CMW - JulyAug15

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Hutchinson
Cover Story
Linda
Why we should add
humor to our daily diet
Phenomenal Under 40
Willow Sweeney Flaherty,
Trainer Extraordinaire
Call-To-Action
Crystal Clancy,
Helping Others
Overcome Postpartum
Organic Food Explorer
Mexican Food,
Organic-Style
One Woman at a Time
The Power of Stories
What’s He Thinking?
She’s Always Right!
Robin’s Journey
Celebrating Courage

CMWomen.com July/August 2015 3

4 July/August 2015 CMWomen.com
Central MinnesotaWomen is published six times per year by Central MinnesotaWomen L.L.C.©
PO Box 485,Waite Park, MN 56387. Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts, contact the publisher. Central MinnesotaWomen L.L.C.©
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P u b l i s h e r s
p u b l i s h e r - e d i t o r - s a l e s
d e s i g n
p h o t o g r a p h e r s
s a l e s
Contributor - Sales - Social Media
c o n t r i b u t o r s
EBoard of Advisors
Dr. Cheri Carlson
Owner, Synergy Chiropractic
and Wellness Clinic
dr.cheri@synergychirowellness.com
Sheila Burski
REALTOR, Premier
Real Estate Services,
sheila@burski.net
Lisa Barton
Operations Manager,
Sears, St. Cloud
lisags1958@yahoo.com
Sonja Gidlow
Executive Leadership in
Business & Higher Education
slgidlow@gmail.com
Sandy Hansen
Owner, AgVenture
Feed and Seed
sandy@agventurefeeds.com
Julie Lunning
Executive Director,
Granite Country
julie@granitecountry.com
Geri Randall
Nursing, Centracare
Family Medicine
gerdlr@hotmail.com
Sue Poser
Owner, Gruber’s
Quilt Shop
sue@grubersquiltshop.com
Lori Steinhofer
Owner/Escrow Officer
Quarry Title & Closing, LLC
lori.steinhofer@quarrytitle.com
E July/August 2015 Contributors E Board of Advisors
Tamera Farrand: Tamera has been
supporting women through local magazine
publishing for over 11 years. She and part-
ner Doug Solinger have published CMW for
six years. She understands the importance
of raising awareness of the work that wom-
en do in our community. E
Doug Solinger: Doug has vast publish-
ing, printing, and technology experience.
For the past six years, he has supported the
St. Cloud community through his involve-
ment with CMW. He publishes other maga-
zines in the Rochester area.
Natalie M. Rotunda: Natalie is a busi-
ness writer and nonfiction ebook editor.The
mom and grandmom studies and writes
about herbs and organic food. Contact her
at natalie.m.rotunda@gmail.com. E
Tina Gunderson: Tina,wifeandmother
to four, travels whenever possible, reads,
and spends time with family and friends
– oh, and she dazzles clients with her cre-
ative graphic design work. Visit her at zap-
pagraphics.com, or email her at tina@zap-
pagraphics.com. E
Sue Dropp: Throughout her career, Sue
has received numerous awards for her
photography. Her new business venture,
DroppVisual,promotesTwinCities’corporate
events, weddings, and all aspects of visual
and video. Sue enjoys travel, photography,
organic gardening, bird watching …and
grandparenting! Contact suedropp@gmail.
com. E
Cindykay:Cindyhasbeenaphotographer
for 12 years and loves what she does! Why?
Because photography is about you, your
personality,yourstyle.Hergoalistocapture
you as you are right at this very moment.
ContactCindyatcindykayphotography.com.
Pete Pederson: Pete’s foundation in
photography began in college, but the
love and art blossomed when he and his
former spouse went into business. Polishing
his skills behind the lens doing primarily
weddings, Pete’s resume now includes
photojournalism and advertising. His
goal? National Geographic! Contact Pete at
pedersonpete@me.com.
Cynthia Steinke: Cindy’s diverse back-
ground – handcrafted jewelry sales, former
flight attendant, & degree in Interior Deco-
rating–lendsitselftoworkingwithavariety
of people and businesses. She enjoys travel-
ingandspendingtimewithherhusbandand
daughter. Contact her at (320) 333-6487, or
cindycmwomen@gmail.com. E
Heather Rotunda: When she’s not in
thekitchenbakingorcookingupsomething
delicious(andwritingabouteitherorboth),
Heather crochets, knits, cross-stitches,
watches pro-hockey, or old movies. Contact
her at (320) 223-8979, or heatherrotunda@
gmail.com.
TaLeiza Calloway-Appleton: TaLeiza
is a lover of the written word. The freelance
writer & journalist enjoys writing about di-
versity issues and spending time with her
family. Contact her at tjcalloway2@gmail.
com.
Lynn Fisher:Lynnisawriterandphotog-
rapher from Champlin, Minnesota. Covering
the lives and interests of central Minnesota
women has been a dream realized. Visit her
website: lynn-fisher.com.
Sheila Helmberger: Sheila is a central
Minnesota freelance writer. She has a jour-
nalism degree and uses her love of words
to share the stories of others. As a wife,
mother, & grandmother, she often writes
about humor in her own life. Visit her blog,
emptyhousecreationsbysheilahelmberger.
blogspot.com.
Cori Hilsgen: Cori is a central Min-
nesota freelance writer with a bachelor’s
degree in Organizational Management and
Communication. She enjoys sharing stories
that help and benefit others. Cori is a wife,
mother, and grandmother who cherishes
spending time with family and friends.
Char Hopela: Char has been a
contributor to CMW since 2009, and also
enjoys making art from recycled leather
belts. She lives in St. Joseph, a cultural
mecca with a great meat market. Contact
her at triennia@gmail.com.
Lois Johnson: Lois is a freelance writer
from St. Cloud. She enjoys European
travel, outdoor adventures, gardening,
and healthy cooking. Her current project
is an internationally themed family meals
cookbook.
Crystal Nutt: Crystal is Development
Director at Stearns History Museum, and a
freelance writer. She has a strong passion
for community and is intrigued with
people from all walks of life. Crystal lives in
Monticello with her family.
Kelly Radi: Kellyisafreelancewriterand
owner of Radi to Write, llc, specializing in
public relations copywriting. Contact Kelly
at radi.to.write@gmail.com.
Robin Robatcek:Robinisseasonedwith
successful educational experiences in con-
sulting, training, and administration. She
holds her undergraduate degree in Organi-
zational Management and Communication
from Concordia University, Saint Paul, MN,
and Masters Degree in Higher Education
Administration from St. Cloud State Univer-
sity. Robin hasworkedextensivelywithaca-
demia, healthcare industry, governmental
agencies, small businesses, and corporate
environments. E
Debra Schroeder: Debra is Coordinator
of Community Education and Outreach
for Anna Marie’s Alliance. Since 2000, she
has worked to increase awareness and
prevention of relationship violence in
central Minnesota with presentations and
professional trainings. Contact Debra at
debras@annamaries.org. E
Doug Vagle: Doug and his wife Peggy
live in Sartell. They have three children,
Abby, Nathaniel, and Sophie. Doug loves
spending time with his family, and is the
pastor at The Waters Church in Sartell,
thewaterschurch.net.

