Tuesday, May 5, 2015 Page 2 QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS
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Fiona’s hope Continued from page 1 surgery last June. But a day after coming home she stopped breathing. She died the next day after she was taken off life support. A nonprofit called Fiona's Hope is now Fiona's legacy. More than 160 families in crisis have received gift totes filled with essential and comfort items. A few families who have a new baby who has Down syndrome have received baskets containing gifts and resources. And a few families who have lost a child have received a personalized memorial wind chime, like the one Stephanie was gifted and has found comfort in hearing. Stephanie, with contributions from her Down syndrome parents support group, donated her first tote in early 2014. It went to a group member whose son was facing a long hospital stay. A few more totes were given to support group friends and friends of friends over the next few months. After Fiona died, the giving operation grew. Gifts are now sent across the country whenever a request is made on the organization's web-
site or Facebook page. “I have this amazing thing in my life that now sustains me and gives me hope,” she wrote on her Facebook page this fall. “It makes me feel close to my daughter and gives me purpose. Now, arms empty of her little body, but heart full of her spirit, I carry on her mission of spreading hope, believing in miracles and honoring strength, fight and perseverance.” Each gift tote is customfilled for its recipient family. It contains obviously needed personal care items, such as shampoo and toothpaste, as well as snacks and entertainment items such as magazines and a deck of cards. There are also many other items that a person who hasn't spent a lot of time in a hospital probably wouldn't think to pack, such as eye drops — because hospital air is very dry — and soft tissues and a soft blanket — because the ones available at most hospitals are anything but soft. Other items in each bag include a CD of relaxing music, a keychain made by a friend that reminds that
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tions she and other loved ones had left for Fie. “It's a really sacred place and it felt really awful to have someone violate that. I've never felt more violated,” she said. She's thankful that the thief or thieves couldn't take the most treasured item that was there: a handmade grave blanket that had frozen to the ground.
Healing writing
– Submitted photo
This is the last family photo of Stephanie, Fiona and Joe, taken before Fiona had her second heart surgery on June 2, 2014. “miracles happen,” a certificate from a photographer offering to come to the hospital and take pictures at no charge, and a sock monkey because it was Fiona's favorite stuffed toy. Also in each tote is a pack of thank you cards and stamps, because Stephanie remembers the many times she wished to send thanks for the gifts and other generosities given when Fiona was in the hospital. The cards are handmade by a group of former and retired teachers from Stillwater Public Schools. Stephanie works in the district as a speech pathologist in the Early Childhood Special Education program. There are other customized gifts inside as well, such as toys for siblings and colorful headbands and/or socks when a young patient is required to wear a hospital gown. When funding allows there might also be a restaurant or gas gift card or two. The totes are filled thanks to a combination of donations of items and funds allowing Stephanie to purchase items. There is one type of donation she won't use: hotel toiletries. They are too impersonal, she said; she wants her totes to contain the comforts of home. Ho-
tel shampoo and any other donated items that she doesn't put into a tote get donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Stephanie holds online raffles, sells Fiona's Hope T-shirts and fundraises in a variety of other ways. Many of the people who request a gift for a loved one give a sum. A partnership with the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota allows donations to be taxdeductible. Beyond making a hospital stay a little easier, Stephanie said she hopes the totes remind struggling families that they are not alone. “It's really isolating. You feel like no one really understands,” Stephanie said. “This is a gift from someone who has been there.” Each tote comes with an invite to join Fiona's Hope Facebook page, which has become a forum for sharing prayer requests and other supports. While Fiona's Hope has given her purpose, Stephanie said she struggles daily to cope with the loss of her only child. She visits her daughter's grave in Roseville at least weekly. The comfort she finds there was shattered last December when thieves stole the holiday decora-
Protected by
Stephanie started blogging when she was pregnant after experiencing the emotions of learning her daughter would have special needs. She continued writing about the hardships of having a sick child. Now she writes about grief. In a March CaringBridge post she wrote of “orphaned highchairs,” “storage bins full of cemetery decorations instead of outgrown clothing,” and pictures being all she has left. “I want to give up hope and throw in the towel in the fight to find and feel joy again,” she continued. “I feel like just living amongst the death of my child and let it ruin me and our future … But I can't. I can't because giving up doesn't honor Fiona.” She shares her painfully honest writing online via Facebook and her daughter's CaringBridge page. She's thinking about turning what she has written into a book. “I talk about my experience and my grief because I have the words to do so when others don't,” she wrote in January. “I know a lot of angel moms who have lived the same horror I have, seen the same unseeable things I have, feel the same way, struggle the same as I do, but they don't have the words to say it. They want people to understand, but it’s not that simple. “Since I've always been outspoken and open about our journey with Fiona since the very beginning, there is no true reason to
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For more information about Fiona’s Hope, go to fionashope.com or facebook.com/ fionashopetotes. Read Stephanie Palewicz’s journal entries at caringbridge.com/visit/ fionapalewicz.
