How to Teach Kids about Money

Project 81: Meeting the needs in Haiti

Weathered and Worn: A mix of old and new

Sharon Rettig - Photo by Jessica Sauck

Darrel and Sharon Rettig’s business, Rembrandt Foods, moved them from their hometown of Maquoketa, Iowa, to Spirit Lake in 2006. They were ready to move into a house with a beautiful view and great potential. Knowing they would eventually move to Spirit Lake, they had purchased a home in 2004 and began making updates. Originally, the house had outdated fixtures and small rooms that were cut off from each other by narrow doorways. The couple completely remodeled the house in 2009 gutting the main floor and adding on. Now the home has an open, elegant feel that the Rettigs enjoy. “It’s just what we want,” Sharon says.

Darrel and Sharon turned to Shelly Gustin and Mark Moorman from 3D Builders in Spirit Lake to oversee the remodel. To begin, they extended the square-footage of the living room as well as the master bedroom, adding floor-to-ceiling windows in both rooms that flood the home with light. They also remodeled the kitchen, changing the layout to be more user-friendly. Now the room boasts a large working island, cherry cabinets and granite countertops. New light fixtures and travertine flooring throughout the dining room, kitchen and cozy sitting area and hallways were also added. The living room, master bath and master bedroom have vaulted ceilings with chandeliers in the entryway, living room and master bedroom.

Photo by Jessica Sauck

After selling their Maquoketa home, Sharon decided to incorporate most of that furniture with the furniture she had already begun to purchase for the Spirit Lake home. “I guess you could call it eclectic. I tried to bring it all together,” she says. “I like to decorate, but I always feel like I need a little help – approval I think.” Sharon turned to Jane Hummel, a decorator in Spirit Lake, to help tie the Maquoketa home furnishings in with the new furnishings. Together they created a home full of elegance and incorporated an oriental flare that Sharon loves.

Photo by Jessica Sauck

As the summer months approach, the Rettigs look forward to enjoying time outside on their new brick patio which consists of a 10 by 12 foot first floor level and an 18 by 30 foot lower level taking in the beautiful view of their property. “We enjoy our home very much,” Sharon says. Their three children and their families like coming home for family get-togethers when time permits. Two years ago, the family had their first get-together in the newly remodeled home to celebrate Christmas and Darrel and Sharon’s 50^th wedding anniversary. They were married on Christmas Day, 1959. The house fits them perfectly with everything on the first floor and guest bedrooms and bath on the second floor.

Submitted Photo

Gandhi reminds us that the future depends on what we do in the present. Annie Brown saw a need, had a vision, and is working with a team to better the lives of a village 81 kilometers from Port-au-Prince. Project 81 was created in 2007 from three people who saw an opportunity to give a better life to those in need and change the world.

It all started in 2007 with a mission trip to an orphanage in Haiti with her husband, brother and another group of missionaries. About three miles away was a small town of 200 or so residents, called Village 81. What they saw there would change their lives forever. Annie said an orphan told her that she came once but would never come back. She says, “One of my biggest commitments was to come back. Once you know and are aware, you can make a difference.”

Annie is a professor at Rasmussen College in Mankato. She worked on the Mankato campus for about a year and half, when she saw an opening for a nursing professor down at the New Port Richey, Florida Rasmussen campus. Florida is a much shorter flight to Haiti and will allow her to put more time into Project 81, Rasmussen College and her family. As if Annie isn’t busy enough with being a nursing professor and missionary; the Montana native has a little girl with her husband of nine years.

Imagine living in a place without clean water, little or no food, sleeping on dirt floors and education is a privilege for the fortunate few. This was Village 81. “The first thing I thought of was Maslows Heiarchy of Needs,” Annie says of the experience. “Maybe it was my background in nursing, but I just thought about their basic needs being met.”

Abraham Maslow created the idea that people are motivated to fulfill their vital needs before any other needs can be met. These needs include food, water, air and sleep.

With a limited number of assets, the citizens of this poverty-ridden town were using up the little resources they had in order to just survive. They were cutting down all their trees for firewood, so erosion was becoming a huge problem. They were at the end of the river valley, so the water was the dirtiest of any city in Haiti.  Since there was no clean water system there, they had to rely on the river. They drank from this river, washed from there and even toileted there.

