Funeral services for Andrew Samuel (Sam) Brekke of Ellendale, MN, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 9, 2012 at the Pontoppidan Lutheran Church in Rural Ellendale, MN. Pastor Sandy Miller will officiate. Visitation will be held Friday evening from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Friedrich Funeral Home in New Richland, MN, and one hour prior to the service at the church. 

Sam died Tuesday evening, June 5, 2012 at his home in Ellendale of an apparent heart attack. He was 66 years of age.

Sam was born December 19, 1945 in Red Wing, MN, the son of Walter and Dorothy (Hanson) Brekke. He graduated from Red Wing High School and received his accounting degree from Faribault Vocational College.

Dean Kaplan, age 46, of Garden Grove, California, formerly of Ellendale, MN passed away on May 29, 2012, in California after a long battle with cancer.

He was born March 2, 1966, in Owatonna to Lloyd and Jacqueline (Roeker) Kaplan, formerly of Ellendale, now of Owatonna. He graduated from Ellendale-Geneva High School in 1984 and from Southwest State University. He was a big sports fan, especially the Minnesota Gopher teams; enjoyed watching his children compete in swimming and gymnastics, and also followed horse racing. Prior to his death he was employed by Direct TV in California. He married his wife, May, on November 23, 1996. She survives as well as a daughter, Eva, age 11, and a son, Ethan, age 9.

He is also survived by his parents Lloyd and Jackie Kaplan of Owatonna, a sister, Gail Kaplan, of Roseville, Minnesota, and his maternal grandmother, Marie Roeker of Owatonna.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Herman Roeker, and paternal grandparents, Frank and Esther (Busho) Kaplan.

Services will be private with a celebration of Dean's life held at a later date. Locally, friends may call at the home of Lloyd and Jackie Kaplan, 514 Ashley Lane SE, Owatonna on Saturday, June 23, 2012, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. for a "Time of Fellowship, Sharing and Remembrance."

Vibrant Life pastor moves to town from Ireland

A FANTASIC MESSAGE — Every Sunday morning, Vibrant Life’s newly hired pastor Patrick Stitt gets fired up to stand behind the pulpit. (Star Eagle photo by Rachel Rietsema)

By RACHEL RIETSEMA

Staff Writer

Not even two months ago, Pastor Patrick Stitt of Ellendale’s Vibrant Life Assembly of God Church called Chisinau, Moldova home.

“We were having a wonderful time on the mission field working with victims of human trafficking and prostitution,” Stitt said. “But, our kids weren’t adjusting well, so we decided to come back to Minnesota.”

Sandwiched between Romania and the Ukraine, this Irish native and his family sought the Assembly of God’s council for wisdom. They so longed for a church to share their love for Christ.

“I’ve never pastored a church before,” Stitt said. “I feel like it was almost a risk to take me on, but I’m going to work hard to make sure it pays off.”

Geneva’s Dairy Night June 13

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

What is so grand as a day in June? The fields and flowers are at their peak. There are weddings, Vacation Bible School to attend, and vacations to enjoy.

The school kids are enjoying their freedom from school. Actually, one might see them riding bike, playing in the park and then, there is June Dairy Night. There aren't many dairy herds locally any more, but there is still ice cream.

Warren Wayne and Don Gries started June Dairy Night probably 60 years ago by the side door of the store they had in Geneva, which is now Sorenson’s Appliance, giving out ice cream cones for free. Their customers and local people were more than happy to take part in the festivities and so it continued and grew into an activity put on by the business people of Geneva.

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

There is going to be a motorized Geneva Cancer Run, not to be confused with the Matt Felt and Dillon Gordon run to be held July 14.

This first-ever Geneva Cancer Run will be held in conjunction with a celebration of Whitey, "Mr. Cancer Auctioneer" Hagen's 80th birthday.

Geneva Cancer Run riders are asked to gather at Geneva Bar & Grill on Saturday June 9. The riders, be they on motorcycle, in cars, trucks or vans, will leave Geneva at 11 a.m. and head north and west to Janesville, to Manchester, Hollandale, Austin, Blooming Prairie and back to Geneva, arriving at about 5 p.m. in time for supper, a silent auction, and door prizes, all under the big tent Geneva Bar & Grill’s parking lot.

