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AboutTown_2006 Autmn
AboutTown Magazine City of Edina 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.CityofEdina.com ©COLOURS 2006 AboutTown Official Magazine of the City of Edina Voters To Elect Council Members See Page 20 For Details AUTUMN•2006 The Edina Chamber of Commerce Thursday, Oct. 12, will host “Taste of Edina: Food, Wine & Community.” This event showcases the outstanding variety of fine restaurants in Edina as well as the superb wine selection and knowledgeable Edina Liquor staff. Taste of Edina, presented by TDS Metrocom, will be held 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Southdale Center. This year, “celebrity chefs” will cook at the event. Tickets are $25 each. Watch for discount coupons at all three Edina Liquor stores. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Edina Chamber of Commerce, 952-806-9060. Table of Contents Calendar Of Events...........................................................................1 Autumn Calendar Highlights.........................................................4 AWord From The Mayor .................................................................5 Edina’s Pioneer Black Farmers Left ALegacy Of Civic Involvement................................................................................6 Edina Reads: Connecting Edina, One Book At ATime.............14 50 Days Of Birthday Fun At Southdale Center..........................16 Fire Department To Stress Kitchen Safety At Open House.......18 Voters To Elect Council Members In November...........................20 Minnesota Chemical Health Week Is Nov. 13-19..........................24 VEAPPrepares To Distribute Holiday Joy..................................26 Three Distinct Home Styles To Be Featured In Third-Annual Holiday Home Tour........................................................................28 The Edina Community Foundation: The Edina Dialogue.........30 Seeing The Real Senegal With Adama Sow.................................32 Women In Transition Helps Women In Crisis............................34 It’s Not Only Neighborly...It’s The Law...........................................37 Edina Boy Scout Troop 68 Celebrates Its 100th Eagle Scout.....38 New City Gyms Open At South View Middle School And Edina Community Center.....................................................42 Grandview Square Park Developed As An ’Urban Oasis’........44 ESGR, Southdale Dental Support America’s Troops..................48 Edina Student Takes Gold At Special Olympics National Games ..50 City Offers Unique Holiday Gifts.................................................52 New Law Requires Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Homes By 2009 ...........................................................................55 AboutTown Volume 17, Number 4 Autumn 2006 Official Publication of the City of Edina, Minnesota 4801 West 50th Street Edina, Minnesota 55424 952-927-8861 Circulation 25,000 Editor: Jennifer Bennerotte Assistants to the Editor: Laura Fulton & Christina Scipioni Contributing Writers: Joe Sullivan, Kathleen Sovell and Kathy Iverson Publisher: City of Edina About Town is produced by the City of Edina. To advertise in About Town,contact Laura Fulton, 952-826-0396. Copyright 2006 by City of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. About Town is published quarterly by the City of Edina. The purpose of the magazine is to keep Edina residents informed of news, activities and programs that are important to them. We include articles of interest about our citizens and community history as well. About Town is printed on recycled paper to conform to City conservation guidelines. www.CityofEdina.com Cover photo by Polly Norman Chamber To Host Taste Of Edina 1•AUTUMN2006 SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday 1 7 p.m., Just Friends Big Band, Edinborough Park. 3 7 p.m., HRA& City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Debbie Bigelow &Dean Klaeven, Edinborough Park. 45 Class registration begins for members of the Edina Art Center. 5:30 p.m., Zoning Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 72 8 1-4 p.m., Open House, Fire Station No. 1. Carnevale delle Arti, Edina Art Center. 7 p.m., Honeywell Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 9 6:30 p.m., “What Makes Great Literature?” panel discussion, Edina Community Library. 10 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Zuhrah Shrine Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 1112 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Taste of Edina, Southdale Center. 6 p.m., Town Hall Meeting, Edina Art Center. 13 6p.m., Rotary Club of Edina “Wild Wild West” fundraiser, Edina Country Club. 14 10 a.m., Intergenerational Writing Workshop with Jacey Choy, Edina Community Library. 15 7 p.m., Roseville Big Band, Edinborough Park. 1617 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Wolves & Ravens, Edinborough Park. 18 7 a.m., Recycling & Solid Waste Commission, Edina City Hall. 2021 12:15 p.m., Pumpkins Everywhere! workshop, Edina Art Center. 1:30 p.m., Pumpkins Everywhere! workshop, Edina Art Center. 22 Noon - 4 p.m., Buckthorn Dump, across from Braemar Golf Dome. 7 p.m., Star of the North Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 23 5-8 p.m., Winter skating classes registration, Braemar Arena. 24 7 p.m., Human Rights &Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., River City Jazz Orchestra, Edinborough Park. 2526 4 p.m., Art Center Board, Edina Art Center. 2728 Pumpkin Festival, 50th &France. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Buckthorn Dump, across from Braemar Golf Dome. 31 Northwoods Boutique opens at Braemar Golf Course. 3029 Noon - 4 p.m., Buckthorn Dump, across from Braemar Golf Dome. 7 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. October 2006 19 5:30 p.m., Zoning Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar 2•AUTUMN2006 SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday 1 Braemar Golf Dome opens for the season. 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 2 5:30 p.m., Zoning Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 3 4 10 a.m.- 3 p.m., Absentee voting, Edina City Hall. 5 7 p.m., St. Louis Park Community Band, Edinborough Park. 6 Handcrafted gift sale begins at the Edina Art Center. 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 General Election. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Watercolor Workshop with Jeanne Larson, Edina Art Center. 8 5 p.m., City Council Election Canvass, Edina City Hall. 9 6 p.m., Town Hall Meeting, Edina Art Center. 10 Veteran’s Day observed. Most City offices closed. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Holiday Open House, Galleria. 11 8:30 a.m., Intergenerational Dialogue, Edina Community Center. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Holiday Open House, Galleria. 12 Last day of Northwoods Boutique at Braemar Golf Course. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Holiday Open House, Galleria. 7 p.m., Southside Big Band, Edinborough Park. 1314 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Scott Fraser Guitar Duo, Edinborough Park. 15 7 a.m., Recycling & Solid Waste Commission, Edina City Hall. 1718 19 6:30 p.m., Magical Evening of Giving, Southdale Center. 7 p.m., Northern Winds Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 2021 6:30 p.m., Community Health Committee, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., HRA &City Council, Edina City Hall. 2223 Thanksgiving. Most City offices closed. 24 Day after Thanksgiving. Most City offices closed. 25 Holiday Tree-Lighting Ceremony,50th & France. 1 and 2 p.m., “Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy” mini- performances, Galleria. 28 7 p.m., Human Rights &Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 2726 7 p.m., Hopkins Westwind Concert Band, Edinborough Park. November 2006 29 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 30 16 5:30 p.m., Zoning Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar 3•AUTUMN2006 SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday 1 2 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Holiday Home Tour beginning at Edina City Hall. 1 and 2 p.m., “Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy” mini- performances, Galleria. 3 4 p.m., Edina Chorale Concert “Sing, Choirs of Angels,” Christ the King Lutheran Church, Bloomington. 7 p.m., Minneapolis Police Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 4 5 p.m., Truth in Taxation Hearing, Edina City Hall. 5 7 p.m., HRAand City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Armenian Dance Ensemble, Edinborough Park. 67 5:30 p.m., Zoning Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 89 10 7 p.m., South of the River Band, Edinborough Park. 11 7 p.m., Bloomington Medalist Band, Edinborough Park. 12 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Calhoun Isles Community Band, Edinborough Park. 131516 17 7 p.m., Good News Big Band, Edinborough Park. 1819 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Edina Chamber Chorale English Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, TBA. 20 7 a.m., Recycling & Solid Waste Commission, Edina City Hall. 21 5:30 p.m., Zoning Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 2223 26 7 p.m., Human Rights &Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 25 Christmas observed. Most City offices closed. 24 December 2006 27 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 28 4 p.m., Art Center Board, Edina Art Center. 29 14 30 31 About Town Calendar 4•AUTUMN2006 Other Dates To Remember Oct. 10 “Selling on eBay” Workshop, Edina Art Center. Oct. 17 Last day to view Juried Art Exhibit at Edina Art Center. Oct. 19 MEAall-day workshops for Grades 1-6, Edina Art Center. Oct. 19 5 p.m., Mitchell and Hensel artists’ reception, Edina Art Center. Oct. 24 5 p.m., “The Orchid Show” opening reception, Edina Art Center. Oct. 28 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Buckthorn Dump, across from Braemar Golf Dome. Nov. 21 7 p.m., Hopkins Westwind Concert Band, Edinborough Park. Dec. 19 7 p.m., Stan Bann Big Band, Edinborough Park. Pumpkin Festival What:The 50th & France Business and Professional Association hosts Pumpkin Festival, a fall event for children. Activities will include a showcase of decorated pumpkins, pumpkin bowling, horse-drawn trolley rides, costume parade for kids and pets, cake walk and trick-or-treating. The Pumpkin Festival has been a long standing tradition in this community and provides a fun, safe Halloween celebration for children and their families. When:Saturday, Oct. 28. Decorated pumpkins can be dropped off between 10:30 a.m. and noon. Horse- drawn trolley rides will begin at 11 a.m. Pumpkin bowling will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where:Downtown Edina, 50th Street and France Avenue. Info:50th & France Business and Professional Association, 952-922-1524, or www.50thandfrance.com. Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony What:The 50th & France Business and Professional Association, along with the Edina Community Foundation, will kick off the holiday season with a tree-lighting ceremony. The event will include live music and donations for VEAPwill be accepted. When:Saturday, Nov. 25. Where:Downtown Edina, 50th Street and France Avenue. Info:50th & France Business and Professional Association, 952-922-1524, or www.50thandfrance.com. Holiday Stroll What:Giving shoppers an opportunity to enjoy the holiday season in downtown Edina, the 50th & France Business & Professional Association will host its fifth-annual Holiday Stroll. Take the hassle out of holiday parking with free valet service and plenty of space in area parking ramps. Enjoy a relaxing stroll through the many quaint shops while listeningto carolers sing holiday favorites. While visiting the neighborhood, treat yourself to the unique cuisines of the corner or pamper yourself with a massage, facial or day at the spa. Special activities for children include sleigh rides drawn by reindeer and appearances by Santa Claus at the Edina 5-0 Mall. When:Weekends in December. Where:Downtown Edina, 50th Street and France Avenue. Info:50th & France Business and Professional Association, 952-922-1524, or www.50thandfrance.com. Autumn Calendar Highlights A Word From The Mayor On Nov. 7, voters in Minnesota will vote on a constitutional amendment concerning the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST). The proposed constitutional amendment does not impose a new tax. Rather, it requires that revenues from this existing sales tax must be dedicated for transportation purposes. The sales tax on the sale of motor vehicles was enacted in the 1960s. Since its inception, it has been argued that a tax paid by users of our transportation infrastructure should be dedicated solely to improving our transportation system. In 1981, the Minnesota Legislature codified this concept, calling for a total phased-in transfer of MVST revenues to highway and transit purposes. Budgetary pressures in subsequent legislative sessions, however,resulted in less than a full phased-in dedication of MVST revenue. The loss of revenue into the system (and hence improvements to the transportation system) since 1981 has been substantive. According to the Transportation Alliance: “If we compare the amount of MVST the Legislature intended to be used for highway and transit purposes with the passage of the 1981 law with the actual dollars spent on highway and transit systems since that time, there has been a diversion of over $6 billion dollars from transportation [to the general fund].” There