ssp oct 2012
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
October 2012
Volume 9
Number 10
Visit www.stpaulpublishing.com for expanded area coverage!
The On the Road Again festival booya is the main fundraiser for the South St. Paul Jaycees. Proceeds support membership pro-grams and community projects, such as the Citywide Campout and the St. Patrick’s Day Food Drive.
Time for BOOYA!On the Road Again festivities held 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6
Mary Diedrick HansenStaff Writer
You can bet on it. As sure as a secret fam-
ily recipe for booya is never divulged to a stranger, the first Saturday in October in South St. Paul will have fabulous weather. Just ask Steve Mankowski, director of the city’s On the Road Again fall festival. It was 27 years ago that he and other business folk along Southview Boulevard chose this weekend for the On the Road festival, first held in 1985. After studying Farm-ers’ Almanac records going back 100 years, they learned that historical weather data showed that the first week-end in October was the best choice for an outdoor festi-val because of its dependable sunny weather. As always, Mankowski sends letters to South St. Paul churches ask-ing them to pray for good weather — for a little added insurance. It seems to be
On the Road Again / Page 3
Mark GallagherContributor
“On the Road Again,” a one-day festival celebrated the first weekend in Octo-ber for more than a quar-ter-century, is synonymous with autumn in South St. Paul, and Steve Mankows-
ki, owner of Southview 66 Servicenter, is synonymous with the festival. He has been chairman of it since its second year and president for about 20 years.
In the mid-1980s, South-view Boulevard was closed for repairs and some local businesses suffered due to
reduced car and foot traf-fic. Following construction, Mankowski and a number of other businesses decided they should have a little party for their customers to thank them for their pa-tronage. That little party — On the Road Again — just snowballed.
“We did it that one year and it was successful, and everybody said we had to do it again next year,” said Mankowski.
The first year he got in-volved he coordinated food vending. The next year he was promoted to chairman, a po-sition he has held ever since.
“As the years went by, there weren’t that many people who wanted to keep On the Road Again going,” he said. “I did and thought South St. Paul needed a fall festival, so I decided to take it on myself. There is no-body on the board now, but I’m easy to work with.”
Anyone who has been to the event knows about its world-famous booya competition. People from various businesses and organizations stay up all night cooking thick stew in
Mankowski is at it again for ‘On the Road Again’
Steve Mankowski / Page 2
A congregation as old as the city Clark Memorial United Church of Christ celebrates 125th anniversary
Mary Diedrick HansenStaff Writer
A lot can happen in 125 years. For Clark Memorial United Church of Christ it has meant sending the
“Clark Chatter” newsletter to service members in World War II, a pastor occasionally showing up late on a Sun-day due to river traffic on the Mississippi, and the most up-to-date facilities for each era, including the outhouse that stood out back in 1887.
An anniversary of 125 years is not to be neglected, and Clark Memorial, South St. Paul’s first church, will host a musical presentation in its commemoration, 2-3:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7. It will be a homecoming of sorts, as past Clark Memorial members join current members along with those from Mendota Heights and St. Paul Park UCC churches in a combined choir con-ducted by longtime church member Ralph Swanson, Clark Memorial’s music director. Swanson designed the 125th musical presentation.
There could not be a more appropriate way to honor the anniversary since music and singing have always been an important part of the close-knit church com-munity. This is verified by Swanson and his wife, Helen, and Ralph’s cousin Roy Swanson and his wife, Lois. The two couples were born and raised in South St. Paul, and are third generation members of the current 125-mem-ber congregation. They recalled how back in the 1930s, Lois’s father was part of a quartet that sang on KSTP radio on Sundays. He also played the banjo and was part of the South St. Paul “Hook’em Cow Band.” Music runs in the Swanson family. They are all in the church choir and gather to sing around Ralph, who took over as or-ganist in 1986 from the previous organist of 40 years.
The fathers of Roy and Ralph were brothers, and early members of the church. They knew Charles W. Clark, a real estate developer and member of the board of di-
Clark Memorial / Page 4
Page 2 - South St. Paul Voice - October 2012
Your community news and information sourceP eople
The South St. Paul Voice is published monthly and distributed to 8,500 homes and high traffic businesses in South St. Paul.
Publisher & Editor: Tim Spitzack Copy Editor: Leslie MartinReporter: Mary Diedrick Hansen Contributors: Mark Gallagher, Lois GlewweAdvertising: Mona Toft, John Ahlstrom Home Delivery: Independent Delivery Service Bulk Delivery: SC Distribution 651-285-1119
The South St. Paul Voice assumes no responsibility for the opinions expressed by contribu-tors and for the validity of claims or items reported. Copyright South St. Paul Voice 2012. All rights reserved in compliance of Federal Copyright Act of 1978.
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Photo by James Ramsay, jamesramsayphotography.com
Steve Mankowski, owner of the Southview 66 Servicenter in South St. Paul, juggles his respon-sibilities at work with organizing community festivals, including On the Road Again.
75- to 100-gallon vats, stir-ring their concoctions with canoe paddles. Attendees purchase tickets for bowls of booya and eat it at tables in the parking lot across from Southview 66. Cus-tomers may also bring extra containers to take home the delicious stew.
Mankowski said the booya competition has be-come a vital part of the fes-tival.
“Walt Books had a booya in the 1970s, and that was always a fall event,” he said. “Walt and I decided they should go hand-in-hand, so instead of a booya and then a week later a festival we put the two together and ran the two events at the same time.”
Mankowski starts plan-ning for the festival in late July, knowing that with his experience he can organize everything in about two and a half months. When asked how many meetings
it takes to get everything ready, he said, “I have a meeting whenever I want.” Being the chairman, he can do that.
Like many other commu-nity events, On the Road Again would not happen without volunteer help. Mankowski enlists 12-15 volunteers to make the event run smoothly.
As chairman, he organizes the car show and is respon-sible for coordinating the arts and craft vendors. He also tries to get new food vendors and strives to think of new ideas each year.
“Last year we had the beer garden, root beer gar-den and miniature golf,” he said. “This year we will have a fire truck so somebody can sit up there and get the siren going.”
Besides working with On the Road Again, Mankows-ki is a businessman, self-taught in the art of fixing cars. Growing up, he spent
his summers on his grand-ma’s farm in Sandstone,
Minn., where he was intro-duced to the inner work-ings of farm machinery. When he turned 15 he got his first job washing cars at Grandview Motors, a car dealership in South St. Paul that was located across the street from the business he presently owns. He was pro-moted to car mechanic and continued to hone his skills during the summers on his grandma’s farm.