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stop now, especially if it helps one person — one mom feel validated, one family member understand how their person is feeling, one person to see life in a different light.” Medication, seeing a therapist and taking time off of work was also part of her healing process. “I'm not ashamed of needing help getting through this tragedy,” she wrote last October. “I'm not ashamed, and if you are struggling with depression, anxiety or PTSD following a health crisis and/or death of your child, you should not be ashamed, either. Asking for help does not make you weak, it makes you stronger because you have the strength to ask for it.” Stephanie and her husband, Joe, are talking about someday adopting a child who has Down syndrome. “I feel like I am meant to raise a child with Down syndrome,” Stephanie said. Stephanie and Joe are active with the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota, including leading a team of friends and family in an annual fundraising walk. Last year their team raised nearly $10,000. They've also supported Special Olympics by doing the Polar Plunge. Joe, who works as a pipefitter, has plunged a few times with coworkers. Stephanie decided to join them for the first time this year. “I thought, ‘If Fie can go through what she went through and keep a smile on her face, I can do this,'” Stephanie said. The Roseville native said she envisions her future will include additional acts of support for families with special needs children. “I've found a passion in advocating for kids like [Fiona] and families like us,” she said. “I want to help people see children for what they can do, not what they can't do.”
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Police Reports The Lino Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: • A Chisago City woman, 18, and a Circle Pines man, 19, were cited for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia after police were called to check on a suspicious vehicle in the 6600 block of W. Shadow Lake Drive on April 22. • A Lino Lakes woman, 56, was arrested for third-degree DWI just after midnight April 22 on Sunset Avenue. A witness had reported suspicion that she was driving while intoxicated. • A rollover crash occurred at I-35E and Main Street at 4:33 p.m. April 23. There were minor injuries. The vehicle sustained significant damage. •A vehicle hit five parked vehicles in the 6000 block of Hodgson Road on April 23, causing moderate to significant damage but no injuries. • A Hastings woman was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia April 23 in the 1300 block of Pheasant Hills Drive.
• A grill was reported missing from a yard in the 100 block of Stallion Lane on April 25. • Officers were called to a domestic in the 500 block of Aqua Circle on April 28. A Coon Rapids man, 25, was arrested for gross misdemeanor interference with an emergency call, fifth-degree domestic assault and criminal damage to property. The Centennial Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: • Officers were called to a report of a man at a residence on Hillcrest Lane in Circle Pines at 1:05 a.m. April 12. The man was extremely intoxicated and was taken to a hospital. • Two men, ages 33 and 32, were arrested after officers were called to the 3800 block of Restwood Lane in Lexington at 1:12 a.m. April 12. One man spit on officers and the other man threatened to kill officers. Both men faced disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process. The spitter also faced
Lino Lakes city council Continued from page 1
a fourth-degree assault charge and the other man also faced a terroristic threats charge. • A vehicle was reported stolen April 13 from a residence in the 1900 block of 73rd Street in Centerville. • Theft from a residence in the 1600 block of Hunters Trail in Centerville was reported April 13. • A report that someone in the state of Washington reportedly created counterfeit checks against a Centerville business was received April 13. The fraud is being investigated by the bank used by the business. • A resident on Oak Leaf Lane in Circle Pines reported April 13 that someone had filed a fraudulent tax return using his Social Security number. • A boy reported April 15 that he had been injured by his father while visiting his father in Circle Pines the past weekend. A report was sent to the child protection services office in the county in which the boy resides. • A man reportedly forced open a door and assaulted two people April 20 on Syndicate Avenue in Lexington. The report is under investigation. • A cordless drill reportedly was stolen from a vehicle in the 8800 block of Griggs Avenue on April 21. • A boy was cited for curfew violation
