames, for instrumentalists of the year, for favorite band in Mankato, and are members of the Rock and Country Hall Of Fame in Medina. They’ve played bars, barns, backyards, basements, ballrooms, schools, and premier concert clubs, and overseas.

BILLY STEINER

ABOUT BILLY: I was reusing the record bins at Backlund’s, Mankato’s Home of Music, in early 1971, and got to talking with longtime Mankato musician, Bobby Drengler, about the great new crop of singer/songwriters and we decided to start a new group to play some music, write some songs and cover some great music that we liked. City Mouse was born, 1971! We added drummer/singer Bill “Cap’n Don” Denison, and started gigging around. Over the years, the cast of musicians/characters changed, always emphasizing “characters,” and some great musicianship! However, the current lineup of Ron Arsenault, Dale Haefner, Dave Pengra, Tim Waters and Mike Pengra and yours truly , has remained intact since 1986—a pretty good run of over 36 years!

MENTORS: On harmonica, I always go back to Paul Butterfield, and his mentor, Little Walter Jacobs, then it flows on from there, But always, Butter and Little Walter.

WHAT’S NEXT? We hope to release a new album this year, probably with a combination of new songs, old songs, and some live recordings. I know that soundman extraordinaire Jonny F recorded our 50th Anniversary celebration at Hooligan’s in Mankato in March, and we’ll give that a good listen. As long as folks want to keep listening to us and supporting us, City Mouse will play on as long as we’re able!

DAVE PENGRA

ABOUT DAVE: I am the bass player in the band, I am a vocalist on 95% of the songs we do (harmony vocals). We have several offshoot groups that I book when we can’t book the 6 piece CM band that several of us book: Walleys, Walleye Trio, Ace In The Whole, The Fabulous Fatheads, Ron And Dave, Gallimaufry, Tim and Dave.

MUSIC FAVORITES: When listening to music, it’s all over the board— jazz, folk, country. I grew up on radio —KAAY, Little Rock; KOMA, Oklahoma City; AM radio; then when FM surfaced: The Cities 97, WDGY, alternative stations that didn’t play top 40… always looking for something different! On Sirius Radio it would be Tom Petty, Outlaw Country, Jazz.

MEMORIES: Favorite memories would have to be the traveling that I’ve done over the years with band buddies. In the summer we would focus on who had a golf course that we liked to play. Now it centers on fishing. In the winter we tried to find college towns with basketball courts that we could run off the beer from the night before. Now it’s just enjoying the winter and hoping we don’t hit bad weather. Over the years we have shared a stage with The Beach Boys, Little Feat, Luther Allison, Robert Cray, Johnny Lang, Pure Prairie League, Vince Gill, Dan Seals, Ben Sidran, Doug Kershaw, Michael Johnson, Koerner/Ray, and many more. The groups I have been associated with: The Jess Dobbs Group, The Minnesota Valley Boys, Tango, The Blitz Boys, Nobody’s Fool, Ace In The Whole, The Lonnie Knight Band, The Lost Walleye Orchestra, City Mouse, Gallimaufry, church choirs, school choirs, junior high garage bands, barbershop, various throw together jazz combos and rock bands.

MIKE PENGRA

ABOUT MIKE: I’ve been the City Mouse drummer since 1988 or so. My day job is programming a folk/roots music stream for The Current, so my musical taste revolves around singer songwriters and string bands and blues.

MEMORIES & GIGS: We’ve played every kind of gig, from dingy dives to classy concert halls. Some of my most memorable gigs have been with the Mankato Symphony. The fact that someone liked our music enough to arrange it for orchestra is just amazing. We also had fun playing as the “pit orchestra” for a few theater productions at MSUM over the years.

TIM WATERS

ABOUT TIM: I am a singer with the band and play guitar, banjo, and pedal steel guitar.

MEMORIES: It is always the performances I remember as opposed to the venues. Some nights the music is flowing and all of us are caught in the current. I listen to the Current and Radio Heartland for radio.

MUSIC FAVORITES & MENTORS: I stream with a lot of my favorite musicians being the source genres. Musical influences include but are not limited to: Michael Johnson, James Taylor, Jerry Jeff Walker, David Bromberg, Little Feat, Jason Isbell, Bob Dylan, Doc Watson, Jim McGuire, and the New Grass Revival. I learned and was influenced by literally dozens of musicians from, and traveling through, Mankato including all of the current and past City Mouse members.

RON ARSENAULT

ABOUT RON: I do vocals in Mouse and play acoustic guitar. I love playing with these extremely talented musicians who share many musical sensibilities with me. I first joined City Mouse around 1975 but left the band to teach in northern MN from 1977 to 1984. I rejoined the band when I returned to this area around 1986 and our lineup has remained the same since then. I think the term “Goodtime Music” best describes what we do. Crossing styles from country to blues with a fair amount of original material makes the band appealing to a broad fan base.

MUSIC FAVORITES & MENTORS: My musical influences include: Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Ry Cooder, Nickel Creek, Joni Mitchell, Doc Watson, and so many more.

MEMORIES: Outdoor festivals are most memorable to me, especially The Rock Bend Folk Festival in St. Peter. I also enjoy playing any venues where people enjoy what we do. A memorable highlight was being inducted with the band to The Midwest Rock and Country Hall Of Fame.

DALE HAEFNER

ABOUT DALE: I play piano for City Mouse, keyboardist and manager for The Mary Jane Alm Band when I not performing with CM, performance series director and music industry instructor at Minnesota State Mankato. I curate the Music Performance Series at Minnesota State and the concert series at Hooligans. These concerts feature regional and national acts and include Grammy and Blues Music Award winning artists. Responsible for all of the non-musical aspects of student ensemble and faculty recitals at the university.

GIGS: Premier concert clubs in the Metro: Cabooze, Union Bar, Doc Holidays, Mr. Nibs, Thumpers

MUSIC FAVORITES & MENTORS: I am a big fan of all genres of music. When I was younger, I would listen to a lot of jazz: Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and a number of lesserknown jazz pianists. Currently I listen to a ton of New Orleans piano music, the band Little Feat, and various blues artists. I regard Jon Cleary, Dr. John, and Little Feat’s Bill Payne as three of my most admired pianists that have influenced my piano style. Each one of these three musicians can say that they stand on the shoulders of New Orleans pianists of the past and have adopted the signature styles of those that have passed: Jelly Roll Morton, Roy Byrd, aka Professor Longhair, James Booker and Allan Toussaint, to name a few. Each one of these players has a musical toolbox of licks and rhythmic patterns incorporating Afro/Cuban, Caribbean and Western music.

MEMORIES: Playing a gig where everyone in the band has brought their “A” game. The 50th year celebration at Hooligans was an outstanding example of that musical experience.

Tim Waters, Billy Steiner, Dave Pengra, Mike Pengra, Ron Arsenault, Dale “The Hawk” Haefner

Memory Bears

Lab Services

River’s Edge Hospital uses state-of-theart equipment to provide a variety of laboratory clinical testing to diagnose, monitor and prevent disease. And for your convenience, Direct Access Testing (DAT) is available so you can receive commonly asked for tests without an order from your physician. No appointment necessary!