In high school, when other kids his age were play-ing sports or goofing off, Mankowski would go down to the Dakota County tax office and look up the re-cords of properties that were delinquent in real es-tate taxes. He would make arrangements to pay the tax and become the prop-erty owner. Eventually, he
acquired a nice portfolio of properties in Dakota County. That spirit of en-trepreneurship enabled him to invest in a service station before he graduated from high school — the business he still owns today.
Since 1998, Mankowski has also been involved with “Kaposia Days,” serving twice as president.
“I enjoy every minute of doing these events,” he said. “It’s challenging, and I like a challenge. I wasn’t around when Kaposia Days came about, but I think the city thought they had to have a summer event. They started 35 years ago and had a ro-deo in conjunction with Kaposia Days. The rodeo is gone, but Kaposia Days is still here.”
Mankowski volunteered with Kaposia Days for a few years and then assumed a leadership role.
“I was volunteering for three years and then they told me to give it a shot,” he said. “Actually, chairman wasn’t anything different than I was doing before. They just gave me an official title.”
Mankowski doesn’t have a hired staff to assist him. In his eloquent way, he said “They all are volunteers. Nobody gets paid, includ-ing me. My favorite thing is just getting it done and be-ing successful at it.”
Mankowski shared his se-cret for success in organizing community celebrations: “Patience and the willing-ness to do it,” he said.
Steve Mankowskifrom page 1
South St. Paul Voice - October 2012 - Page 3
Your community news and information sourceA rts & Culture
working, since just one day in all these years has had in-clement weather.
The festival began as a great big thank you to loyal customers who managed to find their way to businesses on torn-up Southview Bou-levard, then under serious road construction. The first festival covered just a cou-ple of blocks. It has since grown to almost one mile along Southview.
BooyaDr. Zenk’s Dental Parking Lot820 Southview Blvd.Judging at 3 p.m.
Cast your vote for the best-tasting booya. First sample the succulent va-rieties of the savory stew. Contestants use special ingredients and top se-cret recipes passed from one generation to the next. Typically, 700 to 800 gallons are devoured in a mere two-and-a-half hours.
Booya is a thick stew into which just about anything can be tossed: corn, toma-toes, carrots, cabbage, lima beans and meat, which is usually chicken or beef. It seems to be the season-ing, with mysterious secret spices sneaked in, that sets one batch apart from the next. Because it takes 12 to 14 hours for the sumptuous soup to reach perfection, the chefs in town gather for an all-nighter of cook-ing. Typically, they use huge kettles, some of which can hold hundreds of gallons of stew and are meant to serve hundreds of people.
The name “booyah” is thought to have derived from the French word for “to boil” (bouillir), and subsequently broth (bouil-
lon). The first recorded community booya fest was held near Green Bay, Wisc. The story goes that a Green Bay Press reporter handling the news of a benefit pic-nic asked what would be served. “Bouillon” was the reply. The reporter wrote down the French pronun-ciation of the word as he heard it—“booyah”—and that’s how it appeared in the paper.
Booya organizer Walt Books is planning to add an international twist to the booya this year. He wants to attract a larger multi-cultural audience by adding more ethnic food. For more information, call Books at 651-207-4442 or 651-457-2774. Car ShowSouthview Blvd. from 12th Avenue to 9th Avenue
Cruise on over and see more than 130 vehicles of all makes and models on display. A vintage car and truck display shows how far the industry has come over the last century.
Beer and Root Beer GardenCentral Bank Parking Lot835 Southview Blvd.
Event begins at 11 a.m. and features a bean bag tournament. Bugg’s Place will supply the beer and glass mugs. Customers will receive a refund for the deposit on the mug, and a free drink when they return the mug to Bugg’s Place, 925 N. Concord St.
South St. Paul’s Vietnam Veterans Chapter 636 will supply the root beer. Local musicians, The Concord Street Pickers, will provide country and western tunes.
Duck Races11 a.m.-3 p.m.Southview BoulevardAdopt a duck for $5
South St. Paul’s Neigh-bor’s Inc. has gone “quackers” with its an-nual rubber duck race fundraiser. Join in the fun by “adopting” a duck for five bucks and then send it down a chute of moving water. Top per-forming ducks from each of the multiple heats held throughout the day will compete in the champi-
onship race, which will begin around 2:30 p.m. Prizes such as a mo-tor scooter, flat screen TV, and an evening of backyard movies will be awarded for first, second and third place finish-ers. The last duck to fin-ish wins the Lazy Duck award of $100.
Live MusicDr. Zenk’s Parking Lot820 Southview Blvd.12:30-4:30 p.m.
Bring your dancing shoes for the rockin’ mu-sic of High Brow and the Shades, a band featuring the sounds of the ’60’s and ’70s.
Kelly’s Green Mini-Golf8th Avenue and Southview Blvd.
Try your luck at this portable 9-hole mini-golf course.
Flea MarketSouthview Blvd. from 4th Avenue to 7th Avenue8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Get a jump on holiday
shopping with one-of-a kind arts and crafts. Who knows what inex-pensive treasures await? With more than 100 ven-dors from across the state displaying their wares, something is bound to catch your eye.
Petting ZooCentral Bank Parking Lot835 Southview Blvd.11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Rainbow Critters from Roberts, Wisc., will be on hand with a menag-erie of animals, including Sally the Camel, chick-ens, ducks and calves.
Pickle ContestDr. Zenk’s Parking Lot820 Southview Blvd.Judging at 2 p.m. by South St. Paul Royalty
Pickle mavens may en-ter their prized preserves in three categories: sweet, dill or hot.
This year’s South St. Paul Queen, Anna Lavigne, and her princesses will taste-test and select the perfect pickle from each group. En-tries must be submitted at
Southview 66 Servicenter to Steve Mankowski by noon the day of the judging.
The festival will also fea-ture face painting, kids’ inflatables fun and lots of food. For more information contact Mankowski at 651-457-2774.
Corn Feed and Bonfire7-11 p.m.VFW Post 295111 S. Concord Exchange
Come for the corn feed, stay for the bonfire and music, provided by SoundTown and Ameri-can Roadhouse.
On the Road Againfrom page 1
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Page 4 - South St. Paul Voice - October 2012
Your community news and information sourceF aith
Photo by James Ramsay, jamesramsayphotography.com
Ralph Swanson, left, Helen Swanson, Roy Swanson and Lois Swanson display a model built by Carl and Lenora Larson of the original church. Clark Memorial Congregational Church, built in 1887, was the first church in South St. Paul. Architect Cass Gilbert designed it, as well other famous buildings, including Minnesota’s State Capitol and the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.
rectors for Drovers Bank in South St. Paul (now Bremer Bank), who established the first church in South St. Paul in 1887. It was originally called South Park Community Church, be-cause Clark had visions of developing the area outside St. Paul into a suburb called South Park, similar to Chi-cago’s South Park suburb at the time.
