Stillwater Living January 2014

Lessons In Community Living33generous neighborsgenerous neighbors

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26

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MAINSTREETNews and Views from the Valley

STUDIO TIMEThe Language of LoveBY CAROL CARVER

CORNER TABLEA Friendly Conversation with Mary Divine

FeaturesTRIO KEEPS RIVERFRONT FUN ALIVEBY KIRSTEN STILLMAN AND JIM REYNOLDS163 GENEROUS NEIGHBORSLESSONS IN COMMUNITY LIVING20

contentscontents

Cover Photo by Aimee Christenson


VOLUME 10, NUMBER 1 JANUARY 2014

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

- Leo Buscaglia

We are grateful to Kristine Petersen (cover person this issue) for sharing one of her favorite quotes with us. Dr. Love’s sentiment embodies what we are trying to communicate each year with Stillwater Living’s Benevolence issue.

With each new-year we focus on organizations and individuals that give of themselves. Whether their focus is to improve upon problematic situations or help neighbors less fortunate then themselves, the outcome is an improved community.

Hometown boy made good is the focus of our “Studio Time” department this issue. Carol Carver, founding artistic director and conductor of the Valley Chamber Chorale, sat down with Clark Weyrauch.

Summer Tuesdays is a wonderful summer-time community gathering and The Stillwater Harvest Fest is fast becoming a “must attend” harvest season favorite. Three entrepreneurially minded folks have joined together to bring our community these two incredible events, their story is our first feature this issue.

What do you get when you combine an environmentalist, a kindergarten teacher and a fisherman? The answer is on the cover of this magazine, this unlikely combination comprise 2014’s “Three Generous Neighbors.” Steve Johnson has been advocating for the St. Croix River for decades. Kristine Petersen energizes four and five year old students with powerful life lessons in and outside of her classroom. Jim Rose keeps busy in his retirement by taking seniors, disabled folks and veterans fishing on the St. Croix. Read more about their impact on our community on page 20.

Mary Divine covers our neighborhood for the Pioneer Press and she does so with a curatorial point of view. Mary isn’t just working when she sits in on city council meetings or when she meets with a small business owner, she cares deeply about the people and places on her beat. Mary was kind enough to sit down with me and talk about a handful of “on the record” topics in “Corner Table.”

Stillwater Living magazine will continue to create a Benevolence issue as long as we can find stories that fit the theme. My guess is that we’ll be doing this for a number of years to come.

Real Good Then

Peter McNiffPublisher and Editor [email protected]

JIM REYNOLDSKIRSTEN STILLMAN

JEFF BAGGOT

STEVE (SHOWCASE) SKALMAN

HAWK

editor’s note

Copyright 2014Watershed Publishing, Inc. all rights reserved.

Stillwater Living is published byWatershed Publishing, Inc.

P.O. Box 2302 Stillwater, MN 55082651-430-3143 [email protected]

Julie Bourman

Peter McNiff

Kirsten Stillman

Curtis Dale

Lessons In Community Living33generous neighborsgenerous neighbors

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letters to the editor

Awesomer is Right!

I enjoyed your interview with Judd Sather in the December issue. The article brought out the character the new event space very well. We attended an event there recently and we were impressed with the space and the staff – the event that we attended was a blast.

The fact that you would use the word “awesomer” in describing Judd and the Loft space makes me grin. It’s good to know that you remember to have a little fun along the way.

Best,

Bob S.Oak Park Heights

Keep Up the Good Work

I’m writing to let you know that I just love the fact that you continue to publish a “Christmas Issue” each year. We are big fans of Stillwater Living magazine at our house and we appreciate how much your magazine captures the essence of our community – saying Christmas rather then holidays is just one good example.

Each year when we decorate our Christmas tree along with the rest of our home, past December issues of Still-water Living go out on the coffee table in our living room. I have been collecting them since 2006 and they are kept/saved with the rest of our Christmas decorations. Thank you so much for maintaining a new tradition with your publication.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Betty J.Stillwater

DECEMBER 2013

FREE

Merry Christmas!


SL – How did you get started on this project?

