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Elizabeth MackeyNational Veterans Creative Arts Festival Director; Art for Healing
Featured Columnists: Doug Vagel, Deb Schroeder, Cori Hilsgen, and Heather Rotunda
Self-Taught Metal Sculptress
Sue Seeger
Making Partner at KDV
Jean MassmanJennifer Thienes
Nancy Schulzetenberg
Elder Abuse An Emerging Problem
Support Local Women In
Our Special Network Section!
Do You Love Bacon?
Food Explorer Serves It Up!
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 3
Central Minnesota Women is published six times per year by Central Minnesota Women L.L.C.© PO Box 485, waite Park, mN 56387 | Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts. contact the publisher. |Central Minnesota Women L.L.C.© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Central Minnesota Women does not necessarily endorse the claims or contents of advertising or editorial materials. Printed in the U.S.A.
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We love work-ing on our Non-Traditional Female Careers’ issue! We be-lieve the women you’re about to meet who have taken a differ-ent road to job fulfillment and personal happi-
ness will inspire and empower you in unexpected ways.
Elizabeth Mackey, our cover story, has used her musical gift to touch so many of our veterans’ lives, while Sue Seeger’s talent in the visual arts delights us in a different but equally pleasing way. Accountants Jean Massman, Nancy Schultzetenberg, and Jennifer Thienes prove to our satisfaction that numbers are indeed not boring.
Start seeing…bacon. Heather taps into our love for this versatile main-stay with recipes you’ll want to add to your recipe box.
Debra Schroeder has contributed a thought-provoking piece, while Doug Vagle makes us laugh.
Meet and support two non-traditional business owners in Snapshots!
Cori Hilsgen found fun, must-do ac-tivities close to home that you’ll want to take part in. For more activities you and your family can enjoy, check out our arts and community events pages.
All of our writers have told stories we hope you’ll cherish and long remem-ber. Right now, why not kick back and treat yourself to a favorite bever-age as you connect with these Central Minnesota Women?
Til next time, our very best to you, women of central Minnesota!
Tamera Natalie
4 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women}
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Non-Traditional Careers oUr locATionSFind CMW at these convenient locations. Also click on “Find YOUR Magazine” at CMWomen.com.
Pick Up A CopyAt These Retailers!...And over 100 additional sites in and around Central Minnesota!
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4} prinTeD worDSBy Tamera and Natalie
6} HonoriFic!By Natalie M. Rotunda
7} mUST-Do’Scori’s list is packed with music, laughter, and pro, semi-pro, high school and college ballgames.By Cori Hilsgen
9} AnnA mArie’S AlliAnceNot just TwentysomethingsBy Debra Schroeder
11} cover STorYHealing Hearts with ArtElizabeth Mackey was hired to fill the air with the sound of music at St. cloud veterans Administration. Along came the National veter-ans creative Arts festival -- and oh, the power of the arts!By Crystal NuttPhotos by Sue Dropp
15} Special Advertising Section local women’s Network
19} FeATUre STorYpartners in AccountingThe change in expectations for to-day’s accountants fills these ladies’ lives with the best that life offers.By Char HopelaPhotos by Jen Lessinger
19
23
26
elizabeth mackey:Healing Hearts with Art
April-May 20141123} FeATUre STorYnever look BackSue Seeger: inadvertent play with metal led to a careerSue Seeger “burned out” of one successful career only to sustain a physical burning out of her new art studio. Did that tragic event slow her down? By Lynn FisherPhotos by Jen Lessinger
25} wHAT’S He THinking?keep the fire SmallBy Doug Vagle
26} FooD eXplorerThe Subject is Baconheather lets you in on a little secret before sharing recipes you just might love for Bacon jam, Turkey meatballs with Bacon, and Bacon Spinach ravioli.By Heather RotundaPhotos by Sue Dropp
28} STeppin’ oUTBy Natalie M. Rotunda • In part-nership with AroundTheCloud.org
30} SnApSHoTS!By Natalie M. Rotunda - just Between friends - Deb hess jewelry Art
Honorific!
Honorific!By Natalie M. Rotunda
you probably remember Trudy midas, our October 2013 cover story, and her courageous and in-spiring story. her debilitating injuries resulting from a fall from her horse didn’t keep her down. eventu-ally, she became the driving force behind espana Silk™ Products, among the healthiest products on the planet for horses, people, and pets. Trudy travels to trade shows and took along copies of CMW to give away. But that’s not the end of this travel story. her distributors also wanted copies to hand out at trade shows, and we supplied Trudy—with over 2,000 copies! Now that CMW is “attending” trade shows, worldwide, we’re delighted to share this news with you. Thanks to Trudy’s “midas touch,” the doorway to the world was opened a little wider for every person and every business who was part of that issue. See it on Trudy’s website, espanaproducts.com/news.php., or at ours, cmwomen.com.
must-Do’s
with the sounds of birds chirping, it’s beginning to feel like “spring is in the air.” April showers should bring some beautiful May flowers for viewing, and it’s a good time to start planning our gardens. The easter holiday will bring colorful egg hunts for children, while the fishing opener gives us a chance to head for the water. may is also the month we honor or remember our mothers and grandmothers, and a good time to plan a few outings together. here are just a few examples of happenings to add to your must-Do list.
By Cori Hilsgen Must-Do’s
The fine Arts Series at the college of St. Benedict and St. john’s University
is providing several options to see performing talent. Two include “Take 6” and
“Streb forces.”
“Take 6” is one of the most awarded vocal a cappella groups in history. These singers groove with clear harmonies to syncopated rhythms of jazz, r&B, gospel, blues, among others. They will perform at 7:30 p.m. on April 5th in the Stephen B. humphrey Theater at St. john’s University. Tickets range from $10 to $24,
according to the csbsju.edu/fine-arts website.
with “Streb forces,” elizabeth Streb choreographs dance, boxing, rodeo, the circus, and hollywood stunt-
work to create muscle-and-motion experiences. This show includes falling bowling balls, ejecting bodies, and other action. The group will perform at 7:30 p.m. on April 25th in the escher Auditorium at the college of St. Benedict. Tickets range from $10 to $29, according to the csbsju.edu/fine-arts website. for additional information about these
performances, visit the website, or call (320) 363-5777.
“Take 6” and “Streb Forces”
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must-Do’s
ladies, get ready for some
fun and laughter at the theatre.
This family musical is a story about a favorite ogre who shows up to rescue a feisty princess. fun characters include a donkey who won’t stop talking, and a short-tempered bad guy. Songs such as “Don’t let me go,” “Big, Bright Beautiful world,” are part of the show. great river educational Theatre (g.r.e.A.T.) will present the musical April 4th to 13th at the Paramount Theatre. Tickets range from $12 to $18, according to paramountarts.org. for additional information, visit the website, or call (320) 259-5463.