Clark provided land for the first church, and while it was being built, church members met in a grocery store on Concord and Bry-ant. Clark brought a min-ister by train on Sunday mornings from St. Paul to preach. The early congre-gation of 10 or 11 people got a loan of $1,600 from the St. Paul Congregational Union, an interdenomina-tional group, to build the first church. That first edi-fice was made of wood with a narrow, six-sided steeple, with an outhouse in back.
After 125 years it is not surprising that the church has been rebuilt and remod-
eled many times, necessi-tated by several fires and a growing congregation. An educational wing was added in the ’60s and an elevator in 1980, along with the courtyard and ground floor entrance.
It wasn’t until 1931 that the church was renamed Clark Memorial, in honor of the man who founded the church and who left a large memorial to it when he died.
Because Ralph’s dad knew Clark, Clark set him up with a job as a messenger boy at age 14 at Drovers Ex-change Bank. He eventually worked his way up to bank president. As the congrega-tion began to grow, he be-came superintendent of the Sunday School program. In the ’30s, a large number of children with parents work-ing at the Swift meat pack-ing plant led to an enroll-ment of 150 kids. In the next decade, membership grew to around 500 people.
“I remember standing up for Bible verses and Bible
history drills,” said Roy. Ralph recalled a Bible
history team from Clark Memorial competing on a WCCO Sunday radio show about Bible history.
“We didn’t win,” he said regretfully.
Lois said she loved going to church because, being raised with three broth-ers, no sisters and no girls nearby to play with, church was a place for her to social-ize. She became fast friends with Helen, Ralph’s future wife, and claims Helen was the one who “taught her to be feminine.”
During the war years of the 1940s the women wrote a church newsletter, “The Clark Chatter,” that they sent to service mem-bers everywhere to keep them posted on events in the neighborhood, recalled Ralph.
“Draft age young men were enlisting or being drafted and many marriag-es took place during that time,” said Roy.
“A lot of boys were in the war,” said Lois. “There was a strong teen group that led to many marriages.”
Added Ralph, “When they came home they all got married and had chil-dren and became a very tight group and had a lot of fun organizations, which brought in a lot of new members.”
The Swansons remem-bered how Clark Memo-rial shared a minister with the UCC church across the river in St. Paul Park, and how once in a while ser-mons were delayed when he
got stuck trying to cross the river.
“He had to cross the bridge over the Mississippi river to get back and forth,” said Roy. “Once in a while he got stuck on one side or
Clark Memorialfrom page 1
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South St. Paul Voice - October 2012 - Page 5
Your community news and information sourceF aiththe other when the bridge was lifted for river traffic. The sermon started a little late on those days.”
The current pastor, the Rev. Lisa Bodenheim, is the church’s 29th minister. Having grown up in Wa-basha, Minn., another river town farther down the Mis-sissippi, moving to South St. Paul was like moving back home for her. She en-joys the close-knit feel of South St. Paul as well as Clark Memorial Church, where many of the members are related. She got into the ministry after working as a social worker in Rochester, Minn. She was ordained in 1996 and her first two churches were in Alma and Cochrane, Wisc. During her time there she became interested in faith revital-ization and the peace and justice movement, and was able to travel to an abbey in Iona, Scotland, and learn more about the movement. She is interested in putting the faith revitalization prac-tices that she learned there to work by increasing the numbers at Clark Memo-
rial. The congregation now has 125 members, and most are elderly. The goal is reach out and be more visible in the community. She has started a Bible study at the Black Sheep Coffee Cafe on Southview Boulevard and intergenerational folk danc-es in the church hall.
The United Church of Christ has a history of pro-gressivism and social activ-ism. Locally, they were the seed that started Neighbors Inc. It all began when a mi-grant worker was promised a job in South St. Paul. Af-ter arriving with his family he learned that the job was not available. Church mem-ber Kathy Crim fed the family lunch and obtained gas money for them to re-turn home. This incident prompted church members and the minister to consider developing an organization that would be able to help families when they were in need.
The minister approached the South St. Paul ecumeni-cal ministerial group about the idea and not long after the Presbyterian Church
in town became the site of the first food shelf, which is now known as Neighbors Inc. That was 40 years ago.
Clark Memorial contin-ues to support Neighbors Inc. in a number of ways, including through its “Giv-ing Garden,” which was started last year. The fresh produce they grow is donat-ed to Neighbors Inc.’s food shelves.
South St. Paul’s Restor-ative Justice offices are housed at Clark Memorial Church. This organization’s mission is to have victims and offenders sit down with each other to repair dam-age done without going to court. Restorative Justice was originally located in City Hall but relocated as administrative space there grew scarce. In 2004 the church became open and affirming of gay rights.
Why is a church com-munity so important to the Swansons?
“God has called us to-gether to create a caring congregation rooted in faith, hope and love,” said Ralph.
“We have had a lot of struggles in and out of the church, but the church has come through it,” said Lois. “We have conservatives and liberals under one roof. You learn how to get along with each other. What do you
really believe?” she asks. “You can find out and work through it in the Church.”
Clark Memorial United Church of Christ is located at 779 15th Ave. N., South St. Paul. For more informa-tion, call 651-451-7278.
Others celebrating milestone anniversaries
The South St. Paul City Council will recognize businesses celebrating their longevity in the city at the October 15 city council meeting. A parade of busi-nesses will take place and birthday cake will be on hand for the celebration. Other businesses celebrating anniver-saries this year or early next year in-clude:• Bester Brothers transfer and storage company – 95 years • Neighbor’s Inc. – 40 years• SSP Rotary Club – 40 years• Kaposia Park – 75 years• Wakota Federal Bank – 50 years• Complete Music – 25 years• COOP restaurant – 50 years• Central Square – 10 years • Southview Servicenter – 45 years
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Page 6 - South St. Paul Voice - October 2012
Pool partiesA fall break pool party
is offered 6-8 p.m., Fri-day, Oct. 19 at the Central Square Community Cen-ter pool, 100 N. 7th Ave.,
South St. Paul. The party will feature games, swim-ming, a movie and snacks. Cost is $2 per person.
Floats & Flicks parties will be held 6-8 p.m., Fri-
day, Oct. 5, 19 and Nov. 9 at the pool. Cost is $3.25.
