May/June 2020 by Minnesota Good Age

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Contents

MAY/JUNE

ON THE COVER Scott Mayer with Doors Open Minneapolis is using a COVID-related hiatus to roll out Strolls Through the Streets of Minneapolis this spring. Photos by Tracy Walsh

FROM THE EDITOR

MINNESOTA HISTORY

8 Our editor-in-chief is saying goodbye.

14 Black men have played baseball in Minnesota since the 1870s.

MY TURN

HOUSING

10 Half of Minnesotans are using hospice care when their time comes.

16 Virtual reality techonology is helping seniors relax â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and explore the world.

MEMORIES

NANA & MAMA

12 I remember polio shutting down our small Minnesota town one summer. 6 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

22 Even simple freedoms such as grandparenting are at stake now.

20 STAY-HOME 30 GUIDE HOUSING LISTINGS

BRAIN TEASERS

FROM THE EDITOR Volume 39 / Issue 5

This is goodbye! BY SARAH JACKSON

L PUBLISHER Janis Hall / jhall@mngoodage.com

CO-PUBLISHER AND SALES MANAGER Terry Gahan / tgahan@mngoodage.com

GENERAL MANAGER Zoe Gahan / zgahan@mngoodage.com

EDITOR Sarah Jackson / editor@mngoodage.com

CONTRIBUTORS Hannah Catlin, Ed Dykhuizen, Carol Hall, Julie Kendrick, Laura Groenjes Mitchell, Dave Nimmer, Mary Rose Remington, Tracy Walsh

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Valerie Moe

ART DIRECTOR Dani Cunningham

CIRCULATION Marlo Johnson / distribution@mngoodage.com

37,000 copies of Minnesota Good Age are distributed to homes and businesses metro-wide. Minnesota Good Age (ISSN 2333-3197) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications. Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 © 2020 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc. To receive Good Age by mail, send a check for $18 with “Good Age subscription” in the memo.

8 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

eaving a wonderful job is never easy. But that’s exactly what I’m doing: After six years as editor of Minnesota Good Age, I’m ending my time here to accept another role. It has been such an honor — and a true pleasure — to curate content for the over-age-50 audience of this magazine. And even though I’ve always been a bit shy of that age demographic, our readers, writers and staff have always treated me with respect. I’ve always been welcome here. Perhaps that’s Photo by Tracy Walsh because I’ve tried to be a student of what it means to age well. Indeed, over this past half-decade, I’ve learned so much! I can’t believe all the topics we’ve covered and all the people we’ve profiled, too. Our local cover stars have been some of the most inspiring people you could hope to meet. They’ve ranged in age from 50 to 90, and they’ve all had such incredible insights into staying healthy, happy and accomplished. Writer Julie Kendrick and photographer Tracy Walsh have done everything in their power to bring you their one-of-a-kind stories with world-class words and pictures over the years. I’m sure they’ll continue to do so, but I’ll deeply miss witnessing their talent, creativity and energy every single month! I’ll also dearly miss working with our treasured longtime columnists — former full-time journalist Dave Nimmer (author of the My Turn column), former stewardess Carol Hall (author of the one-of-a-kind Memories column) and our rotating cast of Minnesota History writers, who have graciously provided a rich array of local stories every month (primarily Lauren Peck and Jessica Kohen). Good Age wouldn’t be the same without them. Alas, now — despite the fact that we’re in the middle of an especially tough time for seniors — is my time to go. I’m ready to pass the baton to another content curator. With our locally owned and operated company at the helm — Minnesota Premier Publications — and the aforementioned steadfast crew of writers and photographers, I know you’re in excellent hands. I’ve been fortunate to work among them. During this unprecedented, unparalleled time of pandemic, I hope this month’s magazine — a combined May/June issue — can bring some light into your days, wherever you are (and no matter how long)! I hope you stay safe and sane — as we all wait out what’s next!

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MY TURN

An unsung hero: hospice BY DAVE NIMMER

ne of the more important considerations for those of us seniors actively in the business of living our lives comes in the weeks or days before we lose our lives. Our Lady of Peace Hospice in St. Paul has been involved in this passage for 75 years. The hospice (the former Lady of Good Counsel Home) has cared for thousands of patients from priests to penitents, old and young, rich and famous and poor and anonymous. And more than 20,000 of them never paid a dime for their room and board and medical care. David Wong, who had metastatic colon cancer, died a few months ago at Our Lady of Peace. While he was dying, he was living his life to the fullest, thanks to the efforts of doctors, nurses and family. He was a tai chi instructor, and he continued to hold his classes — with assistance from his son, Hylan — for the two-and-half months he was at the hospice. In fact, he held his last class in the conference center three days before he died. “He was prideful about his students and classes,” Hylan said. “He was sometimes like a father and a mentor to his students. He told them he would help them take care of themselves — of their bodies and their minds.” Our Lady of Peace was like a savior for the Wong family. They were paying more than $500 a day at a suburban nursing home for their father’s care, Hylan said,

10 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

⊳ David Wong was able to continue teaching tai chi during the twoand-half months he was at the Our Lady of Peace Hospice in St. Paul.

and were running out of funds. From the time David Wong came to Our Lady of Peace, the family paid nothing. “People cared about him here,” his son said. “When we’d come to visit, he was always interacting with the staff and volunteers. They were like an extension of our family.” David Wong owned his own restaurant

in Oakdale and was a skilled chef. “When we’d bring him takeout food — Italian, Thai, Chinese — he would pass it around to anyone in the place,” Hylan said. That family feeling was no accident. Founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1941 and now part of the Franciscan Health Community, Our Lady of Peace accepts all comers: Catholic, Protestant,

David Wong, who had metastatic colon cancer, died a few months ago at Our Lady of Peace Hospice in St. Paul, where he lived his end-of-life to the fullest for two-and-half months.

