JUNE 2017
Local hiker hits 9,000 miles PAGE 18
An alternative to flavored water PAGE 14
Outside time for caregivers PAGE 16
The Zen of fishing
DON SHELBY PAGE 8
Well into retirement, th e veteran TV broadcas ter and environmental advocate is busier than ever PAGE 30
Contents
Trees overlook scenic Lake Aloha in the Sierra Nevada Range in eastern California on the Pacific Crest Trail.
18 30
→→On the cover Don Shelby: The longtime TV newsman and environmental advocate isn’t taking it easy in retirement. Photos by Tracy Walsh tracywalshphoto.com
Mountain high A long-distance hiker shares his stories of traveling the U.S. on foot.
Subscribe! Want to receive Good Age at your home? Our magazine is free at more than 1,000 rack sites around the Twin Cities, including most senior centers, libraries and metro-area Walgreens. But if you'd like to get the magazine mailed to your home, send a $12 check for a one-year subscription to Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403. Write “Good Age magazine” on the memo line.
38 Can’t-Miss Calendar 40 Brain Teasers 4 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
TrueValuePharmacy.com True Savings. True Service. True Value.
June
Save 82%
Good Start
UP TO
Memories 10 Cataract surgery isn’t so bad, even if you’re terrified beforehand. This Month in MN History 12 Minnesota’s first AfricanAmerican attorney helped others.
Mini Golf
Malt Shop
on your prescriptions with no deductible, co-pays or complicated forms to complete.
From the Editor 6 Welcome to our first-ever Outdoors Issue. Now get out there! My Turn 8 I rarely feel completely present and calm, unless I’m fishing.
MINI GOLF & BIG FUN Grilled Cheese
• Over 5,000 Medications – Brand and Generic (and Pet Meds too!) • Prescriptions are a must • Price match *call for details*
Bike rental
Quote Reference TVP2017 for a
$10 DISCOUNT
SurreY rental
OFF FIRST ORDER
Call Toll-Free 1-800-845-3960 or visit us online at www.truevaluepharmacy.com
(612) 861-9348 6335 Portland Ave S. Richfield, MN
All pricing US dollars. Prices subject to change without notice. We accept Visa, MasterCard, personal check or international money order.
TrueValue Pharmacy GA 0417 V6.indd 2
Good Health Wellness 14 Don’t drink flavored water. Make your own infusions instead. Caregiving 16 Get outdoors with your loved one during caregiving.
Good Living Housing 24 A community in downtown Minneapolis is changing aging. Finance 26 Think of retirement as your ultimate vacation. It takes planning! In the Kitchen 28 You don’t have to boil this tasty berry jam. You simply freeze it!
3/2/17 Wheel 1:41 PM Fun Rentals MaltTMelt GA 0617 V6.indd 1
5/16/17 11:07 AM
Pay Tribute No matter which location or service you choose, you will always find an exceptional level of professionalism and care. Our experience, coupled with our perspective on the importance of ceremony, will help you discover ways to pay tribute. Whether traditional or unique, these tributes allow us to love, laugh, and live well again.
The McReavy Family
17 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS BLOOMINGTON 952-884-8145
EDINA 952-920-3996
WEST BLOOMINGTON 952-941-7686
HOPKINS 952-938-9020
EDEN PRAIRIE 952-975-0400
ROBBINSDALE 763-537-2333 CRYSTAL 763-533-8643
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 763-789-4436 COON RAPIDS 763-767-1000 NOKOMIS PARK 612-721-1651
UPTOWN 612-377-2203
NEW BRIGHTON 651-636-9821
CRYSTAL LAKE 612-521-3677
NORTHEAST MPLS. 612-781-6828
NORTH MPLS. 612-529-9691
BLAINE PRE-ARRANGEMENT CENTER 763-231-0506
HILLSIDE 612-781-1999
www.washburn-mcreavy.com | Family Owned and operated for 160 years Washburn McReavy GA 0117 S3.indd 2
10:10 AM Minnesota Good Age 12/21/16 / June 2017 /5
Good Start / From the Editor / By Sarah Jackson Volume 36 / Issue 6 Publisher Janis Hall jhall@mngoodage.com Co-Publisher and Sales Manager Terry Gahan 612-436-4360 tgahan@mngoodage.com Editor Sarah Jackson 612-436-4385 editor@mngoodage.com Contributors Jamie Crowson, Wendell Fowler Carol Hall, Skip Johnson, Julie Kendrick Dave Nimmer, Lauren Peck Edward Voeller, Tracy Walsh Jenny West Creative Director Sarah Karnas Senior Graphic Designer Valerie Moe Graphic Designers Dani Cunningham Kaitlin Ungs Client Services Delaney Patterson 612-436-5070 dpatterson@mngoodage.com Circulation Marlo Johnson distribution@mngoodage.com
40,000 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 © 2017 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc. Subscriptions are $12 per year.
6 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
A Minnesota mindset As I write this on a Friday in May,
it’s 67 and sunny in Minneapolis — and set to be in the 80s all weekend. Glorious! In Minnesota, I suppose due to our super-cold long winters and comparatively delayed daffodils, we know how to properly appreciate spring. We fish, we garden, we bike, we paddle, and we just sit and soak it all in, I’d argue, with a relief and wonder Californians can only imagine. It is from within this Minnesota mindset that Photo by Tracy Walsh I welcome you to our first ever Outdoors Issue tracywalshphoto.com of Good Age! And who better to grace our glossy cover than the Minnesota treasure that is former WCCO-TV anchor-turned-environmentalist Don Shelby. Not only is he an avid outdoorsman — and in the midst of teaching his grandson and three granddaughters how to fish — he’s a staunch advocate for Mother Earth. And it’s not just talk. Despite having retired roughly seven years ago, Shelby serves on the boards of the Audubon Center of the North Woods, Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy, the Climate Science Rapid Response Team Roundtable, the Great Plains Institute and the Mississippi Park Connection, in addition to doing volunteer work for other charitable organizations. In this issue we’re taking a closer look at the man behind the legend, who grew up exploring the forests near his home in Indiana. I hope you enjoy his story! This issue also includes Dave Nimmer waxing poetic about the magic of fisherman’s Zen — that feeling of being in the moment, body and spirit, made possible, it would seem, only on the water, ideally in Minnesota or Wisconsin or Canada. Finally, be sure to check out our non-traditional travel story, spotlighting the adventures of long-distance backpacker Chet Anderson, a St. Croix Falls, Wis., native who has explored nearly 9,000 miles, all on foot, on locally and nationally revered trails. Now that’s a true appreciation for the great outdoors!
Building Stable Homes, Strong Futures and Vibrant Communities Since 1971.
