IQ Magazine - Summer 2011

COVER1_Summer11.NoLabel_Layout 2 7/26/11 1:44 PM Page 1

HereWithYouStories.org

“ I’m cancer free and my journey is just beginning.”

Linda, Pequot Lakes

Because Essentia is here with me

Call cancer navigator Melissa Laposky at 218-828-7130 to learn more.

uscaBe

journem cI’“

entia is hersse Eus

y is just bejourneeer francm c

e with meentia is her

ginning.y is just beye and me

”ginning.

wn.our oe yo sharand te Lindaeo sg torories.touSYoWitheHer

ode or visitSnap the smartphone QR c

orys st’e Lindaode or visit

journe

rppo asaln CaciremAsaerr buO

Linda, P

y is just bejourne

hy ts baliral tcinilr cod fevomos Cnoegruf Se ogellon C

nras eam hargorr pecnat cs

akt LequoLinda, P

ginning.y is just be

etutitsnr Iecnaal Cniote Naed wnr aecnan Cn oiossmimehm torn fiotatiderccd aen

es

ginning.

.er’

r a

218-828-7130 tall cancC

uos y’tI

. c

e.arn moro le218-828-7130 taposky asa Lor Melistagvier naall canc

..erat crepxr eoe fcnarussr a

.

taposky a

emoo he tslo. c

COVER2_SummerIQ_Essentia_Layout 1 7/15/11 3:31 PM Page 1

theimpossibleisnt.com

Where others see problems, we see opportunity.

When some say, “it can’t,” we imagine what could.

While others focus on shock, we produce results.

Welcome to a new way of thinking from a new kind of advertising agency.

Welcome to RedHouseMedia.

R

01.IQSummer11_1-17_Layout 1 7/15/11 2:36 PM Page 1

Contents

F E AT U R E STwists of FaithA year after a powerful tornado devastated the Wadena area in central Minnesota, the community is taking stock of what went right—and the hard lessons learned.

A Community of HeroesAfter the Wadena tornado, no one claimed to be a hero. They reserved that title for each other.

After ShockNatural disaster survivors often find that the inner road to recovery ismore difficult than the physical rebuilding.

Once and AgainMuch comes with disaster, including the rare opportunity to rethink and rebuild.

Initiative Foundation Annual Report

Before & AfterWhat can we do now? Who should we call later? A quick reference guide for disaster preparation and response.

D E PA R T M E N T S

OUR MISSION:

Unlock the power of central Minnesota people to build and sustain thriving communities.

INITIATIVE FOUNDATION STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

– Resilient Businesses– Thriving Communities– Effective Organizations– Local Philanthropy

ABOUT THE COVER:

On June 17, 2010, the Wadena area was devastated by an EF4 tornado. The cover

image depicts the community’s one-year journey from its darkest moment to a

hopeful recovery.

IQ Magazine SUMMER 2011

18

27

34

38

4452

Kathy’s Note

4 6.17.10

IQ Points

8 Your Two-Minute Digest

Signs of the Times

10 Emergency GenerosityIn a time of disaster, charitable giving movesas fast as the news cycle.

Tip Sheet

14 Kindness ManagementWithout planning and direction, disaster volunteerism can go to waste.

16 An Ounce of Preparation For businesses, basic disaster plans can leadto a swift recovery. And speed is the name ofthe game.

Brainiac

56 IQ & A

Minnesota Homeland Security andEmergency Management director Kris Eide

34 38

18 27


3SUMMER 11

This book was an intergenerational, collaborativeeffort by seventeen students and adult volunteers,with interviews and assistance from countlessother residents. Proceeds from the sale of thisbook will benefit the Long Term Disaster ReliefCommittee and Wadena County Historical Society.


What were you doing on June 17, 2010?

If you live in the Wadena area, you are likely to remember what you ate for breakfast, yourplans for the evening parade, your conversations about the severe weather reports andwhere you took shelter at 5:02 p.m.

In vivid detail, you can also describe the oppressive weight of the greenish atmosphere,the unnerving blasts of warning sirens, the sudden quiet, the devastation, the shock andthe fear.

For some, the calendar still hasn’t passed June 17.

At the one-year anniversary of an EF4 tornado that assaulted Wadena and Otter Tailcounties, we have chosen to dedicate an entire issue of IQ Magazine to honor theincredible loss and resilience of one community. But we are also repurposing these dra-matic stories to convey lessons and advice to other local leaders.

I’m proud to say that we can share these lessons because we were there to learn them.Within 24 hours after the tornado, the Initiative Foundation partnered with Wadenaarea leaders to offer grant support and raise charitable funds through GiveMN.org.Our staff members were at the community meetings, the prayer services and the plan-ning table for recovery and rebuilding.

We continue to work side by side with the Wadena area today.

The past year has proven that no city—not even the mighty Minneapolis—is safe fromnatural disasters like tornadoes, floods and fires. A myriad of recent disasters have alsoshown that Minnesota is a special place of special people, who often look past personalneeds and safety in order to help others.

We hope you are inspired by these pages, but we also hope they challengeyou to prepare for some future date that you, too, may never forget.

All the best,

Kathy Gaalswyk, PresidentInitiative Foundation

P.S. If your central Minnesota community experiences an emergency situation, please rememberto contact the Foundation for assistance. That’s why we’re here.

Kathy’s Note

6.17.10

Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org4

Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity and the

Habitat for Humanity ReStore have relocated to

1110 Wright Street in Brainerd

(Across from the Brainerd Armory in the old Lindy Manufacturing building)

Proceeds from the ReStore help Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity build homes with

families in need of decent housing.

Phone: [email protected]

New ReStore Hours:Wed-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm;

Sat 9:30am-1:00pmPhone: 218-454-8517

Building Houses, Building Hope in

Cass, Crow Wing and Hubbard Counties

A NEW HOME

FOR A GROWING

FAMILY


SUMMER 11 5


Printed with Soy-Based Ink on Recycled Paperat Range, Inc.

Volume 9, Summer 2011

Initiative Quarterly Magazinewww.IQmag.org

INITIATIVE FOUNDATIONVice President for External Relations | Matt KilianGrants & Communications Specialist | Anita Hollenhorst

EDITORIALManaging Editor | Elizabeth Foy LarsenWriter | Sarah ColburnWriter | Martha CoventryWriter | Marni GintherWriter | Mike MosedaleWriter | Rachel Reabe NystromWriter | Lawrence SchumacherWriter | Tyra Novic WahmanWriter | Dawn Zimmerman

IQ EDITORIAL BOARDKathy Gaalswyk | Initiative FoundationJeannette Baymler | Wadena City CouncilJane Erchenbrack | Community RepresentativeDavid Evert | STEP–Stimulating Economic ProgressDan Frank | Initiative FoundationDon Hickman | Initiative FoundationDiane Leaders | Otter Tail–Wadena Community Action CouncilDel Moen | Messiah Lutheran ChurchWendy Molstad | Lutheran Social Services Case WorkerDon Niles | Niles Law Office, Wadena City CouncilAnn Pate | Wadena-Deer Creek School BoardPaul Sailer | Wadena County Human ServicesBradley Swenson | Wadena City AdministratorFr Donald Wagner | St. Ann’s Catholic ChurchWayne Wolden | Mayor of Wadena, Minnesota State Communityand Technical College

ARTArt Director | Andrea BaumannProduction Manager | Bryan PetersenLead Photographer | John Linn

ADVERTISING / SUBSCRIPTIONSAdvertising Director | Brian LehmanAdvertising Manager | Lois HeadAdvertiser Services | Mary SavageSubscriber Services | Katie Riitters

Special thanks to the Wadena Pioneer Journal, which generously provided many of the disaster photos for this issue.

405 First Street SE Little Falls, MN 56345320.632.9255 | www.ifound.org

Published in partnership with Range, IQ Magazine unlocks the power of central Minnesota leaders to understand and take action on regional issues.

6 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

rangeprinting.com

(218) 829-9238 | (888) 221-5785www.gnhomecare.com

We’ll be there.

For complete home health services, including skilled medical care, trust the people who’ve been here helping your neighbors since 1984. Remember, there is a difference.

Skilled medical care for total peace of mind.


SUMMER 11 7

218.828.0096 | www.growbrainerdlakes.org��

WWee’’rree rreeaaddyy.. LLeett’’ss ggrrooww!!

Expanding Business, Building Community, and Growing Jobs in Crow Wing County.


❍ While the good intentions andhard work of generous individu-als are crucial to any natural dis-aster recovery effort, managingvolunteers can be compli-cated, especially in a time ofcrisis. People hear about the tor-nado and they want to get intheir car and help. It’s a hugehindrance if there is not a systemin place to handle the flood ofpeople coming. Learn how tomanage volunteers responding toa natural disaster on page 14.

❍ Like many here, Wadenamayor Wayne Wolden sees adivine hand at play in seeminglyrandom mercies. But if the citizens of Wadena owetheir collective survival tosome act of providence,plain old human prudencealso played a critical role.To read about the lessons learnedfrom the Wadena tornado, turn topage 18.

❍ Research has found thatafter a collective disasterlike a tornado or a flood, acommon emotional patternemerges. Psychologists point toa “heroic” period, where adrena-line flows freely and helps peoplemeet immediate needs like food,clothing and shelter. Then, afterabout two months, people maybegin to fall apart. Understandmore about the emotional toll ofnatural disasters on page 34.

❍ For both private residences andlarger organizations, it’s a goodidea to have disaster pre-paredness kits at the ready.They should be easily accessibleand portable, so you can grabthem and go to a designated dis-aster shelter area, or they shouldbe already located in the shelter.Get essential disaster preparednessand response tips and resources onpage 52.

Intelligence

GULL LAKE, MN


Quotations“ ”“When a tornado happens everyone starts asking ‘Where isFEMA?’ We should not be asking that the day after a disaster.They are there to fill a very small gap. Your house is wiped outand you have lost your belongings and the most you will getfrom FEMA is $30,300. That’s not enough. The programs forcommunities are much better than the programs for people.”

— Kris EideDirector, Homeland Security and Emergency Management

“In community planning of any kind, there are usually a milliondifferent ideas and they’re all good. Communities need to havean open process so that every person gets their voice heard. Thelarge group gives input on what the highest priorities should be,and then it’s up to smaller task forces and leaders to bring theideas to action.”

— Dan FrankProgram Manager for Community Development, Initiative Foundation

“We didn’t do it alone. We had help from across the state,including 38 fire departments and 46 law enforcement agencies.Each day, 300 volunteers came to offer their services.”

— Bruce UselmanWadena Police Chief

“When it came to putting together a plan for rebuilding, Wadenahad three core principles from the start: Collaboration, opennessand accountability.”

— Don NilesWadena 2.0 Steering Committee Chairman

Building to a higher standard. Yours.

<< GULL LAKE YACHT CLUB / GULL LAKE, MN

Serving all of central Minnesota with o�ces in Baxter.

2009CONSTRUCTION

COMPANY OF THE YEAR

218-824-2040 or toll free 877-824-2040NorthwayConstruction.comMN Lic. #20630593

— Matt KilianVice President for External Relations, Initiative Foundation

“The needs still exist inWadena. Our GiveMN site is

still up, and we’re still getting donations. That says a lot about

Minnesota generosity.”



