Tuesday Group

The Tuesday Group presentation at the Grand Ely Lodge on October 8, 2024 was provided by DNR Forester Victoria Jari and Sonja Tosteson of the UMN Urban Forestry Outreach & Research. Come learn how to prepare your newly planted, young, and vulnerable trees for winter. We'll then deep-dive into how to prepare now for pruning smaller branches during the dormant season. This will include a brief overview of branch biology, helpful versus damaging cutting scenarios, and the three-cut method. Sonja Tosteson is the Volunteer & Partnerships Coordinator with the UMN Urban Forestry Outreach & Research (UFOR) Lab. She holds her MA in Environmental Conservation Education from NYU and BA from St. Olaf College in Environmental Studies.

The Tuesday Group presentation at the Grand Ely Lodge on September 24, 2024 was provided by master photographer Travis Novitsky. He explored human connection to the aurora, the Milky Way, and the wonder of the universe above us -- and his presentation was complete with gorgeous photographs. For millennia, humans have marveled at the night sky: the wonder of the aurora, the glory of the Milky Way, and the peace that comes with stargazing. In the remarkable book, Spirits Dancing: The Night Sky, Indigenous Knowledge, and Living Connections to the Cosmos, Novitsky’s photographs portray these marvels, while astrophysicist Annette S. Lee discusses how Western science and Indigenous knowledge can work together to provide a deeper understanding of our place in the universe. Travis Novitsky has been photographing the night sky for decades, and his vibrant images reflect and transmit the awe-inspiring scenes he has witnessed.

The Tuesday Group presentation on September 10, 2024 was provided by our friend and neighbor, Jess Kulik. Jess presented "Executive Functioning and Community: Ely's Hidden Inclusivity." Executive functioning skills are integral to our daily life. Ranging from planning, working memory, and organization to emotional regulation, everything you do utilizes these skills. Ely, and many small towns, have inherent executive functioning support built into the community. During this presentation, Jess will explain executive functioning skills, the different types of people who struggle with them, and how Ely is able to support executive functioning skill development. Jess Kulik is a former teacher, getting her PhD in developmental psychology studying executive functioning skills and their impact on relationships and social skills. While teaching, Jess taught 2-8th grade in Bilingual (Spanish), general education, and special education. During that time, she noticed the importance of executive functioning skills on academic success and on relationships between students. In the past, she has helped families create interventions and support in their home to promote student success.

The Tuesday Group presentation on August 20, 2024 was about Perpich: A Statewide Residential Arts High School with the school's Admissions Director Anne Johnson. Perpich Arts High School opened its doors in 1989 and graduated its first class in 1991. It is a tuition-free, public, residential high school for students in 11th and 12th grades. The school is part of Perpich Center for Arts Education, a state agency funded by the Minnesota legislature. Anne Johnson came to Perpich Arts High Schools after 12 years working in college and career planning, first at Wayzata High School, then with UW-Milwaukee. Prior to entering education, Anne worked in the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. She believes that there is joy and reward in any work we do, yet it’s really been in education with high school students that she has found her calling. Anne loves being mom to her three grown children with her husband, Jeff. Before settling down in Wayzata, their family was fortunate to live in many states across the country. Cooking is a passion, along with being outdoors as much as possible. The perfect combination for Anne is a good meal prepared over an open campfire at the end of a day hiking. “That’s when we can say that life is good!”

Enter the world of Sigurd Olson: Minnesota writer, conservationist, teacher and philosopher. The Tuesday Group presentation on August 13, 2024 was provided by Freja Alioth, the Executive Director of Listening Point Foundation. Freja's presentation provided background and insights into Olson’s philosophies, love of land, and preservation work. Freja Alioth began her journey with Listening Point Foundation (LPF) in 2020 as the Program Director, and has led over 100 tours and events for members of our community and beyond. When she’s not out in the woods with her two dogs, you can find her exploring breweries with her husband or hanging out at home with her 4 cats.

The Tuesday Group presentation on August 6, 2024 was provided by Kathryn Hoffman and Leigh Currie of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. They'll presented Mining the Climate Crisis: How mining companies position themselves as climate champions, and what it means for Minnesota. Kathryn Hoffman graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2006 magna cum laude, and earned a Masters in Public Policy from the Humphrey Institute at the same time. After working in complex litigation in Zelle LLP in Minneapolis for four years, she joined MCEA as a staff attorney in 2010. She stepped into the CEO role in 2017, and she is proud of the way the organization has grown and changed since then. She has worked as adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Law School, and is also a former Chair of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. Leigh Currie has a B.S. in environmental science and biology from Tufts University and an M.S. in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota. Leigh graduated salutatorian in 2006 with a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. In addition to her time at MCEA, Leigh has also clerked for the Minnesota Court of Appeals, practiced environmental law at a private firm, worked as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School, and had an appointment (through the New York University School of Law State Impact Center) as a Special Assistant Attorney General at the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.

The Tuesday Group presentation on July 30, 2024 was provided by Paul Helstrom, a senior Customer Programs and Services Representative with Minnesota Power. The entire nation and world is under going an energy transition from fossil fuel based resources to renewable/carbon free energy. Minnesota Power is leading the way in our region on deployment of these resources. Paul came to his presentation ready to discuss this transition while focusing on solar energy. The presentation was interactive in order to address the questions of the group. Topics areas include Minnesota Power initiatives, state laws, large scale development, small private system considerations, and technology. Paul Helstrom administers the customer facing solar programs for Minnesota Power. He assists customers with inquiries about using solar for their homes and businesses. He works both internally and externally to execute interconnection agreements for customer sited renewables. In addition he is involved with electric vehicles and other projects involving solar development at Minnesota Power. Paul joined Minnesota Power in 2014 after spending many years in the solar industry working as an installer and assistant trainer. Paul graduated from college at the University of California- Santa Cruz with an environmental studies degree. Throughout his life Paul has taken time to travel the world and learn more about different place, and people. Paul enjoys spending time with his three children. He also loves to bike, canoe, and camp. He has spent time in many foreign countries working on schools, clinics, and teaching English.

Tuesday Group on July 23, 2024 featured Melanie Pankau and Dana Kassel, both Program Directors for McKnight Foundation's Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships. This session spoke to the full Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship program which supports 15 artistic disciplines. Specifically, this fellowship program awards $25,000 to book artists, ceramic artists, choreographers, composers, community-engaged practice artists, culture bearers, dancers, fiber artists, media artists, musicians, playwrights, printmakers, theater artists, visual artists, and writers. Melanie and Dana are the Program Directors for the visual art and the dance/choreography programs, respectively. Such such, the information they shared was focused on details about those programs, but they were able speak in general terms to the other disciplines as well. The intent of the McKnight Fellowship programs is to support Minnesota-based artists who are beyond the emerging stage of their career, and who have created a substantial body of work that demonstrates artistic excellence.

The Tuesday Group program on July 16, 2024 was presented by researchers at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. They discussed A Day in the Life: How your microbial neighbors make a living in Soudan Mine Underground State Park. In 2018, this research team earned a National Science Foundation grant to study the microorganisms living deep underground in the fractured rocks of the Soudan Mine Underground State Park. They will share a four part story that covers where Soudan microbes live, what they eat, and how they work together to make a living from Soudan rocks and water. The presentation featured: Woonghee Lee, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences Amanda Patsis, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences David Hsu, Department of Plant & Microbial Biology