NORTHWEST SUBURBS
GREATER MINNESOTA
NORTHERN SUBURBS
ARBOR LAKES COMMONS Maple Grove • (763) 416-0369
DELANO COMMONS Delano • (763) 972-2930
CENTURY TRAILS Maplewood • (651) 288-9162
BASSETT CREEK COMMONS Plymouth • (763) 543-2457
GOLDENDALE HOMES Annandale • (320) 274-5871
CONCORDIA ARMS Maplewood • (651) 280-4680
BOULEVARD GARDENS Minnetonka • (952) 542-9338
ST. MICHAEL’S HOUSING New Ulm • (507) 794-9631
EAST SHORE PLACE Mahtomedi • (651) 770-7964
MAPLE TERRACE Maple Plain • (763) 479-1131
TOWNE CLUB SENIOR HOUSING Rochester • (507) 424-1671
GARDEN TERRACE Little Canada • (651) 481-9028
NORTH GABLES Blaine • (763) 786-0232
WELLSTONE COMMONS Northfield • (507) 645-4146
GARDEN TERRACE COMMONS Little Canada • (651) 481-9028
NORWOOD SQUARE Fridley • (763) 574-2187
MINNEAPOLIS
SILVER LAKE POINTE Mounds View • (763) 785-4771
PLEASANT PLACE Rogers • (763) 428-4494
BII DI GAIN DASH ANWEBI (612) 843-5391
SOUTHERN SUBURBS
ROBBINS WAY Robbinsdale • (763) 537-6868
THE COOPERAGE SENIOR HOUSING (651) 290-6228
FAIRFIELD TERRACE Lakeville • (952) 469-1414
WESTERN SUBURBS
RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS (612) 843-5885
MOUNT CARMEL MANOR West St. Paul • (651) 451-0030
SOUTH HAVEN Edina • (952) 831-3372
ST. ANNE’S (612) 588-4663
OAK RIDGE MANOR Hastings • (651) 437-1367
SOUTH SHORE PARK Excelsior • (952) 474-9036
SEWARD TOWER EAST (612) 339-1711
OAK TERRACE Oakdale • (651) 730-6440
SUMMIT POINT Edina • (952) 920-6113
SEWARD TOWER WEST (612) 333-7472
RED ROCK MANOR Newport • (651) 459-2786
WESTONKA ESTATES Mound • (952) 472-4952
SHINGLE CREEK COMMONS (612) 588-2303
SPRUCE PLACE Farmington • (651) 463-2511
AFFORDABLE RENTS… WAIT LIST OPEN OAK RIDGE MANOR • (651) 437-1367 1199 Bahls Drive, Hastings, MN 55033
“WOW! WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE” NORTH GABLES • (763) 786-0232 654 90TH LANE NE, BLAINE, MN 55434
• 109 “just right” one bedroom homes
• 50 “just right” one bedroom homes
• Rent is 30% of Monthly Income for Qualified Households
• Rent is 30% of Monthly Income for Qualified Households
• SMOKE FREE Community
• SMOKE FREE Community
• On-site Laundry Facilities
• Convenient laundry facilities
• Surface parking; one space per unit
• Surface parking; one space per unit
• Pets allowed
• Pets allowed
CALL US AT: (651) 291-1750 OR VISIT US AT: WWW.COMMONBOND.ORG/FINDHOUSING
Good Start / My Turn / By Dave Nimmer
Catch and release →→Fishing on the open water keeps me in the moment, sometimes for many hours on end
In my life, I’ve struggled with mindfulness, keeping my attention to the
moment at hand, the here and now. Too often, I’ve worried about something I did a week ago or wondered about something I should do a day ahead. Buddhists, Trappists and therapists would say that keeps me from the joy of the journey. Well, I’m about to get mindful. Summer is coming, the water is soft, the air is warm and my boat is floating — in a little lake in Washington County. Once in that boat, and on the water, I’m totally, utterly and serenely involved in the moment. I am in the outdoors. I am fishing. And for those moments, minutes and hours, all is right with me and the world. It’s been that way since I can remember, fishing as an 8-year-old with a hand line on Squirrel Lake in northern Wisconsin or casting as a 12-year-old with a Shakespeare Wonder Reel in Upper Michigan. Fishing and water bring me peace. In the past 30 years, I’ve probably spent the equivalent of a half-year sitting in my 14-foot AlumaCraft, a gift from the staff of the Minneapolis Star when I left in 1978. Most of that time my fishing buddy, Jim Shoop, was with me. Some days we caught dozens of crappies. Some days we landed a dozen big bass. And on a few of the days we hauled in a northern or two, weighing upwards of 15 pounds. And some days the fish didn’t bite. But we always think they will.
The promise of something more That’s what it is about fishing: The possibility is always right there, right now. But it’s more than that. It’s the bald eagle soaring overhead. The osprey hitting the water like a rocket. The beaver slapping her tail when you’re too close. And it’s the silence, that comfortable quiet. Don Shelby and I once spent 12 hours in his old bass boat on the Chisago Chain of Lakes north of the metro. We cast our lines. We changed our lures. We ate sandwiches. We glided along the shoreline. We drifted across points. And we spoke out loud for no more than 10 minutes all day. We had no need for words in that communion between old friends. I once tried to persuade my former WCCO Newsday colleague, Marcia Fluer, that fishing is a spiritual experience. She rejected that notion after spending a midnight walleye opener with me at Lake Darling in Alexandria in 40-degree weather.
8 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
▲▲Dave Nimmer, who cherishes the serenity of his fishing trips this time of year, shows off a freshwater catch — a bass he caught and released.
I still contend, however, that the combination of open water, green trees and fishing friends is good for the soul, especially now that I’ve grown older and wiser.
Weary, but still swimming When I was growing up, Dad and I cleaned and ate every legal fish we caught — even bullheads and white bass, not generally regarded as tasty table fare. These days, I let most of the fish go — catch and release — especially the big ones (like the bass in the picture). These are fish with a few battle
Sharing and Caring Hands Needs Your Help!
WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING
JAMES G. ROBAN Attorney at Law
We cast our lines. We changed our lures. We ate sandwiches. We glided along the shoreline. We drifted across points. And we spoke out loud for no more than 10 minutes all day.
261 Ruth Street North St. Paul Your donations provide: Meals • Shelter • Clothing • Beds • Glasses • Toys Food • Showers • Shoes • Medical & Dental Services Household Goods • Help with Emergency Needs A Safe Haven for People Living on the Streets
92% of your donations go to serve the needs of the poor www.sharingandcaringhands.org
Sharing and Caring GA 2013 Filler 12.indd 1
(651) 738-2102 Will: $40 PoWer of Attorney: $30 HeAltH CAre DireCtive: $70
6/28/13 Roban, 1:37 PMJames GA 1116 12.indd 1
Community + Connection + Independence = Vibrante
If you’re age 55 or older and want to enjoy the company of like-minded women in a private, home environment, Vibrante is the place for you.
scars and, like me, slightly worn and weary, but still swimming. These days, Shoop and I spend more time appreciating a light breeze, a blue sky, a warm day and a fishing partnership going back 50 years. We’ll end the season this year with another old friend, Ron Handberg, my former WCCO boss. We’ll be at Pickerel Arm in Ontario, 150 miles north of the border. It’s a real taste of the outdoors — gravel
Suites available. Call for a n conversatio ! y toda Engaged Living. Thriving Women. | vibranteliving.com Vibrante Living GA 0617 H4.indd 1
10/20/16 1:41 PM
Vibrante is a shared living community where women don’t have to age alone: staying vibrant, healthy, engaged... contributing to the greater good.
Call Roxanne at 612.816.6940 to explore living in this luxurious, newly-remodeled four-bedroom home with Lake Nokomis views, complete with concierge services.
5/8/17 12:59 PM
roads, granite shorelines, cedar trees and rocky islands. I’ve never worried about much up there, except keeping my hat on, my line tight and my feet dry.
Dave Nimmer has had a long career as a reporter, editor and professor. Now retired, he has no business card, but plenty to do. Send comments or questions to dnimmer@ mngoodage.com.
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 9
Good Start / Memories / By Carol Hall
Eyes wide shut →→I was so scared about cataract surgery, but my friends were right: There’s really nothing to fear
Cataract surgery: “They replace your old carburetor with a new one
and you get your timing back,” is how a gearhead friend described it. And, for sure, my visual “timing” was way off. Like a car with an engine knock, my eyes weren’t operating at full power. Signs in the distance had become a blur. Lights from oncoming vehicles were blinding. While driving the freeway, the road ahead seemed slightly “cloudy.” But the surgery terrified me. There would be two operations. The old lens would be removed and a new one inserted in its place, through — gulp! — an incision made alongside the eyeball. I cower during blood draws; dental work is an ordeal. I didn’t want to know that much about the actual procedure: I just wanted to get it over with. So I reluctantly made an appointment for the right eye to be done first, and the left eye, two weeks later. Then I nervously began telling friends about it. Their reassurance was overwhelming. Almost everyone who’d undergone the procedure praised it. Comments included “Cataract surgery is painless,” “It takes only about 15 minutes,” and “You’ll see clearly again almost right away.” I began feeling a bit better. Yet, these were my eyes. What if something went wrong? Doing a little research, I discovered the success rate for cataract surgery is 10 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
phenomenal. The early Egyptians were doing a rudimentary procedure thousands of years ago using a sharp instrument to force the lens away from the field of vison. Even using these barbaric procedures, it must have worked to a degree — and set the stage for the successful modern advancement of such procedures. Well, OK. Committed, but still edgy, I began prepping my eyes by squirting Vigamox antibiotic and Prednisone anti-inflammatory drops into my right eye. And, all too soon, the big day arrived and I found myself at the surgery center, being escorted into a holding area. A nurse administered more eye drops and drew a large letter X above my right eye. The anesthesiologist appeared, describing the anesthesia as being similar to that used for a colonoscopy — a relaxant that wouldn’t totally knock me out. As I was being wheeled into the operating room, the surgeon asked if I had any questions. “Nope, nope!” I replied.