Harvest timeAll produce and garden-
ing materials at the com-
munity gardens near Mc-Morrow Field in South St. Paul must be removed by October 14. After this date, the city will plow the gar-dens for the season.
Annual bike saleBoy Scout Troop # 99 is
hosting its annual bike sale 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Gallagher Hansen VFW Post 295, 111 Concord Exchange,
South St. Paul. The bikes available for purchase have been recovered by the South St. Paul Police Department over the past year. For more information, contact Deb Sederstrom at 651-457-0935.
Horseback riding and hay ride
The South St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department
is hosting a trip to Bunker Hills Regional Park in Coon Rapids 9:30 a.m.-3:40 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 18 for children age 8 and older (minimum 52”). The event includes a guided trail ride, hay ride and bonfire. Cost is $36. Pickup/return is at Central Square Commu-nity Center. In-person pre-registration is required. For more information, call 651-306-3690.
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Your community news and information sourceN ews Briefs
South St. Paul Voice - October 2012 - Page 7
There are three different rent structures in the CDA’s Senior Housing Program including: • Rent Based on Income Units: One-bedroom rent is based on 30% of annual income
with a minimum rent of $373 and a maximum rent of $686. Two-bedroom rent is based on 32% of income with a minimum rent of $549 and a maximum rent of $869.
• Fixed Rent Units: One-bedroom rents are $566 and two-bedroom rents are $691. • Premium Units: One-bedroom rent is $725; two-bedroom is $900.
INCOME LIMITS: 1 person household: $45,500 2 person household: $52,000No income limits for Premium Units. A Senior Nutrition Program serving noon meals weekday is available at Dakota Heights. Thompson Heights is a smoke-free campus.
Senior Rental Housing in South St. PaulThe Dakota County CDA’s Senior Housing Program provides independent living rental housing for seniors age 55+. The CDA has three buildings in South St. Paul including: Dakota Heights, River Heights Terrace and Thompson Heights. Each building features community rooms with kitchens, underground parking, laundry facilities and one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Dakota Heights River Heights Terrace Thompson Heights
For more information visit www.dakotacda.org
To request an application, call 651-675-4440
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We join you in celebrating On The Road Again
Fall Festival!Dakota Premium
Foods425 S. Concord
455-6611•
Jodee Paape & Associates, LLC100 BridgePoint Dr.
Ste. 120455-4621
•Thompson Trucks
and Parts, Inc.316 Malden St.
455-9300•
Metzen Realty412 Southview Blvd.
455-2214•
Mayor Beth Baumann
Central Bank835 Southview Blvd.
451-2133•
Midwest Fabrics1226 S. Concord
451-6289•
Mike McPhillips, Inc825 Concord St. N.
www.mcphillipsinc.com451-4030
•Sanimax
505 Hardman Ave. So.South St. Paul
•Southview 66
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Central Square Community
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Key Community Bank"Committed to Community"
515 Marie Avenue 651-379-3576
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•James P. Leary, Jr.
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1560 Livingston Ave. Suite 102
West St.Paul 450-9373
Have a great time at On the Road Again!
Paid for by the Senator Metzen Re-election Committee105 Hardman Court, South St. Paul, MN 55075
[email protected] | Senate District 52
Page 8 - South St. Paul Voice - October 2012
Your community news and information sourceN ews BriefsSenior Center
The South St. Paul Senior Center, located at the Cen-tral Square Community Center, 100 – 7th Ave. N., offers activities for adults age 55 and over. For more information on the follow-ing events and other pro-grams offered for seniors, call 651-306-3693.
Dancing and Social Hour - Offered 1-2:30 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month. Refreshments will be available. This event is free, but donations are welcomed.
Penny Bingo - Play be-gins at 1 p.m. the first Mon-day of the month.
Afternoon at the Movies and Movie Classics - Af-ternoon at the Movies (new releases) is offered at 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, and Movie Classics at 1 p.m. the third Tuesday. The events include a movie shown on a big screen, snacks and beverages. Cost is $1.
Understanding Medicare
Cerenity Residence – South St. Paul is hosting a workshop on understand-ing Medicare benefits at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 9. Participants will learn about the different levels of Medi-care, veterans’ benefits and programs to consider when funds run low. The event will feature refreshments, door prizes and tours of Ce-renity Residence, 744 19th Ave. N. For more informa-tion, call 651-326-6502.
Craft and bake sale at LutherMemorial
Luther Memorial will host its annual craft and bake sale 8:30 a.m.-2 p. m., Saturday, Oct. 13. The event will fea-ture baked goods and unique items from crafters from all over Minnesota. A lunch of wild rice soup, bread and pie is available for purchase, starting at 11 a.m. For more details, call 651-451-2400.
Chamber hosts The EVENT
The River Heights Chamber of Commerce is hosting its second annual fundraising celebration, The EVENT, 6-10 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28 at Wabasha Street Caves, 215 Wabasha St. S., St. Paul. Admission is $40/person and includes hors d’oeuvres, entertain-ment from the cover band 8 Foot 4, a raffle and silent auction and recognition of servicemen and women from local military posts. A portion of the proceeds will be shared with local Beyond the Yellow Ribbon commu-nities to provide support for military service mem-bers and their families. For more information, contact the River Heights Chamber of Commerce at 651-451-2266 or visit www.riverhe-ights.com.
Tailgating reunion
The South St. Paul 125th Celebration Committee is hosting an all class tailgat-ing reunion 4:30-6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 5 at South St. Paul High School. The free event will include tailgat-ing treats, tours of the high school and Central Square Community Center, and birthday cake. At 7 p.m., participants are invited to
attend the Homecoming football game. For more de-tails, contact Deb Griffith at 651-554-3230 or [email protected].
Fare for All Fare for All Express will
be held 4-6 p.m., Oct. 1 and 26 at Central Square Com-munity Center, 100 7th Ave. N. There are no income requirements for participa-tion. Participation does not affect eligibility to receive assistance from a food shelf. For more information, call 651-306-3690 or visit www.southstpaul.org.
VFW hosts essay contests and fish fry
Gallagher Hansen VFW Post 295 and Auxiliary, 111 S. Concord Exchange, South St. Paul, is spon-soring its annual Voice of Democracy audio essay competition. High school students are encouraged to submit a 3-5 minute audio essay on the theme “Is Our Constitution Still Relevant?” Submissions are accepted at VFW Post 295 until November 1. Each year more than 50,000 stu-dents compete for $2.3 mil-lion in scholarships award-ed through this contest.
The Post is also sponsor-ing its annual Patriots pen essay contest for students in grades 6-8. This year’s theme is “What I Would Tell the Founding Fathers.” Essays should be 300-400 words and submitted to the Post by November 1. Last year more than 129,000 students participated in the contest. The top 46 nation-al winners receive a $1,000 savings bond.