Many Haitians are illiterate. Good education and employment are hard to come by. If you are fortunate to actually have a job, you probably earn enough to feed your family one meal a day. This usually consists of rice. If there is not enough work to go around; than you might be stuck eating a mud pie. This has nutrients in it, but of course, has numerous parasites that infect the many that would have to eat them.

Annie and her team have made a deep impact since they started in 2007. The Project 81 team has developed relationships with Haitian leaders and has been working with the mayor of Delmas, Port-au-Prince.

With Village 81 being so close to the ocean, they feared good water without salt would be hard to find. Luckily, within five months of searching for water, they tested and found good underground water after another partner organization drilled a well. Village 81 now has a well and clean drinking water.

They brought in many Moringa trees. With erosion being a huge problem for them because of cutting down original trees for firewood, the trees are helping the soil become useable again. These Moringa trees are quite useful and beneficial to the community. Their leaves contain valuable nutrients: protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, amino acids and minerals.

Most recently, they have planted fruit trees for both food and shade. A member of the Project 81 team is living in Haiti, and he was inspired to set up a compost site allowing the organic wastes to provide enriched soil helpful in setting up a new vegetable garden. “Everything our team does is from their heart,” says Annie.

A couple of Project 81’s major contributors are the music group Pearl Jam and Sagicor Life Insurance Company. For years, Pearl Jam has supported many causes to help give a better life to those in need. Pearl Jam heard of Project 81 through a mutual friend and has greatly impacted the Haiti relief organization through its Vitalogy Foundation. Following the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, Sagicor and its employees have made numerous donations to Project 81 and many other organizations in its relief efforts. It is with these efforts and the hard work of many, that there is continuous aid to help the people of Haiti.

You don’t need to donate money or travel to the third world country to help. “I would love to have someone write a grant for us to get medicine like de-worming pills,” Annie says. The pills are only two cents a piece and can increase nutritional intake by 20 – 30 percent.

Project 81 does not want to limit their vision and goals. The foundation of Project 81 is to help provide the essential needs to as many people as they can. Project 81’s motto is “I am the project.” In order to see a change in the world, a change must occur first within each one of us. We all have talents and gifts. Project 81 invites us to act on those abilities and put them to good use by helping those in need. “It’s about using your talents,” Annie says. Because there are problems throughout the entire world, Project 81 is not all about helping one country but rather, about choosing to stand up against inequality wherever it is in our lives. There is no limit to the good people can do in numbers.

At a local level, the Mankato community and surrounding areas have been a great support. A Project 81 Gala was held at Rounder’s Sports Bar & Grill. The event featured dinner, wine tasting, silent auction and art auction which helped raise over $5,000. Rasmussen College faculty and staff helped package food at Kids Against Hunger helping to feed about 250,000 people, which was then shipped to Haiti through Project 81 and subsequently distributed. Recently, the North Kato Explorers, a local 4-H club, had a fundraiser at Pizza Ranch helping to raise money for a well. “We don’t have to re-create the wheel; we just have to work together,” says Annie.

For more information on Project 81 or how you can help, visit www.project81haiti.org.

Pam Olson - Photo by Jessica Sauck

Name: Pam Olson

Hometown: Fairmont, MN

Business: Weathered and Worn
120 S. Main St.
Blue Earth, MN

(507) 526-2642

Title: Owner

After years working in various office positions, Pam Olson was looking for something new. “I knew I could decorate, and I love to arrange things. Plus, I love to shop,” she says. “So when I told my husband, Craig, that I wanted to open a shop he said, ‘go for it.’” Pam wanted a shop that complemented other stores and had a downtown feel. Knowing she loved spending time shopping in Blue Earth, she decided to open there. Her store, Weathered and Worn, offers treasures from the past along with farmhouse and primitive furniture, handmade items, bedding and linens and gift items. “I’m not 100 percent sure where this journey is going, but I do know sometimes you just need to be strong and follow your dreams,” Sue says.

When did you first become interested in starting this business?

I worked for 32 years in the same environment and sometimes you have obstacles, either personal or professional. During those times I would dream of things I could do. I usually saw more things wrong with my ideas, but I always came back to the idea of having my own shop. So when I had to make a decision about my future, opening a shop had the most pros!

When did you start the business?

My shop opened May 16, 2011.

Who has been your greatest mentor and why?