Judd - I have been a photographer in Stillwater since 2001 and moved my company (Studio J, Inc.) from a home-based business to 317 Main Street South (across from The Daily Grind) in 2007 to 214 Main Street South in 2009. “Judd Sather Photography” is the signature brand of Studio J, Inc. used for weddings only when I’m shooting. With over 7,000 sq ft of photography space to shoot within, clients started asking the our staff if they could rent out the studio for parties and thus began the vision of the event center – the market research was already there.

We had a chance to sit down with Judd Sather.

His new event space “The Loft at Studio J” is a phenomenal new event option downtown Stillwater.


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NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE VALLEY


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Studio One Yoga and Massage is relocating to a uniquely cool new space in the Isaac Staples building. Try a massage to melt the stress away if you’re looking for a way to relax after the holiday craziness. Choose pregnancy, infant, hot stone therapy, Thai yoga massage or another option to end that stress in no time.

For a new way to get your Zen on head over to enjoy the wonderful benefits of classes designed to create balance, build strength, and help increase your flexibility. There are classes and options for everyone — yoga experts and wobbly beginners alike.

Guys, yoga is for you, too, and it can give you a jump-start on 2014. Don’t worry if you’re not a pro — there are classes for every level and intensity. Simply walk into the studio and let the positive, energetic atmosphere and knowledgeable instructors take care of the rest.

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The Stillwater Rotary Club is proudly celebrating its seventh annual Stillwater Sampler Event at the Grand Banquet Hall on January 24th. Professional musician Joe Cruz will perform live and Stillwater Rotary’s Peter Clements will conduct the auction of vacations, special dinners, the wall of wine, hosted dinner parties, and many other offers and packages. Food and wine will accompany the silent auction and raffle. This year Canvas Health is a proud partner with the Stillwater Rotary Club and a portion of event proceeds will go to their Homeless Youth Outreach program.

Last year’s Stillwater Sampler Event saw over 170 people mingling and feasting on unique samples served by 16 local restaurants. More than a dozen people won bundles of gift certificates to participating restaurants.

Friday, January 24th6 p.m. – 10 p.m.$50www.discoverstillwater.com

7th AnnualStillwaterSampler

A Truly Unique Valley ExperienceCarol Carver – Artistic Director

SEASON SPONSORS

For tickets or information please visit us at valleychamberchorale.org, or e-mail us at [email protected], or call (651) 430-0124.

THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

A concert for the romantic and for the lover of words! Music and words about love are abundant and rich with possibilities - this concert will be based on love letters written by famous and not so famous writers.

Saturday, February, 15 at 7:30 PMSunday, February, 16 at 3:00 PMTrinity Lutheran Church, Stillwater, MNGuest Artist - Clark Weyrauch, Tenor


If you love to read as much as the bookworms at the Stillwater Public Library then you need to be at the One Book, One Community events next month. One Book, One Community: Stillwater Reads is a community-wide event with all participants reading one book and attending educational and entertaining events that will provide a deeper meaning and context for the selected book. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is the book selected for 2014.

Pick up a free copy of Fahrenheit 451 at the Kick-Off at the library on Monday, February 3rd, 6:30 p.m. Included in the Kick-Off are presentation on Fahrenheit 451 by Tim Murphy and Reader’s Theatre by Stillwater High School. So make sure to stop by, grab your copy of the book, and stick around for the fun.

On Tuesday, February 11th, “Firewise Communities” will be presented by Trent Hawkins from the Stillwater Fire Department. Join the discussions and activities that will start out this season’s must-read community event.

Monday, February 3rd and Tuesday, February 11thTimes VaryFree; open to the public on a first-come, first-served basiswww.library.stillwater.org

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January is the time to add a little zest to your routine of January and what could be better than sampling food that is out of the ordinary. The Foodies on Foot Progressive Dinner will give any night an extra dash of mischief and will provide you with an experience you’ll never forget.

Aphrodisiac ingredients blended in with a four-course meal and wine pairings might event lead you to forget the chill of the winter weather outside. This is perfect whether you’re looking to treat your sweetheart to something special, just want a change from the everyday or a romantic night out.