For more information on both contests, call Tom at 651-489-2828 or Sherry at 651-295-2150.
The Post is hosting its an-nual all-you-can-eat fish fry 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-8 p.m., October 19, 26 and Novem-ber 2 and 9. For more details, call 651-455-1505.
Read Across South St. Paul
Read Across South St. Paul invites community members to volunteer to read to a classroom of stu-dents on the first Friday of each month at Lincoln Center and Kaposia Edu-cation Center. Volunteers are needed at 9 a.m. at Lincoln Center and 9:30 a.m. at Kaposia Education Center. For more informa-tion, contact Deb Griffith, community affairs liaison, at 651-554-3230 or [email protected], or visit www.southstpaul.org and click on the Commu-nity Events.
Highground Memorial
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 639 of South St. Paul is seeking cash and merchandise do-nations for its fundraiser, which will be held 2-5:30 p.m., Sat., Oct. 13, at Buggs’ Place, 925 N. Con-cord Exchange. The event will feature food, games, a bake sale and silent auction, door prizes pull tabs and more. Proceeds will benefit the Highground Memorial, which honors veterans of all wars. For more information on either event, contact John Lynch at 651-459-1310 or [email protected].
Sanimax expands in SSP
The Sanimax plant, locat-ed at 505 Harding Ave. S. in South St. Paul, recently celebrated the grand open-ing of its new facility. The
$9 million project includes a new office complex and poultry plant. Sanimax is an international leader in the reclamation and recy-cling of animal and meat by-products. It has oper-
ated in South St. Paul since 1995 and has 80 employees. The plant’s general manager is South St. Paul native Tim Kedrowski. For more infor-mation, visit www.sanimax.com or call 651-451-6858.
“I care about our community. I am committed to controlling
spending and keeping taxes down.”
EXPERIENCED!• Current member of City Council.• Attorney with Grannis & Lehmann, P.A.• Former attorney for cities of St. Paul and Farmington.• Lifelong resident of South St. Paul.
Let’s keep Chris Lehmann working for us on the City Council!
REMEMBER TO VOTE NOVEMBER 6Prepared and Paid for by Chris Lehmann for City Council Committee, 420 5th Avenue North • South St. Paul, MN 55075
CHRIS LEHMANNFOR SOUTH ST. PAUL CITY COUNCILRe-elect
LIBRARY
EVENTS
Call 651-554-3240 or visit www.southstpaul.org/library
Author appearance - West St. Paul author Susan Koefod will visit the library at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 11 to share her experience with getting published and to discuss her first book “Washed Up” and her most recent novel, “Broken Down.” The event will feature a question-and-answer session and refreshments. Infor-mation packets are available at the library and at www.southstpaul.org/library, under Adult Book Discussions.
Story times - Baby story times are offered Mondays at 6:30 p.m. for ages one and under. Family story times are held Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. and include books, mu-sic, rhymes and more. Some story times may be fol-lowed by a short craft project.
Music and Movement - Children age five and under are invited to explore music, dance, books and more each Wednesday in October. Space is limited, so regis-tration is required.
Star Wars Read Day is offered noon-2 p.m., Sat-urday, Oct. 6. The library will offer games, activities, crafts and more for the first national Star Wars Read Day. Costumes are encouraged.
A storybook movie party will take place at 10:15 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 16. Enjoy Doreen Cronin’s “Gig-gle, Giggle, Quack” and other funny stories on the big screen. All ages are welcome.
Fall Festival - The library’s fall festival is held 10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 18. The event features cre-ative activities, games, stories, songs and more for all ages.
Teen Writing Club – Teens ages 12-18 are invited to join the Teen Writing Club to practice writing skills, learn new techniques, read what other teen writers are working on, and hear helpful comments on their own writing. The group meets at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 3.
An Edible Art program is offered 1-3 p.m., Friday, Oct. 19. Youth age 12-18 will use their creativity to cre-ate edible works of art. Registration is required.
eBook Basics - Information sessions are offered Oc-tober 18 to learn more about downloading free library eBooks onto an eReader. Session 1: iPad, 1:30-2:15 p.m.; Session 2: Kindle, 2:15-3 p.m.; Session 3: Nook, Kobo, Sony and others, 3-3:45 p.m. If you are unsure about which session is right for you, call Honora at 651-554-3243.
Internet Basics - An informational session on how to use the internet is offered at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 8. This class provides instruction on navigating a web browser, exploring the library’s website, finding information and printing web pages. Registration is re-quired.
Paranormal Activity Revealed - The Hastings Para-normal Team will visit the library at 6:30 p.m., Mon-day, Oct. 22 to discuss what they’ve been up to since visiting the library last year.
Fall Book Sale - The library will host the fall book sale October 22-27, featuring children’s and adult ma-terials and a $1 bag sale all week.
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South St. Paul Voice - October 2012 - Page 9
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Live Music in OctoberOctober 5 ................................................Jug (Country), $5 coverOctober 6 ..........SoundTown Band (inside), American RoadHouse
band (outside), street dance, bonfire and corn roast. Bean bag tournament with prizes. Sign up at the bar now.
October 12 ............................... Jacob Martin (Country), $5 coverOctober 13 ............................................................ Rebel QueensOctober 16 .............................River City Jazz Orchestra, 7-10 pmOctober 19 ..............Roy Dawson and the Bootleggers (Country)October 20 .................................Jonah and the Whales, $5 coverOctober 26 ............................................. Maiden Dixie (Country)October 27 ............... The Big Twang (Country), Halloween party,
drink specials, costume contest and prizes
NEW Saturday & Sunday Breakfast SpecialEvery Saturday and Sunday, 9 am-noon
$4.50 Breakfast, $3 Mimosas & Screwdrivers, $4 Bloody Marys
Food & Drink SpecialsVFW Fish Fry - Fri, October 19 and 26, 5-8 pmSundays - Viking football: drink specials, free food, door prizes. Free 100 # Board and prizes. Tables reserved for groups of 10 or more. Build your own Bloodys @ Happy Hour prices, 10-5 pm; open until 10 pm, Travelin' Moburys live music, 7-10 pmMon - Fri - 11 am-2 pm $1 small domestic tap beer , $1 Corn Dogs; NEW Happy hour, 3-6 pm Mon - Chicken wings 5 for $2.50, 5-9 pmTues - $2 Burger Night; 2nd Tuesday Turtle Lake Casino Trip, 9 am, $5, get two free drinks upon return Wed - Bar Bingo at 7 p.m. NEW Hot DagosThurs - $1.25 State Fair Corn Dogs; Karaoke 8 pm-close; Ladies & Gentlemen Night, 9 pm - close; discount on all drinks and beer, 9 pm -close; open until 1 am Fri - Sat - Live music, 9 pm-1 am; open until 2 am. Sat - Mega Tacos $3 and meat raffle,noon-4 pm Lic. # 00052
Live music, 9 pm-1 am; open until 2 amBurger Kitchen - open Mon-Sat, 5-10 pmBomb specials - $3, all day, every day
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V.F.W. POST 295South St. Paul • 651-455-1505
Hall rental & special packages available for fundraisers.