I was so determined to open my shop and prove myself I did not seek a mentor. I made many lists of questions and spent hours on the computer. My support system grew from family to several women in Blue Earth. They love what I offer and the opportunity for another shop to be in Blue Earth. Ruth McNearney and Kathy Haase have been awesome in offering resources for information, friendship and an ear for listening. They are super at keeping my spirits up.

What advice do you have for anyone starting a business?

I’ve talked to so many people over 45 that thought they would never lose their jobs. I’ve learned nothing’s forever. Everything now days requires some sort of schooling. Prepare yourself. The business spectrum is so large – from owning your own shop to marketing a product you’ve developed. Research it – learn the rules and regulations. Find a support system. Take courses if needed. Pick out what you love, and you should be able to move quickly.

What makes your business enjoyable for you?

Doing what I love: decorating, looking for treasures, researching, the auctions, the people.

Is there anything you would change about it?

Not one thing.

What sets your business apart from the competition?

I don’t have any competition in Blue Earth – I chose Blue Earth for that reason, but I also wanted to be in a downtown setting. I wanted to complement other shops – I love to mix old and new, and we have that here.

The best part about my job is…

Hearing how much the people love the shop and how I’ve put it together. I love the people and the friendships I’ve made.

The worst part about my job is…

I buy things from people – telling them I’m not interested or it’s not worth what they want for it. Also, waking up at 2 am thinking of things that need to be done or things I can do.

My long term goal is…

Keep being debt free.

The biggest obstacles have been …

Doubting myself.

Now at home relaxing, I pondered this small moment, overwhelmed by a sense of how great some of our little moments are. As I think back now, I wish there would have been a camera on the two rows of proud onlookers barely able to keep their tushes from inching above their seats to get a better view. Realizing there was no way she was able to see her cheering section, I wish we would have had a camera on us as well. What a wonderful picture it would have been for her to see us…it would be incredible if she were able to view those pictures later in life as a memory of the love and support early in her life.

Wow, what a big lesson this has been for me. There have been many things in my life I have thought of as big events only to be disappointed by the big expectations I had given them. What a wonderful blessing to be reminded that it is the little things without big expectations that are truly our greatest moments in life!

Take a moment to think about a few of the little (GREAT) things in your life!

Don’t ever be afraid to ask a medical provider to help with this important decision-making part of your health care. There are several different variables for saving some money on medications without compromising your health.

1. Pharmacies
2. Drug Companies
3. Insurance Policies
4. Physicians (medical providers)
5. Illnesses
6. Patients

1. Pharmacies

Let’s start with the pharmacy and different things you can do to save some money there. First, do some homework before you need an Rx. There have been a lot of polls about the costs of medications at different pharmacies and chains. Most of the polls on prescription costs are accurate even if it doesn’t apply to your hometown. The variance can be over 500 percent difference in the cost of certain medications. Some pharmacies are available even if you are not a member of the buying organization. For example, at Costco you can use their pharmacy without paying to be a member of their wholesale organization. Several pharmacy groups have now created a generic $4 prescription list. Download those lists and take them to your next doctor’s appointment, go over the options with your medical provider, and you may be surprised what a difference buying generic can make.

Realize that the drugs may be cheaper at another pharmacy than the one you typically use. Many patients end up at a more expensive pharmacy because they came into the urgent care center after hours and only the expensive pharmacy was open. Planning ahead may save money. For example, bring another adult along to sit with a sick child in the car so you can go into a pharmacy to pick up the Rx rather than going through the drive- through at the more expensive pharmacy.

Make sure your pharmacist has your best interest at heart when they fill your prescription. Some prescriptions are so cheap that they cost less than $4 for a 10 day course – or they cost less than your insurance co-pay.

2. Drug Companies

Many drug manufacturers offer a free first prescription for certain medications. This information is often available on their website along with downloadable coupons. Look for rebates at your pharmacy that can be sent in to the drug manufacturer as well. Some drug companies support prescription assistance programs and can help with a long-term prescription.

3. Insurance Companies

There is a big difference in the cost of drugs and insurance carriers know that. They want you on the cheapest medication possible. They may even require a “prior authorization” before allowing certain medications. That means that you may be required to try two or three different cheaper medications before they will pay for an expensive one that was prescribed. In order to get the drug prescribed, the medical provider must write a letter explaining why you need the more expensive drug and that process is time-consuming for all involved.

