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A Supplement to the Star Shopper
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
Friday, July 20, 2018 • Edition 10
Creating a masterpiece Klaphakes transform property using stone, concrete, repurposed materials By DIANE LEUKAM Staff Writer
ALBANY – Music played quietly in the background, thin white curtains fluttered in the breeze and fire crackled in a brick oven. It was a perfect summer morning July 5 as Dewey and Lisa Klaphake prepared for guests at their home south of Albany. Friends from Colorado were stopping by for pizza, something that happens often at the Klaphake residence. “We like it when people call and say ‘we’d like to come over for some pizza,’ or ‘we’d like to do a movie tonight,” Lisa said. There is something special about those pizzas and movies, and much of the entertaining the Klaphakes do. It all takes place outdoors, in a serene setting with features that could easily be found in a glossy magazine.
“On a Friday night, we might say we’re out on the patio if you want to stop over,” Dewey said. The 1.2-acre property features several major areas of interest. A 40- by 32-foot patio is complete with kitchen, dining and lounging areas showcased by a two-story stone fireplace. In the back yard, a waterfall covers much of a hillside, a tamarack tree growing with its airy branches moving delicately in the breeze alongside the mesmerizing sounds of water. A stone shed and terraced garden with stone walls finish the hillside. From the shed on the hillside, one can turn and view another scene below, where an outdoor theater awaits guests. When Dewey and Lisa view those scenes, they are seeing the fruits of their own labor. It has been accomplished with
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PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
Dewey and Lisa Klaphake stand by the fireplace on their patio July 5 at their home south of Albany. Their hands rest on a rock given to them as a gift by their mentor, Don Johnson, for many of the projects they have completed on their property.
A (WO)MAN’S BEST FRIEND By KATELYN ASFELD Staff Writer
NEW LONDON – Ginny Letourneau’s home outside of New London is almost always bustling with activity. Visitors of all shapes and sizes stop in; some stay for a day, others will stay longer. Letourneau strives to make sure each of her guests feel welcome and are cared for and comfortable. These guests are furry, fourlegged canines which come for training and boarding at her business, the Canine Training Institute. “If it has four legs and it’s called a dog, we will help the owner train it,” she said. Letourneau grew up in Minneapolis and as a child, she always wanted a dog of her own. “When I was a kid, I always wanted a dog but my mother had three kids to care for by herself and having a dog wasn’t going to happen,” she said. However, through the kindness of several neighbors, she had the opportunity to interact with dogs. “When I was 9 or 10 years old, one of my neighbors got a dog and she came over and asked my mother if I would train her dog for her,” she said. Letourneau gladly accepted the request. Shortly after training her first dog, a couple other neighbors also got dogs and asked Letourneau if she could train theirs as well. “As I got older, I realized my neigh-
PHOTO BY KATELYN ASFELD
Ginny Letourneau sits with two of her dogs, Uff-Da (left) and DoDA, July 12 at her business, Canine Training Institute, outside of New London. Letourneau has been training dogs for over 50 years.
bors were being kind to me by getting dogs because they knew I wanted one. That’s how I got into training dogs,” she said. After graduating high school, Letourneau got her own dog as soon as she
was able. For several years, she held different positions in advertising, construction, wholesale lumber and management consulting. Meanwhile, she trained her dogs and other people’s dogs as a side job. She participated in American Ken-
Letourneau trains, cares for dogs
nel Club (AKC) obedience trials and stock dog trials. Letourneau learned a lot through Marly Whiting’s classes at the Canine College in Richfield. Whiting was a licensed handler with AKC and wellknown in the world of canines. Many dog handlers, including Letourneau, gleaned beneficial dog training knowledge from Whiting. Five years after high school, Letourneau moved to the New London area. “My friends were from New London,” she said. “I had a car and they didn’t, so I would drive them out to New London so they could visit their family. I liked the area and decided to move.” After moving, Letourneau offered obedience training classes through the community education program. When she realized there was a high interest in her classes, she started her own business. “I love doing it,” Letourneau said. “I started a class and it worked, so I just kept doing it.” Letourneau found her life’s calling. For over 50 years, she has worked with people to train their dogs and cared for dogs. Letourneau has an indoor training center, several outside fenced-in areas and a private dog park. “I have everything double-fenced so we don’t have any escapees,” she said. Letourneau’s business offers boarding, private and group obedience training
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