and possession of cigarettes after he was found walking on Restwood Road in Lexington at 5:26 a.m. April 21. • A woman reported she was sexually assaulted April 21 on Park Drive. The report is under investigation. • An older couple on Galaxy Drive in Circle Pines reported April 21 they were the victims of identity theft. • Methamphetamine was found in a vehicle after it was stopped for having an item suspended from its mirror April 21 at Lake Drive and Woodland Road in Lexington. The 48-year-old male driver was arrested for drug and paraphernalia possession, no insurance and misuse of collector plates. • A report of a hacked cell phone account was received April 22 on Centerville Road. • A man fled on foot after a traffic stop at Lake Drive and Hodgson Road April 23. The man, 53, was caught and arrested on numerous warrants as well as new potential charges of fleeing police and driving without a license or insurance. • A vehicle reportedly was tampered with but nothing was missing April 24 in the 8800 block of Griggs Avenue in Lexington. • Theft of a mailed package containing medical equipment was reported April 24 in the 3900 block of Restwood Road in Lexington.
Miss Lino Lakes candidates wanted – Photo by Louise Ernewein
The April 27 Lino Lakes City Council meeting was paused while representatives of the American Legion Post 566 presented awards to the police officer and firefighter of the year. Pictured (left to right): Police officer Dan Thill, Post Commander Paul Lesch, firefighter Stuart Domitz and Second Vice Commander Aaron Hoska. D.C. to be considered for the national title. Later in the Lino Lakes City Council meeting, council members heard a progress report on the preparations for the Jan. 1 go-live of the Fire Division of the Lino Lakes Public Safety Department. Until then, Lino Lakes continues to receive fire service coverage from the Centennial Fire District under the joint powers agreement it has with Circle Pines and Centerville. Public Safety Director John Swenson told City Council members the groundbreaking ceremony for the new south fire station (located at the intersection of Birch Street and Centerville Road) would be held May 4. However, construction work was anticipated to begin as early as last Wednesday (April 29) after the City Council granted a conservation easement to Rice Creek Watershed District and approved a wetland buffer maintenance agreement. Swenson added that construction was anticipated to be complete by December 4. By the end of the summer, the Public Safety Department expects to have 32 firefighters through training and certified. Another 13 are currently in the application or background check stage. Grants through Anoka County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could see Lino Lakes reimbursed for up to $402,000 of its costs of recruiting and screening applicants.
In other action, Lino Lakes City Council: • Held the Board of Appeal and Equalization hearing, although no members of the public chose to speak on the subject of appraised home values for next year’s tax bills. Residential appraiser Scott Schutz from the Anoka County Assessor’s Office addressed the City Council, saying there had been a 4 percent increase in residential property values across the county. He said he had received only a few calls from homeowners saying they had not been able to sell their homes for the countyappraised value, which had led to some adjustments. • Approved the expansion of an outdoor patio at Paleos restaurant. • Approved a permit for Ethan’s Reason 5K Run and One-Mile Walk, starting and finishing at Centennial Middle School on Saturday, September 12, to raise funds for the nonprofit organization, which supports public awareness of and research into Batten Disease. • Approved the appointment of Matt Kassner to the Planning and Zoning Board and Clark Gooder to the Park and Recreation Board. • Approved the sale of general obligation bonds totaling $3,185,000 to FTN Financial Capital Markets, after hearing from Terri Heaton of Springsted that Lino Lakes’ AA credit rating meant the city’s bonds were an attractive proposition for investors. She estimated a savings of around $621,000 for taxpayers over the life of the bonds.