Most insurance companies will not pay for a drug if it is available “over the counter (OTC),” so it may be in your financial interest to get an Rx for a prescription drug if your co-pay is cheaper than the cost of the drug over the counter. Some insurance companies will pay for any medication, and you may be able to get a prescription for OTC drugs from your medical provider and save money. Certain drugs like Tylenol (acetaminophen)  could be prescribed and save you money. Usually the insurance companies that cover OTC meds are state or national insurance for people with limited incomes.

4. Medical Providers

Don’t be afraid to tell your medical provider that you want to be wise in your drug buying. Some medical providers prescribe medications that they have had success with over a long period of time. These drugs are more likely to be available in generic form and considerably reduce the cost of your drugs. Getting a 90 day prescription may be much more affordable. Also, you may be able to get a pill that you can cut in half and thereby double the number of pills from one Rx.

5. Illnesses

Not all illnesses need prescriptions. There has been a lot of medical literature advising against prescribing antibiotics for people with respiratory illnesses unless they are smokers, elderly or asthmatic. Most medical providers try to find a way to prescribe an antibiotic to get you some relief. Other chronic diseases may require medications unless you, as the patient, can make some adjustments in the disease yourself. For example, even losing 20 pounds could make the difference as to whether you need blood pressure pills or drugs for diabetes. Managing your own health will not only save money on medications, but even money on health insurance or long-term insurance if you have high blood pressure or diabetes, let alone possibly allow you to live longer.

6. Patients

Become your own expert on every health problem you have. Investigate alternative treatments available. Contact associations specializing in your disease. They often know of treatment centers that offer lower price care or vitamin supplements that may improve the disease without adding more expensive drugs.

Mail order prescriptions may also save some money, but you have to anticipate this so you don’t run out of the drugs before you need more. Ask for free samples, though this service seems to be diminishing as doctors have been criticized for being swayed by drug salespeople to prescribe more expensive drugs.

You can also take part in a clinical trial – those are usually found at teaching institutions such as the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Some clinics and doctors participate in these as well, and often the drugs included in your care are in the study.

Take a look at your habits with your drugs. You can save a lot of money by thinking ahead. Don’t stop drugs on your own if you feel better after seven days when the prescription calls for 10 days. There are good reasons for the length of time people need to get better on certain medications.

Sheila Daggett of the Mayo Clinic Health System, Nancy Thorkelson of Bolton & Menk and DeeDra Vosburg of HickoryTech - Photo by Jessica Sauck

Sheila Daggett, Nancy Thorkelson and DeeDra Vosburg have a great deal in common. They each work for corporations where they have significant responsibility. They all work in marketing and have rewarding careers. I learned that what Sheila, Nancy and DeeDra enjoy about their work in marketing for the companies they represent is really three-fold. They thrive on the marketing challenges presented them and delivering results. The variety in their work keeps each day interesting and new. They like being part of a larger team of people working for the greater good of a growing company and its customers.

Sheila Daggett works for Mayo Clinic Health System in public affairs and marketing. She oversees marketing and communication projects throughout southwest Minnesota and partners with leaders to ensure strategic marketing plans and goals are achieved. The department she is in supports six medical centers and more than 20 clinics in the region, including Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, recently named one of the nation’s Best Regional Hospitals 2011-12, according to U.S. News and World Report. “Working for a world-renowned health care brand means a lot to me,” Sheila says. “It is rewarding to work on projects that make a difference in peoples’ lives and contribute to our mission of delivering the highest quality patient care to our local communities. The opportunity to manage projects from infancy to design and implementation is very satisfying. I would not do well in a job if I had to do the same tasks every day. I get to plan news conferences, create marketing material and work with experts in the local region as well as in Rochester. I thrive on and enjoy the variety.”

Nancy Thorkelson has been overseeing the marketing at Bolton & Menk for 22 years. During her tenure, she has seen the company grow from under 100 employees and four offices to 250 employees and 10 offices providing professional engineering and surveying services to public clients in the Upper Midwest and private clients throughout the world. “Marketing has a direct result on how successful our firm is,” says Nancy. “The better we do at presenting the company through proposals and advertising, the easier it is for the entire company to be successful. It is fun to be part of a firm that wants to grow and has a vision; the challenge for marketing is keeping up with an active firm.”