EmergencyGenerosity

By Tyra Novic Wahman | Photograph by John Linn

The images flood our television screens, websitesand newspapers: displaced families canoeing downflooded suburban streets; schools reduced to rubble by tor-nadoes and hurricanes; lines of traumatized children wait-

ing to be fed at emergency shelters. The viewer wants to help. Fortunately, the news media also

understand that these scenes inspire us to take action. That’s whyphone numbers, websites and texting instructions scroll across thescreen and are given prominent placement in articles. Withinmoments, generous people and businesses can make charitable giftsthat provide immediate relief. It’s the power of the digital age thatbroadens the borders of a caring community.

“We feel we're every bit the firstresponders as EMTs or police,” saidJohn Bodette, the executive editor of theSt. Cloud Times. “But instead of loadingpeople into ambulances or running intoburning buildings, our job is to providepeople with information they need tocope or to help.”

When a disaster strikes, many gov-ernment officials don’t immediatelythink about or know how to establish a charitable relief fund to helplocal victims. Facilitating donations should be among their top prior-ities, according to Matt Kilian, Initiative Foundation vice president forexternal relations, “Natural disasters are not local tragedies anymore,”he said. “They are state and national tragedies. People from thousandsof miles away, some who have local ties and some who don’t, areinspired to help in that golden moment. If sending that donation isn’teasy, the motivation to give quickly fades into a good intention.”

Making effective fundraising a priority can be a challenge when

In a time of disaster, charitable givingmoves as fast as the news cycle.

communities are struggling to feed and house their residents. Andmost small towns aren’t set up for the instant gratification that donorsexpect today. Many, according to Kilian, often rely on a local bank tostep forward and manage funds for relief efforts. Unfortunately, that

approach requires people to write acheck, address an envelope, lick a stampand find a mailbox.

That’s often too labor-intensive fora society that’s grown accustomed tomaking major purchases—not to men-tion texting a $10 gift to Haiti—withoutleaving their easy-chairs.

To help the Wadena community,the Initiative Foundation teamed up

with GiveMN.org, a nonprofit giving portal for Minnesota charities,to establish a tornado relief fund and provide donors with an oppor-tunity to make donations right away. The collaboration also allowedthe Initiative Foundation to conduct a matching program withMinnesota Power and the West Central Initiative. It took just threedays for the first $17,000 in contributions to be matched dollar fordollar by the three partners.

“In total, we helped the community raise about $340,000 for tor-nado relief, and later, for tree replanting,” said Kilian. “We didn’t

CRUCIAL CONNECTIONS: Diane Leaders’ contacts from being the familyservices director for the Otter-Tail Wadena Community Action Councilallowed her to solicit immediate help for Wadena residents.

Signs of the Times

When disaster strikes, manygovernment officials don’t

immediately know how to setup a charitable relief fund.


employ a lot of fancy or sophisticated marketing campaigns. We sim-ply did our best to act quickly, make giving easy and share the infor-mation with the news media, which were already covering the story.One e-mail or Facebook post led to another.”

Kilian said that the Initiative Foundation will partner withGiveMN.org to host disaster relief funds for any central Minnesotacommunity that is impacted by a natural disaster. The Foundation alsohelps with community planning and grants for recovery and rebuilding.

The connection between donors and victims was evident toDiane Leaders, family services director for Otter Tail-WadenaCommunity Action Council. In the aftermath of the Wadena torna-do, Leaders’ cell phone rang every few minutes with calls from peoplewho needed shelter. Because Leaders’ work with the CommunityAction Council involves raising funds to help people with housingissues, she was able to solicit immediate help for Wadena people byleveraging her contacts. “It had to do with the connections we had inplace before the tornado,” she said.

Those connections can also make a difference in the months andyears after a community has been hit by a natural disaster. In her workas the communications marketing officer of the American Red Crossin the Twin Cities, Carrie Carlson-Guest works to keep circulatingnews stories that may pique a donor’s interest. The humanitarianorganization’s blog profiles clients and volunteers who continue tohelp those in need long after the first responders have left. “We getthat information out through various media outlets and keep thestory alive,” she said.

Follow-up is key to successful fundraising in the wake of a nat-

SUMMER 11 11

FORM A FUNDImmediately after a nat-ural disaster, contact alocal community foun-dation or other experi-enced charity that canhost a disaster relieffund and accept tax-deductible gifts. Makesure the organizationcan accept online dona-tions through a givingportal like GiveMN.org.

PROVIDE MATCH INCENTIVESAsk larger donors to consider sponsoring a giving challenge inwhich smaller donations are matched dollar for dollar. Thisprovides an extra incentive for people to contribute immedi-ately and leverage their gift. It also provides positive buzz forthe sponsor.

SPREAD THE WORDCommunicate how-to-give information in every news releaseand interview. Ask media outlets to include the giving infor-mation at the end of news stories. Send giving links and com-munity needs through e-mails and social media sites likeFacebook and Twitter that allow people to share with others.

DEPLOY THE FUNDSEstablish a volunteer committee to prioritize needs and distrib-ute funds. Ensure that there are no conflicts of interest andthat funds are distributed in a timely manner. Communicatefunding decisions transparently and immediately throughwebsites and news releases. Donors need to trust that theirmoney is helping people in need. And never miss an opportu-nity to say thank you.

Source: Initiative Foundation

HOW TO REMOVE BARRIERS to Disaster Relief Giving

LEMONS INTO LEMONADE: Eric and Emily Carlson, the grand-children of Dale and Liz Miller of Wadena, enlisted the help ofother Two Harbors kids in a lemonade stand fundraiser that pulledin $1,856.62 for Wadena tornado relief.

Photo courtesy of Wadena Pioneer Journal

ural disaster. The Red Cross distributes periodic stewardship reportsto thank fundraisers and makes sure to let donors know how theirmoney is helping those in need. In all their communications, theyemphasize that the disaster is not over when the news cycle is.Anniversaries, according to Carlson-Guest, are particularly effectivetimes to remind donors of a community’s ongoing needs.

“The needs still exist in Wadena, even a year later,” Kilian added.“For all the positivity about the future, there is a lot of uncertainty,pain and loss for many people. Our GiveMN site is still up, and we’restill getting donations. That says a lot about Minnesota generosity.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: IQ readers who are interested in supporting the Wadena tornado recovery and rebuilding effort may visitwww.givemn.org/story/Wadena-Tornado-Relief-Fund. IQ



A community-driven, university-assistedpartnership to create a plan that integrates housing, transportation, land use, and economic development. The process develops strategies to provide opportunities for the region and improve the quality of life for all residents in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties. Championing regional resilience in economic and environmental vitality.

Schedule for the 2 year project

round 1.................... December 13, 2011

round 2 .............................. may 8, 2012

round 3 .......................... June 12, 2012

final meeting ................ august 14, 2012

collage of Sustainability Symposium ..................october 13, 2011Hunt utilities Group Campus, pine riverFor more inFormaTion

www. i ncommons. or g or www. r egi onf i ve. or g

The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under

an award with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The substance

and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely

responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this

publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government.

CO N S U LT I N G, IN C.

LE H M A N& AS S O C I AT E S

Keeping Your Business Healthy

BRIAN LEHMAN

cell. 218.838.4158 • nisswa.com [email protected]

D O C T O R

TheBusiness• Marketing &Advertising

• Business Reviews & Assessments

• Business Planning & Development

• Management Services & Strategizing

• Public Relations & Communications

ReStore is a discount retail home improvement

outlet. Through the sales of donated new and used

building materials, ReStore furthers the mission of

Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity.

Wednesday through Saturday 10 A.M. – 6 P.M.

2801 WEST ST. GERMAIN STREET, ST. CLOUD

320.281.3167 | [email protected]/CMNReStore


SUMMER 11 13

An Equestrian Experience

An equestrian facility like no other.

Toni Wasilensky is our on-site professional trainer and instructor, specializing in dressage.

www.SpiritHorseCenterInc.com(218) 825-4944

[email protected]

Brainerd 200 S. 6th Street(218) 829-0371 | www.mmfcu.org

Representatives are registered, securities are sold, and investmentadvisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc.(CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, 2000 Heritage Way, Waverly, Iowa 50677, toll-free 800-369-2862. Nondeposit investment and insuranceproducts are not federally insured, involve investment risk,may lose value and are not obligations of or guaranteed bythe financial institution.CBSI is under contract with the financialinstitution, through the financial services program, to make securities available to members.

Call for a no-cost, no-obligation financial review.

By Appointment Alexandria, Baxter, Crosby, Little Falls, Staples

� � � � � � ��



KindnessManagement

By Rachel Reabe Nystrom | Photography by John Linn

Without planning and direction, disaster volunteerism can go to waste.

Tip Sheet

Last June, Duane Hanson was planting parsnips athis home 40 miles west of Wadena when hisLutheran bishop put out a call for volunteers to help OtterTail County communities devastated by tornadoes. He

alerted his men’s group from Zion Lutheran of Amor in Battle Creek.The next day—just two days after the tornados exacted their toll—40men armed with chain saws, skid steers and tractors reported for dutyin Wadena. Over the past decade, the group of retired men, some intheir 80s, have responded to hurricanes, floods and tornadoes across thecountry. “We do it because we can,” said Lowell Wilcox, a retiredteacher. “Our motto is ‘God’s work, our hands.’”

Del Moen, a Lutheran pastor of three local congregations, said thegroup arrived with big hearts and huge spirits. “They mean serious busi-ness and take on big tasks,” he said. “One of the farmers had two milesof fence line to get clear with trees down every inch of the way. Theseguys cut a 10-foot corridor through huge trees in short order. Theyaccomplished amazing things.”

They were not alone. In the last year, nearly 4,000 volunteershelped put the community of Wadena back together. They came in carsand buses from across the upper Midwest and beyond.

While the good intentions and hard work of generous individualsare crucial to any natural disaster recovery effort, managing volunteerscan be complicated, especially in a time of crisis. “People hear about thetornado and they want to get in their car and help,” said Seth Gardner,past president of Minnesota Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster(VOAD). “It’s a huge hindrance if there is not a system in place to han-dle the flood of people coming.”

Wadena moved quickly to set up a volunteer center in an emptybuilding on the edge of town. Staffed by the sheriff ’s department, vol-unteers checked in and were assigned duties, according to TanyaNelson, volunteer coordinator for the Wadena Ottertail Long TermRecovery Committee. “First we have to identify the projects and matchthem with the volunteers’ skills,” she said. “We have to make sure thesite is ready and the materials are there so they can get to work quick-ly.” Some volunteers need to be housed and fed and all of them have to

GOOD WORKS: Replacing thousands of lost trees has been a lesson in therewards of volunteering for a group of Minnesota Boy Scouts.

fill out paperwork, which is required for tracking, liability and federalreimbursement for the community.

A single volunteer checkpoint seemed to make sense—until itwas overwhelmed by hundreds of eager workers. “We had peoplestanding in line for hours to register and others left because theyweren’t put to work right away,” said David Evert, a Wadena business-man who helped manage volunteers. “We should have set up severalcheckpoints across the disaster area to process volunteers. We want thevolunteers to have a positive, productive experience so they will wantto do it again and again.”