was a lively debate in the 2005 legislative session regarding whether all MVST revenues ought to be constitutionally dedicated to transportation (54 percent is presently statutorily dedicated to roads and transit) to prevent the annual diversion of these transportation related revenue sources into the general fund. Legislation was approved in 2005 embracing the idea of letting the voters of Minnesota decide whether to dedicate 100 percent of MVST revenues to transportation needs by way of a 2006 referendum. The Transportation Alliance describes the proposed constitutional amendment as follows: “The proposed constitutional amendment passed by the Legislature in 2005 calls for a five-year phase-in of the 46 percent of MVST currently deposited in the general fund to highways and transit on a schedule of 10 percent in year 1, 10 percent in year 2, 10 percent in year 3, 10 percent in year 4, and 6 percent in year 5. The phased-in approach will mitigate the impact on the general fund. According to estimates from the Department of Finance, the additional 30 percent of MVST in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 will equal $184 million, while the total general fund revenue estimate for the FY2008-09 biennium is $32 billion. When fully phased in, the additional MVST revenue is estimated at approximately $300 million annually.” The proposed constitutional amendment is not a “highways only” referendum. If the constitutional amendment is approved by the voters, a maximum of 60 percent of the MVST will be highway related and a minimum of 40 percent will be transit related. On Election Day—Nov. 7, 2006—Minnesotans will determine whether to pass the Transportation Amendment. The passage of a constitutional amendment requires a majority vote by all who vote in the election. If a voter fails to vote on the referendum, it automatically counts as a “no” vote. I therefore urge all voters of Edina to become familiar with transportation funding issues prior to the November referendum and carefully consider your vote on the amendment in the general election. Jim Hovland Mayor 5•AUTUMN2006 By Joe Sullivan Contributing Writer After the Civil War ended in 1865, a number of black families, most freed from slavery by President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, came to Minnesota and resettled in the western half of what was then Richfield Township. Some of these families were likely sponsored by influential, white Quakers and Episcopalians, supporters of the clandestine “Underground Railroad,” which relocated thousands of former black slaves from southern states to locations in the north before, during and after the war. 17 Black Families Paved The Way In her book Edina-Chapters in the City History,Deborah Morse-Kahn traced the names of 17 black families: Byley, Carson, Fyte, Gillespie, Gleason, Joice, Joy,Leonard, Lucas, Mitchell, Payne, Pitman, Siggers, Staples, Stoddard, Washington and Yancey—recorded in Richfield and Edina census records, dating from the Civil War into the mid-1930s. Family members as well as live-in hired hands were identified in the census data by occupation—as “farmers, day laborers, housekeepers and servants” or by locale—“from the next farm over.” School-age children were listed as students or scholars. Many of these black families became deeply involved in the civic, educational and social affairs of their northern towns and villages—often as elected and appointed school board and civic officials. Morse-Kahn was quoted in a 2001 article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press:“These were people of considerable status. What staggers me is that, for time more than a century ago, this small community was essentially colorblind. Black residents worked on the school board and held civic offices. Their children went to the community’s schools. They were not a second-class group. These people were full participants, and nobody thought it should be any other way.” Edina’s Pioneer Black Farmers Left A Legacy Of Civic Involvement This early Edina school group included members of the Gillespie and Siggers families. (Third row:) Madeline Gillespie (2). (Front row:) Ellen Gillespie (21) and Ernestine Siggers (23). EdinaHistorical Society photo 6•AUTUMN2006 But between the 1920s and the 1940s, descendants of virtually all of Edina’s original black families left the community. “What happened?,” the Pioneer Press article asked. Morse-Kahn thinks its black residents may have begun to feel unwelcome as Edina developed from a rural community and into a prosperous suburb. Afew of those pioneer black families moved on to other states and Canada within the first five years of their arrival. Members of the second generation of the Edina black families later resettled in and around the towns of Long Lake, Maple Plain and Independence. But members of several pioneer black families remained active in the public and social life of Edina. Memoirs written by a few of their white neighbors indicate a true color-blindness. Ellen (Butterfield) Stubbs, born in 1883 to a pioneer family of white Edina settlers, worked with the Bull family (also white) to resettle second generation black families from Edina in northwest Hennepin County. Stubbs recalled her childhood when she played with the Fyte, Staples and Gillespie children. She also described her attendance at Maggie Yancey’s wedding to Claus Johnson, a white Swedish farmer who lived on an adjacent farm. Yanceys Were Prominent In Edina’s Early History Interestingly,the Yancey name reappeared consistently over many decades of census records, while other names are found less often with some not appearing in later census reports at all. Ellen (Bruce) and Beverly Claiborne (better known as “B.C.”) Yancey operated a successful berry farm along 7•AUTUMN2006 (continued on next page) Beverly Claiborne Yancey, known as “B.C.,” was one of the early black pioneers to farm near Edina Mills (now 50th Street at Minnehaha Creek) after the Civil War. EdinaHistorical Society photo A rare, three-generation portrait of the Yanceys—Edina’s most prominent, black pioneer family. Clothing styles suggest the photo was taken around 1900. Seated second and fourth (from right) are Ellen Yancey and her husband B.C. Yancey. Members of the Yancey family resided in Edina for many years after the Civil War until they moved to a farm west of Long Lake, Minn. EdinaHistorical Society photo the old Eden Prairie Road (present-day Eden and Vernon avenues) west of Minnehaha Creek. B.C. was among the Edina Mills residents who helped bring about the secession of Edina from Richfield Township and its incorporation as an independent village in 1888. Yancey served as Recorder for that historic debate and, soon after,was elected Edina’s Justice of the Peace. Later,he was re-elected several times as Village Recorder. Local teacher and librarian Elvira Vinson wrote in her book Pioneer Women of Edina-Morningside about the school kids who trudged past the Yancey house on their way to and from school each winter. “With snowdrifts sometimes above their knees as they passed the house, Ellen Yancey, who had once been a cook at the White House in Washington, D.C., would open her door and say ’Come in honey and get yourself a pancake.’” On the return trip, in the late afternoon “when student appetites were at their peak,” Vinson reported that Ms. Yancey handed out gingerbread cookies. The Yanceys were a musical family. Son Charlie Yancey organized the “Popular Seven” orchestra, made up of seven young people. They sponsored dances and played for parties and got their name because “they didn’t allow intoxicating beverages at their functions, which made them very popular,” according to Vinson. One of the Yancey daughters, Ellen Mary, studied music at the University of Minnesota where she directed the university’s choir as well. She also played the organ for the Episcopal congregation that met in the old, one-room Edina schoolhouse and, later,in the tiny Trinity Chapel on the northwest corner of 50th Street and France Avenue. She supervised Trinity Chapel’s Sunday school, too. 8•AUTUMN2006 Ellen Maria (Bruce) Yancey, B.C. Yancey’s wife, founded Edina’s first PTA and was its first president. “Edina-ChaptersintheCityHistory” photo Members of the Charles B. Yancey family, ca. 1917, included Charles’ wife, Helen (second from right), two daughters— Beryl and Helen—and an unidentified son. The elder Helen, a Canadian, was a graduate of a conservatory of music. Given the strong family resemblance, the woman (at right) is probably Helen’s mother. Edina HistoricalSociety photo Yanceys Were Charter Members Of Minnehaha Grange Both B.C. and Ellen Yancey were early and active members of Edina’s Minnehaha Grange. The Grange Hall itself was moved to property donated by a Yancey daughter when its original ground lease on the Bull family farm at 50th and Wooddale Avenue expired in 1934. (Today, the restored historic building is owned and maintained by the City and located near City Hall.) St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was built on the original Grange Hall site later that year. B.C., Sr., died in 1905 at the age of 78. His wife, Ellen, died in 1915 at age 82. Both were buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Minneapolis. Other membersof the Yancey, Fyte and Washington families, who resettled northwest of Lake Minnetonka, are buried in the Lewis Cemetery at Independence. Yanceys Passed Legacy Of Civic Activism On To Their Children The Minneapolis Star of July 30, 1968, reported that Charles Yancey,son of Ellen and B.C., served on the Edina school board and as Village Clerk. He also was Registrar of Deeds for Hennepin County until his retirement. Charlie Yancey,like many of Edina’s second generation black families—including Beverly C. Yancey,Jr.; Phebe and Maggie Yancey; Willie Washington and Jeff Fyte— eventually resettled near Independence Township. Eventually the entire Yancey family moved to a farm west of Long Lake and Beverly C., Jr., became a barber in Delano and Maple Plain. 9•AUTUMN2006 Berry picking was a popular pastime on the Yancey berry farm at Edina Mills. B.C. Yancey and his wife, Ellen, are in the back, at the far right of the berry pickers. WesternHennepinCounty Pioneers’ Associationphoto Charles (C.B.) Yancey, ca. 1920. The son of B.C. and Ellen Yancey, he served on the Edina school board and as Village Clerk. He later became Registrar of Deeds for Hennepin County until he retired. Charles eventually resettled near the family farm in northwest Hennepin County. MinnesotaHistorical Societyphoto (continued on page 11) 10•AUTUMN2006 George Washington Slept Here! No, he wasn’t our first President. This George Washington was born a slave on a Virginia cotton plantation in 1843. When he was a small boy, his family moved to a different plantation, [probably in Murfreesborough, Tenn.] Whipping scars remained with him from that sad period. In 1864, during the Civil War, the Union Army marched through the plantation. Its owners had fled. As he had no other place to go, George was allowed to accompany the army unit when it moved on. His poor health was a great handicap and he received a federal disability pension. According to his pension papers, George had joined Company G, of the 18th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment of St. Paul. (There were 80 such Negro regiments in Union Army during the Civil War.) George saw service in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama before he was honorably discharged. At the end of the Civil War, Corporal George Washington was mustered out of the Union Army at Chattanooga, Tenn. We don’t know how George met Edina’s Yancey family, but we do know he married their daughter,Phebe. George got a job at a mill in Rockford, Minn., and worked there while he saved to purchase a farm on Pagenkopf Road in the nearby township of Independence. He died Nov.15, 1922 and was buried in Lewis Cemetery,Independence. Excerpted and edited from the August 1983 issue of Western Hennepin County Pioneers’ Association newsletter. 