2013 Annual Report for Old School Lives, a faith based non-profit, in Cotton, MN. Take a look at our mission, programs, volunteers, and detailed financials from the last year.

1. “Love the energy and community concept. You’ve got something special here.” -Tami LaPole Edmunds Art in the Alley - Duluth
Old School Lives
2013 Annual Report

2. our 2013 board members:
John Wood | chairman Jake Crispo |vice chairman Joe Froehlingsdorf |treasurer Craig Kinsley|board member
our 2013 staff members: Kate Crispo: youth director | marketing
Ashley Long: gift shop|thrift store manager
Katrina Anderson: book keeping|food manager
Old School Lives Incorporated is a faith-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation who uses the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ as the governing line for its rules of conduct.
The Center offers community development and social services to individuals and families by building community, growing relationships, confirming the unique attributes of people in the community, and fulfilling needs to impoverished families. The center will also provide many services including: youth services, parenting, life skills, job skills, counseling, adult education, economic development endeavors, and physical and social opportunities.
“… The God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
our 2013 directors Ginger Kinsley Ruth Kallberg Kate Crispo

3. “Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious” said food writer, Ruth Reichl. After the first few months of volunteers, young and old working tirelessly to clean and repair this old building that had once held the fullness of life in the Cotton area, we have finally found some time to say to community ‘sit a bit and share some food and talk with us’. Our efforts at community building are showing fruit. For me personally, I am amazed at the many wonderful hardworking and joyful people I have met in this past year. A shared commitment from a diverse group of people has begun the process of creating community relationship. Learning to slow down, listen, laugh and cry with people has been the biggest lesson and the source of the biggest blessing of our first year. We woodsmen are notorious for hiding out in the forest and keeping to ourselves but we are learning that good things come from a shared laugh, a shared meal and even doing a bit of sweating together as we create a place for everyone to belong.
2013 brought us full swing into understanding the valuable asset this building is. During the long winter months the archery range sprang to life. The challenge of recycling old text books was solved by insulating a wall for the arrows to pierce. Gym time was a much sought after commodity. Fitness classes for men and women, Cotton Area Baseball Spring Training, Lakeview Christian Academy Basketball, various community events all scheduled time in the Cardinal gym. The fitness program alone served 1000 people of all ages.
The OSL Community Library began to attract readers seeking books of all kinds. We sorted through thousands of books left behind, text books, and library books. Some books were sold and shipped around the country to help raise funds to operate the building. We have begun collaborations with other public libraries who are supplying us with books. Our plans for the future include tutoring programs and special events through the library.
Our community was drawn together through the arts with special event demonstrations, knitting groups, art projects, even building painting projects, thanks to a Northland Foundation Valspar paint grant, that are indeed “Restoring, Strengthening, Establishing and Confirming”. The future holds much promise for South Central St Louis County. Individuals and families are growing and maturing and Old School Lives will continue to thrive into the future. Ginger Kinsley
Ginger Kinsley (with husband, Craig) Old School Lives Executive Director
Old School Lives is a 501(c)3 non-profit family services and outreach center in Cotton, MN. Check us out at www.Oldschoollives.com
Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OldSchoolLives

4. Above: Volunteers working hard and joyfully while putting together the community meal during the 2013 annual OSL community get-together, Cotton Days. Below: Community Members take a ride in a horse drawn sleigh during the annual Live Nativity.
One of the main purposes of Old School Lives is to restore a sense of community in our area. 2013 proved to be a year full of events that brought everyone together as a community. We hosted our annual events: Cotton Days, a spring and fall “Junkaroo and Mocha Too”, and a Live Nativity, all of which were wholesome days of family-friendly fun! 2013 also brought the establishment of a community garden and the opening of our retreat center!
Our Gift shop acts as an outlet for community members to create and sell handmade crafts. OSL also hosts artists of the community and is an incubator for locally- owned businesses such as 2nd-Gear.net, Hairway 53, and Prairie Muffin Creations.
In-house sculptor, Lanny Johnson during a demonstration

5. Another main purpose of Old School Lives is to help strengthen traditional family values. All our events are family-friendly, and we strive to maintain an environment where families can come together to play, work, and fellowship with one another.
Excitingly, 2013 marked the beginning of plans and preparations for the Life Center, a branch of our Heart to Heart Ministry, set to be up and running in 2014. The Life Center will provide resources and support for families in: marriages, parenting, social services, health information, education and other areas of life.
To encourage families in our area, the Life Center will provide a gift basket to local families when their new baby arrives!