DAT

Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5 pm

May was Mental Health Awareness Month but—just because the month is over—doesn’t mean we should stop focusing on how to care for our minds and mental wellbeing. At CADA, our advocates and staff are working with people in crisis and trauma, which can lead to staff experiencing a high level of stress and secondary trauma. The Wellness Wheel is a tool we’ve used to discuss wellness with staff and clients at CADA.

The Wellness Wheel illustrates eight dimensions— occupational, spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, environmental, social, and financial. All of the dimensions of wellness are interconnected and important to a balanced life. Let’s explore how you can practice wellness in each of these eight dimensions.

Occupational

Occupational wellness is finding meaning, fulfillment, or satisfaction in your work or field of study.

Commit to learning skills that will help you in future occupational endeavors.

Find balance between work and/ or school and leisure time. Having a healthy work/life balance is vital to feeling fulfilled at work. Make it a priority to volunteer or spend free time in activities that allow you to use your skills or talents or opportunities that align with where you find your occupational purpose in the world.

Environmental

The spaces we spend our time in can influence our wellness, positively or negatively. Environmental wellness is about being attuned to your surroundings and taking care of the things around you that you can control that influence your wellbeing.

Clean or de-clutter your space. Take a small bag with you on a walk and pick up trash around the neighborhood.

Use aromatherapy or scented candles to improve your experience in a space.

Be a part of influencing behaviors in places you spend time in. Call out harmful or hurtful comments, encourage positive self-talk with those around you, etc.

Financial

Practicing financial wellness is about making sure your basic needs are met, that you are taking steps to live within your means, and that you are planning for the future.

Create a budget and find ways to stick to it.

Set financial goals.

Work on identifying your needs versus your wants.

Reflect on your financial habits and examine where there is room for growth.

Physical

Physical wellness involves taking care of our bodies and making choices to actively support our health and safety.

Eat a well-balanced diet.

Work on healthy sleep habits. Take care of routine healthcare like physicals, regular dental appointments, and preventative screenings.

Practice movement. Whether this is an intense gym session, dancing around the living room with your kids, or going on a walk with your dog, moving your body fuels your health and your mind.

Social

Social wellness is all about your relationships with others and having a strong support system. Humans are hard-wired for connection, and practicing social wellness isn’t just for extroverts. We all need healthy relationships in our lives.

Make a commitment to connect with loved ones. You can schedule weekly phone calls or plan your next get-together.

Work on improving communication with a loved one.

Write letters or send postcards to friends you haven’t seen in a while.

Spiritual

Spiritual wellness is a way of understanding the values, beliefs, and ethics that guide your life. Spiritual wellness can mean connecting to something larger than yourself, whether through faith, nature, science, or personal reflection.

Read books that help you learn about and reflect on your values and how those values guide your life.

Practice meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness activities.

Spend time in nature.

Engage with a community that aligns with your values, whether this is a social group or a faith-based group.

Take a look at the Wellness Wheel and reflect on which areas you’re doing well in and which areas need a little more attention. Looking at the wheel regularly is a good way to ensure you’re spending time in areas that need work and that you’re working toward a healthy and well-balanced life.

Emotional

Practicing emotional wellness is about connecting with and understanding your emotions and feelings and how those emotions influence your behavior.

Process your emotions through journaling or another selfreflective activity.

Practice asking for help when you need it.

Practice setting and upholding your boundaries.

Some people find that therapy is a good way to work on emotional wellness.

Intellectual

Intellectual wellness is engaging in activities that keep your brain active, like learning new things, creative activities, or other things that stimulate your mind.

Learn a new hobby or skill.

Reading for pleasure or joining a book club to have conversations that challenge you and help you learn.

Take community education classes. Find time for creativity—painting, doodling, scrapbooking, writing, acting, etc.

KRISTEN WALTERS Development & Communications Manager CADA, Mankato

It’s finally warm and sunny out and, with that, comes bonfires, sunburn and cold drinks in lawn chairs. With the fun stuff comes the creepy crawly things and the state bird, the mosquito. As we start to spend more time outside, so do our dogs.

What dangers could be right in your backyard?

Lyme disease is transmitted by the deer tick here in Minnesota and, in recent years, the infection rates are on a rise. In fact, according to the CDC, about 30,000 cases of humans contracting Lyme disease are reported annually in the United States.

Clinical signs include fever, joint or limb swelling, lameness, lethargy, anorexia, fatal kidney failure, or no symptoms at all. These symptoms may not even show their face until two to six months after your dog has been infected.

Your dog can be tested for Lyme disease with a simple blood draw. Lyme disease is not treatable and can flare up throughout your dog’s life. Antibiotics can help manage the disease and pain medication can help control the discomfort.

The good news is, you can help prevent this disease by vaccinating your dog for Lyme disease as well as keeping them on a monthly flea and tick preventative.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can be found in wildlife— most commonly raccoons, opossums, skunks, rats, and rodents— most often in the summer and fall months. The wildlife urinates in a standing body of water—such as a puddle, pond or lake—your dog drinks the infected water, and voila!…..your dog has Leptospirosis.

To make things worse, they don’t even have to drink the infected water. The bacteria can enter the skin through an open cut, through the eyes, or through the nose.

Lepto is also a zoonotic disease, meaning your dog can share the love with the family. In fact, 200 people a year are diagnosed with Leptospirosis in the United States. Although this bacterium is not usually deadly in people, symptoms can vary in dogs but can include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, depression, and lethargy. In severe cases, this disease can lead to liver or kidney failure or even death.

Unfortunately, because these symptoms are common in other diseases as well, it can be slow to diagnosis and costly. Leptospirosis can be treated if caught early enough but includes aggressive antibiotics and fluid therapy.

Living in town does not protect your dog from being infected with this disease as many of our clients have been just that. The real magic trick is that you can vaccinate your dog annually to prevent this scary disease.

If ticks and weird waterborne diseases don’t make you cringe, consider those nasty little mosquitos that bite. They, of course, are a nuisance for us—leaving red itchy bumps—but they can cause a very serious and fatal bloodborne parasite for your dog, known as Heartworm Disease. A female mosquito bites an infected dog and ingests the microfilaria. Over the next ten to 30 days, the microfilaria matures in the mosquito’s gut and enters their mouth parts. The mosquito bites the next dog, leaving a larvae. The larvae migrate to the heart and adjacent blood vessels, maturing into full blown adults. These little worms mate and produce more over the next six to seven months.

Due to the length of time it takes for the worms to mature, it is unlikely that a dog under the age of one will test positive. The symptoms in the dog can depend on where the worms are present, the amount of worms, and how long they have taken up residency. Usually symptoms include a dry cough, shortness of breath, weakness, listlessness, and loss of stamina.

Summer months provide perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos and thus increase the risk of this disease. This is a very painful and expensive disease to treat and, thankfully, one your dog should never need to experience. Heartworm preventives are recommended monthly as well as annual tests to catch early infections. The test is a simple blood draw with pretty immediate results. Before you can say, “But my dog never goes outside,” think of how many mosquitos you have swatted from your couch after the patio door was open.

All three of these diseases can cause lifelong symptoms for your dog that could have been prevented. In all three, there are inexpensive preventions that drastically outweigh the cost of the treatments. All three can be found in your backyard. Consider talking to your veterinarian about the risks of Leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and Heartworm disease. No one wants to trade in summer drinks, sunburn, and bonfires for empty pocket books and heartaches.