Although the recovery effort was managed locally, the communitytook advantage of national emergency relief organizations. Within aday, the Salvation Army set up a kitchen in Wadena to provide food andwater. The Red Cross arranged for housing for the suddenly homelessas well as the volunteers.

Their work made a crucial difference to Jim and Sandy Maloney.On the day of the tornado, their soybeans were already a foot tall inthe rich black fields of their farm in rural Wadena. The Chinese elmtrees lining the long driveway were blooming and the sweet smell oflilacs filled the air.

The tornado decimated their 100-year-old farm. “Our house hadmoved off the foundation, two silos were down and the top half of thebarn was gone. So were the shop and garage,” said Sandy. “Our treesstood there like skeletons with the bark stripped right off.”

Within a half hour, friends and neighbors showed up asking whatthey could do to help. “It’s overwhelming, the kindness of people,” saidSandy. “By Saturday (two days after the tornado) we had 70 people


here. I don’t know who they were or how they heard about it.”Jim Maloney put them to work cleaning hundreds of

acres of debris while Sandy’s friends and relatives helped hersalvage what they could in the house. “It’s so overwhelmingyou can’t even think straight,” Sandy said. Over the nextweeks and months, hundreds of volunteers worked with theMaloneys to rebuild their farm. “We could not have done itwithout them,” she said. “They came back day after day andhelped us keep going. What they really gave us was hope.”

That hope continues to grow. Last summer’s tornadoes not onlydestroyed houses and businesses, they decimated the landscape. Some10,000 trees were uprooted in the storm, according to Molly Costinwith the Wadena Soil and Water district. “Wadena had beautiful,

mature trees that provid-ed a habitat for birds andanimals as well as noisebuffering,” she said.

Replacing thosetrees has been a lesson inthe rewards of volun-teering for a group oflocal Boy Scouts, whoplanted thousands ofyoung trees purchasedby donations to theWadena Area TreeReplant Project. “It wasan incredible project forour boys,” said WadeBastian with the CentralMinnesota Council ofBoy Scouts of America.“One group took pic-

tures of the homeowner with his new trees and plans to stop on theway to camp this summer to check up on both.”

The recovery effort in Wadena is expected to take several moreyears and the need for volunteers continues. “We are grateful for vol-unteers who understand that long-term recovery is long term,” saidNelson. “We need their rebuilding skills now, a year after the disaster,when things are safe and secure and people can take a breath.” IQ

TANYA NELSON: “We are grateful for volunteers who understand that long-termrecovery is long term.

5tips for managing volunteersafter a natural disaster.

Helping the Hands

COMMUNICATE Provide a clear and consistentpublic message about when and where volunteers areneeded and how they can sign up. Designate a publicinformation officer to distribute current information tothe media.

REGISTER Keep track of volunteers by registeringthem at a single site. In addition to name, contactinformation and a sign in/sign out log, you need toknow where they are and what they are doing.

SUPERVISE To be safe and effective, volunteersneed adequate supervision. After identifying workprojects, assign team leaders to groups of volunteersand monitor their progress.

ORGANIZE Provide clear instructions for each workproject. Have the materials and tools needed on site.

SUPPORT Arrange food and water for volunteers aswell as transportation to the site so they can concen-trate on the work assignment. Find out in advance ifthey require additional support such as housing.

Tips courtesy of Seth Gardner, a veteran of 53 disasterrecovery efforts across the country and past president of Minnesota VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active inDisaster). Gardner currently volunteers with NECHAMA,the Jewish community’s disaster response organization.

SUMMER 11 15

SERIOUS BUSINESS: Wadena mayor Wayne Wolden (left) works with oneof the 4,000 volunteers who helped put the community back together.


An Ounce of Preparation

By Lawrence Schumacher | Photograph by John Linn

Life still hasn’t returned to normal for HarryMerickel. A partner in two Wadena businesses affectedby the 2010 tornado—Merickel Lumber and ExpressCentral Wholesale Plumbing and Heating—he’s had to

work long hours to win back business lost to the storm.“You lose your relationship with your customers,” said Merickel.

“They have to go elsewhere to get their products and they don’t alwayscome back.”

Most businesses damaged in the Wadena tornado had to quicklyfigure out how to pick up the pieces and reopen to the public before cus-tomers found new vendors, said Dean Uselman, executive director ofWadena Development and the city’s Planning & Zoning Department.

A total of 22 businesses sustained significant damage from the tor-

BACK TO WORK: Wadena business owner Harry Merickel (left) with DeanUselman, executive director of Wadena Development/Planning & ZoningDepartment.

For businesses, basic disaster plans can lead to a swift recovery.And speed is the name of the game.


Tip Sheet

Beyond financial assistance, there were steps many Wadena businesses took before and after the tornado thatallowed them to get back to business. Here are some of the tips FEMA and other experts recommend to help minimize the disruption to a business damaged by any natural disaster:

nado, with most businesses reopening their doors within a week. Afew—the totally destroyed Wadena Inn and Leaf River Ag Serviceamong them—reopened in the winter after moving to new locations.

The Initiative Foundation administered a $150,000 emergencyloan fund in partnership with the Minnesota Department ofEmployment and Economic Development (DEED) and the BlandinFoundation to help Wadena business owners repair and reopen follow-ing the tornado.

“The emergency loan fund was very helpful to several businesses,”said Uselman. “It made the difference between staying in business ornot for several companies.” IQ

• Keep a master list of emergency documentsincluding insurance coverage,financial records, equipmentand inventory, employee information, customer and vendor lists.

• Store one copy of those crucial documents in a water-proof, fireproof, portable container and another off-site.

• Create a crisis communica-tions plan with an eye toward

communicating with cus-tomers, vendors, employees,the public and government.

• Review insurance policieson a regular basis with an eye toward physical losses, flood coverage and businessinterruption.

• Establish a plan for payingemployees and vendorsduring a disruption.

• Prepare a “continuity of

operation plan” for servingcustomers if your facility is notavailable.

• Keep an eye on suitablevacant industrial and commercial buildings and real estate contact information.

• Keep first aid kits on handand have an emergencyresponse and evacuation plan in place. Practicing thatplan helps business owners

minimize employee injury.

• Contact FEMA, the SmallBusiness Administration or the Farm Service Agency following a disaster to learnmore about low-interest business disaster loanoptions.

For more information on disaster preparation tips and recovery assistance programs, see www.minnesotarecovers.org.


SUMMER 11 17

The Region Five Development Commission has partnered with Cass,Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties to develop their County HazardMitigation Plans. Crow Wing County’s plan is currently underway.

The plans contain historical hazard information and a series of mitigationmeasures. These goals and strategies will ensure that the impacts of hazards in these areas are reduced or eliminated. FEMA requires andpays for this planning for some jurisdictions and R5DC has completedHazard Mitigation planning for the five counties we serve.

Future focus will include accessing implementation funding for the communities we assist with the planning.

If cities or tribes would like to completethis planning, contact:

TAD ERICKSONCommunity and Economic Development [email protected], ext. 24



By Mike Mosedale | Photography by John Linn and Wadena Pioneer Journal


As he piloted his pickup truck through the familiar streets of southwest Wadena, just a few blocks from the century-old farmhouse wherehe lives with his family, Mayor Wayne Wolden gestured broadly. “This is Tyvek Town,” he said. That’s the favored turn of phrase for theWadena neighborhood that has the most visible Tyvek, the ubiquitous brand of plastic house wrap that is often left exposed during con-struction or remodeling.

The din of carpentry filled the air. A steady parade of work trucks rumbled down shadeless residential streets. It almost felt as if thisnorth central Minnesota city of 4,000 had somehow gone back in time and landed smack in the middle of the great American housing

bubble, back when everyone was swinging a hammer.Sadly, that’s not the reality. “Right now, it’s difficult to find housing in this town,” Wolden said. He admitted that all theconstruction has been a boost to the local economy. But while Wadena may be enjoying a stimulus effect from all the

bustle of the hard hats, it came at a brutal price. For Wolden, and virtually everyone else who lives in Wadena or parts of nearby Otter TailCounty, June 17, 2010 is a day writ large in memory. June 17 produced the biggest

one-day outbreak of tornadoes—48—in Minnesota history. The mostdestructive of those tornadoes—an EF4 twister a mile wide andpacking 170 miles per hour winds—called on Wadena.

It entered near the future Tyvek Town, or the southwestcorner of Wadena, where it devastated the once grand canopyof old oaks. It ripped off roofs, flattened houses and wreckeda senior apartment complex. It then blew north into the towncemetery, toppling hundreds of granite headstones. Some ofthe headstones left marks as they were dragged across thelawn, others cracked. One, Wolden said, simply vanished.

From there, the tornado veered toward the Wadena-Deer Creek High School. The roof was blown off, ren-dering the building a total loss and exacting the dis-aster’s biggest toll in dollar terms. But the damageto both private and public property was wide-spread in both the southwest and northwest partsof the city and in the farm country of neighbor-ing Otter Tail County.

At the former site of the Leaf River AgServices (a fertilizer co-op that recently relo-cated on land donated by the city), Wolden

studied a cement-lined vault that sits in amostly blank field. “They leave that there

for a reason,” he explained. Just beforethe twister leveled the co-op, five

employees sought shelter in thevault. “It saved their lives.”

Random Mercies andProper Planning

As astonishing as all the carnage of that day was,something evenmore remark-able happenedon June 17,2010 inWadena:No onedied.

A year after a powerful tornado devastated Wadena and Otter Tail counties in central

Minnesota, the community is taking stock of what went right—and the hard lessons learned.

SUMMER 11 19



The mayor still can’t believe that none ofthe storage tanks holding highly flammableanhydrous ammonia blew up or that the city’swater tower wasn’t toppled. And he is thankfulthat the tornado spared the city’s picturesquemain drag, with its art deco movie house and oldbrick storefronts.

Like many here, Wolden sees a divine handat play in these seemingly random mercies. But ifthe citizens of Wadena owe their collective sur-vival to some act of providence, plain old humanprudence also played a critical role.

At about 3:30 in the afternoon of June 17,about 90 minutes before the calamity struck,Wolden convened an emergency meeting withMonty Johnson, the dean at the Minnesota StateCommunity and Technical College at Wadena,police chief Bruce Uselman and Chamber ofCommerce executive director Shirley Uselman.

It was the weekend of the big Wadena-DeerCreek All-School Reunion and a parade was inthe works. The previous year, hail and rainruined the same summer Jubilee. With severeweather again in the forecasts, the four officialsgot together to settle on a course of action.During the discussion, Wolden recalled, a callcame over the chief ’s radio. A tornado warninghad just been issued. All agreed the parade oughtto be cancelled.

It was a decision Wolden thinks saved lives.While the tornado struck a little after 5 p.m., andthe parade wasn’t scheduled to begin until 7 p.m.,floats and parade participants would have begunlining up much earlier—right in the storm’sbull’s-eye.

The sirens were critical, too. Blaring 36 min-utes before the tornado hit town, residents hadample time to head for a basement or, at the veryleast, seek some sort of cover. One woman sur-vived, Wolden said, because she crawled under asturdy china hutch.

The big test for both the citizenry and cityleaders came in the aftermath of the tornado.