Jewish, Muslim or none of the above. “We do the things we do because we are Catholic, not because they are,” said CEO Joe Stanislav. “Our goal is to take over what the former caregivers have done. We’ll take care of your father or mother, and you just be family.” Our Lady of Peace hospice service now extends beyond the residence at Cleveland and St. Anthony avenues to patients at home, in senior apartments or nursing facilities. (That’s usually paid for by Medicare or Medicaid or supplemental insurance. The free care at the residence is supported entirely by donations from estates and private citizens.) Minnesota has about 85 hospices, and roughly half of the state residents who die each year are using their services. Susan Marschalk, executive director of the Network of Hospice and Palliative Care, would like that percentage to grow. “Everyone dies,” she said, “and we can make that passage so much easier and peaceful and meaningful.” And Medicare will pay for doctors, nurses and drugs wherever the patient is living. When I think of Our Lady of Peace and hospice workers and volunteers throughout Minnesota, I’m reminded of a quote from the spiritual teacher Ram Dass on death: “I have no right to define how another person should die. I’m just there to help them transition, however they need to do it. In the end, we are all just walking each other home.” I, for one, will be glad for the company. Anyone wishing for more information, or to donate, can go to ourladyofpeacemn.org. Dave Nimmer had a long career as a reporter, editor and professor. Now retired, he has no business card, but plenty to do. Contact him at dnimmer@mngoodage.com.

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MEMORIES

Remembering the polio epidemic BY CAROL HALL

“I

hear you have the Asian flu/ How fashionable of you,” reads a vintage get-well card, referring to the H2N2 “Asian” flu pandemic of 1957. But it could be used today for the COVID-19 pandemic. And the precautions being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 are some of same used in the polio epidemic of the 1940s and ’50s. I remember them well. The epidemic hit my little southwestern Minnesota town when I was transitioning from elementary school to junior high school. Polio was described as one of “the most serious communicable diseases among children in the United States.” The virus attacked children’s lower extremities, crippling them and leaving them with withered limbs. There was no cure. “Polio was a plague,” wrote author Richard Rhodes in A Hole in the World. “One day you had a headache, and an hour later you were paralyzed. How far the virus crept up your spine determined whether you could walk afterward or even breathe.”

A summer without fun Cruelty of cruelties, polio hit hardest during late summer. And summer vacation from school was sacred to kids like me. Oh, to get up every morning and not have to grab my books and troop off. I could spend the entire day at home or downtown hanging out with girlfriends, engaging in pure fun! 12 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

▲ A polio patient lies in an iron lung in March 1940. When polio weakened muscles used in breathing, the device assisted with respiration.

But no. I can still hear my mother saying: “Polio is contagious. You can’t go into crowds.” And city fathers saw to it there would be no crowds in our town. The movie theatre and the library — places where I spent innumerable summer hours — were shut down. The beach at our local lake was declared off limits for swimming, for it was feared that swimming was the worst transmitter of all. Hanging out in the drug store, with its refreshing air conditioning, while perusing the latest comic books, was ended by a sign on the door forbidding such activity. The weekly Wednesday-night band concert, which attracted nearly everyone

in the county, was cancelled. Our annual county fair — another cherished summer event that ran for three days and attracted huge numbers of people — also was cancelled. But even worse, the circus would not be coming to town. We smalltown kids would be deprived of the biggest summer thrill of all: the exotic Barnum & Bailey extravaganza, with its elephants, trapeze daredevils, jugglers and clowns, all preceded by a parade through town, featuring colorful horsedrawn circus wagons. And then there was my birthday. It falls in late July. I knew there would be no party outside on our lawn with

I can still hear my mother saying: ‘Polio is contagious. You can’t go into crowds.’ And city fathers saw to it there would be no crowds in our town. games and prizes. I’d receive no gifts from my girlfriends. Nor would there be a glorious angel food birthday cake, lovingly and painstakingly prepared by my mother (using a hand beater to whip up 12 egg whites for the batter). I cried.

Fears and quarantines But I knew what would happen to me if I got polio, so I tried to be brave. Radio newscaster Cedric Adams gave daily updates of the epidemic on his “noontime news” program. Photos appeared in magazines of children wearing leg braces or confined to wheelchairs. I wouldn’t tell my mother if my leg or arm felt stiff — stiff limbs being a polio symptom — hoping it would just go away. And then there was the horror of the iron lung. This ugly and confining contraption (a negative-pressure ventilator) was a full-body device. I saw pictures of children in them, each with their head sticking out of one end. It gave me nightmares. I prayed every night I’d never be put in one. I grew used to the worried look on my parents’ faces. I was a small child and slightly frail. I once overheard them whispering that maybe my small size would

make me more susceptible to the disease. As summer wore on, a pall was cast over our community. The vacant lot by the railroad tracks — where the circus tent would have been staked — remained empty and riddled with quack grass, looking more forlorn than ever. And, as with the smallpox and chicken pox epidemics, window shades all over town began coming down, signaling someone being quarantined, which I really didn’t understand. Was it to ward off germs, I wondered? Evil spirits? Surely, the devil must be causing this awful thing that was killing children, or crippling them for life.