NICOLE LUECK, CVT MN Valley Pet Hospital Mankato

New Ulm resident Pat Woratscha is well known for his innumerable hours volunteering with organizations that serve adults with developmental disabilities. He, however, does not use the word “volunteer,” but instead speaks of “groups I belong to.” That’s an notable distinction because he feels he is not the one doing the serving, but rather regards every person he comes into contact with as part of “his crew.”

Organizations such as Adaptive Recreational Services, EASE, People First, Special Olympics, and the United We Stand Players are just a few of the groups that he “belongs to.”

Growing up on the family farm, Pat went to country school until the teacher decided that—since he did not excel academically— he belonged in the special education classroom in town.

“I definitely got bullied and picked on,” Pat said. “Special ed back then was not what it is now, but I’m glad I experienced it because it made me more compassionate.”

There is a special reason for Pat’s compassion and devotion.

“In everything I do, I want my brother’s memory to live on. He is my legacy,” Pat said.

Pat’s brother, Brian, was only two years old when his mother brought him to the hospital with a dangerous fever. After a harrowing brush with death—so serious that he was given last rights—he was stabilized, but would never be the same. The traumatic brain injury Brian suffered as a result of the fever left him unable to verbalize or comprehend. Brian was sent home to the family farm where Pat did his best to help his parents and siblings look after him. At age nine, Brian, was sent to live at the Faribault State Hospital. Group homes did not exist at the time, and the farm was not safe for a child with developmental disabilities.

“What I remember most about my brother is that he was always smiling,” Pat said, “He didn’t like hugs, but he always wanted to hold your hand and smile at you.”

When Pat’s mother received the call that Brian had died at the state hospital at the age of 30, Pat said he knew he had passed before his mother even answered the phone.

“I could always sense Brian. We had a shared bond, and he was such an inspiration to me,” Pat said, knowing that, for the rest of his life, just as his brother had, he would work to make people smile.

When Pat heard the local school was struggling to find paraprofessionals, that became his new calling. Every morning he helps young students out of their car seats and assists in the classroom. Pat’s entire life, each career move or do-gooding adventure, has simply been a series of saying yes to wherever the need takes him.

Alvin, one of the school children, sums it up: “Mr. Pat is just really nice. He always helps.”

Among Pat’s accolades are KNUJ Hometown Hero, KEYC News 12 Good People, Heroes On Ice New Ulm Figure Skating Show, and CENTURY 21 Atwood Relentless Neighbor award.

His volunteer efforts also include playing Santa Claus and Anton of Narren.

“I’m a simple man,” Pat said. “What you see is what you get. I just want to leave people smiling.”

Mowing the lawn and the smell of fresh-cut grass are both signs of summer. They are also very common allergy triggers.

Seasonal allergies develop when the body’s immune system overreacts to something in the environment, usually grass pollens in the summer. The body makes chemicals called histamines, which cause the typical symptoms of sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, watery and itchy eyes, itchy nose, throat or ear canals, sinus congestion, and postnasal drip.

Follow these tips to ease your allergy symptoms when mowing the lawn.

• Keep your grass mowed to a height of about two inches to prevent grass from pollinating.

• Bag lawn clippings and compost, if possible, to keep pollen levels low.

• Shower and change your clothes after mowing the lawn.

• Keep home and car windows closed when mowing the lawn.

• Wear sunglasses and a hat to keep pollen out of your eyes and hair.

• Consider wearing an N95 dust mask to keep the grass pollen from entering the nose and mouth.

• Mow when the pollen count is low. Check pollen.com for local counts and forecast. Pollen tends to be lower in the evening.

• Keep lawn-mowing shoes outside in the garage or shed. You can also take an antihistamine. Antihistamines block the histamines to stop the allergy symptoms. Popular antihistamines include cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin) and fexofenadine (Allegra). While newer antihistamines tend to have less side effects, remember that all medications carry side effects.

Always read the label for side effects, drug interactions, and dosage. If you’re unsure if an antihistamine is right for you, ask your primary care provider, pharmacist, or allergist.

Nasal sprays can be helpful when nasal symptoms are not adequately controlled by an oral antihistamine. Nasal sprays can target congestion, runny nose, nasal itching, and sneezing. Steroid nasal sprays are available over-the-counter and by prescription. It usually takes a week before symptoms improve. Always read the label for side effects, interactions, and directions. Your primary care provider, allergist, or pharmacist can answer your questions about nasal sprays.

If seasonal allergies are not well controlled, or you want to know your allergy triggers, allergy testing is recommended. Based on testing results, patients can avoid allergy triggers and take medications at certain times of the year.

Allergy shots, known as subcutaneous immunotherapy, are another option. Allergy shots take specific environmental allergens and inject them under the skin. Doses are increased over time. Once the body builds up a tolerance or immunity to the allergen, the shots may be discontinued. The typical recommended duration of immunotherapy is three to five years. Immunotherapy works very well for allergies to pollens from trees, grass and weeds, cats, dogs, dust mites, and mold.

Talk with your primary care provider if seasonal allergies are affecting your life.

RAMANUJA MD Mankato Clinic Allergy

VASAN

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT LISTED

To have your event listed, please email Ruth Klossner at cowladyruth@gmail.com by the 5th of the previous month. Listings are generally for events that are free to the public, or are fund-raisers. Listings will be published as space allows and at the discretion of the editor.

Fri, Jun 3

• Breakfast on the Farm, Tony Kohls Farm, 40917 296th, Arlington, 6:30-10:30 am. Info: Arlington Area Chamber Of Commerce Facebook.

• Dairy Day, Library Square Park, Hutchinson, 11 am-1 pm. Info: explorehutchinson.com/.

• Programs at Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax: Archery 4-5:30 pm, Explore Ft Ridgely Creek, 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

Fri-Sun, Jun 3-4

• Smokin’ in Steele BBQ & Blues Festival, Four Seasons Bldg, 1525 S Elm Ave, Owatonna. Info: 507-455-1428 or smokininsteele.com.

Sat, June 4

• St. Raphael Catholic School Fundraiser ‘A Night In Havana,’ 20 W Van Dusen St, Springfield, 5 pm. Info: Facebook.

• American Legion 2nd Dist Convention Memorial Service, German Park, 11:15 am. Info: nuamericanlegion.com/ or AmericanLegionPost132@gmail.com

Sat-Sun, Jun 4-5

• Twilight Garden Plant Sale, Hubbard Gardens, 606 S Broad St, Mankato, 8 am-noon. Info: blueearthcountyhistory.com/event/ twilight-garden-plant-sale/.

Sun, Jun 5

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169: Archery 10-11:30; Geocaching 1-2 pm; Mn State Park Story 3-4 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

Sun, Jun 5-Sept 4

• Music at Schell’s Bier Garden, 1860 Schell Road, New Ulm. 1-4:30 pm. Info: schellsbrewery.com or egleisner@schellsbrewery.com.

Mon, Jun 6

• Summer Kick Off, Gorman Park, 511 S 5th St, St. Peter, 5:30-7:30 pm. Info: stpeterchamber.com/event/ summer-kick-off/.