Printed Words
Tamera Farrand,
Publisher
Natalie M. Rotunda,
Editor
childhood; from
Robin Robatcek
-- an update
on her wellness
journey (speaking
of the attitude
of gratitude!);
from Cori Hilsgen
-- fun outdoor
happenings to
attend with family
and friends.
Our attitude of
gratitude runs
deep as we put
these stories and
fun or thought-
provoking pieces
before you. When
it comes to gratitude, though,
any day of the year is a good
day to practice it. Have
you discovered the warm
benefits that come with being
grateful, every day, for at
least one thing in your life? It’s
empowering!
If you were to peek into
our grateful hearts, you’d
see that, topping our list is
you, our gentle and faithful
readers and advertisers. We
love how we’ve been part of
one another’s lives for these
last seven years. We’re also
grateful for Doug, our co-
publisher, who has been a part
of the St. Cloud community
through CMW. Our storytellers,
columnists, photographers,
our graphic designer and
account managers all come in
for their share of our gratitude.
These marvelously creative,
dedicated individuals have all
added their special talents to
bring CMW to you.
But all good things – and we’d
like to think we’ve been a
good thing for you! – eventually
come to an end. So it is with
Central Minnesota Women
Magazine. With this issue, we’re
saying goodbye.
Remember “The Mary Tyler
Moore” series-closing scene?
For the last time, Mary turns
out the lights in the WJM
newsroom, then, wistfully, looks
back one more time. That’s
us. Wistful as we shut off the
lights of CMW. But also like
Mary, we’re looking forward to
what lies ahead, our next great
adventure.
We hope you agree it’s been
a great run! Let’s all wish one
another the best life has to
offer…central Minnesota
women! f
It’s
always been our
tradition to inform you,
to inspire you, through
stories and essays of the
women you may know or want
to know in and around our
community. We believe we’ve
done that in this issue, too. Like
Linda Hutchinson’s story. The
author and native Minnesotan
shows us how to live a healthier
life by finding our humor
heritage. Like postpartum
depression sufferer Crystal
Clancy’s story. She overcame
her depression and heads up
an organization that offers
hope to others. And Willow
Sweeney Flaherty’s story. You’ll
want to know why she’s into
teaching life-changing positive
habits to parents, students,
and educators. If given the
opportunity to attend one of
her sessions, go!
There’s more. From columnist
Debra Schroeder -- safe ways
to help someone in the throes
of a violent situation; from Doug
Vagle -- a lighthearted look
at life; from Heather Rotunda
-- going Mexican because of
a happy connection to her
By Tamera and Natalie

5 ◗ PRINTED WORDS
The Attitude of Gratitude
By Tamera and Natalie
8 ◗ MUST-DO’S
By Cori Hilgsen
Cori’s choices for summertime
outdoor fun.
10 ◗ ONE WOMAN AT A TIME
By Debra Schroeder, Anna
Marie’s Alliance
11 ◗ COVER STORY: Clean
Living
Embrace Your Funny Bone:
Author Shares Health Benefits of
Humor
Story by TaLeiza Calloway
Photos by CK Photography
Hair and Makeup by Michelle
Kenric Hair & Spa
Author Linda Hutchinson lets us
in on how we can enjoy better
health.
16 ◗ Feature Story:
Call-To-Action
Someone to Talk To
Story by Sheila Helmberger
Crystal Clancy survived
postpartum depression. Now she
and the organization she works
with help others.
20 ◗ Robin’s Journey
Celebrating the Courage in
Each of Us
By Robin Robatcek
21 ◗ Feature Story:
Phenomenal Under 40
Willow Sweeney Flaherty:
Cultivating Kindness
Story by Crystal Nutt
Photos by Pete Pederson,
Northern Star Photo
Becoming a “household
name in social and
emotional intelligence”
is the goal educator and
trainer Willow Sweeney
Flaherty has set for herself
and her company.
24 ◗ SPECIAL ADVERTISING
SECTION: Local Women’s
Network
26 ◗ ORGANIC FOOD
EXPLORER
Mexican Food,
Organic-Style
By Heather Rotunda
Photos by Sue Dropp
Raise your hand if you love
Mexican food! Bite into
these tastebud-wowing
dishes, made in your home
kitchen.
28 ◗ WHAT’S HE THINKING?
She’s Always Right!
By Doug Vagle
29 ◗ STEPPIN’ OUT
By Natalie M. Rotunda
In partnership with
AroundTheCloud.org.
30 ◗ Growing As I Learn
Jim Rohn and Cousin Junior
30 ◗ Marketplace
11
21
16
26
inthisissue
on the cover
Table of Contents
July/August 2015

Circle of Women
If you read and love our magazine, we invite
you to become part of our Circle of Women!
We are offering an opportunity to show your personal
connection with your magazine - Central Minnesota Women!
Sponsor your magazine today!
❤❤Lori Steinhofer:
“I support CMW because it
supports and empowers LOCAL
business women. The articles
written are well thought out
and provide good reading. I
have advertised with this
magazine since I started my
business 6-1/2 years ago and
get the most ROI than any
other form of advertising.”
To start your sponsorship, contact:
Heather Rotunda | heatherrotunda@gmail.com | (320) 223-8979
of Women

Years of Sinatra! With Andrew
Walesch and his Big Band” at
the Paramount Theatre. Songs
featured include “Fly Me to the
Moon,” “New York, New York,” and
others. Performances are at 1:30
p.m. and 7 p.m. on July16th. For
additional information, visit the art-
ist website, andrewwalesch.com
and paramountarts.org, or call
(320) 259-5463.
FirefestConcert
Once again, the Cold Spring Fire
and Rescue Department Relief
Association is hosting a flaming
Firefest concert on Saturday, July
25th. Performing artists include
Darius Rucker, Chris Young, Clay
Walker, and Neal McCoy. Gates
open at 4 p.m. and music begins
at 5 p.m. For ticket prices and
other information, visit the website,
firefestmn.com.
Rock out in
St. JoeThe annual JoeTown Rocks con-
cert July 3rd and St. Joseph Parish
Festival July 4th draws thousands.
The free outdoor concert begins
at 6 p.m. on July 3rd and features
many performances including “The
Graduates,” “Jeremiah James Ko-
rfe,” “Ricky Nelson Remembered,”
and “Maiden Dixie.” Fireworks are
also planned. July 4th includes a
10 a.m. parade, many food and
game stands, an afternoon quilt
auction, raffle, and more to do
and see. For additional informa-
tion, visit the websites, joetown-
rocks.org and churchstjoseph.org.
100 Years
of SinatraIf you are looking for an indoor
performance, check out “100
By Cori Hilsgen
Why not spend the warm and
hot days of July and August
gathering with friends and
family for outdoor picnics,
camping, concerts, fairs, and
more? There are many hap-
penings in the area for us to
enjoy and put on sunscreen
and hats for. Here are a few
ideas to check out.
Must-Do’s