John E. AhlstromStaff Writer
As we go to press, the South St. Paul Packer
football team has reeled off three consecutive victories – versus Richfield, Henry Sibley and Irondale – to start the season and is cur-rently ranked #2 in Class 4A in the latest Star Tribune poll. Quite understandably, the “Pit” has once again be-come a popular Friday eve-ning gathering place for the Packer faithful.
While it is a great time to be a Packer football fan, let us not forget that there are numerous South St. Paul High School (SSPHS) stu-dents competing in other athletic contests that surely merit attention. It is worth noting that nearly half of the 300 or so students who are participating in fall sports in 2012 are girls.
Over the course of this year, there has been a great deal of national publicity directed toward the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Title IX legislation enacted by Congress in 1972. That law ensured that “no person in the United States shall on the basis of sex be excluded from par-ticipation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education or activities pro-gram receiving federal fi-nancial assistance.” Title IX forever changed the sports landscape in this country.
Imagine this. Without the passage of Title IX, South St. Paul High School would not have four Girls State Hockey championship tro-phies adorning its trophy case, 2012 graduate Em-ily Englemeier would not have had an opportunity to earn 17 varsity letters and the lone professional sports franchise in the area that is worthy of our allegiance, the Minnesota Lynx, would not be in existence.
While we hail the legis-lation that guaranteed ath-letic opportunities for girls, the last thing we want to do as we chronicle the sports teams at South St. Paul High School is discrimi-nate against anyone. All of the young people who don the maroon and white are deserving of our encourage-ment, respect and support.
Boys Soccer: Tom Hart, a 2000 graduate of SSPHS, is serving his first year as the head coach of the Boys Soc-cer team. Although 2011’s sectional finalist team grad-
uated most of its starters, Hart is optimistic about the 2012 contingent.
“We are anchored by our goaltender and senior cap-tain Dylan Kelly, who has recorded four shutouts in our first eight games,” said Hart, “Our defense has been stellar, led by seniors David Vaughn and Andy Jackson and junior Jacob Behr.” The team’s lead-ing scorer through the first half of the season is senior Michael Garfield, who has scored four goals as of press time.
Girls Soccer: The 2011 Girls Soccer team was the first in school history to advance to the state tourna-ment. Despite graduation losses, Head Coach Rachel Matille is upbeat.
“We enter a new season with 19 student-athletes who are working hard to script a legacy of their own,” she said.
The team is led by senior tri-captains defender Mag-gie Belde, midfielder Faith Murphy and goalkeeper Alicia Sethre. The lead-ing scorers for the Packers through the first nine games of the season are Tori Poole, with nine goals and five as-sists, Hannah Marion, with six goals and one assist, and Anna Barlow, with four goals and three assists.
With the squad garner-ing the #9 ranking in Class 1A in the latest Star Tribune poll, back-to-back trips to the state tournament seems to be a realistic goal.
Volleyball: It is a rebuild-ing year for Head Coach Jane Cornell’s volleyball team.
“We had only two return-ing starters,” said Cornell. “All of us knew that there was a lot of work to do and we are just now starting to show some promise.”
Bright spots include the play of setter junior Jenna Novak, who has been on the varsity since ninth grade and has evolved into a team leader and captain. Junior co-captain Mara Nevitt is the team’s “go-to” hitter.
“She plays the right side and has been on fire so far this season,” said Cornell.
Cornell also pointed out the extraordinary leadership roles undertaken by her three seniors: Felicia Wolf, Sadie Ahlquist and Stepha-nie Halvorson.
Boys and Girls Cross Country: Ryan Key is the head coach of the Boys and the Girls Cross Country teams.
“The season started with 43 runners competing to earn seven varsity spots on the boys team and seven on the girls team,” said Key. “There has been a signifi-cant increase in the number of participants in our sport and that has resulted in vast improvement among our individual runners.”
The first meet was held at St Catherine’s in St. Paul.
“The girls had the best finish in a meet in over a decade,” said Key. The team placed fourth, with ninth grader Sara Conlon finish-ing second, and seventh-grader Star Costa finishing 13th. The top boys runner at the meet was senior Brian Hoppe, who finished tenth out of 66 competitors.
Key is excited about the increased interest in the cross country program and expects further accolades for his squad as it continues to mature and gain confi-dence.
Girls Swimming and Diving: Head Coach Brian Fetyko’s Girls Swimming and Diving squad opened its season with a sixth place finish in the Classic Subur-ban Conference Relays in Inver Grove Heights.
Six teams participated in the 33rd Annual Packer Invitational Relays on Sep-tember 8. South St. Paul junior Moire Dunn won the diving competition and sophomore Michaela Rowan finished second in the 50-meter and 100-me-ter freestyle events. Other key performers for the team include ninth-grader Karlie Marlow, junior Claire Ravn and senior Mikiala Solos.
Girls Tennis: Head Coach Pepper Meyer lost six of her 12 top players from 2012, including #1 singles star Emily Englemeier, but she returned two very good ones in current #1 Laura Sonday (19-2 in 2011) and #2 Abby Palmquist (16-5 in
2011). Both are off to great starts. Brigette Miller is at #3 and Katie Hendrickson at #4. All four singles play-ers are underclassmen.
The doubles lineup is less certain. Only returning ju-nior Maddie DeSmith has varsity experience. Seniors Alisia Macioch, Molly Ravn and Lauren Wilcox and ju-niors Hannah Hoven and Kelly Counihan are all in the mix.
“We are a team in transi-tion but we work hard and we hope to peak at the right time at the end of October,” said Meyer.
Few argue that attending a high school football game on a Friday evening in the fall is a special occasion, but there is also athletic drama unfolding on the volleyball court, on the tennis court, at Ettinger Field (with soc-cer nets replacing the goal
posts), in the pool and on the grassy knolls where cross country runners strain to subdue the uneven ter-rain and the elements.
