Siouxland Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 4

STARTING CONVERSATIONS
RESILIENCE 20
19

Exclusively available at
Lakeport Commons
4830 Sergeant Road
Sioux City IA 51106
(712) 255-7229, (800) 444-4431
Bridges at 57th
2109 W. 57th St
Sioux Falls SD 57108
(605) 338-9060
Village Pointe
17255 Davenport St #111
Omaha NE 68118
(402) 935-6332
Uptown and Main
5601 28TH Avenue South
Fargo, ND 58104
(701) 532-3020

Welcome to Siouxland Magazine
Siouxland Magazine | art Issue / 3
Owners | Becca Feauto and Stacie Anderson
It’s in these pages that we hope to educate and inspire, even more importantly, to create a community
that thrives on connecting with one another. At our core, we all want to connect. When we seek to
understand, by listening more intently, we find that our relationships deepen and our community
strengthens as a result. With our appreciation for the power of connection through meaningful
conversations, it only made sense to name our business Empowering Conversations.
It all starts with a conversation; with a desire to learn; to see things from another perspective; to seek
truth. The truth is, we have more in common than we have differences. Well, maybe it would be
more accurate to say, what brings us together is stronger than anything that divides us.
We would never want to marginalize our differences. We love the words of Audre Lorde, “It is not our
differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” We
are unique in vast and complicated ways. It’s our hope that we can come together with our unique
strengths, perspectives and ideas to build a community with a powerful narrative of “us.”
Through this humble publication, we will start having conversations. This is an ambitious and beautifully
optimistic attempt to shine light on all the things that make our community strong, but also discuss,
in a productive and compassionate manner, the challenges we face.
We are doing our small part in building a cohesive community by creating conversations that
refocus our attention on our similarities. We are bringing people together; replacing judgment with
understanding. Perspective is powerful.
We’ll continue unfolding our vision for this magazine over the next several issues, but now we
want to hear from you. At Siouxland Magazine, we feel it is imperative to understand what the
community wants and needs. Share your vision and dreams for Siouxland.
We want you to lean into the conversation and participate in the discussion.
E m p o w e r i n g
Conversations, LLC
siouxlandmagazine.com

RESilienCE
Tomorrow Will Be Better.....................................................................................................8
What Does Resilience Mean to You?................................................10
Excuse Me?..................................................................................................................................13
Your “Why” is Your Power Supply..............................................................14
A Mother, Attorney and Mrs. Iowa International...............16
Flood Waters Are No Match for Resilience.................................18
ConveRSe
22
I’m 65. In the past two years, I’ve been ‘Mom’ to nine
children............................................................................................................................................................20
Public Office 101......................................................................................................................23
Resilience = Grit..................................................................................................................25
Balance
explore
Digital Well-Being......................................................................................................................44
Amber’s Top 5 Healing JUICES.........................................................46
The Window of Tolerance.....................................................................................48
A Resilient Approach to Stormwater Management........52
Building Resilience through the Outdoors.......................................54
Resilience in the Garden and on the Farm..................................56
If you want to be happy, you have to be happy on purpose. When you wake up, you can’t just
wait to see what kind of day you’ll have. You have to decide what kind of day you’ll have.
– William James

The purpose of this glorious life, is not to simply endure it,
but to soar, stumble and flourish as you learn to fall in love with existence.
We were born to live my dear,
not to merely exist.
– Becca Lee
Inspire
gRow
Indian Country and Allies Say Goodbye to ‘Hero’
Frank LaMere.......................................................................................................................................26
Surviving Life, One Minute at a Time: Chapter 2............28
One Siouxland: Strengthening Siouxland Together............32
Colbibi Kitchen is Spicing Things Up......................................................34
Resilience: The Greatness of the Underdog.............................37
Volunteering to Build a Better Siouxland.......................................38
Bouncing Back................................................................................................................................39
Downtown is Growing. And Fast...................................................................41
9/11 Remembered.............................................................................................................42
Diversity in Leadership...............................................................................................43
enjoy
At our core, we all want to connect. When we seek
to understand by listening more intently, we find that our
relationships deepen and our community strengthens as a
result. That’s what our Siouxland Magazine is all about!
We can’t wait to talk to you and truly connect with you and
your audience. If you’re interested in learning more about
how to advertise with us, download the media kit on our
website at siouxlandmagazine.com. Always feel free to reach
out to us via phone or email.
Sfumato Pizzeria: Offering a Refined Experience............58
Filled With Love: Cheesecake.........................................................................61
FIFI – The B29 Superfortress will fly into Siouxland..............62
What To Do In Sioux...............................................................................................................64
We promise to not disappoint. We’re creating a
magazine you won’t want to put down.
Want to be included in our October issue?
Contact us soon!
Deadline to reserve space is
September 9th!
Media Kit at siouxlandmagazine.com
ON THE COVER
Beautiful photography by Sarah Gill | Sarah Ann Photography
Taken at Briar Cliff University | Additional nature pictures
taken at Stone State Park

AREAS LARGEST STOCKING RUG DEALER.
BEST BRANDS. BEST PRICES.
Inside all HOM Furniture locations • homfurniture.com

Editors Note
Siouxland Magazine | REsilience / 7
It’s hard for me to fully define this word -- resilience.
I know it’s in us all. We’ve all had to overcome
something that required us to be resilient.
Resilience to me is getting up after you’ve been
kicked down, whether that be from someone else
or yourself. It’s keeping your head high in times of
trial, times of hardship. It can get you through hard
times and forces you to see the good at a time when
it can be very difficult.
I hope this issue helps our readers in their space and
time. I know this life is full of roller coaster events,
finding our true happiness, learning how to stay
positive for our souls can be difficult, but it opens
up the opportunity, a chance to be resilient.
Resilience. There is no doubt that since purchasing
this magazine my resilience has been tested. It is
no easy endeavor starting something new. Some
days I can’t quite catch my breath.
Thankfully, the community I surround myself with
constantly reminds me why I started. The positive
affirmations Becca and I receive on an ongoing
basis fuel us. This is absolutely a labor of love
and we are so privileged to connect in this way. A
strong community is the number one determinant
of a person life expectancy, as well as the quality of
their life. We love our community.
Creating a community magazine focused on
starting meaningful conversations is our way of
contributing to a stronger, more resilient and more
united Siouxland. Read, reflect, reread, share, and
certainly, go start a conversation. Enjoy!
“The magazine looks absolutely beautiful. The information within
is intriguing and important. Thank you for making it what it is.”
– Jackie Paulson
Siouxland Magazine is owned and published by Empowering Conversations, LLC. All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, and
photographs) are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or
modified in any way without the prior written consent of Empowering Conversations, LLC or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content.
You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of this content.