Finally, a vaccine But hope came in 1952. Dr. Jonas Salk discovered a vaccine that was tested for its ability to prevent polio. A mass immunization followed. In 1957, the annual number of polio cases in the U.S. was reduced from a peak of nearly 58,000 to 5,600. Eight years after Salk’s success, Albert Sabin developed an oral polio vaccine. A second wave of mass immunizations led to further decline in the number of cases. By 1961, only 161 cases were recorded in the U.S. According to Mayo Clinic, the last case of naturally occurring polio in the U.S. was in 1979. Today, despite a worldwide effort to wipe it out, polio continues to affect children and adults in parts of Asia and Africa. What goes around comes around. One can hope such a cure for COVID-19 soon will “come around.” Carol Hall lives in Woodbury. She’s a longtime freelance writer, a University of Minnesota graduate and a former Northwest Airlines stewardess. Send comments and questions to chall@mngoodage.com. Minnesota Good Age | May/June 2020 | 13

MINNESOTA HISTORY

Preserving baseball’s black history BY HANNAH CATLIN

efore Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947 — and even before Rube Foster founded the Negro National League in 1920 — black athletes in Minnesota were playing baseball, and playing it well. As early as the 1870s and 1880s, Minnesotan players like Bud Fowler and Prince Honeycutt (often thought to be Minnesota’s first black ballplayer) were the stars of the state’s amateur teams, playing alongside their white teammates. Alas, by the end of the century, a series of gentlemen’s agreements and unwritten rules set by team owners had conspired to segregate baseball nationwide.

Barnstorming That didn’t keep black athletes from America’s favorite pastime, however. From the Twin Cities metro to Greater Minnesota, black baseball teams traveled around the state, challenging other local squads, both black and white, to games and series. This practice was called barnstorming, and it was the way many black players were able to work as career athletes, despite being barred from most professional teams. Often, these athletes would play for a pittance, dividing profits from ticket sales among the players. Among the most prolific teams in the Twin Cities were the St. Paul Colored Gophers, the St. Paul Colored Giants, the Minneapolis Keystones and the Uptown 14 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

▲ Between 1907 and 1910, the St. Paul Colored Gophers dominated local leagues, winning more than 80 percent of their total games played. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

Sanitary Shop team. Between 1907 and 1910, the Gophers dominated the field, winning over 400 games — more than 80 percent of their total games played. Frank White, author of They Played for the Love of the Game: Untold Stories of Black Baseball in Minnesota from Minnesota Historical Society Press, grew up in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood around some of these barnstorming teams of the 1950s. His dad, Lou White, was one of the Minnesota greats, with a batting average of .600. Many of Lou White’s teammates, like third baseman Cecil Littles, were equally skilled. “[Littles] would throw guys out on his knees,” Frank White said in an interview. “I haven’t seen another guy like him play.”

Facing racism Despite their talent, many of these Minnesota athletes were never considered for major league play because of their race. “Every player wasn’t a great player, but there were a number of players that would never get a chance,” Frank White said. “Even a chance to try out.” While barnstorming gave players an opportunity to play professional baseball, traveling while black in late 19th and early 20th centuries Minnesota came with its own perils. White recalled the barnstorming tours he took with his father. In one city, the team ate at a restaurant that displayed a racist caricature of the players above the bar. In another, a diner they planned to eat at locked the door and put out a

closed sign when they approached. White couldn’t understand why his father and his teammates seemed unperturbed or even laughed off the situation. But since then, his dad’s perspective has become clearer. “If things weren’t going your way, you had to let it go,” Frank White said. “My father and his teams were taking these indignities so they could come back and play again.”

New chances When the MLB officially integrated in 1947, a new world of opportunities opened for black players. Icons of the sport like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Willie Mays and Ernie Banks joined the league’s ranks, forever changing the way the game was played. Among the first teams to integrate were the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants. The last was the Boston Red Sox, which didn’t integrate until 1959 when Jackie Robinson had already retired from the game. The New York Yankees tried to recruit Lou White, but he ultimately refused due to a persistent elbow injury. Instead, he stayed in Minnesota with his family and kept playing baseball, basketball and fastpitch softball for pay around the Midwest. Even after integration, black MLB recruits still came up against immense barriers. Oftentimes, after joining a major league team, black players were first sent to minor league affiliate teams to earn their stripes. Those teams were frequently in the South, where segregation and Jim Crow laws made life excruciating. Black players often couldn’t stay in the same hotels as the rest of their team. According to Frank White, these living and working conditions drove many talented players away from the game.

The end of an era But with the MLB dominating national attention, the market for black baseball was dwindling, and by the mid-1950s, most of the once-prolific black teams dried up completely. Communities surrounding the teams also suffered as they declined. Many barnstorming teams were sponsored by local black-owned hotels, restaurants and shops, which struggled as fewer people came out to watch their teams play. However, historians, like White, have worked hard to make sure the memory of these athletes and communities lives on. A lot of teams weren’t very well-documented, and records are scattered throughout various archives and family collections. White has traveled around Minnesota, meeting the families of players, hearing their stories and collecting them to pass down to future generations.

Preserving black history Oftentimes, when White presents his research, members of the audience will rush up afterward to tell him about their own family members who played on these competitive Minnesotan teams. This always heartens White, who got into his line of research to preserve the stories of real Minnesotan players who lived in and gave back to the greater community — and to remember players that history often forgets, like his father. “I wanted to write about the people who grew up here or who migrated here and stayed,” White said. “That was black Minnesota baseball to me.” Hannah Catlin is a public relations intern with the Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota Good Age | May/June 2020 | 15 Northern Star Botanicals GA 0520 V3.indd 1

4/30/20 10:58 AM

Original, 360-degree videos create immersive virtual reality experiences for seniors, including trips to warm sandy beaches. Photo courtesy of Virtual / WellnessVR