Bike Rentals
Find Your
Como Lake: 651-487-8046 Minnehaha Falls: 612-729-2660 Lake Nokomis: 612-729-1127 Canal Park, Duluth: 218-722-1180
spot for summer
I cower during blood draws; dental work is an ordeal. I didn’t want to know that much about the actual procedure: I just wanted to get it over with.
Water Rentals
fun
Como Lake: 651-487-8046 Lake Calhoun: 612-823-5765 Lake Nokomis: 612-729-1127 Lake Harriet: 612-922-9226
WheelFunRentalsmn.com Wheel Fun Rentals GA 2017 NR2 H6.indd 1
4/14/17 3:03 PM
“Just do good work.” Then the dreaded moment arrived. I lay staring at the ceiling, focusing on a large stainless steel light fixture as my head was positioned and the anesthesia started. Then, ahhh: A wonderful euphoria came over me. I began floating, drifting; the light blurred. And then I woke up! That’s all there was to it! Two weeks later, after my left eye was done, I realized my friends’ positive comments were all true. The world was much brighter. It had more color. The freeway: all clear. My vision was up to full power again at 20/25. Yup. I got my timing back! 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.
Serving people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, HOBT collaborates with SCHOOLS and COMMUNITIES on unique, interactive ART RESIDENCIES that nurture the creative spirit and encourage a sense of joy and wonder. If you are interested in an art residency for your school or organization, visit hobt.org or call 612.721.2535 for more information. In the Heart of the Beast MNP 2016 S3 filler.indd 1
7/6/16 2017 10:25 / AM Minnesota Good Age / June 11
Good Start / This Month in Minnesota History / By Lauren Peck ⊳⊳ During his life in the Twin Cities, Frederick McGhee (photographed in about 1910) helped create six local civil rights organizations. Photos courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society
Chicago seemed like the perfect place for a young black attorney; in the 1880s, the city was home to more than 10,000 African-Americans, including many in the middle class. McGhee joined the Autumn Social Club (which put on galas for the black community’s social elite) and even became the club’s president in 1888.
Arriving in St. Paul
An attorney-activist →→Born into slavery, Frederick McGhee rose rapidly to become an influential lawyer based in St. Paul
On June 17, 1889, Frederick McGhee walked into the Minnesota State
Capitol and made state history. That day, he became the first African-American ever admitted to practice law in Minnesota. He went on to become one of the state’s most influential trial attorneys and civil rights leaders of the late 19th century and early 20th century. McGhee’s life started in slavery on a plantation near Aberdeen, Miss., where he was born a few months after the start of the Civil War. It’s likely McGhee’s family escaped from slavery around the time Union soldiers arrived in Mississippi in 1864. His family eventually settled in Knoxville, and McGhee started his education in the area’s freedmen’s schools. Despite being orphaned at age 12, McGhee enrolled in Knoxville College — then a mix of a primary and secondary school — and moved to Chicago at age 16. He worked as a waiter while studying law and became an attorney in 1885 under Edward H. Morris, a prominent black lawyer.
12 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
But by June 1889, McGhee was in St. Paul, a city with only 1,500 African-Americans and another 1,300 in Minneapolis. “He had not only to make a living in a town with a black community too small and too poor to support him, but also in a legal community that had never seen anyone like him,” wrote biographer Paul Nelson in Frederick L. McGhee: A Life on the Color Line, 1861–1912. It’s not entirely clear why McGhee decided to leave Chicago for Minnesota, but within a year, he was in the local papers for his defense work. Lewis Carter, a black soldier at Fort Snelling, had been convicted of the rape and robbery of a German woman and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Carter claimed he was innocent — and had been imprisoned for five years when McGhee took his case. McGhee managed to get the victim to sign a clemency petition, and the petition made it all the way to President Benjamin Harrison. Harrison agreed that Carter had been punished enough
for national organizations such as the National Afro-American League. He became good friends with civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois, and in the early 1900s, while on a fishing trip in Wisconsin, the two hatched an idea for a new national civil rights organization.
The Niagara Movement
▲▲Attorney Frederick McGhee came to St. Paul from Chicago in the late 1890s.
and ordered his sentence changed to time served. Carter was released from prison in March 1890.
Local, national clients McGhee’s career as a criminal defense attorney consisted mostly of representing African-Americans in cases such as assault and larceny. He also became the first African-American in Minnesota to defend a white man in a murder trial. His work ventured into civil rights as clients brought cases of discrimination against public accommodations, such as restaurant and apartments, for refusing to serve black citizens. Civil rights also became a major part of McGhee’s life outside of his law career. During his life in St. Paul, he helped create six local civil rights organizations and served as a delegate to conferences
In July 1905, Du Bois gathered a few dozen African-American leaders, including McGhee, in Fort Erie, Ontario, to form the Niagara Movement, which advocated for full racial equality and an end to discrimination against African-Americans. The organization’s demands were a direct challenge to Du Bois’ rival, Booker T. Washington, who argued that the black community should focus on hard work rather than agitate for civil rights; he felt equality would gradually occur over time. McGhee headed up the Niagara Movement’s legal department for four years, including successfully defending a black woman arrested in Virginia for refusing to leave a first-class train car. But he struggled with a lack of funding to handle national cases. The Niagara Movement ended up short-lived, but its ideals were an important catalyst for the 1909 creation of the NAACP, co-founded by Du Bois, which still exists today. McGhee started Minnesota’s first NAACP chapter, and his efforts heading the Niagara Movement’s legal department were fully realized a few decades later with the creation of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Despite being orphaned at age 12, Frederick McGhee enrolled in Knoxville College — then a mix of a primary and secondary school — and moved to Chicago at age 16.
An advocate of democracy McGhee died of a pulmonary embolism at age 50 in 1912, after devoting more than 20 years of his life to the law and civil rights. At his funeral in St. Paul’s St. Peter Claver Church, mourners overflowed the space, and a memorial service had to be held in a larger venue a week later. In an obituary, Du Bois wrote, “McGhee was not simply a lawyer. He was a staunch advocate of democracy — and because he knew by bitter experience how his own dark face had served as excuse for discouraging him and discriminating unfairly against him — he became especially an advocate of the rights of colored men.”
Lauren Peck is a media relations and social media associate for the Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 13
Good Health / Wellness / By Wendell Fowler Questionable ingredients Here’s what to look for — and avoid — when reading labels: ⊲⊲ Sugar ⊲⊲ Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame (also known as Splenda and Equal) ⊲⊲ Artificial colors and dyes, which have been linked to ADHD, anxiety and migraines ⊲⊲ Preservatives such as potassium sorbate, which has been shown to cause changes in human DNA ⊲⊲ Sodium benzoate, which forms the carcinogen benzene when combined with citric acid (vitamin C) ⊲⊲ Propylene glycol, which is an ingredient in anti-freeze and airplane deicers.
Drink up, water haters →→Skip the grocery store’s many flavored agua options and make your own!
Do you prefer flavored water to slake your thirst?
Many folks are repulsed by plain old water — your temple’s most important nutrient. Today, grocery store shelves moan and groan from the weight of a constellation of flavor-enhanced water and juices. They might help us stay hydrated, but convenience has its cost. Water is more than hydrogen and oxygen; it’s the source of all life. Without fresh, clean, hydrating water and nutritious fresh fruit, we’d perish. Read labels. Avoid artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. We’re already exposed to numerous questionable chemicals every day. Why add more? Many flavored waters are little more than tap water mixed with food dye and sugar. This is a problem, especially when people use large quantities to rehydrate after a hard workout or a scorching day. Drinking two or more a day can add a bunch of sneaky sugar to your diet — not good if you want to lose weight, have diabetes or a high risk for diabetes. 14 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
Also, keep in mind that most plastic bottles still contain BPA (bisphenol A), which disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone estrogen.
Stir it up Some folks are hesitant to prepare their own fresh, infused waters. But they’re easy, healthful and refreshing. Use any fresh fruit (except bananas), plus herbs for a refreshing beverage. You’ll need: ⊲⊲ 1-quart jars ⊲⊲ Water (ideally filtered) ⊲⊲ A wooden spoon ⊲⊲ Raw honey or powdered stevia, a natural sweetener made from stevia leaves (optional) Choose a recipe or create your own combination. (For strawberry-lemon-
JOIN US FOR THE 4TH A NNUA L
Many flavored waters are little more than tap water with food dye and sugar. This is a problem, especially when people use large quantities to rehydrate after a hard workout or a scorching day. basil water, you’ll need 1/2 cup sliced strawberries, 1/2 lemon (sliced) and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves.) Place the fruit, herbs and/or spices in the bottom of one of the glass jars, and then muddle with a wooden spoon, mashing the ingredients in the bottom of the jar to release their flavors. Fill the jar with water and taste it. (Use seltzer water for a fizzy variation.) If you’d like something a bit sweeter, try adding some stevia or raw honey. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor. Get in touch with your taste buds — and what’s in season — and enjoy your own water treats! Chef Wendell Fowler is a syndicated food columnist and the author of Eat Right Now: The End of Mindless Eating.