And as a bonus you’ll learn all kinds of entertaining and titillating tidbits about the science of aphrodisiac foods. Look no further for an extra special Valentine’s Day date idea. The combination of good food, a delicious bit of naughtiness, a lot of entertainment assures a night to remember.

Thursday, February 13th 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.$60 per personwww.foodiesonfootmn.com

Foods of Love


It’s the time of year for resolutions and goals. If being fit is one of yours then put down that leftover gingerbread cookie and get with a program built to last well into the new year. Visit Gerardo at G Force Fitness and work off grandma’s mysteriously delicious fruitcake with a great guy who loves what he does and a program that won’t break the bank. Gerardo’s multiple programs and options mean that every time you need to break a sweat you won’t get trapped doing just one thing like a hamster stuck on a wheel.

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Valentine’s Day is coming up fast along with the clichéd and overdone red and pink flowers, balloons, candy tins, and everything mushy or sugary.

Free horse-drawn carriage rides along the St. Croix River might be just the thing you and your sweetheart should add to the day’s itinerary. Cuddle up and spend some quality time together as you glide along the river and take in one of Minnesota’s most romantic cities.

There’s no problem if the carriage doesn’t seem right for you. Red-hot deals in over 30 Main Street stores, restaurants, and lodgings are sure to make any good plans you have turn into great ones. Whether you’re feeling ready for a day of shopping with friends, an afternoon or evening out with that special someone, or a little of both get ready to paint the town red with festivities everyone will love!

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studio time

n celebration of Valentine’s Day and to warm hearts through words of love, the Valley Chamber Chorale will be in concert at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater on February 15 and 16.

Joining the Chorale as narrator will be Vince Walker, who is returning to his first love – theater. Vince has worked with the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, and now works in fundraising for major organizations.

Part of the VCC’s focus and mission is the discovery and promotion of young talent, especially those young artists from the St. Croix Valley. Continuing that tradition, the Chorale is bringing tenor Clark Weyrauch back to Stillwater this season.

Clark is a 2008 graduate of Stillwater High School, a 2012 grad of Concordia College, and is currently studying at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He has spent summers at Brevard Music Center and Seagle Music Colony, both intensive opera training programs geared toward helping young singers hone in on all the various aspects of becoming an opera singer.

Though I have known Clark since he was a child, it was my great pleasure to ask him some things I have always wanted to know and where better to start than at the beginning of his musical discovery?

“I discovered my love for singing when my parents forced me to join choir in 7th grade.” Clark tells me. “I guess it worked out for the best. Honestly though, it has just always been a part of who I am and what I like to do.”

That love for music carried into Clark’s first significant musical experience during his year in the Stillwater Concert Choir. The performance was for the female inmates at the Cook County Jail in Chicago. “We had to change on the buses, go through metal detectors and perform in probably one of the worst spaces you could imagine singing in,” Clark recalls. “The heat was stuck on, so hot air was pouring into the gym on an already warm spring day.

“As the women filed into the gym, none of them looked even remotely interested in us. It was extremely unnerving, but piece-by-piece the walls between the choir and the inmates began to come down and the hostility in the air morphed into a life-changing musical relationship for both

The Language of Love

I

By Carol Carver

parties. The more the inmates accepted the music through applause and tears, the more real the experience became for everyone in the choir. I'll never forget it.”

When Clark isn’t singing, he enjoys running, collecting, and food. “I guess you could say I would fall in the category of a person who lives to eat,” he says. “I think I can blame my upbringing, but I'm one of those people who is constantly taking pictures of food, talking about food, and planning my next meal. I'm also a huge fan of postcards. I'm always on the lookout to add to my collection and have a few people that I regularly keep up with via snail-mail.”

But for the most part, his running is a very important aspect to his life and in re-calibrating his body. “I think being a singer informed my running as much as running informed my singing, to be honest. They have a lot in common. They are both rooted in the breath; the way in which you approach breathing in both running and singing informs every aspect of both. I think the biggest challenge I had in my singing after losing a bunch of weight was adjusting my posture. My body was not quite sure how to hold itself and it took some getting used to.”