The Geneva Cancer Ride will cover approximately 130 miles.

Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Though you can use experience to steer clear of most storms, once you are aboard there is nothing you can do but thank God that at least you were alive long enough to be a part of the experience.

People talk about old age all the time. It is almost as important as talking about the weather. A common question is, "How are you doing?" The questioner never expects to actually get an answer unless it is, "Oh, hanging in there."

Mammy McCullough used to say, "Oh, I am super good but I'll get better. The reaction you get to this is first of all a surprise, then laughter. It pays to think positive.

There is lots of talk about the Golden Years, which would actually be more like silver if you look at the hair.

It is strange that you don't think of being old until you see someone your own age. How can we look in the mirror every day and not see the changes taking place? Do we really see ourselves?

Old age comes at different times. When you're young, old can be any where from 40 and up, but usually around 50 and "half way there." Ironically, one’s idea of old age changes the older you get. At age 40, 50 is old, at 50 one is likely to believe 60 is old. Those 75 or 80 will refer to that "old duffer," meaning someone older than themselves.

Age brings on any variety of ailments. Probably the most talked of is arthritis, though things like cancer, heart, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and the like are far more incapacitating. What is arthritis, really? More than 100 forms of arthritis exist. It has been described as creaky, crunchy, frozen joints and a walk that shows knees that don't want to bend.

Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear type of arthritis because the cartilage within the joints breaks down. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still a mystery but it usually is the result of immune system attacks on normal joint tissues.

One usually hears more men complain about arthritis, but in reality it is a women’s disease with two or three times as many women affected as men.

I recently sat in the doctor’s office and a thought came to mind: How easy it is for us to dash off to the doctor for any number of things, some things serious, and some things not so serious. The personnel, the knowledge and the so-called technology that can give so much information in such a short time can make you feel better psychologically. But then I thought about all those years when all this technology wasn't available at the touch of a switch.

Who was the "doctor" who made up the prescription, took the temperature (probably by putting a hand on the forehead) and gave out the TLC that was probably more important than anything? It was likely Dr. Mom. I won't say Dad wasn't there too, holding a feverish child to comfort them while Mom had to do other things, but mostly it was Dr. Mom.

Oh, moms still do administer to small illnesses and injuries, but many of the childhood ailments of the past generation or two has meant a dash to the local urgent care center. Compare that with the country doctor who traveled to the patient many times, instead of vice versa.

Most cures from Grandma Hanson came from a bottle of peroxide, a Listerine bottle and a bit of Vicks for good measure. Treatment consisted of washing and soaking injuries — then the doctoring — and the comforting words of, "It will be O.K.," took care of most scrapes and cuts. 

It was not unusual to drag out an infection or a boil with the inside skin of a chicken egg. Damp when put on, it dried and drew the skin and pulled out the infection. I can just hear the doctors’ comments, but it seemed to work. People did what they could at that time and hoped that it would take care of the problem.

Grandma’s big cure-all was reserved for more treacherous things. At one time, she had an infection I believe was called a carbuncle. Yikes. 

She washed and soaked it and even went to the doctor who lanced it, but it didn't seem to respond to treatments. So she did the Grandma Hanson thing: sour cream straight from the farm and slice of home made bread. She then bound up the ankle. Laugh, but it worked. 

I suppose the yeast and sour cream were the antibiotic of the ‘20s, but it pulled that infection out and there was like a core or root that came with it. A few more treatments and the leg was O.K. again. That was medicine of the day. Bread and sour cream was often the cure-all.

Grandma used her Listerine bottle to take care of everything from your head to your feet, including dandruff, teeth, mosquito bites, cuts, abrasions. You got it and it worked. I suppose it was the alcohol in it.

Winter brought its common ills that required Vicks. Dr. Demo always said, "Spread it on the barn." Vicks was a preventer or a get-well item, rubbed vigorously between the shoulder blades, the bottoms of the feet or wrapped in a rag around the neck. A gob in a pan of boiling water and a tent over the head opened up nasal passages and cleared the lungs.