11•AUTUMN2006 Washingtons’Son Willie Was AChampion Chess Player Avery Stubbs, who came from a pioneer Edina white family, interviewed George Washington’s son Willie in 1968. “I was born on the farm March 21, 1880,” Willie said. “My [maternal] grandfather,B.C. Yancey, originally lived next to Frank Butterfield on Valley View Road in Edina. B.C. was on the Edina school board with Butterfield. The Butterfields moved northwest where they purchased the Yancey’s Long Lake, Minn., farm.” “Willie Washington was a champion chess player and always beat my dad,” Avery Stubbs added. Willie was reputed to have carried a chess set with him and tried to bet with anyone he could get to play him. Willie died Aug. 3, 1975. Edina’s Country Club District Introduced Restrictive Covenants In 1922 In their book History and Architecture of Edina, Minnesota, William Scott and Jeffrey Hess make the point that “unlike previous Edina real estate developers, such as the Grimes family in Morningside and Tingdale Bros. in Brookside, Sam Thorpe envisioned his development of Edina’s Country Club district as a thoroughly planned community governed by ’wise but rigid building restrictions.’” Deborah Morse-Kahn observed: “The pioneering black families of Edina appear to have moved easily through the public and social life of the Village” for almost six decades. “It would not be until … after World War I, when Samuel Thorpe developed the elegant Edina Country Club residential district … with restrictive deed covenants in place, that Edina’s black community would feel estranged,” Morse added. Will Gillespie was only 14 in 1860, about the time he enlisted in the Union Army. He made his way north to Minnesota after the Civil War and stayed on to farm at Edina Mills. “Edina-Chaptersinthe City History” photo Several second-generation black families from Edina, including the Willie Washingtons, later resettled in northwest Hennepin County, near the towns of Independence and Maple Plain. Washington (front row, second from left), who was married to Phebe Yancey,was working with this threshing crew in 1910. Edina HistoricalSociety photo (continued on next page) 12•AUTUMN2006 Following widely-accepted real estate practices of that time, homes sold in the Country Club district came with a covenant deed that, in addition to regulating trees, shrubbery, and even paint schemes, also stipulated that “no lot shall ever be sold, conveyed, leased or rented to any person other than of the white or Caucasian race.” The U.S. Supreme Court eventually invalidated racially exclusive covenants. Even so, the Country Club district’s non-Caucasian restriction remained in effect for many years after 1922. Thorpe’s restrictive covenant may or may not have been a factor in the departure of Edina’s black community. But regardless of the cause, Morse-Kahn noted that “by the late 1930s, virtually all of Edina’s black families had moved out of the Village and an historic era had ended for Edina.” Morningside’s First Black Family Came In 1960— Amid Controversy Moving to Morningside in 1960 required courage and faith for a family of black newcomers, according to a recent article in the Edina Historical Society newsletter. “Our minister told us to buy a shotgun for protection,” said Mary Taylor (later Pyburn) in an interview that same year. Their friends feared that Mary Taylor and her husband, Marion, a Minneapolis black couple, could face hostility and even outright violence as had many others who dared to move into all-white areas. “Everyone thought we were crazy to move there,” Mary Taylor recalled. Despite an initial effort to keep them out, other Morningside residents went out of their way to welcome the family, Mary Taylor recalled. “We became part of a very close-knit community,” she said. Initially, the Taylors faced a subtle campaign to keep them out of Morningside, which was still separated from Edina, following its 1920 secession. Agroup had formed “to keep the Village ’pure’,” recalled Ms. Peter Hoag in a 1965 Edina-Morningside Sun newspaper article. The group’s tactics were to try to get the Taylors’ property condemned because of sub-standard drainage. Hoag’s response was to immediately draw up what she called a “fairness petition” in support of the Taylors. It was later signed by 251 Morningside residents. In an open letter to residents, Morningside’s then-Mayor, Ken Joyce, wrote eloquently of the need for the community to be “ … fair minded. ANegro family has purchased a lot in Morningside for the purpose of building a home,” Joyce wrote. “ … We are now in a position to demonstrate the real spirit of an honest, God-fearing community … or to act impulsively, unthinkingly and become known as a bigoted, prejudiced, hateful little area … .” In January 1960, the Morningside Village Council voted in favor of the Taylors. Afterward, the Hoags invited everyone over for coffee at their home “because it seemed the natural thing to do,” Ms. Hoag said. The controversy received national attention from as far away as an article in the New York Times. The Taylor’s young son, Greg, made friends easily even though he was the only black child in his school, his mother said. Greg was also the first black student to graduate from Edina/Morningside schools in the modern era, according to the Edina Historical Society newsletter article. As for the minister’s advice to get a shotgun, the Taylors did buy one, but kept it unloaded and never had to use it. “Most people were good,” Mary Taylor said. “The bad ones, you just leave alone.” Today’s Edina Demographics Show Small Minority Population Data from the 2000 U.S. Census indicate 5.3 percent of Edina’s 47,425 population was made up of three minorities in that year: Background material and photographs for this article came from the collections of the Edina Historical Society and the Western Hennepin County Pioneers’ Association; the memoirs of Roger and Ellen Stubbs and Elvira H. Vinson; a 1968 personal interview of Willie Washington by Avery Stubbs; the U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; and the following publications: Minneapolis Star, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Edina-Morningside Sun, Edina Historical Society newsletter,Western Hennepin County Pioneers’ Associationnewsletter,Edina-Chapters in the City History by Deborah Morse-Kahn, History and Architecture of Edina, Minnesota by William A. Scott, A.I.A., and Jeffrey A. Hess and the New York Times. 13•AUTUMN2006 Selected 2000 Demographics—Edina, Minnesota Total Edina Population47,425100.0% White 44,712 94.3% Asian1,418 3.0% Black (or African-American)5461.2% Hispanic (or Latino)5391.1% Source: U.S. Census 2000 14•AUTUMN2006 By Laura Fulton Everyone has a story: a past littered with family, friends, history and culture. Unfortunately, culture is becoming more and more obsolete to a younger generation who sees American society more as a “melting pot” than a diverse population. The City of Edina, Edina Community Foundation, Edina Public Schools, Edina Senior Center, Friends of the Edina Community Library and Hennepin County Library are out to celebrate the differences that bind us together. For the second consecutive year,these organizations have brought a program called Edina Reads to the community. Edina Reads is a community-wide initiative encouraging Edina residents to use the power of literature to create connections and deeper understanding among the diverse people who live, work and go to school in Edina. “Edina is a much more diverse community than perhaps we understand,” said Marcia Wattson, Senior Librarian of the Edina Community Library.“We may not relate to everyone we come into contact with, but we need to be open to the fact that their cultural background is just as important as ours.” This year, the Edina Reads program features the memoir Yeh Yeh’s House by Evelina Chao. Yeh Yeh’s House is a memoir depicting the journey of a lifetime. Chao, born the daughter of Chinese immigrants, grew up in America, never fully understanding her heritage. After years of correspondence and invitations to visit him in China, Chao’s grandfather, Yeh Yeh, dies, never having met his granddaughter. Chao eventually takes the trip, and along the way discovers a culture she had never fully recognized or understood. Yeh Yeh’s House has drawn universally warm reviews and was a finalist for the Minnesota Book of the Year in the category of “memoir.” The book offers countless opportunities for conversation. The Edina Reads program kicked off in September,with book discussions taking place at the Edina Senior Center and the Edina Library. On Sept. 11, Carol Bjorlie, local cellist and poet, facilitated a book discussion at the Southdale-Hennepin Area Library. She led the class through a group of questions provided prior to the discussion. Chao made her first local appearance on Sept. 18, at South View Middle School. The intergenerational program, “Family Decisions That Have Shaped Our Lives,” was held in the newly renovated auditorium. Chao read passages from her book and answered questions from the audience. The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Coffee Concert and Reception was held Sept. 29. Students and seniors took part in a conversation and luncheon held after the concert to discuss the views each generation took to the book. Edina Reads: Connecting Edina, One Book At A Time 15•AUTUMN2006 Though the reading initiative is nearing completion, there are still a couple October events in which to participate. On Oct. 9, from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., the Edina Library Friends InDEED will hold a panel discussion entitled “What Makes Great Literature?” Chao will be present, along with Rosanna Staffa, David Bengtson and Maureen Millea Smith, three local authors. This panel will discuss what makes a book good or bad. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in the discussion. The second of two family history and memoir writing workshops will take place at the Edina Library 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 14. This event will be an opportunity to learn some new techniques in memoir writing and further any discussion regarding Yeh Yeh’s House.Jacey Choy, Saint Paul Academy,will facilitate this event. Both events are free to the public. “Reading changes lives,” said Wattson. “The Edina Reads program introduces books to the community that they aren’t necessarily aware of and offers opportunities for discussion. This, in turn, enriches understanding of the people and the world around us.” Edina residents who are interested in holding an “in-house” book discussion can call 952-924-4011 to inquire about a facilitator. Copies of Yeh Yeh’s House are available at the Edina Library. Events, discussion questions, background information and suggestions for further reading can be found at www.EdinaReads.org. For further information, contact Wattson by calling 952-847-5428 or sending an e-mail to mwattson@hclib.org. 16•AUTUMN2006 50 Days Of Birthday Fun At Southdale Center By Christina Scipioni Trips to Southdale Center’s petting zoo as a young girl are one shopper’s favorite memory of the mall. When it first opened in 1956, she remembers visiting the animals and ponds filled with large goldfish. “It used to be so fun to throw pennies into the ponds,” she said. Memories like hers will be featured this fall as Southdale celebrates its 50th anniversary. Southdale patrons will soon be able to send in their memories of the shopping center at Southdale’s customer service desk. During the birthday celebration, customers will have a chance to look at the submitted stories. The anniversary party, with a “50 days for 50 years” theme, starts Oct. 1 with a kick-off event, which is still being planned, said Anne-Marie Cookson, Director of Marketing at Southdale. On Nov. 19, the finale of the birthday celebration will be Southdale’s annual Magical Evening of Giving, a benefit for local charities. In between will be numerous events and displays for the entire community. “We want everyone to feel like they are a part of this,” Cookson said. Some of the planned attractions are: •An “Ultimate Fantasy Game Room Garage.” While the contents of the garage have not been finalized, it’s expected to be a showcase for everything from a hot tub to bike racks to a pool table. The garage is expected to be up for seven weeks, starting Oct. 7. •Abirthday celebration to be held Oct. 7. “There will be birthday cake for the masses and a 1957 Chevy in Center Court,” Cookson said. The Chevy will be similar to one that was on display when the mall first opened. Historic photos of Southdale will also be on display and will remain on display throughout the festivities. •Ahome and garden expo will be scheduled during one weekend of the celebration. •Taste of Edina, an event of the Edina Chamber of Commerce. The Oct. 12 event showcases the variety of fine restaurants in Edina, as well as the wine selection and staff of Edina Liquor. •On Nov. 4, Bally Total Fitness will bring 40 martial artists to give a demonstration in Southdale’s Center Court. Minute Maid will also give shoppers juice samples. •On Nov. 10, Santa Claus arrives. After his arrival, Southdale will host a pet photo night, so that shoppers’ pets can have their photos taken with Santa. Many shoppers remember the petting zoo inside Southdale Center when it opened in 1956. During Southdale’s 50th anniversary celebration, people can submit stories about shopping at Southdale. 17•AUTUMN2006 •One of the biggest events of the 50 days of festivities will be Southdale’s ninth-annual Magical Evening of Giving. Since its inception, the event has brought in more than $500,000 for charities. The event, to be held Sunday, Nov. 19, starts at 6:30 p.m., after Southdale closes. Ticket holders will have the mall to themselves for two and a half hours and will be treated to discounts, drawings and giveaways. To celebrate Southdale’s 50th, this year there will be more drawings and giveaways than in years past, Cookson said. In previous years, about 3,500 people have attended, Cookson said. This year, she expects the number to be much higher—and perhaps double—because of all the publicity surrounding Southdale’s birthday. Hubbard Broadcasting is Southdale’s exclusive media partner for the 50 days of festivities. Hubbard’s television and radio stations, KS95, 5 Eyewitness News, AM1500 KSTP, FM107 and Forty5, will be promoting the birthday celebration throughout the 50 days. Some of the proposed promotions include: •Alive broadcast of FM107 talk show hosts Lori and Julia, to be called “Chit-Chaturday.” •A50-day countdown to the Magical Evening of Giving on FM107. •Fifty $50 Southdale gift cards, given away once a day on KS95’s drive-time program, Moon and Staci. •A 5 Eyewitness News lounging area with plasma televisions, recliners and prizes. The lounge, located on the first floor near B Dalton’s, will feature Vikings games on Sunday and Monday nights. Along with the giveaways from Hubbard, another major prize will be a 2-year lease on a 2007 Chrysler Aspen SUV. Other planned giveaways include a free vacation and a shopping spree. Sponsorships are available for area businesses to help fund all of these events, which are sure to create memories that last another 50 years. For more information on Southdale Center’s 50th anniversary, call the Anniversary and Holiday Hotline, 612-940-1317, or visit www.Southdale.com. To submit memories of Southdale Center, visit the customer service desk, or e-mail Cookson at Anne-Marie.Cookson@TheMills.com. When Southdale Center opened in 1956, it was the first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping center in the United States. This fall, Southdale will celebrate its 50th anniversary. 