Cori Hilsgen is a central Minnesota freelance writer. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother who enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Take Mom out for a few laughs
comedian Paula Poundstone is appearing at the Paramount Theatre in St. cloud. known for her wit and spontaneity, she has starred in several hBO shows, Saturday Night live, “The Paula Poundstone Show,” and was the first woman to receive the Cable Ace award for best standup comedy special. She will perform at 7:30 p.m. on may 10th at the Paramount Theatre in St. cloud. Tickets range from $22 to $26, according to the Paramount’s website, paramountarts.org. for additional information, visit the website, or call (320) 259-5463.
Spring ballgamesSpring is the time to start gearing up for softball and baseball games. we have many options to choose from, including the minnesota Twins, the St. cloud rox, games at
our local colleges, the college of
St. Benedict, St. john’s University, St. cloud State
University, and others, and high
school games at area high schools - including Apollo, cathedral, and Tech. Bring your chairs and blankets, and settle in for some fun viewing at reasonable prices. for additional information, visit the websites twinsbaseball.com, stcloudrox.com, csbsju.edu, stcloudstate.edu, isd742.org, and cathedralcrusaders.org.
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 9
Debra Schroeder is a local. She grew up in Cold Spring, went to college at SCSU, and has worked with Anna Marie’s Alliance since 2000. She gains much energy from talking with people about the issues faced by those experiencing relationship violence. Debra
currently lives in her childhood home with her husband, seven cats, and the occasional bat.
father had taken the car and left Shelly alone. The sons-in-law took things in hand and talked to Shelly about what had happened and what she wanted them to do for her. One of them told her she could go to a shelter for women and children who had gone through the same kind of abuse. She would be safe, could get medical attention and support.
Knowing her family would be there to help, Shelly made the decision to leave. Calling Anna Marie’s Shelter, they were directed to take Shelly to the hospital immediately, and an advocate would meet them there.
At age 72, Shelly found herself living at the shelter. Each day, she grew stronger, both physically and emotionally. It gave the family time to make plans. They retrieved Shelly’s belongings and made room for her in their homes. At last, Shelly could live a peaceful life.
Elder abuse and abuse grown old is an emerging problem. A 2010 elder mistreatment study estimates 7.5 to 10% of those over 60 are experiencing abuse at the hands of spouse, family, or trusted caregiver. To learn more about elder abuse and its warning signs, go to the National Center on Elder Abuse website at nceaoa.gov.
If you or someone you know is experi-encing abuse in their relationship, please call Anna Marie’s Alliance, any time, at (320) 253-6900, or (800) 950-2203.
When Shelly got married, she knew her new husband had a temper, but she didn’t know how bad things could get. Only three months after their wedding day, he broke her jaw and refused to let her get medical attention. The jaw healed in a way that made it difficult for Shelly to eat and drink. Embarrassed about her appearance, she rarely left the farm, becoming more and more isolated from family and friends. Shelly’s only source of joy was her children. Four beautiful daughters did their best to help their mother, while living in great fear of their father.
The years went by, and as each daughter left to get married, Shelly had to endure escalating violence at the hands of her husband. This is sometimes known as “abuse grown old.”
It was a Sunday and the whole family was getting together for dinner, but Shelly wasn’t able to cook. When her daughters and their husbands arrived, they found Shelly so badly beaten that she couldn’t stand without help. Their
Not Just
Twentysomethings
By Debra Schroeder
It seems our culture likes to generalize and label events and people. There’s nothing too notable in this; it is a function of our brains to want to make sense of the world and the things in it. But by doing this “pigeon-holing,” it’s easy to forget about those living on the fringes. A large section of our population is on the fringe of those who people think are experiencing domestic violence. It’s important to be aware that relationship abuse is not just experienced by those in their twenties and thirties.
Anna marie’s Alliance
SoUrce For miSTreATmenT STUDY
Acierno r, hernandez mA, Amstadter AB, resnick hS, Steve k, muzzy w, et al. (2010). Prevalence
and correlates of emotional, physical, sexual, and financial
abuse and potential neglect in the United States: The national elder mistreatment study. American
journal of Public, 100(2), 292-297
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cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 11
cover Story
HealingHearts With
ArtBy Crystal Nutt
Photos by Sue DroppHair and Makeup by
Michelle Kenric Hair Studio
Elizabeth Mack
ey
cover Story
With a confident yet calming voice, Elizabeth Mackey tells me she wants women who are considering a music-related career to know that music therapy is a viable and fulfilling op-tion. A 1982 graduate of the Universi-ty of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, she was pleased to discover the music therapy program, and 32 years later, Liz feels lucky to have had such a remarkable run. I quickly develop a sense of com-fort around her and can easily see why she’s experienced success in a field that requires a high level of trust and kindness.
Arts as therapy An employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Liz works out of the St. Cloud medical facility, and
HealingHearts With Art
as the Director for the National Veter-ans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF), she enjoys being able to connect her passion for music with the opportunity to recognize and appreciate veteran’s artistic achievements.
NVCAF is a week-long event that she facilitates, and it is geared toward celebrating the healing power of arts. The festival is designed to recognize veterans for the progress and recov-eries made through their use of the therapeutic arts, such as music, and it includes veterans’ award-winning artwork, creative arts workshops, and an opportunity for camaraderie with fellow veterans.
How it worksNationwide, VA medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of reha-bilitative treatment to help veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. Each year, veterans receiving care at VA facilities have the opportunity to enter the cre-ative arts competition in the perform-ing and visual arts divisions of music, dance, drama, creative writing, and art. Veterans can select from a variety of categories within these perform-ing and visual arts divisions. The first
place winning entries from the local sites advance to the national level of competition by submitting a three-minute-or-less digital recording of their performance, or a digital image of their artwork.
Following the virtual national compe-tition, gold medal-winning veterans from across the country are invited to attend the festival, which is often held annually in October and hosted by a different VA medical facility and com-munity each year.
“The focus isn’t on competition, but through the competition process, veter-ans are able to receive the recognition for their creative accomplishments that they so greatly deserve,” says Liz.
In 2013, nearly 3,400 veterans from 119 VA facilities entered the competi-tion. Around 125 veterans typically participate in the festival by sharing their work. In addition to provid-ing recognition to veterans, NVCAF introduces new artistic methods and modalities to veterans through work-shops and interaction sessions, which encourage incorporating these artistic skills into their lives. The event is also open to the public, and aims to edu-cate the greater community about the benefits of the arts as therapy in the lives of America’s veterans. In fact, a live stage show hosted for the commu-nity is filmed and aired on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) stations. The broadcast has been shown around Veterans Day each year since 2006.