Much of the response was textbook perfect.By 7 p.m., ten different fire departments fromneighboring communities had arrived to assist.

LOST AND FOUND: Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden holds a photo of his son that wasrecovered in a field miles away from town.

The sirens were critical . . .

blaring 36 minutes before

the tornado hit town, residents

had ample time to head for a

basement or, at the very least,

seek some sort of cover.


SUMMER 11 21

An emergency command center was establishedat the Wadena County Sheriff ’s office, which,fortuitously, is located in downtown Wadena. Acurfew and security perimeters were imposed inthe hardest hit parts of town, which preventedany serious looting and kept residents safe fromhazards such as leaking gas lines and downedutility lines.

In the final count, according to the mayor,representatives of 46 different local, state and fed-eral agencies (including 38 outside fire depart-ments) ultimately assisted the stricken city.

David Evert, a member of the WadenaOtter Tail Long-Term Recovery Committee,was impressed by the collaborations he wit-nessed. “In the two or three weeks following thetornado, the leadership that was provided by thedepartment heads of the city of Wadena and thecounty of Wadena, and the willingness of theircounterparts to follow the lead, was seamless,”he said. “It was choreographed like the finestballet you can imagine.”

Room for ImprovementStill, Evert and others acknowledged, there isalways room for improvement. One example:With the widespread loss of cell phone service,dispatch lines jammed by high traffic and incom-patible radio frequencies, communications weresometimes problematic, even between publicagencies. In post-tornado discussions, city offi-cials learned that for ten dollars a month, the citycould have purchased phone cards that wouldhave provided them with priority access to anyfunctioning cell tower.

Another challenge: the failure to efficientlycoordinate the more than 3,000 volunteers whocame in the early weeks to assist in the cleanup.Because many areas of the city remained haz-ardous, some volunteers were left to sit on theirhands. (For more on how to coordinate volunteersafter a disaster, turn to page 14.)

Not all relief agencies shared the data theycollected from storm victims, forcing some of thosevictims to repeatedly provide their personal infor-mation. And while public officials were quick to

DAVID EVERT: “The leadership that was provided by the department heads of the Cityof Wadena and the County of Wadena was seamless.”

SHATTERED: An estimated 234 homes were damaged by the tornado. Many homeowners found themselves at odds with their insurance companies.




SUMMER 11 23

recognize the extent of the damage in Wadena—you couldn’t miss it—they were slower to see thehavoc twisters caused in the more remote farmcountry in neighboring Ottertail County.

Part of that had to do with the stoicism orpride that kept some farmers from asking forhelp, said Wendy Molstad, the caseworker forWadena Otter Tail Recovery Committee. “Therewere a lot of people that had never signed up forany sort of assistance before.”

In her job, Molstad meets with storm victimswho suffered damages and formulates lists of“unmet needs” for the committee. In a blindprocess designed to ensure privacy and fairness,the 20-odd member committee votes on dispersalof funds, awarding up to $5,000 per family.

Molstad enters the cases into a spreadsheet,with a dollar value assigned for each client’s“unmet needs.” Eleven months after the tornado,the total tally stood at $872,478. The case narra-tives read like a chapbook of disaster haikus:

“stump removal, inventory of house, ok for now, waiting on insurance”

“lost all my personal belongings from my apartment”

“doing very well, better than our neighbors”

“don’t live here but car was totaled at high school reunion”

“unemployed after tornado, couldn’t keepjob due to stress, difficulty with bills”

Insurance WoesMolstad said the most common problems sheencounters during her work with storm victimsare related to insurance. Many clients are under-insured, while others, especially renters and low-income residents, have no insurance at all. “A lotof people think they don’t need renter’s insurance,but if your building is wiped out, you have to startfrom scratch,” said Molstad.

After the tornado, many homeowners found

Representatives of

46 different local, state

and federal agencies

ultimately assisted

the stricken city.

TOP DOWN: The roof was blown off the Wadena-Deer Creek High School, renderingthe building a total loss and exacting the disaster’s biggest toll in dollar terms.



themselves at odds with insurance carriers.Molstad referred those dissatisfied clients to theDepartment of Commerce, which regulates theinsurance industry. But, she said, most wouldhave been better off had they known the partic-ulars of their policies before disaster struck.

Because FEMA declared the tornado a pub-lic disaster, the city of Wadena qualified for amplefederal assistance. But FEMA did not declare adisaster for individuals, meaning private citizenscould not access federal aid. It’s not an unusualoccurrence; most recently repeated after the May22 tornado that devastated north Minneapolis.

Some of those hardest hit were people likeDon Goeden, who operates a 1,000-acre beefand crop farm in Otter Tail County, betweenWadena and Deer Creek. Now 55, Goedenbought his place in the early 1980s, at an 18percent interest rate. In addition to farming, heworked at John Deere for two decades and,later, ran a large-equipment repair shop on hisfarm. Having finally shucked off his debts,Goeden said he was looking forward to a morerelaxed work life.

“No way on God’s green earth did I believeI’d get hit,” he said.

When the sky turned the color of a bruisedankle, Goeden headed for the basement belowhis trailer. He heard the rain and then the win-dow glass popping. Suspecting it was hail, hestarted worrying about his crops. Then he heardthat stereotypical locomotive roar. Very quickly,he says, it was all over.

“The house was blown apart. That didn’tbother me too much. Then I saw all my beauti-ful shade trees, 150 mature oaks, all laying flat,”Goeden said. He remembers feeling sickened atthat sight. When he surveyed the damage, hefound that his crops, still young, survived thewinds. The farmstead, however, was a disaster.His big barn was gone, along with his hay shedand grain bins.

Goeden had paid his insurance premiums toa township mutual and kept his policies at the

In central Minnesota, the Initiative Foundation invests nonprofit

grants, business financing and citizen leadership programs to

build thriving communities and a strong regional economy. Within

24 hours after Wadena’s tornado, the foundation deployed of all

of its tools and partnerships to help. “on June 18th, one of the

most reassuring phone calls I received was from Kathy Gaalswyk,

the foundation’s president,” said Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden.

“they were there for Wadena in the good times, and I knew they’d

be there for us in that moment as well.”

Here's how the Initiative Foundation helped:

establIshed the Wadena toRnado RelIeF Fundin partnership with GiveMN.org, Minnesota power and West

Central Initiative. helped to raise a total of $118,626 for family

recovery needs with no fees to donors or the community.

establIshed the Wadena toRnado loan Fundin par tnership with the blandin Foundation, Minnesota

department of employment & economic development, and City of

Wadena. awarded three no-interest loans totaling $150,000 to

help local businesses recover quickly.

establIshed the Wadena aRea tRee Replant Fundin par tnership with GiveMN.org, Wadena soil & Water

Conservation district, City of Wadena, and the boy scouts of

america. helped to raise a total of $69,889 to replant 10,000

shade trees destroyed by the tornado.

helped Wadena plan FoR sMaRt RebuIldInG.partnered with the Minnesota design team (a volunteer task

force of city planners, architects and designers) to engage lead-

ers and citizens in rethinking the devastated commercial and

residential areas. built upon existing relationships and plans

through the foundation’s healthy Communities partnership and

Wadena County early Childhood Coalition. provided follow-up

grants and hundreds of staff hours.

For community and economic planning support or

disaster-related assistance, contact the Initiative Foundation

at 877-632-9255 or www.ifound.org.

Initiative Foundation Responsethe

Source: Initiative Foundation


SUMMER 11 25

maximum allowed. But after the tornado, hecalled about his coverage and was shocked tolearn that his policy wouldn’t pay anything closeto replacement value, only the assessed value.His outbuildings were functional, but they wereolder structures and therefore depreciated. Hishome was a trailer and, therefore, insured as per-sonal property.

In the end, Goeden said he received a$22,000 payout—a virtual pittance compared tothe approximately $200,000 he has since bor-rowed on a 30 year loan to rebuild. It has been anembittering experience—and most of his bile isdirected toward his insurer.

Goeden has no interest in spending moneyon lawyers. “The insurance company paid thelimits of what the buildings were insured at,” hesaid. “Any court would say, ‘This is your policy.This is what you agreed to.’ I’ve worked goddamnhard and now I’ve lost everything and my insur-ance company don’t do squat for me. Sometimesthis thing gets a hold of me and I just getunglued. Now I get to work another 50 years.”

But like just about everyone affected by thestorm, Goeden was also touched by the kind-ness he encountered in the storm’s aftermath,particularly from the volunteers who helpedclear his farm of debris. “The people whohelped me most were complete strangers. Peoplefrom St. Cloud, Minneapolis, a group of sixBaptists traveling the country,” Goeden said.“They were a godsend.”

That’s a sentiment amplified by Pastor DelMoen, the chair of the Long Term RecoveryCommittee. He was inspired by the neighborlyspirit from people who weren’t necessarilyneighbors, such as the parishioners from thePeople’s Church in Bemidji “who didn’t have adime but came by the van load” and theBuddhist group that donated $72,000 to reliefwith no strings attached. “In this town, we’ve got14 churches and half of them never talked toeach other,” Moen said. “Now we’ve got themworking together.” IQ

PASTOR DEL MOEN:“In this town, we’ve got 14 churches and half of them nevertalked to each other. Now we’ve got them working together.”

HOCKEY HOMELESS: The roof at the ice arena "crumpled like aluminum foil,” accord-ing to Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden.



As astonishing as all the carnage of that day was, something even more remarkable happened on June 17, 2010 in Wadena:

No oNe died.


SUMMER 11 27

By Sarah ColburnPhotography by John Linn



mariah woodlifeguard

Sixteen-year-old Mariah Wood watched over seven childrenat the Wadena outdoor pool with fellow lifeguards, EmilyFuhrman, Neil Janson, Keeley Timm and Hannah Toedter.Trusting instinct over protocol, one snap decision may havesaved them all.

Take us through the moments before the tornado.A mother came to the pool and said we were under a tornado warning.We blew the whistles, got the kids out and called everyone’s parents tocome and get them. The evacuation spot was the maintenance buildingoutside. I didn’t feel comfortable going there, and I knew my house wasright across the street. I could hear it raining, and then we heard thesirens go off. I called my mom and told her there were seven of uscrammed in this little closet and it didn’t feel safe. We locked up thebuilding and ran to my house.

By the time we got to my yard, we were drenched and the sky hadthis eerie green to it. I dropped my stuff at the front door, and we randownstairs. The power went out, and the phone went dead. My momcame over to us, held a blanket over the girls and covered them with herbody. Our ears were popping, and we just heard this big loud roaringaround us. My mom was yelling and praying.

What was the scene outside?It was really still, but we saw this light shining down the steps. My momwalked over and went up the stairs. We had an attached garage and ithad been just taken away.

We ran up there and looked at the school. The community centerroof was on top of it. The maintenance building was like a pile ofLEGOs. If we had gone there like we were supposed to, we wouldn'thave made it out.

How has this experience changed you? I’ve learned that you have to trust your gut instincts and know whenGod is speaking to you and through you in situations. I wasn’t supposedto work that day, and nobody else’s house is as close as mine. I don’tknow where they would have gone. I’ve also learned to be grateful forwhat I have. Our lives can’t be replaced.

“I’ve learned that you haveto trust your gut instinctsand know when God isspeaking to you andthrough you in situations.”