Croup could be treacherous. Uncle Paul got the kerosene and sugar treatment for his and my mother the vinegar drink, or she would wear it on a thing around her neck which was accompanied by a lot of teasing, but it worked — or at least they thought it did.

I remember well the time I burned my arm very badly and Doc Olds in New Richland, wakened from a mostly sleepless night, wrapped it with some yellow salve and gauze and said, "Do not take it off." Whatever it was, it did the trick.

A small potato in the pants pocket was relief from arthritis in those days. Mashed potatoes? No. The potato would get hard as a stone. 

My dad used the copper bracelet trick and the skin would get green around it. When combined with a potato in his pocket, the green went away. There were many conversations of people who cut potato slices or wrapped cabbage leaves around their knees.

Remember when doctors or dentists gave candy treats to kids for being good? Not many do that anymore.

Did these folk remedies really work? In some cases yes, but there is no denying the fact that life expectancy has increased sharply since the pre-penicillin and other wonder drug days of WW II. Maybe they worked because they had to work; there was no option. Maybe they worked because we believed in a cure.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here, we may as well dance!

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, June 7th: Chris Blouin, Daniel Eliason, Jesse Langlie, Roger Sommers, Faye Thompson, Paul Stollard, Trisha (Gross) Gilbertson, Brandon Gross, Katie (Klemmensen) & Kevin Knudson, Holly (Wangsness) & Jake Dau, Richard & Karen Holmes, Irvin & Joan Diderrich, Richard & Bonnie Peterson, Jeff & Lynne Draayer, Jim & Joanne Pichner.

• Friday, June 8th: Deb Wallace, Steve Hagen, Owen Ryan Krueger, Monty Miller, Sandi Meyer, Rodney Wayne, Steve Lembke, Morgan Hutchinson, Michelle & Damon Gowlland.

• Saturday, June 9th: Torsten & Melissa Wayne, Rhonda (Lund) & Troy Thevenot, Lexi Wayne, Ahinka Jensen, Sharon Lageson, Bennett Ver Hey, Carrie Paulson, Karen Swearingen Cox, Dana Waltz, Greg Smith, Tait Ingvaldson, Kenny Toft.

• Sunday, June 10th: Arnold Lund, his 93rd; Warren Wayne, Samantha Mae Schumacher, Kathy Allard, David Ellis, Chuck Groth, Jamie Weller, Margaret Reese, Forest Peterson, Adam Wacek, London Avery, Sarah (Cornelius) & Rob Routh, Marv & Pat Schulz, Missy (Lonning) & Paul Richards.

• Monday, June 11th: Angie & Thad Aaseth, Rick & Becky Johnson, Andy Lerberg, Zoie Marie Jensen, Diana Ritz, Matthew Horan, John Xavier, Mary Simon, and Karen Carlsen.

• Tuesday, June 12th: Nancy Ver Hey, Hanna Gail Crabtree, John Wallace, Charlotte Hill, Grant Pavek, Keith & Teresa McDonald,Ryan & Amanda (Reese) Beavens and Ron & Julie Peterson.

• Wednesday, June 13th: Steve & Rhonda Christensen, Fran & Fred Kenady, Marilyn & Gary Ulland, Keith & Kristin Hamberg, Kaden Jon Homuth, Cory Donald Haberman, Brent Reese, Ray Otteson, Tira Vangen, Corey Haberman, Tristan Richards, and Gary Jepson.

Wishing you quiet moments of beauty on your special day!

There is a lot to be said about spending time in the outdoors. I have been lucky enough to have a little piece of land in northern Minnesota where I enjoy spending time. I know that our place wouldn’t be for everyone, as there is no running water and no electricity. 

I did however break down and buy a generator which comes in pretty handy for working on the cabin. Like I said, it isn’t for everyone but our family enjoys it and I don’t see any upgrades in the foreseeable future.