HOUSING

What a trip! Virtual reality programming is helping seniors relax — and explore the world! BY JULIE KENDRICK

utside, it’s a chilly, gloomy Minnesota day, one that calls for sweaters and tea, not exploring and adventuring. But inside, a dozen people are gathered in a semicircle. Some are relaxing on a beach in Costa Rica. Others are traveling to Stonehenge. A few are sitting in on a rehearsal of the Minnesota Opera. Where they are isn’t evident at first glance. Each is wearing an Oculus Go, an oversized gray headset that straps over the head to covers the eyes, delivering 360-degree virtual reality footage. Moving their heads up and down, left and right, they’re exploring the worlds unfolding in front of them. Without ever leaving their comfy armchairs, they’re moving around on a digital magic carpet, seeing new sights and, in some cases, revisiting cherished memories. One woman was so delighted about her virtual visit to a Costa Rican beach that

16 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

she took off her shoes and socks so she could pretend to dig her toes in the sand. This whole new world of virtual reality is happening at The Pillars of White Bear Heights, an independent living, assisted living and memory care community in White Bear Lake. VR is obviously loads of fun. More important, however, is that it’s becoming another scalable option in the toolkit for reducing stress and improving overall wellbeing among seniors. And now — as the long-term reality of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds among this most-vulnerable population — such immersive technology may become more important to older adults than even VR advocates had envisioned.

Early adopters The Pillars of White Bear Heights’ VR project is the result of unique partnership between the Twin Cities-based property development firm Oppidan Investment

Co. and Minneapolis-based Visual, a VR company that offers a WellnessVR platform, among others. WellnessVR headsets are available at all of Oppidan’s Pillars communities, including White Bear Lake, Highland Park, Shorewood, Mankato and eventually in 2021 at The Pillars at Prospect Park in Minneapolis, which is set to welcome residents in mid-May. “We’re committed to enhancing the lives of seniors who call our communities home,” said Shannon Rusk, Oppidan senior vice president of development. “This includes providing our seniors with the most advanced lifestyle and access to cutting-edge technologies, like WellnessVR, so they can live life to the fullest.” Other consumer-focused VR experiences might feature adrenaline-boosting thrills such as roller coaster rides or bungee jumping. WellnessVR is different. Programming options include virtual travel; arts and

culture; and relaxing nature scenes. “All of the content on this platform is designed to reduce stress and promote wellbeing,” said Kate Westlund, a WellnessVR facilitator, who is guiding today’s session.

Minnesota memories Just a few weeks into the program’s launch, Westlund has noticed progress with more resident interaction, including folks sharing conversations about what they were seeing on their virtual adventures. In addition to the soothing and educational benefits of the video, socialization is another perk. VR images often trigger memories that can spur conversation and storytelling among users. One resident grew excited at a visit to the U.S.S. Midway and shared a story about a time she visited her husband on the ship.

“We’ve included a number of Minnesota-based scenarios, because we think that might help elicit some happy memories for residents,” Westlund said. Those include a visit to a typical summer cabin, a walk along Lake Superior, a tour of the Goldstein Museum of Design at the University of Minnesota and a performance by the Minnesota Opera. For now, during the COVID-19 lockdown, residents are still partaking in VR sessions — just not as a group activity. Headsets are disinfected and seniors can use them in their rooms for immersive virtual outings.

Calming benefits Kerri Antonen, activities director at the facility, said that, for some residents, the sessions have been more than enjoyable: They’ve been therapeutic. She pointed to one memory care

resident who was sitting calmly in a chair, enjoying a beach scene that Westland had queued up for her. “Have you ever been to Hawaii?” Westlund asked as she slipped the headset on the woman. “Can you see how warm it is?” The woman nodded and settled back, hands in her lap. The staff shared looks and smiles, clearly counting this as a major victory. “This particular resident experiences agitation and anxiety,” Antonen said. “She exhibits the symptoms of sundown syndrome, which means that her behavioral problems can worsen in the evening, while the sun is setting. But after her first session, we noticed right away that she was much more relaxed all through the evening. For many of our memory care residents, we’re seeing evidence that WellnessVR is making them feel calmer.” How does VR compared to simply

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watching TV? Westlund said the experience is far more immersive. “You don’t look around and see your neighbor talking down the hall,” she said. “It is designed to be a little slower. It’s designed for wellness.”

Immersive and engaging While some VR companies might use stock footage in their programming, Visual, Westlund said, shoots all of its own 360-degree videography and creates entirely original content. During COVID, Westlund’s been spending time editing a backlog of content, which can be loaded to the headsets remotely when it’s ready. Experiences that include music have been some of the most engaging and powerful, especially among memory care residents, Westlund said. During one session at The Pillars of Shorewood one memory care resident (who would have some good days, some bad) started singing perfectly along with an Italian opera tune. It turned out she was a former opera singer. “She knew the opera, who wrote it, what the song was called and what they were saying in English,” Westlund said. “It was great to see her shine and be in her element.” After everyone took off their headsets, there was further reminiscing. “It seemed like she was transported,” Westlund said. “Nobody knew about her past.” Experiences can be customized to meet users’ needs. “If we have a resident who’s interested in World War II or a resident who loves gardening, we can come back and think about ways to produce content that will scratch that itch,” Westlund said. “We are 18 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

▲ Residents of The Pillars of White Bear Heights tried out virtual reality headsets earlier this year as a group. During the pandemic, the headsets are available for individual sessions. Photo courtesy of The Pillars of White Bear Heights

able to take anecdotal recommendations, but also ask the staff.” Acknowledging that her field is truly in its infancy, Westlund is optimistic about the potential for future application. “Someday, we may be able to offer people customized experiences of the places that have meant the most to them throughout their lives,” she said.

Scientific backing Although the use of VR is only recently gaining ground as health and wellness technique, there’s already some evidence that it could have a positive effect on those who are using it. A recent study at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom concluded that VR technology could vastly improve the quality of life for people with dementia by helping them recall past memories, reduce aggression and improve interactions with caregivers.