Saturday, June 17, 2017 10am–1pm Live music from The Teddy Bear Band & The Bazillions, kids’ yoga, crafts, facepainting & many other activities!
Sponsored by:
612-825-9205 | MNPARENT.COM/KID-FEST Kid Fest MNP 0617 2-3promo.indd 1
AT THE LAKE HARRIET BANDSHELL 5/23/17 4:49/PM Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 15
Good Health / Caregiving / By Jenny West
Finding time outdoors →→Step out into nature, either alone or with your loved one, to rejuvenate your caregiving spirit
Getting outside to enjoy Minnesota summers is good for the soul,
and good for the family and friend caregivers of older adults, too. Increased sun provides an extra boost of vitamin D. Time outdoors gives us the opportunity to slow down and follow butterflies as they flit from flower to flower, listen to birds sing from tree branches and watch amazing sunrises and sunsets each day. Spending time outdoors is an effective way for caregivers to reduce stress and stay healthy. Connecting to nature can play an important part in overall well being. It can be challenging (sometimes seemingly impossible) to fit time outdoors into your life when caregiving consumes every day. But you don’t have to spend hours upon hours outside. You simply need moments with nature to feel the results. Consider incorporating more nature into your life with these suggestions: 16 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
Explore on foot Go for a walk together, either right in your neighborhood or at a new location you’ve wanted to explore. Stop often to look and listen to your surroundings. Caring for someone who uses a wheelchair? If your own health permits, pushing a wheelchair can increase the exercise you’re getting while you enjoy being outdoors.
Enjoy some fresh air
Plant a garden You don’t need a lot of outdoor space to plant flowers, vegetables or herbs. Container gardening is an excellent option for small spaces and limited time. Or you can tend a plot in a community garden for an opportunity to plant your own garden and have a project to work on together outdoors among friends and neighbors.
Sometimes we forget about the delights of our own backyard or neighborhood park. Try sitting in the open air, wherever it’s convenient and safe, and observe what’s happening around you. Even just a few minutes outside can be restorative.
Caring for someone who uses a wheelchair? If your own health permits, pushing a wheelchair can increase the exercise you’re getting while you enjoy being outdoors. (Senior Passes) and free passes for anyone with a permanent disability (Access Passes). Annual passes are otherwise $80 per year. For more information, visit nps.gov. Connecting to the nature that surrounds us is powerful. Feeling the warmth of sunshine and breathing fresh air can improve your mood, bring a sense of calm, build strength in your bones and muscles and, possibly, lessen stress to improve well being — both for you and the person you care for. No matter where you live, you can incorporate more nature into your life. Just pick what suits you best, and enjoy that moment.
Visit a farmers market
Experience a National Park
Supplement your own garden harvest, or your supermarket trips, with produce from the farmers market. You’ll support local farmers, try fresh and unique products and stroll outside while you do it. Search for a market near you at minnesotagrown.com.
If you’re thinking about going further afield, an America the Beautiful pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 national parks and federal recreational lands. Within the program, there are $10 lifetime passes for ages 62 and older
Jenny West works in caregiving and aging services at FamilyMeans (familymeans.org), an active member of the Metropolitan Caregiver Service Collaborative (caregivercollaborative.org).
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 17
Good Living / Travel
c i n e c s e h T The Blue Ridge Mountains are visible from the Grassy Ridge spur trail off the Appalachian Trail near the North Carolina-Tennessee border. 18 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
e t u o cr For long-distance hikers, the best way to see the world is by traveling on foot BY EDWARD VOELLER
The scenic route
C
het Anderson of St. Croix Falls, Wis., has accomplished what many retirees yearn to do: He’s travelled extensively in his golden years. But he hasn’t been traveling by air, RV, car or tour bus. Anderson, at 74, has put in more than 9,000 miles in a somewhat unconventional way — on wooded paths, over meadows, through streams, across deserts and up and down mountains, all of it on foot, hiking some of the toughest and longest trails in America and sleeping (mostly) on the ground along the way.
The Appalachian Trail Before he retired as a machinist in January 2008, Anderson didn’t have a golden-years plan — except to “experience a new life.” His new life began in a big way on March 14 that year, when he took his first step on the 2,176-mile Appalachian Trail, known as the AT (pictured below). The long-distance, five-month hike took Anderson — on foot — through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, including the Great Smoky Mountains in the south and the rugged White Mountains in the north. Though people of all ages hike the trail (or at least sections of it), it’s an epic journey. Perhaps most famously described in Bill Bryson’s nonfiction book, A Walk in the Woods, the trail is also the setting for the 2015 film of the same name, starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte.
Photo by Ed ward Voelle r
Anderson, 66 at the time, was tall (6-foot-2) and fit, but he lost weight and even gained an inch in height — as well as the trail name Gray Ghost — during the 5 million-step AT thru-hike. He also learned from the experience: Travel as lightly as possible. During his AT trip, Anderson’s backpack weighed about 22 pounds, not counting food and water. These days, he’s an ultralight backpacker with his basic gear weighing about 16 pounds, including his shoes and the clothes on his back.
7,000 more miles After his adventures on the AT, Anderson had no plan to hike on for another 7,000 miles, but the plethora of scenic trails in this country became too inviting to pass up, and each of them had their special attractions. So Anderson went on to hike the Arizona Trail, an 800-miler that goes through the Grand Canyon on its way from the Mexican border to Utah; the 486-mile Colorado Trail, which takes hikers through eight mountain ranges; the 65-mile Border Route Trail, which crosses the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and traces the MinnesotaOntario boundary; the 165-mile-long Tahoe Rim Trail in the stunning Sierra Nevada and Carson mountain ranges
20 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
of California and Nevada; the daunting 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that runs from Mexico to Canada; and, closer to home, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT), which traces the edge of the farthest advance of the ice-age glaciers in Wisconsin.
No leisurely rambling Anderson’s hikes haven’t been mere strolls across bucolic valleys and alpine vistas. Nature has provided a wide variety of obstacles that have had consequences for Anderson, including sore soles and heels — “the pain doesn’t go away; it just rotates” — miscellaneous leg and back pain, blisters, sunburn, a bout with a giardia intestinal infection on the PCT, and a case of ehrlichiosis, a bacterial infection from a tick bite on the IAT. Diet on the trail has been another challenge. Long-distance hikers need between 3,000 and 5,000 calories daily. But carrying sufficient food to consume that many calories isn’t easy. Anderson ordinarily carries about a pound and a half of food per day, around 2,700 calories, which he admits is insufficient. In fact, he’s experienced weight losses of up to 55 pounds on hikes, roughly 25 percent of his normal body weight. Like other long-distance hikers, Anderson often makes up for the lack of
calories by piling them on when he comes to the occasional offtrail eatery. Anderson wrote in his journal about one memorable meal he had in Seiad, Calif., just off the PCT. First he ordered a large cheeseburger and a salad. But he held on to the menu, just in case. When his lunch arrived, he ordered another meal of fish and fries with a side of cottage cheese and pineapple. That meal came to his table just as he was finishing off his first. A little later, he ate a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and drank a quart of orange juice. Keeping hydrated on long-distance hikes is also a challenge. Because water is relatively heavy and bulky compared to other pack items, Anderson usually gathers agua as needed from lakes, streams and rivers, using water filters that remove bacteria and other contaminants. But when water sources are far apart, as is often the case on trails out West, he must carry all the water he needs to survive.
The Pacific Crest Trail In 2011, Anderson struck out on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which travels through California, Oregon and Washington. At 2,650 miles, the PCT is the longest trail Anderson has completed and features some of the most demanding elevation and terrain in the country, including parts of the Mojave Desert, the High Sierras and many, many mountain passes. The PCT (pictured at left) is legendary among hikers and non-hikers. Author Cheryl Strayed, in her 2013 memoir — Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail — has made it even moreso, along with the subsequent film starring Reese Witherspoon in 2014.
