It’s a selfie with Wade Rolf, Tammy Rolf and their dance instructor Kelly Bestul of Kelly’s Dance Academy. Bestul is helping Team Rolf learn some new moves as they prepare for Dancing Like the Stars, a fundraising event this weekend for 2B Continued.
Stirring up sauce for Team Rolf’s ziti pasta fundraiser were volunteers Debbie and Galen Goranowski. The couple worked together in the kitchen at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Hutchinson.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to fundraising. Shaving your head, selling roses or serving walking tacos are all ways local groups raise money for their missions.
Last year, 2B Continued, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and mental health awareness, launched a first in local fundraising — Dancing Like the Stars. It’s a take off on the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars.”
Director and founder Tammy Diehn recruited 12 couples from McLeod, Carver and Sibley counties to showcase their talents in choreographed dance routines in a live, big-time production at the Glencoe Event Center. COVID-19 intervened, so things didn’t work out exactly as planned, but the upside was it raised $57,956.94. It’s not surprising with a payday like that, the event has returned in-person at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Glencoe Event Center. This year’s fundraising goal is $85,000.
Following in the footsteps of previous dancing couple Dean and Carol Nissen is Wade and Tammy Rolf of Hutchinson. Nowhere in their backgrounds does it say ballroom dancers. Wade is owner of All Mighty Movers in Hutchinson and a longtime employee at Yetzer Home Store in Waconia. Tammy is a real estate agent and founder of Daughters with Purpose, a nonprofit that raises money to help others. The couple has two children, a son-in-law and two grandchildren.
Although they may not cha-cha-cha on a daily basis, it didn’t interfere with their desire to step up and be part of this event.
“We are having a blast learning how to dance,” Tammy said. “It has been a challenge because neither of us have any dance background. I take that back, we learned the polka and waltz for our wedding dance 32 years ago.”
MEET THE CHOREOGRAPHER
To fine-tune their moves, Wade and Tammy are working with choreographer Kelly Bestul of Kelly’s Dance Academy in Hutchinson.
This is the second year Bestul has worked with Dancing Like the Stars. In addition to Team Rolf, she is instructing Matt and Jocelynn Buckentin of Brownton.
“The mission of 2B Continued is one that touches me personally,” Bestul said. “When I first volunteered in 2019, it was about being part of something to help families dealing with the ramifications of suicide, but also bringing awareness of how it can get to that point for someone. Last year, a few weeks after its inaugural performance, I personally lost my 24-year-old son to suicide.
“I feel even more compelled to be part of this now, as difficult as it is for me personally, because I know first hand the challenges of it all and what type of resources are needed to heal not just me, but my children, my family and all the relationships he left behind.”
Bestul sees the dancers she’s working with as caring people who are willing to challenge their abilities, their nerves and contribute to the greater good of society.
“Unfortunately, the past few years have taken a toll not only on our health, but our mental well-being, so this is even more important,” she said.
Bestul begins the choreography process by first seeing what the couple have dabbled in socially, and then what type of style they gravitate toward.
“(From there,) I teach some of the basic moves and turn maneuvers for that particular style and draw from that,” she said. “Choreographically you try to match the highs, lows, rhythm sections, and so on to the steps. Typically I listen more to the underlying beats than I do the lyrics, but certain moves to certain lyrics has its place, too. As for the couple, you can sense their ‘comfort zone’ as you start to work with them. The more adventurous and driven they are, the more high-level moves I will throw their way.”
So far, both of Bestul’s couples learned their choreography within three hours.
“Perfecting a routine is an ongoing process, but I always tell them they don’t want to be thinking while on stage,” she said. “They want to have created muscle memory as well as a relationship with the song. The end goal is to be out of your head and dance from your heart by the time you hit the stage.”
MEET THE COMPETITION AND JUDGES
Joining Team Rolf Saturday night in a friendly competition will be Matt and Jocelynn Buckentin, Brownton; Brian (Jolly) and Molly Heimerl, Lester Prairie; Kirk and Michelle Jungclaus, Glencoe; Kevin and Emily Konerza, Lester Prairie; Joe and Melissa Neumann, Winsted; Paul Bender and Terri Grack, Waconia; Mitchell and Jackie Dietz, Gaylord; Jesse and Katie Gran, Winthrop; Paul and Karen Hallquist, Norwood Young America; Brandt and Kari Knodel-Vettel, Chaska; and Rupert Lawson and Audra Lehrke, Mayer.
This year’s judges are Kristin Haubrich, reporter for “Twin Cities Live,” along with returning judges: Dr. John Bergseng, retired surgeon at Glencoe Regional Health; Charlene Knorr, former owner/operator of Charlene’s Dance Studio, and Mike Phelps, president and CEO of Ridgeview Medical Center.