In fact, I am writing this week’s column from the cabin because there were things that I wanted to get done before the summer swings into high gear. Spending a little “quiet time” alone in the north woods is actually pretty relaxing and it really makes me feel just that much closer to nature. 

We have no TV, just a radio and on my first day up there, I didn’t even turn it on. That’s what you could call getting away from it all. It’s not the Boundary Waters, but it sure works for me.

Camping can give you a lot of that same feeling. Before we found this land, I was planning on buying a pop-up pickup camper which I felt was all that I would need. If I didn’t have my own space in the woods, I would still be enjoying this area because of the many camping opportunities available through National Forest Campgrounds, Voyaguers National Park and our many State Parks. 

You can go to almost any State Park and get that “back to nature” feeling because the campsites are nice and big and there is plenty of nature to explore. Most National Forest campsites are rustic but most offer toilets, water and have firewood available.

I have written in the past about campsites that the Forest Service has available on a first-come basis on various lakes in the Chippewa National Forest. These are rustic sites, with a few located on Spider Lake. 

I have often thought about taking the tent and spending a night or two at one of them. I should probably do that while I still have the desire to do it. I guess I still get that kid feeling when it comes to the outdoors. I have a feeling I’d have that “old guy” feeling after sleeping on the ground for a night or two, but I think it would be well worth it.

Locally, we have a nice State park available to us in Myre State Park and Sakatah State park is only 50 miles to the north by Waterville. It was sure good to see the many folks enjoying our area lakes, parks and walking trails this Memorial Day weekend, whether it was fishing, boating, picnicing or just taking a stroll around the lake. 

We are lucky to have these many valuable resources available to us right here. I believe that it is what makes this a great place to live.

I have heard that some folks have been catching crappies on Pickerel Lake. I am not sure, but I don’t remember hearing of the DNR placing any crappies into the lake. Evidently, there are folks out there who probably feel that they are much more knowledgeable than the DNR. 

If someone did indeed do this on their own, I would have to wonder if this will hurt the long range plan that the DNR had in place for the lake. The plan that the DNR implemented in Geneva Lake seems to be working quite well and is starting to pay dividends with some nice perch and pike.

While I was working outdoors at the cabin, I happened to be standing fairly close to the bird feeders. There were some chickadees and finches on the feeders a few feet away. A pesky red squirrel was busily munching on some sun oil seeds on another. A vision then flashed through my mind so I mentioned to my wife that the only thing missing was a raccoon sitting on my shoulder. I could have been an imitation of Grizzly Adams. 

Time spent watching all the critters of the forest is time well spent. Yes, there is a lot to be seen in the outdoors if we take the time to take it in. Just stepping out of this fast paced world and relaxing by a lake or sitting in a park for a few minutes can do wonders as a stress reliever.

Until next time, take a little time to relax and enjoy a little fishing and watch a bobber as it bounces lazily in the breeze; it’s a great way to experience the outdoors.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

You may remember the movie Hoosiers, staring Gene Hackman, in which a small Indiana town was able to overcome much larger schools and win the Indiana State High School Basketball Tournament. If you haven’t seen the movie, get it and enjoy a heartwarming story.

For over half a century, high school basketball assumed an importance that is not equaled today. Television was somewhat of a distraction in the fifties, but in many small towns you watched it in black and white when the signal came in; not any particular program. It was long before the Internet, Facebook and movies on demand came along.

In my little hometown, church, school and basketball were foremost in our lives, and if the school had a good basketball team it brought the town together. Mennonites, Lutherans and all denominations stood together to root for the Mountain Lake Lakers.

You may remember or have heard of the team from Edgerton. The Flying Dutchmen came out of Southwest Minnesota to beat large school Austin in the finals and win the Minnesota High School Basketball Tournament in 1960.

At that time, there was only one high school basketball division. Now, I know in these days of political correctness the small schools have a better chance of winning their division, but there is no opportunity for David to slay Goliath. All the small towns and some of the city people would root for the underdog as they did for Preston when they almost defeated Austin in the Regional finals in the sixties.