18•AUTUMN2006 Fire Department To Stress Kitchen Safety At Open House Popcorn burns in the microwave. An oven mitt catches fire on a hot burner. Grease spills over the side of a pan, bursting into flames. Each scenario has arisen countless times in houses around the country. However, with just a few safety precautions, each can be easily avoided. “More fires start in the kitchen than any other part of the home,” said Edina Fire Marshal Tom Jenson. This message, coupled with home fire safety and cooking tips, is the driving force behind the Oct. 8, Edina Fire Department’s annual Open House, themed “Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat.” “Unattended cooking and lack of fire awareness has led to more than 100,000 kitchen fires a year in the U.S.,” Jenson said. “Our aim is to inform residents that there is really no safe period of time for the cook to step away from a hot stove, so don’t risk it!” The annual open house follows a series of classroom presentations in local schools. Since September, Edina Fire Department personnel have been distributing home fire safety checklists to preschoolers and kindergarten students and speaking with first- and second-graders about fire prevention. Firefighters will visit more than 70 preschools, daycare centers and elementary schools, bringing fire safety messages to the community. “Each year,we visit the schools to teach young children the dangers of fire,” Jenson said. “We send information home with them, in hopes of making a difference both to the children and those who live with them. Our hope is that every person who reads the information will think twice about the importance of safety in the kitchen.” Each year,the Open House hosts a plethora of activities geared toward the entire family. Young and old are invited to Fire Station No. 1, 6250 Tracy Ave., from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., to experience the daily life of an Edina firefighter. During the Open House on October 8 at FireStation No. 1, many people will have the opportunity to sit in a fire or medic truck. The Open House will also feature other opportunities, includingtrying on firefighter gear and spraying water from a firefighting hose. 19•AUTUMN2006 Those attending this year’s Open House will have the opportunity to climb up and sit in the driver’s seat of a fire or medic truck, tour Station No. 1, get geared up in a real firefighting suit, spray water from a firefighting hose and view live pictures from the new Thermal Imaging Camera. The Special Operations Truck will be open, with team members demonstrating some of the tools unique to the rig. The team will also put on a rappelling demonstration, climbing up to the highest point on the ladder truck and rappelling down. The paramedics and firefighters will also give automobile extrication demonstrations. The Open House will feature bike and sport helmet safety and fire extinguisher inspections. North Trauma Services will offer free helmet fittings. All Safe Fire and Security, provider of services for the City of Edina and Edina Public Schools, will be on site to inspect residents’ fire extinguishers. All Safe Fire and Security will inspect any fire extinguishers brought to the Open House, service them if needed for a very nominal fee or recommend replacement. Commercial-grade fire extinguishers will be available for purchase. This is an excellent opportunity for home daycare providers who are required to have a fire extinguisher to complete their annual inspections. “Our Open House is a chance for us to connect with the community and really teach everyone about what it is the firefighters do,” said Jenson. “Ask questions, get answers and learn about fire safety—that’s what it’s all about.” Sparky the Fire Dog will also hang around the Fire Station all day, to visit with anyone who wants to learn more about kitchen safety and get his or her picture taken. For more information on the Open House, contact Jenson, 952-826-0378. 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Polling Places Polling places are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day at the following locations: Voters To Elect Council Members In November PRECINCTLOCATIONADDRESS Precinct 1A Shepherd of the Hills Church 500 Blake Road Precinct 1B Chapel Hills Church6512 Vernon Ave. Precinct 2 Edina Senior Center 5280 Grandview Square Precinct 3Edina Covenant Church4201 W. 50th St. Precinct 4Weber Park Warming House4115 Grimes Ave. Precinct 5Highlands Elementary School5505 Doncaster Way Precinct 6Countryside Elementary School5701 Benton Ave. Precinct 7Normandale Lutheran Church6100 Normandale Road Precinct 8South View Middle School4725 South View Lane Precinct 9 Concord Elementary School 5900 Concord Ave. Precinct 10 Creek Valley Elementary School 6401 Gleason Road Precinct 11Creek Valley Baptist Church6400 Tracy Ave. Precinct 12Cornelia Elementary School7000 Cornelia Drive Precinct 13Centennial Lakes Park Centrum7499 France Ave. S. Precinct 14St. Peter’s Lutheran Church5421 France Ave. S. Precinct 15Valley View Middle School6750 Valley View Road Precinct 16 Arneson Acres Park 4711 W. 70th St. Precinct 17Southdale-Hennepin Area Library7001 York Ave. S. Precinct 18Edinborough Park7700 York Ave. S. Precinct 19 Calvary Lutheran Church 6817 Antrim Road 21•AUTUMN2006 Register to Vote You are qualified to vote in Minnesota if: •You are 18 years of age. •You are a citizen of the United States. •You have resided in Minnesota for 20 days. •You are registered to vote. You must re-register to vote if you have moved, changed your name or have not voted within the past four years. Register online or at Edina City Hall 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until 20 days prior to the election. Election Day Registration On Election Day,you may register at your polling place by presenting one of the following authorized proofs of residence: •Valid Minnesota driver’s license or learner’s permit (or receipt for either) showing current street address in precinct. •Valid Minnesota identification card (or receipt) showing current address in precinct. •Witness/voucher by another voter of the same precinct with one of the other authorized identifications. Avoter who is vouched for cannot vouch for another voter. •Witness/voucher by a certified employee of a residential facility in the precinct. Facilities must provide a certified list of employees to Hennepin County election officials 20 days prior to the election. •Registration in the same precinct indicating a previous address. •Late Registration Notice mailed by election headquarters within the two weeks prior to election day, showing address of voter in the precinct. (If you receive this letter, follow all instructions and bring it to your polling place.) •Tribal ID issued by the tribal government of a tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior containing the name, address in the precinct, signature and picture of individual. •Students can show their address in the precinct by using a current fee statement and an I.D. card. Absentee Voting Applications for Absentee Ballots may be obtained in person at Edina City Hall 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or by calling 952-826-0363 to have an application mailed to you. Mail your ballot at least one week before the election or mark it at City Hall, whichever is more convenient. Edina City Hall will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, for absentee voting. AutoMARK The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires that each polling place be equipped with a voter assist terminal for individuals with disabilities. These devices are designed to provide voters with disabilities the opportunity to vote independently and privately. (continued on next page) 22•AUTUMN2006 Voters receive the same optical scan paper ballot whether they will vote using a pen or the AutoMARK ballot marking device. The AutoMARK is a sort of “electronic pen” to assist the voter in marking the ballot. The AutoMARK has special features to assist voters with disabilities that make it difficult to mark an optical scan paper ballot. Such disabilities include blindness, poor eyesight or conditions affecting fine motor skills. When the voter inserts the ballot into the AutoMARK, an electronic version of the ballot appears on the screen. The screen provides options for reverse contrast, enlargement for easier reading and hearing assistance. The recorded audio description of the ballot can be used in place of or in conjunction with the visual version on the screen. The voter makes selections by the touch screen, the keypad or an alternative adaptive method. The AutoMARK ballot marking device provides voters the opportunity to review and verify their selections. Upon the voter’s direction, the AutoMARK marks the ovals on the optical scan ballot. The voter then inserts the ballot into the ballot counter used by all voters in the precinct. The voting process remains the same for voters who do not need the assistance of the AutoMARK for marking a ballot. Votes are tallied by the ballot counter to produce precinct results. For more information about polling locations, voter registration, absentee ballots or the new AutoMARK ballot, call Voter Registration at City Hall, 952-826-0363. 23•AUTUMN2006 Minnesota Chemical Health Week Is Nov. 13-19 24 •AUTUMN 2006 By Kathy Iverson Contributing Writer Holiday cheer in Edina begins with “tying on the Red Ribbon for safety.” For 15 years, the red ribbon has been a visual reminder of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Campaign in collaboration with Minnesota Chemical Health Week. You can find the ribbons at Edina medical clinics, Edina libraries and in Edina government buildings. Edina schoolchildren receive the red ribbons, too! The kids lead the way in creative ways to display the ribbons—on their backpacks, lockers and in their hair-dos. All this fun is actually about something very serious: Promoting a healthier community by reducing substance abuse. Most of us don’t abuse alcohol, misuse prescription drugs, don’t smoke weed or use other illegal drugs, and don’t use tobacco products. Yet, this doesn’t mean we aren’t affected by it. As a community, we have the Minnesota Chemical Health Week campaign to say we will DO something about it. It is our opportunity to “kick off” a year of community support for healthy choices, support for recovery and support for healthy standards and guidelines. As this holiday season begins, consider this safe party guide for your celebration: THE HOST WITH THE MOST •Invite guests who are compatible so no one feels left out of the crowd. Lonely or unfriendly people often drink to excess. •Provide non-alcoholic beverages in the most accessible location. •Provide alternatives to guests if their driving would be impaired by alcohol. Call a taxi for intoxicated guests, drive them home yourself or invite them to stay the night. •Stop serving alcoholic beverages one to two hours before your guests begin driving home. •Remember that children are watching how you entertain. If you put alcohol at the center of your entertaining, they will, too. RECIPE FOR AGREAT PARTY Quantity: An evening’s worth of memories. 1 part good conversation + 1 part good food. Add welcoming hosts and a comfortable crowd. Mix in humor,celebrations, traditions or seasonal food. Blend in entertainment. 25 •AUTUMN 2006 OFFICE PARTIES •Arrange for discounted or complimentary rooms when a party is held at a hotel so employees won’t drive home impaired. •Hire a shuttle or limousine service to provide transportation for those who have been drinking. Promote the designated driver concept in party invitations. •Do not push drinks! •If you provide an open bar,be sure the bartender has had server training to prevent over-serving and serving guests under the legal drinking age. •Hold a contest for employees to create non-alcoholic drink recipes. MYTHS AND FACTS MYTH:Coffee can sober up someone who has had too much to drink. FACT:Only time can sober.It takes about one hour to oxidize each drink. MYTH: Hard liquor is more intoxicating than beer or wine. FACT:A 12-ounce can of beer,a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 12-ounce wine cooler contain the same amount of alcohol and the same intoxication potential as 1.5 ounces of liquor. MYTH: Mixers dilute the alcohol. FACT: Carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed into a person’s system more quickly. Fruit juice and other sweet mixers mask the taste of alcohol and may cause people to drink more. MYTH: Someone who has had too much to drink will look intoxicated. FACT: Someone’s physical appearance can be misleading. One drink can impair someone’s ability to drive. Judgment is the first thing affected when someone has been drinking. Important motor skills are next. For more information, contact Chemical Health Coordinator, Kathy Iverson, at 952-929-7627 or menze002@umn.edu. Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) is in search of holiday spirit and generous donations to make this year’s holiday season brighter for area children and families in need. Over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, VEAP plans to distribute food to more than 2,900 families and gifts to over 3,200 children in Edina, Bloomington, Richfield and southwest Minneapolis. To accomplish this goal, VEAP is seeking donors to provide gifts and volunteers to help sort, set up and distribute them. Monetary and non-perishable food donations help ensure that all families have the ability to have a holiday meal. Donations of new,unwrapped gifts, toys and gift cards help to make the holiday bright for the children in low-income households. Parents are able to come to VEAP and select gifts for their children at the free holiday store. Gifts can be dropped off at VEAP, 9731 James Ave. S., Bloomington between Nov. 15 and Dec. 18 for distribution to those in need. Edina drop-off sites include Edina City Hall at 4801 W.50th St. and Fire Station No. 1 at 6250 Tracy Ave. Gifts are greatly needed for all age groups of children, but in the past, infants and older teens have been hardest to collect. Some ideas for children under 3 include crib or tub toys, building blocks, rattles and teething rings, wooden puzzles and riding toys. Gifts for older children include watches, clocks, room or closet organizers, jewelry sets, phones, flashlights and tool sets and blankets or comforters. VEAPhas full lists of drop off sites and needed items for interested donors. Those lists can be obtained by calling 952-888-9616 or visiting www.veapvolunteers.org. Volunteer opportunities are also abundant during the holiday season. People interested in pre-sorting gifts, registering families, packing grocery bags, setting up the holiday store or delivering meals to seniors or homebound neighbors should call VEAPat 952-888-9616. For more information about VEAP or its holiday programs, visit the VEAP website at www.veapvolunteers.org or call the Seasonal Program Manager at 952-888-9616. VEAP Prepares To Distribute Holiday Joy 26 •AUTUMN 2006 27•AUTUMN2006 Edina Plastic Surgery,Ltd. 952-925-1765 |www.edinaplasticsurgery.com 6525 France Avenue South |Suite 300|Edina —in the Southdale Medical Center The Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgery Specialists Smile when you look in the mirror. Call us today. •Traditional Long Term Care •Specialized Memory Care •Transitional Care - offering individualized rehabilitative services and complex nursing care We’ve been around; we’ll be around. Edina’s only skilled nursing facility. Serving our community for over 30 years. You can count on us. Compassion Edina Care and Rehabilitation Center 6200 Xerxes Avenue South • Edina •952-925-8500 ©COLOURS 2006 28•AUTUMN2006 By Christina Scipioni Anewly built cottage-style home, an arts and crafts abode and a Georgian colonial are the three west-Edina homes to be featured in the Edina Community Foundation’s third-annual Holiday Home Tour. The Tour is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. The homes will be decorated by local businesses, florists and bakers and will feature live entertainment by Edina youth and community organizations. Community is the main theme of the Tour. “The whole purpose of the Holiday Home Tour is to bring the people of Edina together with fun, families, friends and holiday cheer,” said event co-chairwoman Jean Colwell. “Something new this year is that we’re featuring three distinct home styles,” she said. “It’ll be fun to see three different types of homes all decked out for the holidays.” Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., will serve as the gathering area for the event. From there, continuously circulating transportation will be provided to the homes. At City Hall, residents and visitors can enjoy entertainment and refreshments. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Foundation’s mission of strengthening the community. Over the past two years, the Foundation has supported numerous community programs. It has sponsored Edina Reads, Senior Health and Resource Fair, Connecting With Kids youth asset-building initiative and the Edina 4th of July Parade, along with other community events. The Foundation also raised more than $12,000 for a stained-glass art piece for City Hall and provided grants for the Friends of the Edina Library, Edina Chorale, First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Conservation League of Edina, Edina Garden Council and several neighborhood organizations. Tickets are $20 each and the entire amount is a tax- deductible contribution to the Edina Community Foundation. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at City Hall the day of the event. For more information about how you or your business or organization can be involved in home decoration, financial sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, contact Colwell, 952-929-9411 or co-chairwoman Carol Sidell, 952-920-1197. Three Distinct Home Styles To Be Featured In Third-Annual Holiday Home Tour The Edina Community Foundation’s second-annual Holiday Home Tour featured homes in the Indian Hills Neighborhood. This year, the tour will feature three distinct west-Edina homes. 29•AUTUMN2006 CallTed Field 952-927-1150 www.SeniorExpert.com 30+ years experience working with seniors By Dick Crockett Executive Director We are blessed to live in a community with an abundance of programs featuring opportunities for public participation and dialogue. These are offered by the Edina Community and Southdale-Hennepin Area libraries, their respective Friends organizations and other Edina groups ranging from Connecting With Kids to Edina Reads. The programs are typically offered to the general public at a convenient location within the community and feature a wide range of topics of intergenerational interest, from business and governmental affairs to science and literature. These programs include (an asterisk marks those receiving Foundation financial support): Weekly or Monthly Events •Great Decisions programs hosted by the Edina Community Library and its Friends •Author readings hosted by the Edina Community Library and its Friends •Socrates Café discussions hosted by the Southdale- Hennepin Area Library and its Friends •Tuesdays with a Scholar hosted by the Southdale- Hennepin Area Library and its Friends Annual Events •Our Mayor’s annual State of the City address •Martin Luther King Jr. holiday speakers hosted by the Friends of the Edina Library* •Edina Reads programs sponsored by the Foundation, the two libraries and their Friends groups, Edina High School and several other organizations* •Connecting With Kids intergenerational dialogues organized approximately every-other year* The Edina Community Foundation believes the title— The Edina Dialogue—describes the positive community benefit that results from such a comprehensive calendar of community discussions. The mission of The Edina Dialogue would be to strengthen our community by enhancing and expanding these programs. The Foundation proposes to: •Publish an annual calendar to emphasize the frequency and diversity of such events •Provide timely and recurring notices on Edina Community Channel 16 of upcoming events •Develop a subscriber address list of interested participants •Provide subscribers with e-mail notices of upcoming events •Encourage local service clubs to host an annual Dialogue event open to the public and featuring a special speaker (also providing a recruiting opportunity for the clubs) 30•AUTUMN2006 The Edina Community Foundation: The Edina Dialogue Strengthening Our Community 31•AUTUMN200631•AUTUMN2006 •Continue to provide funding for speakers as appropriate •Organize and host an annual Edina Dialogue keynote event with a speaker on an issue of special interest to the community This program is consistent with one of the Foundation’s main focus areas—Bringing People Together. Foundation funds to support the Edina Dialogue could come from available Founders Club program funds and thus provide an appropriate opportunity to highlight the importance of those donors and their contributions to the community. We believe the Edina Dialogue has the potential to develop the same kind of substantial public participation that now exists for other speaker programs in the Twin Cities such as the Hennepin County Library Pen Pals,the Westminster Town Hall Forum and the Wayzata Community Church Literary Minds Author Series. In addition, the Dialogue could easily expand to include music, dance and other cultural events with an opportunity for audience interaction with the artists. Please call or write me at the Foundation office if you have any suggestions for the Edina Dialogue. We look forward to working with the entire community to make it a success. Questions about the Edina Dialogue, the Foundation or any of its programs, may be addressed to Crockett at 952-833-9573 or edinacommunityfoundation@ci.edina.mn.us. Additional information about the Foundation and links to other articles about the Foundation may be found at its website, www.edinacommunityfoundation.org. West 50th and Vernon Avenue at Hwy.100 952-920-3996 www.washburn-mcreavy.com Family Owned & Operated Since 1857 EDINA CHAPEL FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES 32•AUTUMN2006 Seeing The Real Senegal With Adama Sow By Kathleen Sovell and Babette Wheeler Contributing Writers Very rarely does one get to see an African nation (or any nation not of one’s birth), with a son of that nation. And when that nation is not perceived as easily traversed, it’s doubly rewarding and valuable to be under the wing of someone who knows the language, the culture, the money,the foods and the places of historical or ethnic interest. Then, add Adama Sow! Those who know him need no words printed here to realize the extra measure of pleasure he will add to the people who accompany him in early 2007 to Senegal, his homeland. Descriptive words for him? These all fit: polite, eager, knowledgeable, helpful, dependable, modest, fun, cheerful. Imagine riding beside him on the boat to the “Slave Island” of Gorée as he shares his knowledge, on the motor coach heading north or south from Dakar, he shares what he knows about his country, or riding a city bus, just for the experience. Sow explains, “I’m excited to do this trip because most people do not know Africa. They might know Kenya or South Africa, but not West Africa. I want to show you what West Africa is like and how it is different from here. We will visit a town close to where I grew up and I will introduce you to my sister, Eva, and my brother, Alpha, who is a well-known potter.You will see how they live. We will visit a fishing village and taste fresh fish called Thiof and Ngott. If they are not out fishing, we’ll see the colorful fishing boats called Pirogues in Mbour.” Sow has taught clay classes in mosaic, sculpture and pottery on the wheel at the Edina Art Center for three years. He’s worked in clay for 22 years and loves teaching. “I try to bring African techniques, which are different than those in the United States or Europe, and mix them together. It is interesting to see what happens with this mix of cultures.” Inside Slave House Gorée Island Slave Monument 33•AUTUMN2006 Obtaining his diploma in ceramics in 1986 in Senegal, Sow had his first exhibition at the historic museum of Gorée in Dakar in 1989. In 1995, to further his education, Sow attended the Fuh Ceramics School in Hohr Grenz Hausen in Germany. He exhibited his work in the International Fair in Dakar, Sengal; the Frankfurt Fair in Germany and the Tunipier Expo in Lyon, France. In 2000, he traveled to the Indian Ocean Island Reunion to take part in a large exhibit where he showed his work with Claude Berlie Caillet, a well-known French ceramist, and Michelle Delprete, a Swiss painter.The next year, Sow came to the United States, choosing an artist’s cooperative in Houston, Texas, for his first stop, where he exhibited his work and taught children. “I love kids,” he said. “They have a lot of imagination and originality.They make extraordinary things —always unique works of art impossible to duplicate.” Sow visited art centers in the Twin Cities area in the fall of 2002, searching for a place to create, teach and share knowledge with other clay artists. He felt the warmth and openness of the Edina Art Center and applied to teach there. “Now,I am working at the Edina Art Center, which I really enjoy. People are very welcoming. Artists help each other out. I feel at home,” Sow said. “I want to share my country with you like people in the United States have shared their country with me. I am excited to welcome you to my Senegal.” Residents are invited to be a part of this exceptional 10-day trip, scheduled for Jan. 23 through Feb. 1, 2007. For more information, call the Edina Art Center at 612-915-6600. Visit the Art Center’s website, www.EdinaArtCenter.com for a complete class listing or call 612-915-6600 for information, to request a class schedule or register for classes. The Edina Art Center is located on the northwest corner of Rosland Park. Lac Rose 34•AUTUMN2006 By Christina Scipioni She’s been a saleswoman and a volunteer emergency medical technician. She’s worked for schools and at hospitals. Still, after almost 30 years in the workforce, Peggy Clay didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up. Then, earlier this year, Clay found Women In Transition and everything changed. “It was probably the most eye-opening thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” she said. “It was just like light bulbs turning on.” Women In Transition, a nonprofit organization that specializes in career development and employment services for low-income women, helped Clay “open her eyes” and discover what career path was right for her. It’s not just Clay’s eyes that are opening. Last year, Women In Transition conducted 461 workshop services for 321 women. Women