The Miss Lino Lakes Ambassador Program is seeking 2015 candidates. Three ambassadors will receive a scholarship and will represent the community at Blue Heron Days as well as other area festivals. Candi-
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What’s
Happening in...
quad communities
WHEN:
Anoka County Composite Squadron-Civil Air Patrol Recruiting Event
6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, May 5
BACKYARD CHICKEN BASICS When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 Where: Centennial High School East, room 102 Details: Discuss breeds, diet, housing, daily care, bird health, sanitation, manure management, egg production, regulations and purchasing birds. Contact: isd12.org/ communityeducation
COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS When: 10-11 a.m. Tuesdays, May 5, 12, 19 & 26 Where: Alexandra House, Blaine Details: Weekly educational group for adult women who have experienced domestic or sexual violence to chat and enjoy treats while gaining practical information and life skills education. See website for more information about this session and other support /educational group opportunities. Contact: 763-656-1366 or alexandrahouse.org
FUN AND CREATIVE WATERCOLORS WITH COLLAGE-WHIMSICAL BIRDS When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7 Where: Green Mill, 4355 Pheasant Ridge Dr. NE, Blaine Details: Painting of a bird is fun and easy, using a charcoal pour and your imagination. Instructor is Linda Lawrence. Contact: isd12.org/ community-education
‘THE SHADOW BOX’ When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9 Where: Centennial Performing Arts Center Details: This moving play takes an honest look into the devastating consequences of losing a loved one to a terminal
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, May 1-12 Where: Greenhouse behind East Campus Details: Purchase plants grown by horticulture students to help support the horticulture program and student scholarships. Contact: century.edu
RAINGARDEN WORKSHOP When: 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 Where: Vadnais Heights Fire Station Training Room, 3595 Arcade St. Details: Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization Program
Calendar • Thank you for sending us news of your upcoming event. The calendar is reserved for secular-themed community events that are likely to appeal to readers throughout our coverage area, which includes: White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Mahtomedi, Hugo, Grant, Birchwood, Dellwood, Willernie, Gem Lake, Pine Springs, Forest Lake, Wyoming, Wyoming Township, Columbus Township, Centerville, Circle Pines, Lexington, Lino Lakes, Stillwater, Lake Elmo, Oak Park Heights, Stillwater Township, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights and North Oaks. • Deadline for event submissions is the Wednesday prior to the following weeks publication. • Due to space limitations, there is NO GUARANTEE whether, when, or for how long submissions will be published.
Send submissions: Press Publications, Inc. 4779 Bloom Ave. White Bear Lake, MN 55110 FAX: 651-429-1242 E-MAIL: calendar@presspubs.com
Post your own Go to www.presspubs.com and click on “Calendar.“ Follow the “Submit an Event“ link. Postings are subject to approval and do not constitute submittal for print editions.
Anoka-Blaine Airport squadron building, 35W and Radisson Rd.
DETAILS:
Youth and teens interested in flying aircraft, search and rescue, survival training, model rocketry, STEM activities, cyber-security and more have the opportunity to join the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program. Prospective cadets are ages 12-18; families welcome.
NATURE PLAY: FEATHERED FRIENDS When: 10-11:15 a.m. Thursday, May 7 Where: Wargo Nature Center Details: Children ages 2-5 with an adult) look for birds flying, hopping, and soaring outside! Will touch real feathers, look for birds outside, do a craft, and read a story. Pre-registration is required. Contact: 651-429-8007 or anokacounty.us
QUAD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERSHIP MEETING When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, May 7 Where: City of Lino Lakes Community Room, 600 Town Center Parkway Details: Features guest speaker John Channon on the topic of ‘Victor/Victim: Your Attitude Impacts Employees’. Members $10 for lunch; nonmembers $15 includes meeting and lunch. Contact: quadchamber.org
MOTHER’S DAY Remember your mother this Mothers Day Sunday, May 10 Buy her a gift at a local shop or take her to lunch at a local restaurant!