There seems to be a period of time when the fates seem to bless a town. Schools and their town have a period of great success, then fade away and are never heard of again. My home town of Mountain Lake stretched that time out to about fifteen years. 

During that time, they were the "Scourge of the Prairies." They were Edgerton before Edgerton when they won the Tournament in 1939. When we moved to Mountain Lake in 1946, the town was anxiously awaiting the 1947 basketball season. 

The Lakers were favored, for they had gotten to the State semi-finals the previous year. They had all-state Ray Wall, a 6'3" center with wry neck handicap and a marvelous hook shot. The team advanced through the District, Regional, and the first game of the State Tournament without losing a game. 

They lost! They lost to Duluth Denfeld by a point on a lastsecond shot. It was quiet in Mountain Lake that year. The Robins were very cautious that Spring as they went about their business. However, the parade of good athletes continued and Lakers went to three more State Tournaments in short order.

I attended the 1951 and 1952 tournaments in Williams Arena as a seventh and eighth-grader. Mountain Lake lost to Gilbert and Hopkins in overtime by one point. It wasn’t so bad to lose to Gilbert, which was also a small town, but to the lost to Hopkins was heartbreaking. All in all, Mountain Lake went to the one division High School Basketball Tournament 13 times, fighting its way past the Mankato and Worthingtons of Southwest Minnesota. We never did clash with Edgerton. Just as well.

There have been many explanations as to the run of good fortune. Some attributed it to the Mennonite heritage - that young Mennonite boys were able to release some of the passion they weren’t otherwise able to express. The work ethic that allowed them to practice, practice, practice.

All of that could have been a factor, but I lean toward an explanation of a long run of very good athletes. Everything seems to be cyclical: Nations, weather and, I think, small town basketball teams.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

“You shouldn’t wipe your mouth on your sleeve.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Then what were you doing?”

“I was licking the gravy off my sleeve.”

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: if I don’t get what I want soon, I’ll have to start wanting something else.

I've learned

1. If I want to appear smart while being stupid, I shouldn’t ask any questions.

2. Charity begins at home — at about six o’clock when they call to interrupt dinner.

3. It’s an antique if you can’t put it back where you found it because that place no longer exists.

Cafe chronicles

I stopped at a small town café — one with enticing specials. It’s my favorite kind of eating place. The smiling waitress approached my table with her order pad at ready. “May I help you?” she asked.

"How is your cherry pie?" I asked in return.

Her smile broadened as she replied, "It’s better. Thanks for asking."

Singing in the choir

I was at a Danish Sisterhood/Brotherhood banquet in Dike, Iowa. I visited with a woman there who was an avid choir member. She gave me one of those choir secrets known only to the inner circle. She told me that if I’m ever singing a song that I don’t know the words to or am having difficulty singing a certain song, I should mouth the word "watermelon" over and over. That would make it appear that I was singing just like the rest of the group. They sang a song in Danish while I was there. I sang along enthusiastically by mouthing the word "watermelon" repeatedly.

From the road

Roger Batt of Algona tells me he has a friend who says that the driver ahead of him who is barely exceeding the speed limit is "Going too slow over the speed limit."

A red car passed me as if I were backing up. I figured he was low on fuel and was trying to reach a gas station before he ran out. Not long after that, I pulled into a gas station. Parked nearby was the red car that had zoomed by me. A bumper sticker on the red car read, "I drive too fast to worry about cholesterol."

My mother never drove that fast.

“Every time I wash my car, it rains,” I’ve heard it said. My mother backed the car out of the shed when it rained. She washed her vehicle the natural way. She left the lawn sprinkling to the dog.

She said, “Every time it rains, I wash my car.”

The T-shirt read

Pastor Dennis Frank of Hartland spotted a man wearing a T-shirt reading, "I yell because I care." He wondered aloud what such a message could mean.

Jill Morstad of Albert Lea suggested that the man might have been a parent. I hoped it meant that he was a cheerleader.

Tick, tick, tick

Ticks are arachnids like scorpions, spiders, chiggers, and mites. Ticks wait on the tips of grasses and shrubs. When brushed by an animal or human, a tick lets go of the plant and climbs onto the host. Ticks do not fly or jump, they only crawl. Ticks do not scale trees and drop down on humans and animals.  