Resilience
strong
adaptable
grit
Tommorrow Will Be Better
By Stacie Anderson
There’s going to be days when you just need to
call it. When there’s nothing left for you to give and
pushing through can only lead to disaster. Call it a day
and give yourself some grace.
Being resilient isn’t always about pushing forward or
being strong. That’s the beautiful thing about resilience,
it strives for balance. It’s complex, with layers of life
lessons that have built us strong armor to conquer the
world, and at the same time, allows for restoration. It
demands we go within and listen to what we need to
thrive. Resilience isn’t just about surviving. What defines
us is how WELL we rise after we’ve fallen.
There is a beautiful softness to resilience; an ability to
be open and flexible. At times, it’s allowing yourself
to depend on others and giving up on controlling
everything. Relinquishing control and opening yourself
up to explore possibilities often leads to growth, and
thus, even greater resilience.
Resilience is being able to dance in the space
between moving forward with intention and
surrendering with trust. It’s learning through
experience and trusting the lessons.
Every one of us is resilient. Every one of us has something
we have gone or are going through. But we continue
to show up each and every day. We are armored in
resilience. My question for you is...
Is the armor that you needed to be resilient,
and get you through a particular stage of your
life, now holding you back? Do you need to
strip the armor?
Remembering what we already know, what our inner
voice softly whispers, that we are more powerful when
we open up, when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable.
It exudes great confidence to expose yourself. Maybe
this is where true strength and resilience comes from.
Anyone can wear armor and claim to be tough, but how
many can show up authentically, completely exposed,
and truly be brave? Can we look at how we define
resilience?
If we are wanting a strong community, to have thriving
businesses, to have healthy and happy families, we
have to start by developing true resilience in people.
We have to open the conversation up by exploring the

flexible
emotional strength
open
soft
Think Like a Tree
Soak up the sun
Affirm life’s magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to hear your own leaves rustling
Karen Shragg
Stacie and Becca with their daughters at Stone State Park.
softer side of resilience. Can we applaud those
who are unshielded, embrace change, and remain
optimistic?
It all starts with us. Being aware of when life’s
hardships have built walls around us instead of
making us compassionate. Taking on the world at
the expense of our health and our sanity. When
instead we could respect ourselves, staying aware
of our limitations and growing into our potential, as
well as creating a vibrant, supportive community.
Learn from life lessons, embrace change, continue
moving forward, take time to be still and reflect,
surround yourself with great people, and always
remain optimistic. Then tomorrow will be better.
Stacie Anderson is a Certified John Maxwell Speaker,
Trainer and Coach. She recently worked alongside
John Maxwell and his team in Costa Rica; helping
train leaders in their government, educational system
and businesses. She shares personal stories and
experiences when working with others on creating
transformation in their personal lives and business.
KindneSS
‘kīnd
of a sympathetic or helpful nature
(Merriam Webster Dictionary)
It seems “kindness” can be a bit of a buzz word these
days. It’s a value we are taught at a young age, but gets
trivialized over the years. Instead, we wind up with road
rage and don’t try to understand other people’s stories.
There are many synonyms of kindness, but the one that
stuck out to me was “warm hearted.” How can we greet
each moment, each circumstance, each person with a
warm heart? How can we do that for ourselves?
Kindness extended to others will create new relationships
and strengthen the ones you already have. When practiced
with yourself, it’s a form of self-care.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE: Look up from your phone
and smile at a stranger. Be kinder in traffic. Say “please”
and “thank you.” Try to see other people’s perspectives,
instead of judging their mindset. Speak kind words, to
yourself and others. Give yourself a break. Celebrate life
more often.
TABLE QUESTIONS: What is your personal definition
of kindness? Where do you feel you could be more kind in
your life? How can you be more kind to yourself this next
week?
By Jianna Hoss

Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 10
What Does Resilience Mean to You?
Insights from Our Conversation Starters
Man this thing about resilience is tough. When I first thought
about it, I just knew what I wanted to say but as I gave it more
thought and in the wake of watching two of the most powerful
pieces of media, “When They See Us” a Netflix docu-series
and “Emmanuel” a limited showing movie, I had to re-think my
feelings about resilience. I’m reminded of the great poem by
Maya Angelou, Still I Rise from the beginning she writes, “you
may write me down in history”, already pointing out
how a people will be marginalized and relegated to
second-class status. As she writes about the judgments and
treatment of black America she constantly exclaims Still I Rise.
When you think of what a race of people have had to endure
and yet there is a hope that one day our voices will have a
resounding ride to the sky and be as loud as the rolling sea.
When I think of resilience, I think of the #exonerated5: Antron
McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana,
and Korey Wise. I think of all the mothers that have had to
bury their children to senseless violence, especially young
black men, I think of those families that lost loved ones to
organizations such as the KKK, I think of those neighborhoods
that have been redlined and gerrymandered, and yet everyday
those individuals still rise! Let’s have that conversation.
Ike Rayford
Leadership Nut
Growth Believer
Customer Service Savant
Resilience is being able to bounce back when you’ve been hit with a negative
situation. You learn from that mistake and you get back up again. As babies,
we learn to crawl before we can run.
Recently, we had to practice resilience. We had a roof leak, and as a property
owner, one must resolve the problem before it escalates and creates
damaged goods and unhappy customers. We could’ve thrown a fit like a
baby or we could be professional to get the issue resolved. In life, we have
the option to be a cry baby or be an adult and resolve the problem.
Without resilience, I doubt I’d be as confident about myself today.
I wouldn’t have been able to help our family business grow into 31+ years,
these past 10 years. Coming from an immigrant family and first generation,
you have to be confident in whatever you want to accomplish in life. Nothing
is handed to you on a silver platter. You have to put in the hard work and
commitment.
Peggy La
Independent Woman Who Loves & Leads
Eager & Determined Entrepreneur
Local Asian Food Provider

Lillyan Rodriguez
Positive – Growth – Community
Love of the Arts
Connector – Building Relationships
Re·sil·ience.
The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
When I heard the word Resilience, the first thing that came to my
mind was a spring. Then I thought of myself when I was pregnant
and how may body shaped in order to carry my twins. With that,
I thought how not just my body adjusted, but my whole being
changed.
You’ve heard the quote “You need to touch bottom in
order to change”, but I think we moved forward due to
the capacity to recover from any situation. I’m amazed about
human’s capability to do so. I’m sure it makes us stronger and helps
view life in a different way. The more positive thoughts we have the
best we can live our lives.
Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 11
BOING!
One of the most memorable leadership development
activities I’ve participated in (and I’ve participated in a
lot of them) was an exercise on defining me. At first I
thought – great another self-assessment. But this was
different, creative, personal. Maybe you want to try it
as you read this article.
Start by writing down 12 words that define you. Any 12
words – whatever you feel defines you.
“I Bounce” means that I don’t get too comfortable with
‘good enough’ because that’s the biggest deterrent to
excellence. I don’t settle, I bounce on to the next step.
“I Bounce” means that I look for the learning in every
disappointment, ‘failure’ or crisis.
Do you bounce? Maybe not all the time – but sometimes?
That’s Resilience, Grit, Moxie, Stick-to-it-iveness, call it
what you want, it means taking what comes your way,
rolling with it and continuing to move ahead.
Now, reflect and whittle that down to eight words.
You may be thinking, that’s easy and not all that
enlightening; that’s about to change – whittle that list
down to five words.
And the final step – what TWO WORDS define you.
Can you do it? Define ‘who you are’ in just two words.
I did, my words “I Bounce”
And you probably made the same expression
everyone in the group did when I shared those words
– the expression that said “what does that mean?!”
“I Bounce” means that whenever the bottom
falls out instead of plopping to the ground
like – well you fill in the noun – I bounce, I pop
back up, I hit the ground ever so briefly then
BOING I’m back up and looking for the next
opportunity.
Dr. Cyndi Hanson
God, Family, Friends, Hard-work
Listening = Learning
Getting Involved is Easy – Just Say Yes

Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 12
RECOGNIZING YOUR STRENGTHS.
PROVIDING PERSONAL SUPPORT.
CONNECTING YOU WITH THE
RIGHT EMPLOYERS.
712.224.4208 www.elitestaffco.com

Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 13
Excuse Me?
By Sonia Wilson
After-hours social and networking functions
are a part of being a young professional. These
functions are usually very informal and can include food,
drinks, and socializing. They are an opportunity to build
relationships and network outside of the office. However,
it can be easy to forget that even though you are outside
the walls of work, you are still in a professional setting and
are representing your organization.
Conversations at these events can quickly take a far-left
turn from comfortable and professional to inappropriate
and unacceptable. In my experience more times than
not, the event remains professional, however, it’s the few
and far between uncomfortable situations that have led
me to analyze and reflect the best way to respond. The
conversations usually start off innocently enough and
before you know it, you’re in wildly inappropriate territory
and are asking yourself, “What do I do?” “What do I say?”
“How do I respond?” If you have ever been a party to one
of these uncomfortable conversations, I’m here to help!
Handling these conversations in a professional
manner takes the utmost courage, confidence, and
preparation. I have found one phrase that anytime I am
in an uncomfortable situation where an inappropriate
comment has been made towards me, I can use to
address the situation. It’s a phrase I have memorized, that
will stop the conversation right in its tracks and hopefully
deter it from continuing. That phrase is, “Excuse me?”.
“Excuse me?” works on every level! Think
about it. This phrase does a few things: it
acknowledges you heard the comment; it
reinforces that the comment said was not
appreciated, and it forces the person who
made the comment to make a choice.
They can either repeat what they said, stay quiet and
move on, or apologize. Either way, you come out of an
uncomfortable and inappropriate situation with your
head held high, your standards adhered to, and your
professional image in tack. Now the delivery, this is key to
ensure success. Practice the phrase at home in front of the
mirror. You have to remain calm, confident, and strong
and not come across as aggressive or angry.
We cannot control what other people do or say,
we can only control our reaction. An EVENT
plus your REACTION equals the OUTCOME.
With your response of ”Excuse me?” the outcome will
guarantee to be positive and hopefully result in a learning
opportunity for both you and the individual who made
the comment in the first place.
Sonia Wilson, Marketing Communications Specialist,
Great West Casualty Company.

Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 14
From l to r: Bryce Snyder, Shawn Frankel, Peggy Higman, Makadn Craft, Luke Dreier, Ava Higman and John Goldsmith.
Your “Why” is Your Power Supply
Contributed by Peggy Higman
I’m not a good skier and I don’t remember the
accident. While skiing with my family and friends one
February afternoon on a cold icy day at Terry Peak in
Deadwood, SD, I just felt something hit my ski and then the
next thing I remember is waking up on my back, opening
my eyes, and being like, “What happened?” I was all by
myself and I was scared. I had a concussion, whiplash, and
a broken leg. It was an oblique break so I cut completely
through the fibula bone. That was February 2016.
After that, I felt fragile—both mentally and physically.
The recovery was much longer than I anticipated, I was
frustrated with lack of mobility and walking around on
crutches, or a scooter. With my left leg in a boot, I still had to
teach yoga classes and drive my kids all over town for afterschool
activities, I was a hot mess! Soon, I was depressed
and irritable. I needed a goal, something to look forward to.
The previous year, I had persuaded, our babysitter Kayla,
to do a bodybuilding show. We both lifted weights and
enjoyed workouts at USD Wellness Center together.
Honestly, I encouraged her to do it, because I thought I was
too old to compete. While she trained that year, I listened
to her talk about going through the process and she
encouraged me to take the risk and “go for it”!
That June I went to her competition in Omaha Nebraska,
watched her, and afterwards she said, “You know what?
You could totally do this.” I then learned about the Masters
division which has different categories: ages 35 to 40; 40 to
45; 45+. Sometimes there’s even a 50+.
About 2-3 months later, I did some research and hired her
coach, Kathy Kemper, a Bodybuilding IFBB Pro, who has
trained bikini and figure competitors around the country.
The bikini class of bodybuilding has the least amount of
muscle. It is the most soft and feminine look of bodybuilding.
When competing, you are 100 percent putting yourself
on that stage to be judged. You’re judged on your muscle
definition, the balance and symmetry of the muscles, and
so on. But it’s also very discretionary. What one judges likes,
another judge doesn’t. It’s like Miss America.
When people look at bodybuilders or “muscleheads,” they
rarely think about the commitment, the dedication and
discipline it takes to build up that muscle mass, the hours
spent in the gym, the diet and nutrition it takes to compete
is much more involved and specific than most people
would assume. It really takes things to another level. You
have to be tough and not give in to weekend binges of
food and alcohol, and no days off from your training plan.
It can be rewarding, but you are going to have to dig deep.
After the first show, I did two more shows that same year
2017-2018. This past year I wanted to up my game even
more. I did ok, but I knew I had to get even better. I was
recovered from the leg break, feeling stronger and more
than ever enjoying this new challenge. I needed a mentor

and a warrior to help me get to the next level in my own
training.
Enter, Shawn Frankel, Owner of Big Iron Gym in Sioux
City. He’s a legend in the powerlifting and bodybuilding
community worldwide. It took me a year to have the
courage to ask him to help me. I knew about Shawn, and his
gym. Some of the people that belong had encouraged me
to come workout at the gym, but I was intimidated because
they were all so ripped. I was afraid I wasn’t worthy. But…I
also knew from the last year or so of competing, and facing
my fears, that it was time to knock down another one, to just
go for it…again!
Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 15
I’ve made big progress from last year to this year. Now I
want to make even more progress. So I’m going to take an
entire year to train and then compete at a higher level. Now,
my goal is a national stage in the Masters Division, and that’s
what I’m going to do in the fall of 2020 with both Shawn and
Kathy to guide me.
For me, to have the inner strength to show up with discipline
every day, I always have to have a goal. Some are big goals,
some are small goals. But if you’re just working to work out,
without the idea of getting better, you’re not going to stick
with it. Without doing it all the time, you’re not going to get
better. So practice breeds discipline.
But, make no mistake, I do struggle from time to time. With
the fatigue that comes from being on a calorie deficit, being
busy with the kids and businesses, there are days when I
really do feel mentally and physically drained, those are the
days that I show up for myself with a little conversation in
my head and remind myself of my “why”. If you know your
“why” you will get things done. I know this from my yoga and
meditation practice. Sometimes I have to crawl into myself
and remind my spirit that the “why” is the power! That is
universal. If you have a “why” and you have committed it
into your mind, body, and soul, YOU have the recipe for
everything…you just need to call on it.
Weightlifting and the pursuit of a physically
strong physique really comes from the inside.
The inner resilience may show on the outside
with muscle definition, but it’s all mental.
If you don’t have the discipline and mental toughness to get
used to discomfort, then you will not continue in the sport.
Because you’re sore almost all the time. What people think
of as sore, I now think of it as my muscle fibers being worked
really well. While they seem sore, they’re actually growing. To
be resilient, you have to know that soreness is temporary, you
are actually getting stronger. Those little things that tear you
down ultimately make you stronger, it’s a muscle you have to
use it. It’s a metaphor for life really.
What also keeps me motivated is that I have now learned,
over time, that I will feel better and I will be more connected
to myself when I leave that gym. I will make better choices
for myself and for others. If I don’t get the workout in, I’m
Omaha Duel of Champions, June 2019.
frustrated with myself, I make poor choices for eating, and I’m
irritable with my husband and my kids. So I’m actually a better
spouse, parent, and all-around better person, if I get it in.
So I consciously say to myself, “Get it in because you know
you’re going to feel better.” I am aware of my options. I am
completely in charge of my choice. So I choose to go.
Looking back two years at that ski accident when I felt fragile, I
am not that woman anymore.
Bodybuilding is something I really enjoy, those workouts put a
smile on my face once I’m done. I absolutely love the feeling of
lifting weights, the comradery of working out with the “guys’ at
the gym. I feel very empowered, as a woman, to be able to lift
those heavy weights. It makes me physically strong, mentally
tough, and it gives me a spiritual high.
I love the process and the growth of my inner strength and
outer strength. Although, I get up on that stage and compete
with others, it’s really about me versus me. It answers the
question, “Have I made progress?” The stage is a celebration
for all the work you’ve done.
Before I started, I had spent a lot of years doubting myself all
the time and just never thinking I was good enough. Now,
I don’t doubt myself the way I used to. This has helped me
see that I can start and finish something and that I am good
enough—for me.
That mental toughness has bled into every category in my life
and helps me with every decision that I make now. I just know
if something comes at me, I feel strong enough in my own
mind and body that I’ll be able to handle it. I also know I can
lift that heavy luggage, or move a couch, or ski down another
slope without being fearful, because I am STRONG! Book
Recommendation: Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins.
Peggy Higman, ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Yoga
Instructor.
Photo credit (right page) The NewMe Journey .

Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 16
A Mother, Attorney and Mrs. Iowa International
Contributed by Emilee Gehling
I don’t know why, but, for about six years, pageantry
was on my bucket list. I had never been in a pageant.
It’s not something my family does or most of my friends do.
I mean, I didn’t even get my makeup done for my wedding.
But pageantry just seemed like something cool and different.
It’s something outside of my wheelhouse and would allow
me to get out of my everyday experience and into a whole
new environment. As a slightly-introverted person, pushing
myself out of my comfort zone is important for my growth.
professionals. You’ve got lawyers. You’ve got PAs. You’ve got a
wide variety of people in government. People from all walks of
life, from all over the world, do this and give it their all.
Not only has that tribe been supportive, but my family has
been really supportive. My husband calls himself Mr. Iowa.
I have four kids (ages eight, six, four and two). My girls love
the dresses—especially my four year old who is obsessed with
princesses. I hide my crown so that she doesn’t steal it. We’re
So, I just asked myself, “Okay, what’s the worst that can
happen?” I thought, “Well, I wouldn’t get it.” Then I thought,
“Okay, well, I’m in that same position right now. So why not
go for it?” Since I’m not getting any younger, I also thought,
“Well, I guess the sooner the better.”
Mrs. Iowa International.
A recently made friend of mine has been in pageantry
her whole life. The lessons she’s learned from that have
enriched her life. During lunch one day, I heard her say her
goal was to become Miss Iowa. Hearing that, it just suddenly
became possible for me. Going alongside her helped me
get over the hump of submitting the initial paperwork and
seeing what happens. Just having a friend there and doing
it alongside me was amazing.
I’ve also been amazed at the tribe of supportive women
that are involved in the Mrs. International organization.
You have super amazing stay-at-home moms. You’ve got
Emilee and Aaron Gehling.

only midway through the year and it has to last the whole
year. It was fun wearing the gowns and while we didn’t
have a swimsuit competition, we did do sports wear which
was very fun, and more my style.
When I started telling people I was running for Mrs. Iowa
International, I was nervous about their reactions. As an
attorney and professional woman, I was worried that
some people would see it as silly or unprofessional. But
I’ve been pleased with how supportive most people have
been. For every eye roll, there are 100 people who say,
“That’s really cool.”
Attorney.
My chosen mission, in my reign as Mrs. Iowa International,
is to promote the discussion on alternate ways to grow a
family which also requires resilience of two families. In my
role as an attorney and as a mom I am passionate about
working with people who have a tough time creating
families or bringing children into their family on their
own. To help these families, I work in adoption as well as
surrogacy.
There’s a lot of misconceptions about surrogacy. There
are a lot of sensationalized stories. So, as Mrs. Iowa
International and someone who works in this field,
I wanted to educate people on what surrogacy and
adoption really are and how life changing it is for families.
In surrogacy, I work with parents who have struggled for
years with infertility. A lot of them have tried to adopt, had
several adoptions that have failed, or are just never the
ones that are picked by the birth mother. That’s why they
have decided to go down this hard road of surrogacy.
In December 2018, I alongside with a business partner,
opened Dakota Surrogacy. What we do is we match
parents that are looking for a surrogate to carry either
their own embryo, a donated sperm, or a donated egg.
We work with a lot of different people; it’s sometimes
single parents, gay parents, or international parents.
I also work with surrogates. They are amazing people. A lot
of them have had their own struggle with infertility. They
went through it and came out the other side. God blessed
them with a child or children, so they just want to give that
to somebody else. To go through fertility treatments and
shots is an amazing gift to give.
It’s a year-plus commitment of these two families
coordinating and journeying together. They experience
heartbreaks and hardships alongside another family
that are so personal. Working with them, we’re a team
of people with the same end goal. All we want is for the
parents to come away with that child or children in their
arms. That’s all we want.
With adoption, it’s the same thing. The end goal is that
you’ll have a child to bring into a loving home.
Adoption is life-changing for the parents. These parents get
to bring a child into their home and spoil him/her rotten
at Christmas. That’s great, but more importantly that child
suddenly has stable support and love that he/she didn’t have
before.
It’s not easy. It’s such a complicated and personal journey. But
that’s what it’s all about.
Emilee and Aaron Gehling with their children.
Mother.
As a mother, it’s so amazing to play a small role in making that
happen for anyone that wants parenthood in their life.
The best part of my day is when I hear of a client whose child
has been born. I ask them to send me a picture. When I get the
picture, I just tear up—literally every time. It’s just amazing to
be a small part of that for a family. It’s the same with adoption.
When I get that final adoption decree for my client, it’s amazing
and I absolutely love it.
As a mom, attorney and Mrs. Iowa International, resilience to
me is learning to stop, slow down and enjoy the ride. To stop
myself and ask, “What’s it going to be like in a year from now?
What will this feel like then?” Life is fleeting and every hardship
passes. Sometimes it’s next week. Sometimes it’s more than a
year. Sometimes it’s a couple of years. But things can change.
Every moment that we go through will pass. Then a new
moment will arrive and it’ll be different. Once I look at what
that future will be, it calms me and allows me to put one foot
in front of the other and to keep moving forward.
Emilee Gehling, attorney and partner at Gehling Osborn Law
Firm and the current Mrs. Iowa International.
Photo credit (left page) Photography by KJ.
Photo credit (right page) Leah Welch Photography.
Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 17

Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 18
Flood Waters Are No Match for Resilience
By Becca Feauto
It came fast, without much warning. A small
town in Iowa tried to prepare, knowing under the right
circumstances this could happen. They hoped it wouldn’t
happen, yet it did. Their town was underwater. People
lost homes, businesses and possessions.
It was like a bad dream you can’t wake up from. Your
home, your town, looking as it never had before. All you
can do is offer a helping hand, knowing you are in the
same position as your neighbor. Your memories, washed
away. Your home, needing to be rebuilt. Your heart, a
little broken.
Here is when resilience kicks in, full gear.
When Loretta Pritchard heard of the potential flood,
she never imagined it would actually play out like it did.
A Hornick resident for 40 years, the small town of 250
people had been in many flood warnings in the past,
but nothing ever happened. Why would this time be
different?
“We went and stayed at my bosses house. When we
left, we really didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know
if our house was in water, it was hard to leave because
you didn’t know what you would come back to. You just
had no idea. When we left our house our basement was
completely dry and it was safe. Then they said the water
was coming through town. ”
All of Main Street was affected by flood waters. The post
office was closed because it had water in it and residents
had to go to Sloan to get their mail for a month.
One resident had flood insurance, but in order to stay in
her home, she would have to jack her house up two feet.
She opted to move.
“We have 4 empty houses because of the flood. People
are still not in their houses and one of our neighbors was
diagnosed with cancer about three months before this
happened. It’s been a lot for them, but it’s good to have a
close knit community.”
Loretta and her husband Jake were amongst the many who
had flood water in their basement, and for those in need,
it was a nice that everybody helped everybody. “You could
set trash out on the curb and somebody would come along
and take it down to the dump for you if you didn’t have the
means to do it.” She continued, “It was just busy all the time,
people with tractors and loaders were just going up and
down the street trying to help people get things cleaned,
it was just amazing.” During this time, the town really came
together and did what it took to not only get their homes
cleaned up, but the extended help of others really made
an impact.
“We had one girl down at the end of the block, she had
no water in her home. She is a good friend to my son and