But at the heart of all of it, it really comes down to doing what he loves and when I asked what his favorite music to sing was, he answered “All and anything German. I'm not really sure why, but I think it's just in my bones. I think it gets kind of a bad [reputation] for not being as beautiful as Italian, but honestly the language is so lyrical and there is so much out there to be performed!

German music also holds his attention when listening to music. “The tenors Fritz Wunderlich and Nicolai Gedda are my go-to guys,” Clark says of his favorite singers. “They're both masters of German repertoire and sing with such terrific intention and musicality. Jussi Bjorling was another phenomenal tenor who sang everything so beautifully. Between those three guys, I can pretty much listen to anything that's out there.”

Moving forward in his musical career, Clark would like to finish off graduate work at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and move into a major young artist program. Hiring an agent and eventually singing all over the world are also on his to-do list. But for now, after his graduation in the spring of 2015, Clark plans to “begin auditioning for young artist programs all over the place and hope for the best. Maybe that new cheese shop is hiring in the meantime...”

As we keep an eye on Clark’s bright future, it’s also nice to look back with him to recall the wonderfully supportive and inspiring people in Clark’s life. Without certain mentors in his musical career so far, things could have turned out very differently for Clark.

“It cannot go unsaid that without my time in the Stillwater Choir and the three years I spent with the infamous 'Doc' (Erik Christiansen), I would have most likely never considered continuing on the path of singing. I am forever grateful to him, and cannot stress enough how important he has been in cultivating well-rounded and hard-working students in this community for over 20 years.”

And it goes without saying that his parents also played a big role in supporting Clark in his endeavors. “I think at first my parents were a little skeptical of my pursuit of music, but they have undoubtedly become my biggest supporters […] I don't think they've missed a single thing that I've been in. I'm so grateful for their unwavering support.”

I remember when we “grown-ups” would say: ‘he is going to be something someday. He is so kind, talented, and humble.’ At the time, we thought maybe he’d be the President, but now I think we will see him on major stages and read about him in reviews from performances all over the world.

Clark, the VCC, and guest instrumentalists, will be together for two performances of love music from Broadway, film, folk songs and opera on February 15th and 16th, 2014.

Carol Carver is the Artistic Director of the Valley Chamber Chorale.


Clark Weyrauch


o you think it would be an overstatement to say that Summer Tuesdays is the greatest community event in the history of community events? How do you feel about the Stillwater Harvest Fest? It’s another

great event for us locals – and in each case kids are a huge focal point. Families get to enjoy Lowell Park and our downtown riverfront at two great times of the year.

Being a summer series of weekday afternoons and evenings, ok, Tuesdays to be specific, allows for neighbors to walk downtown free of the heavy summer weekend traffic. Is there anything better than hanging out with your kids on the bank of the St. Croix River, listening to local musicians or watching a fun, kid-friendly movie? Oh, and don’t forget the food or the market, Summer Tuesdays has it all.

Stillwater Harvest Fest rocks early October like nothing else. With a huge expansion of kids games and super fun rides alongside of the adult stuff like a chili contest and a

craft beer tasting area we need more than one day to take it all in. Nature offers a whiff of fall in the air and there is a palpable excitement among the crowd, this celebration of harvest season is exciting.

Most of us remain unaware that the Chamber of Commerce was planning to pull Summer Tuesday from the riverfront and relocate it to the Historic Court House due to future construction in Lowell Park. Thankfully Chuck Dougherty, Cassie McLemore, and Cory Buettner engaged the chamber leadership in a conversation.

“We really felt that it was an event that should remain downtown,” Cassie says, “and the Chamber of Commerce decided that they would hand over the event; it didn’t really fit with what they wanted to be doing.”

“The construction was something we were able to work around,” Cory added. “We’re very mobile, so we were able to work around the construction zones, which just happened this year.”

Trio KeepsRiverfront FunAlive! By Kirsten Stillman and

Jim Reynolds

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“At the time we began running Summer Tuesdays” Cassie says, “we were three business people that felt it was important to keep it downtown.”

“It’s not all about money,” Chuck adds, “I think it’s important as a business person to give back to your community;” a sentiment which was echoed wholeheartedly by both Cassie and Cory.