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 21
The scenic route
Conditions in mountains on the PCT often prevented Anderson from making timely progress. High winds sometimes had him stepping backwards to keep his balance. Hard, crusty snow required him to both tread lightly and lift his knees high. And that slowed him down, too, along with fog and rain. Despite those challenges, Anderson reached a major milestone on the trail: On Aug. 17, 2011, he wrote in his journal: “Today I accomplished two personal hiking goals. One goal was to hike over 40 miles in one day; the second was to hike 100 miles in three days. I hiked 41.2 miles for the day and a total of 104.1 miles for the last three consecutive days.”
Favorite hikes If you ask Anderson what his favorite trail is, he’ll say it’s the one he is presently on. “It’s like with grandchildren,” he said. “Which is your favorite? They’re all different and you love them all. The same with trails.”
▲▲The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile footpath that is entirely within Wisconsin and still being fully developed.
Anderson repeats hikes on some trails, however, suggesting that he does have preferences. For example, he’s hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail three times, and his repeated visits to the carless Isle Royale National Park reflect his fondness for the 165 miles of trails on that Lake Superior island, which is south of Thunder Bay, Ontario, but part actually of Michigan. Isle Royale also has a special attraction for Anderson — a lack of wood ticks. Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail, which passes through Anderson’s hometown, has to be another favorite. Anderson has walked countless steps and contributed thousands of volunteer hours to the upkeep of the trail.
Maintaining the IAT Still partly under construction, the IAT stretches 1,200 miles east to west, beginning at Potawatomi State Park in Door County and ending at Interstate State Park on the St. Croix River.
→→Learn more ▲▲Chet Anderson has contributed 3,000 hours to help maintain Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail, which passes through his hometown of St. Croix Falls. Photos by Edward Voeller 22 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
Discover the Top 10 longdistance hikes in the U.S. at tinyurl.com/hike-ga.
Today I accomplished two personal hiking goals. One goal was to hike over 40 miles in one day; the second was to hike 100 miles in three days. I hiked 41.2 miles for the day and a total of 104.1 miles for the last three consecutive days. — Chet Anderson in his Pacific Crest Trail journal, Aug. 17, 2011
Anderson praises the IAT’s well-organized system for volunteers, which includes group projects led by crew leaders, of which Anderson is one. The projects are organized in sessions for a period of several days, and a trailer with a kitchen is set up to provide free meals for volunteers. The National Park Service keeps track of volunteer work hours and individual volunteers get awards, such as a water bottle, a volunteer cap and — after a thousand hours — a long-sleeved shirt the with the park service logo, which Anderson owns and prizes. This spring, Anderson received a jacket for putting in 3,000 volunteer hours. Now 9,000 miles into his new life after retirement, will Anderson continue his long-distance hiking? “I keep buying more equipment,” he said, “so I expect I will.” Edward Voeller is a retired journalist and English teacher and lives in Roseville.
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 23
Good Living / Housing / By Sarah Jackson ⊳⊳ Abiitan Mill City offers urban living to downtown Minneapolis as well as the option of memory care. Photos courtesy of Ecumen / Greg Latza Photography
→→Abiitan Mill City Where: 428 S. Second St., Minneapolis Opened: December 2016 Ages: 55 and older
HOUSING SPOTLIGHT
IN THE HEART OF THE CITY →→Residents at Abiitan enjoy access to Minneapolis attractions, plus the option of memory care
Memory care — and urban living — in Mill City?
Yes, that’s a real possibility, thanks to a new, five-story, luxury senior-living community for ages 55 and older, located about three blocks from the Stone Arch Bridge, the Mill City Farmers Market and the iconic Guthrie Theater. Built by the Shoreview-based senior housing provider Ecumen, Abiitan Mill City includes 86 independent-living apartments and 48 memory-care suites. Abiitan — pronounced AH-BEE-TAHN — doesn’t just offer proximity to city attractions, it also encourages residents to take full advantage of downtown’s beloved destinations. For example, just across the street, is the MacPhail Center for Music, which provides lectures at Abiitan, followed by related concerts in its own Antonello Hall. Art, theater and history activities include outings to The Guthrie, Hennepin Theatre Trust venues and the Walker Art Center, paired with on-site lectures on timely topics, such as details about the newly updated sculpture garden set to reopen this month at the Walker. And trips aren’t limited to downtown Minneapolis. One recent outing took residents to the newly renovated Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul. Another thing that’s special about Abiitan is that its major on-site amenities aren’t just for seniors. 24 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
Number of units: 134 units range from studios (540 square feet) to three-bedroom units (2,204 square feet). All apartments include open floor plans and either a private deck or a walkout patio. Many have skyline or Mississippi River views. Cost for a single resident: Prices range from $1,900 per month (plus a refundable entrance deposit of $89,500) for a studio to $6,900 per month (plus a refundable entrance deposit of $338,500) for a 3-bedroom, 2½-bath unit. Entrance deposits are not required for memory care. Memory care costs $6,400 to $6,700 a month and includes medication management/ administration, personal care, three meals per day (plus snacks), lifestyle and enrichment programming and other activities. Skilled nursing services can be added a la carte. Property owner: Ecumen, based in Shoreview, is one of the largest not-for-profit senior housing/ services providers in the country with 93 properties in 37 cities. Info: Abiitan.org or 651-766-4455; Ecumen.org or 651-766-4300. Read more about Abiitan in the Southwest Journal at tinyurl.com/ abiitan-mn.
South St. Paul HRA • 50+ Community
⊳⊳ Residents at Abiitan Mill City in Minneapolis are eligible for discounts at the on-site G-Werx Fitness center.
• Income Based Rent • All Utilities Paid • Newly Remodeled • Elevators • Controlled Entries • On Site Caretaker Call for an appointment 651-554-3270
South St Paul HRA GA 0317 12.indd 1
Its 2,000-square-foot fitness center (operated by G-Werx Fitness) and two restaurants (Smith & Porter and The Porter Cafe) are open to all. So, rather than isolating seniors in their own, self-contained world, Abiitan appears to be immersing them in the vibrant heart of the city.
Amenities ⊲⊲ High-end wood cabinetry with under-cabinet lighting ⊲⊲ Granite and quartz countertops ⊲⊲ Full-size stainless steel appliances ⊲⊲ Microwaves ⊲⊲ Garbage disposals ⊲⊲ Washers and dryers in each unit ⊲⊲ Wireless Internet and satellite/ cable TV ⊲⊲ Individually controlled heat and air-conditioning systems ⊲⊲ 24/7 staff and on-site concierge and security and an emergencycall system ⊲⊲ Business center with private offices and a conference room ⊲⊲ Heated underground parking and storage ⊲⊲ Pet-friendly and smoke free ⊲⊲ On-site fine dining at the Smith & Porter restaurant and bar,
which also offers room service, plus The Porter Cafe, an urban bistro with outdoor dining, both operated by Ecumen ⊲⊲ Club room with skyline views ⊲⊲ Occasional happy hours on the building’s Sky Deck, and daily happy hours at Smith & Porter ⊲⊲ On-site film series with screenings and discussions featuring an array of genres and styles from Federico Fellini and Wes Anderson ⊲⊲ On-site fitness center, operated by G-Werx Fitness ⊲⊲ Daily movement/exercise classes ⊲⊲ Weekly mindfulness classes ⊲⊲ Numerous lectures and outings that explore theater, music, art, history, photography and more ⊲⊲ On-site community garden, plus sessions with local gardening experts and balcony-garden design classes. Do you know of a new or interesting senior housing facility in the Twin Cities that might make a good Housing Spotlight? Write Minnesota Good Age editor Sarah Jackson at editor@mngoodage.com with the subject line HOUSING SPOTLIGHT.
2/8/17 4:55 PM
Transitions can be difficult. We are here to help you and your family with your next move whether it be your first or last home.