Walk through
the Gardens
Free concerts by the gazebo
continue in July and August at
Munsinger Gardens. Why not
enjoy a traditional root beer float,
listening to the music, sitting by the
Mississippi River? The “Music in the
Gardens” concerts are at 3 p.m.
on alternating Sundays. The July
26th concert includes a memo-
rial release of butterflies. The 21
acres of Munsinger and Clemens
Gardens are open 7 a.m. to 10
p.m. daily. For
more informa-
tion about
the concerts
and other
events, visit
the website,
munsingercle-
mens.com.
Fair timeMinnesotans do love their fairs!
Most include a variety of foods
to sample, live entertainment,
midway rides, 4-H projects, and
so much more. Two in our area
include the Stearns County and
Benton County fairs. The Stearns
County Fair takes place in Sauk
Centre and runs July 29th through
August 2nd. The Benton County
Fair takes place in Sauk Rapids
and runs August 4th through 9th.
A traveling replica of the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial located in
Washington DC -- “The Wall That
Heals” -- will be on display at this
fair. Military Day is August 9th.
If you want to take in the big fair,
the Minnesota State Fair takes
place in St. Paul and runs August
27th through September 7th.
According to their website, daily
State Fair attendance totals for
last year were 1,824,830. For more
information, visit stearnscountyfair.
com, bentonfairmn.com or mn-
statefair.org.
Picnics and
camping funWhy not check out some of Min-
nesota’s state
parks? Perhaps
you could pack a
picnic lunch and
sit by a beach on
an especially hot
day, or maybe
you could spend
a weekend hiking, biking, and
camping. For information about
state parks, visit the website, ex-
ploreminnesota.com. f
Must-Do’s

pushing her repeatedly against
a brick wall. Cecilia pulled up
to the woman and asked if she
wanted a ride. The woman said
yes and jumped into the Jeep.
Angry, the man headed toward
the car, at which point Cecilia
quickly drove away. He did not
follow as the two women drove
to the hospital to get help for the
victim.
These are three examples of
the different levels of assistance
people have provided when
they’ve come across varying sit-
uations. Cecilia was well-trained
in defense and felt comfortable
putting herself in the situation,
while the others assisted as they
could under the circumstances.
The moral of these stories is, help
however you can and not stand
by while others suffer.
Call Anna Marie’s Alliance
anytime if you or someone you
know is in an abusive relation-
ship, (320) 253-6900. f
when he saw a young man yell-
ing and gesturing wildly at an
older woman. If he had been
by himself, he said he would
have gone over, but he had
his children with him and had
to think of their safety. He
decided to stand outside his
car and watch the situation.
Soon, other observers joined
him, and the young man re-
alized he was being watched
and left the area. At this point,
my friend went over to the
woman to see if she was all right
and gave her the phone num-
ber to Anna Marie’s Alliance.
Story Three
Cecilia went into the Coast
Guard right out of high school.
She spent the next six years
defending the shores of Key
West and Florida against smug-
glers and terrorists. Not long after
leaving the Coast Guard, she
was heading home and saw
a man hitting a woman and
By Debra Schroeder, Anna
Marie’s Alliance
Since the power of stories can
turn a lecture into something
that raises it to a more meaning-
ful level of learning, I turn to my
bag of stories when people ask
what they can do to make a dif-
ference.
Story One
After a trip to a local retail mall, I
headed back to the parking lot.
Several cars down from mine, I
noticed a couple arguing in their
car. He was screaming and had
her pinned against the passen-
ger door. I truly felt she was in
danger, but wasn’t sure if I should
approach the car. If he would
attack me, I knew I didn’t have
the strength or training to fend
him off. So, I reported it to securi-
ty and had them call the police,
as well. I stayed in the mall until
the situation was secured. It’s
important to know your limita-
tions and look for ways you can
help without putting yourself into
a situation you don’t know how
to handle.
Story Two
A friend of mine had just finished
putting his groceries in the trunk
of his car and buckling his two
children into their booster seats
One Woman at a Time

Cover Story
Embrace
Your
Funny
Bone:Author
shares
health
benefits
of humor

Cover Story
is a collection of stories,
quotes
and tips on why adding more
humor to our daily diet is one of
the best things for us.
“It’s really about spreading joy
in the world,” says Linda of why
she wrote the book. “I loved
hearing the stories, even the sto-
ries that you had to be there
(to get). People light up.
It was a gift to me
to hear the stories,
and it feels like it
was a gift to them
to share the stories.”
Sharing laughs
Linda learned about the
power of humor in the fourth
grade and hasn’t looked
back.
As a young girl, the Min-
nesota native often
looked forward to the
sharing and telling time
in class. The stories were
so good she would
come home and share
what she had heard
at the dinner table. She
enjoyed the positive at-
tention she received from
her stories then, and still seeks
this positive attention through
humor, she says. Laugh Yourself
Happy is the first in a series of
books about humor and differ-
ent aspects of daily life. The next
installment will be a book about
laughter and spirituality.
Linda has been working in the
humor business for more than 20
years. She is a national key-
note speaker, adult educator,
consultant, and author. She
leads workshops and trainings
on humor for corporations,
non-profit organizations, and
professional associations as
the owner of Hutchinson Asso-
ciates, ha!. Her first published
book, Laugh and Live: Re-
claiming your Sense of Humor,
was published 10 years ago.
“A young couple discovered
they were pregnant for the
fourth time. This was ‘back in
the day’ when people were
more concerned about ZPG
(zero population growth).
They decided they did not
want to tell anyone until it
was obvious. They failed to
notice their six-year-old who
ran out the back door. Soon,
the neighbor was at the front
door congratulating them. He
added, ‘I understand that, after
this child is born, you are going
to get your boobs tied.’”
This is just one of many funny
stories that can be found
in Linda Hutchinson’s book,
Laugh Yourself Happy: Kids
Say Delightful Things. The book
By Taleiza
Calloway-Appleton
Photos by
CK Photography
Hair and Makeup by
Michelle Kenric Hair & Spa

Cover Story
book.
Research also continues to show
the positive effects of humor.
In the article, “Stress relief from
laughter? It’s no joke,” Mayo
Clinic staff list multiple benefits
of laughter. Laughter can en-
hance your intake of oxygen-
rich air and stimulate your heart
and lungs, soothe tension by
stimulating muscle relaxation,
relieve pain, and laughter can
make it easier to cope with dif-
ficult situations.
In addition to being a keynote
speaker and author, Linda is
also a laughter yoga instructor.
Laughter yoga is a type of yoga
that uses breathing and relax-
ation techniques that incorpo-
rate laughter. About 10 years
ago, she discovered Dr. Madan
Kataria of India who created
laughter clubs and laughter
yoga.
Initially, Madan brought people
together to laugh via joke-tell-
ing, but later added yoga to the
gatherings, Linda says.
The first laughter club was cre-
ated in 1995 as an experiment.
Madan invited a few people to
a local public park to start the
club. They laughed together
and eventually the group grew,
according to his website, laugh-
teryoga.org.
After two weeks, the jokes
and funny storytelling began
to dwindle, so he asked
the participants to act out
their laughter. They did, and
genuine laughter resulted.
Madan discovered that “our
body cannot differentiate
between acted and genuine
laughter. Both produced the
same ‘happy chemistry,’” his
site states. Realizing there are
ways other than humor to spark
laughter, Madan developed
laughter exercises and created
Linda’s many faces.
She often asks workshop
participants what makes them
laugh. The most common
answer is children. It’s the safest
source of humor. Children
happen to be her favorite
source of humor, too. This
response, coupled with a feeling
there’s a need for more healthy
humor, is what inspired her book.
Her hope is you’ll read it and at
least do one thing: laugh.
Healthy humor
Linda explains that healthy
humor is the connection
between humility and being
human.
“We all want to belong. We all
want to contribute,” says Linda.
“We all want to laugh, play, and
have fun. We all want to love
and be loved. That, to me, is
healthy humor.”
Humor makes a difference in all
these areas, and having a sense
of belonging contributes to our
health and well-being. Often,
when we think of a good laugh,
health is not the first thing that
comes to mind, but they are
related.
“Interestingly, humor is an
indicator (of changing health),”
says Linda. “When we’re losing
our sense of humor, it’s an
indicator that our health is going
to go.”
Linda also reminds us that,
when considering the health
benefits of laughter and humor,
the physical act of laughing is
aerobic.
Laughter has been known to
offer multiple health benefits. It
can help lower blood pressure,
reduce stress, and help people
remember the natural hilarity
of life, says Linda. Laughter
and humor can also enhance
relationships, build self-esteem,
inspire creativity, and promote
well-being of the mind, body,
and spirit, she explains in her