The study noted that directing users to positive memories and past experiences “not only provided positive mental stimulation for them, but helped their caregivers learn more about their lives before care, thereby improving their social interaction.” Closer to home, a study conducted by WellnessVR with Ebenezer Senior Living’s Minneapolis campus recorded seniors’ state of mind after they used WellnessVR twice a week for four weeks. Among the findings: 96% reported feeling happier, 97% felt more relaxed, 98% felt more positive, 94% felt less worried and all had positive overall experiences with VR tech. Participants described WellnessVR as one of their preferred activities.

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NANA & MAMA

Finding the silver linings BY MARY ROSE AND LAURA

MAMA As I sit down to write this column, my family is about one month into social distancing. It’s hard to believe how abruptly everything around us has changed. Even pre-pandemic, as full-time working parents of a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old, we thought we were busy, that we had very little free time in our schedules and that we were master multitaskers. Oh, if we only knew what was coming in 2020. For the past month, my wife and I have been balancing the demands of our full-time jobs (working from home) while ALSO caring for our kids, who are now home full-time. Our support network of friends, family and babysitters is unavailable as we try to do our part to flatten the curve. One of the toughest choices we’ve faced is whether to allow the kids to see their grandparents. My mom is already providing childcare for us a few times a month — and we desperately need the help as we are so tired and overwhelmed. Plus, the kids adore their grandparents and it’s one of the reasons we moved across the country this past summer — to be closer to them. On the other hand, my dad is more at-risk for complications if he catches COVID-19 — and we want to minimize contact to help protect ourselves and others. No matter what, the choices we make now can have a serious impact. 22 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

I’m working to follow the guidance of medical experts, checking in with myself and my family/friends and working to find a path that keeps everyone safe and healthy. Right now, we’ve decided to continue the childcare my mom is providing with a few significant adjustments to increase safety, but we’re re-evaluating that choice every week. I’ve felt so many emotions as I work to wrap my mind around what’s happening globally, locally and in my own home. Disbelief, fear and anxiety have taken more than their fair share of my mental space, but I’ve worked to balance those thoughts with finding opportunity in this time.

There’s so little I have control over right now, but I can control how I show up for my kids, wife, family and friends each day. There’s a long list of opportunities I’ve found, but here are a few of my favorites: • We have time to slow down and play, talk, listen, read and eat as a family EVERY DAY. • My kids get to play with each other way more than they did before. • We have more opportunities for the kids to be involved and learn household activities such as cooking and cleaning. • Our mornings are slower and more relaxed as we aren’t racing to get out the door at a specific time. • We’re appreciating and enjoying our outdoor spaces (front porch, backyard and walks around the neighborhood) more consistently. • We’ve found so many creative ways to leverage Zoom and FaceTime to connect with others outside our household — playdates with friends, art lessons with preschool teachers, dance lessons, family chats and virtual happy hours with friends.

NANA My job coordinating volunteers at a local hospital put me in the midst of COVID-19 discussions early on, but still I was shocked at how fast things changed, and how drastically our lives were affected. Simple freedoms I took for granted such as going out to eat with friends, shopping and traveling felt too risky — and then many businesses closed.

Right before Gov. Tim Walz ordered Minnesotans to stay home, my husband and I had already started working from home; he had the basement and I had the dining room. I was so grateful that everyone in the family still had their jobs. My son who lives with us was navigating his job as a yoga studio manager: Online classes, anyone? My other son in Denver had just started working at a water treatment plant (Could there be anything more essential?) And my daughter and her wife were juggling their work-from-home jobs AND the care of two active young children, since sending the kids daycare no longer seemed wise. Since I had already started doing daycare for them every other Wednesday, we simply continued that schedule, but the care now happens in their home. I feel so fortunate to still see the grandkids and spend a little time with my daughter and her wife. Because my husband has a compromised immune system, we decided it would be best to keep him safely stationed at our home while I served as the go-between grandparent for now. Recognizing that even just going out is a risk, I’m taking as many precautions as I can — religious hand washing, constant cleaning and putting on a face mask in public. That’s my decision so far.

COVID-19 has undoubtedly turned our world upside down, creating damage to our country’s economy, sadly causing death and health challenges to many, and even threatening the health of the professionals we count on to treat us. Who could have imagined this kind of chaos and disruption — except maybe epidemiologists? And yet, there have been silver linings. These are just some of them: • I’ve been able to work from our lovely home on a lake and watch spring unfold, including gaggles of geese nesting, male turkeys proudly strutting their stuff and a pair of noisy sandhill cranes grazing at the bird feeders. • Skipping the daily grind of commuting means I’ve had an extra hour of time every day, plus I’m saving money on gas. • My husband and I started taking an hourlong walk at the end of the day in a nearby nature preserve park. Every person we see allows enough distance for us to feel safe, but greets us with a friendly hello — as if to say, We’re in this together, even though we’re separated. • When I check in with extended family and friends, the discussions are more meaningful and filled with expressions of love, care and compassion. • Time seems to have expanded and I’ve been able to read more, watch more movies and enjoy our favorite shows. • We’ve been making and enjoying a

homemade dinner every night. • I’ve started a gratitude sheet that I keep posted on the fridge. I add two or three things daily such as family, friends, good health, scented candles, fresh-brewed coffee, sunshine, music, radio announcers, FaceTime sessions; the list grows long. • Last time I was at the grocery store, I thanked the checkout person for being there. I’ve never done that before. • And then there are all the helpers coming to people’s aid. Those with sewing machines creating face masks, the restaurant owners who now make and donate meals for people in need, the University of Minnesota med students who have started providing daycare for the healthcare workers … and so it goes. No one has a crystal ball that will tell us how and when this will end, who will survive and who won’t. But I’m choosing to embrace the one-day-at-a-time approach, keeping vigilant about safety and cleaning, while enjoying the many wonderful things that life still has to offer. And I’m going to keep looking for the silver linings. Mary Rose Remington, a Twin Citiesbased baby boomer, is documenting her grandparenting experiences with her daughter, Laura Groenjes Mitchell — a millennial mother of two, who lives with her wife in Minneapolis. They’ll also be sharing their generational differences in our sister publication, Minnesota Parent. Minnesota Good Age | May/June 2020 | 23