6. In the spirit of community, we at Old School Lives work to establish relationships among and across all ages. Our youth program works to provide safe and fun opportunities for youth to build friendships with other community members young and old. Events like Knitting with Miriam and card making classes give community members the chance to practice a craft while enjoying the fellowship of other community members!
Above: Community members participating in “Kitting with Miriam” Below: Some young adults and local youth donning their ugly sweaters at the 2013 Christmas party.

7. Old
One of the ways Old School Lives works to promote healthy living is by providing opportunities and facilities for community members to achieve and maintain physical fitness. We offer a variety of fitness classes, such as boot camp and yoga, as well as regular memberships to our fitness center and weight room. In 2013 we had over 70 community members signed up for fitness center memberships and leading or participating in fitness classes throughout the year! Also, during the winter months, when thermometers dropped to frigid temps, many people used the building for walking, a free opportunity we offered so that people could remain active without having to endure the below zero weather.
During the 2013 Cotton Days, we hosted volleyball, basketball and wiffle ball tournaments. We had over 80 people participating in these games from morning until past 11:30 at night under the lights of the wiffle ball field!

8. In the early days of OSL, food and nutrition needs became obvious. In the summer of 2013 a community Garden was planted and harvested by local community members. Also, members of the local churches and groups gathered to discuss how to meet the needs of the community, body and soul, realizing that with the closing of our school there was a growing need to gather together. Out of that meeting has blossomed a 2nd Saturday Community Meal.
Our first meal was served to 75 people in April 2013. The area
Seen here: Old School Lives volunteers dish out the community meal at the Live Nativity.

9. Seen here: A local Musician and OSL volunteer, Wynn Kinsley, plays a few tunes during the 2013 Cotton Days.
churches and groups rotate on a monthly basis Preparing and serving nutritious meals, even offering “to-go” for shut ins, family members working afternoon shifts, and neighbors in need. The meals are free and open to everyone. -Sandy Bickford
In addition to the community meal, Old School Lives’ Heart to Heart program also runs a self-serve coffee shop. In addition to a place to enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend, this area acts as a resource to local community members for free computer and internet access as well as a meeting place for St. Louis County, and community and church groups throughout the area. Also, during our events you’ll find local artists, musicians and craftsmen doing demonstrations of their arts and trades. In 2013 United Taconite generously donated computers to Old School Lives’ coffee shop. They have seen much use from the community members who would otherwise not have had access to a computer or internet.
OSL Coffee Shop

10. 2013 financials:
Donations, Grants, $44,023.21 , 41%
Special Events and Fundraisers, $14,285.33 , 13%
Shops, Classes, Memberships and Rents, $48,820.51 , 46%
2013 Income Sources
Building Upkeep (maintanence, janitorial, licensing, insurane, etc), $14,313.84 , 14%
Administrative
(office, advertising, bookkeeping, phone/internet etc), $10,779.08 , 10%
Heart to Heart Program,
$15,289.60 , 14%
Lifelong Learning and Arts,
$7,440.49 , 7%
Youth Programing, $18,185.40 , 17%
Fit and Friendly, $229.00 , 0%
Special Events, $9,374.41 , 9%
Electric and Heat, $30,383.43 , 29%
Building and Program Expenses

11. Old School Lives would not be able to offer the services and community events we do without the gracious donations of our supporters or the countless hours put in by our awesome volunteers. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of you who have kept our project alive through financial support and your hours of hard work. We appreciate you greatly! In the event that we have missed you or incorrectly recorded your name, we offer our apologies and gratitude to you as well, and we invite you to please contact us so that we can update our records!
2013 Financial Donors
Major Donors
$5,000 and up
John and Kathy Wood CC Riders Snowmobile Club $1000- $4999
Northern Mining Services, Inc. Lakehead Constructors, Inc. Lanny Johnson Hope Church, Cotton Craig and Ginger Kinsley
$500 - $999
Kelsey Community Church Cotton Civic Club Brothers Burn Mountain Steve Andrews/ Mn Industries
$250 - $499
Clint and Ruth Kallberg Andrea Simek Cotton Community Church ($250-$499 Continued) Jake and Kate Crispo Shannon Lane United Refractories, Inc.
$100 - $249
Michael B Achorn Alan Nelson Dianne Anderson Mark and Loretta Bickford Jesse Dermody GPM Jeff Koller Donella Kubiak Curt and Kim Larson Lind Industrial Supply, Inc. Linda Tuhkenin Lowel Johnson Mesabi Mechanical Engineering Contractors, Inc. Pat Meyer Peter and Leah Thorson Peggy Ricci Paavo Saukko Whitefish Manufacturing Company Katy Anderson