In addition to learning a special dance for the event, each couple is asked to fundraise $6,000. So far, Team Rolf is nearing its goal. Among their efforts was a ziti pasta take-and-bake March 11 where volunteers made and delivered 53 pans of pasta, earning a total of $1,325.
MEET WADE AND TAMMY ROLF
To learn more about their experience with Dancing Like the Stars, Team Rolf participated in this Leader Q&A.
How did you come to be involved in Dancing Like the Stars?
We were asked by Tammy Diehn, and at first we said “no” and laughed because we have no dance experience. The more we thought about it, the more we wanted to be involved. Mental health awareness and suicide prevention are such large issues in our country right now, and 2B Continued and this event helps our community directly, especially within our schools. As intimidating as it was in the beginning, that was the main reason we decided to be a part of this event. This is such an amazing opportunity, teaming up with people, raising money that is truly saving lives.
Did you have an interest in ballroom dancing before joining Dancing Like the Stars?
We always felt that it looked like fun. It is taking a lot of practice and it is a lot of hard work.
When did you start training, and how often do you rehearse? Are you finding it challenging? How do you like working with a pro like Kelly Bestul?
We practice every Monday with Kelly for one hour. We definitely found it challenging in the beginning because we knew nothing about dancing. This has been an amazing experience for Wade and I as a couple, to have the opportunity to be a part of such a great organization. We now have a newfound respect for anyone in this field. Kelly is the best. She is very patient, and we absolutely love her. Only she could take two grandparents with no dance experience and only the drive to succeed and desire to help hurting people, and turn it into something that we are proud of.
What do you love most/least about ballroom dancing? Any advice for future dancing couples?
This has been a great experience, and although learning the dance moves has been challenging, it is something that we have had tons of fun doing. That is important to keep in mind — have fun!
How can the community be involved?
Tickets are still available for purchase to attend in-person at this event at 2bcontinued.org. We are asking for your vote. Each vote costs a minimum donation of $1, and that money goes towards this organization, which helps our community with mental health awareness and suicide prevention. To vote and donate, visit tinyurl.com/4xrk8j8t.
- Updated
Dan Deitte
After a monthslong search, Hutchinson Public Schools has offered its superintendent position to Dan Deitte.
Deitte has served as superintendent of Minneota Public Schools for 14 years and as part-time superintendent of Ivanhoe Public Schools. He was told Wednesday he had been selected by the district after a visit on Monday, and he said he was interested.
“Now we have to agree on the contract,” said Tiffany Barnard, chair of the Hutchinson School Board. “That process will hopefully be worked through next week so I can present it to the board at our April 11 board meeting.”
The school originally reviewed a slate of five candidates and narrowed it down to two. Those final two candidates were invited to each spend a day visiting and touring the district. Deitte visited Monday and the other finalist — Chris Swenson, superintendent of Holdingford Public Schools — visited Tuesday.
Deitte was given a tour of the district and its manufacturing partners by current Superintendent Daron VanderHeiden before having lunch with principles and directors. He then met with middle school and high school students during building visits, met with community leaders who help the school administer its TigerPath Academies program at Hutchinson High School, and met with staff in an open forum for an hour. The day ended with a community forum followed by an interview with School Board members.
“We had an amazing turnout of staff and community members,” Barnard said. “That felt awesome to have that engagement.”
Barnard said Deitte’s experience and positive feedback from local stakeholders made him the right choice.
“He had an extremely positive attitude and tons of energy throughout the whole thing,” she said. “He came to us with an entry plan on paper and a list of his values that very closely aligned with our district’s values. So, he came to us prepared. He had worked really hard on some of that to present to us. And truly most of his answers felt very student-centered. His experience, passion and personality will help lead us forward.”
If the hiring is finalized, Deitte will replace VanderHeiden, who announced in December he is retiring at the end of this school year. VanderHeiden, who has been with the district since 1994, served as superintendent for the past 16 years. Prior to that, dating back to 1994, he served the district as a technical education teacher, technology teacher, coach and more.
Minnesota could see another uptick in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks, thanks to the latest version of the omicron variant, but any increases are not expected to be as serious as previous coronavirus surges.
“Whether it ends up being a larger increase in cases or a smaller one still remains to be seen,” Dr. John O’Horo, a Mayo Clinic infectious disease specialist, said during a March 31 news briefing. “It certainly doesn’t look like it is going to be anything on the order of what we have seen with prior spikes.”
The omicron BA.2 variant, which is related to the original omicron strain that drove infections in Minnesota to unprecedented levels in January, is now believed to be the dominant variant in the U.S. and across the globe.