The trio created a non-profit organization as the business structure to operate Summer Tuesdays and the Stillwater Harvest Fest. Right after each event has concluded, the three have a meeting to discuss what worked well, what needs to be tweaked or changed, and what can be done better for next year.

You may have notice a handful of small adjustments to Summer Tuesdays over the years, which is normal for a community event. Keeping their eye on what matters most is essential. “We try to keep the bands local and reach out to the Main Street businesses,” Cory says. “It’s a more local event so that’s kind of a nice time for locals to be exposed to what is offered downtown.”

Changes to the Stillwater Harvest Fest, however, have been a bit more pronounced and are more recognizable. “We started the pumpkin regatta,” Cory explains. “That was a new thing we brought on. There was a street dance on Saturday night that was added, and we’ve also added a giant tent so that we can (depending on the weather) make it a little more adaptable to weather conditions.”

“One of the biggest adjustments made along the way was converting it into a two-day event,” Cassie adds. “The pumpkin drop is a huge hit, Good Morning America contacted us for images and footage; that was very exciting. The pumpkin regatta, where we hollow out pumpkins and paddle them down the river as a battle of the bars type of thing to see who will win; and the pumpkins are made for floating, so that’s a big draw. We have live music now and next year we will have our beer and wine tasting in the evening with the live music in a tent with seating.”

These events mean more to the trio than simply executing the role of event management, there is a real sense of giving back and providing for the community in everything that Chuck, Cassie, and Cory talk about. “We’re able to expand this community that’s been good to us,” Chuck adds.

“It gets people out there, socializing with their neighbors,” Cassie says. “These days, you have Facebook and all these social media sites, so you kind of don’t know who your neighbor is. These events are a great way to develop or maintain that sense of community, for all of us to come out and experience the community together.”

Of course, it takes a big community effort for these events to even happen in the first place. “We look for volunteers,” to help run the events, Chuck says.

“We are a nonprofit,” Cory adds, “we are kind of hopeful that we’ll get more sponsorship so we can build a rainy day fund. Right now we don’t have any type of reserves, so if we were to get rained out, we really need community support for this event to keep it going.”

super fun bungee jump

Stillwater Harvest Fest ‘13

dancing to local music

Summer Tuesdays ‘13

pumpkin regattaStillwater Harvest Fest ‘13


This theme of volunteers helping out in big ways to make these events possible was particularly apparent when we discussed the Stillwater Harvest Fest. “The donating theme was kind of a creative effort for us,” Cassie says of this past year’s Harvest Fest theme. “Because we are a nonprofit, we needed help staffing our events but we didn’t have a lot of money to do so. We like working with different organizations and companies and getting them involved.

“We profit shared in the event for volunteers,” she explains. “We split the profits with the organizations, and the biggest thing for groups working with us was exposure. We allowed them to wear their own shirts and hand out brochures and information. It helps us staff the booths so we can keep running our events without worrying about all the staffing. Plus they come back each year; so it’s a win-win.”

“Anybody who knows me and comes to Summer Tuesdays knows I bring my kids. My kids ask me year round if it’s Summer Tuesdays yet, and seeing how much they’re excited about it, it keeps me going. I love Stillwater and I’m the type of person that loves to be active. It’s important to have a sense of community, and in seeing your neighbor sitting there next to you. And the kids being excited about it, it makes it all worthwhile.”

“It’s an event for people to come down with their families and enjoy their park. It’s uniquely Stillwater and many of our sponsors are local businesses. It’s a nice community event.”

“I really feel like giving back to the community is important to every business owner, so this is my effort to give back time and effort. It’s a family-friendly event, it helps increase business downtown, and it fits in the wheelhouse of a good event that is also cohesive with the mission of our restaurant.”

fun outdoor musicStillwater Harvest Fest

massive pumpkin drop

Stillwater Harvest Fest ‘13

balloon over the river


Cory and Cassie workin away



“It’s the same thing as Summer Tuesdays - my kids absolutely love it. And I enjoy running the events. You do all this planning and it’s the type of job where you can see the results and you can see the excitement of others as they enjoy it. You’re watching all the elements of people enjoying themselves and you can say ‘I helped do that.’ It’s really cool; you have these really gratifying results. You can talk to people about what they think and what they like, and enjoy the activities in the area. I’m so glad I live here.”