laughter yoga.
While traditional yoga can offer
fitness benefits, laughter yoga
can offer additional health
benefits. They include helping to
strengthen the immune system,
keeping you in a good mood
throughout the day, providing
oxygen to the brain, and mak-
ing you feel more energetic.
One exercise Linda uses in her
laughter yoga sessions is the
three tones of laughter. There’s
“hee, hee, hee,” where the
focus is on the relaxation of your
face. “Ha, ha, ha” focuses on
the heart, and what is known as
the Santa Claus laugh, “ho, ho,
ho,” for example, focuses on the
belly/core area.
“Humor is more about being
lighthearted. When I was be-
ing trained as a laughter yoga
leader, I learned that 10 percent
Benefits of Laughter
• Reduces stress
• Helps lower blood pressure
• Stimulates circulation
and relaxation
• Enhances intake of
oxygen-rich air
• Improves immune system
• Soothes tension
Source: Mayo Clinic
The book, Laugh Yourself
Happy, is $14.95. The
bestseller is available
at some St. Cloud area
bookstores and via her
website: haha-team.com.
Linda also offers a workshop
that incorporates the book
and humor in the
workplace.
of our humor comes from jokes,”
says Linda. “I try to get people
to pay attention to the other
90 percent. And not only what
makes you laugh but what light-
ens your heart.”
That 90 percent also includes
exploring our source of laughter,
how often we laugh, and how
we can increase it. Children are
believed to laugh a few hun-
dred times a day. Adults laugh
about a dozen. The numbers
fluctuate, says Linda.
What can we do to increase our
laughter quotient? “I encour-
age people to do the research
and see what makes other
people laugh. Get a laughter
buddy,” says Linda. “Add a
laughter break to your calendar.
We need to be more deliberate
about it. One thing I’ve learned
is that the key to humor is hu-
“What if the hokey pokey
is what it’s all about.””
– Anonymous
Linda HutchinsonHometown: Recently moved to Richfield from
St. Joseph, Minnesota
Family: Six siblings, many nieces,
one son, Jesse, and one grand-dog.
Website: haha-team.com
Cover Story

Cover Story
mility...It involves being able to
laugh at ourselves in a good
way.”
Other suggestions for adding
humor to our daily diet include
giving the gift of humor. This can
be done via a humor basket, a
basket of items that someone
likes or might find funny, Linda
says.
When Linda’s friend was ill, she
made her a humor basket and
filled it with things she knew
would make her friend smile. Her
friend liked animals and come-
dian Lily Tomlin. With this in mind,
Linda made sure her basket
included a funny animal video,
a stuffed animal, and an Edith
Ann book.
“I promote giving the gift of
humor,” says Linda. “If some-
body’s not feeling well and you
give them a basket of fun and
laughter, they can use it as they
feel like it.”
We can also add more humor
by simply looking and listening
for it daily, adding more play
to our life and exploring what
Linda calls humor heritage.
Humor heritage
Laughter and humor have a
cause-and-effect relationship. A
sense of humor is something that
is often developed, for instance,
knowing when it’s appropriate
to laugh or tell a joke. The mes-
sages and meanings we experi-
ence about humor are what
shape our humor heritage.
Growing up, we inherit a variety
of messages from our parents.
The standing message from
Linda’s mother was, “Life is hard
work,” she says. This message fu-
els Linda’s work ethic. However,
when it comes to humor, there
are many myths, and these be-
liefs are what can keep people
from sharing a joke or believing
that laughter and learning don’t
go together. They do.
Linda says that, often, when we
think about these myths or what
was learned as a youth about
humor, the messages tend to
be negative. She encourages
readers as they delve into their
humor heritage to seek positive
experiences.
“Too often, we focus on what
we didn’t get growing up in our
families,” says Linda. “We forget
the good stuff. I’m hoping when
people (look at their humor
heritage), they can find the fun
funny stuff.”
One way to explore your hu-
mor heritage is through writing
down memories and collecting
stories from family members. This
can be done through personal
conversations or by interviewing
older family members at family
gatherings, Linda says. People
tend to remember more as they
listen to others.
When Linda’s mother turned 95,
Linda created a binder of funny
stories for her. The process of
gathering stories can provide a
good laugh, too. When her fa-
ther passed away, she also col-
lected stories from her siblings,
thus showing the healing
power of humor as it relates
to the grieving process.
Humor can also be thera-
peutic.
Linda has heard a lot
of good stories along
the way. Sometimes,
it’s hard to keep
track of them all,
but now she re-
members to record
the really good
ones on her cell-
phone, she says with
a chuckle.
One of the most re-
warding experiences
for Linda happened
in 2009 while present-
ing at a conference
presented by the Center
for Spirituality and Healing at the
University of Minnesota.
After her session, one of the
participants, who was a mother,
said her daughter was always
telling her to laugh. The mother
wouldn’t because she thought
she needed a reason to laugh.
The woman thanked Linda for
showing her that she didn’t
always need a reason to laugh.
Neither do we.
Whether you grew up in a
household where laughter was
encouraged or restricted, Linda
encourages us to look back at
our experiences of humor and
try to create more. Share sto-
ries among family members, or
have younger family members
interview elders to see what
funny stories they recall.
Being the funny one is no easy
task. And some situations are
just not funny. However, Linda
explains that much of the ap-
prehensions surrounding adding
humor to our lives come from
fear.
She writes: “Strangely, it takes
courage to risk adding humor to
life. At the same time, it is
ironic to note that humor
has the ability to trans-
form fear. Do you see a
cycle here? Underneath it
all, I believe the problem is
a fear of losing control.
What would happen if
we laughed so hard
we lost control,
cried or, worse
yet, wet our
pants?”
No matter the
case, throughout
the collection of
funny anecdotes
and quotes, the
book’s message is
clear: humor is good
for us and it’s never
too late to develop
our funny bone. f

By Sheila Helmberger
Having a new baby should be
one of the happiest times in a
woman’s life. When it isn’t, it can
mean feeling guilty, ashamed,
and lonely. It might seem like
there isn’t any place to go, or
anyone to talk to.
Crystal Clancy is a licensed
marriage and family therapist
and family/divorce mediator
who knows a little bit about the
feelings of postpartum. She has
helped start Pregnancy & Post-
partum Support Minnesota to
give mothers, who felt like she
did, a place to go for help.
“I was just not me”
When Crystal married in 2000,
the new couple was excited to
start their family right away.
Call-To-Action
Someone to Talk
to – Helping
Mothers through
Pregnancy and
Postpartum
with Crystal Clancy
Riley, Crystal and Kira Clancy,
enjoying their photo shoot.