DeeDra Vosburg has worked in a leadership role with HickoryTech as senior marketing manager since 2004. HickoryTech is a leading regional telecommunications provider that was recently named by Forbes as one of the “Best Small Companies in America”. “Our business is ever changing,” DeeDra says. “That keeps my work new and fresh every day. We are always working on new campaigns and growth initiatives. Because I am a ‘results person’ I enjoy the analysis and data behind every project we work on. Results are what help you reinvent things. The people we work with, the things we do at HickoryTech, enhance how people live, work and play.”

After spending time with Sheila, Nancy and DeeDra, it is easy to see the passion they have for their work. They are even more fervent when it comes to their families. DeeDra actually gave up a previous job because it was keeping her away from her family more than she desired. Over the years, they have all put in long hours building their career. Now they have balance. Collectively they shared how they have learned to delegate. “You can’t do everything, so you delegate what you can and stay focused and passionate about what you do very well,” Sheila says.

Womeninc has a history of connecting women and the tradition continues. Sheila, Nancy and DeeDra had never met until the day we had lunch together. It was easy to sense a bond of friendship growing as we visited. Before we parted ways they were exchanging phone numbers, emails and making plans to see each other again.

Photo by Stephanie Parnell

As the Gerry and Sandy Palo look back at the past 36 years with their daughter Missy, they compare many of the emotions they experienced to the poem Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley. Although they were, as the poem says, “planning a trip to Italy,” Missy’s life, was more like “landing in Holland instead” and has impacted the lives of her family in ways they could never have expected.

Welcome to Holland

By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things… about Holland.

©1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.

During the winter months especially, the family gathers in the lower level. “My husband was awesome during the building process. The only thing he really wanted was a room downstairs with a pool table,” Josie says. The open family room is a gathering place with its multiple TVs, bar and pool table, as well as a small play room under the steps. - Photo by Jessica Sauck

In 2009, the couple decided to build their dream home on their favorite golf course. “Originally the house was designed as a two story with 6,000 square feet and it seemed like too much space. Eventually our kids will leave and we’ll have 4,000 square feet of empty. We decided to use our space more wisely.” The final design for their home resulted in a reasonable square footage of beautiful, functional, family space.

When deciding to build, Jason and Josie knew they had one shot. “I didn’t want to screw up. This was it, we’re not going to build again,” Josie explains. When moving forward with their dream home, they looked to Shelly Gustin of 3D Builders, LLC. “Shelly was awesome. It was so nice to have another mom in her thirties who knew what would make our house have the perfect combination of good flow and function.”

As the architect, Shelly incorporated many family-friendly features into the home including a pass-through between the mudroom and pantry as well as laundry rooms on both levels. “She convinced me to add a lower-level laundry down by the boys’ rooms and, honestly, they’re both going all the time.”

Photo by Jessica Sauck

When working on the overall design of the home, Jason and Josie wanted the kitchen to be the hub of the whole house, “I love to cook and I want my kids to learn how to as well. This is a congregating area.” In addition to an open floor plan between the kitchen, dining area and living room, ten foot ceilings on the main floor give the home a grandeur appeal.

When it came time to decorate, Josie turned to Teresa Troug of Twetter’s, “The whole color scheme of the house started from a picture in the dining room that has calming colors in it.” With that inspiration, everything came together and they achieved their “come in and put your feet up” atmosphere. While the home is elegant, the beautiful, yet kid-friendly, furnishings make each room inviting and livable.

Living along the golf course fits the family’s active lifestyle. “A lot of nights after we have dinner, I’ll be cleaning up and Jason will take the kids out on the course – they’ll just hop on here at hole three and play a few holes if it’s not busy.” In addition to having the course literally out their back door, the couple made their home kid-friendly by installing two basketball hoops: one inside the garage and one on the driveway. “After school, there are usually two games going,” Josie says.

Josie Hough - Photo by Jessica Sauck

Overall, Josie found the building process a great experience. “A few times I became overwhelmed with the little details but it was fun.” Their home is a gathering place for family and friends and a hangout for the kids. “Our house is full all the time which is why we did this.” While Jason went through his residency training, “We didn’t have furniture, let alone a bedroom set, so this is all new to us. Our new home is like a reward for getting to this point. We love it and I wouldn’t change a thing.”