“With the lack of Lumberjack Days, the Harvest Fest took place of that in the community. It’s more of a regional event that attracts growers from the five-state area; it’s a showcase for how beautiful our surroundings are. We try to use all of those assets to our advantage. We also just have so much fun! We were floating 1,000-pound pumpkins. We’re kind of like big kids playing; we’re dropping pumpkins through the air and we’re racing pumpkins down the river. Maybe next year we’ll have pumpkin Olympics, we have a great relationship with the St. Croix Valley Giant Pumpkin Association Growers.”

“Stillwater can hang its hat on these events, we had the largest pumpkin one year [in the Guinness World Records] … Stillwater is the pumpkin capital of the west, which is kind of fun. I enjoy being a part of it, we’re able to save and expand this event and give back to this community that’s been good to us.”

Cory Buettner, Cassie McLemore, and Chuck Dougherty

While all three were very happy to talk through some of the changes made to the operation of both Summer Tuesdays and the Harvest Fest, it wasn’t their primary discussion point. Each of them feel that it’s important to give back to our community by investing so much of their time and talent planning these unique and special neighborhood gatherings.

Without the hard work and wonderful generosity of the people running local gatherings, these events wouldn’t be possible. Thank you Cassie, Chuck, Cory, and to all the volunteers who help make our community a great place to call home.

Kirsten Stillman and Jim Reynolds are freelance writers and contributors to Stillwater Living magazine.

To learn more about Stillwater Harvest Fest visit : harvestfeststillwater.com.

To learn more about Summer Tuesdays visit: summertuesdays.com.


Some people are blessed with a strong moral compass which often drives them to take action simply because they are doing what they feel is right. Jim Rose is such a man. He moves about our community with a gregarious and unassuming persona, a man in constant motion. “I was pretty busy working and raising my family that I didn't really get into volunteering until after retirement.” Jim says with a smile.

Indeed, he was a busy, family guy based in Baytown Township for the last forty years. He and Sue, his wife of forty-five years, raised a son and a daughter. Now with a little free time they get to enjoy their ten year old grandson. Jim credits Sue for being so supportive and helpful to him throughout their time together, but particularly now as he is retired. “I couldn’t spend the time helping out with my grandson’s baseball team or volunteering with the Let’s Go Fishing organization without Sue’s help” Jim admits.

Let’s Go Fishing was created to enrich the lives of people through free fishing and boating excursions. They serve seniors (55+), people with physical or developmental disabilities, all military members as well as the families of those deployed, Veterans, and inter-generational youth.

Captain Jim, as he is known around the docks, has logged more than 1,075 hours on the river. Jim claims to have enjoyed every hour spent on the water – and there is no reason to doubt him. He shares with an ear to ear grin, “I really enjoy seeing how happy getting outdoors in the summer makes our clients. I have had clients who never fished before join us, and some of those folks were in their 90's. We are also able to see the eagles and their babies, which has been exciting for many of our clients.”

Family is important to Jim and he feels fortunate to spend long summer days with his ten year old grandson. “He is the only “Jr.” mate in the St. Croix Let’s Go Fishing chapter and he is one of the most helpful.” Jim tells us, “he really enjoys helping, especially on the fishing trips and when we have clients from the Special Olympics.” Although not all of their grandfather/grandson quality time is spent on the river, the Rose family is three generations of baseball players and they are not shy about hunting and fishing together either.

Jim is the guy who shows up on time and in good spirits regardless of the task. He has a salt of the earth personality that friends and acquaintances are drawn to. Bring your complex problem to Jim and he’ll show you how to simplify matters with his keenly tuned moral compass… what’s right is right. We could use more men like Jim Rose in our community.


At first blush one might make the mistake of assuming that Kristine’s abundant energy is fractured into a smattering of disparate activities. Upon further reflection, one would come to realize that Kristine is a master of aligning independent endeavors. She possesses a rare vision, one that sees the commonality of projects, people and organizations. She achieves amazing results, and she does so with a genuine smile.