I would nurse her and put her
back in her bouncy seat. I re-
member with my son I would
have rocked him and done a lot
more of those types of things.
“On the outside, she was very
well-cared for. She was growing,
she was clean, she wasn’t physi-
cally neglected.”
Crystal’s friends started to tell her
they were worried about her. Her
husband could tell she wasn’t
herself, but she says she may
have been in denial and lied to
all of them. Even at her six-week
postpartum checkup, she told
her OB that everything was fine.
Around the three-month mark,
Crystal hit rock bottom. She was
up for the fourth night in a row
trying to nurse her daughter, who
was still having problems.
Crystal debated
whether she should
just stay up because
her son would be
up soon and if it
was even worth
going back to bed
if her daughter did
fall asleep. She re-
members taking the
pacifier and kind of
jamming it into her
daughter’s mouth.
“That was a sign of,
‘Oh, my gosh! What
is wrong with me?’”
Call-To-Action
After trying for nearly two years,
they began fertility treatments.
Shortly after, to her delight,
Crystal became pregnant. The
pregnancy went smoothly and
she delivered her son without
any complications.
When they decided to have an-
other baby, Crystal got pregnant
easily without any additional
help. In 2005, she delivered her
daughter.
This time, something felt very dif-
ferent.
“I noticed pretty quickly I was
just not me. I wasn’t really con-
nected to her. I felt like I was just
meeting her basic needs and
that was about it.” Both Crystal
and the baby had some frustrat-
ing things to work through that
added to her feelings of helpless-
ness.
“I got mastitis the first couple of
weeks, and the baby had a lot
of reflux issues,” says Crystal. “She
was dairy intolerant. She had a
lot of skin issues. She was fussy
and constipated and just not an
easy baby to be around, and I
had to take care of my son at
the same time.
“Depression doesn’t always look
classic,” she says, “I wasn’t sad
and weepy. I didn’t think about
hurting myself. I was more ir-
ritated, angry, and detached.
she says. “I woke my husband
and told him he needed to get
up and help me, and he did. No
questions asked.”
At one point, Crystal had even
thought up a plan to take her
son and leave for a few months
until things got easier and her
daughter was older. “That
seemed like a solution for me at
the time. I felt like I was failing.”
She never told her husband
about her plan, and, somehow,
she talked herself through it.
Back on track
Relief came during a visit from
her mother-in-law.
“I was able to open up to her
Become a Volunteer
Volunteers are a key to the success of PPSM. The non-
profit is always looking to train additional volunteers
and will send representatives to your community for
the day-long training. The group is looking to become
more visible in the outstate area, and to reach moms
who might not know about the organization, so that
they can benefit from their services, also.
The session includes information on the group and
your role as a volunteer, and education on perinatal
mood and anxiety disorders. A small fee is charged,
because it can be used in some professions for con-
tinuing education.

and tell her how hard things
were and the problems my
daughter was having.
“After watching the baby for
a while, she told me, ‘Crystal,
I’ve had four kids, and this is not
normal.’ I had already taken my
daughter to the pediatrician and
had been totally dismissed as
nothing being wrong. They told
me babies spit up. Babies get
gas. I thought it must just be me.
I must have had a super-easy
baby the first time. I felt like I had
to be making a big deal out of
nothing.”
Finally, the couple got some
answers. Crystal eliminated dairy
from her diet (she was nursing),
and her daughter was put on
medicine for acid reflux. Once
the baby wasn’t so fussy, Crystal
was able to bond with her and
things got a lot better. By the
time she returned to work, she
was no longer struggling with
depression as severely.
“Even if I would have talked with
someone, I didn’t think there was
anywhere for me to go,” she
says. “There weren’t ads, as far
as I knew, for any therapists who
worked with this. I learned about
postpartum by developing it.”
When Crystal, whose children
are now 12 and 9, found out a
non-profit was being started to
help mothers, she knew right
away she wanted to be a part
of it. The group started in 2007.
In 2013, Crystal became the
co-director of Pregnancy and
Postpartum Support Minnesota.
Call-To-Action
Pregnancy & Postpartum Sup-
port Minnesota (PPSM) is made
up of mental health and peri-
natal practitioners who have
their own practices. They meet
monthly and schedule trainings
for volunteers who are interested
in working with moms who call
in for help. The group has a help
line, a free resource for anyone
looking for information on preg-
nancy and postpartum.
In addition to calls from mothers,
calls have come in from doctors
and others concerned for fam-
ily members. Calls are initially
triaged by mental health profes-
sionals, and then moms can be
paired with peer volunteers who
offer invaluable support.
“Whether the experience is prob-
lems with breastfeeding, a loss,
or a preemie, we’ll find a volun-
teer to give them a call. They
won’t be judged by anyone.”
Crystal says that, sometimes, a
mom just needs a pep talk once
or twice. And sometimes, longer
relationships develop between a
volunteer and a mom. “They just
need to hear that they are not
bad moms, and they need to
hear they’re not alone and that
things will get better.”
To contact Pregnancy & Post-
partum Support Minnesota, call
(612)787-PPSM (7776), or email
PPSMhelpline@gmail.com. Or
visit their website, ppsupportmn.
org/. The group is also active on
Facebook and Twitter. f
The Daisy DashThis year, PPSM hosted its second
Daisy Dash, a fundraiser Crystal or-
ganized. The group was looking for
a way to bring in money they could
use for education, to spread the
word about their services, and to
expand their reach within the state.
Volunteers thought a 5K would be a
fun event, and the Daisy Dash was
born. “I’d run in a few, but never
planned one,” says Crystal who
agreed to spearhead the ambitious
undertaking. In 2014, the first Daisy
Dash registered 250 participants,
and raised $12,000. The event is
held in May and is PPSM’s largest
fundraiser.
Call-To-Action

titleCall-To-Action
Silly Miss Tilly beating on her drums.
Silly Miss Tilly making
awesome balloon animalsContestants running the 5k.
Contestants running the 5k.
Last minute instructions.
Stretching before the race.
His cuteness won the race!
Children warming up for the race!
Workers conferring.
How adorable can you get?