Twin Cities wastewater data from the Metropolitan Council shows omicron BA.2 accounted for about 60% of coronavirus genetic material found in sewage last week. The original omicron strain accounts for much of the rest.
The BA.2 variant has more genetic mutations than its predecessor and is believed to be more easily transmitted than other versions of the coronavirus, said Matthew Binnicker, director of Mayo Clinic’s Clinical Virology Laboratory in Rochester. But prior immunity from recent infection with omicron as well as the protection provided by vaccines should help keep cases at a manageable level.
“We will see increasing cases in many parts of the United States, but it is not thought to result in a surge like we experienced in January and early February of this year,” Binnicker said.
Omicron BA.2 has shown the ability to infect people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, but vaccines continue to protect against severe illness. About 66% of Minnesotans are vaccinated and more than 2 million have gotten booster shots.
Antivirals like Pfizer’s drug Paxlovid also continue to be effective against the new variant. While recent prior infection provides some protection, there have been a small number of reports of people catching both versions of the omicron variant, Binnicker said.
Health officials continue to urge vaccination as the best way to avoid serious illness, hospitalization and death. Boosters are urged for everyone 12 or older, and earlier this week federal regulators OK’d a fourth dose for people 50 or older and those with heightened risk.
MINNESOTA NUMBERS REMAIN LOW
The state Department of Health reported 509 new COVID-19 infections March 31 and seven more deaths. At least 12,408 people have died since the pandemic began and Minnesota has diagnosed 1,429,550 infections.
About 63,000 people have tested positive more than once. Of those who have caught COVID-19, almost 99% have recovered enough they no longer need to be isolated.
Rates of test positivity, new cases per capita and hospitalizations all remain at some of the lowest levels of the pandemic.
As of March 31 there were 185 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 including 27 in intensive care. In early January, at the height of the original omicron wave, hospitals had roughly nine times more COVID-19 patients.
In McLeod County, nine new cases were reported this past week, bringing the total to 9,640 since the pandemic began. One COVID-related death of a person age 55-59 was also reported this past week. It was the first fatality reported since early March, bringing the county’s total to 108 deaths since the pandemic started.
Reported cases also remain low among local students, with just two new cases in Hutchinson Public Schools this past week.
While the original omicron strain caused less severe illness in many people, so many got infected that hospitals and testing sites were strained. Hospital capacity has recovered since the last surge, but remains challenging in parts of the state largely because of a lack of staffing.
— Stephen Wiblemo contributed to this report.
McLeod Emergency Food Shelf volunteer Sharon Crittenden stocks the produce cooler after a food rescue delivery.
Vet tech Brittani Waldorf helps out at a Heart of Minnesota Animal Shelter nail trim clinic fundraiser.
If you’re looking for something to do this summer, it may be worth checking in with your favorite local volunteer group.
It takes all kinds to keep a community lively, but after two years of uncertainty, many have had their usual plans disrupted in one way or another. Some are seeking volunteers to build back up to full strength, while others are looking to make up for lost funds. In certain cases, higher demand for service has come more recently.
The McLeod Emergency Food Shelf, for instance, has had many individuals step up at its locations in Hutchinson (498 State Highway 7 E.) and Glencoe (719 13th St. E.). And at the height of COVID, though donations slowed from groups or organizations that stopped meeting in person, locals gave generously.
“People received stimulus money and didn’t need it and passed it on,” said Lennie Albers, the food shelf’s executive director.
But now, in the middle of the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign (which runs through 1 p.m. on April 11), donations have slowed at a time when they can stretch the furthest. Food shelves receive additional funding for every dollar or food donation they receive during the campaign. As of this past Friday, donations were down about 25% compared to 2021.
“It doesn’t seem to be as robust as it has been,” Albers said. “That’s a sign of the times. People are stretched a little further and have been stretched for awhile. It catches up.”
This comes at a time when demand for the food shelf’s offerings appears to be on the rise. Albers said usage the past few years actually saw a bit of a dip. This past year, 561,000 pounds (roughly 431,538 meals) went out to families and individuals, serving about 8% of McLeod County. These past few months indicate a rise to what might have been expected in 2019 before residents began staying home more. New clients are beginning to arrive at the McLeod Emergency Food Shelf.
“The price of gas, the price of groceries, those are direct hits to people living paycheck to paycheck,” Albers said. “It’s hard to make it stretch further, so people are utilizing us. The need is there.
“There are people struggling with employment,” she added. “I’ve heard several people tell me they have a job, but the employer keeps hiring two or three part-timers instead of giving them more hours. Things like that are very impactful.”