BIRDING BY BOAT PROGRAM When: 9 a.m.-noon, Tuesday, May 12 Where: Wargo Nature Center
neighborhoods nearby CENTURY COLLEGE’S ANNUAL PLANT SALE
WHERE:
disease, but also celebrates the importance of the family and living life to its fullest. Tickets $6/ adults, $4/children available at the door. Senior Citizens Preview Performance 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. Contact: isd12.org
Manager Kristine Jenson will discuss raingarden basics, how to install a raingarden and how to apply for a grant to fund it. Cost is $10 and includes a copy of “The Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens”. Registration required. Contact: vlawmo. org/events/ raingarden-workshop
NYFS LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 Where: Midland Hills Country Club, Roseville Details: Northeast Youth and Family Services’ annual luncheon features Dr. Edward Ehlinger, Minnesota Commissioner of Health, who will speak on the topic of ‘Advancing Health Equity-The Central Challenge for Minnesota’. No cost to attend, but participants encouraged to make a donation. Contact: 651-379-3422 or Sandra@nyfs.org
2ND ANNUAL ST. CROIX FLYAWAY MIGRATORY BIRD DAY When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, May 9 Where: Warner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Families, birders, and nature lovers of all ages go on a bird hike, learn why bird banding is important, fly like a bird through the woods in a bird migration game and more. Free admission. Contact: 651-433-4184
ANOKA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PLANT SALE When: 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12 & 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 Where: Anoka Armory, 408 E. Main St., Anoka Details: Featured plants
CONTACT:
763-792-0063 or anokacap.com
Details: Birding program uses canoes, kayaks, and a 30-foot Voyageur canoe. Access water areas most other birders can’t and see a variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, and upland bird species. No experience in boating or birding needed and all boating equipment is provided. $10, 17 and under free. Contact: 651-429-8007 or anokacounty.us
KAYAKING FOR WOMEN When: 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 Where: Wargo Nature Center Details: Introductory course on flat water kayaking starts out with instruction and then spend the rest of the evening kayaking and exploring waterways. Contact: 651-429-8007 or anokacounty.us
KICKOFF TO SUMMER BBQ When: Noon-2:30 p.m. Friday, May 15 Where: Lino Lakes Senior Center, 1189 Main St. Details: Seniors can gather with old friends and make new
include select specialty annuals and perennials. Master Gardeners on hand to assist with questions about lawns, trees, flowers, fruits, vegetables and pests. Proceeds support U of M Extension-Anoka County Master Gardeners educational programs.
WHITE BEAR’S RESORT ERA When: 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 2nd St. Details: The arrival of the railroad also meant the beginning of White Bear’s Golden Resort era. Learn more about the grandest of the resorts and recreation sites around the lake through this illustrated program. Contact: 651-407-5327 or whitebearhistory.org
LAURIE HERTZEL AUTHOR VISIT When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 Where: Wildwood Library, 763 Stillwater Rd., Mahtomedi Details: Laurie Hertzel, senior editor for books at the Star Tribune, discusses her memoir, “News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist”, a coming-of-age story that looks at newsrooms back in the days of fedoras and typewriters and the experiences of a woman in a man’s world. Free and open to the public. Contact: 651-426-2042
‘FILL THE HEART’ When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 Where: Vadnais Sports Center, 1490 County Rd. E, Vadnais Heights Details: Join others in the community who have disabled the label and are speaking up for the R-word anti-bullying campaign by wearing either a red, teal or charcoal shirt and posing for a photo. Shirts available for purchase. Contact: 612-747-0840 or lsieleni@comcast.net
ones while enjoying pulled pork sandwiches, beans, coleslaw and cookies, and music by BandanAhh. Contact: 651-982-2440 or ci.lino-lakes.mn.us
Childhood Center, 575 Birch Street, Lino Lakes Details: Meet a friend and their family for fun activity. Cost is $3 per child or $5 per family. Contact: 763-792-6101
DEFENSIVE DRIVING 8 HOUR COURSE
FAMILY STORY TIME