• MN Brain Injury Force ‘Brain Bash,’ Jake’s Stadium Pizza, Mankato, 5-7 pm. Info: mnbif.com or 507-2288161.

Mon, Jun 6-Aug 29

• Monday Night Concerts, German Park, New Ulm, 7 pm. Info: knuj. net/event/monday-night-concerts-in-german-park-new-ulm/ or Facebook.

GO. BE. DO. CON NECT.

Tues, Jun 7-Sept 27

• Henderson Classic Car Roll-ins, downtown, Henderson, 5-8 pm. Info: hendersonrollin@gmail.com or hendersonrollin.com.

Wed, Jun 8

• Bernadotte Lutheran WELCA Pie & Ice Cream Social & Band Concert, Church Park, 34122 515th Ave., Lafayette, 5:30 p.m. Info: 507-2400048.

• Social Security (& Taxes) 101, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 6-7:30 pm. Info & registration: 507-233-8307, cfleck@newulm.k12. mn.us or newulm.ce.eleyo.com/.

Wed-Fri, Jun 8-10

• Lego Design 2 (Entering grades 1-3 & 4-7), Washington School Cafeteria, New Ulm, 8:30-11:30 am. Info: newulm.k12.mn.us/community-ed/, 507-233-8307 or cfleck@ newulm.k12.mn.us.

• Canvas Creations! (Entering grades 2-8), Washington School Cafeteria, New Ulm, 12-2:30 pm. Info: newulm.k12.mn.us/community-ed/, 507-233-8307 or cfleck@ newulm.k12.mn.us

Thura, Jun 9

• Worksite Wellness Networking & Training—All About Herbs, Hermann Heights Park Shelter, New Ulm, 11:30 am-1 pm. Info & registration: heartofnewulm.com or Jennifer.Maurer@allina.com

Thurs, Jun 9, Jul 14 & 28, Aug 11

• Music in the Park, City Park, Winthrop, 6:30 pm. Info: 507-647-2627 or chamberwinthropmn@gmail. com.

Fri-Sun, Jun 10-12

• Bullhead Days, Waterville. Info: info@watervillemn.com or Facebook.

Thurs, Jun 9-Aug 11

• 11@7 Concert Series, Central Park-Downtown, Owatonna, 7-8 pm. Info: 507-451-7970, oacct@ owatonna.org or visitowatonna. org.

Fri, Jun 10 & 24 and Jul 8 & 22

• Schell’s Summer Series, Schell’s Bier Garden, 1860 Schell Rd, New Ulm, 6-8 pm. Info: cvanasten@ schellsbrewery.com, Facebook or schellsbrewery.com/.

Fri, Jun 10

• Programs at Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax: Archery 4-5:30 pm, Explore Ft Ridgely Creek, 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169: Archery 4-5:30; Owls of Minnesota 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

Fri-Sun, Jun 10-12

• Annual Shakespeare Series—’All’s Well that Ends Well,’ State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm.

7 pm Fri & Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info: christina@statestreetnewulm.org or statestreetnewulm.org.

• Bullhead Days, Downtown, Waterville. Info: info@watervillemn.com or Facebook.

Fri, Jun 10

• Chicken Dinner, American Legion, 600 Co Rd 20, Lake Crystal, 5-7 pm. Info: lakecrystalchamber.com/ events.

Fri-Sun, Jun 10-12 & 17-19

• LTO—’The Color of Stars,’ Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560 Dunnell Dr #A, Owatonna. 7:30 Fri & Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info & tickets: visitowatonna.org/calendar-of-events/.

Sat, Jun 11

• LTC (& Taxes) 101—Little Known Strategies to Fund Long-term Care, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 9-10:30 am. Info & registration: 507-233-8307, cfleck@ newulm.k12.mn.us or newulm. ce.eleyo.com/.

• Home Alone, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 9:30-11 am. Info & registration: 507-233-8307, cfleck@newulm.k12.mn.us or newulm.ce.eleyo.com/.

• Old Town Art Fair, Mankato. Info: Facebook or oldtownmankatomn. com/events.html.

• Music for Memories—Jay Allen, Downtown Gibbon, 7 pm. Info: 507-276-1252 or Facebook (Gibbon Funfest).

• Programs at Flandrau State Park, 1300 Summit Ave., New Ulm: Archery 1-2:30 pm; Digital Photograph 4-5 pm; Wild About Wildlife 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us.

• Pollinator Plant Sale, Nicollet Co Hist Soc, Treaty Site History Center, 1851 N Minnesota Ave, St Peter, 9 am-noon. Info: nchsmn.org/ events/.

Sat-Sun, Jun 11-12

• Ambassadors’ Blues Fest, Minnesota Square Park, 1000 S Minnesota Ave, St. Peter. Info: stpeterambassadors.com/2022-ambassadors-blues-fest/.

Sun-Sat, Jun 12-19

• Fiesta Days, Montevideo. Info: montevideofiestadays.com or montevideofiesta@gmail.com.

Mon, Jun 13

• MLC Golf Classic, Country Club, New Ulm, 12 pm. Info & sign-up: mlc-wels.edu/events/golf-classic/ or gartneml@mlc-wels.edu

Mon-Sun, Jun 13-19

• Water Carnival, Hutchinson. Info: watercarnival.org/.

Mon, Jun 13, Wed Jun 29 & Mon, Jul 11

• Senior Driver Refresher Course, CAST Sr Center, 600 N German St, New Ulm, 1-5 pm. Info & registration: communityandseniorstogether.org, 507-354-3212 or castnu@

newulmtel.net.

Tues, Jun 14

• Youth Focused First Aid Training, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 1-2;30 pm. Info & registration: 507-233-8307, cfleck@newulm.k12. mn.us or newulm.ce.eleyo.com/.

• Sibley County Senior Expo, Sibley East Elementary, Gaylord, 9 am-2 pm. Info: jdose@umn.edu or 507237-4100.

• New Ulm Town Hall—Child Care, Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, 6-8 pm. Info & registration: register@newulmtownhall. eventbrite.com

Wed, Jun 15

• Minnesota River Congress, Kato Ballroom, 200 Chestnut St, Mankato, 6:30 pm. Info: 507-276-2280 or sesparlin@gmail.com.

Wed-Sat, Jun 15-18

• Heritage Days, Faribault. Info: faribaultheritagedays.com.

Thurs, Jun 16

• Rockin’ on the Hill, 145 Good Counsel Dr, Mankato, 7-11 pm. Info: rockinonthehill.com.

• Crow River Habitat for Humanity Roaring 20s Gala, Country Club, 915 Colorado St NW, Hutchinson, 5:30-9 pm. Info: crhfh.org or bayley@crhfh.org

• Water Carnival Boat Parade & Fireworks, Masonic/West River Park, 7-10:30 pm. Info: watercarnival.org/ events/.

Thurs, Jun 16 & 23

• Creating a Barn Quilt Class, Grand Center for Arts & Culture, 210 N Minnesota St, New Ulm, 5-10 pm. Info & registration: thegrandnewulm.com, 507-359-9222 or grandnewulm@gmail.com.

Thurs-Fri, Jun 16-17

• Lake Days Celebration, Lake Crystal. Info: knuj.net/event/lakecrystals-lake-days-2022/.