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Amy Kimbler, Deb Krueger, and LIz Mackey.
Amy Kimbler is the program specialist for National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, Deb Krueger is an Occupational Therapist at the VA and the local Art Show Coordinator.
LIz Mackey and Rick Stang, a vocalist in Liz’s music therapy.
LIz Mackey and Richard Reignier looking
at displayed art.Local participants entered
the Art competition and many of their art pieces will go on to Nationals this fall in Milwaukee
Wisconsin.
2014 National veterans creative Arts festival
cover Story“The dramatic performances bring it home. People like to be entertained, and it is a great way to generate aware-ness,” Liz adds.
Chasing dreamsSo, how did she get here? While work-ing at Winona County Developmental Achievement Center assisting develop-mentally delayed adults, Liz sought to fulfill her dream of applying her music therapy degree. In 1985, the newlywed got the opportunity to do just that. She and her husband relocated to the St. Cloud area, and Liz began her career as a music therapist at the St. Cloud VA.
“It was wonderful. I worked with a lot of great people, and my supervisor was very supportive of music therapy,” says Liz. “It was a great place for me to expand my experience and contrib-ute to the patients that were there.”
As a music therapist, Liz used musi-cal exercises to promote wellness and alleviate pain and stress, while offering unique opportunities for interaction. Her primary responsibilities included planning and carrying out patient treatment programs that were directed to such goals as cognitive, physical motor, communication, socialization, and the like.
“When you are engaged in a musical activity, you are pretty much using all of your brain,” says Liz. “When the arts are used with veterans who have a physical motor challenge, for example, music therapy might motivate them to perform their physical therapy exer-cises better. If they’re doing it to music or a rhythmic beat, it’s a little more incentive for them to go a step further, to do their repetitive exercise a little bit longer.”
Liz was introduced to NVCAF through her job as a music therapist in 1986, and was hooked after attending her first event.
“I think creative arts therapy is so important, and I just really loved this program,” she adds.
A gradual transitionUnable to attend the event again until 1991, Liz continued to learn more about the program and establish relationships throughout its network. In 1993, St. Cloud hosted the national festival, and Liz got the opportunity
to be the host-site coordinator. Shortly thereafter, in 1994, the past program director lost her battle with cancer, and Liz was assigned the NVCAF part-time interim director position, while still maintaining her music therapy responsibilities. She juggled the dual role for six years. In 2000, the director job changed to a permanent, full-time position, and she let go of her role as a music therapist.
These days, much of her day-to-day work involves event planning and lead-ership tasks. While Liz misses working hands-on with veterans, she appreci-ates all that the event has to offer.
Camaraderie is an important compo-nent of the NVCAF. Veterans come together at the event, and are heart-ened that they are surrounded by others who have had a similar experi-ence. For instance, many veterans have flashbacks or nightmares that can be difficult to cope with. Through art therapy, they are able to draw, paint, or sculpt the images in their mind. Sharing their work with others can release negative energy and may lead to discussion with fellow veterans. For instance, Liz recalls hearing one veteran sharing a powerful insight – It’s not post-traumatic stress disorder; it’s post-traumatic stress normal. My reaction to trauma is normal.
A meaningful careerWhen asked if she feels surprised by the direction her career has taken, Liz responds, “I’m always surprised by my career.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity I have to be involved in so much of this. I thought I would be a music therapist at St. Cloud VA, and I was fine with that. But early on, I was also looking for something more to keep motivated and make a difference in a bigger way, and I was fortunate to have a supervisor who allowed me that opportunity.”
Liz adds that she really appreciates the therapists she works with.
“In this position, you have to be very kind but professional and interested, as well as genuine. Never rude, never short. I think that the people who are key to the program have those quali-ties. For example, a veteran can be having a bad day, and you can hear it in their voice, and you think, I have the chance to make their day better.”
Transforming livesDuring her 15 years as a music thera-pist at the St. Cloud VA, Liz observed many veterans responding to music therapy.
“Even if you got a response like toe-tapping or head movement, you were reaching them,” says Liz. “I love the fact that music therapy can be used in such a variety of ways; to treat depres-sion, manage pain or anxiety, promote memory recall and other cognitive functions, encourage physical move-ment, prompt socialization and com-munication with others, and to add inspiration to pursue a higher quality of life in general.”
And the NVCAF reaches veterans in a similar way. The program is a testa-ment to the therapy that is happening daily in the VA’s national health care system across America, utilizing the creative arts in rehabilitation. Partici-pation in the creative arts therapies provides veterans with ways to express themselves that may not be possible through more traditional therapies. This participation may lead to self-discovery, increased self-esteem, and relief from depression and anxiety.
As she travels across the country, Liz meets veterans who have experienced
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 13
2014 event infonATionAl veTerAnS
creATive ArTS FeSTivAloctober 27 – november 2, 2014
hOST:clement j. Zablocki vA medical center5000 w. National Ave. | milwaukee wicontact: [email protected]
ADmiSSiON:free, but tickets are required to the stage
show. Ticket information will become available after September 1, 2014.
for more information, va.gov.
LIz Mackey, Deb Krueger and Amy Kimbler checking out some artwork
cover Storythose transformations and proudly display their artwork, eager to share it with her. As a result of the competi-tion, Liz often hears veterans say this is the first time they won anything.
“I went to the funeral of a veteran that I served early on in the music therapy program who also participated in NV-CAF. I looked at the table that had his memorabilia on it, and most of it was from the festival. It was very emotional because it was a bigger part of his life than I realized. The program is just so far-reaching; it’s amazing.”
A few comments from veteran par-ticipants help illustrate the program’s impact:
“The arts, especially music and songwrit-ing, have given me a tool, an avenue, to express what I was unable to express for a long time. And in doing so, to get some of those emotions to not live within me but to live outside me. And further, to take those songs and help other veterans who have a similar experience.” - Moon
“The creative arts helped me deal with the war by writing out things I went through with my creative stories and my photogra-phy. The photographs I took with the war, putting those together for others to see, what I experienced through the way through my eyes.” - Pierce
“The NVCAF program has been a blessing to me because it is a program of hope. It is also a program that recognizes the veterans and their many accomplishments in the creative arts. And the creative arts, it brings healing in so many ways. The veterans are able to express and articulate what they may not be able to articulate in words, they do it through their art. And that brings about healing, healing of the mind, spirit, soul and body.” -Pointer
An effective and evolving programThe NVCAF originated as two separate competitions in 1981, the Music Festival and VET ARTS. The two events merged in 1989, and, like Liz’s career, it continues to evolve each year as it showcases the artistic achievements of veterans from across the country in each of the five artistic divisions.