When: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Monday, May 18 & Tuesday, May 19 Where: Centennial High School East, Room 102 Details: Save money on car insurance premiums and become a better driver. Minnesota law requires insurance companies to offer a 10 percent reduction for three years for drivers who complete the National Safety Council’s Defensive Driving Course, taught by professional, certified instructors. No driving or test required. Contact: isd12.org/ community-education
CHILDRENS’ PLAY When: 1-2 p.m. Mondays Where: Centennial Early
MAINTENANCE FOR RAINGARDENS AND SHORELINE RESTORATION When: 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 Where: Vadnais Heights Fire Station Training Room, 3595 Arcade St. Details: Learn how to maintain a raingarden once it has been installed or a shoreline once t has been restored. Cost is $10; registration required. VLAWMO offers funding for approved projects and toward the purchase of rainbarrels. Contact: vlawmo. org/events/ raingarden-workshop
HUGO PRESCHOOL STORYTIME When: 10:30-11 a.m. Thursday, May 14 Where: Hugo Elementary Media Center, 14669 Fitzgerald Ave. N. Details: Children preschool through kindergarten and caregivers experience stories, songs, fingerplays and more to develop early literacy skills. Contact: 651-275-7300
BEARPOWER FAMILY BREAKAWAY BIKE RIDE When: 9:30-11 a.m. Saturday, May 16 Where: Otter Lake Elementary, 1401 County Rd. H2 Details: Free bike ride for families and community members of all ages includes 3 routes: Baby Bear ride on school grounds; Bear Cub ride, a 3.5 mile ride through Tamarack Nature Center and Polar Lakes Park; and Bear Family ride, an 8.25 mile ride around Bald Eagle Lake.
MUSIC ST. PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA When: 3 p.m. Sunday, May 10 Where: St. Andrew’s
When: 10:30 and 11:00 a.m. Thursdays Where: Centennial Library, Circle Pines Details: Stories, songs and finger plays for children and their caregivers. Contact: 763-717-3294
BRIDGE AND CRIBBAGE When: 12:30 p.m. Thursdays Where: Lino Lakes Senior Center, 1189 Main St. Details: Seniors play games with friends. Contact: 651-982-2440
“500” CARDS When: 6:30 p.m. Mondays Where: Lino Lakes Senior Center, 1189 Main St. Details: Play “500” with friends. Contact: 651-982-2440
Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Rd., Mahtomedi Details: Performing Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 Contact: 651-291-1144
is comedic, family friendly and interactive. Contact: rclreads.org
GREAT NORTHERN UNION CHORUS
When: 1-3 p.m. Friday, May 8 Where: Maplewood Library, 3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood Details: Join the Consortium of Lakes Area Senior Services (CLASS) and the Ramsey County Citizens Advisory Council - Adult Services Committee and partners in a conversation about LGBT aging with the film’ Gen Silent’ and a panel of local experts and LGBT advocates. Free, but must register to get a ticket. Contact: trainingtoserve.org/ gensilent
When: 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 16 Where: Benson Great Hall, Bethel University Details: Awardwinning local barbershop chorus will perform ‘Favorites Old & New’, featuring a broad selection of beloved numbers from the chorus’ 29-year history – from the Doobie Brothers to Disney. Show also features The Crush quartet and emcee Patrick Albanese, comedian with ‘Triple Espresso’. Contact: gnusings. com/events/2015-annualconcert
METROPOLITAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA When: 4 p.m. Sunday, May 17 Where: St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Rd., Mahtomedi Details: Celebrate Norwegian Independence Day with a concert titled ‘Syttende Mai!’, written by Minnesota composers and directed by MSO’s founding conductor Steven Amundson. Contact: msomn.org
THEATER THE LOONEY LUTHERANS When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 Second St. Details: Professional actresses, writers, singers and improvisers are on tour promoting their new cookbook, “Use Your Food: A Guide to Healthy Living Inside and Out, From Our Kitchen to Yours, Eat Like a Lutheran!” Performance
‘GEN SILENT’ SCREENING AND DISCUSSION
‘OLE’S LAST BOW’ When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15 Where: Chautauqua Fine Arts Center, Mahtomedi High School Details: Musical comedy about a Scandinavian vaudeville troupe teetering on the brink of disaster. Tickets $18. Contact: oleslastbow. com
ARTS 2015 NORTHERN LIGHTS JURIED ART EXHIBITION When: Exhibit open April 13-June 4. Where: Ford Family Gallery, White Bear Center for the Arts, 4971 Long Ave. Details: Exhibition featuring artists residing in Minnesota or Wisconsin with works including, but not limited to, drawings, paintings, fiber, pottery, photography and sculpture. Contact: 651-407-0597 or whitebeararts.org