• Heritage Days, Heritage Hill, Hwy 7, Montevideo. Info: 320-269-8470, heritagehill.us heritagehillmn@ gmail.com or heritagehillmn@ gmail.com.

Fri, Jun 17

• Chamber Golf Tournament, Lakeside Golf Course, 37160 Clear Lake Dr, Waseca, 8 am. Info: wasecachamber.com/events.

• Butterfield Veterans Memorial Pork Chop Supper Fundraiser, Fire Hall, Butterfield, 5-7 pm. Info: localendar.com/public/stjameschamber.

• Water Carnival Teddy Bear Band, Library Square, Hutchinson, 12-1:30 pm. Info: watercarnival.org/events/

Fri-Sat, Jun 17-18

• Power Pull Nationals—NTPA Tractor Pull, Fairgrounds, Hutchinson. Info: powerpullnationals.com, 320-510-1095 or powerpullnationals1995@gmail.com.

• Festival Solstice, Land of Memories Park, 100 Amos Owen Ln, Mankato. Info: Facebook or festivalsolstice.

com, 507-469-0545, or mankatosolstice@gmail.com

Fri-Sun, Jun 17-19 & Thurs-Sun, Jun 23-26

• Musical Version of “The Bird Cage” La Cage Aux Folles, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. 7:30 Thurs-Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info: paradisecenterforthearts.org/ calendar/#interior

Fri, Jun 17 & 24 and Jul 8, 15, 22 & 29

• Ice Cream Socials & Band Concerts, Community Center & Mini Park, Lafayette. Info: lafayettemn.com/ home, 507-228-8241 or lafcityclerk@gmail.com.

Sat, Jun 18

• ArtSplash Art Fair, South Central College, 1920 Lee Blvd, No. Mankato, 11 am-3 pm. Info: Facebook or 507-345-5120.

• 129th Annual Bazaar, Albion Lutheran Church, 10454 250th Ave, St. James, 12 pm. Info: 507-439-6658 or jbrekke3@gmail.com

• Harry Wenger Marching Band Festival, 107 W Main St, Owatonna, 11 am. Info: 507- 456-4711 ,john. degner@yahoo.com or owatonnabandfestival.com.

• GFW Athletic Boosters Golf Tournament, Winthrop Golf Club, 8:30 am. Info & registration: 507-430-3406 or gfwathleticboosters@gmail.com

• Biker Breakfast, Faribault Harley-Davidson, 2704 W Airport Dr, Faribault, 9-10:30 am. Info: Facebook.

Sat, Jun 18 & Jul 16

• Shop the Lot, City Lot at 2nd N & Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-3 pm. Info: knuj.net/event/shop-the-lotcraft-vendor-shows/.

• Pork Chop Fry, Conservation Club, 46045 471st Ln, Nicollet, 5-8 pm. Info: nicolletconservationclub.com.

Sun, Jun 19

• New Ulm Area Sport Fishermen Open House, Shirley’s Park & Country Retreat, Clear Lake, New Ulm, 12-5 pm. Info: Facebook or knuj. net/event/new-ulm-area-sportfishermen-open-house/.

• Water Carnival Grande Day Parade, Main St/4th Ave, 1 pm. Info: watercarnival.org/events/.

• Fireworks, Parks on Crow River, Hutchinson,10 pm. Info: watercarnival.org/events/

Tues, Jun 21

• Chamber Golf Outing, Shoreland Country Club, St. Peter, 2-7 pm. Info: 507- 931-4400 or stpeterchamber.com/events/.

Wed, Jun 22

• Independence Day Crafts (6-11 yrolds), Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 12-2 pm. Info: newulm. k12.mn.us/community-ed/, 507233-8307 or cfleck@newulm.k12. mn.us.

• United Way of Brown County’s Perfect Pairings, Country Club, New Ulm, 5:30 pm. Info: unitedwaybrowncountyarea.org or unitedway@newulmtel.net/.

Thurs, Jun 23

• Chamber Golf Tournament, Golf Course, 27898 Hwy 14, Sleepy Eye, 11:30 am. Info: sleepyeyechamber. com.

• Beer, Brats & Bourbon for BackPack 2022, 2120 Howard Dr W, North Mankato, 1-5 pm. Info; Facebook.

Thurs-Sat, Jun 23-25

• Western Fest PRCA Stampede Rodeo, Lee Mar Ranch, 5328 Hwy 212, Granite Falls, 7 pm. Info: 320-5644070 or Facebook.

Fri, Jun 24

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169: Volunteering at Minneopa10-11:30 am; Wildflower Hike 1-2 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@ state.mn.us

• Relay for Life of Nicollet County, Community Center & Gorman Park, St. Peter, 4-11 pm. Info: Facebook, 800-227-2345 or relayforlife.org/ nicolletcountymn.

Fri-Sat, Jun 24-25

• New Ulm City Wide Garage Sales. Info: 507- 359-2911.

Fri-Sun, Jun 24-26

• Nicollet Friendship Days, downtown, Nicollet. Info: nicolletamericanlegion.com.

• Glencoe Days. Info: glencoedays@ gmail.com, Facebook or glencoechamber.com/annual-events-2/.

• Henderson Sauerkraut Days, Bender Park, 200 N 3rd St, Henderson. Info: facebook.com/hendersonsauerkrautdays or hendersonmn.com/ chatter.

• Big Sky NCHA Days (Cutting Horses), Steele County Fair, 1525 S Cedar Ave, Owatonna. Info: visitowatonna.org/calendar-of-events/.

• Stagecoach Days, downtown Mantorville. Info: 507-635-5170, info@ mantorville.com or mantorvilletourism.com.

• Railroad Days, St James Info: 507375-3333 or stjrailroaddays@gmail. com

Sat, Jun 25

• New Ulm Farm City Hub Club Pancake Breakfast, Fairgrounds, New Ulm, 7-9:30 am. Info: 507-240-0048 or hubclub@newulmtel.net

• Minnesota River Paddle, Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax, 9 am-2 pm. Info: 507-3848890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

• Popcorn Wagon, 2 N Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-5 pm. Info: browncountyhistorymn.org, 507-233-2621 or education@browncountyhistorymn.org

Sat-Sun, Jun 25-26

• New Ulm Autofest Car & Cycle Show, Fairgrounds, New Ulm. Sat evening; 9 am-3 pm Sun. Info: Facebook or damaybe@newulmtel.net.

Sun, Jun 26

• Hilltop Happenings, Hilltop Hall, 206 First St N, Montgomery, 4 pm. Info: wendyzaske@yahoo.com or HilltopHall.wordpress.com

Wed, Jun 29, Jul 13 & 27, Aug 10 & 24, Sept 7

• Car & Bike Night, Main Street, Lafayette. Info: Dave’s Place of Lafayette 2022 on Facebook.

Sat, Jul 2

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169: Archery 1-2:30 pm; Digital Photography 4-5 pm; Wild about Wildlife 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott. kudelka@state.mn.us

• St. Peter All-School Reunion, First Nat’l Bank parking lot, 226 W Nassau St, St. Peter, 4-10:30 p.m. Info: 931-4000, Facebook or stpeterallschoolreunion@gmail.com.

Sun, Jul 3

• Swan Lake Paddle, Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169, 9-11 am. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us.