OPENING

MINDS

Scott Mayer strikes a pose at the Illusion Theater, a Doors Open Minneapolis venue in 2019 on Hennepin Avenue. Photo by Tracy Walsh

Even during lockdown, Doors Open Minneapolis founder Scott Mayer is finding ways for citizens to explore the charms of the city BY JULIE KENDRICK

ong before the world closed down due to the threat of COVID-19, Scott Mayer knew the incredible value of keeping doors open in the city of Minneapolis. It was just one year ago this month, in fact, that the 63-year-old event creator and community builder founded Doors Open Minneapolis. Thanks to the City of Minneapolis, the American Institute of Architects, an engaged advisory committee, over 20 sponsors and 800 volunteers and workers, it was a huge success and brought 18,000 people out to 112 venues for a total of 77,000 visits overall. Of course, this year’s event has been moved from its originally scheduled mid-May weekend to Sept. 12-13, when the architecturally minded, historically curious and just plain nosy will be encouraged (pandemic willing) to explore dozens of venues public and private, humble and lofty, all around the city. Meanwhile, Mayer’s got an initiative — Strolls Through the Streets of Minneapolis — in the works this spring while the main event is in hiatus. It plays off the energy of Doors Open Minneapolis and the participating venues, but allows for safe social distancing and features many of the same Doors Open venues, albeit in new ways.

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1 INSPIRED BY PARIS Doors Open Minneapolis, a nonprofit organization, started when a then-newly elected Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had a conversation with Mayer about finding ways to celebrate the city and highlight why it’s such a special place to work and live. Mayer had hoped to come up with a brilliant idea all his own. But then he saw an article about the Paris phenomenon of Doors Open, an annual event that began in 1984 and spread all over the world, including U.S. cities such as New York, Chicago and Milwaukee. With Doors Open Minneapolis, venues agree to allow visitors inside for a weekend. Public transportation is provided (with a pass downloaded online). And residents get to learn more about the buildings they walk and drive by all the time. And it’s all free.

4 26 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

“You can create your own itinerary and just see one building or visit as many as you’d like over the course of two days,” Mayer said.

SIGHTS TO SEE IN 2020 This year’s 100-plus venues include the Target Lights, a video display on top of the Target headquarters building downtown, featuring 650,000 LEDs that provide creative, colorful videos every evening. Other venues are more historic, such as Fhima’s Minneapolis, an Art Deco space dating back to 1914. Originally the Forum Cafeteria, it was designed to serve 1,000 people an hour. Today, it’s an award-winning restaurant, featuring a modern take on French-Mediterranean cuisine, amid mirrors, chandeliers and elaborate tilework. Architectural wonders abound, too, this year, including churches and syna-

gogues, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Witch’s Hat water tower in Prospect Park, the Grain Belt Brew House, the Pillsbury A Mill Underground and the Tractorworks Building. Just a few of the insider destinations include the Guthrie Theater’s offsite costume and prop warehouse; the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis; and Mayo Clinic Square, home of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx teams. And that’s not to mention fascinating stops at restaurants, bars, theaters, hotels and other local businesses on the selfguided tour.

STROLLS THROUGH THE STREETS But Twin Cities residents won’t have to wait until fall to celebrate all the vibrancy the city has to offer.

Doors Open Minneapolis venues in September 2020 will include Grain Belt Brew House (1); Mayo Clinic Square / Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx (2) ; Fhima’s Minneapolis (3); Minneapolis Rowing Club (4); the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis (5); and the Target Plaza lights (6). Photos courtesy of Doors Open Minneapolis

Doors Open Minneapolis — true to Mayer’s form of dealing swiftly and graciously with last-minute hiccups — is pivoting at the speed of light to deliver Strolls Through the Streets of Minneapolis. Featured venues will include many of those same destinations set to welcome visitors later this year for Doors Open. They’ll keep their doors closed for the event. But the idea will be for them to showcase facets of their exterior architecture and information about how they’re responding to the pandemic — such as retail sales, online instruction and fundraisers — and what they do in normal times as well. “We will group the venues by neighborhood and invite the community to take neighborhood walks,” Mayer said. “And — armed with our information — our community will learn more about Minneapolis neighborhoods and the venues that exist within them.” Walkers can take a photo of their favorite venue or their home and upload it to Instagram using #dompls, along with 100 words explaining why the venue is their favorite. A winning entrant will receive $250. “As we are staying in place, our world becomes much smaller,” Mayer said. “It underscores even more why feeling a sense of community with the people close to you — and where they work

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and live — has become more essential. Having an opportunity to learn more about these venues, whether by reading about them or experiencing them in the future is something Doors Open Minneapolis can facilitate.” Mayer hopes Strolls Through the Streets can be especially helpful for families looking for ways to keep kids educated and entertained. “It is our belief that even closed doors can open minds,” he said.