Take a look at Kristine’s photograph, this image should be in Webster’s dictionary next to the definition of the ideal kindergarten teacher. When asked about her time spent teaching she replies “I have been given so many opportunities to become the teacher I am today because of the innovative learning environment I have worked in at Mounds Park Academy for 26 years. We believe in seeking out knowledge in order to provide an educational journey that is joyfully rigorous and stimulating, but also a journey that develops life skills through real experiences.”

Four years ago Kristine initiated a partnership with Kowalski’s Market here in Stillwater. Her concept was to help her kindergarten students display citizenship and make a difference for others while integrating all areas of learning. It has now become an annual event. Here is how her program works: the kindergarten students earn money for two weeks doing chores for others. During this unit Kristine discusses family budgets and she intertwines history into her lessons by teaching the kids about the presidents on each coin and bill. They discuss nutrition and allergy-friendly foods. They combine writing and calculating, with comparison-shopping and number sentences. They estimate and count. They look for odd and even prices while selecting meals for the families. Over four years Kristine’s students have donated more than 1,200 food items to the Little Kitchen Food Shelf with the help of Kowalski’s who graciously matched donations. Five and six-year-olds make a genuine difference in the world and in the process enrich their own lives academically, socially, and emotionally. This is largely due to their leader, an energetic woman with an uncommon vision.

Story hour with “Pete the Cat” has a much more elaborate outfit than the one Kristine is wearing for our camera. We asked her not to put on the whiskers or paint her nose and we can’t see the shoes, but we really should have found a way to work them into the photograph because they are spectacular. It shouldn’t surprise any of us that Kristine’s “Pete the Cat” story hour outfit is anything but ordinary. When Kristine Petersen commits to something it will be done exceptionally well. If you want to see the whole outfit, bring the kids to McDonalds, Kowalski’s or the Valley Bookseller. Once there you’ll find our neighbor Kristine Petersen doing her thing.


Growing up, giving something back to your community was so much a part of Steve’s family routine that it wasn’t even talked about. You just did it. His mother taught Sunday school, was a den mother, and ran the community’s bloodmobile for decades. His dad was a scoutmaster and one of Minnesota’s first firearm safety instructors. Steve is of the mind that our grandchildren will need to breathe clean air and drink clean water—those are precious resources and we can’t afford to be wasting them today. Steve is the man that you might see recharging his mental batteries among the silent trees and snow on the banks of the St. Croix River. He draws inspiration from nature and the wildlife within. On the day we met for this story he had seen a pair of bald eagles earlier in the day. Steve explained that experience to me with great detail and compassion, I felt as though I too had witnessed the majesty of their flight.

“Your grandchildren will need the scenery and wildlife, too. But will it be there for them?” Steve says with a gentle, yet serious tone. “The air, the water, the eagles, and the scenic landscape we enjoy every day—they can’t speak for themselves. Someone needs to stand up and be their voice. That doesn’t always mean pounding tables at a zoning hearing. Sometimes it means helping folks understand what it means to bring Asian carp and zebra mussels to our neighborhood. Recognizing that pumping 10,000-year-old water out of the ground to keep our grass green might be a bit short-sighted. Understanding that too much lawn fertilizer on your yard and too much algae in Lake St. Croix are related… directly related.” Steve was born in Stillwater and the St. Croix has always been his passion. His kids had both traveled over 200 miles by canoe by the time they were two years old—most of that on the St. Croix. Both worked as camp counselors in their college years, guiding canoe trips on the river. Both do volunteer work and both are passionate about the environment—it’s in their blood. Steve serves on the board of the St. Croix River Association, a small nonprofit that exists to protect, restore, and celebrate the St. Croix River and its watershed. He has also previously served on the board of the St. Croix Scenic Coalition and volunteered for the National Park Service. His current project is digitizing the park’s land ownership records, a tedious task that they could never afford to pay an employee to undertake.