In Transition serves women from the Twin Cities, surrounding suburbs and small towns within about a 50-mile radius of its St. Louis Park office. The City of Edina has given Women In Transition funding since 1994. In 2005, Women In Transition provided 36 services to 12 Edina residents and it expects to provide 40 services to 15 Edina residents during 2006. While Women In Transition’s focus is serving low-income women, its clients’ fees are determined on a sliding scale. This means the organization can work with women of all economic backgrounds, said Jan Fundingsland, Program Supervisor of Women In Transition. Typically, these women are in some sort of crisis. Women In Transition Program Director Lonna Szczesny often sees women whose families are going through transition. In 2005, 29 percent of women served were displaced homemakers, 25 percent were single parents and 55 percent were single, separated, divorced or widowed. Throughout its 26-year history,Women In Transition has focused on looking at each individual woman. “Our major philosophy is that women will function best if they understand and believe in their own abilities,” Fundingsland said. To support this philosophy,Women In Transition conducts all of its services in small, workshop formats. “We give women the opportunity to just share what they’re going through,” Szczesny said. The small workshops also give women a chance to bounce ideas off one another. “It’s just wonderful,” one participant said. “You get to sit with other women in your situation and you can get ideas that you might not have had on your own.” There are three main workshops clients can choose from. While women don’t have to use all three services, most choose to, Fundingsland said. The first workshop is a two-day career-planning workshop. There, clients take Women In Transition Helps Women In Crisis 35•AUTUMN2006 interest assessments, aptitude tests and learn about their skills and values. Clients also receive information about salary ranges for various career paths. For Clay, the most helpful part of the workshop was learning about her values. She realized herprevious jobs hadn’t matched her values. With that knowledge, she was able to focus her job search on careers that would suit her personality. “Women In Transition gave me the ability to … look at what jobs would work for me,” Clay said. Women can also choose to attend self-esteem and personal effectiveness seminars. The four-night self-esteem class helps women come to grips with negative thought patterns, Fundingsland said. The personal effectiveness seminars focus on different aspects of women’s personal and professional lives. Some recent topics were “The Dish - Nourishing Communication,” “Weathering Change” and “Honoring Ourselves/Honoring Others.” The third program option Women In Transition offers is a job search and strategy service. Women can meet one-on-one with a career counselor, use a computer lab/resource room and gather at a weekly job search support group. The organization also offers weekly job skills workshops, which cover topics such as resume writing, interview essentials, internet job searches and job goal clarification. “My Job Counselor, Eunice, just went above and beyond the call of duty,” said client Vivian Mims. Mims went to a Women In Transition workshop held at another human services agency last year. After taking some assessment surveys, she decided to meet with a job counselor. Her decision paid off. About four months ago, Mims was able to go from working at a fast food restaurant to working for a marketing firm. Along with being able to support her two children, Mims now has a job she enjoys. “I feel like I’ve died and went to employment heaven,” she said. While it was sometimes difficult to keep searching, Mims said the services she received from Women In Transition kept her going. The organization helped her create a resume, learn computer skills and gave her a place to conduct her job search. Last year, Women In Transition counselors provided career development and employment services for 321 women, including 12 Edina residents. PhotobyPolly Norman (continued on next page) 36•AUTUMN2006 Along with holding workshops at other service agencies—like the one Mims attended—Women In Transition holds events at places throughout Hennepin County. Also, many of Women In Transition’s clients are referred from other agencies, Fundingsland said. In addition, Women In Transition refers people to other human service agencies. “We really act as a huge referral source,” Szczesny said. “We talk to thousands of women a year and serve 400 to 500.” Even after Women In Transition clients find employment, the agency will still support them. Clay said Women in Transition kept in touch with her after she found her new job. “In fact, they recently called me and said ’we’re having a class on self-esteem, would you like to come?’” Clay said. “I told them, ’I think I’m OK now.’” For more information on Women In Transition, call 612-752-8444 or visit www.eacmn.org/WomenProg.shtml. Women In Transition is located at 6715 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park. Polly Norman Abstract Photography Flanders Contemporary Art 612-344-1700 www.pollynormanart.com 37•AUTUMN2006 It’s Not Only Neighborly…It’s The Law Leaves Keep fallen leaves out of the street to help prevent clogging the storm sewer, which can lead to water runoff, backups and flooding. In the fall, three street sweepers work eight to 10 hours per day for four to six weeks cleaning streets. If residents rake leaves from their yards into the streets, the street sweeper will not be able to keep up. Residents should compost their leaves or contact their refuse hauler for proper disposal. Licensed haulers in the City are Allied Waste Services, 952-941-5174; Aspen Waste, 612-884-8000; Vierkant Disposal, 612-922-2505; and Waste Management, 952-882-2300. Edina Snow Removal Regulations Any snow removed from your walkways, driveways or sidewalks must remain on your property. Do not shovel snow into the street or onto your neighbor’s property. If you have a sidewalk, Edina law states that you must keep it plowed or shoveled for the safety of you and your neighbors. If a fire hydrant is located on your property, please remember that you need to clear snow away from it. As soon as the snow stops falling, start to clear away the snow so that the hydrant is visible. The few minutes it takes to provide access to a fire hydrant might save you, your neighbors and the Fire Department precious time in an emergency. Edina Snow Parking Regulations Many Minnesotans have made the mistake of parking their cars or trucks on the street during a snowstorm, only to find later that their vehicles have been “buried” or “plowed in.” Seeing a parking ticket on your windshield would only add to the frustration. You can avoid a citation or tow by following these rules. No vehicle may be parked on a City street, highway or alley under the following conditions: •When 1.5 inches or more of snow has fallen, until it has been plowed to the curbline. •For six hours after the snowfall stops, unless traffic signs specifically allow you to do so or if you are engaged in certain job-related activities as described in the City Code. •From 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Nov.1 to March 31. It is extremely important for residents to keep their vehicles off the roadways during these times. Edina’s Public Works Department has a reputation for providing top-notch snow removing services, but staff members need your help. Cars parked on the street make it difficult for snowplow operators to maneuver and also prevent the street from being thoroughly plowed. By parking in driveways or lots, you will avoid parking tickets and the expense and inconvenience associated with towing. For more information, contact Public Works Coordinator Steve Johnson, 952-826-0301. Edina Boy Scout Troop 68 Celebrates Its 100th Eagle Scout 38•AUTUMN2006 By Christina Scipioni The youth rooms at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church were gloomy and in need of repair. Luckily, Steven Jaffee was looking for a project. As part of his work to become an Eagle Scout, Steven, 17, volunteered to give the rooms a facelift. Over the course of about four days, he painted the walls and helped organize a donation drive for new furniture. Steven’s work helped him become Edina Boy Scout Troop 68’s 100th Eagle Scout. The Troop celebrated his accomplishment at an awards ceremony in July. “It’s a great honor to be Troop 68’s 100th Eagle Scout,” Steven said. “It is exceptionally difficult to become an Eagle Scout and anyone who does is deserving of high praise,” said Justin Moor, the Troop’s Senior Patrol Leader. “You need to get 21 [merit badges] to become an Eagle. Some are rather easy, but many require months of work,” Justin explained. “An Eagle Scout candidate also has to continually demonstrate the Scout spirit, live by Scouting ideals and be active in the troop. Most importantly,they have to organize a large service project which benefits an organization or community other than Scouts.” With 100 Eagle Scouts in its 40-year history,Troop 68 has seen its share of service projects. From organizing Edina’s first volunteer fair to cleaning up three miles of Nine Mile Creek, Troop 68 has left its mark on the community. Troop 68 Scoutmaster Pete Zirbel estimates that the Troop completes eight to 10 service projects a year, and that each of its 50 Scouts spend two to three hours a month helping out their community. Troop projects include food drives, raking leaves in the fall and digging out fire hydrants in the winter. Recent Eagle Scout projects include landscaping at the Edina Art Center; designing and building a disc golf course at Rosland Park; refurbishing the stage at South View Middle School and installing nature trail signs, painting park benches and replacing bird and duck houses at Bredesen Park. “Remember, these are high school students that are doing this—it’s a challenge,” Zirbel said. “Boy Scout troops are really self-led,” Zirbel said. “I advise, but they elect their own leadership and they choose which projects they want to do.” This gives the Scouts a feeling of accomplishment. “[The service projects] aren’t always fun, but you feel noticeably better afterwards, and you know you’ve been doing something good—that you’ve been making a difference,” Justin said. This self-direction leads to men with strong leadership skills, which is a valuable community asset, Zirbel said. “The Scouts give the community young men who can make ethical choices throughout their entire life.” (continued on page 41) 39•AUTUMN2006 Mark Fariss1966 E. Kent Smead1966 Richard Lundeen1966 Chuck Ledder1969 Don Rutishauser1972 Rich Sorem1972 Rob Holbrook1972 Richard Larson1972 Ken Myre1972 David Beardsley1973 Mark Berkley1973 Cory Williams1973 Jeff Rutishauser1973 Steve Post1974 Neal Schroeder1974 Doug Beardsley1974 Mike Hamilton1975 Doug Larsen1975 Joel McGlynn1976 Mark Casselman1976 David Hed1976 Mark Leone1976 Gary Myhre1976 Mark Schlaefer1976 Gordy Hoff1977 Joel Severinghaus1977 Bob Just1978 Dave Long1978 Tim Junko1978 Pat Laughlin1979 Steve Wallschleager1980 Paul Cornelison1980 Scott Tussing1980 Rob Laughlin1980 Richard Post1981 Loren Brooks1981 John Gorman1981 Pat Gorman1981 Roger Hed1981 Dave Hoff1981 Richard Quinlan1981 Tom Peterson1982 Carl Anderson1982 Todd Leone1982 Steve Tollefson1982 Kyle Pavlik1983 Michael Hoff1983 John Moore1983 Hugh Holbrook1985 Mathew Peterson1985 Brent Engelbert1987 Thor Davidson1989 Paul Hovelsrud1989 Josh Peterson1989 Jon Chance1989 Peter Barott1989 Peter Dean1989 Jeff King1989 Greg Poulton1990 Rob Seeger1992 Ron Dror1992 Cal Barrot1993 Mike Seeger1994 Brent Doll1995 Jason Willer1996 Ben Cairney 1996 Will Holman1996 Mike Goerne 2000 Rob Holahan2000 Jason Komadina2000 Mike Johnson2000 John Sjoblom2000 Ben Kohlmann2000 Josh Sutliff2000 Eric Anderson2001 Ted Meehan2001 Zack Lundberg2001 Andy Barnett2001 Jeff Forbes2001 Patrick Cronin2001 Alex Farrell2002 Justin Kasmiskie2002 Kent Bigham2002 Yicheol Ha2002 Matt Kohlmann2002 Doug Mezera2002 Eric Stinson2002 Peter Frey2003 Paul Buck2003 Matthew Fishman2004 William Amundson2004 Grant Bigham2004 Mike Barnett2004 Andrew George2005 Noah Franske2005 Michael Cronin2005 Johnny Bartz2006 Tom Kohlbry2006 Luther Overholt2006 Steven Jaffee2006 Evan Griffiths2006 Troop 68 Roll of Eagle Scouts 40•AUTUMN2006 Each Scout must complete a community service project before he may become an Eagle. Some previous Eagle Scout projects in Edina include: •Designing and building a disc golf course at Rosland Park •Landscaping at the Edina Art Center •Organizing a volunteer fair at Edina High School •Removing brush and restoring trails at Fox Meadow Park •Removing buckthorn at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church •Landscaping at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church •Landscaping and mulching two Edina baseball fields •Painting a house for Edina A Better Chance •Refurbishing Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church’s youth rooms •Installing nature trail signs, painting benches and replacing bird and duck houses at Bredesen Park •Refurbishing the stage at South View Middle School •Landscaping and refurbishing a deck at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church •Restoring and painting an outbuilding at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church •Removing buckthorn at Bredesen Park •Installing a retaining wall at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church While scouting is centered on leadership and service, it’s also about having fun. Past troop activities have included canoeing, backpacking, sailing in the Bahamas and winter camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Plus, there’s Troop 68’s annual week-long excursion to Many Point Scout Camp, located near Park Rapids, Minn. “There are beaches, a climbing tower, sailboats, a sauna, rifle and shotgun ranges, canoes and all kinds of activities,” Justin said. “It’s amazingly fun, and you can make a lot of progress toward Eagle while there.” In the future, Justin hopes to add more members to Troop 68. “Now that we’ve had 100 Eagle Scouts, we want at least 100 more,” he said. “Anyone who is remotely interested should join the Scouts because the values and skills it teaches are just superb. I’ve had nothing but praise for the organization since I joined.” For more information on Boy Scouts Troop 68, visit www.EdinaTroop68.org. Troop 68 meets Mondays at Good Samaritan Methodist Church, 5730 Grove St. 41•AUTUMN2006 Edina Boy Scout Troop 68 celebrated its 100th Eagle Scout at an awards ceremony held in July. Present at the ceremony were (left to right) Boy Scouts District Commissioner Eric Sit, Troop 68 Scoutmaster Pete Zirbel, Eagle Scout Steven Jaffe and Edina Mayor Jim Hovland. 