Sports Roundup: 300 athletes are competing for the Packers this fall
Page 10 - South St. Paul Voice - October 2012
Your community news and information sourceC ommunity
Jennifer L. Gale, president
Invigorating the workforce pipelineBy David C. Olson
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce President
Teamwork is essential if Minnesota is to distinguish itself as the “skilled workforce state.” The Minnesota Chamber and our statewide network of local partners are leading the way. Mark your calendars for Oct. 9 as we showcase our initiatives and launch our 2013 legislative agenda at the summit “How to Make Minnesota the Skilled Workforce State.”
Two years ago, we convened business and education
leaders as U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan advo-cated measures to ensure every student will have effective teachers in their classrooms. His address was a springboard for passage of the alternative teacher licensure law. We’ve spearheaded additional efforts the past two legislative ses-sions to improve K-12 classroom instruction and will tee-up higher education reforms for 2013.
The event will feature keynote speaker Jamie Merisotis, president and chief executive officer of the Lumina Foun-dation, a national organization dedicated to increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Panel presentations will address ways to engage all stakeholders and include specific attention to the role of the business community.
The good news is that local chambers of commerce across the state are stepping up to the plate. Consider these examples:
• The Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce and River Heights Chamber of Commerce recently part-nered to host a Principals’ Bus Tour. Thirty principals and superintendents attended this tour of four of the largest employers in Dakota County. The goal is to connect busi-nesses and educators in meaningful discussions about how to fill the gaps between job skills and skills training.
• The Brainerd Lakes Chamber, through its Bridges Workplace Connection, helps high school students explore
local career options. The program brings together businesses, colleges and 24 high schools to introduce various career paths through
hands-on, work-based learning.• The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce con-
nects schools with local businesses through “CEOs in the Classroom.” The initiative has two goals: encourage educa-tional offerings relevant to future workforce opportunities by engaging business owners and managers with educa-tors; and engage in frank conversations with eighth-graders about the realities of graduating and being financially in-dependent.
• The Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce seeks to transform the community’s educational systems by offering a range of programs that champion both excellent educa-tional standards and flexible, dynamic workplaces that ef-fectively connect with the skills taught in the region’s K-12 schools. The program particularly focuses on K-12 educa-tion in the STEM courses – science, technology, engineer-ing and mathematics.
A grant from the Institute for a Competitive Work-force (ICW), a nonprofit, nonpartisan affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will help support this event and ongoing efforts to advance postsecondary reform. At the summit, Domenic Giandomenico, director of education and workforce programs for ICW, will present the U.S. Chamber’s recent “Leaders and Laggards” report and dis-cuss how Minnesota stacks up against other states.
Minnesota has made some significant strides in post-secondary education reform and it’s time to take the next steps. In particular, we must strengthen and smooth the transition from education to the workforce.
To register for the summit, visit www.chamber.com/events. For more information, contact Amy Walstien at
651-292-4661 or [email protected].
Task Force Hotdish – A Little Bit of Everything!
The South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force had a great summer taking part in a variety of events and community service projects, including Swimming Under the Stars, adopting Fifth Avenue under the Adopt a Street program, a water balloon dodge ball tournament and filling backpacks
with school supplies, to name a few. Speaking of the Fill the Backpack campaign, the task
force would like to thank everyone who contributed to the campaign. As you may suspect, the need was great again this year. However, the community responded and the backpacks were filled. A special thanks to Mizpah Lodge #191, the Sportsman’s Guide, South St. Paul Night to Unite block party participants and all the residents who contributed items. We were able to meet the needs of stu-dents in the South St. Paul School district. Below is a note that we received from a teacher who received supplies for her students.
“Thank you so much for the supplies! You should have seen the students’ faces light up when they got new stuff for school that they could call their own. Just an affirmation to let you know how much your hard work is appreciated!”
Thanks to everyone who contributed. As you can see, it is greatly appreciated.
What’s happening this fall?School is back in session and routines are once again be-
ing developed. That includes our activities and events. Here are just a few items we are working on.
Task Force monthly meetings - Meetings are held Sat-urday mornings to discuss what the task force will be doing. All youth in grades 5-12 are invited to attend. For meeting dates and times, call Deb Griffith at 651-554-3230.
Community events - A variety of events are in the works, including Mike Lynch’s Star Gazing Party, which we are calling “Saturday Night with the Stars,” the annual
5th and 6th grade Halloween Party (October 26), Wakota Arena’s 50 Anniversary Celebration kick-off (October 27), the Great Halloween Get Together (October 31), Recycling your Pumpkin – the Task Force Way (November 3), Hol-idaze in South, and assisting the SW Lionesses with their Santa Store.
FYI – For Youth Information TV show - Over the sum-mer the task force filmed segments on-location. This fall we will be back in the studio filming additional episodes of FYI. If you are interested in working behind or in front of the camera, this is the opportunity for you.
Community service projects - The task force has been involved with a variety of community service projects, ei-ther taking the lead or assisting other community service organizations. This fall we will assist the South St. Paul Li-on’s Club with the Thanksgiving Dinner for senior citizens, work with Mayor Baumann for Random Acts of Kindness Month in November, and host the annual Hat and Mitten Drive in December to benefit Neighbors, Inc.
As you can see, we will be doing a variety of activities and events this school year. As a community member once said, “What doesn’t the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force do?!”
If you are a youth in grades 5-12 and are interested in joining the task force, visit www.southstpaul.org and click on SSP Mayor’s Youth Task Force, or contact Deb Griffith, community affairs liaison, at 651-554-3230 or [email protected]. The task force is always looking for youth to join us in “finding things to do in South St. Paul.”
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South St. Paul Voice - October 2012 - Page 11
Your community news and information sourceC ommunity
It can’t be October already! Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday we were looking forward to the coming of spring, and now the snow season is staring us in the face.
With the coming of October comes the On the Road Again festival in South St. Paul, which this year is sched-uled for Saturday, Oct. 6. And with On the Road Again is the coming of the Great Neighbors Rubber Duck Race.
As our race emcee Greg Kuntz would say, these little rub-ber duckies have been in training for months, preparing for their opportunity to race down the water chute, striving to be first to the finish line so they can reward the person who adopted them.
If you haven’t been to any of the first four Great Neigh-bors Rubber Duck Races, here’s the way it works. People (or organizations or groups) adopt one or more ducks for $5 each. Each duck is entered into a preliminary race, with
the top finishers in each heat advancing to the finals. The heat winners earn a prize for their adopters, and the top three finishers in the final race earn prizes, as does the last duck to finish the final race, the Lazy Duck. Altogether the prizes are worth $5,000, so it’s no wonder these ducks try so hard to win for their “owners.”