12. 2013 Financial Donors Continued
Regular Donors
Up to $99
Amanda Anderson Loretta Bodey Jill Brotz Curtis Bush Bug Creek Soaps Carlson Tammy Collom Kim Ercikson Kory Frye Hagolin Patrick Hey Josie Horbach Archie Hostetler Michelle Johnson
Michelle Keyport Nancy Korpi Kevin Kowarsch Daniel Mark Lange Christy Majchrzak Mariah McKechnie Annette Milsop Olsen Laurel Olson Jesse Peterson Rick and Tevia Schneider Mark and Shawn Stokes PJH Window Riverside Chapel John and Kath Wood Kim Yordy D Zilmen
In Kind Donations
Jasper Engineering United Taconite Cotton Civic Club Total Tool Sherwin Williams Northland Foundation/ Valspar Bruce Voight Joanne Robich Pete & Leah Thorson Terry & Sandy Carlson Wilbert Café Hairway 53 2nd Gear Kelsey Church Cotton Community Church Hope Church St Peters Lutheran Church Mike & Nancy Korpi Jim & Sue Dedina Doris Dedina Dennis Dickson Edwin & Loretta Jantzen Kourtney & Bridget Kinsley Madline Johnson Shauna Dulinski Allan & Sandra Nelson Rick Messenbrink

13. It was a handful of us that felt we should see what could be done with the old Cotton school, but we have been amazed at the people who have caught the vision and have come in and continue to come in, to walk side by side with us in this place called Old School Lives. Our volunteers are amazing! Talented, so helpful, and most of all --- they are there! I’m so thankful for each one! We need you! We are also so thankful for all the nice things that are donated to Second Chances, it’s a wonderful way to help us keep the bills paid, and to help people get things they need at an affordable price. It would also not be possible to keep the store stocked with the very best if it were not for the faithful volunteers who come in and help sort, run the shop, and bring cheer to my day! -Ruth Kallberg
2013 Volunteers
Michael & Marge Achorn Dianne Anderson Katrina Anderson Katy Anderson Sandy Bickford Dennis Bohlin Jarred Bohlin Dayne Chapin Colleen Chapman Jake & Kate Crispo Sam & Terri Crispo Jesse Dermody Ryan Dermody Kim Erickson Tony Erickson Debbie Feth Andi Fiest Joe & Ida Froehlingsdorf Alicia George James Griener Dayton Hanson Jr. Kathy Hiltunen Jordan Hunt Sharon Hunt Tom & Ann Johns Lanny & Sharon Johnson Lowell & Pat Johnson Clint & Ruth Kallberg Greg Kick Pam Kick Rory Kick Craig & Ginger Kinsley Kourtney & Bridget Kinsley

14. Wynn Kinsley Carol Peterson Korpi McKenzie Kowarsch Arrlette Krog Donella Kubiak Alyson Kuriatnyk Roger & Sandy LaFlamme James Lanhart Jasmine Lanhart Curt & Kim Larson Peter Larson Tom Larson Nick LaRue Debbie Leppala Ashley Long Isaak Long Tanya Long Carol Lukas Bob Maki Pat Meyer Chase Miller Lori Miller Greg & Annette Millsop Ernest Moberg Marie Moberg Keith Morrison Kasey Myhre Alishia Nelson Miriam Overfors Dale & Brenda Palo Larry & Cathy Peterson Steven Peterson Justus Peterson Norm & Sirley Peterson Bev Petrusalek Ray Privett Gene & LouAnn Rands Robert & Delores Randall Peggy Ricci Jo-Anne Robich Frank & Nancy Rossell Mark Schroeder Amanda Semen Zacharias Shears Andrea & Robert Simek Stephanie Simek Bob & Sue Skafte Elsa Stokes Talitha Stokes Joy Thomas Frank & Jan Wendell Gerry & Tonia Webber Elaine Wick Daniel Wood John & Kathy Wood Margie Wood Matthew wood Rosie Wood