Mary Frances Miller mfmiller@cbburnet.com
952-300-7874
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 25 Miller M Frances GA 0417 V4.indd 1
3/23/17 2:56 PM
Good Living / Finance / By Skip Johnson
A RETIREMENT ROADMAP →→It might not be as much fun as vacation planning, but managing money now can really pay off
With summer fast approaching, your vacation planning
has most likely shifted into high gear. Maybe you’re conducting Google searches about places to see at your destination. If you’re old school, perhaps you checked out a travel guide at the library. In either case, you’re developing a roadmap for your big trip this summer. Think, for a moment, about the way you meticulously plan for your annual summer vacation. You develop an itinerary. You look for ways to cut costs and maximize your dollars. Now think about your retirement planning. In many ways, retirement is your ultimate vacation — and too few consumers take the time to map out their destination. 26 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
A 2014 retirement survey revealed that 39 percent of retirement savers spend more than five hours researching their next vacation while only 11 percent devote that much time to researching investments for their 401(k)s. The irony is, if people would put more time into their retirement planning, they would be better able to enjoy their ultimate vacation. I hope the following tips can help you get started on pursuing your retirement dreams:
Maximize savings Always remember to pay yourself first. A traditional IRA is one way to
Booth Manor Residence
If people would put more time into their retirement planning, they would be better able to enjoy their ultimate vacation.
get your savings rolling. You may contribute up to $5,500 to a traditional IRA. If 2017 is the year you turn 50, you may make a “catchup” contribution of up to $6,500. A 401(k) is another way to build your nest egg. If you have access to a 401(k), at least meet your employer match. An employer match allows you to essentially double your money with no risk. If you can save beyond the employer match, then do so. In 2017, you may contribute up to $18,000 to a 401(k) and $24,000 in the year you turn 50.
than you’re earning on your retirement accounts, you’re heading in the wrong direction. Start by avoiding or paying off high-interest debt, then set up an emergency fund so your retirement portfolio can grow untapped.
For Seniors 62+ • 1 Bedrooms • Based on Income • Utilities Included • Service Coordinator • Resident Activities & Programs • Community Room • Smoke-Free Building
1421 Yale Place, Mpls
612-338-6313
Insure yourself Life insurance is a proactive way to protect those you love. In the event something should happen to you, you can make sure your family will be protected just as they would be if you were still able to earn income. If you already have a policy, take a moment to review it and make sure the coverage fits your family and its needs. You might consider adjustments that will take into account inflation or potential long-term care needs. You may also need to update your beneficiaries if there have been any changes to your family.
Booth Manor GA 0114 12.indd 1
12/6/13 10:14 AM
As you plan your vacation this summer, remember to develop a roadmap for your retirement, too, so one day you’ll be able to enjoy the ultimate vacation of a lifetime.
Avoid temptation Debt can be a huge roadblock to reaching your retirement goals. As you develop a savings plan, you might find an occasional budget shortfall and be tempted to dip into your retirement accounts. Resist that urge! Borrowing against your savings may seem like an easy out, but it comes at a cost, and can put your retirement goals at risk. If you’re paying more in interest on debt
Skip Johnson is an advisor and partner at Great Waters Financial, a financial-planning firm and insurance agency with locations in Minneapolis, Plymouth, White Bear Lake and Duluth. He appears regularly on FOX 9’s morning news show. Learn more at mygreatwaters.com.
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 27
Good Living / In the Kitchen
T E G
! H S E FR
iest prett d n a lve siest he ea jams invo th), t — down nned er ba ands ionally ca (in a wat y! h — is ars hem ing radit jam j er jam Blasp lso captur ke. T Freez u can ma m and the berries. a , hile o ja he right jam y iling the cooking t p all that w ors and b o i v k first b ely twice ou can s y-fresh fla r long. a ,y tiv az c r m e c a j , ff all ye e ity zer — u r e r f e e r r f With ries’ supe e of summ st er the b or for a ta l o red c
Pick your own! Find local berries — at farmers markets or local U-pick farms — at minnesotagrown.com.
28 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
BERRY FREEZER JAM 4 cups raspberries, blackberries or hulled strawberries 4 cups sugar ½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest 1 packet regular powdered fruit pectin (1¾ ounces) ¾ cup water Makes about 5 cups Shocked by all the sugar? Yes, it’s a lot. But the high-sugar ratios in most jams allow the sugar to work as a powerful preservative. Sugar boosts firmness, too: As the pectin box directions say: “Do not reduce the sugar or use sugar substitutes as this will result in set failures.” The good news is this: Freezer jam is so amazingly fruity and sweet, you can use it in moderation and still enjoy tremendous flavor. ⊲⊲Crush the berries with a potato masher in a medium-sized bowl until you have 2 cups. ⊲⊲Mix berries, sugar and lemon peel. ⊲⊲Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. ⊲⊲Combine pectin and water in a small sauce pan. ⊲⊲Bring to boiling over high heat and boil for 1 minute. ⊲⊲Remove from heat and add berry mixture. ⊲⊲Stir for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is no longer grainy. ⊲⊲Ladle into half-pint freezer containers, leaving half an inch of headspace. ⊲⊲Seal and label. ⊲⊲Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours or until set. ⊲⊲Store for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 1 year in the freezer.
Source: Adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 29
S S I A N E R N A M 30 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
E C N A S N
A self-described ‘failure at retirement,’ veteran WCCO broadcaster and environmental advocate Don Shelby is busier than ever BY JULIE KENDRICK
Photo by Tracy Walsh
E C N A S S I RENA N MA
W
hile most Minnesotans know him as a supremely
indoor person — after all, he appeared right inside their living rooms from the WCCO-TV news desk for more than three decades — Don Shelby is truly a man of the outdoors. “I get outside every day,” the award-winning journalist said. “I just spent three days at our place on the St. Croix River, looking at the water and enjoying the quiet. I came back completely rejuvenated.” Shelby’s connection with the outdoors goes back to his childhood in rural Indiana. He would disappear as often as possible into any patch forest he could find near his home. “I knew every rabbit trail and raccoon warren, and I loved just being alone and getting lost in the woods,” Shelby said. “Spending time in nature gave me ability to focus on little things, and to find peace and solitude in the sounds of nature and the wind in the treetops. Even storms gave me great peace of mind.” Shelby came to Minnesota for a job at WCCO-TV in 1978, eventually taking over the primary anchor chair from Dave Moore, a legendary newscaster himself. 32 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
▲▲Don Shelby chops wood at his vacation home on the St. Croix River. Shelby said: “Barbara found a place on the river, knowing I’m a river rat; and when we drove to check it out, it turned out that I knew the place well — since it once belonged to a colleague of mine at WCCOTV. Unusual. Or, karmic.” Photo by Tracy Walsh
Shelby — who won three national Emmys and two Peabody awards during his career — retired in 2010. But he seems to be busier than ever these days — acting, writing, spending time with his kids and grandkids, and advocating for a number of issues, especially environmental ones.
The next generation Long ago, Shelby passed along his love of the natural world to his daughters. “My dad instilled in us three girls an appreciation, respect and love for the outdoors,” said his middle daughter, Lacy Shelby. Along with her older sister, Ashley, and younger sister, Delta, she was often on the receiving end of her dad’s grand schemes for outdoor adventure. Lacy Shelby remembers one “epic” trip in particular that took place when the girls were in junior high. “Dad had this harebrained idea that we would take a canoe trip to recreate a portion of the Lewis and Clark journey,” she said. “I have no idea how he talked my mom into it.” Shelby’s girls had become accustomed to paddling on little lakes. “But we spent the next week on the massive Missouri River,” Lacy Shelby said. “And we had so many hilarious moments with all of us sharing one tent. You get cozy in a tent in a way that you can’t back at home.”
Friends in high places Shelby, 70, said his daughters have asked him to make a list of all the famous people he’s met and interviewed. “I’ll be saying, ‘You know, when I was with Anwar Sadat, he told me …’ and they’ll interrupt and say: ‘Dad, you met Anwar Sadat!?” If he ever gets around to making the list, it will be a long and illustrious one — and will include the former Egyptian president and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Former Vice President Walter Mondale said he and Shelby became friends shortly after he moved to town. “I admire him so much, not just for being a great newsman, but for pushing for reform and for his support of the environment,” Mondale said. “He brought so many important environmental issues forward when he was working at WCCO, and he’s still at it today. I salute him — and I thank God for people like him.” Polar explorer and educator Will Steger came to know Shelby long before any of his notable ice-cap expeditions. They met backstage at the convention center — at an event in which Shelby was the emcee. Backstage, Shelby
Don Shelby’s travels have taken him around the world to destinations such as Nasiriyah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, with Chaplain (Col.) John Morris of the Minnesota National Guard; the grave site of naturalist Henry David Thoreau in Concord, Mass.; the 19,300-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa; and Highclere Castle (better known as Downton Abbey) in England.
Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 33
E C N A S S I RENA N MA
→→Keeping up with Shelby Find theatrical performances, upcoming appearances, blog posts and more at donshelby.com.