Crystal Nutt is a Develop-ment Manager at WACOSA, as well as a freelance writer and storyteller. Contact her at [email protected].
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title
cmw Local women’s network
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Guide to Local Resources Audubon center of the north woods . . . . . . . . . pg 16Bonnie’s printing plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 15cedar Street Salon & Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 17children’s Day montessori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 17central minnesota Habitat for Humanity . . . . . . . pg 18central minnesota women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 18college of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 17Firing line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 16Fitness Forever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 15grubers Quilt Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 17independent lifestyles, inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 17Just Between Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 16koubsky Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 16kowalik & Associates, llc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 16landwehr Financial Soulutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 16on A lark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 18Quarry Title & closing, llc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 15The good earth Food co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 15The natural Source For wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 17
cmw Local women’s network
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Jean Massmann, CPA and partner, also joined the firm after finishing college. While Jean boasts 25 years of accounting experi-ence, she left Min-nesota for Indiana, and later worked in Minneapolis before returning to her Central Minnesota roots and resum-ing a position at KDV. Jean special-izes in manufacturing companies, estate and trust planning, and general business consulting.
For these women, a spreadsheet tells a story, columns read like paragraphs, and numbers are as telling as well-written narrative. Scanning figures, they can spot a recession rebound, or another year of financial hardship. As workbooks open to reveal worksheets, they dig down to the cellular level to uncover business solutions for their clients. Each of them is driven by details.
In childhood, Jennifer kept careful
partners in Accounting
Walk into the low-slung St. Cloud offices of KDV and you enter a world of
granite and glass. The hushed and formal vibe is dispelled when Jennifer Thienes, CPA and nonprofit partner, strides into the reception area with bouncing curls and a welcoming smile. Jennifer interned at KDV 25 years ago and has been with the firm ever since. “It was meant to be,” she says simply.
At a time when the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts new college gradu-ates will hold 12 to 15 jobs in their lifetime, Jennifer’s one-stop career seems remarkable. Until you meet Nancy Schulzetenberg, government audit partner. “I set my sights on this place before I ever graduated from high school,” says Nancy. “I loved it from the start. I’ve been here for 20 years and still enjoy the work that I do.”
Clearly, KDV, an accounting firm that handles a broad range of finan-cial, business and technology issues, has long been a highly regarded service provider and employer.
count of her own money. “I always tracked every dime I had. It’s just how my brain is wired. Numbers were always easy for me.” Nancy gravitated to the field due to a natural inclination to delve into the specifics behind the numbers. “Detail is what I’ve always loved. Accounting always seemed like a good fit. I didn’t neces-sarily like math, but it’s not really math. It’s more detail-oriented,” she says.
Jean also downplays conventional ideas about accounting. “A lot of times, it’s like working on a great big puzzle.”
Has the recession negatively impact-ed the accounting profession? “Not so much,” says Jean. When times are
Partners in accounting: Jean Massman, Jennifer Thienes, and
Nancy Schulzetenberg of KDV
By Char Hopela Photos by Jen Lessinger
KDV Kern • DeWenter • Viere
(320) 251-7010 • KDV.com220 Park Avenue South • St. Cloud, MN
Jean Massman Jennifer Thienes Nancy Schulzetenberg
good, accountants look at ways to minimize taxes for clients. In down times, they play a role in figuring out “how to survive, how to cut costs, and how to best utilize losses and some planning to succeed. There’s a lot of consulting work that goes with the accounting title.”
Challenging traditions, changing expectationsJean dispels the notion that the profession is boring, but concedes it can be demanding. “There’s no doubt about it. The busy seasons are very taxing, very difficult. Long days, long weeks. However, I like what I do and the flexibility. You’re on your own schedule. You can come and go as long as you’re responsible to get your work done. That’s key.”
Jennifer agrees. “Putting in a 50-hour week is nothing, but, as I get older, I can’t stay until midnight, one o’clock in the morning like I used to in my twenties.”
Fortunately, expectations were
already changing when Jennifer started her career, and have continued to evolve over the decades. “I was incredibly fortunate that at the time I entered the profession, the industry started questioning itself. (Before), accounting was so geared around the number of hours you worked. It turned off a lot of women because they thought they had to make a choice between family and their career.”
Jennifer notes KDV has empowered CPAs to make choices about their schedules, lessening the work/life balance issue for all employees. “It wasn’t just a female issue,” Jennifer says. “I think the whole idea of a flexible work schedule resonated with everybody.”
Significantly, choosing less than a full-time office schedule doesn’t derail an employee from the partnership track. Nancy has the distinction of being the firm’s first reduced-hours partner. She curtailed her hours with the approval of managing partner, Loren Viere, when her first child, Anna, was born.
“From the beginning, the firm was super-flexible. I was committed to it and they were committed to making it work for me,” Nancy says. “It’s the best of both worlds. I’m able to attend all of my kids’ functions and school stuff. And I can still have a career and be successful.”
Teamwork and technologyNancy credits teamwork for making it possible to balance everything and meet everyday challenges. The firm is divided into service groups, the audit team and tax team, and three or four KDV professionals may work together on a project. Jennifer finds this mix of senior partners and young accoun-tants energizing. Additionally, there are the professionals the client brings to the table.
“I really love working with nonprofits. The people that I’ve met have so much passion for their missions,” says Jenni-fer. At times, she has looked around a room and thought, “How did I end up with these amazing, amazing people from all around the country?”
20 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women} cmwomen.com
partners in Accounting
“You get to work with a whole team of people that a client may have—at-torneys, bankers, insurance people,” adds Jean.
Each partner mentions teamwork as an essential part of accounting today. Jennifer feels it promotes technologi-cal change. “Our profession doesn’t seem to move very quickly. We’re getting more of a technological push from our people than externally. Our new people are helping us move faster,” Jennifer says.
Nancy remembers when computers were as bulky as sewing machines and were lugged into the field for audits. “As far as technology, that has changed significantly. The tools that we use now are amazingly different. My husband always thinks I’ve had all this training because I can figure stuff out—and he can’t—but, it’s re-ally just hands on,” says Nancy.
Rewarding family livesOnce the accounting is done, family life and outdoor activities are primary
pursuits for each of the partners. Jean, who grew up in Luxemburg, lives on a few rural acres close to the family farm. Her husband, Bob, helps her aging parents with chores from cultivating crops to fixing farm equipment. Jean considers weekend campfires with the neighbors the highlight of the week. She’s happy to be raising her three children where they can experience driving tractors and outdoor recreation.
“I enjoy biking and water sports and snow sports and anything outside,” says Jean.