29SUMMER 11



Wagner turned St. Ann’s Catholic Church into a commandcentral for emergency responders—including theAmerican Red Cross, The Salvation Army and emergencymedical technicians, and leaders from other churches—all the while driving back and forth from the hospital tosupport people who were hurt in the tornado.Throughout, he continued to minister to the trauma-stricken members of his two parish communities—St.Ann’s in Wadena and St. John the Baptist in Bluffton—while keeping up with his normal workload of preparinghomilies, counseling engaged couples and hosting afuneral and funeral luncheon that temporarily displacedthe emergency crews who occupied the building.

What did the tornado teach you about yourself? You can’t offer everything. Recognize what you can offer and do it. Irealized in my position, I was really needed most to do my role in thehospital where I prayed with the injured. I needed to be available forcounseling and I needed to be available to minister to people ratherthan working hands-on at a particular home.

How did you get through those days?I went to a diocesan gathering of priests and was able to get the supportof the brother priests. And I received emails from family and friendsthat were very uplifting. One lady emailed and said, “This morningwhen I went to mass I prayed for St. Ann’s, the community and you.You probably don’t know who I am, but I saw it on the news and feltlike you might need to hear from people.” Those grace moments reallyhelp you out when you are exhausted.

One unforgettable moment . . . I went out to my Bluffton parish, St. John the Baptist. On the way, Istopped at a farm of a parishioner and I couldn’t even recognize that itwas their place because it was so obliterated. I turned into the drivewayand some of the kids had posted a sign on a tree that’d had the barkstripped off in the tornado. The sign said, “God bless this mess.”

“You can’t offer everything.Recognize what you can offer and do it.”

fr. donald wagnerst. ann’s catholic church


SUMMER 11 31



unified command teamwadena

From the earliest sign that a storm was on the way, firstresponders and officers from all over Wadena and OtterTail Counties sprang into action. Their efforts were successful in no small part to Wadena’s unified commandteam, who not only sounded the first alarm, but alsocoordinated with other community leaders to make surepeople were getting the help they needed.

Police Chief Bruce Uselman talked to IQ about the crucialrole teamwork played before, during and after the tornado.

When did you realize the situation was serious?By 2 or 3 p.m., the weather spotters were out. The National WeatherService was getting reports of a tornado spotted eight miles west ofWadena, then southwest. At 5 p.m. the sirens were blowing in Wadena.West of town I could see the debris flying through the air. Power linesdown, trees blocking the streets, insulation every place, people out ontheir front lawns in shock.

First responders and officers began responding immediately fromtheir homes. We had officers not knowing if their own homes weredestroyed, officers who became sick [from the stress and working con-ditions]. Some weren’t able to function.

What’s your advice for other emergency responders?Develop and maintain your relationships with your counterparts. Knowyour emergency action plan. If you work well together in a small inci-dent, you’ll work well together in a major incident. We value each othermore in local government now. We’ve developed those relationships andthe community as a whole responded and got to know one another, too.

We didn’t do it alone. We had help from across the state, includ-ing 38 fire departments and 46 law enforcement agencies. Each day, 300volunteers came to offer their services.

How did you support each other?Sometimes we literally held each other up as someone would go intoshock. We needed that regardless of how strong we were. We began torecognize when and how to give people breaks.

As we dealt with emergencies, we tried to stay a step ahead andanticipate what the next problem might be. You tap into all those yearsof experience of responding.

“Sometimes we literallyheld each other up assomeone would gointo shock.”


SUMMER 11 33

TEAM PLAYERS: (Left to right) Mike Carr Jr., Wadena County Sheriff; Dean Uselman, City of Wadena Fire Chief; Bill Cross, Wadena County ChiefDeputy; Tom Crawford, City of Wadena Police Department Sergeant; Bruce Uselman, City of Wadena Police Department Chief



The Cronk family was amongthose who experienced emotional trauma after theWadena tornado.


SUMMER 11 35

When the roaring winds stop and the ground swallowsthe last puddles of murky water. When the debris ispiled up and hauled away on the same road the volunteers and news cameras traveled out of town.When all is scarred and silent, that’s when the mostpersonal level of healing begins.

The Inner Road to Recovery

By Martha Coventry | Photography by John Linn

When Wadena, Minnesota, celebrated the resiliency of its community onJune 17, 2011, one year after an EF4 tornado ripped through the west side oftown, the Johnson family wasn’t there. Monty, Linda and two of their threechildren were several hundred miles away on vacation.

“We had to get out of here,” Linda said. “We are reminded of the tornadoevery single day. Our family just needed time away from the whole subject.”

A year later, talking of the tornado can bring Linda to tears. On that June day, a few minutes before 5 p.m., a colleague of Monty’s

called him on his cell phone. He was on his way to Fergus Falls and spotteda huge funnel cloud heading toward Wadena. Get your family into the base-ment now, he urged Monty.

Just as Linda, Monty, and their 12-year-old daughter hit the last stair, thepower hook-up exploded off the side of their house. They dove under a tableand held on to each other as the tornado battered their neighborhood.

“We were screaming through the whole thing,” Linda said. “Our earswere popping, and trees and pieces of other people’s houses were crashing intoour house.”



When they came up from the basement,they found glass shards sticking out of wallsand furniture. A bench from the basketballcourt across the street was impaled in theirrefrigerator. Tree limbs and branches litteredthe inside of the house. Their leafy, pleasantneighborhood had been destroyed.

Monty, the dean of Academics and StudentServices at Minnesota State Community andTechnical College-Wadena, discovered that thetornado had seriously damaged the college anddemolished the high school.

Linda and Monty worked to exhaustionevery day for weeks as they tried to put thingsback together at home and work. It was hardfor them to eat or sleep. They had good friendsby their side, but the trauma of loss ran deep.They moved three times in five months andtheir daughter just kept saying she wanted to“go home.” That summer in Wadena, therewere 11 more tornado warnings, each onebringing fear right to the surface. The strainwas enormous.

“I’m not over the stress yet, but I’m get-ting there,” Linda said. “I didn’t seek profes-sional help but I probably should have. I justprayed for strength an awful lot.” Nightmares

tormented their daughter for months after thetornado. Storms continue to make her anxious.

A year after the tornado, Monty won-dered if he had yet to feel its real emotionalimpact. “I’ve been so focused on what has toget done at the college, that I wonder whatwill happen when things slow up a little,” hesaid. “What emotions are going to come out?Or have I coped with them already? I don’tknow. I’ve never dealt with anything of thismagnitude before.”

Suffering in SilenceEach person’s reaction to trauma is his or herown, yet research has found that after a collec-tive disaster like a tornado or a flood, a com-mon emotional pattern emerges.Psychologists point to a “heroic” period, whereadrenaline flows freely and helps people meetimmediate needs like food, clothing and shel-ter. Then, after about two months, people maybegin—or allow themselves—to fall apart.

That falling apart can last for months,and truly recovering from a disaster can takethree to six years. Or longer.

Wendy Molstad is the case manager forWadena Otter Tail Long-Term Recovery

(WOTLR). Molstad gets two to three newrequests for assistance each week from thosehard hit by the tornado. Sometimes thatmeans finding housing, paying for heating oil,or lending money for repairs until the insur-ance check arrives. For her, meeting practicalneeds is far easier than helping people facepost-tornado emotional damage.

The barriers to seeking help are similarto those in small towns all across America.People are proud, it goes against theirnotion of self-reliance, and it can carry thestigma of mental illness. They also tend todownplay their problems in the face ofgreater suffering elsewhere.

“When it comes to counseling, most peo-ple here won’t seek it,” said Molstad. “It is toobig a hurdle for them.”

Staying the CourseBut the need for some kind of continuing helpin Wadena and Otter Tail counties is clear.Nerves are raw, reactions unexpected andfatigue comes quickly.

And as for everywhere disaster strikes,financial difficulties can exacerbate emotionalstress.

It was hard for the Johnson family to eat or sleep. That summer in Wadena, there were 11 more tornadowarnings, each one bringing fear right to the surface.


SUMMER 11 37

“The men here are historically strongand tough, but I had a 75-year-old farmerbreak down and cry on my shoulder,” saidMolstad. “He asked me if he had done theright thing to rebuild after the tornado. Hewas now in debt, when he thought he wouldleave the farm to his kids free and clear.”

The emotional effects of the tornadocan be seen in children, too, though ChristieMeier worked hard to lessen their impact.An associate in ministry at ImmanuelLutheran Church, Meier brought CampNoah to Wadena two months after the tor-nado. A program of Lutheran SocialServices, the five-day camp is designed tohelp children head off severe stress after adisaster. With a secular curriculum, thecamp helped children tell their own storiesand talk about their fears.

In a follow-up session in December,Meier saw a difference. “Just under the sur-face, there were still open emotional wounds,but they were happy kids again,” she said.

Tending to the obvious suffering in thecommunity has been a full-time job formore than a year for many people. WOTLRis an organization that was set up after the

tornado to help community members getback on their feet. A 20-person committeeincluding pastors, social workers, bankers,business people and volunteers fromWadena and Otter Tail counties runs theorganization. The members’ dedication tothe community has not wavered—nearlyevery one of them still shows up for thetwice-monthly meetings.

Kitchen Table CounselingWOLTR has a sub-committee dedicated tospiritual and emotional needs. Some peoplecome to the committee, but mostly one or twocommittee members go to them, knowingthey’re depressed or that they’re living in ahouse badly in need of repair. They drink a lotof coffee around kitchen tables as they buildthe familiarity essential for allowing people tolet down their guard and ask for help.

Still, their efforts are paying off—andproving that the residents of Otter TailCounty are healing. “I’ve had to ask somefarmers in the area 10 times if I can comevisit them before they say, ‘OK. Fine. Comeover,’” said Molstad. “But once I get the trustof one, others follow.” IQ

“The men here are historically strong and tough,but I had a 75-year-oldfarmer break down and cryon my shoulder.”

when life becomesUNLIVABLEKnow the signs of Post-TraumaticStress Disorder.

Janine Cronk arrived in Almora, Minnesota,a few minutes after a tornado had roared upfrom the south and slammed into the village. She found her home, and the treessurrounding it, damaged beyond saving. Ather in-laws’ farm across County Rd. 40,silos were down, cattle were missing, andtheir 80-acre oak woods was flattened.

The clean up took weeks. By the time summer was over and the Cronks werenearly moved in their new trailer house,Janine was deeply fatigued. And each passing storm made her edgy.

Although fatigue and anxiety can be normalafter a disaster, they can also be signs of amore serious condition known as PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Reliving the event over and over,including nightmares and flashbacks.

• Avoiding situations that remind you ofthe event.

• Feeling numb and having a hard timeexpressing your feelings.

• Feeling keyed up or irritable.

• Clinginess in children, as well as experiencing sleep disruptions or difficulties with toilet training.

“To have PTSD, your symptoms have tocause significant impairment in your func-tioning,” said Patricia Frazier, Departmentof Psychology professor at the University ofMinnesota.

You can learn more about PTSD atwww.ptsd.va.gov. If you think you mightbe experiencing symptoms, it’s importantto seek help. Talk to your family doctor orcall your local counseling center to find a therapist specializing in PTSD. Whomeveryou find to help you, make sure he or shemakes you feel comfortable and safe.