42•AUTUMN2006 New City Gyms Open At South View Middle School And Edina Community Center By Christina Scipioni This fall, there’s more room for Edina athletes to dribble, shoot, set and spike thanks to a partnership between the City of Edina and Edina Public Schools. Together, the City and school district built two new gymnasiums, located on the south sides of South View Middle School and the Edina Community Center. At press time, the gyms were set to open Oct. 1. Citing an increased need for more athletic facilities, the Edina City Council voted in December 2004 to build the gyms. According to Park and Recreation Director John Keprios, the new gyms will “go a long way to help with the gym shortage in Edina.” The gyms will primarily be used for recreational and traveling basketball leagues, but will also be used for volleyball, community and school groups, Keprios said. Each new gym features a hardwood floor, a 30-foot ceiling for playing volleyball, six retractable basketball backboards, fixed seating for 35 people and regulation volleyball standards and nets. The South View Middle School gym also has a retractable batting cage and the Community Center gym has a concession stand. Along with basketball and volleyball, the gyms can be used for soccer, baseball, lacrosse and football. Edina athletic associations are looking forward to having additional room for practices and tournaments “Historically,there has been more demand by the winter sport programs of Edina than the facilities could accommodate,” said Steve Spellman, President of the Edina Basketball Association. “As a result, the players in the program have had to share facilities or practice later in the evening than we’d like. The addition of the City gyms should help to relieve the capacity constraints that existed.” Through a joint powers agreement, the City and Edina Public Schools are working together to provide the new gyms. The City built the gyms for a little over $5 million. The City will also pay for maintenance and operating expenses. Most of the estimated $40,000 annual operating cost will be paid for with rental fees, along with a yearly $5,000 donation from the Edina Community Foundation. Edina Public Schools owns and will manage the facilities. Rental fees are set at the same price as comparable school gyms and are determined by the school district. While priority is given to City and district activities, other organizations can also apply to rent the gyms. The school district pays the same rental fees as other gym users. According to Keprios, the agreement between the City and School District to build and manage the gymnasiums was the most cost-effective way to increase the number of athletic facilities in Edina. “By locating the gymnasiums adjacent to existing school district facilities, there are economies in operation, scheduling and maintenance,” he explained. The agreement was also a good way to take advantage of the partners’ strong relationship. 43•AUTUMN2006 “This is just another great example of how the City and school district can effectively work together to serve our common customers,” Keprios said. “We are fortunate to have such a positive and effective working relationship between the City and school district. Everyone benefits from that solid relationship.” For more information on the South View Middle School and Edina Community Center gymnasiums, call the Edina Park and Recreation Department, 952-826-0367. For more information on renting the South View Middle School gymnasium, contact Kathy Henkels, 952-848-3700. For more information on renting the Edina Community Center gymnasium, contact Laurie Hill, 952-848-3963. Skip & Debbie Thomas REMAX RESULTS Edina Graduates • Edina Residents Sam Giannakakis Senior Loan Officer Direct: 952.820.3272 Fax: 952.820.3372 Cell: 612.816.1511 Pager: 952.907.3380 Email: sam@lakelandmortgage.com RESULTS Call For A Free Loan Approval! Call For A Free Market Analysis Skip & Debbie Thomas GRI, Realtors 5201 Eden Avenue Edina, MN 55436 Direct: 952.848.2404 Home: 952.927.4804 Fax: 952.848.2410 Email: skipthomas@iwon.com Website: www.skipthomas.com Sam Giannakakis Lakeland Mortgage Corporation TOP Producers that sell & finance homes in Edina and the Twin Cities! Active in Edina Grandview Square Park Developed As An ’Urban Oasis’ 44•AUTUMN2006 By Laura Fulton Sculpted with the pristine touch of hands able to explain every groove they carve, sculptures are created from countless mediums, including wood, stone and precious metal. These sculptures often tell a story through their many nicks, nooks and crannies. Three new sculptures, chosen by the Edina Public Art Committee, are now telling their stories at Grandview Square Park. A Norse knot, a raven and a leafy chair have all been placed in Grandview Square Park, 5280 Grandview Square. These three sculptures are on exhibit at the park on a temporary basis and have been increasing not only the traffic to the park, but also the interest in the City of Edina. “Grandview Park is an urban place to enjoy nature and quiet time,” said Dick Crockett, Executive Director of the Edina Community Foundation. “There is always something happening in the park, from people walkingtheir dogs, to those stopping to look at the new sculptures.” Plans for Grandview Square Park were drawn during the rest of the area’s development. The developer of the nearby office building, Opus Northwest, and the developer of the condominiums, Ron Clark Construction and Design, agreed to contribute money to the park project as soon as construction on their respective buildings was complete. In turn, the City agreed to pay one-third the cost of the park. With the help of local businesses and community members, $50,000 was raised to pay for the City’s share of the project. In September 2005, the new Grandview Square Park was unveiled. Though plans were in the making, at the time no sculptures existed in the park. The Edina Public Art Committee took on the difficult task of bringing in unique artwork to the three spaces provided for sculptures within the confines of the park. “When the Edina Public Art Committee was charged with figuring out what to do with the sculpture space, we discussed a couple different options,” said Brad Benn, Assistant Director of the Edina Art Center.“We decided to host sculptures at Grandview on a “Norse Knot” is a sculpture created by Edina resident Janey Westin. Westin was chosen by the Edina Public Art Committee as one of the three local artists to exhibit at Grandview Square Park. PhotobyLaura Fulton “Raven” by Brian Young from Bloomington is made from Black Belgian Marble. Photoby Laura Fulton 45•AUTUMN2006 temporary basis, recognizing that not all public art will be popular with all people.” To get the project started, the Art Committee chose three local artists to put pieces together for the park. The sculptures were installed in the park piece by piece over the months of May and June. Nick Legeros of Edinacreated a bronze sculpture of a chair and ottoman entitled“Leaf Stack.” Leaf patterns run throughout the sculpture, and the multi-tonal hues of the bronze invite the viewer to take a closer look at the many different facets of the piece. A piece named “Norse Knot,” was created by Edina resident Janey Westin. The figure was sculpted from Mankato Kasota Limestone. Though the piece shows well, the artist is still making small adjustments: adding small amounts of detail to one of the heads of her sculpture and carving another groove down the neck. The third sculpture is rightfully entitled “Raven.” It is a piece created out of Black Belgian Marble by Bloomington’s Brian Young. The piece sits in the center of the park’s walkways. All three of the sculptures are for sale. The Grandview Square Park exhibition season runs from May 15 to Oct. 15. “I am thrilled to have one of my pieces so close to my home,” said Legeros. “The Edina Art Center did a great job handling [the addition of sculptures to the park] and I really appreciate that residents can give feedback on the art placed at Grandview.” Westin shared many of Legeros’ sentiments. “I am honored to be one of the first sculptors to exhibit work at Grandview,” she said. “Many of the people I told about the exhibit have gone out to the park to check it out.” Though this year’s artists were specially selected to exhibit their work in Grandview Square Park, the Edina Public Art Committee does plan to send out a call for artists soon for the 2007 exhibition period. “The plan is to issue a broad invitation to sculptors around Minnesota to submit proposals,” Crockett said. “This year,we didn’t really have time to send out the invitations. It will be exciting to see what type of response we get this coming year.” For more information about the sculptures located at Grandview Square Park, contact the Edina Art Center, 612-915-6600. For more information about Grandview Square Park, contact the Edina Park and Recreation Department, 952-826-0367. Nick Legeros of Edina created a bronze sculpture of a chair and ottoman entitled “Leaf Stack.” Photo byLaura Fulton 46•AUTUMN2006 Choose Award Winning Granite… Designed, Fabricated and Installed by Northwestern Marble and Granite 952-941-8601 www.northwesternmarble.com Choose Award Winning Granite… Designed, Fabricated and Installed by Northwestern Marble and Granite Visit our showroom at 7705 Bush Lake Road. We have the largest in-stock inventory in the Twin Cities! Visit our showroom at 7705 Bush Lake Road. We have the largest in-stock inventory in the Twin Cities! HOURS M-Th 8:30 - 7:00 •Fri 8:30 - 4:30 952-941-8601 www.northwesternmarble.com 47•AUTUMN2006 Renewing Edina’s Promise, One Home at a Time. Architecture •Interiors •Landscape •Remodel •Build Since 1979 •952.925.9455 •www.mapeterson.com ESGR, Southdale Dental Support America’s Troops By Laura Fulton During the early settlement phase of colonial America, the United States established a branch of the nation’s military to protect the country during natural disasters, civil emergencies and national conflict. The members of this group were and are ordinary people who have heard the call to protect our country. In the past few years, this group, made up of over 18,500 men and women, has been called to assist with natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, protect our country in the war on terrorism and help restore peace to countries around the world. Though the group is relied on to help the nation during many difficult times, these people are not full-time military personnel. They are employed by civilian employers and are often expected to put their lives on hold to serve in the National Guard or Reserve. “According to national law,employers are required to keep employed any employee who is called up to serve in the National Guard or Reserves,” said Gen. Dennis Schulstad, Minnesota Chairman of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). “There is a huge difference between one employer who says, ’we would really like to fire you so we can find a replacement in your absence,’ and another who says, ’Thank you for helping our country. How can we help?’” The companies and employers who are inclined to support their military colleagues can find a helping hand in ESGR. The organization promotes active support of public and private employers for the men and women in the National Guard and Reserve. ESGR assists in the resolution of conflicts which may arise from an employee’s military commitment and awards employers who go above and beyond in the treatment of their military employees. Recently, an Edina company was awarded one of 25 top honors from ESGR for going above and beyond the expectations of an employee who was called to active duty. “I was called to active duty in July 2003 to be a dentist for the Army Reserves,” said Steven Johnson of Southdale Dental Associates. “I was concerned with how my 48•AUTUMN2006 In May,Dr.Steven Johnson, along with his supervisor, Dr. James Raymond, attended an awards banquet to receive the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve “Above and Beyond” award. 