I knew of her and I talked to her a few times; she came
down and worked everyday to help clean stuff up for
people. The guys from the co-op took time off their
job. You know, if someone wasn’t affected by the flood,
they came in and helped where they could.”
For some residents, even if there wasn’t a lot of water
in their home there were other obstacles. Like getting
back to their homes could prove to be very difficult.
“My son lives about a half a mile north of town and had
only one inch of water in his basement, but they were
surrounded by water. He would take a boat out to his
house to keep the generator going so he could keep
the refrigerator running.”
How to find a new normal during the chaos can be a
mental challenge. Trying to juggle taking care of your
home, family and friends, can weigh on you. One of
the things Loretta appreciated most was all the helping
hands from so many places.
“We’re working on two floors of our home and trying
to get everything situated back up again. I cannot say
enough thank you for everybody that help. We had
about eight Siouxland Christian High School juniors
and seniors come out and they worked their tails off
carrying sheetrock and all kinds of stuff. They were
just fabulous.” She also wanted to thank the Salvation
Army. “They were awesome. We cannot say enough
good about them. They were here from the first day
we could get into our house and fixed three meals a
day for the first week and then 2 a day for 2 weeks.
Awesome people and food!”
Throughout this experience, Loretta learned a lot about
herself. “I learned patience. It takes a lot of patience
to get stuff done and to accept help from others. You
can’t depend on everybody all the time. You know that
you can get it done, but you have to get back to your
life, go back to work and stuff doesn’t just stop. It takes
a lot of patience and it’s just hard. My husband was off
for three weeks and he’s a self-employed truck driver
and of course the co-op couldn’t even do anything
because of the blocked roads.”
It took a lot to clean up their basement. Everything
including Loretta’s sewing room and craft supplies had
to be taken out, sorted and dried. Once the basement
had been cleared out, it was time to rebuild. “We were
out of our house for only a week. We took our camper
and stayed at our son’s. We ran out of propane after
three nights so we decided to go back to our house.
However, for the three more nights we didn’t have heat
because our furnace was ruined in the flood.” Mind you
this was in March. And yes it was still cold. After the
furnace was replaced, they stayed in their home while
they started the remodel of the basement.
The community has always been a close-knit bunch,
but after experiencing an event such as this, one might
think they could be even closer. “ If anybody ever has any
kind of a problem it seems the community would always be
right there to help. It was just like when we would build our
house they would hear that we’re going to pour concrete
and I swear that concrete was just like a magnet. People
showed up who you didn’t even expect to help.”
You may be asking yourself how does one stay positive
during a hardship like this? Loretta’s answer was spot on,
she stays positive by looking at the good in the situation.
She has her house and her health.
“I can say I still have my house, other people don’t. I can
still live in my house where other people can’t. I keep my
positive attitude because I can still be in my house. I have
my health and my house.”
Even with their own to-do list to complete, Loretta and her
husband found time to help their neighbors.
“We did help where we could. We were busy trying to
get our own stuff done, but we tried to help others. Our
neighbor next door isn’t in real good health so I guess we
just kind of watch over him a little bit. I’ve always mowed
his lawn and stuff for him because he can’t do it, and he
might buy us supper or something.”
It’s crazy how in a time of uncertainty, an unlikely surprise
can make you feel like home again.
“My mom and dad had this radio forever, I mean, it’s been
since I was a child. After the flood hit, I went downstairs and
there it was, coming all apart so I carried it upstairs and just
put it in the bin for electronics.”
After a few days, I got some very unexpected news. A
council member, Dale and his son had found the radio and
put it back together and were going to put it on Facebook.
We were having lunch provided by the Salvation Army and
Dale mentioned the radio to my husband Jake. He said,
“That’s my wife’s radio.” That’s when Dale said, “You’ve got
to come with me.” We walked me down to the fire station
and handed me an envelope. They found $1,000 in the
radio. All I could say was, ‘Dad you’re still watching me.’ In
his own way; it was just unbelievable.”
Resilience has many meanings, but being positive in a time
of turmoil is a big one. “You just have to see the good in
every situation and be positive. It was hard. It’s not easy, but
it’s all about being positive and knowing everything will be
okay.”
Becca Feauto, co-owner of Siouxland Magazine and owner of
Pulse Marketing.
Photo offered by Loretta Prichard.
Siouxland Magazine | Resilience / 19

conveRSe
curious
Cultivating Meaningful
Powerful narrative of “us”
truth seekers
I’m 65. In the past two years, I’ve been ‘Mom’ to nine children.
By Jackie Foster
The day my daughter started school, I dropped
her off and headed to the nearest gym. I worked
out for hours, twice a day in my powder blue sweats and
matching shoes. After years as a wife and mother, I was
finally doing something for myself.
A year later, in a move that was so unlike me, I decided I
wanted to be that leotard-clad instructor in pink legwarmers.
That meant being front and center—a place that
was so out of my comfort zone. Before each class, I locked
myself in the bathroom for an hour, gripped by fear and
violent diarrhea. I was fired after my second class because
I “didn’t smile enough.”
I was fired after my second class because I
“didn’t smile enough.”
I went home and broke down in the shower. Then I realized I
had two choices: never go back to the gym and the life I had
started to create for myself. Or hold my head high, go back
the next day and smile as I stood in my favorite spot in the
back row.
Three years later, I had my own studio with dozens of happy
clients. Using a Madonna-headset-mic, I continued to “whoop
it up” and sing along to choreographed routines that finally
let my inner personality show. I was no longer “someone’s
wife” or “someone’s mother.” I was me.
My new life away from home filled me with strength, resolve
and a new purpose. But then it all came crashing down in
divorce.
I had met my husband at college in London. We dated for
about 18 months and got married on the first Saturday
after my 21st birthday. My husband’s career in the mining
industry soon took us from England to the bitter Canadian
North and eventually to the desert heat of southwest Texas.
I had studied French and German in college, then worked
for a French bank in London and for an attorney in Canada
before pursuing what I thought was my real calling: to be a
mom.
As expected, I became a mother at 23. Dr. Spock was my
idol. “Baby and Child Care” was my bible. I was thousands of
miles away from my family in England. I’d never babysat and
knew nothing about infants. I didn’t know about feeding and
sleep schedules. I spent many nights alone, rocking a wideawake
baby, sobbing, “I can’t do this… I can’t do this…”
Our second child was born, right on schedule, just under
two years later. This time I was prepared; I put my daughter
on a rigorous sleep schedule. I was becoming a good mom.
Time passed and my two children grew up. The mining
boom took us to the beautiful wide-open spaces of northern
Nevada. I was a Cub Scout leader. A Brownie leader. A PTA
president. I was the “carpool mom” because I drove a station