If we all honor the work of Steve and his colleagues by making simple, common sense adjustments in our lives, all of our grandchildren and our grandchildren’s grandchildren will be more likely to enjoy much of what we have today.


corner table

Mary Divine is a reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She covers Washington County and the St. Croix River Valley, but has also spent time covering the State Capitol. She has won numerous journalism awards, including the Premack Award and the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists' Page One Award.

Prior to joining the Pioneer Press in 1998, Mary worked for the Rochester, Minn., Post-Bulletin and at the St. Joseph, Mo., News-Press. Her work has also appeared in a number of magazines, including MPLS/ST.PAUL Magazine, Twin Cities

Business Monthly and Minnesota Magazine. She is a graduate of Carleton College and lives in St. Paul with her husband, Greg Myers, and their three children, Henry, 12, Frances, 10, and Fred, 7.

PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

I grew up in St. Joseph, Mo., and went to Carleton College in Northfield. I am the middle of three children and the daughter of a minister and a English teacher. I have always been interested in writing and reading. I wrote my first book, “The

A Friendly Conversation With Mary Divine

By Peter McNiff, Photos by Aimee Christenson


Case of the Hooded Hopi,” when I was 8. I love to travel and have lived in London, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden. Little-known fact: I am a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia.

DID YOU WRITE FOR YOUR SCHOOL PAPER IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE?

I did. I was co-editor of the Outlook, my high-school newspaper, and I wrote for literary magazine at Carleton. I also interned at The Castine, Maine, Patriot during the summer.

WHEN DID YOU GET INTO THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS?

I started working for my hometown newspaper, the St. Joseph News-Press, in 1991. I covered sports and wrote obituaries on the weekends for a few months until I was hired as the full-time night cops reporter. I worked there for three years. It’s also the place I met my husband.

MANY OF US KNOW THAT YOU COVER HAPPENINGS IN STILLWATER. WHAT IS THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT YOU COVER? HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THAT ASSIGNMENT?

I cover the St. Croix River Valley. My geographic beat extends from Denmark Township and Afton in southern Washington County to Scandia and May Township in northern Washington County. I started working at the Pioneer Press in May 1998. I have covered the St. Croix River Valley since I started except for a few Legislative sessions during the Gov. Jesse Ventura era when I was transferred to the Capitol bureau to help with our Ventura coverage.

WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THIS AREA?

I love the St. Croix River Valley. I love the cities and towns along the river, and I love the people who live there. I feel very lucky to cover such a beautiful area. I grew up in a river city, and I have always felt a kinship with Stillwater and the other towns along the St. Croix.

CAN YOU RECALL YOUR FIRST BIG STORY? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT IT.

One of my most memorable early stories happened in the spring of 1993 while I was working as a reporter in St. Joseph, which is just north of Kansas City. Joe Montana had just signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. My then-boyfriend, now-husband and I took a trip to Missoula, Montana, that spring and happened to be on a flight back to Kansas City -- and there was Joe Montana, boarding the plane. This was the same week he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He

was sitting in first-class, studying his play book, as we walked by. I went up to him and explained that I was reporter in a city near Kansas City and that my editor would kill me if I didn’t take advantage of a chance to interview him. He was kind enough to answer my questions and shake my hand, but he wouldn’t let me take his picture. I wrote a column about the experience upon my return. For years afterwards people would ask to shake the hand of the woman who shook Joe Montana’s hand. IS THERE A STORY, OR A COUPLE OF STORIES THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?

I am most proud of the stories that get clipped and kept by readers. My favorite stories are “people” stories. Some of the memorable people I’ve featured through the years: Toni Poletes, the woman who runs the garage in Marine on St. Croix; Karla Sweeney, the former director of the St. Croix Ballet, Jim Hainlen, the former orchestra director at Stillwater Area High School, and Luke Haley, who brings great joy to everyone he meets. I just did a nice piece on polar explorer Ann Bancroft and her partner Pam Arnold. I’ve covered the Zach Sobiech story from the beginning, and those have certainly resonated with readers. But one of my favorite stories is a piece I wrote a few years ago about a friendship between two boys in Stillwater -- Nick Dinzeo and Devin Wildes, who has autism. People still ask me about that story.


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perspective

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Stillwater Living January 2014