Jennifer has twins who are sopho-mores in college, and spends free time with her significant other, Dave. Together, they love travel, especially biking trips in scenic locales. When asked if she has a winter sport, Jen-nifer shakes her head, and indicates the confines of her comfortable office. “I’m here. This is my winter sport.”
Nancy is well-grounded in Albany, where she and husband Gary are rais-ing two children. She serves on local
school and church boards, teaches faith formation classes, and is co-treasurer for the booster club for her daughter’s dance team. Twice a year, she makes time for her scrapbooking hobby, joining friends and coworkers for a weekend of communal creativ-ity.
Each of these women challenges old perceptions about their chosen profes-sion, demonstrating that a partner-ship workload can be balanced with personal pursuits. Far from being dull and solitary work, accounting is an opportunity to be engaged in mean-ingful collaborations to help business-es and nonprofits achieve success.
“The numbers aren’t the end,” says Jennifer. “The numbers are the begin-ning of the story.”
Char Hopela has written on subjects ranging from beer crafting to breast reconstruction. Find out more at linkedin.com/pub/char-hopela/18/255/789.
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 21
partners in Accounting
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cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 23
never look Back
interested in her work.
“I have a very strong entrepreneurial impulse,” says Sue of her decision to leave a full-time job in the mid-’90s. “I quit my job and thought, ‘I’m go-ing to design metal furniture,’ because I was coming out of the furniture industry.”
She goes on to explain, “I didn’t know anything about welding or metalwork… didn’t know anything about anything really, but that never stops me. I just kind of approach it like I approach everything, I’ll learn about it. If (a person) can do it, I can do it. I had barely gotten started, and my entire shop (with all of her newly purchased equipment) burned to the ground.”
Not letting anything as all-consuming as a fire destroy her spirit, she let the space of time between the fire and rebuilding teach her something, no matter how hard that was to learn.
“After making a leap like that,” says Sue, “totally abandoning the career I had built, then having my first stab at business burn to the ground imme-diately, it felt like I needed to make a move in a positive direction that felt empowering.”
Taking the leapShe decided to go to welding school to actually learn some of the things that she had dreamed about doing. Until then, she was completely self-taught.
“That was extremely helpful,” says Sue. “By the time spring came around and I could rebuild my shop, I had already made the jump to artwork from furniture design.”
By learning her craft and practicing what she had learned, she inadver-tently made a sculpture one night, sparking an “ah-ha” moment.
Since that time, Sue has transitioned to making larger pieces, with less sell-ing at area art fairs, instead turning to commissions and opportunities to cre-ate large public installation projects.
“I love it when I have a big project that I’m working on,” says Sue. “I of-ten have cool ideas for smaller pieces, but what I am trying to get away from are the production-type small pieces that I would make in masses for a booth show, making three dozen of essentially the same sculpture.”
Competing for “Nature Explore”With 20 other artists from around the country, Sue competed to create a concept entrance piece for the Hand-ke Center (School) in Elk River.
“It is called the Nature Explore Class-room,” says Sue. “It is a national program that has a set of criteria they have to meet to be considered an official Nature Explore Classroom. One of (these criteria) was to have a significant entry feature to an outdoor classroom, where kids are taught about nature and the environment. I was commissioned to create this
SueSeeger
Inadvertent play with metal led to a career… and her latest installation
at the Handke Center’s Nature Explore Classroom
Sue Seeger by one of her sculptures at the Handke Center, Elk River, MN
By Lynn Fisher Photos by Jen Lessinger
Sue Seeger’s ideas fly as fast as the conversation, over tea, near her woodsy and creative home in Elk River, Minnesota. As we talk, I have a feeling that there may be no aspect of what is said that she can’t transcribe into something visual.
Sue has gone from an interest in furniture design, while burning out at her retail management/marketing ca-reer, to a talented, well-known metal sculptor and artist. She has continued to build on her successes.
I initially covered Sue’s story in the July/August 2006 issue of Among Women, when she was at the begin-ning of her metal-sculpting career. She had a slew of art fairs under her belt, and a growing group of people
24 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women} cmwomen.com
never look Backby a grant they received through the Central Minnesota Arts Board. My concept for the entry feature hap-pened to include five life-size deer sculptures and an archway entry piece with two herons roosting on it. It was kind of a big involved project, but it was really fun.”
The project took five months to complete, not including all of the necessary planning before it was ever shown to anyone.
“To get this commission,” says Sue, “it was completely planned out, hav-ing all my costs organized, and I was able to present it in a way that they (a committee of staff, volunteers, and a facilitator from Forecast Public Arts) would understand what the end result would be.”
Toward the end of the selection pro-cess, three finalists from the original 20 were asked to make a presentation to the committee.
“We were given pretty free reign on what our presentation could be,” says Sue, “but the point of it was to choose between the three projects, and they wound up choosing me.”
The life-size herd of white leaping deer -- white, to be seen against the school building -- were installed, along with their nesting heron friends, at the Handke Center, in September of 2013.
New work and new technologyCurrently, Sue is getting ready for a show that opens in June at Seasons on St. Croix in Hudson, Wisconsin.
Lynn Fisher is a freelance writer from Champlin, Minnesota. Visit her website: lynn-fisher.com
Also, she is exploring graphic design as it applies to a new T-shirt design business she has begun, and how it lends itself to her other work.
“I’m learning screen-printing,” says Sue about the process. “It’s really fun. I have been really interested in work-ing with illustrations and graphic im-ages, and I’m finding that is weaving into my metalwork a bit.”
Always a woman who loves rust in all its guises and colors, Sue “encour-ages” the metal through a variety of chemical processes, to rust or change color. She then describes designing a massive vinyl decal of an intertwined root system, which she will later uti-lize in her metal wall pieces. She then layers it with paint and rust over the decal while it’s on the steel, and then peels the decal away to reveal the bare metal. It’s something she could only do on a small-scale before learning about this graphic technology.
Toward the end of this summer, she will be involved in a “Kickstarter” campaign to promote an art piece the public can watch her create, step-by-step, on her website, Suelandia. Kickstarter is a way to get online populist and monetary support for various projects. It’s been referred to by most media-savvy types as “crowd-sourcing,” that is, the crowd funds your idea.
“Weirdly, a lot of things turned out for the best,” Sue says of the time since the fire. Sue and her husband Dan have since moved to a new home in Elk River, from Big Lake, and they salvaged an old garage through a free source, turning it into “the cutest welding studio ever.”
The pieces have fallen into place like that first sculpture she created in those dark days.
“A light went off in my head, and that was it,” Sue remembers of the experi-ence. “Click…that’s what I want to do… and I’ve never looked back.”