strengthening our community
Conversations exploring perspectives
coming together
open minded
focused on common good
wagon and didn’t work. I took Girl Scouts to a weeklong sleepaway
camp. I grew and canned my own vegetables. I sewed
quilts by hand.
Somewhere along the way, I lost myself: I was always
somebody’s wife… somebody’s mother. Then came divorce.
Distance. Estrangement. Starting over. Square One.
I became a journalist, a photographer, a newspaper editor, a
Catholic music minister, a social media nut. Somewhere along
this brave new path, I became a woman of faith. I began to
let go of the reins when things got tough. Or at least, I tried
to. I believed there was a Plan. And I was eager to see how it
would unfold.
My partner and I spent several years living and working in
Central California. We took in unwanted or disabled little
dogs. We gardened and I grew bougainvillea—one of my
favorite climbers—and we celebrated Christmas in shorts.
Then we took a leap of faith and moved to the Midwest. It was
a job that came calling. Then, The Plan kicked in again, not
with a fanfare, but with a whisper.
A flyer said homes were desperately needed for kids who’d
been removed from their families. There were several
thousand children in the Iowa “system” through no fault
of their own. They were living in shelters and foster homes,
carrying their few belongings in black garbage bags. Babies
were drug-addicted. Children were hungry and had lice.
Teenagers were running away. Or worse. It felt like it was
meant to be. Which, of course, it was.
We jumped through the DHS hoops—a six-week training
course, four hours every Saturday; interviews; fingerprinting;
home checks; pet vaccinations; locks on all the cabinets. Then
we received our license. But were we ready?
Over the past two years, I’ve been “Mom” to nine children, the
youngest, a 3-month-old boy going through withdrawal. His
young mother was a meth user. He cried constantly. I wasn’t
23 anymore. My back ached from jostling him as we walked
the floor for hours. Sleep? What’s that?
We’ve welcomed boys and girls of all ages—some for 3 days,
some for as long as 10 months. Most times they arrive on our
doorstep with just the clothes on their backs. They’re often
scared, unsure. We introduce them to our dogs, then take
them to Walmart to pick out necessities. Underwear. Socks.
Shoes. A toothbrush.
I turned 65 last summer. Sixty-five. It’s the age when most
people are planning their retirement: traveling, seeing the
sights or taking up a new hobby. But I’m not most people. I
started a new job two years ago and now have a promising
new career I love. Best of all, I’m going to be a Mom again.
No matter how long they stay, I’m Mom. There
are goodnight kisses. Fridays are family night
with pizza and a movie. Laundry day is huge.
And there are always goodbye hugs all around
when they go back home.
Oliver came into our lives about two years ago. Fragile,
malnourished, unresponsive. The trauma he had experienced
was visible through the blank stare of his dark brown eyes.
Today, he’s an energetic preschooler who loves Peppa Pig,
Paw Patrol and Play-Doh. He giggles when he says “poop”
and he’s full of “I love yous.” He can’t wait to show visitors all
the toys in his playroom. And when I come home from work,
he calls out, “Mom!” I shout back, “Lovey!” And he runs into
my outstretched arms for a giant hug.
But you know the best part? He’s not leaving. Because he’s
part of The Plan. Through adoption, we’ll get to watch him
grow up and become a lawyer, a doctor, a chef… maybe
even a superhero.
“We’re a family,” he says firmly, his arms wrapped tightly
around our necks. Who am I to disagree with a 3-year-old? I
am just his Mom after all.
*A version of this story was originally told at Beacon Story
Lab on September 14, 2018. Since then, Oliver’s adoption
was finalized, and Jackie and her partner have taken in two
more foster children.
Photos courtesy of Ally Karsyn.
Founded by award-winning journalist Ally
Karsyn, Beacon Story Lab creates more
courageous, compassionate and connected
communities through the healing art of
storytelling.
The next live storytelling event is 7 p.m. Friday,
September 6 at The Marquee, 1225 Fourth St.
The theme is Fish Out of Water.
Find updates on the Facebook page for Beacon
Story Lab or at beaconstorylab.com.

Siouxland Magazine | Converse /22
Yesterday.
Today.
Tomorrow.
A Station for You.
A Station for Everyone.
Join the Conversation.
What would you
rather be doing?
Let us help you manage your wealth so
you can do the things you most enjoy!
Kletschke Wealth
Management Group
Wealth Management
Financial Planning | Investments
Korey C. Kletschke, ChFC ® | Financial Advisor
kletschkeko@stifel.com
Kim Cleaver Kletschke | Vice President/Investments
kletschkek@stifel.com
(712) 252-6931
700 4th Street, Suite 100
Sioux City, Iowa 51101
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com

Sioux City Scoop | Public Office 101
By Alex Watters
I’ve been around politics for
most of my life. I remember
my dad running for sheriff in
Osceola County when I was in
middle school and I would join
him in parades and knocking
on doors. In high school, my
debate coach was a State
Representative and I recall
doing the same thing with him.
I didn’t volunteer for larger
political campaigns until I got
to college, where my involvement at that time consisted
of holding events for students to get to know candidates
and registering them to vote. Working for a presidential
campaign in 2012 introduced me to the amount of work
that goes into a campaign to get someone elected, and
also inspired me to run for office myself.
The Learning Curve
To my knowledge, there isn’t a manual on how to
implement your ideas or activate your campaign speech
once elected. Heck, if you’re unfamiliar with Roberts Rules
of Order, you may have no idea how to make a motion
in a meeting. Protocol can be unfamiliar and the timeline
for solutions can be difficult. Private companies have the
luxury of being nimble. Government does not.
Finally, and perhaps most difficult about the learning
curve, is that once elected, suddenly you are expected
to be an expert on a multitude of topics. Decisions must
be made about infrastructure, new development, and
countless other things you may have never encountered.
Members of City Council are given memos and trust
city staff to inform us of options, but ultimately each
Councilmember is given a vote and will make a decision
with the information they are given.
Dedicated Time
I‘ve read comments on social media about the
outlandish amount of money that Councilmembers
are paid when we simply have one meeting per week.
After holding this office for nearly 2 years, I have a
much better understanding of the time needed to be
informed and engaged with the community. It’s tough
to give a snapshot of a typical week, but I’ll do my best.
We are given the material for the Monday City Council
meeting on Thursdays around 3 PM. This information
can range from 150 to 500 pages. Some pages are
liquor license renewals, others are the details of various
grant applications, and so on. However, this is material
that should be read carefully to help with questions and
making decisions. SPOILER ALERT: It’s not like reading
the latest New York Times bestseller.
In addition to the weekly meetings, each Councilmember
is given committee assignments, adding one or two
meetings to your calendar each week. Often times
these are over the lunch hour or during the day. Also,
meetings can last longer than an hour and include their
own preparation/readings. These randomly scheduled
meetings make it difficult for anyone’s schedule, let alone
a professional with an 8-5 career. If you aren’t retired or
own your own business, flexibility from your employer
will be critical. I am so thankful that Morningside College
is supportive of my involvement in the city.
Community Engagement
In addition to the time commitment and learning curve,
the community engagement aspect of public office is
significant and can be overlooked. Depending on the
topic, I receive emails, Facebook messages, or phone calls
from people who want to share their opinion. I welcome
this dialogue and have found that oftentimes their advice
can be very helpful, but it is also easy to fall behind. It’s my
goal to respond to everyone.
In addition to yielding random correspondences, as an
elected official, you are expected to make an appearance
at as many community functions as possible. For a social
butterfly, such as myself, I take this as a challenge and try to
attend everything. And for anyone that says there’s nothing
going on in Sioux City, I would love to share my calendar
with you. To be honest, even prior to being elected I tried
attending as much as I could. I WANT to know about
everything that is going on in our neighborhoods and I
WANT to learn about all the wonderful organizations that
are adding so much value to our community.
Holding public office has taught me that it is difficult to
manage all of these things and achieve any type of work/
life balance. In addition to my full-time job and serving on
the City Council, I want to spend time with my girlfriend
and visit my family. However, for me, service is worth it. I
encourage anyone who is looking to make a difference in
our community to volunteer, serve on a commission, or
seek public office. We need YOU! One person truly can
make a difference.
Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City
awatters@sioux-city.org
Siouxland Magazine | Converse /23

Siouxland Magazine | Converse /24
Checking accounts at Primebank in Le Mars, Sioux Center and Sioux City are designed
to give you more choice. Ranging from our Basic and Basic Plus Checking Accounts to
Primebank’s uPIC Checking Accounts that allow you to choose your reward based on the way
you bank. With a Primebank checking account, you earn more, your way!
37 1st Ave NW
Le Mars, IA
Find a Primebank location near you.
1601 S Main Ave
Sioux Center, IA
5689 Sunnybrook Dr
Sioux City, IA
2700 Hamilton Blvd
Sioux City, IA