Last year we were invited to bring the Duck Race to On the Road Again for the first time. We believed then and still do today that it is a win-win opportunity. It adds a fun activity to the celebration, while at the same time providing exposure for the Duck Race to the large group of people who attend.
And it is a fun, festive event. In order to move the event from the Mississippi River to the streets of South St. Paul we had to create our own little river. Fortunately, one of our super volunteers designed and built a 50-foot chute and a large holding tank. We fill the holding tank with water, line the ducks up at the top of the chute, open a water gate, and create our own little river. The ducks race down the chute, cross the line and come to rest in a “pond.” The water drains out and the ducks are recaptured. Those that don’t finish “in the money” retire for the day. The top finishers are set aside to prepare for the final race of the day. Racing begins at 11 a.m. Heats will be held every few minutes throughout the day, with the final event starting at 3 p.m.
Adoption certificates can be printed from the Neigh-bors web site (www.neighborsmn.org) and mailed to us or dropped off. They are also available at the Neighbors front desk and at various locations throughout Northern Dakota
County. A complete list of where certificates can be picked up is available on our web site. Duck adoptions will also be available throughout the day at On the Road Again. The more ducks one buys, the more “heats” they will be entered in and the better their chance of winning.
All of this, I suppose, begs the question: “Why does Neighbors put on the Great Neighbors Rubber Duck Race each year?” The answer is twofold. First and foremost, we do this to raise money to support the 14 services we provide for the people of Northern Dakota County. As the need for service continues to grow in our community, the resources needed to make sure we are able to provide these servic-es continues to grow as well. The funds we raise through events like the Duck Race and the Walk to End Hunger on Thanksgiving are more and more important.
But nearly as important is the desire to create a fun event that every member of the family can enjoy. It really is great fun to watch 100 or so little yellow rubber ducks at a time dash down the chute, bouncing off the walls and each other on their way to the finish line.
Of course, you don’t have to be present to win. We’ll be happy to call the winner on October 8 to let them know how they can claim their prize. But imagine how much fun it would be to be at the event at 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6 and hear your name called as the grand prize winner!
All of us at Neighbors look forward to seeing you at On the Road Again on October 6, and at the Great Neigh-bors Rubber Duck Race.
By John Kemp Executive Director of
Neighbors, Inc.
Neighbors, Inc.
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The Great Halloween Get Together
Marie Avenue is the place to be on Halloween night. The city of South St. Paul, the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force and many local businesses are joining forces to host the 11th an-nual Great Halloween Get Together, held 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31. Chil-dren are invited to trick-or-treat the transformed Marie Avenue, from 7th Avenue to 4th Avenue. Last year over 2,000 youth and adults participated in the event. Volunteers are needed. For more information, contact
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Page 12 - South St. Paul Voice - October 2012
Your community news and information sourceB ack in Time
Lois GlewweContributor
In 1987, as South St. Paul celebrated its 100th
birthday, the South St. Paul Centennial Commission
founded the Otto Bremer South St. Paul Hall of Ex-cellence as a way to inspire the young people of the community to aim high and go after big dreams. The creation of the Hall of
Excellence and the exhibit of the inductees at Central Square Community Cen-ter was prompted by the realization that South St. Paul, a relatively small and not particularly wealthy community, had produced dozens of people all over the world who had accom-plished astonishing feats in the areas of science, politics, technology, civic leadership, community development, literary and visual arts and education.
The process of identify-ing and recognizing those individuals began with a search for financial support to find a location to show-case the photographs and biographies of the honor-ees. Bremer Bank, founded in South St. Paul as Drover’s Bank in 1912, stepped for-ward to pay for the renova-tion of an old meeting room at Central Square Commu-nity Center. With a display designed by Bill Lucking, who was then with James and Company and who later served as executive director of Progress Plus, a
dramatic and meaningful exhibit area was established. New conference tables, chairs, podium and signage were developed and the new space was named the Cen-tennial Room. The forum of recognition was named the Otto Bremer South St. Paul Hall of Excellence in honor of Drover’s Bank founder Otto Bremer.
Nominations for those to be recognized began to be accepted from the public in early 1987. The require-ments were that the nomi-nee, living or deceased, had to have established an ongo-ing and significant relation-ship with the community of South St. Paul at some point in their lives and then gone on to achieve excel-lence in all of life’s pursuits. It was not necessary to have graduated from South St. Paul High School or to have been born in the city.
After weeks of anony-mous balloting, the first 50 charter members were selected. Those who were living were notified imme-diately and invited to attend the induction ceremony. Relatives of deceased hon-orees who were to be hon-ored posthumously were also invited to the event. Photos were gathered, cop-ied and framed, the display panels were upholstered, invitations were sent and the biographies of each of
the 50 charter members were developed and pre-pared to be displayed in the new Centennial Room. In November 1987, the first ceremony occurred and the photographs were unveiled to an admiring audience.
As the Centennial came to an end that year, the Otto Bremer South St. Paul Hall of Excellence was es-tablished as an ongoing recognition forum under the financial sponsorship of Drover’s Bank. For the next ten years, individu-als from the community served three-year terms as members of the anonymous selection committee. The public continued to submit nominations and all nomi-nations were reconsidered each year so that only one nomination for an individ-ual was necessary. Each year a meaningful ceremony was held to add individuals to the exhibit.
Finally, after 10 years and 90 inductees, the Otto Bremer South St. Paul Hall of Excellence held its last induction ceremony in 1997. In 2002, the entire exhibit was moved to the new Centennial Room at Central Square Community Center, where it continued to prompt comments and questions from those who attended meetings in the room and found themselves examining the photos of all
of those outstanding indi-viduals.
By 2010, however, the 23-year-old exhibit began to show signs of wear and tear. Some of the photos had been replaced because of damage from lighting, and the upholstered panels began to fall apart. In hopes that the Hall would be renovated, the exhibit was packed away last year for safekeeping.
Now, as part of the city’s celebration of its 125th anniversary, efforts are un-derway to raise the funds necessary to not only rein-stall the Hall of Excellence in the Centennial Room at Central Square, but also produce digitized images of the inductee portraits. The first steps have already been taken as the printed biogra-phies, which were recorded using software that no lon-ger exists, have all been re-typed in Microsoft Word so that they can be edited, updated and accessed on a future Hall of Excellence website. Individuals, busi-nesses and organizations will be approached for fi-nancial support, as well as living inductees and fami-lies of inductees who have passed away. For more in-formation, or to make a do-nation to the reinstallation fund, contact Deb Griffith, community affairs liaison, at 651-554-3230.
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