Watch a film by the Central MN Arts Board about the grand opening of the
ecfe Nature explore center inelk river, featuring Sue Seeger
youtube.com/watch?v=Xgyt50eDkgg
See the Brand New Nature explore classroom for yourself
Handke Center •1170 Main StreetElk River MN 55330 • (763) 241-3520elkriver.k12.mn.us/community.cfm
visit Sue Seeger’s you-Tube channel, Suelandia, watch her weld and talk
about her create process.youtube.com/channel/
Ucecg_100e3xfvzefgBAZq4w
Sue’s work will appear atSeasons On St croix gallery
401 Second Street • Hudson WI, 54016during the entire month of june, 2014(715) 381-2906 • seasonsonstcroix.com
follow Sue Seeger on facebookfor the latest on upcoming shows
and to follow her kickstartercampaign for Public Art
Other places that you can see Sue Seeger’s Art:
• Hennepin County Medicalcenter-8th Street entrance• St Cloud State University’s
Permanent collection
catch up with Sue on her blog:welcometosuelandia.blogspot.com
In her studio, Sue stands next to the nearly finished deer, just before they were coated white.
Pho
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y Su
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r
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 25
they made a wrong turn or got off track. You might think this is just a “pride” thing or a “male ego” thing, as it would often appear, but there is actually more to it than that. Let me try to explain by using the anal-ogy of a small fire.
In the beginning, the small fire is totally containable,
manageable, and nothing to overreact to. While he tries to figure out, in the safety of his own mind, where he is and where he’s going, that lost guy is keeping up the small talk. We’re good at that and know how to do it because we even get lost sometimes when we’re driving alone!
So, the second it goes public -- that we’re trying to figure out where we’re headed -- it’s like dousing the fire with gasoline! Why, you’re asking? Because this is the point where most ladies be-gin to ask questions like: How did you get us lost? Where did we get off track? Where is the street you’re looking for? You
what’s He Thinkingmean you didn’t look up the directions before we left?!
These are all good questions -- FOR ANOTHER TIME! While they’re seemingly important, if the guy knew any of those answers, he probably wouldn’t be lost in the first place. Chances are that, if at this point he actually stops to ask directions, it has less to do with breaking his pride, and probably more about just wanting to get out of the car for a few moments. Granted, he could have stopped much earlier and avoided all the pain, but what can I say… we are slow learners.
So, next time you know he is lost, turn it into a fun little mind game and lead him into a really deep conversation by asking Life’s Probing Questions. You may be really amused at what he says to keep the fire small!
Until next time ...
Doug Vagle and his wife Peggy live in Sartell. They have three children, Abby, Nathaniel, and Sophie. Doug is pastor of Waters Church in Sartell, thewaterschurch.net.
By Doug Vagle
Keeping the Fire SmallHas a guy ever driven you somewhere and gotten lost? No, not the inten-tional kind of lost so he can be alone with you. I’m talking just straight up, not-a-clue-where-he-is-going kind of lost. Your rational woman’s mind would immediately go for the obvi-ous: Why not just stop and ask someone for directions?
You already know that most guys would rather just drive around in circles until they accidentally run into the correct street than admit
title
26 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women} cmwomen.com
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper
By Heather Rotunda Photos by Sue Dropp
I’ll tell you a secret: I love bacon. Well, maybe that’s not really a secret. Bacon and I go way back. As I’ve mentioned before, my Gram loved bacon, too, and when she was put on a low-sodium diet, she resorted to boiling her bacon before frying to remove extra salt. I don’t know how effective that was, but I liked her determination; if anything was worth the extra effort, it’s bacon.
For the past couple of years, bacon has been showing up in every kind of dish imaginable, including dessert. That may sound strange at first, but more than almost any other ingredient, bacon plays well with others. Its most frequent traveling companions may be savory ones like eggs, tomatoes, beef, but it pairs every bit as well with maple, caramel, even chocolate (trust me on this).
All bacon is not created equal. The bacon we’re most familiar with in America comes from the belly of the pig, and is sometimes called “streaky bacon.” Irish, or back bacon, is much leaner and meatier; a layer of fat around the meat differentiates Irish bacon from its Canadian counterpart. Italy’s Pancetta, like American bacon, is from the belly, but is salt-cured instead of smoked.
When cooking bacon, remember to keep the burner low (not higher than medium), and don’t overcrowd the pan. If you don’t like the idea of preparing bacon on the stove, give the oven a try. Lay the strips on a baking rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Bacon JamThis is a little time-consuming, but so worth it! Put it on anything, from grilled cheese to waffles.
1 lb. sliced bacon, chopped1 medium yellow onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled½ cup strongly brewed coffee1/3 cup balsamic or white wine vinegar1/3 cup packed brown sugar3 Tablespoons real maple syrup
Bacon Jam
Bacon Spinach Ravioli
Food explorer
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 27
title
Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the mixture turns syrupy, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Let the mixture cool slightly,
then pulse a few times in a food
processor until
coarsely chopped. Store in a lidded jar and refrigerate for up to four weeks (I almost guarantee it won’t be around that long!). Reheat slightly before using.
Turkey Meatballs with Bacon
Thanks to Will at the Good Earth Food Co-op for the idea of adding apples to these meatballs! They’d also be good with ground chicken or pork.
5 slices bacon½ medium onion, diced fine
1 medium apple, diced1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup bread crumbsSalt and pepper to taste2 Tablespoons flour1 cup coffee¾ cup milk1 teaspoon dried thyme
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed
baking sheet with foil; set aside.
Cook the bacon until crisp, but not dark; set aside. Reserve
one tablespoon bacon fat in the pan (save the rest of the fat for later)
and cook the onions and apples until softened, stirring frequently. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool.
Combine onion mixture, ground turkey, Dijon, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 24 meatballs (or larger ones, if you prefer) and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (longer if making larger meatballs).
Heat two tablespoons bacon fat in the same skillet you cooked the onions and apples. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute. Continue whisking. Slowly add the coffee and milk, whisking constantly, until gravy begins to
Sue Dropp says: Heather! You have used your unique creativity again!! The use of bacon was amazing. The bacon jam is so savory/sweet and would be delicious on a bagel. I enjoyed
the bacon ravioli, and such a unique flavor. Lastly, the turkey meatballs with bacon were delectable, and healthy, too! You are my “Chopped” winner!
Heather Rotunda has been actively exploring the world of food for the past nine years and is at work on her first e-book. Find her at [email protected], and http://pinterest.com/sorrowfulflower/
towel-lined plates to drain. Press another paper towel on top; you want to be sure to remove all the fat you possibly can.Reserve one tablespoon drippings in the skillet. Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently. Remove any remaining fat from the pan. Add the coffee, vinegar, brown sugar, and maple syrup, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the skillet, for two minutes. Add the bacon and stir to combine.
thicken. Add dried thyme, meatballs and bacon. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring gently, until gravy is thickened and meatballs are coated.