Celebrating the
Courage in Each
of Us!
“You gain strength, courage and
confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to look
fear in the face. You are able
to say to yourself, ‘I have lived
through this horror. I can take the
next thing that comes along.’
You must do the thing you think
you cannot do.” – Eleanor
Roosevelt
I believe we live fearlessly
through an attitude of
gratitude and by shining light
on the darkness. Witnessing the
courage of others inspires me to
live fearlessly.
During a consult with my
oncologist in July 2014, my
treatment plan and side
affects of chemotherapy were
described, including I would
lose my hair. I responded, “I
am ready for a new ‘do’.”
Intrinsically, I knew I had to
choose my battles and attitude.
The courage of my sister and
niece accompanying me to my
first chemo treatment provided
me strength. My heart sang with
our ability to find humor and
wonderment amidst the terror
of that experience, which was
eased by the incredible nurse
guiding us through it.
In August 2014, my sister
accompanied me in meeting
my stylist, who compassionately
cut my hair short in preparation
of hair loss. In what could
have been a dark occasion, I
experienced empowerment,
and also found amusement
when my stylist found a scar
on the back of my head – a
detail learned amid this life
experience. I took delight in
solving the mystery in identifying
the origin of the scar. At the
completion of my haircut, my
sister was in tears and expressed,
“Now, it’s even more evident
that you are really sick.”
Embracing and transcending
through the fear and
vulnerability of the circumstance
strengthened us both. I prepared
my parents and stepdaughter
about my new ‘do’ in advance
of a visit to the cabin. The scar
mystery was a great icebreaker
as I removed my Life is Good
hat to reveal my new look. My
mother solved the mystery in an
instant, explaining the scar was
the result of a fall during a boat
ride.
I am grateful for the experiences
in life that have provided me
greater self-awareness and
gift of possessing a positive
perspective amidst adverse
circumstances.
Light & gratitude,
Robin f
Robin’s
JourneyBy Robin Robatcek
Equal Opportunity Employer
To apply, visit myCMCU.org/careers
We are centered on you!
We are an established and growing organization offering personal
and professional development opportunities with career advancement.
We offer excellent pay and benefits to our employees including health,
dental and life insurance, flexible spending accounts, HSA with
company contribution, short-term and long-term disability, 401k plan
with match, generous PTO, holiday pay, paid time to volunteer and a
wellness program recognized by the American Heart Association.
Robin’s Journey

Phenomenal Under 40
WillowSweeney Flaherty:
Cultivating Kindness
Passion, energy, fun, and
kindness are just a few words
that come to mind after seeing
Willow Sweeney Flaherty inspire
a large crowd. And after a
follow-up interview, it doesn’t
take long for the 38-year-old
to tell me that her goal, and
that of her colleagues, is to
transform American education.
The Madison, Wisconsin native
and University of St. Thomas (UST)
graduate is co-founder of Top 20
Training, a company that focuses
on making positive change in
the lives of educators, parents,
and students by providing live
trainings and products that
teach social and emotional skills.
Getting started
Her story begins in April 1999
when reflecting upon the tragic
Columbine school shooting. As a
young social studies teacher at
Cretin-Derham Hall (CDH) in St.
Paul, Willow began examining
the nation’s school system and
how we treat one another.
“What I started thinking about is
that we should be purposefully
kind to one another. That you
need to go out of your way to
do kind things for one another,
in order to build a positive
community,” says Willow.
That renewed awareness
motivated Willow to teach a
45-minute class to her students
about purposefully being kind. “It
seems like the kind of thing you
wouldn’t have to teach to kids,
but it made a huge impact,”
adds Willow.
Another teacher at CDH, Tom
Cody, had recently started
a program called Thinking,
Learning and Communicating
(TLC) to help students develop
their own excellence. After
Willow’s success in teaching
2015 Top 20 Training
Happening Locally
• Annandale School District
• Area Catholic School
Teachers
• Catholic Charities
• CentraCare
• Chamber of Commerce
• District 742
• Great River Regional
Library Employees
• Sauk Rapids-Rice
School District
• Sartell School District
• SCSU
• St. Cloud Times
• Stearns County
• WACOSA
By Crystal Nutt
Photos by Pete Pederson, Northern Star Photo

kindness, he asked her to join him
as a co-teacher. Paul Bernebei,
a fellow Twin Cities’ teacher,
had been a guest speaker in the
class, and the three teamed up
to create a program for students.
“And Top 20 was born then. We
wrote books together. We wrote
curriculum together. We’ve been
at this for about 14, [almost] 15
years,” says Willow.
With the initial intent to sell the
curriculum to other schools
to develop students, Willow,
Tom, and Paul, along with their
two business partners, quickly
recognized that teachers could
also benefit from the social and
emotional training material.
“And that’s when it rolled into a
program for kids and adults.”
Today, the company is run by
Willow Sweeney Flaherty, Tom
Cody, and Paul Bernebei. They
provide training and materials
on social and emotional
intelligence, and they’ve worked
with about 400,000 people
across the country and Canada.
Live trainings
Attending a live training by
Willow is very different from
most professional development
sessions. Willow uses personal
stories, dramatizations, and
improv to make the content
come alive. The sessions are
engaging and use humor to
get the point across. “Many
people in my industry either
have good content, or are
really entertaining. I think a
good professional development
experience must have both,”
says Willow.
Willow and her team train
on about eighteen different
topics, but the most popular is
the foundational piece called
“Above and Below the Line.” It’s
about becoming aware of our
thinking. It invites the crowd to
identify those times when their
thinking is positive and healthy
About Top
20 Training
Its mission is to help people
develop their potential by
providing highly effective
training and materials as
part of a unique character
development and emotional
intelligence program. It
provides students, teachers,
and parents with a common
language, easily understood
concepts, and practical tools
for dealing with everyday
situations and problems. To
learn more, visit top20training.
com.
By email at:
info@top20training.com
By phone at:
(651) 308-4876
By postal mail at:
Top 20 Training
1873 Stanford Ave.
Saint Paul, MN 55105
Willow at a speaking engagment.Phenomenal Under 40

Phenomenal Under 40
(Above the Line), and when it is
negative and unhealthy (Below
the Line).
The path to success
Since marrying Brian Flaherty, a
St. Cloud native, and moving to
the area in the mid-2000s, Willow
has become entrenched in all
things central Minnesota. But her
foundation for success started
long before that. Growing up in
Madison, Wisconsin, Willow often
spent time with family, enjoyed
the sense of community that
Madison offers, and had strong
role models, including teachers.
Later, Willow attended UST where
she received the education that
helped land her dream job --
teaching at CDH.
And that teaching experience
not only led her to her current
work, it also led her to her
mentors, Tom and Paul. “They
gave me a great key. I opened
the door with it, and I’ve been
running ever since. But nothing
would have happened for me
without those two.
“For me, almost all of my success
has been based on when I put
energy into good relationships.
That’s it.”
Finding joy
When asked what excites her
about her work, Willow responds,
“I connect strongly with human
energy, and whenever that
combines with the best interest
of other humans or themselves, I
get really excited by that.”
She adds, “What really excites
me about it is that people keep
saying over and over and over,
‘I’m going to use this,’ or ‘This is
going to change things for me.’
And then, when we hear back
from them over time, it has.”
Overcoming challenges
While she’s always had a natural
knack for being in front of
people, Willow has had to hone
her skills, and says she’s leaps
and bounds better than when
she first started.
“That was really one of my
breakthroughs. To really, truly
stop having such a huge
connection to what the crowds’
opinion of me was,” says Willow.
“As soon as I got to that point,
my potential in speaking just kind
of exploded.”
Willow also notes that work travel
is difficult while raising young
children, sons Cooper, 9, and
Barrett, 5. Her mother moved
to St. Cloud in 2007 to be closer
to Willow and her family, and
Willow acknowledges, “The only
way I am able to do what I do
is because my husband and my
mom handle everything for me
at home while I’m on the road.”
Just for fun
Willow values connecting with
people outside of work, too, and
says that, socially, the activities
she is most involved with have
been women’s golf league and
the theatre.
“I golf at the St. Cloud Country
Club. It’s really such a socially
beneficial place because it’s
so much more than golf. It’s
community; it’s family.”
Willow adds that GREAT
Theatre offers a similar sense of
community.
“GREAT Theatre is the most
incredible thing I’ve ever been
a part of in my adult life. It
allows people to come together
and make something. In most
areas of life, there isn’t a lot
of opportunity for that kind of
thing.”
Future plans
When asked about her five-
year plan, Willow responds, “I
would like to be a household
name in social and emotional
intelligence.” And after recently
expanding their company by
adding 11 new national trainers,
it seems Top 20 Training is on its
way to being just that. f
Willow connecting with others.