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Sommer Continued from page 1
– Submitted photos
A recent photo of Sommer and two 1990s shots of Sommer from Stillwater Area High School yearbooks. actor has created the role of morally ambiguous Sterling Cooper employee Harry Crane on mega-hit AMC show “Mad Men,” famously set to cap its series May 17. Peterson said his childhood buddy hasn’t let fame change him, and the two still get together several times a year. Peterson has visited Sommer in both Los Angeles and New York, and they’ll see each other next at a May 9 Stillwater Library Foundation fundraiser where Sommer has agreed to schmooze (see sidebar). Peterson’s not sure what’s next on his friend’s professional agenda, but said he’s handled fame in “a very grounded, levelheaded way. “He’s pretty realistic about it,” he noted. “He knows that as big a success as ‘Mad Men’ has been, the gate can turn the other way really quickly. ‘Mad Men’ is a really unusual, special thing … to be a success on a show like that happens only on very rare occasions, so certainly he recognizes that and feels blessed by that.”
Setting the stage Peterson, most recently of Moorhead, remembered hitting it off with Sommer after he moved to Stillwater from Ohio and the two became thirdgrade Cub Scouts. They were neighbors on Croixdale Boulevard and spent spare time exploring the neighborhood and playing copious board games. As sophomores they both had one-scene, threeline roles in SAHS’ nonmusic production of “Les Miserables.” Still, former Oak-Land Junior High teacher Gloria Halverson remembered Sommer as a “positive, bright, creative student who loved to act. He had the ability to project characterization far beyond his young age.” The friends also sang in the SAHS choir (“Rich had a pretty strong bass,” his friend reported) and concert choir the Vagabonds. “Good singer, good person and fun,” commented SAHS music teacher Erik Christiansen, who oversaw both groups. “[Sommer] is one of our most loyal alumni. I had no doubt he was going to be successful … nevertheless I am very proud of the person he is, and his success.”
The friends were also part of a high school improv comedy troupe affiliated with Minneapolis club Comedy Sportz; team “Slush Puppies” competed with eight or 10 other schools around the metro. “Rich had a way of connecting with people from all sorts of different circles,” Peterson remembered. “As the same time, he certainly spent lots of time with the theater nerds and choir nerds. I’d venture to guess just about everybody in our class knew who he was … and in that sense he was a popular person. He was often in trouble with teachers for talking in class, making distractions or trying to make jokes in class … but it wasn’t anything serious. “He was interested in so many other things … that schoolwork in some sense fell off his table. But he certainly had good relationships with teachers, so he was able to make that work for him.” Before graduation the friends roomed together at Concordia University, where Peterson studied speech, English and communications and Sommer pursued theater. The two formed another student improv group (again called the Slush Puppies), but that one had paid gigs across the region after Sommer acted as booking manager. “I think his passion has been the most impressive thing,” said Peterson. “The Slush Puppies would not have happened if not for Rich organizing it, being passionate about it and saying ‘Hey, this is something we can do.’ I think he learned a lot about what it takes to have a career in acting, that sense of selling yourself or marketing yourself.” Sommer also appeared in Concordia productions, taking the lead of Tevye in a popular production of “Fiddler on the Roof ” his senior year. “Rich was very interested in learning, but not so interested in homework, remembered David Win-
tersteen, associate professor of theater at Concordia. “If he was engaged, it was a lively classroom. If he thought an assignment was BS, Rich would either respond with something ridiculous or just not do the assignment. He would not ‘jump through hoops’ or do busy work; he had to see the relevance of the assignment. “Rich’s talent was clear. His Tevye was sensitive and deep — a challenging role for a 22-year-old actor. I am not surprised Rich has found success and made a career.” Sommer also studied at Minneapolis Brave New Workshop for a time. In 2004 he earned a master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio where he met his wife, actress Virginia Donohoe Sommer (who coincidentally is from Mankato). The couple moved