Bacon Spinach Ravioli
Let your imagination run wild with ravioli fillings! Just be sure not to overstuff them; you don’t want a blowout when they cook.
1 lb. bacon, diced and cooked1 cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry4 oz. goat cheese1 Tablespoon tomato paste1 egg1 (16 oz.) pkg. wonton wrappers1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon waterCombine bacon, spinach, goat cheese, tomato paste, and one egg in a medium bowl. Place about a teaspoonful of the mixture in the center of one wonton sheet. Brush egg/water mixture around mixture; top with another wonton wrapper, pressing carefully around bacon mixture, removing any air pockets. I like to use a round cookie cutter to seal and trim the wonton wrappers. Repeat with remaining mixture and wrappers.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the ravioli to the pot and stir gently for a minute; boil three to four minutes. Gently remove with a slotted spoon and toss with your favorite pasta sauce or browned butter.
Turkey Meatballs
with Bacon
title
28 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women} cmwomen.com
Steppin’ out
Steppin' Out Local Arts and Local CommunityEventsBy Natalie M. Rotunda
instructor. info/register: paramoun-tarts.org, or (320) 257-
5928.5: Take 6, St.
john’s University, Stephen B. hum-phrey Theater, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: csbsju.edu/fine-arts.
htm, or (320) 363-5777.
8-22: Art Over Easy: Stained Glass Made
Simple! Paramount visual Arts center, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., ellen Nelson, instructor. info/register: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.12: Griffin Theater Company in Letters Home, St. john’s Univer-sity, Stephen B. humphrey Theater, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: csbsju.edu/fine-arts.htm, or (320) 363-5777.15: chamber music Society of St. cloud presents Midori, Paramount, 7:30 p.m. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or chambermusicstcloud.org, or (320) 259-5463.16-30: Mosaics 101: Concrete and Glass Mosaic Forms, Paramount visual Arts center, 6 to 8:30 p.m., laura ruprecht, instruc-tor. info/register: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.22: Maggie Mae & the Heartland Country Band, Paramount, 1:30 and 7 p.m. Tick-ets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.22: Bus Trip to Minneapolis
ArtsAprilThrough 11/07/2016: Power on the Prairie Exhib-it, Stearns history museum, 10 a.m. info: (320) 253-8424.04/24 through 05/26: Elizabeth Feldhege: Cocoon, Paramount visual Arts center. mon.-fri., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. free admission!1-8: Art Appreciation, Para-mount visual Arts center, 10 a.m. to noon, lynn metcalf, instructor. Develop and improve your basic understanding of visual arts. regis-tration: (320) 257-5928.2-4: justin Ploof & The Throw-backs: Beatles Part 2, Pioneer Place on fifth, 7:30 p.m. info/Tick-ets: ppfive.com, or (320) 203-0331.4-13: g.r.e.A.T. presents Shrek the Musical, Paramount. Per-formances: fri., 7 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 7 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.4-14: Woodturning 201: Natural Edge Bowls, Para-mount, 6 to 8:30 p.m., john caye,
Institute of Arts, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Paramount visual Arts center. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 257-5928.25: Streb, cSB Benedicta Arts center, escher Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. info phone: (320) 363-5777, or email, [email protected]: Saint Cloud Singing Saints, Paramount, 7:30 p.m. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.27: great river chorale: “Salute to Freedom,” Paramount, 3 p.m. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.28: St. Cloud Municipal Band, Paramount, 7:30 p.m. free admis-sion!29: Walkin’ Shoes Tour with Kevin King & Dan Choui-nard, Paramount, 7 p.m. Tick-ets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.
mAY2-18: The Underpants by Steve martin, Pioneer Place on fifth. Performances: Thu.-Sat., 7: 30 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Tickets/info: ppfive.com, or (320) 203-0331.3: St. cloud Symphony Orchestra presents Overcoming Adver-sity, ScSU ritsche Auditorium, pre-concert, 6:30 p.m.; concert, 7:30 p.m. Tickets/info: (320) 252-7276.2-3: Compagnia TPO – Blue! cSB Benedicta Arts center, gorecki family Theater. Performances: fri., 7 p.m.; Sat., 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets/Info: csbsju.edu/fine-arts.htm, or (320) 363-5777.4: cSB/SjU Symphony Orchestra and the mN center chorale present Te Deum, 2 p.m., escher Auditori-um. Ticketsinfo: csbsju.edu/fine-Arts.htm, or (320) 363-5777.
Big Sing 2014 – O Come Let
Us SingApril 26 •7:00 pm
St John’s University Abbey Church
Come hear the largest collection of male voices at St. John’s University Abbey
Church. Over 250 voices promises to make this the greatest
musical experience in Central MN this year.
cmwomen.com {Central Minnesota Women} April/may 2014 29
Steppin’ out
19: granite city folk Society pres-ents An Evening with Judy Collins, Paramount, 7:30 p.m. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.21-23: justin Ploof & The Throw-backs: Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty, Pioneer Place on fifth, 7:30 p.m. Tickets/Info: ppfive.com, or (320) 203-0331.
CommunityApril4-6: Food & Farms Weekend: grow it, raise it, Preserve it, Pre-pare it. expert-led, on-site work-shops. Audubon center of the North woods. info/register: (888) 404-7743; email, [email protected]; or audubon-center.org.4-6: Central Minnesota Car Show, St. cloud river’s edge convention center. fri., 3 to 8 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sun., noon to 3 p.m. contact: (320) 492-6509. info: knsiradio.com/community/community-calendar/central-minnesota-car-show/.5: Thomsens’ Spring Seminars at the Greenhouse. info: (320) 363-7375; email, [email protected]; or, tgreenhous-es.com.11: Big Brothers Big Sisters Magic Moments Gala, St. cloud rivers edge convention center, 5:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets: (320) 253-1616, or bbbscentralmn.org/pages/magicmomentsgala.com.12: First Steps Baby Expo, St. cloud river’s edge convention center, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. $5 admis-
sion. contact: (320) 420-4842. info: firststepsbabyexpo.com/.12: Home-Based Business Expo, St. cloud river’s edge con-vention center, all day. contact: (507) 951-7658, or email, [email protected]: Craft Show, midtown Square mall, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. jewelry, crochet items, and more. free admission.12: Thomsens’ kids club, Plant-ing Day, 1 to 3 p.m. Thomsens greenhouse, Avon. info: (320) 363-7375; email, [email protected]; or, tgreenhouses.com.18-19: Scheel’s Earth Day Half Marathon. register/info: stcloudstate.edu/campusrec/earthday/.25: Evening Moth Program, Sherburne National wildlife ref-uge, 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. join jim Sogaard, author of moths & caterpillars of the North woods. Pre-register: (763) 389-3323.26-27: Thomsens Spring Clean-ing Garage Sale. info: (320) 363-7375; email, [email protected]; or, tgreenhous-es.com.