A LEGACY OF LOCAL EVENTS Mayer, who’s been called “the unofficial mayor of Minneapolis,” brought the Doors Open event to the city and turned it from a new idea into a smoothly operating reality with help from an astonishing array of local entities and volunteers. But it wasn’t his first rodeo. He also founded the Ivey Awards — which celebrated Twin Cities’ theater excellence for 13 years — and the Charlie Awards, which he co-founded in 2011 with the legendary foodiephilanthropist Sue Zelickson to celebrate excellence in the local restaurant, food and beverage industry. With everything he’s spearheaded, Mayer is quick to credit those around him. “An idea, no matter how good, remains just an idea unless there are the collaborations and resources to make it a reality,” Mayer said. Intensely productive and utterly unflappable, Mayer brings to mind the image of the graceful swan, gliding serenely along a pond while paddling furiously just underneath the surface of the water. He seems to know everyone, moving comfortably in overlapping social circles of artists, businesspeople and politicians. “I enjoy talking with people, and I love listening to people,” he said. “I even love 28 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

eavesdropping, especially in the locker room at the downtown YMCA. You hear it all there.”

EARLY LIFE Even though his name and career are so strongly associated with big city life, Mayer started off in a very different place. He grew up in Roscoe, South Dakota, population 300. “Living in a small town has benefits and disadvantages,” he said. “The education didn’t offer a lot for those who wanted to study something creative, like photography, for example. But then again, the community was too small for cliques to be able to form. In a small town, you interact with a variety of people every day, and you need to learn to get along with them.” While he’s been running his own event-production company for more than 15 years, Mayer’s held a number of jobs before going out on his own. After he graduated from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, he and a friend packed up his Dodge Dart and drove west to Lake Tahoe. Both landed jobs as blackjack dealers, working from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., spending days relaxing by the lake. “It was a wonderful break after college,” Mayer said. “One time, John Travolta and Lily Tomlin were in town filming Moment by Moment, and I got to deal at their table.”

RETURNING TO THE MIDWEST Eventually, Mayer realized he wasn’t cut out to relax by a lake all day, so he moved back to Aberdeen and got a job teaching English. Then he came to the Twin Cities for law school, practiced law for one year in Phoenix, then moved back to Minneapolis and eventually started working as a lobbyist.

When the AIDS crisis hit in the 1980s, Mayer said his life changed drastically. “My entire social life was going to fundraisers or going to funerals,” he said. While still working as a lobbyist, he started an event to benefit the Minnesota AIDS project. The event began in his apartment and ultimately grew to 4,000 attendees at the Orpheum Theatre and Mall of America. “I realized I had skills in creating the relationships and partnerships needed to pull something like that off, so I set up shop for myself,” he said.

MAYOR MAYER? Mayer’s longtime friend Fran Davis, a realtor and sales manager at Coldwell Banker Burnet Minneapolis, said Mayer is blessed with the rare qualities of someone who can dream big, but still get things done. “Scott is a great creative mind, and he’s also able to pull things off,” she said. “He’s a great organizer, and he can identify the right people to be involved to support good ideas like Doors Open.” Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has been friends with Mayer

LEARN MORE Strolls Through the Streets of Minneapolis: This free event — which encourages walkers to get to know various city venues from a safe distance — is coming this spring, featuring fun facts and architectural details for numerous venues. Learn more at doorsopenminneapolis.org. Doors Open Minneapolis: Set for Sept. 12-13, this second-annual event allows the public free, behindthe-scenes access to buildings and venues in Minneapolis that are architecturally, culturally or socially significant; download free transit passes at doorsopenminneapolis.org.

for more than 30 years. “I always tell him I’d love to see him run for mayor, not only because we could have ‘Mayor Mayer,’ but also because he seems to have a unique understanding of how to move in the sometimes-abstract ecosystem of a city,” Rybak said. Rybak said Mayer has made a difference for the city, in ways big and small. “He has the brains and creativity behind some of the very best ways we have to tell who we are here in the Twin Cities,” Rybak said. “More than almost anyone else, he understands what we are today, but also why we need to constantly raise the bar to be a better, more inclusive place.”

CITY LIVING Mayer dwells in the Loring Heights neighborhood of Minneapolis, just north of Loring Park, in a condo he shares with his husband, John Zeches, an esthetician and owner of John Zeches Skincare in Minne-

IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT EVEN CLOSED DOORS CAN OPEN MINDS. — Doors Open Minneapolis founder Scott Mayer apolis. They’ve been together for 26 years. “John was born and raised here, and he isn’t inclined to move,” Mayer said. Fortunately, Mayer has grown to love his adopted city and state. “Minneapolis is large enough to experience the kind of amenities that the largest cities offer, but small enough that you can still run into friends at the grocery store or at your favorite restaurant,” he said. “It’s very much a community-oriented city.” What’s next? “I still have some ideas around celebrating our theater community,” he said.

The Ivey Awards, which ended in 2018 a few years after Mayer retired from the board, ran for 13 years. Outside of the Tony Awards, it was the highest attended theater awards show in the country. Mayer added: “I think that the richness of our theater scene is a real differentiator from other cities of our size.” In the meantime, you could make plans to head out to Strolls Through the Streets. As for Doors Open Minneapolis, Mayer is cautiously optimistic the event will proceed on its reschedule date. (He’ll know more by July 1. Stay tuned.) Either way, you’ll have the opportunity to remind yourself — or even to find out for the first time — what a marvelous place this city is, open or closed. Julie Kendrick is a contributing writer for many local and national publications. She lives in Minneapolis. Follow her on Twitter @KendrickWorks.