title
CMW Local Women’s Network

It happens to most of us: we see
or hear something that triggers a
strong memory. For me, that trig-
ger is oftentimes food. The food
that instantly transports me to
summers with my sister, Robin, is
tacos, or, more generally, Mexi-
can food.
When I was little, Robin, older
by many years, had to babysit
me on summer days. I’m sure
she wasn’t always very happy
about that, but we had fun,
with the usual amount of excep-
tions you’d expect with siblings.
The one day we always looked
forward to most was Thursdays.
Thursday was Robin’s payday,
and after picking up her check
and stopping at the bank, we’d
make tracks for our favorite taco
chain. We usually placed the
same order -- soft shell tacos and
potato oles. On the way home,
I’d dig through the bag for a
few oles, holding them out the
window to cool them off quicker.
Sometimes, we’d change things
up, go to the other taco chain
and order Mexican pizzas, or
order the best nachos in town
from one of the pizzerias. It was
guaranteed, though, that when
we got something special, it was
By Heather Rotunda
Photos by Sue Dropp, Dropp
Visual
Mexican Food,Organic-Style
going to be Mexican.
It’s been several years since we
were able to enjoy those Mex-
ican-food Thursdays. We live in
different states now and only see
each other once a year, if we’re
lucky. Trips to taco chains have
also all but stopped since switch-
ing to as organic and GMO-free
a diet as possible. That doesn’t
mean we can’t relive those fun
times when Robin visits this year,
though. We can recreate those
favorites with fresh, healthier
ingredients — and start a new
tradition.
You’ll see that most of the
recipes this time don’t include
amounts. For these dishes, it’s
more of an individual thing.
You may want less meat, more
veggies or cheese, so specific
amounts aren’t vital. One of the
best things about building your
own taco and/or nacho bar?
Most of us have these ingredients
in our fridges. It’s also a great
way to use up leftover meat or
those veggies that should be
used before they take a turn for
the worst. Feel free to change up
the ingredients to suit your tastes
or what you have on hand.
Taco and Nacho Bar
Soft Shell Taco

Do-It-Yourself Taco
and Nacho Bar
• Cooked chicken
• Cooked ground beef
• Diced tomato
• Diced avocado
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded cheddar
• Flour or corn tortillas
• Tortilla chips
• Sour cream
• Salsa
Lay out all the ingredients, buf-
fet-style, and let everyone build
their own tacos or nachos.
Cheese Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
Melt butter in a medium sauce-
pan over medium heat. Whisk in
flour; cook, whisking, for about
a minute. Add milk, whisking
continuously, until thickened.
Add chili powder. Remove pan
from heat and whisk in the ched-
dar until melted. If you need to
reheat the sauce, add a small
amount of water and reheat
over low heat.
Mexican Pizza
• Olive oil
• Flour tortillas
• Refried beans
• Ground beef
• Salsa
• Shredded cheddar
• Chopped green onions
Preheat oven to 350. Set aside a
rimmed cookie sheet.
In a medium skillet, heat just
enough oil to barely cover the
bottom of the pan. Heat a tortilla
on both sides until it begins to
develop a little color; remove
from pan and place on cookie
sheet. Spread refried beans on
heated tortilla, going almost to
the edges. Top with ground beef.
Heat a second tortilla and cover
with the ground beef layer. Top
the second tortilla with salsa,
cheddar, and green onions.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to
15 minutes, or until the cheese is
melted and the tortilla edges are
crisp. Remove from oven, cut in
fourths and serve.
Sue Dropp says: Oh my gosh...
I look down and see I’ve pol-
ished off all of Heather’s Chicken
Nachos during the taste test!!
Oops! Well, Mexican cuisine is
my ultimate favorite, and these
three dishes were “Muy Bueno!”
The tacos, nachos, and Mexican
pizza were composed of organic
fresh veggies, free-range meats,
and delicate seasonings! I just
can’t stop eating. Great job,
Heather!

everywhere. So, let’s sally forth.
With great revelation comes
great restraint…..and
explanation! I’ll be the first
to admit that my wife is
always right, especially in
the major things of life, but
I’m still a valuable part of
the team -- sometimes.
Here, let me explain it this
way. When it comes to
the major decisions about
people, places, or things, my
wife, with her inner compass,
has the uncanny ability to
know the inevitable outcome or
destination. The best way I can
describe this is, it’s like putting
a final destination in a GPS. It’s
no accident that every GPS
has a woman’s voice! The final
destination is where I know we
will end up.
My value comes in the fact that
I’m good at recalculating. Ever
What’s He Thinking?
she’s
right!
By Doug Vagle
So the title of this article could be
greatly misconstrued and used
as a weapon of mass destruction
against men, everywhere, if
taken out of context. It’s an
extremely dangerous thing to
flippantly say, and while it is
absolutely true……it also needs
some clarification.
Call it intuition, call it good
sense, call it a gut feeling, call it
whatever you want, because,
when it comes to women, your
inner compass is almost always
correct. Personally speaking, I’ve
found this to be the case, over
and over again, through my
years of marriage. I’ll also never
forget it, because I’m frequently
reminded of this fact, over and
over……..but that’s an issue for
another issue!
If I just stopped here, quite
possibly I could do irreparable
damage to relationships,
heard the woman on your GPS
say that word? Sometimes,
a recalculation is necessary,
because we need gas or I
know about construction or
even a possible better route
to our destination. Sometimes,
a recalculation is necessary,
because I need to hit a drive-
thru. See, one of my special
talents is rolling with the flow of
life. That is exactly why my wife
and I make such a great team!
She knows WHERE we need to
get to, and I am good at figuring
out all the grinding details of
HOW to get there amongst all
the obstacles and detours that
life throws our way. Together, we
can get ANYwhere.
Well, I have to run because
she asked me to pick up some
milk. Hmmmm....now, which
store should I go to? What route
should I take?
Until next time! f
Always
What’s
He
Thinking?