Wendy Molstad



It was barely a week after the 2010 tornadodevastated parts of Wadena and the surrounding towns,but the debate over replacing what had been lost wasalready in full swing.

The high school was ruined beyond repair. Thecity’s community center and the area’s only indoor icerink were also out of commission. The county fair-grounds sustained heavy damage, as did an estimated234 homes and 22 businesses.

For many disaster-stricken towns and cities, therebuilding process can pit immediate needs againstlong-term community planning. Wadena was no excep-tion. But a collaborative process put Wadena on theroad to recovery in record time.

On the one hand, Wadena-Deer Creek school offi-cials had to get going in order to have a new high schoolby the fall of 2012. Hockey parents—a vocal and pow-erful group in a town passionately devoted to their

favorite sport—wanted their kids to be able to skate onindoor ice by the winter.

Others viewed the tornado as an opportunity tocollaborate on an improved vision of Wadena’s futurethat would guide its growth and make the rebuiltcommunity institutions better than before. “It was lit-erally a blank slate for rebuilding and redevelopment,”said City Council member Don Niles.“We had a realopportunity for collaboration without the limitationsof the previous buildings.”

Niles became chairman of Wadena 2.0, a civicgroup dedicated to creating a common vision forrecovery and rebuilding that incorporated public andprivate community stakeholders. With help from theInitiative Foundation, Wadena 2.0 began the processof building that vision.

“Taking the time to do planning has been prettypopular with the public,” Niles said. “There were some

By Lawrence Schumacher


SUMMER 11 39

REBUILT: Community leaders are confident that the Wadena 2.0 visioning processhelped avoid some of the pains experienced by other disaster-stricken communities.

AE

RIA

L PH

OTO

S B

Y N

ICK

WA

RR

EN

PH

OTO

.CO

M | P

ILOT: K

EN

T N

OR

DE

LL


‘‘40 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

tensions between the desire to put things back together asquickly as possible and the desire to make the most of aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rethink things.”

With support from the Initiative Foundation,Wadena chose the latter. In addition to setting up a dis-aster relief fund for Wadena that raised over $100,000,the Initiative Foundation allocated $75,000 to long-termrelief efforts, said Kathy Gaalswyk, president of theInitiative Foundation.

“Every place in a rural community has history orpersonal significance attached to it, so it’s very difficult tosay anything positive about a disaster that destroys thoseplaces,” she said. “However, the Wadena tornado provid-ed an opportunity to paint a community on an emptycanvas, and our goal was to get a lot of smart, creativepeople involved in the planning.”

CREATING A VISIONArriving at a consensus about the town’s rebuilding prior-ities was not easy for Wadena 2.0. “In community plan-ning of any kind, there are usually a million different ideasand they’re all good,” said Dan Frank, InitiativeFoundation program manager for community develop-ment, who served on the group’s board. “Communitiesneed to have an open process so that every person getstheir voice heard. The large group gives input on what thehighest priorities should be, and then it’s up to smallertask forces and leaders to bring the ideas to action.”

One of the first decisions the group faced waswhether or not to immediately replace the indoor icearena that was part of the city’s community center.Insurance money was available to rebuild it and somehockey parents wanted to move fast, Frank said. But otherstakeholders—including the city and school district—hoped a rebuilt community center and high school couldbe integrated so that facilities could be shared.

The city’s decision to wait on rebuilding and toinstead provide outdoor ice for skaters didn’t satisfy every-body; some hockey families took out newspaper ads say-

ing that rebuild-ing the ice arenashould be the toppriority. A fewfamilies even leftthe community.

But taking time to build a shared vision allowedWadena 2.0 and the Initiative Foundation to bring in theMinnesota Design Team, a nonprofit volunteer group ofarchitects, engineers and city planners who work withcommunities to build a vision of their future.

Because the design team usually takes four to sixmonths to research a community, they initially didn’tthink the Wadena project was feasible. The group madean emergency visit to Wadena in October and attended acommunity potluck dinner put on by Wadena 2.0 thatnearly 300 community members attended.

“We’ve never had that amount of participation andengagement from a community before,” said MikeLamb, a Minneapolis architect and Minnesota DesignTeam member. “We walked in and they were saying‘Let’s get started.’”

The group had worked with other Minnesota com-munities recovering from floods and tornadoes in thepast, including East Grand Forks, St. Peter and Rushford.Wadena was one of the most motivated communities thegroup has encountered, according to Lamb.

After a weekend of group discussions, brainstorm-ing and meeting Wadena citizens, the InitiativeFoundation and the Minnesota Design Team created aplan that emphasized sharing space and facilities, cre-ating public open space, providing room for modesthousing growth and “stitched things back togethermore efficiently and rationally,” according to Lamb.

COMING TOGETHERThe Wadena 2.0 group took the design team’s recom-mendations and brought them to the individual stake-holders—the city, county, school district, economic devel-

The Initiative Foundation andMinnesota Design Team helped leaderscreate a plan that . . . stitched thingsback together more efficiently andrationally.

DON NILES (with InitiativeFoundation president Kathy Gaalswyk): “Because ofthe amount of participation, the town has a plan that hasthe major stakeholders and the public behind it.”

JOH

N LIN

N


SUMMER 11 41

opment authority, employers and community supportgroups—who fleshed the plans out, Niles said.

The city and school then collaborated to plan arebuilt high school and community center that would beconnected by a skyway instead of a road.

“(Connecting them) will maximize the use ofboth facilities by the general public in Wadena and getus the biggest bang for the public dollar,” said DeanUselman, executive director of the Wadena EconomicDevelopment Authority and the city’s Planning andZoning department. “Now, the weight room in thewellness center and the walking track in the highschool gym will be connected and both will be avail-able to the public.”

In addition, a proposal for the community centercalls for a warm-water therapeutic pool that would beleased to Tri-County Health Care for their use, but alsoopen to the public at other hours. The tentative agree-ment depends on the Minnesota Legislature’s willing-ness to provide public bonding dollars to help fund the$19 million center’s construction.

The plan calls for other improvements as well. Therebuilt ice arena and two gymnasiums in the communi-ty center could be combined with four gymnasiumsplanned for the new high school in order to attractregional high school or amateur sports tournaments.

“Those tournaments can be a benefit to the localeconomy because they bring people in from around thestate,” said Niles.

Groundbreaking on the community centercould take place this fall, depending on the out-come at the Legislature. The high school is alreadyunder construction.

Other Minnesota Design Team recommendationsthat are in the works include replacing the collection ofsmall fairground buildings that were knocked downwith a single multi-purpose building seating up to 600people that could be used as an event center.

“We just had a collection of six or seven smallbuildings before, with no place to hold an event,”said Uselman. “One large building would give usmore flexibility.”

A significant effort is also underway to convincefederal authorities to rebuild and extend a rail spur toserve the city’s business park, which is now the homeof Leaf River Ag Products, a longtime mainstay ofdowntown Wadena.

The company relocated to the business park aftersustaining serious tornado damage to its former loca-tion, across from the high school, according to Uselman,

THE WADENA TORNADOPROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAINT A COMMUNITY ONAN EMPTY CANVAS.

PLANNING PROGRESS: Rebuilding recommendations include replacing the collection of smallfairground buildings with with a multipurpose building that could be used as an event center.

AE

RIA

L PH

OTO

S B

Y N

ICK

WA

RR

EN

PH

OTO

.CO

M | P

ILOT: K

EN

T N

OR

DE

LL



who added that the company would like access to raillines to ship its livestock feed, equipment and other agri-cultural products and supplies.

The city is also renewing its plea to state and feder-al authorities to widen the only two-lane stretch of U.S.Highway 10 in the United States to four lanes, since sev-eral of the buildings along the current Wadena section areno longer there because of the tornado.

“We’ve got a pretty good plan for all these elements,”said Uselman. “But we still need to get some help to makethem happen.”

AVOIDING PITFALLSPutting together a vision of a community that’s differentfrom the way it was before a disaster can, if not handledcorrectly, create resentment and hostility, said ChrisHallum, the mayor of Rushford, a southeasternMinnesota town on the Root River.

Hallum should know. He was elected two yearsafter a 2007 flood submerged most of the town underwater and caused nearly $50 million in damage to thetown of 2,350.

Hallum came to office on a wave of discontent withhow the recovery was being handled by City Hall, aswell as decisions about where to apply $17 million instate flood recovery funds. City leaders spent limitedfunds on new infrastructure and rebuilding the munici-pal liquor store while existing roads and services werestill in bad shape.

Business owners complained that the terms of statedisaster loans distributed through the city were not favor-able, and Hallum acknowledged the city’s purchase of 23acres north of town to build a business park for futuregrowth when existing roads and infrastructure were hurt-ing further inflamed tensions.

In addition, the decision to invest in the businesspark as well as rebuild the municipal liquor store gavepeople the impression that city leaders were not lookingout for those who were hurt the most by the flood.

“Your number one obligation is to help the citizensyou have, not the ones you hope to have in the future andI think some people lost sight of that,” said Hallum.

Niles is confident that the Wadena 2.0 visioningprocess helped avoid some of the pains experienced byother distaster-stricken communities. The work that somany Wadena residents put into the rebuilding effort—from planning to planting trees—will make it a bettercommunity than it was before.

Those future improvements, experts agree, arethanks to strong community leadership and engagedcitizens. “We had three core principles from the start:collaboration, openness and accountability,” said Niles.“Because of the amount of participation we had, Ithink we have a plan that has the major stakeholdersand the public behind it. I think we’re making the mostof the situation.” IQ

‘‘We’ve got a pretty good plan for all these elements.But we still need to get somehelp to make them happen.

SHARED SPACE: The cityand school collaborated toplan a new high school and community center thatwould be connected by a skyway instead of a road,thereby maximizing the use of both buildings by the general public.


SUMMER 11 43



2010 Annual Report( F O R T H E P E R I O D 1 / 1 / 1 0 – 1 2 / 3 1 / 1 0 )

MissionUnlock the power of central Minnesota people to build and sustain thriving communities.

Service AreaWe are proud to serve the 14 counties and 160 cities of Central Minnesota.

Key Tools:• Provide loans to businesses that create quality jobs

• Award grants to nonprofits, local governments and schools

• Build public-private partnerships that lead to action

• Help generous people give back to their communities

• Publish information on local trends and solutions

25 years ago, the Initiative Foundation was created to counteract an economic crisis by helping people tohelp themselves and diversifying the regional economy. Today, we find ourselves fighting a similar foe asCentral Minnesota’s only regional entity that focuses on economic growth and opportunity.

The past year has been defined by a relentless commitment by our board, staff and volunteers to helpcommunities recover and succeed again. At the core of our work is the belief that a quality job is the mostessential element of a stable family and a thriving community.

Through our 2010 Key Stakeholder Survey and regional focus groups, more than 1,200 leaders indicatedthat economic and workforce development should be the Initiative Foundation’s top priority. That’s why ournew five-year strategic plan calls for creating economic motion through a complete Quality of Life approach.

This includes providing targeted business financing, deepening public-private partnerships, preparing thecurrent and future workforce, strengthening nonprofit safety nets, and enhancing environmental and recre-ational amenities that support families and business growth. None of these are effective solutions alone, butthey are powerful together.