Anyone who would like to donate can mail a check to either McLeod Emergency Food Shelf location or drop off a donation. Money and food are both accepted. Donations can also be given digitally at mcleodemergencyfoodshelf.org/donate.
COMMON CUP NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
In Hutchinson, many spiritual and financial resources are gathered into one “common cup” in order to stretch giving as far and as efficiently as possible. The organization responsible for this venture, Common Cup Ministry, maintains funds to help with warm coat distribution, diaper distribution, transportation assistance, temporary housing and more.
A banner program supported by Common Cup is the Hunger Free McLeod backpack food program, which discreetly sends food home in the backpacks of area elementary school students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. A regular stream of volunteers is needed to fill backpacks.
“We are so blessed,” said Bev Bonte, CCM director. “The calendar is totally full.”
More students are volunteering to help with the program, and because the hours it requires are not strict, it allows working people and families to help on evenings when they are home from work.
But not everything has gone so smoothly for Common Cup. Like many organizations, it had to make hard choices in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, Coming Together in Song was not held the past two years. The fundraiser tends to net about $12,000 in funds for the ministry.
To try and make up the difference, Common Cup hopes to bring in funds through The Thrift Shop, its thrift store at 712 11th St. E., Glencoe. The store, which offers gently used items, is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, but finding volunteers to help fill the schedule in the middle of the work day has been a challenge.
“That’s an area we definitely need help in,” Bonte said. “All the proceeds go right into our programs.”
Training is provided, shifts are four hours, and volunteers are encouraged to offer their time with a friend.
Additional on-call volunteers are also being sought to help pick up and drop off donations. For instance, if someone has a couch to donate to someone who needs a couch, but that person is physically unable to move it, there isn’t always someone available to help.
Common Cup can be reached at 320-587-2213.
ONGOING NEEDS AT ANIMAL SHELTER
The Heart of Minnesota Animal Shelter frequently seeks staff to fill positions in mornings and evenings. Just a few weeks ago, it was looking for paid staff to feed animals, clean kennels and give medications. But this past week it was at capacity. The fluctuation is nothing new for HMAS president Anthony Anderberg. He knows it will only be a matter of time until more help is needed.
“It’s kind of an ongoing thing,” he said. “It’s OK at the moment, but it will keep going.”
Just because the animal shelter has its shifts filled doesn’t mean a sudden influx of volunteers wouldn’t be welcomed. There are always fundraising and projects tossed around that aren’t feasible due to the amount of time or resources it would take.
“Like a lot of organizations, we tend to rely on the same group of people to do all the different events and so forth,” Anderberg said. “And people have got their own lives. You can only expect so much.”
One offering that could be possible with more volunteers, for instance, is the ability to host MN Snap, which offers low-cost spaying and neutering.
There were times these past few years when, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, HMAS was lacking help it needed. But like Common Cup, the lingering impact was the loss of major fundraising opportunities. In 2020, there was no pet walk or rummage sale. The events returned in 2021, but the schedule had to change from what residents expected.
“We’re hopeful this year that things will be back to a more normal situation,” Anderberg said.
Additional rummage sales are planned for 2022, with dates scheduled for May 13-14, June 10-11, July 8-9 and Aug. 12-13. Paws on Parade also returns Sept. 24.
GIVING VETERANS A LIFT
For many volunteer programs that need help during the work day, the pool of available people tends to be older residents with more free time. That’s an already limited pool, and one that grew even more limited during COVID-19 when older residents were advised to stay home to stay healthy.
The volunteer driver pool for the VA clinic in St. Cloud and Minneapolis is one program that faced this challenge. Staffed by Disabled American Veterans volunteers, it offers transportation to veterans within 50 miles of a VA. That means the program reaches into Meeker and Wright counties, and touches the very north of McLeod County.
“They can’t meet the volume of the need,” said Jim Lauer, McLeod County Veteran Services Officer.
McLeod County offers its own transportation services for veterans who need to visit the VA or local health care facilities. Those offerings are augmented with help from the local DAV, which has wheelchair accessible vans available for clients.
“They’re helping people get to and from their appointments, especially if the schedule doesn’t line up with things like Trailblazer,” Lauer said. “So people turn to the DAV as an alternative instead of going to commercial medical transport, which can get cost prohibitive.”
Much like the VA program, the local DAV is limited by the availability of volunteers.
Volunteers with the group also regularly maintain the giant green clothing drop-off bins seen around Hutchinson. According to the DAV website, there is also one in Brownton and Stewart.
“There is tons and tons of clothing that goes into those bins,” Lauer said. “And they’re emptying those several times a week. ... That takes some man and woman power to do. They need people to help with that.”