Steppin' Out!
July
Steppin’ Out
ARTS
4: St. Cloud Municipal Band,
Independence Day, Hester
Park, 8 p.m.
9,16,23,30: St. Cloud Munici-
pal Band, Barden Park, 7:30
p.m. Free concert!
9-10;16-18;23-24: Avenue, Pio-
neer Place on Fifth Main Stage,
7:30 p.m. Tickets: ppfive.com
12: Music in the Gardens,
Munsinger-Clemens Gardens,
Twin Cities Trio, 3 p.m. Info:
munsingerclemens.com.
16: 100 Years of Sinatra!
With Andrew Walesh & His Big
Band, Paramount, 1:30 and 7
p.m. Info/Tickets: paramoun-
tarts.org, or (320) 259-5463.
16: Art Fair in the Gardens,
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Info: mun-
singerclemens.com.
17: Reynold Philipsek, Pioneer
Place on Fifth In the Lounge, 9
p.m. to 12 a.m. Free!
24: Anthony Perry, Pioneer
26: Music in the Gardens,
3 p.m., Laura Cavianni. Info:
munsingerclemens.com.
31: Chris Laumb, Pioneer
COMMUNITY
St. Cloud Farmer’s Market, 8
a.m. to noon. Location: Lady
Slipper Parking Lot (between
Perkins and Fitzharris in Down-
town St. Cloud).
St. Joseph Farmers Market,
3 to 6:30 p.m. Location: Res-
urrection Lutheran Church
grounds, “under the water
tower.”
1,8,15,22,29: Summertime by
George, Lake George, Down-
town St. Cloud, 5 to 9 p.m.
Contact: info@summertimeby-
george.com.
3-4: St. Joseph Church Par-
ish Festival, parish grounds,
begins at 5 p.m. Info: churchst-
joseph.org/.
4: 68th Annual Fireworks,
Hester & Wilson Parks, 10 p.m.
St. Cloud Municipal Band plays
at 8 p.m.
11: Clearwater Graniteman
Triathlon, Warner Lake. Info:
granitemantri.com.
12: 35th Annual Tour of the
Saints Bike Ride. Check-in,
6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Starts/
ends at College of St. Benedict.
Info: tourofsaints.com.
14: Lap the Lake Family Re-
lay & Ice Cream Social, Lake
George, 6:30 p.m. Register
at 5:30 p.m. In celebration of
Minser Chiropractic Clinic’s
25th anniversary. All proceeds
benefit Oklahaven Children’s
Chiropractic Center. Info: min-
serchiropractic.com/5k_Run_
Walk.php.
18: Sports Cards & Collect-
ibles Show, Stearns History
Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free! Info: granitecityshows.
com.
23-25: Halfway Jam. Info: half-
wayjam.com, or 1-(877)HALF-
JAM.
24-25: Cold Spring Hometown
Pride Festival. Info: coldspring.
govoffice.com.
For Arts and Community Events, visit cmwomen.com
August
Halfway Jam
July 23-25
Four days of rock in
Central MN, featuring
over 25 bands
on two stages.
Feat. Night Ranger

Market
Place
CMW marketplace Representatives:
Cindy Steinke • (320) 333-6487 • cindycmwomen@gmail.com
Heather Rotunda • (320) 223-8979 • heatherrotunda@gmail.com
NATALIE M. ROTUNDA • (320) 203-7433 • rotunda56303@hotmail.com
Your Classified Section
ATTORNEYS
FINANCIAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
jeddelohsnyder.com
• Divorce
• Estate Planning
• Real Estate
• Business
Experienced.
Trusted.
AUTO
(320) 251-8900
stcloudlincoln.com
2930 2nd St. S.
St. Cloud, MN
MILLER
LINCOLN
bremerbank.com
Downtown St. Cloud • 251-3300
West St. Cloud • 656-3300
Sauk Rapids • 252-1938
Sartell 255-7121 • Rice 393-2600
BEAUTY
Exceptional experience
...every time!
• Haircuts and Styling
• Massage
• Color, Restructuring
and Conditioning
(320) 252-3313
michellekenric.com
Pine Cone Marketplace
Sartell, MN
TITLE SERVICES
A company built from the ground
up based on ethics and morals
•Residential, Commercial
•Witness and Remote Closing
Services •Title Insurance
• Construction Disbursing, Docu-
ment Preparation •O & E Reports
320.654.0050
Quarrytitle.com
3312 3rd St. N. • St. Cloud MN
Member FDIC
SERVICES
Team Farrand
Your Local Real Estate
Professionals
Tamera Farrand
Realtor®
(320) 250-4902
HomesForSaleStCloud.com
Tamera@PremierHomeSearch.com
Natalie M. Rotunda,
Business Writer
Specializing in case studies
and business profiles. FREE
15-minute initial consult.
Call (320) 203-7433, or email
natalie.m.rotunda@gmail.com.
bankvista.com • 320.257.1600
Member FDICJim Rohn and
Cousin Junior
I collect meaningful
quotes. Jim Rohn’s are
among my favorites. But
the one that eclipses all
the others is, “Wherever
you are, be there.”
It took reading the
quote a few times
before the wisdom of
those five words hit me.
I began seeing it as the
all-occasion quote that
fits just about any situa-
tion. “Be there.” Be 100%
present.
I try to be that person
who lives in the mo-
ment, but I’ve never
known anyone who
personifies the Jim Rohn
quote better than Sam,
Jr., a favorite cousin. Liv-
ing the writer life in So-
Cal, he did everything
with flair and style. No
shortcuts, no half mea-
sures. All you needed
to know about him was
this: Whoever he was
with, nothing else mat-
tered for that stretch of
time.
Junior came home to
visit periodically, and
you always made time
to spend time with him.
Walk in the door of his
parents’ home, and
bam! He was there to
greet you. For at least
the next half hour, Junior
was laser-focused on
you, asking all about
what you were doing.
But the questions never
seemed intrusive. You
knew he really cared
and wanted to know,
because Junior was like
this with everyone. He
was the real deal, noth-
ing plastic or inauthentic
about him. More than
one of us wanted to be
just like him.
“Wherever you are,
be there.” Yep, that fit
Junior to a “T.”
During my three-year
presidency of a writer’s
group, I issued two
invitations to Junior to
speak to us. I was proud
of the man and of his
accomplishments and
wanted to show him off
to my writer-friends, who
were all in various stag-
es of writing success.
But Junior turned down
both invites. I said earlier
that he’s the real-deal.
That was never more
evident than when he
told me why he’d said
“no” (then asked for a
rain check). He didn’t
have anything “big”
to talk about just then,
and he did not want to
trade on his past suc-
cesses. He wanted to
have something fresh,
something current, to
share with us that might
help us further our ca-
reers.
Our timing was never
right. And then he was
gone.
I miss Junior. He’s one
of the most real people
I’ve ever known. Jim
Rohn’s quote is taped
to my desk. Sometimes
when I read it, my mind
time-travels to his be-
loved mom’s and my
aunt’s funeral. It was the
last time I saw him. Even
then, through his grief,
Junior was Junior.
Throughout his writing
career, Junior knew Big
Names in the entertain-
ment industry. Wouldn’t
it be crazy if Jim Rohn
was one of them -- and
he coined the quote
with Junior in mind? f
Growing As I Learn/MarketPlace

CMW - JulyAug15

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