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STAY-HOME GUIDE MAY/JUNE

Finding happiness at home Sing, sing, sing: VocalEssence, a beloved local ensemble, is offering some terrific virtual content, including a backlog daily live voice lessons — think “Do Re Mi” — with the lovely and talented associate conductor G. Phillip Shoultz III, aka GPS. Get theatrical: If you love Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, you can check out a range of virtual and live experiences, including regular installments of the CDT Variety Slam — fun, silly and always uplifting. See facebook.com/chandinnertheatres and facebook.com/brindisispub/ videos. In case you missed it, check out the barbershop quartet (pictured) from CDT’s on-hold show, The Music Man, performing the original tune, Wash Your Hands, via a four-way Zoom call: See tinyurl.com/barber-shop-chan. See farm babies: Lift your spirits for real with footage of adorable baby animals — including goats frolicking hilariously and a time-lapse video of a chick

hatching — all set to upbeat, cheerful music, courtesy of the Minnesota Zoo. See mnzoo.org/farmbabies. Exercise at home: The YMCA is offering free-for-all workout videos (yes, even for non-members), including yoga, bootcamp, barre, cycling, Pilates, dance, tai chi, kickboxing, weightlifting and youth sports, plus videos made especially for older adults, including chair yoga (sitting or standing versions). You’ll also find Facebook Live exercise and mediation sessions and ideas for healthy at-home meals. See ymcamn.org/y-at-home. Try diamond painting: This intricate new crafting trend involves attaching tiny, shiny, faceted beads to sticky, paint-by-number patterns using a special wand. It requires patience and dexterity, so we recommend ordering a small canvas to see if you like it before you go all in on a poster-size project. See joann.com, michaels.com, diamondartclub.com or amazon.com.

Attend a performance: The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra is offering free video experiences from its online library, including Mozart’s Symphony No. 29, Bach’s Saint John Passion, Schubert’s Fifth Symphony and more — and the sound is excellent. You could even put it on while you’re doing a little diamond painting. See thespco.org/music. Find more stay-at-home ideas at mngoodage.com.

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5/7/20 11:37 AM Minnesota Good Age | May/June 2020 | 31

Brain teasers SUDOKU

WORD SEARCH Prime Time

AVENGERS BEWITCHED BONANZA BULLWINKLE BURNETT COLUMBO FAWCETT

CRYPTOGRAM Break the code to reveal a quote from a famous person. Each letter represents another letter. Clue: A=O ,

J K

J G I

L A

S R X

Z S R O

Q I A Q T I

Z A K Y I L

A R T O

D S O

Z S O

H I

M O

W W

M O

WORD SCRAMBLE Complete the following words using each given letter once. OT

J G I O

R M R X I P L J S R X

Q I A Q T I

' S P I R '

. J

T Y U I

J G I Z .

32 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

AR C

N V

A E

ER O

D G A

ANSWERS

C A P

MUNSTERS OCONNOR SAVALAS SERLING SULLIVAN SUPERMAN VANDYKE

TRIVIA 1. The Mary Tyler Moore Show 2. Lucille Ball 3. M*A*S*H

Source: Michelle Obama

FLINTSTONES GILLIGAN GUNSMOKE HILLBILLIES HONEYMOONERS HITCHCOCK JEFFERSONS

18 HOLES FULLY REMODELED MINI GOLF IN RICHFIELD

TRIVIA I PLAY ONE ON TV

Mini Golf

ice

1. Chuckles Bites the Dust, which concerns the death of a TV clown, is a celebrated episode of what series? 2. Whose real-life pregnancy culminated in a Jan. 19, 1953, episode revealing both her and her character’s newborn?

cream

PIzzA

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Bike rental

3. What show’s finale was the mostwatched non-sports TV program in history? Sources: avclub.com, wikipedia.com, businessinsider.com (612) 861-9348 6335 Portland Ave S. Richfield, MN

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5/16/19 2:24 PM

SUDOKU WORD SCRAMBLE Kotter, Carson, Beaver CROSSWORD

ANSWERS Minnesota Good Age | May/June 2020 | 33

CRYTPOGRAM For so many people, TV and movies may be the only way they understand people who aren’t like them.

Crossword

ACROSS

1 Terrible reviews 5 Dots in the Seine 9 Shoelace tip 14 Baseball’s Hershiser 15 Pie à la __ 16 Singer Lopez 17 Old enough to start kindergarten 19 Divided Southeast Asian island 20 Sing to romantically 21 Roll the dice 22 Academic URL ending 23 Attend a foreign university, say 25 Way to get off base? 26 Wind quintet wind 27 Native Alaskan 30 Ability to float 34 Spill the beans 34 | May/June 2020 | Minnesota Good Age

35 Done to __: perfectly cooked 37 Numbered book part 38 Sonic, in gaming 40 Old photo tone 41 Dept. with a sun on its seal 42 Carbon monoxide’s lack 44 Kind of exam with brief responses 48 Scratch the surface of 51 Attached, as a corsage 52 Go up, as prices 54 Beelike 55 Exam answered in a blue book ... and a phonetic hint to 17-, 23- and 44-Across 56 Pontificate 57 Fab Four fellow 58 Assert as true 59 Three-card con 60 Heidi’s range 61 Jared of “Panic Room”

DOWN 1 Rapper’s entourage 2 Rainbow-shaped 3 ’60s jacket style 4 Gin flavor 5 Behind-schedule comment 6 Amass, with “on” 7 Barely defeated 8 Observe 9 “Way to go, fella!” 10 Scary scythe bearer 11 Dance under a bar 12 __ Gay: WWII bomber 13 Out of gas 18 Initial stage 21 West African country 24 Part of BYO 25 Inexorable force 27 Blond shade 28 Fish story, so to speak 29 Call off 30 Software glitch 31 Day break? 32 Cinematic FX 33 Vote for 35 Leading in the race 36 In tatters 39 Diplomatic accord 40 “My bad!” 42 Says “My bad!” 43 Car window stickers 44 Involuntary jerk 45 Safari heavyweight 46 Gibson garnish 47 Rope fiber 48 “Circle of Friends” author Binchy 49 Balance sheet item 50 Back in style 53 And others: Abbr. 55 Org. concerned with PCB’s

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