to New York to pursue acting careers. Sommer’s resume includes a stint with improv troupe Upright Citizens Brigade and several commercials, TV show appearances and roles in plays, but Peterson said his first big break was the role of Anne Hathaway’s friend in the 2006 Meryl Streep movie “The Devil Wears Prada.” The casting director from that production singled out Sommer for the iconic role of Harry Crane in the about-to-be-filmed season one of “Mad Men,” which debuted in 2007. In between, Sommer and Peterson attended their 10year reunion at SAHS. “I remember him talking about filming the ‘Mad Men’ pilot, and how it was to start airing in the next couple of months,” said Peterson. “ I don’t know that classmates were starstruck then … I think Rich is a very social person and maintains good relationships with people, so I think people were just excited to jump back into a relationship with him like they had in high school.” Peterson watches “Mad Men” each week and is as anxious as the rest of the Western world to see how
it ends. “The writing is amazing, the story lines are great and I’m really interested to see how it wraps up,” he said. “Harry Crane has really gone in a different direction. He was sort of the guy you were rooting for in the first season, and now he took a different direction.” These days Peterson sees his old buddy several times a year, with a Christmastime gathering of local friends an annual tradition. Five years ago Peterson visited Sommer on the “Mad Men” set and met his fellow actors Christina Hendricks (Joan Holloway), Robert Morse (Bert Cooper) and John Slattery (Roger Sterling). “In that setting they’re at work doing their jobs,” he noted. “It’s kind of cool to see they’re regular people like everybody else. “What I found amazing is, everything’s on a soundstage, so this big warehouse building has all the sets inside,” he added. “What we picture as a house put together is
really a couple of rooms chopped up next to each other. When you walk out the door, there’s not another part of the house.” Walking around New York with his friend in 2012 (Sommer was appearing as Duane Wilson in “Harvey” on Broadway) was also enlightening. “People would recognize him and come up and talk to him on the street and say ‘Hey, you’re the guy from ‘Mad Men,’” he remembered. “He’s certainly able to go out in public and kind of live his normal life, but people do recognize and approach him. And he’s very genial when people do that.” According to entertainment website CarterMatt. com, Sommer recently filmed a pilot for a CBS sitcom called “Good Session” that may or may not be picked up this spring. The Sommers have two children: Beatrice, 7 and Patrick, 4. Although Peterson couldn’t say what a typical day is like for Sommer these days, he noted his friend remains a board game freak. In fact, his podcast about board games debuted
last year on http://nerdist.com/the-indoor-kids1 3 5 - i n d o o r- k i d s - o f - a l l types-with-rich-sommer. The friends still play a lot when Sommer is in Minnesota. Sommer doesn’t get back to Stillwater much because his parents moved away. “But I think he has very fond memories,” Peterson noted. “He wouldn’t be doing this fundraiser if he didn’t. When we get together we talk about his career and about everything … but a lot of our focus is on playing board games.” He has no idea whether “Mad Men” has made his friend wealthy or not. His favorite part about his friend’s personality? “Maybe the word would be commitment. I think Rich is a person who commits to things, and if he says yes to something then he’s in 100 percent. I think each of us know we’d be there for each other no matter what happens. He’s committed to his family, his acting, to friendship and to life in general.”
If you go Starring Rich Sommer When: 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 9 Where: Lowell Inn, 102 Second St. N., Stillwater Details: $60. Stillwater native Rich Sommer (Harry Crane on AMC’s “Mad Men”) mingles and is interviewed by Lee Valsvik of KOOL 108. Buffet dinner, live auction, cash bar. Earlier event from 5 to 7 p.m. is cocktail party with Sommer ($50). Wear ’60s garb. Benefit for Stillwater Library Foundation. Contact: 651-2754338, ext. 130 or splfoundation@gmail. com, or get tickets at library.
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select GE ENERGY STAR ® light bulbs at participating Walmart stores. Home Lighting Promotion runs April 1 – August 31, 2015.
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Due to the presence of mercury, CFLs must be recycled. In Minnesota, it is illegal to place them directly in the garbage.