Thank you for your past and future support as we seek new partners, new ideas, and new actionfor Central Minnesota.

All the Best,

Lee Hanson Kathy GaalswykBoard of Trustees Chair President

Dear Friends,


SUMMER 11 45

Invested $38 million through858 loans and investmentsin locally owned businesses

Created or secured 10,571 living-wage jobs

Leveraged $243 millionin private business

financing investments

Made 3,407 grantstotaling $21.1 million

Awarded 628 scholarshipstotaling $489,120

Partnered with 1,900 leadersfrom 92 communities to planand achieve a brighter future

Partnered with 1,587 leaders to improve the water quality of 224 lakes and rivers

Partnered with 1,242 leaders from26 communities to prepare young

children for lifetime success

Partnered with 1,143 leadersfrom 174 nonprofits to manage

more effective organizations

Five-year Strategic Priorities1

2

3

4

Resilient Businesses• Invest in economic drivers like technology and manufacturing• Secure 1,500 quality jobs that pay at least $35,000 per year

Thriving Communities• Build a world-class workforce, starting with early childhood and youth• Enhance quality of life, natural resources & recreational amenities

Effective Organizations• Strengthen nonprofit ability to reduce employment barriers• Improve fiscal health of nonprofits that provide critical safety nets

Local Philanthropy• Create community, agency and donor funds that benefit local projects• Raise $14.6 million in endowment and external funding

A Look Forward

A Look Back CENTRAL MINNESOTA IMPACT (1986-2010)




SUMMER 11 47

BUSINESS FINANCINGLocal Ownership, Quality Jobs

Investment Total $1,746,412

• Manufacturing 64% . . . . $1,108,912

• Technology 17% . . . . . $300,000

• Service 13% . . . . . $227,500

• Environment/Agriculture 5%. . . . . . . $90,000

• Retail 1%. . . . . . . $20,000

TOTAL ......................................................$1,746,412

2010 Financial SummarySources of Funds: $9,603,911Investment Income $ 3,901,363 | 41%Grants & Contributions $ 3,340,624 | 35%Business Financing Revenue & Repayments $ 2,182,911 | 23%Other Operating Revenue $ 179,013 | 1%

Uses of Funds: $7,052,785Business Investments $ 3,364,019 | 48%Grants, Scholarships & Training Programs $ 2,418,586 | 34%Foundation Operations $ 1,200,191 | 17%Special Projects & Other $ 69,989 | 1%

TRAINING PROGRAMS EXPENSES INCURRED*

Volunteers in Service to America $ 376,661

Healthy Organizations Partnership $ 226,732

Healthy Communities Partnership $ 209,342

Early Childhood & Youth Engagement $ 138,937

Healthy Lakes & Rivers Partnership $ 110,037

New Initiatives/Other $ 10,303

TOTAL $1,072,012

Total Endowment Value: $32.8 millionTotal Assets: $48.6 million

A complete audit report prepared by LarsonAllen, LLP is available upon request.* Excludes grants.

GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPSUnlocking the Power of People

Investment Total $1,346,574

• Organizational Effectiveness 27% . . . . . $363,250

• Community & Donor Funds 22% . . . . . $295,076

• Innovation Fund 14% . . . . . $189,317

• Children, Youth & Families 13% . . . . . $175,000

• Hometown Improvement 10% . . . . . $142,786

• Natural Resources Preservation 6%. . . . . . . $81,395

• Economic Opportunity 4%. . . . . . . $52,300

• Scholarships 4%. . . . . . . $47,450

TOTAL ......................................................$1,346,574



Central

Serving Central Minnesota www.regionalpartnerships.umn.edu

Fostering regional resilience throughcitizen-driven University partnerships.

Central Regional SustainableDevelopment Partnership

NurturingAgriculture & food systemsCommunity-based energyNatural resourcesTourism

Lakeshore Conservation Club is the Brainerd Lakes Area choice for Trap & Skeet Shooting.

Trap & Skeet Shooting • Rifle, Pistol & Archery Range • Classes & Private LessonsBirthday Parties, Bachelor Parties, Private Parties • Open to the PublicFamily ($40 annually) and Corporate Membership Available

Serving the Brainerd Lakes Area for more than 50 years.

• 2011 Memberships Available • 218-963-4003 | www.lakeshoregunclub.com | 9911 County Road 77, Nisswa

The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park are raising funds to build the infrastructure for our lakeside park on Nisswa Lakein the City of Nisswa.

• 2.3 Acre Park Area• Located across 371 from Downtown Nisswa Square• Swimming Area• Fishing Pier• Boat Slips for Boat Docking• Walking & Biking Trail connecting to thePaul Bunyan Trail

• Pavilion area for weddings and special events• Mature White Pines• Picnic area• Beautiful Sunsets• Overlooking Nisswa Lake

For more information contact the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park [email protected]; or contact Brian Lehman, Nisswa Mayor, 218-838-4158;Erin Herman, Nisswa Elementary School Principal, 218-821-3760; Eric Wiltrout, Lakewood

Bank, 218-892-0532; or Jan Pierce, Nisswa P&Z Commission, 218-963-7394.

Checks should be made payable to “BLA Community Foundation” witha notation of “Friends of Nisswa Lake Park.”

Send your tax-deductible donation to The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park,PO Box 262, Nisswa MN 56468. Leaving a Legacy for Future Generation

s..

2:21 PM Page 1

190 2nd Ave SW, P.O. Box 38Milaca, MN 56353

(320) 983 - 3101

“Our goal is financingto help our communities grow”

MILACA - ISLE - GILMAN

www.fnbmilaca.com

FIRST NATIONALBANK OF MILACA

“Community Banking Since 1897”


SUMMER 11 49

Foundation BOARD & STAFFB

oard

of

Trus

tees

Init

iati

ve F

ound

atio

n S

taff

Lee HansonGray Plant Mooty

Linda Eich DesJardinsEich Motor Company

Ismail AliSt. Cloud Schools

Barbara AndersonEssentia Health

John E. BabcockThe Bank of

Elk River

Mayuli BalesCasa Guadalupe &Catholic Charities

Chris CloseClose-Converse

Properties

Pat GorhamGorham Companies

Arnie JohnsonJohnson Enterprises

Larry KorfDeZURIK

Earl PotterSt. Cloud State

University

Mary SamMille Lacs Band of

Ojibwe

Gene WaldorfRetired, 3M

Former MinnesotaLegislator

CHAIR

VICE

-CHA

IR

Kathy GaalswykPRESIDENT

Mary BauerDevelopment Officer

Dan BullertBusiness Finance Officer

Deb CampbellChildren & Families Associate

Sara DahlquistChildren Youth & Families Specialist

Chris FastnerVISTA Program Manager

Dan FrankProgram Manager for Community Development

Sharon GottwaltBusiness Finance Assistant

Cathy HartleSenior Program Manager forOrganizational Effectiveness

Don HickmanSenior Program Manager

Tricia HoligProgram Assistant for Grants & Training

Anita HollenhorstGrants & Communications Specialist

Lynn Houle-BushingerVice President for Finance & Operations

Jolene HowardProgram Assistant for Grants & Training

Lois KallsenOffice & Facilities Coordinator

Matt KilianVice President for External Relations

Kris KowalzekFinance Assistant

MaryAnn LindellExecutive Assistant

Randy OlsonVice President for Economic Opportunity

Katie RiittersExternal Relations Assistant

Julie SchuellerFinance Assistant

Sandy VoigtBusiness Development Specialist

405 First Street SELittle Falls, MN 56345877-632-9255www.ifound.org



Range Inc.Proud to design and print IQ magazine.

>> Internet & Email Marketing >> Print & Direct Mail >> Website Design & Development

>> Discover our Passions Contact: Shawn Sundquist (888) 605.5982 | www.rangeprinting.com

Range Inc.Proud to design and print IQ magazine.


SUMMER 11 51

In 2010, more than 1,000 donors advanced the critical work of the Initiative Foundation. The Foundation also hosts 60 Turn KeyFunds, local endowments (permanent investment accounts with annual returns) through which donors create legacies of charitable support for current and future generations.

Donor-Advised FundsAnderson Brothers Family FundBob & Marsha Bunger Endowment FundBruce & Diane Gohman FundGranite Equity Partners FundHanowski Family Fund John & Bonnie Schlagel EndowmentJulius & Tracy Kurpius Fund Lake Region Conservation Club Fund Loren & Kathy Morey Family Fund Mark Wood Foundation Mel & Jeanette Beaudry Fund Paws & Claws Animal Shelter

Scholarship FundsAlternative Sources of Energy FundArchie & Isabelle Powell Family Memorial Scholarship Fund

Betty Ford Menzel Scholarship FundBeverly M. Pantzke Scholarship FundBob & Pauline Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund

Bob Wright Memorial IFPA Scholarship FundLittle Falls Scholarship FundShawn Grittner Memorial Scholarship FundStaples Knights of Columbus-Lloyd & Marion Giddings Scholarship Fund

Staples-Motley Dollars for Scholars Fund William & Ethel Nelson-Zimmerman MemorialScholarship Fund

Zimmerman Lions PTO Fund

Community FundsGreater Pine Area Endowment Isle Area Community Foundation Morrison County Area Foundation Rum River Community Foundation Staples Community Foundation Three Rivers Community Foundation

Agency FundsBig Fish Lake Association FundCrosby Ironton Public Schools Foundation Fund Friends of the Elk River Library Fund Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Fund

Horizon Health Partnership in Life FundMinnesota Pioneer Park Endowment FundQuiet Oaks Hospice House Endowment FundRoosevelt and Lawrence Area Lakes Association Fund

Sacred Heart-Knights of Columbus Fund Wright County Historical Society Fund

Field of Interest FundsChildren, Youth & Families FundCrow Wing Environment Protection Advised Fund

Family Farm FundJosh Richardson Youth Arts Fund Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation Planning & Preservation FundThrive Fund

Loan FundsMenahga Loan FundPrinceton Economic Development Loan FundSt. Cloud State University Microlending Program Fund

Todd-Wadena Economic Development Loan Fund

Wadena Tornado Relief Loan Fund

Special Project FundsMusser Partnership FundStaples Motley Early Childhood Project Fund Trees for Wadena FundVeterans Art Project FundWadena Tornado Relief Fund

Giving to and THROUGHTHE FOUNDATION

Turn Key Funds

Benton $297,000 $3,231,000 988%Cass $502,000 $3,468,000 591%Chisago $333,000 $2,461,000 638%Crow Wing $1,076,000 $8,219,000 664%Isanti $1,062,000 $2,588,000 144%Kanabec $112,000 $922,000 727%Mille Lacs $520,000 $3,070,000 490%Morrison $1,083,000 $4,836,000 347%Pine $525,000 $2,414,000 360%Sherburne $658,000 $3,613,000 449%Stearns $993,000 $11,453,000 1,054%Todd $705,000 $2,972,000 321%Wadena $295,000 $3,003,000 919%Wright $483,000 $4,369,000 805%TOTAL $8,643,000 $56,618,000 555%*Rounded numbers include individual, business, government and utility donations, 1986-2009.**Rounded numbers include nonprofit grants, business financing investments and scholarships, 1986-2009.