Mon, Jul 4

• Red, Hot & Boom, Vetter Stone Amphitheater, 310 W Rock St, Mankato, 7 pm. Info: 507-385-6660 or colson@visitmankatomn.com

• Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration, St. Peter, 10 am-10:30 p.m. Info: stpeterchamber.com.

• Fireworks, Steele Co Fairgrounds, 1525 S Cedar, Owatonna. Info: 507-451-7970, visitowatonna.org or evolkmer@owatonna.org

• Fireworks, 4th Ave NW, Sleepy Eye. Info: Facebook or 507-794-4731.

Tues-Sat, Jul 5-9

• North Mankato Fun Days, Wheeler Park, North Mankato. Info: northmankatofundays.com.

Wed, Jul 6

• St. Mary’s CCW Tracy Area Gardens & Quilts Tour, 6 sites, Tracy, 2:30-7 pm. Info: Facebook or 507-8298448.

Thurs, Jul 7 & Aug 4

• ‘Downtown Thursday,’ Owatonna Mainstreet & Central Park, N Cedar Ave, Owatonna, 5-8 pm. Info: owatonna.org/downtown-thursdays/.

• Maker’s Markets, Prentice St, Granite Falls, 5-8 pm. Info: granitefallsarts.org/makers-market or graniteareaarts@gmail.com

Fri, Jul 8

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169.: Archery 4-5:30 pm; Animal tracks 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott. kudelka@state.mn.us

Fri-Sat, Jul 8-9, 15-16 & 22-23

• Wilder Pageant, Banks of Plum Creek, 11505 Crown Ave, Walnut Grove, 8 pm. Info: 507-859-2174, walnutgrove.org/pageant/ or pageant@walnutgrove.org.

Fri, Jul 8 & 22, Aug 5 & 19

• Summer in the Pavilion, Minnesota Square Park, 7-8:30 p.m. Info: stpeterchamber.com/event/summer-concert-series/2022-07-08/.

Fri-Sun, Jul 8-10

• Peter Pan, State Street Theater, 1 N State St, New Ulm. Info: sjuni@statestreetnewulm.org, 507-359-9990 or info@statestreetnewsulm.org

• Farm City Funfest, Winthrop. Info: 507-647-2627 or chamberwin -

thropmn@gmail.com.

• Park Days Celebration, Watona Park, Old Co Hwy 9, Madelia/. Info: visitmadelia.com or Facebook.

• New Richland Farm & City Days. Info: Facebook, cityofnewrichlandmn.com/ or 507-465-3514.

Sat, Jul 9

• Programs at Flandrau State Park, 1300 Summit Ave., New Ulm: Archery 1-2:30 pm; Geocaching 4-5 pm; Explore Cottonwood River 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott. kudelka@state.mn.us

• Rivers Edge Art & More Fair, Watona Park, Old Co Hwy 9, Madelia, 9 am-5 pm. Info: visitmadelia.com/ event/rivers-edge-art-more-fair-2/.

• Watona Park Blues Festival, Old Co Hwy 9, Madelia, 11:30 am. Info: visitmadelia.com/event/watona-park-blues-festival-2/.

Sun, Jul 10

• Extravaganza, Village of Yesteryear, 1431 Austin Rd, Owatonna, 12-4 pm. Info: facebook.com/SteeleCountyHistoricalSociety.

Mon, Jul 11

• MVL Golf Classic, Country Club, New Ulm, 10 am. Info: mvl.org or 507-354-6851.

Tues, Jul 12

• Stained Glass Art (ages 7-11), Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 12-2 pm. Info: newulm.k12.mn.us/ community-ed/, 507-233-8307 or cfleck@newulm.k12.mn.us

• Thunder of Drums, Blakeslee Stadium,200 Stadium Rd, Mankato, 7 pm. Info: facebook.com/thunderofdrums/ or TODtickets@gmail.com.

Wed, Jul 13

• Youth Focused CPR/AED Training, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 1-2:30 pm. Info: newulm.k12. mn.us/community-ed/, 507-2338307 or cfleck@newulm.k12.mn.us

Thurs-Sun, Jul 14-17

• Bavarian Blast, Brown Co Fairgrounds, New Ulm. Info: bavarianblast.com/.

• Gibbon FunFest. Info: Facebook, 507-276-1252 or gibbonfunfest@ yahoo.com.

Fri, Jul 15

• Downtown Car Cruise-In/Show Night, Faribault, 6-9 pm. Info: facebook.com/Faribault-Car-CruiseNight-258818787473541/.

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169: Volunteering at Minneopa 10-11:30 am; Wildflower Hike 1-2 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@ state.mn.us

Fri-Sat, Jul 15-16

• Shrek the Musical Jr, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. 7 pm Fri, 2 & 7 pm Sat. Info: 507-332-7372, paradisecenterforthearts.org or info@paradisecenterforthearts.org.

• RiverSong Music Festival, Masonic West River Park, Hutchinson. Info: riversongfestival.org/ or info@ riversongfestival.org.

Area Farmers' Markets

Amboy Farmers Market

• Amboy City Park, Main & North State St. Thurs 4:30-6:30 pm, JuneSept. Info: 507-317-7436, maryleeteubner@gmail.com or Facebook.

Arlington Farmers Market

• Community Center Parking Lot. Mon. 4-6 pm, June 20-fall. Info: 507-327-6601, Facebook or cityhall@arlingtonmn.com. cityhall@ arlingtonmn.com

Bongards Farmers Market

• St. John’s United Church of Christ, 12984 Co Rd 51, Norwood Young America. Wed. 3-6 pm, June-Sept. Info: 612-710-0508, bongardsmarket@gmail.com or bongardsmarket.com.

Buffalo Lake Farmers & Flea Market

• City Park on Hwy 212. Sat, 8 amnoon, Jun.-Oct. Info: Facebook or renvillecountymn.com.

Faribault Farmers Market

• Central Park, 430 2nd Ave NW, Sat, 7 am-noon, Jun-Oct 8. Info: visitfaribault.com/calendar/.

Gaylord Farmers Market

• 5th & Main Ave. Wed. 4-6 pm, JunOct. Info: 507-232-3497 or FarmersMarketGaylord@gmail.com.

Glencoe Farmers Market

• 11th St and Greeley Ave. Thurs. 3-6 pm, mid Jun.-Oct. Info: 320-8643650, sally@glencoechamber.com or glencoechamber.com.

Hutchinson Farmers Market

• 25 Adams St SE. Wed. 2:30-5:30 pm and Sat. 8 am-noon, June-Oct 29. Info: 320-234-5652 or jpage@ ci.hutchinson.mn.us.

Litchfield Community Market

• North end of park on 4th Street. Thurs. 1-5:30 pm, May-Oct. Info: Facebook.

Area County Fairs

Fri.-Mon., Jul. 1-4

• Cannon Valley Fair, Cannon Falls. Info: 507-263-3548 or cannonvalleyfair.org.