49•AUTUMN2006 absence would affect my patients and the practice, but everyone here stepped up and covered for me. They did a tremendous job taking care of my patients and keeping my employees busy.” Southdale Dental Associates, 7373 France Ave., is comprised of six dentists. The company was chosen out of 800 entries as a company that went above and beyond its duties. In May, Johnson, along with his supervisor, James Raymond, attended an awards banquet to receive the ESGR “Above and Beyond” award. The award was presented by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Schulstad in front of 600 top business, political and military leaders. “We knew when Dr.Johnson left that we had to keep up the high quality of service his patients were used to, so that was what we did,” Raymond said. “[The banquet] was very humbling. We got to hear stories about how other businesses went above and beyond for their employees and we were lucky enough to be honored for our part, too.” The men and women who make up the nation’s Reserve components are intelligent and motivated individuals who are often trained to handle high-tech equipment. When employers support the Reservists and National Guard members, these members are more likely to stay in the service for longer terms. “And these are the people we want to keep in the service,” said Schulstad. “One of the first things I hear when I greet Reservists and Guard members who have been away on tours of duty is ’Do people back home appreciate what we are doing, what we are sacrificing?’” Schulstad said. “Whether or not people agree with our foreign policy is not our focus. Our focus is the 18,500 people who have volunteered to serve our country … and we recognize employers who are doing their best to identify and appreciate all that these folks are doing.” For more information on ESGR, visit www.esgr.org or contact Schulstad at dennyschulstad@aol.com Edina Student Takes Gold At Special Olympics National Games 50•AUTUMN2006 By Christina Scipioni Sam LoPresti’s parents still get goose bumps thinking about the moment when their only son entered the 15,000-seat Hilton Coliseum. Decked out in maroon and gold, Sam marched into the packed arena with the rest of Team Minnesota. The crowd cheered the athletes on as the announcers heralded the team’s arrival at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Special Olympics USANational Games. “It was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had,” said Sam’s mom, Terese LoPresti. The tournament, held July 2 to 7 at Iowa State University, was the first national competition for Special Olympics USA. It brought in 3,000 athletes from all 50 states, including Sam, 14, an eighth-grader at South View Middle School. Sam was the only Edina resident to compete in the national games. Although Sam was the youngest swimmer at the games, he took home a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and took fifth in the 50-meter freestyle. According to Sam’s coach Keanne Cameron, Sam held his own, swimming against older, more mature competitors. “Sam’s in remarkable physical condition and he’s a very gifted swimmer,” Cameron said. Sam’s triumph didn’t come without a lot of hard work. He trained with his three teammates for two hours, three days a week for about five months. When the training sessions started, the aquatics team swam half a mile each practice. By the time of the competition, they were swimming up to two miles per practice. “My philosophy is when I coach, I don’t really see their disability,” Cameron said. Instead, Cameron pushed the swimmers to work as hard as they could and Sam rose to the challenge. “He dropped a tremendous amount of time in both of his events,” Cameron said. Sam’s cheerful attitude also impressed Cameron. “He was always happy coming to practice and always in a good mood leaving practice,” he said. Sam’s parents were impressed by the magnitude of the games and by how well they were organized. “During the opening ceremonies, they announced every state and said something different about each one – just like the regular Olympics,” Terese LoPresti said. Actor Tom Arnold emceed the opening ceremonies and Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver received a standing ovation when she spoke to the packed arena. Iowa State and Ames ushered the athletes, spectators and volunteers into town and on to campus with Special Olympics banners flying on the boulevards. At the games, all the athletes stayed in Iowa State dorms with their teammates and coaches. All week, Sam, his teammates and Cameron lived and competed together.“We got up at 6 a.m. and were in the pool by 8 a.m.,” Cameron said. “From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., we were in that pool – for five days straight.” But even with all the athletes working hard, the mood at the games was still relaxed. “The whole atmosphere was wonderful,” Terese LoPresti said. “Nobody was crabby. No one was impatient.” During the daily bus rides from the hotels and dorms to the arenas, spectators and athletes shared stories and admired medals. The Special Olympics staff worked hard to make everyone feel welcome. “The bus drivers would get on the speakers and say ’we are so glad you are here,’” Terese LoPresti said. At the events, the audience heaped praise on all the athletes. “It’s almost like the underdog was cheered for more than the winners,” LoPresti said. When the medals were being handed out, all the athletes smiled and cheered. 51•AUTUMN2006 “As a company, we provide energy. But we’re also individuals who offer our energy to the community because we’re part of it. We’re the people you see around town. Next door. At the market. And since it’s our home too, we care about the things that make it better. That’s why we support local organi- zations and events in Edina.” Xcel Energy. You get all of our energy. “WE PUT OUR ENERGY INTO SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY.” xcelenergy.com ©2005 Xcel Energy Inc. Pat, Community Relations Manager While the week-long event passed by quickly, planning the games took Special Olympics Minnesota nearly a year. “Special Olympics Minnesota has been preparing for this event since last summer,” said Competition Manager Rosa Magnus. “Three staff members traveled to Ames in August 2005 to see all the venues and by September were preparing the list of athletes that were eligible to apply for nationals. “In order to qualify for nationals, athletes had to have received a gold medal in their specific sport at the state level,” Magnus said. “Then, an application was filled out and submitted along with three letters of recommendation. Once the committee reviewed all of the applications, the athletes were contacted for an interview. After that, the committee chose the team of 85 athletes.” When Sam’s parents heard that he was eligible for the national games, they weren’t sure he would get to go because of his young age. But after Sam’s interview,the Special Olympics committee picked him to be one of the four male aquatics athletes. For the LoPrestis, attending the games was almost a perfect experience. “It was probably just the best week I could ever hope to have,” said Sam’s dad, Pete LoPresti. And while the week may be over,the good times continue. The athletes and parents still meet on a regular basis. “We’ve created many friendships, so the experience still lives on,” Terese LoPresti said. For more information on Special Olympics Minnesota, call 612-333-0999 or visit www.SpecialOlympicsMinnesota.org. For more information on volunteering with Special Olympics Minnesota, contact Kelly Monicatti, 612-604-1266. Looking for a unique stocking stuffer or other fun gift this holiday season? The City of Edina offers merchandise perfect for collectors and local enthusiasts. The full-color, hard-cover edition of Braemar: Celebrating the Forty-Year History of Braemar Golf Course combines a history of the course, including outrageously funny and true stories from golfers and staff, with 75 gorgeous color photos and images of the wooded, rolling hills, fairways and lush greens that cover the course’s 27 challenging holes and nine-hole executive course. The book also explores the connection between Edina and Braemar, Scotland – a relationship founded before Edina’s Braemar Golf Course opened in 1964. “This municipal golf course as our home for golf has formed the basis of deep friendships and lasting memories. Retirees and empty-nesters continue to live in Edina so they can play golf at Braemar. Many who no longer play still congregate at Braemar,” said author Roger Harrold, who volunteered to write the book. “In the course of conducting research for the book, I have come across a treasure trove of stories. It was a pleasure putting this book together and retelling those stories.” The book costs $29.95 and can be purchased at Edina City Hall, the Braemar Golf Course Pro Shop or online at www.BraemarGolf.com. City of Edina gift certificates are available in $5, $10 and $50 denominations. They can be purchased at Edina City Hall or online at www.CityofEdina.com/EdinaStore.The gift certificates can be used for utility bill payments or for services or products at Braemar Arena, Braemar Golf Course, Centennial Lakes Park, Edina Art Center, Edina Aquatic Center, Edina Liquor, Edina Senior Center or Edinborough Park. Gift certificates expire one year from the date of purchase. City of Edina playing cards make great stocking stuffers. Each card features a full-color photograph of Centennial Lakes Park and a piece of trivia about the community. Average retail price per deck is $4. Cards can be purchased at Edina City Hall, Braemar Golf Course, City Offers Unique Holiday Gifts 52•AUTUMN2006 Edina Art Center, Edina Senior Center, Centennial Lakes Park, Flowers of Edina, Jerry’s Do-It-Best Hardware or Games By James at Southdale Center. All of the proceeds from the sales of the cards benefit the City’s government access channel, Edina Community Channel 16. Other City of Edina merchandise is available and can be found online at www.CityofEdina.com/EdinaStore. For more information, call 952-833-9520. 53•AUTUMN2006 Active Fun fortheEntireFamily!ForKids -KidsFitness andBOSUclasses-SHARKS SwimTeam-FREEKidsStuffdrop- offchildcareprogramcurriculum(6 monthsto10years)-Teensin Trainingfitnessprogram-Tri-City Skatepark ForAdults -FREEFitness Consultation-FREEGroupExerciseclasses includingBODYPUMP™andBODYFLOW™- WomenonWeightsclass-PersonalTrainingat specialmemberrates ForTheFamily -Open swimonSundays-Familyevents.ComejointhefunatSouthdaleYMCA! SouthdaleYMCA •7355YorkAvenueSouth Edina952-835-2567 Fun FallintoFitnessatSouthdaleYMCA 54•AUTUMN2006 For information, contact: Kevin Escher (612-386-0175)kevinescher@kevinescher.com www.tamarackpoint.com TamarackPoint —Preserving resources,beauty and well-being — An environmentally planned community at Cable Lake, Wisconsin created in collaboration by Property Focus llc and TEA 2 Architects •Architecturally planned—set in 55 acres of rolling birch and maple woodlands •Breathtaking, architecturally designed cottages: 2, 21/2 and 3 bedroom •1,800 feet of pristine, shared lakeshore •Community ski and hiking trails, sauna, pavilion and bunkhouse •Swimming beach and children’s play areas •Upgrade packages available •All association maintained By Laura Fulton Carbon monoxide: a colorless, odorless gas that has the ability to interfere with normal human intake of oxygen. Sound dangerous? It is. The State of Minnesota and fire safety and enforcement agencies around the state are planning measures to keep citizens safe and breathing healthy air. In August, a law went into effect requiring all homes to have carbon monoxide alarms installed. Any home for which a building permit is issued after Jan. 1, 2007, will be required to have carbon monoxide detectors installed upon completion of the project. All existing single-family homes must have carbon monoxide detectors installed prior to Aug. 1, 2008. All existing multi-family dwellings are required to have carbon monoxide detectors in place by Aug. 1, 2009. Approved carbon monoxide detectors must be installed and operational within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping. Carbon monoxide detectors are built to detect dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in a home and alert those in the house that they are in danger.Approved carbon monoxide detectors can be found at most hardware stores. Some carbon monoxide detectors give digital read-outs, warning the resident of how many carbon monoxide parts-per-million are in the air.The read-out is an indicator of the level of danger the person is in while inside the home. Other carbon monoxide detectors combine with explosive gas detectors to give an added amount of protection. Carbon monoxide detectors are not a substitute to fire alarms. The new law comes with the understanding that Minne-sota citizens still need to be educated on the dangers of home heating and carbon monoxide gases. Furnaces need to be checked and cleaned on an annual basis to ensure that the appliance has no leaks and is functioning pro-perly. Dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide can accumulate as a result of poor insulation, poor main-tenance or failure to service an appliance, incorrect fuel burning techniques or poor ventilation in rooms. Scheerer, who was a major force in pushing the carbon monoxide alarm requirement into law, acknowledges the fact that the mandate will increase calls to First Responders. “These devices save lives,” he said. “Fire and emergency services personnel are OK with the fact that this [law] is going to make them busier. This is a proactive action making a big difference in protecting our residents.” For more information on the carbon monoxide mandate, contact Scheerer at 952-826-0332 or mscheerer@ci.edina.mn.us. To read Minnesota Statute 299F.50 regarding carbon monoxide alarm requirements, visit www.fire.state.mn.us and click on “Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements.” New Law Requires Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Homes By 2009 55•AUTUMN2006