mAYSt. Cloud Farmers’ Market, Saturdays, may 3rd through Satur-day, October 25th, 8 a.m. to noon. New location: lady Slipper Parking lot (between Perkins and fitzhar-ris, downtown St. cloud). info: stcloudfarmersmarket.com.St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, fridays, may 9 through September 19th, 3 to 6:30 p.m.; September 26th through October 24th, 3 to 6 p.m. location: 610 No. county road 2, St. joseph. info: [email protected], or stjosephfarmersmarket.com.2-4: Women’s Wellness & Adventure Weekend: All-inclusive, complete holistic retreat. early Bird Discount of 10% off if registered by 04/04/14. Audubon center of the North woods. info/register: (888) 404-7743; email, [email protected]; or audubon-center.org.4: Walk MS. location: to be determined. contact: (800) 582-5296, or email, [email protected].
8: An Evening with Groucho Marx, Para-
mount, 1:30 and 7 p.m. frank ferrante recreates
the legendary groucho. Tick-ets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.9-10: The Big river Show Series presents LEGACY: A Trib-ute to the King of Pop, ca-thedral high School Performing Arts Theater, 8 p.m. Tickets: $20 in advance at glbergpresents.com; $25 at the door.9-10: Veranda Variety Hour, season finale, 10:30 p.m., both nights. $5 at the door. info: (320) 203-0331.10: Paula Poundstone,Paramount, 7:30 p.m. Tickets/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.12: Work of Art: Fund-ing Your Work, presented by Springboard for the Arts, lake george Park and complex, 6 to 8:30 p.m. free! registration is required: [email protected]. info: (320) 968-4290.16: ARENA Dances – Main Street, cSB Benedicta Arts cen-ter, gorecki family Theater, 7:30 p.m. Ticketes/Info: csbsju.edu/fine-arts.htm, or (320) 363-5777.16-18: Church Basement Ladies: A Mighty Fortress Is Our Basement, Paramount. Performances: fri., 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Tickets/info:paramountarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.16-18: Oil Painting 101: Mas-tering Plein Airs with Oils, Paramount visual Arts center. john heckman, instructor. fri., 5 to 9 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sun., 12 to 4 p.m. register/info: paramountarts.org, or (320) 257-5928.
St. Cloud Symphony Presents
Overcoming AdversityMay 3 • 6:30 pm
pre-show discussion, 7:30 pm concert
SCSU Ritchie AuditoriumThe St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra explores Overcoming Adversity in this final concert of the 2013-2014 Season. Dr. Clinton Smith
and the orchestra will perform Fratres by Arvo Part, New Morning for the World by Joseph Schwantner and
Symphony No. 5 by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
Get ready to laugh with an award-winning American stand-up comedian, author,
actress, interviewer and commentator, known for her distinctive brand of spontaneous observational
comedy and HBO comedy specials.
Comedian Paula Poundstone
May 107:30 pm
Paramount Theater
30 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women} cmwomen.com
S N A PShots
These young businesses may have just what you’re looking for!
By Natalie M. Rotunda
how your items are selling by logging onto the website. Shopping, not selling? Admission on day one only is two bucks. Pay for all those goodies and bargains you find with cash, credit card, or check. To the garage-sale devotees among us – is your appetite whetted yet?On day four, items can sell for half off. when the sale ends, jBf donates leftover items to a local charity. consignors’ price tags let jBf know if their items are to be donated.
debhessjewelryart.com(320) 492-4377; email,
[email protected] her on Facebook
Debby welcomes custom orders!former Downtown coffee-shop owner Debby hess has a new love. She makes one-of-a-kind jewelry art. She may repeat a pattern, she tells us, but it’s never exactly like the original piece. how did this lady with the creative heart for art transition from owning the former Taste of Seattle (now Seven elephants) to entrepreneurship of a different type? “i came out of the coffee
shop years feeling so exhausted from the amount of labor that goes into it, and was ready to focus on something with a fun, creative emphasis,” she says. During the time she helped set up a coffee shop in crafts Direct, she regularly walked past racks of jewelry-making magazines that caught her eye. She told herself she’d like to do something like that when she got the time. “The time” came about four years ago. Debby started fiddling around with a few projects, showed them to family and friends who liked what they saw, and did her first, official show at a Downtown Arts crawl event. “i got such positive feedback, i decided i could do this.” what inspires her creativity? This will give you an idea. She had seen a dead dragonfly, outside, at her home, and carefully studied it, noting its lines and angles, and its beauty. She took those observations to her work bench, and voila! before long, she had replicated the dragonfly into a piece of wearable art, a necklace. “All creative people are not sole proprietors of what they’re creating,” Debby says. “We’re all influenced by our community and what goes on around us.”jewelry art is life-giving to Debby. That cherished personal connection she had with her coffee shop patrons is now showing up in personal connections with her jewelry customers. “That thread is still there. I find that fulfilling and satisfying.”visit Debby’s website for latest information on craft shows and Arts crawls she’ll attend, and for locations of stores carrying her jewelry art.
30 April/may 2014 {Central Minnesota Women} cmwomen.com
register at justbetweenfriendsstcloudmn.com
jbfsale.com/findAnEvent.jsp#
email: [email protected]; and [email protected]
Spring sale, May 8th through 10th at St. Cloud Armory!Seasonal Infant-to-teen clothing, games, shoes, strollers, sporting goods, bikes.ever heard of just Between friends sales? Some folks liken them to mega-garage sales. They’re big in the Twin cities, where sisters-in-law jenny and kelly Studer happened onto a sale not long ago. we’re guessing it was love at first sight for the two, more than enough love to stir an interest in bringing a franchise back to St. cloud. Turns out, jBf sales are the perfect fit for Kelly and Jenny. They love garage-saling, finding bargains, and recycling. They’re excited to be helping others who share their passions. How it works: if you’re a seller, you’re called a consignor. first step -- register (free) at the jBf website where you’ll be assigned a universal number that can be used at any jBf sale anywhere in the U.S. Print out your tags. Pick out your prices, whatever you want to sell the items for. Bring your tagged items – clean, free of holes -- to the Armory the day prior to the sale, where someone will inspect them. jenny tells us, “we don’t reject anything just because it is not name-brand.” what’s your takeaway as a jBf consignor? how does 65%, and an extra 5% if you volunteer six to eight hours, sound? Throughout the sale, track
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