Siouxland Magazine | Converse /25
Resilience = Grit
By Tony Micheals
Were you ever cut from an athletic team in high
school? I sure was. A bunch. Baseball, basketball
and golf. When I finally found a sport sans the cutting
process, I excelled and gave it 100 percent. (Text me
at 712-274-1057 and I’ll tell you what sport actually
welcomed me onto the team.) I love the theme of this
issue, resilience. I do however, prefer the term “grit”
because it sounds like something out of a Western
movie.
Being rejected in other sports made me more
appreciative of opportunities. I worked at a horse track
in Omaha. Co-workers laughed at me when I told them
I wanted to get into radio. Their laughter fueled me. I
think of them when I put my headphones on in the
morning. Even 24 years into this career.
I’m lucky enough to share a studio every weekday
morning with “Can-do Candice” Nash. She says we are
all self-employed. YOU decide where to be employed.
Her work ethic and proving people wrong is a true
inspiration. She offered to work for FREE for two weeks
starting her career to prove she could do it. Believe me,
she can. I’m inspired to see others buck the odds and
reach their potential.
In fifth grade, Mrs. Swanson assigned us an essay to ask
our parents who inspires them. My mother mentioned
our neighbor Connie. She has physical limitations and
overcame challenges daily without complaining and she
excelled with a very busy and fulfilling lifestyle.
Witnessing these
examples of fortitude
helped me out 2
decades later when we
were blessed with my
son, Trey. He’s now 16,
non-verbal and happens
to be very involved with
his autism. It must be
so daunting to live in
a world comprised of
people so unlike you. He
communicates in his own
way. He acts differently
than his peers. We’ve
raised more than a few eyebrows while running errands in
Siouxland. Yet, he smiles through life more than others his
age who have far less obstacles. A lot of people who have
the gift of gab could learn a lot about being resilient from
Trey. That lil’ cowboy has a lot of grit.
Tony Michaels, KSUX morning show co-host /
Fan of grit
Paid advertisement.

InSPire
Lessons learned from stories in our community.
Frank LaMere, pictured in center of back row wearing hat.
Indian Country and Allies Say Goodbye to ‘Hero’ Frank LaMere
By Kevin Abourezk
“He knew what he was facing, and he faced his
illness with the sam courage he showed in other
aspects of his life.”
– Dennis Carlson, friend to Frank LaMere
LaMere had spent a lifetime fighting for change to improve
the lives of Native people and is considered by many
to be the driving force behind the movement to close
the beer stores in Whiteclay, an effort that culminated in
the April 2017 decision by the Nebraska Liquor Control
Commission to not renew the town’s four liquor licenses.
‘We lost a hero’
Numerous tribal leaders expressed grief over the death of
LaMere. “If there was injustice anywhere in Indian Country,
Frank LaMere likely had a voice in demanding better
treatment and justice,” said Frank White, chairman of the
Winnebago Tribe.
LaMere was the longest serving Native member of the
Democratic National Committee and founded both the
Nebraska Native Caucus and the National Native Caucus
of the Democratic Party.
“Dr. Frank LaMere would often tell me, ‘We do our best
for the most people’ and would immediately follow up
with ideas for actions in the streets and in the halls of
government,” said Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska
Democratic Party. “Frank was the heart of our Democratic
Party and many grassroots fights across our country and
nation.”
“We lost a hero today who had unfinished business that
we must now complete.” Lance Morgan, president and
CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., the Winnebago Tribe’s economic
development corporation, said LaMere’s legacy of fighting
for change paved the way for the success of younger
Native generations.
“His decades-long dedication to Native rights steadily
changed people’s minds,” Morgan said. “Leaders like
Frank kicked in the door so people in my generation
could walk through it. He will be missed but not
forgotten.”
‘Frank educated them’
With LaMere’s passing, many in Indian Country have
expressed concern about who might be able to replace
LaMere in advocating for Native rights. John Maisch, a
longtime friend of LaMere’s and film director, said no one
person could ever hope to accomplish as much as LaMere
did.
Still, Native people and their allies have no choice but to
continue to seek to fulfill the many social justice efforts
LaMere began in his life, Maisch said. LaMere would often

non-profit
community
family
small business
people
talk about how others would call him and ask him how he
planned to address the latest wrong committed against
Native people. “John, people know what to do,” he would
tell Maisch. “They shouldn’t just wait for me to do it. They’re
empowered and they can do it.’” “Now really we don’t have
a choice,” Maisch said. “We have to pick up where Frank left
off and where we left off with Frank and go forward.”
Bryan Brewer, former president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe,
was among those who marched beside LaMere from the
Pine Ridge Reservation to Whiteclay several times. He said
LaMere did what no one in Pine Ridge could – make those
in power listen to the Lakota people’s pleas to close the
Whiteclay beer stores. One of the most successful strategies
LaMere employed was to get non-Natives involved in the
effort to close down the beer stores, Brewer said.
“When the people in Nebraska got involved, that’s when
things started happening,” he said. “Frank educated them,
and people started speaking up and there was a lot of
support.” “Frank and those people did it. They actually
closed Whiteclay.”
Among those non-Natives enlisted by LaMere and Maisch to
fight for the beer stores’ closures was Nora Boesem, a South
Dakota mother to numerous Lakota children suffering from
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Boesem spoke before Nebraska liquor regulators and
anyone else who would listen about the challenges of
raising children suffering from an entirely preventable
disease, many of whose parents had drank on the streets of
Whiteclay.
Her testimony about the innocent victims of Whiteclay’s
massive alcohol sales was pivotal in influencing Nebraska
state leaders to seek the closure of the beer stores. Boesem
said LaMere convinced her to speak out against Whiteclay’s
alcohol trade by telling her that it was important for her
children to know she had fought for them, even if they
weren’t successful in closing the beer stores.
“That’s a gift that Frank gave me that I can at least have my
children know I fought for them,” she said.
She said she also learned to be willing to step out of your
comfort zone in order to make others uncomfortable. It was a
lesson she learned in a particularly unnerving incident when
she, Frank and others were escorted out of the governor’s
office by the Nebraska State Patrol after a particularly
contentious encounter with the state’s chief executive.
“It’s easy to sit in a room and talk about how important
something is but when you have to really walk over that line
and make that decision that could change your life, how
many people will do it?”
“He always said, ‘If you haven’t been difficult, if you
haven’t made someone mad, you’re probably not doing
all you should be doing,’” she said. “You really do have to
be willing to cross that line and take the step to show that it
matters that much.”
‘We’re going to keep it going’
Matt Ohman, executive director of Siouxland Human
Investment Partnership, a nonprofit in Sioux City, Iowa,
that LaMere had worked with for nearly a decade, said
LaMere was pivotal in bringing together leaders from many
nonprofit and government agencies to help improve the
lives of Native people in Sioux City.
Among those he built relationships with were Iowa
Department of Human Services leaders, whom LaMere
had heavily criticized following the deaths of several Native
children in non-Native foster homes over 16 years ago.
“There was a lot of anger,” Ohman said about the deaths
of the Native children. “It’s a testament to Frank because
he used that to really develop a relationship with the
Department of Human Services here, and now they are
some of the biggest allies to the Native people.”
LaMere’s latest effort involved seeking Indian Health
Service funds to build a detox center or halfway house
for Native men in Sioux City. He and Ohman had traveled
several times to Washington, D.C., to try to convince
Congressional leaders, including Rep. Steve King of Iowa,
to support efforts to fund the project.
Ohman said language has been included in the Interior
appropriations bill now being considered by Congress
to provide funding for treatment programs for Native
people in Sioux City. He and other representatives from
his organization visited with LaMere in his hospital room in
Omaha shortly before his death.
“His body had been through so much, but he was in good
spirits,” he said. “His biggest concern was, ‘I’ve got so many
things going on right now, there’s so much work to do and
here I am.’”
“I just assured him, ‘Hey, we’re not going to let the
momentum die on any of these things while you’re
recuperating. We’re going to keep it going and make sure
all of this stuff keeps moving forward.’”
Kevin Abourezk is managing editor of Indianz.com
Photo courtesy of Kevin Abourezk.