34 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
⊳⊳ Don Shelby has been active since his 2010 retirement, including serving as catcher during a farewell event at the Metrodome in 2013 (left) working behind the plate at Target Field during the Legends Game in 2014, featuring Kent Hrbek and Terry Steinbach (bottom) and channeling the spirit of author Mark Twain in a touring one-man theatrical show (below) in which Shelby donned full makeup, including a fake nose.
overheard a couple of influential men telling inappropriate, offensive jokes. Shelby stepped in and politely set them straight. And they stopped. “I was so impressed by that,” Steger said. “I thought, ‘He’s a great gentleman.’” Steger has also been impressed with the way Shelby’s tackled retirement. “It’s really been a beginning for him in many ways, and he’s using retirement as a way of fulfilling his purpose,” Steger said. “In addition to all his outdoor actives, he sings and acts — he’s a Broadway show unto himself. It’s been a privilege to have him as a great friend.” Doug Kelley — a trial lawyer and former assistant U.S. attorney — first met Shelby when he was prosecuting a mafia case that Shelby was covering. After discovering their mutual interest in outdoor pursuits, he and Shelby went ice climbing with their two daughters, Erin and Lacy. “It was a special father-daughter thing,” Kelley said. “Those were good times.” Shelby has since accompanied Kelley and his son, Brett, on pheasant-hunting expeditions. Kelley described Shelby as a kind and supportive friend, who was there for him when Brett was serving as an airborne U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan. “People all think of him as a big, tough anchorman,” Kelley said. “But he has a soft side.”
Thanks all around Shelby continues to be deeply grateful for the community support he enjoyed during his 32 years at WCCO-TV. “The audience made me into the person I am,” Shelby said. “When I first started in the business, I wanted to be perceived as honest, trustworthy, credible, authoritative, knowledgeable and friendly. The truth is, I was an imperfect person — and I wasn’t those things. But, from time to time, I would get feedback from someone who had watched me, and they believed in me. I wanted to live up to their expectations.” Shelby also mentored others in the field of journalism, including Larry Jacobs, a professor and director of the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs. “Don spotted me as a new professor at the U and took me under his wing, explaining the rules and business of journalism,” Jacobs said. “He was a generous, smart and entertaining mentor. There is certainly a lot that I need to know, but whatever I’ve done in the media world, I credit Don.”
▲▲Spending time outdoors with grandchildren has been an important part of Don Shelby’s life, including hammock napping with his grandson, Hudson.
Home life Shelby was born and raised in Royerton, Ind., population 108, outside the “big city” of Muncie. He met his wife, Barbara, when he was stationed at an Air Force base in Washington, D.C. “I was a writer for the base newspaper, and she was the secretary in our office,” he said. “It just worked out.” The Shelbys, who have been married for 43 years, live in Excelsior in a new-construction, 2,600-square-foot farmhouse-style home. Built using reclaimed wood, energy-efficient technology and a self-contained storm-water management system, the home is certified at the highest levels by GreenPath, LEED for Homes and Minnesota GreenStar.
A ‘failure at retirement’ In the seven years since his final WCCO-TV broadcast, Shelby seems to have ramped up, not slowed down, his activity level. “If retirement is meant to be putting your feet up and letting others do the work, I’m failing,” he said. Shelby serves on the boards of Audubon Center of the North Woods; Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy; the Climate Science Rapid Response Team Roundtable; the Great Plains Institute, the Mississippi Park Connection, Mixed Blood Theatre and VocalEssence. Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 35
E C N A S S I RENA N MA
Mother nature
Shelby also recently headed up the capital campaign for a new Minneapolis headquarters for the Washburn Center for Children, the oldest social service agency in Minnesota. “I had never been involved in fund-raising before, but we raised $24.5 million for the building,” Shelby said. Shelby’s friend, Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network, consulted on the Washburn project to find ways to bring nature into the building. His work extended to the outside of the building, with the creation of the Don Shelby Playground. Shelby’s so-called retirement failure is well-known among his friends and colleagues. “Don has handled his retirement with energy, enthusiasm and enlightenment,” said Good Age columnist Dave Nimmer, whose own career included reporter and editor posts at the Minneapolis Star and reporter and associate news director roles at WCCO-TV. “He’s an activist in helping scientists explain the reality of climate change,” Nimmer said. “And he’s always got plans, so he’ll be busy when the devil comes calling.” Shelby sees tremendous value in contributing to society in one’s later years. “I think the accumulated wisdom of people our age is still necessary and important,” Shelby said. “Our young people are gathering information at lightning speed, but they lack what can be gained from lived experience. True wisdom comes when you’ve lived through things, not just read about them.” ⊳⊳ About three years ago, Don Shelby commissioned a tattoo with his wife’s name to honor the couple’s 40th wedding anniversary. “That way, she is with me, wherever I am,” Shelby said.
36 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
Shelby’s also spending part of his retirement sharing his love of the outdoors with his grandchildren, including fishing trips with all four. “They love it,” said Shelby, who recently took his grandson on his very first overnight canoe trip on the St. Croix. Lacy Shelby said it’s been a true joy to see her father teach — but not preach — about the outdoors and nature. “It’s like he’s sharing a secret in a loving way, allowing them to discover for themselves and ask questions,” she said. “He’s instilling values that are slipping through the grasp of many people these days.” Lacy Shelby described her father’s connection with nature as near spiritual, versus purely recreational. “He has had the gift of friendships with members of the Red Lake Band of Anishinaabe, and that’s only strengthened and broadened his understanding of nature and our role as humans on the planet,” she said. “Everything I understand about nature, and about our responsibility to care for the Earth, was passed on to me from my dad.” Shelby takes the idea of Mother Earth very seriously. “If you denigrate or harm her, I will defend her, just the way a loyal son would,” he said, expressing deep concern about current attitudes toward environmental science. “I want to stop the politics of anti-science. And I want to do that — not through bombs and disruptive behavior, but through inescapable truth and fact — through objective reality,” he said. “We have a proud history of Republicans and Democrats working to preserve our Earth and nature. But now we’re faced with an administration that is dead set upon casting aside all scientific fact for commercial gain.”
Bohemian in waiting Asked about what his future “dream life” might look like, Shelby said: “I’d like to become a bohemian. I wouldn’t smoke any dope, because I have a ‘mellow’ that drugs can’t improve upon. It would be fun to be someone who didn’t have anything to do but think deep thoughts and tell others about his ideas.” That is, of course, “pretty much the opposite of what I’m doing now,” Shelby said, adding: “My bohemian period will be right before death. I’ll put on a beret and dark glasses and become a beat poet. When you see that, you’ll know I’ve gotten word that the end is near.” Julie Kendrick is a contributing writer for many local and national publications. She lives in Minneapolis and blogs at kendrickworks.blogspot.com.
True wisdom comes when you’ve lived through things, not just read about them. — Don Shelby
Don Shelby wears a handmade buckskin, inspired by American Indian and Mountain Man patterns and crafted by James Peterson, a noted academic and buckskinner and primitive tool maker. Photos by Tracy Walsh
June
Can’t-Miss Calendar
Grand Old Day
→→This annual 30-block party — one of the largest of its kind in the Midwest — features a parade, food vendors, live music at multiple festival gardens, a Minnesota-artists’ showcase, a wellness district and a family fun area, all in addition to the offerings of the 350 businesses that line Grand Avenue. When: June 4
Where: Grand Avenue, St. Paul
Cost: FREE
Info: grandave.com
Ongoing
Music & Movies in the Parks →→Both St. Paul and Minneapolis offer family-friendly outdoor summer concert and film series at local parks. When: Ongoing Where: Minneapolis and St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: stpaul.gov/musicintheparks and tinyurl.com/music-movies-2017
May 27–Sept. 2
Alexander Ramsey House Tours →→Take a guided tour of Minnesota’s first territorial governor’s historic home — one of the best-preserved Victorian-era homes in the country, offering a glimpse into life in the 1870s. When: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturdays, May 27–Sept. 2 Where: St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: mnhs.org/ramseyhouse
June 2–18
Moonlight and Magnolias →→This rip-roaring farce gives audience members a peek into the dynamics of vintage Hollywood with witty characters from the late 1930s. 38 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
When: June 2–18 Where: Lyric Arts, Anoka Cost: $16–$30 Info: lyricarts.org
June 2–25
Private Lives →→Amanda and Eliot are divorced and have just remarried new partners when they discover their honeymoons are in adjacent suites. How can they possibly resist picking up their marital battles where they left off? Well, they can’t. This witty, fast-paced comedy of manners is one of the best-loved plays of Noel Coward. When: June 2–25 Where: Theatre in the Round, Minneapolis Cost: $22 or $18 for ages 62 and older on Friday and Sundays Info: theatreintheround.org
Can’t-Miss Calendar June 16–18
Stone Arch Bridge Festival →→Check out art and music from 250 artists on three performance stages, plus a car show. When: June 16–18 Where: Northeast Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: stonearchbridgefestival.com
June 22–24
Twin Cities Jazz Festival →→One of the largest civic jazz festivals in the Midwest, this popular event draws top talent.
Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes
When: June 22–24 Where: Venues are in St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: hotsummerjazz.com
→→This free, two-day, street-art festival will feature entertainment, food and family fun alongside sidewalk chalk art by professionals and amateurs from around the world.
June 23–25
June 3
→→More than 12,000 custom, classic and restored cars will cover the fairgrounds, along with entertainment, live music, games, food and more.
When: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. June 10–11 Where: Main Street, Maple Grove
Cost: FREE Info: chalkfestarborlakes.com
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Grand Reopening →→Celebrate the grand reopening of this treasured, 10-acre green space — featuring more than a dozen new sculptures — with a daylong festival for all ages, including guided tours, live music, food trucks, DJs, activities for kids and free ice cream. When: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. June 3. Attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon; catch Black Market Brass shows at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; and see dance performances in the gardens at 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Where: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis Cost: FREE. Can’t make the main event? Gallery admission will be free June 1 to 10 — and during a Walker Wide Open Party from 6 to 10 p.m. June 8. Info: walkerart.org
June 10-11
Deutsche Tage →→Celebrate German heritage and diversity through live music, folk dancing, crafts, games, a demonstration of Swiss Alpenhorn and authentic German food and beer. When: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. June 10 and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. June 11 Where: Germanic-American Institute, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: gai-mn.org
June 15–18
St. Louis Park Parktacular →→Kick off summer with a weekend of events for all ages, including live music, a parade, bingo, festival food and a dinner dance with an Elvis impersonator (June 15). When: June 15–18 Where: Venues around St. Louis Park Cost: Most events are free. Info: parktacular.org
Back to the Fifties
When: June 23–25 Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul Cost: $12; free for ages 12 and younger Info: msra.com
June 30–July 2
Idiot’s Delight →→Girl Friday Productions presents this rarely produced American classic and 1936 Pulitzer-winning dramatic comedy by Robert E. Sherwood about idealism, greed and the realities of war. When: June 30–July 2 Where: Park Square Theatre, St. Paul. Cost: $25–$60 with discounts for seniors Info: parksquaretheatre.org
→→More online! Find more events on the new Minnesota Good Age website at mngoodage.com/cant-misscalendar. Send your events at least six weeks in advance (with photos) to calendar@mngoodage.com. Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 39
Brain teasers Sudoku
Word Search GET OUT THERE! BICYCLE BOAT BUTTERFLY CANOE FISHING FOREST HAMMOCK
Cryptogram Break the code to reveal a quote from a famous person. Each letter represents another letter.
Source: John Updike
Clue: I = A ;
V I F W
F L
F L
E G T
U V I P T ;
L S Z
E G T
R T L P T W R F W U
T I V E G ;
RUN SKIING SNOWSHOE SUNSHINE WATERFALL WATERSKI WILDLIFE
M O
O
R
H
S
U
M
Y
T
B
W
E
H W
B
E
I
R
I
A
R
P
C
M O
A
N
I
M
C
I
B
U
T
T
E
R
F
L
Y
T
I
K
G
B
F
C
O
U
N
P
M
A
I
F
E
H
E
A
W O
H
Y
N
A
O
K
K
Z
I
R
S
T
D
H
K
A
B
C
U
E
S
B
H
S
F
N
V
Y
B
O M
T
N
L
R
N
A
D
H
A
U
T
G
E
R
R
T
S
E
E
M
B
E
I
L
S
E
N
Z
O
A
S
T
E
M
J
O
H
N
L
B
X
I
Y
I
H
A
E
O
R
N
P
F
G
U
V
R
I
N
Y
W
S
C
B
A
O
R
I
V
E
R
T
K
P
Q
Q
K
W C
A
B
F
P
D W
K
V
S
Z
U
N
B
W O
Y
C
F
N
U
R
Z
I
B
J
Y
E
N
L
U
N
U
K
N
A
T
D
Y
S
B
N
H
I
F
A
X
S
I
C
A
H
I
V
V
W
I
L
D
L
I
F
E
Z
B
G
V
L
P
K
V I F W
; E A
HIKE HORSEBACK LAKE MOUNTAIN MUSHROOM PRAIRIE RIVER
Word Scramble Complete the following three six-letter words using each given letter once.
C F E G A J E
I K
G
A
CH
N
H
O E S
, V I F W ,
E G T V T
C A J H R
M T
N
B
I
N
A
R
C
. H F X T .
1. 67 2. Norway pine 3. Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake in Crosby, which is 450 feet deep
W A
TRIVIA
Answers 40 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
Trivia OUTDOORS 1. According to the Minnesota DNR, how many state parks does our state have?
2. What is Minnesota’s state tree?
3. What is the deepest lake found entirely within Minnesota?
Sources: dnr.state.mn, sos.state.mn, wikipedia.org
“She’s spent a lifetime looking after me. Now I can return the favor.”
Announcing St. Therese Southwest is now The Glenn Catholic Senior Communities.
With age comes wisdom. And an opportunity to define the next chapter. Whether you’re looking for a new living option or helping a parent on their search, we can help. The Glenn is a welcoming Catholic community that provides daily spiritual support, a warm sense of family, and the ability to modify your living arrangements from independent to assisted or memory care to suit your needs. Visit us at TheGlennHopkins.com | 952-467-8932 or TheGlennMinnetonka.com | 952-388-0065.
SUDOKU Hiking, Branch, Canoes
WORD SCRAMBLE CROSSWORD
Answers Minnesota Good Age / June 2017 / 41
Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.
CRYTPOGRAM
Crossword 64 Phishing nets?
ACROSS 1 Aesop’s lazy grasshopper, for one 6 One of many in an ovation 10 Critter catcher 14 “Stars and Stripes Forever” composer 15 __ Hashanah: Jewish New Year 16 Beatles meter maid 17 Classic violin 18 Eight-armed mollusks 20 Challenging response to provocation 22 Like many a villainous fictional scientist 23 Baseball tool 24 Strut on a runway 28 Newsman Huntley 30 Word with chick or split 33 Ruthless strategy 36 Operatic highlight 42 / June 2017 / Minnesota Good Age
37 America’s National Tree 38 Fish-catching bird 39 Nestlé chocolate chip treat 44 George Carlin hosted the first one, briefly 45 Yours and mine 46 Warned, like a cornered cat 47 Appropriate 48 Actor Mineo 49 Words on Lucy’s “Psychiatric Help - 5¢” sign ... and a hint to 20-, 33- and 39-Across 56 Always masked one’s true self 58 Fuming 59 Cheese in a red wax coating 60 “Cheerio” 61 Father-son senators from Tennessee 62 Jupiter and Neptune, e.g. 63 Like Mr. Hyde, e.g.
DOWN 1 Words to an old chap 2 “__ arigato”: Japanese “thanks a lot” 3 Bash with tiki bars 4 This, to Juan 5 1988 Hoffman title role 6 Ballpark filler 7 With 55-Down, monster’s lake 8 Regarding 9 Ditzy “Friends” friend and singer Snow 10 Bond between friends 11 Stand up 12 Chowed down 13 Kent and Kettle 19 Aristotle’s teacher 21 “The Banana Boat Song” word 24 755 HRs and 2297 RBIs for 25-Down, e.g. 25 Slugger Hank 26 Mastery 27 Recover from wounds 28 Tactless 29 Walk on a trail 30 Exec’s extras 31 Bert’s buddy 32 Plant __: start something 34 Do the honors, at a winefest 35 Modernists, briefly 40 Wished 41 Render obsolete 42 Transportation secretary Elaine 43 Drillers at sea 47 Throat-clearing sounds 48 Take unlawfully 49 Plug on the small screen 50 Norse king 51 __ Field: Mets’ stadium 52 Camaro __-Z 53 Poet Teasdale 54 Tabloid couple 55 See 7-Down 56 Chicken serving 57 Altar vow