Wed.-Sun., Jul. 13-17

• Waseca County Fair, Waseca. Info: 507-461-0314 or wasecacountyfreefair.com

• Dodge County Fair, Kasson. Info: 507-634-7736 or dodgecountyfreefair.com

Thurs.-Sun., Jul. 14-17

• Redwood County Fair, Redwood Falls. Info: 507-627-2801 or redwoodcountyfair.com

• Watonwan County Fair, St James. Info: 507-327-0980 or watonwancountyfair.com

Wed.-Sun., Jul. 20-24

• Rice County Fair, Faribault. Info: ricecountyfair.net

Madelia Farmers Market

• Church of Christ parking lot. Wed. 3:30-6 pm, June-Oct. Info: facebook.com/madeliafarmersmarket.

Madison Lake Farmers Market

• Lindburgh Park, 300 7th St. Sat. 9 am, June-Oct. Info: Facebook or mlfm2014@yahoo.com.

Mankato Farmers Market

• Best Buy Parking Lot, 1805 Adams St. Sat. 8 am-noon; Tues & Thurs. 3:30-6 pm, June-Oct. Info: 507382-9337, manager@mankatofarmersmarket.com or mankatofarmersmarket.com.

New Prague Farmers Market

• Carbone’s parking lot. Sat. 9 am-noon, June-end of Oct. Info: Facebook, ajbisek@bevcomm.net or 952-201-5759.

New Ulm Farmers Market

• Cash Wise Foods, Hwy 14 W. Thurs. 2:30-5:30 pm, June 23-Oct; German Park, Sat. 9 am-12 pm, June 25-fall. Info: Facebook,knuj.net/ farmers-market/ or 507-359-2921.

North Mankato Farmers Market

• 1920 Lee Blvd., Upper No. Mankato. Mon., 3-6 pm. June 6-Oct. 17. Info: northmankato.com/farmers-market.

Owatonna Farmers Market

• Central Park. Sat., 7 am-3 pm, June-Oct. Info: Facebook

St. James Farmers Market

• Plaze De St. James; Wed & Thurs. 3-6 pm. June-Oct. 8. Info: 507-3753333 or stjmnchamber@gmail. com.

St. Peter Farmers Market

• Corner of Mulberry St & Minnesota Ave, Tue. 3-6 pm & Sat 8:30 amnoon, June 4-Oct. Info: 507-3043946, Facebook or stpfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

Wed.-Sat., Jul. 27-30

• Faribault County Fair, Blue Earth. Info: 507-526-5802 or faribaultcountyfair.com

Wed.-Sun., Jul. 27-31

• Scott County Fair, Jordan. Info: 952-492-2436 or scottcountyfair. com

Thurs.-Sun., Jul. 28-31

• Blue Earth County Fair, Garden City. Info: 507-933-0843, info@ blueearthcountyfair.org or blueearthcountyfair.org

Wed.-Sun., Aug. 3-7

• Sibley County Fair, Arlington. Info: 507-964-5698, secretary@ sibleycountyfair.com or sibleycountyfair.com

• Meeker County Fair, Litchfield. Info: 320-583-8291 or meekerfair.com

Wed.-Fri., Aug. 10-12

• Renville County Fair, Bird Island. Info: (320) 365-3242, renvillecountyfair@gmail.com or renvillecountyfair.org

Wed.-Sat., Aug 10-13

• Cottonwood County Fair, Info: 507-831-0023 or cottonwoodcountyfair.org

Wed.-Sun., Aug. 10-14

• Brown County Free Fair, New Ulm. Info: 507-354-2223 or browncountyfreefair.com

• Carver County Fair, Waconia. Info: 952-201-9585 or carvercountyfair.com

• Nicollet County Fair, St Peter. Info: 507-934-2684 or nicolletcountyfair.com

Mon.-Sun., Aug. 15-21

• Martin County Fair, Fairmont. Info: 507-235-9576 or mnotherbigfair.com

Tues.-Sun., Aug. 16-21

• Steele County Free Fair, Owatonna. Info: 507-451-5305 or scff.org

Thurs.-Sun., Aug. 18-21

• McLeod County Fair, Hutchinson. Info: 320-587-2499 or mcleodcountyfair.com

• Le Sueur County Fair, Le Center. Info: 507-357-6500 or lesueurcountyfair.org

JuneMust

5. Renewal by Andersen Windows: Professionally Installed by Schmidt Siding & Window

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Aromas of white peach and guava are highlighted by fresh lime and Meyer lemon notes. In the mouth, the wine is alive and refreshing, with a long finish and lingering hints of jasmine, green apple and Bosc pear. Shop MGM today! MGM Wine and Spirits Mankato 201 Victory Dr. 507.625.2420

North Mankato 1755 Commerce Dr. 507.387.2634 St. Peter 100 N. Minnesota Ave. 507.934.8964 mgmwineandspirits.com

2. EMSCULPT neo

is the first and only noninvasive body shaping procedure that provides simultaneous fat elimination and muscle building in a combined 30-minute session. The Skin Clinic Medspa 1603 N Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507.550.2232 mankatomed.com

3. Eufora HERO for Men™

The Eufora ProAmino Peptide Complex™ utlizes a proprietary blend of advanced skin care and botanical technology that works synergistically above and below the scalp surface to reduce folicle atrphy and anchor the hair bulb to the scalp, leading to less hair fall out.

Indulge Salon & Tanning

1713 Commerce Dr. North Mankato, MN 507.345.3400 indulgesalonandtanning.com

4. Gardening Supplies

Shop our large selection of garden supplies, hats, gloves and more. Get everything you need to keep your yard and garden in prime condition season after season.

C&S Supply 1951 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato, MN 507.387.1171 or 800.879.1938 candssupply.com

You can be confident in Renewal by Andersen® custom replacement windows, which are backed by one of the strongest transferable warranties in the industry. Soon you’ll be saying, “I love our new windows.” Schmidt Siding & Window expert crews install them all year round. Renewal by Andersen® windows are custom-made to fit within the exact space of an existing window. They are an easy, hassle-free way to enhance your home’s comfort and appearance without the major disruptions that often come with remodeling projects. Schmidt Siding & Window 901 N 5th St. Mankato, MN 507.625.6412 schmidtmankato.com

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Body Concepts LLC

1615 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507.381.5467 bodyconceptsmankato.com

7. Healthy, Vibrant Rejuvenated Skin Skin Essentials offers DERMALINFUSION®, an advanced skinresurfacing treatment that simultaneously exfoliates, extracts and infuses skin with condition-specific serums for an all-inclusive treatment in one step to improve skin health, function and appearance with no downtime. Call Skin Essentials and schedule a free consultation to discover if DERMALINFUSION is right for you.