Nature notes

I was sitting on the sidewalk across the street from a commercial enterprise. I was watching a smokestack at dusk. That’s odd behavior even for an odd fellow like me. I was waiting for chimney swifts to go to roost. Appearing to be "flying cigars," the swifts twittered overhead as they captured flying insects. Swifts fly constantly except when at the nest or roosting at night. The swift bathes in flight. It flutters to water, strikes the surface with its body, and shakes the water from its feathers in flight. The chimney swift’s nest is a half-saucer of small twigs held together with saliva and glued by saliva to the inside wall of a chimney.

As I kept an eagle eye out for swifts above the smokestack, a man walked near. He had the look of a curious cat. He asked me what I was doing. I told him that I was waiting for small birds to fly down a chimney. I added that they weren’t feathered Santas, but they were a gift. He gave me a sympathetic smile and said, “Well, good luck with that,” before walking away, shaking his head.

I watched 150 chimney swifts zoom into that smokestack.

Meeting adjourned

Don’t just be kind. Be kinder.

We came from three different states and seven different towns. Ray Thompson, Frederic, Wisc.; Donald Thompson, Oklahoma City, Ok.; Caleb Lang, Maiden Rock, Wisc.; Walter Proft, Woodbury, Minn.; Paul Proft, Owatonna, Minn.; Bob Goetz, Austin, Minn.; Bob Hanson, Beaver Lake, Minn.

This was the 37th year of our annual fishing trip to Leech Lake, Walker, Minn., staying at Ivanhoe Resort. The seven of us all arrived by car, but not all the same arrival and departure date, during the week of May 19 through May 26.

Thanks to Caleb, we enjoyed Caribou Coffee every meal and many other occasions as in most cases the temp was in the 40-60° range (Caleb has connections at the Caribou Coffee Shop in Red Wing, Minnesota, an Old Train Depot building).

Fishing was Badder Than Bad. Some of the guys never caught a walleye! Three of us each caught two keeper walleyes (I was one of the three).

Bob Goetz was told a stand-up colored jig was the hot lure to use. He bought six of them. In about three hours of fishing, reality set in that the hot lure was not so hot. He switched to a plain minnow rig and managed to catch a small Northern for the day. In cleaning the Northern, he saw something shining in it stomach. Bob now has seven stand-up jigs.

Walter Proft is the father of Paul Proft and the grandfather of Caleb Lange. Thus, we had three generations of men fishing in the same boat with the same fishing luck – “NONE.”

Donald Thompson noticed a red spot and a reddish ring on his leg (the usual sign of having been bit by a deer tick, which can cause Lyme’s Disease). A visit to the local hospital’s emergency room at 9 p.m. resulted in an oral medicine prescription. The doctor told Donald he could pick up the medication from the drug dispensing machine on his way out, and use his credit card to cover the co-pay. Yes, readers, there is now a machine that dispenses drugs!

How tough is a Dutchman? A Dutchman is tougher than a huge buck deer. Bill, of the “Dynamite Bill and Mary DeVries” husband and wife team, owners of Ivanhoe Resort, took on a deer at 50 mph while riding on his motorcycle. The buck became an instant member of Deer Heaven. Bill had some time to wonder why God didn’t want him in Heaven, as he endured three separate hospital stays including two helicopter rides. Bill is now back to his easy going self. We all agreed with Mary when she said, “Thanks, Lord.”

Upon checkout, we complained to Mary DeVries about the bad fishing. Mary smiled and handed each one of us a card that said: 

North: Don’t go north.

South: Fish don’t open their mouth.

East: Fish bite the least.

West: Fish bite the best.

Sorry: You’re a three-directional fisherman.

Readers, if you want to find out how many directions you fish from, call Mary at 1-800-962-2842. Mary will charge you for all four directions at an increased rate if you mention this article.

— — —

Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. This is the Hanson’s 37th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of Wisdom: There is always room for God.