Donations* to Initiative Foundation

Initiative FoundationInvestments** in

Local Communities ROI

Return on Your Investm

ent

405 First Street SELittle Falls, MN 56345877-632-9255www.ifound.org


52 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org52 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

What can we do now? Who should we call later?Save these pages as a quick reference guide for disaster preparation and response. By Marni GintherIllustration by Chris McAllister

1. Stock Up For both private residences and larger organizations,Wadena County Emergency Management DirectorScott McKellep says it’s a good idea to have disasterpreparedness kits at the ready. They should be easi-ly accessible and portable, so you can grab them andgo to a designated disaster shelter area, or theyshould be already located in the shelter. The kitsdon’t have to be elaborate. McKellep says a goodrule of thumb is to include the basic things you wouldneed to survive for 72 hours while waiting for firstresponders. That includes water, canned food (don’tforget a can opener) and basic first aid items.

2. Check Your Insurance Make sure your insurance policies are up to date.McKellep recommends individuals talk to insurersto make sure you understand the coverage youhave, because to different insurance companies,terms like “replacement cost” can mean differentthings. “When you think of ‘replacement cost’ youthink they’re just going to pay for what you had, but

that’s not always the case,” said McKellep. Haveyour policy reviewed every two years.

3. Make an Evacuation PlanFrom exiting a burning house to knowing where youwill go if you have to suddenly leave town, evacua-tion plans are essential. “Make sure relatives knowwhere you’re going,” McKellep said.

4. Create a Continuity of Governance PlanThis kind of plan dictates how a government organi-zation will continue running in the event of a disaster.For example, if a courthouse is destroyed, how willthose business and governmental functions be car-ried out, even if the physical space that once housedthem no longer exists? What alternate facility wouldthe operations move to, and what technology (orbackup technology) would need to be implementedin that new space? Keep this plan in a safe place—or several, including on a cloud server. (For tips onhow to keep your business running after a disaster,turn to page 16.)

5. Map It On the larger county or municipality level, McKellepadvises officials to create a plan that divides theircity or county into different sectors. Then figure outhow to manage traffic flow, lock down certain sec-tors of the community and organize a process bywhich people can be admitted back into their ownneighborhoods and homes. These plans should bemapped out and accessible to city and county work-ers who will need to enforce them, but don’t need tobe available to the general public, although McKellepsuggests it’s a good idea to assure the public that youdo have such a plan in place.

6. Analyze Your Risk Risk analysis is usually spelled out in a county hazardmitigation plan. These plans outline “the risks of justabout everything you can think of, from cyber securi-ty to a dam failure,” said McKellep. They detailwhich, if any, townships or municipalities are at riskfor particular types of disasters. Cities can adoptcounty hazard mitigation plans or use them as tem-plates to create their own.

PREPARE: Tips for Families, Businesses & Communities


SPRING 11 53SUMMER 11 53

RESPOND:A State & National Resource Directory

Homeland Security and Emergency Management A division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, MinnesotaHomeland Security and Emergency Management offers training toemergency managers, fire fighters, law enforcement personnel, EMTsand other state agency employees. Training covers a variety of topicsincluding volunteer management and emergency communication.

(651)201-7400 www.homelandsecurity.state.mn.us

Federal Emergency Management AgencyFEMA’s mission is to support citizens and first responders in thepreparation for, protection against, response to and recovery fromdisasters. The agency has a wealth of information for individualsand families, as well as training programs for emergency managersand responders.

(202) 646-2500For responders and officials: www.fema.gov/prepared/trainFor individuals and families: www.fema.gov/areyouready

Minnesota Red Cross Communities and organizations can schedule presentations by RedCross staff and volunteers on a variety of topics, including SevereWeather Safety, Emergency Action Plans, and basic emergencypreparations on the individual and community level.

(612) 871-7676www.redcrosstc.org (Click on “Chapters” for local help.)

VOAD—Voluntary Organizations Active in DisasterVOAD is an association of well-known and lesser-known relief organ-izations, from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to the BuddhistTzu Chi Foundation. VOAD serves as a “one-stop shop” and allows alltheir organizations to share knowledge and resources throughout thedisaster cycle to help disaster survivors and their communities.

(703) 778-5088www.nvoad.org | In Minnesota: www.mnvoad.org

ICISF—International Critical Incident Stress FoundationThe International Critical Incident Stress Foundation provides“leadership, education, training, consultation and support servicesin comprehensive crisis intervention and disaster behavioral healthservices to the emergency response professions, other organiza-tions and communities worldwide.”

(410) 750-9600 www.icisf.org

The Humane Society Typically thought of as a shelter for animals, the Humane Society alsoprovides resources pet owners can use to plan for their pets’ safetyin the event of a disaster. The organization even has information ondisaster preparedness for livestock.

(202) 452-1100www.humanesociety.org In Minnesota: www.mnhumane.org

ECHO—Emergency and Community Health OutreachECHO is a Minnesota-based organization that specializes in multi-lan-guage communications in the areas of health, safety, emergencyreadiness and civic engagement in order to serve the state’s immi-grant and refugee population. ECHO collaborates with health andsafety experts and bilingual community leaders to ensure allMinnesotans receive the support they need in the event of a disaster.

(651) 789-4342www.echominnesota.org

Initiative FoundationAfter a disaster, call the Initiative Foundation immediately to hostand promote disaster relief funds for online and traditional giving.Serving central Minnesota’s 14 counties, the Foundation also helpswith community planning and grants for recovery and rebuilding.

877-632-9255www.ifound.org



320

.259

.822

2

Customized Training for all OccasionsWeTrainPeople

www.HighImpactTraining.net


SUMMER 11 55

STEVE ENNIS Director of Secondary Lending

[email protected] | lakewoodbank.com



IQ: You have been in emergency management and pre-paredness for more than 30 years. What first ignitedyour passion for this line of work?

KE: I moved to Miami, Florida with my husband. ThenHurricane David hit and that was kind of the turningpoint. We had no idea what we needed to do. When Iheard the siren warnings, my husband was at work andI was at home with our first child. It was such a fright-ening, frightening time for me.

IQ: When it comes to disasters, what is theone thing you wish everyone knew?

KE: You have to be responsible for yourself first. If you havea means to take care of yourself, you need to do that so people

who can’t are able to get the help they need right away. Also, whena tornado happens everyone starts asking “Where is FEMA?” Weshould not be asking that the day after a disaster. They are there tofill a very small gap. If your house is wiped out and you have lostyour belongings, the most you can get from FEMA is $30,300.That’s not enough. The programs for communities are much betterthan the programs for people.

IQ: Part of your department’s role is to evaluate acommunity’s emergency management plan. Whatmakes a good plan?KE: You have to recognize and assess the potential hazards in yourcommunity—the “what ifs.” Then you have to make sure you haveplans for the operations of a response—a concept of how your city orcounty offices will respond.

IQ: In your opinion, what is the most common mistakecommunities make?KE: Thinking it won’t happen here. For example, communities that don’thave a river think they don’t need to worry about flooding. Well, south-eastern Minnesota doesn’t have a major river, but when 20 inches of rainfalls, your community becomes a river.

An IQ&A with Dawn Zimmerman

IQ dissects a disaster with Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Kris Eide.

IQ: How have you seen a community transform atragedy into an opportunity?KE: Mower County and the city of Austin are great examples. Floodskept washing out the same areas, so they bought out the homes in thoseareas. The families moved to other homes in town and they turned thatfloodland into parkland that is lovely and has revitalized their down-town.

IQ: From East Grand Forks to Wadena, you can listmany examples of communities that have risen up asmodels. What’s driving those communities?KE: It’s the thought that we’re never going to let this happen to usagain.

IQ: You’re queen for the day. What one change wouldyou make to the “system?”KE: It would be to make it lessbureaucratic. People have to jumpthrough a lot of hoops. If we couldjust streamline it, which FEMA isworking on, and do it less bureau-cratically, we could do it faster. IQ

Kris Eide has served as director of HomelandSecurity and Emergency Management(HSEM) since 2005. HSEM is responsible forplanning and coordinating disaster reduction,preparedness, response and recovery effortsthroughout the state.


COVER3_Summer11_UofM_Layout 1 7/15/11 3:31 PM Page 1

©20

1©

201

©20

1©

201

©20

1©

201

20101201

©20

1©

201

201

201

©20

1©

201

©20

1©

201

©20

©20020

©20

©20020200

©2020202000202022

©©©©©©©©©©©©©NoNoNoNoooNoNoNoNoNNNNN

1 N

1 1 1 11 1111 1111111r-

Sor-

Sor-

Sor-

SooSoSoor-

Soor-

SoSoSoSoor

Sor-

SoSoSor

Sor

SSSII

n, I

n, I

n, I

n, II

n, I, IIn, I

n, I

n,I

nI

n,

n,,,n,

n,

n,

n,n,n,nnnnnnnnc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. nc

. ncnc

.nc

.nccncccncncnnnnnnn

AllAll

All

All

All

All

AllAlll

Al AlAAA AAAAA

gigigrigrigggrigriggggggigggigrigrirrrrrht

s ht

s ht

s ht

s ht

s ht

s sht

sht

sht

shththhhhh

sesere

sere

sere

sre

serererererrrv

edrv

edrv

edrv

edrv

edrv

evvNNNNNNNN N N . . .

DLi

D LiLi

D Li

D Li

D Li

D Li

D LiiiiiLi

DLiiiiiiL

D L

D L

D L

D L

D L

DL

DL

DL

DDD#. #. #c. #

c. ###

c. ###

c. ##

c. #

c. #

c######

c. #

c. #

c. #

c. #

c. #

c##

c. #

c##

c##

c. #

c. #

c.#. #c. #

c. #

c. #

c. ##

c.#

c. # #. ##. ###.#.ccccccccccccc

2536

2536

2536

2536

2536366

253636366

2536

2536

2536

2536

253666

25366

2536

25363636

253666

2536

253653

625

366363663625

36625

36325

325

3533355552M MM1 M MMMM MM

1 M

1M

1M

1 M

1MMMM

1 MM

1 M MM1M

1MMM MM1 M

11

1

1

1

1

1 1111111N

LiLiLiLiLiLiiLiLiLiN

LiN

LiN

LiN

LiN

LiLiLiLiLiLiN

LiLiLN

LLLLN

LLLLN

LLN

LN

LLLLNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNN

#####. ###c. #

c. ####

c#

c#

c##

c#

c#

c##. ###c. ##

c. #

c. cc. .cc.ccccc00

0100

0100

010100

0100

000

000

00000

9696969969

969

969

9696969696666

Homes I We make it welcoming. You make it home.

Healthcare I Healing environments with a touch of home.

CONSULTING DESIGN/BUILD GENERAL CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Nor-Son, Inc. A Construction Services Firm ■ 800.858.1722 ■ www.nor-son.com/iq

Hospitality I Create a comforting experience for every guest.

Commercial I Function and comfort aren’t mutually exclusive.

comfort is our business.W O O D, S T E E L A N D S T O N E A R E O U R M AT E R I A L S , B U T

SEE ALL WE DOAT NOR-SON.COMM

Documents

IQ Magazine - Summer 2011