Skin Essentials, Mankato Clinic 1400 Madison Ave. Suite 400A Madison East Center Mankato, MN 507.625.6599 skinessentialsmankato.com

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Take your window coverings to the next level with Parasol Cellular Shades. Offering an additional inner cell that adds superior energy savings and enriched, true color even in harsh sunlight. Call Blinds & More today! Blinds & More Window Coverings

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was created to provide better all-natural, yet affordable, high performance sports nutrition for every athletic level. The formulas have ingredients you can trust and you’ll get results you can be proud of. Taste why all-natural is better, only at your local Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee Hilltop

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507.625.1107

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Sunless Mousse

Are you wanting a beautiful Bronzed Tan without the skin damage, cost and time of tanning booths? You need our new Rose Gold SelfTanning Mousse! Created by a Spray Tan Expert, this is the BEST EVER in sunless tanning. No Orange, No streaks, No goofy lines... just Beautiful, Soft, Bronzed Skin. Get your Summer Skin On! Now available at Bella Nova Boutique. Bella Nova Boutique

521 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN

507.779.7444

started my career in meat cutting after attending Pipestone Vocational School. After graduating I worked with Lenny Donahue at the former Sausage Shop in New Ulm. That is where the Al Capone roast — a boneless pork butt filled with mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, black olives, mushrooms seasoned up with some spices, came from originally. I also learned sausage making from 1984 to 1990 at the Sausage Shop. After working for Hy-Vee Foods, I bought the locker in Hanska, Minnesota and owned and operated that from 1993 to 2005. After closing the locker and a return to Hy-Vee as a meat cutter I then took a meat manager position in Alexandria for Pete’s County Market in 2009. In 2016 I took the position of Meat Manager for Cashwise Foods back in New Ulm where I currently am employed.

Butterfly (or ask your butcher to do this) a boneless pork shoulder (butt).

Pound the shoulder between parchment paper in a plastic bag.

Assemble whatever fillings you like including sautéed mushrooms, onions and garlic, cooked sausage, black olives, cheeses, pepperoni, prosciutto, etc.

Layer fillings onto pounded pork

shoulder and roll, securing roast with twine or into a foil nest.

Cook the roast in a cake pan at about 350 degrees for about three hours depending on the size of the roast, covered with foil. Remove foil the last 20 minutes.

The roast also cooks well on smoker grill, charcoal or gas grill using indirect heat.

As Al Capone roasts vary wildly, it’s recommended you look up recipes online or in a cookbook for exact specifications. Or better yet, let Kevin create one for you.

There are a variety of ways to make the Al Capone roast. Kevin uses boneless pork butt.

The Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund, a donor advised fund of the Mankato Area Foundation, was established in 2017 by Jonathan and Ginger Zierdt and a guiding coalition of engaged community leaders to build community cancer awareness and support.

Mission: Committed to Community Cancer Awareness and Support

Vision: Changing the Cancer Journey

The Fund provides Caring Boxes, to cancer patients of Mayo Health System, Mankato Clinic and Open-Door Health Systems. The boxes contain a warm blanket, journal, pen, cancer fighting cookbook, and a gift card to assist with gas to get to appointments and prescriptions.

Jonathan Zierdt engaged professionally in the Greater Mankato area from 2004-2019, initially as the Executive Director of the Greater Mankato Economic Development Corporation and then since 2007 as the President & CEO of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. Amid the awards and recognitions Jonathan received throughout his career, standing out are two. In 2012, along with the City of Mankato Manager, Patrick Hentges, Jonathan was named the Most Influential (regarding Economic Development). In 2014, recognizing his work and community commitment outside of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc., the Greater Mankato Rotary Club awarded Zierdt its Service Above Self Award.

Throughout Jonathan’s 5+ year journey of navigating prostate and kidney cancer, he became a beacon of strength, positivity, and perseverance. Openly sharing his cancer journey and faith, Jonathan was grateful for the compassion the community showed he and his wife of twenty-eight years, Ginger. In 2017, the Zierdts, along with a guiding coalition of engaged community leaders, established the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund to build community cancer awareness and support.

Eight Rounds of Blingo will be played with celebrity guest callers who have experienced a cancer journey running each round. These callers include Jean Ann Hastings, Michelle Schooff, Jill Evans, Jenn Faust, SuSu Sadaka, Sarah Person and Maria Brown, Ann Fee, and DeeDra Vosberg.

An evening of sparkle and fun to honor women with cancer and cancer survivors All proceeds will benefit the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund, which provides valuable cancer education and support services and Caring Boxes to all cancer patients in the region

An evening of sparkle and fun to honor women with cancer and cancer survivors All proceeds will benefit the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund, which provides valuable cancer education and support services and Caring Boxes to all cancer patients in the region.

MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM EVENT CENTER

MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM EVENT CENTER

AUGUST 17, 2022

AUGUST 17, 2022

DOORS OPEN AT 5:30 - GAMES BEGIN AT 6:00

DOORS OPEN AT 5:30 - GAMES BEGIN AT 6:00

ADMISSION PER PERSON INCLUDES: $30

ADMISSION PER PERSON INCLUDES: $30

THE APPETIZING BINGO BUFFET DABBER ENTERTAINMENT

YOUR FIRST ROUND OF BLINGO DESSERT

THE APPETIZING BINGO BUFFET DABBER ENTERTAINMENT

YOUR FIRST ROUND OF BLINGO DESSERT

CASUAL COCKTAIL ATTIRE WITH A PRIZE FOR BEST BLING

CASUAL COCKTAIL

ATTIRE WITH A PRIZE FOR BEST BLING

Tell us about SCMN Pride?

The mission of South Central Minnesota Pride is to promote visibility and pride in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied communities of south central Minnesota. South Central Minnesota Pride is a non-profit and is 100% volunteer run and dependent on local individual and business donations.

What is your role?

I serve as the board chair for South Central Minnesota Pride.

How and why did you get involved?

I got involved back in 2011, helping at the annual festival in the information and volunteer check-in tent. I am passionate about giving back to the community and believe in the cause and mission of SCMN Pride. From there I continued to volunteer and be part of the organization helping with different events and tasks. I am honored to serve the community, along with a great group of people who make up our board and planning committee.

Of what are you most proud?

Being part of SCMN Pride has given me many things to be proud of. I am proud to be part of an organization that continues to

evolve and strives to create various events, educational sessions, and acceptance as we move through the ever-changing landscape of our community together.

Do you have a mentor?

Several. I have different mentors who assist me in different aspects of life. This allows me to take advice from many different angles and then move forward in a direction that makes sense for me while ensuring nothing gets overlooked.

What advice would you give to others who want to make a difference in their communities?

Do it. Our community, as well as most other communities, have a number of non-profit agencies or organizations that need and want your assistance. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, learn new skills, and learn about things you don’t know. If you are an expert in something, there is a place for you to share that knowledge. If you want to learn, there is also a place to do that too. Giving back to others in your community can take as much time as you are willing to give. It is all up to you but, in the end, I have always found it to be very rewarding, no matter what cause I am volunteering for.

G R I LLI N G T I M E

Largest Selection of Weber Grills & Accessories in the Area. FREE Assembly

WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL

Hip replacement was not in Kris Ulrich’s retirement plans. She had projects to do and polka dances to attend. The pain in her hip led her Dr. Jesse Botker at the Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic in Mankato and River’s Edge Hospital in St. Peter for a total hip replacement. Now that she’s recovered, she is dancing again.

“I didn’t think about my hip the whole day. I just went around like I was 20 years old.”

See Kris’ full story at www.rehc.org/news

Learn more at OrthoEdgeMN.com

JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY IMPORTANT CHOICE, EASY DECISION

River’s Edge Hospital has been recognized as a DNV GL Healthcare certified Orthopaedic Center of Excellence for:

• Hip & Knee Replacement

• Shoulder Surgery

• Spine Surgery

Plus, River’s Edge Hospital is top rated for patient experience!

“This hip isn’t stopping me from doing a darn thing.”

- Kris Ulrich Pemberton

DR. JESSE BOTKER