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /28
Jason and Sam pictured with their children.
Surviving Life, One Minute at a Time: Chapter 2
By Samantha Geurts
In 2010, Jason and I found out I was pregnant.
I was much more excited than Jason was, because this
would put me back to seeing happiness and life with
adding family instead of saying good-bye to them. My
pregnancy was amazing. We decided not to find out the
gender, since we were just happy for the chance to be
parents, even with the constant fear of more trauma. I
would fear this pregnancy would end the same way. On
several occasions my fears got the best of me. I wouldn’t
eat at restaurants because I feared the food would make
me sick and hurt the baby. I stopped running because
I read that high heart rate could hurt the baby. I read
everything and followed all the recommendations from
the doctors and other mothers I knew. I wanted the best
for this baby, but now I realize that happiness and tragedy
don’t discriminate.
Since my mom’s death, my dad had really stepped up
into the role of both parents. Even though us kids were
all grown, he gave great advice about marriage and
whatever else was troubling me for that day. He was
extremely excited to be a grandpa. We surprised him
on his birthday with a cake that read, “Happy birthday,
Grandpa!” Dad and I talked every day, just as I did with
Mom and Nikki. I remember, I was talking to Dad just
before I left work for lunch. He asked me if Jason and
I wanted to go to the street dance in town, because he
has tickets. Being pregnant and tired most of the time, I
turned them down. I wanted to head to lunch and told
dad I would call him from the car. I called him back five
minutes later, and he asked the same question about the
Sharing the news that they are expecting with her dad.
street dance tickets. I didn’t think too much about it at the
time, but it got me talking to my sister about Dad’s recent
behavior. Dad had started dating for the first time since
Mom died, so we thought his behavior had to do with his
future. Maybe Dad was going to sell the house and move,
and he was nervous about how we would react. I really
wish this was the case.
I was 20 weeks pregnant and sleeping in when I got a
phone call from Dad. He told us he was visiting his
girlfriend for the weekend but he ended up in the ER
and was admitted. He hadn’t been feeling well and had a
horrible headache. They found a brain tumor.

Just before Dad’s surgery to see if the tumor could be
removed, Jason and I were on vacation with his family. I
was standing on the beach with my sister-in-law having a
conversation about struggling with the fear that traumatic
things were always going to happen to me. I feared that I
will lose this baby somehow. Even in her comforting words,
I still felt a pain of doubt in my future and how I would
be able to heal from the pain I was feeling. Reality was
different then what I had imagined, especially when it came
to loss and grief. I really thought I had paid my “dues” to
the universe, to God, but now with Dad’s cancer, I was in
shock that the most important things in my life could be
taken away from me without a second chance. Nothing is
guaranteed.
Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /29
Dad survived the surgery, but the tumor wasn’t removed
completely. Dad began radiation and chemo to try and
shrink the remaining cancer, however, the treatment posed
a big risk in his health. He ended up making the decision
to stop treatment due to his extreme decline in health, but
it was too late, he died a week later. My brother, younger
sister, myself and several of Dad’s friends were there.
Everett’s birth, 2010.
I gave birth to Everett November 2010. After a long 36
hours of (back) labor, I delivered Everett via C-section, due
to D-cells which is when the baby’s heart rate slows with
every contraction. He was the perfect baby! He ate, slept,
pooped. Every worry I had while pregnant seemed to be
gone, with seeing his face. This feeling of freedom from
trauma didn’t last long, as my worry for my unborn child
moved to the worry of my newborn child. All these feelings
I had, when expressed, were chalked up to me being a firsttime
mom. Looking back, I can say my intuition had already
kicked in while pregnant, but it wasn’t until the outside
world could see that of which I was feeling.
Around the time Dad had died, Everett was 5 months old. I
am so grateful Dad was able to experience being a grandpa
before he died. As a new mother, without my mother around
to guide me, I did not have the guidance to know what to
expect with a baby. At Dad’s funeral, I remember a few
comments from family and friends, “He seems so different
than our other friends’ baby.”; “He sleeps a lot.”; “How old
Proud grandpa.
is he? I would guess 3 months”. Prior to this I remember
visiting a friend of mine who had a baby six weeks prior to
me having Everett. We were both first time moms and had
a lot to visit on. Her son was just over 4 months old and
Everett 3 months old, at the time of this conversation. She
made a comment about being thankful they brought toys
to church to distract their baby from making a fuss. My gut
went into hyper mode, since Everett didn’t show interest in
anything.
At five months old, Everett still had not progressed past
the regular, eating, sleeping routine. He would do some
cooing, but only just enough for us to question if there was
something there to be concerned with. At this point Jason
was starting to see what I was feeling long before him. We
visited with the pediatrician, who brushed it off and said we
could discuss it at his 6-month visit. This was not an option
for us. We decided to get another opinion. We met with
another pediatrician who agreed with our concerns for
Everett’s development. She scheduled Everett for an MRI.
A few weeks after Everett’s MRI we got a diagnosis of Dandy
Walker Variant. His brain had abnormally developed
while in utero. With Everett being only 6 months old, we
had every hope that he could overcome the difficulty in
achieving his milestones. The neurologist agreed and said
that he may not excel in sports, but should be able to live
a full life.
For several months I was in denial of Everett’s diagnosis
and chose to miss-interpret Everett’s abilities on social
media and isolated myself to those that didn’t know me
well. Even if someone asked me, I would walk away with
fear I would start to break.
A mother is supposed to be strong and can
save her babies. I honestly do not remember
when I finally came out with Everett’s diagnosis
on social media, but I know it was quite a while
after the initial diagnosis.

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /30
either. It wasn’t noticeable to me at first, but then I started
talking with my siblings about it and realizing they also
have the same thoughts of constant fear for tomorrow and
how this isn’t usual. I would lay awake with the thoughts
of what could happen to my family while I slept. I also felt
a different kind of grief than I felt with the loss of Mom,
Nikki, and Dad. This grief was like waves of an ocean.
Grief from loss heals with time. You never stop missing
them, and things never go back to the way they were, but
you find a new normal with each passing moment.
Grief with the diagnosis of a medically complex child left
me with a black hole of what I am supposed to do with
each passing moment. I isolated further from my friends
and have now found that social environments are hard
for me to attend with. The trauma tells me stories of how
people may see me, and my ego is like a terrible twoyear-old
that wants to throw the biggest temper tantrum
known to man and my heart aches for the life I thought I
would be having. I was ready to have a dozen babies, well
not really, but the moment I was pregnant, I knew being
a mom was all I had ever wanted, but now I struggle with
having one child that is so different from what I thought
raising a child would be.
Everett trick-or-treating.
I suppose it happened when Everett’s disease
progressed, and his milestones grew further away from
those of his peers. Friendships of mine strained with
the depression and guilt I felt for the resentment I had
for the life I will no longer be living. It was the biggest
rollercoaster of emotions I had ever experienced.
Shortly after Everett turned one I quit my job to stay
home with him. My motivation was to do whatever it
took to get Everett better and me staying home with him
would do this, so I thought. This was not the case. Shortly
after he turned one Everett started having seizures.
These seizures would rob him of the gains he made in
milestones. It was consistently two steps ahead and five
back. Everett never gained the ability to sit up on his
own, only rolling over one time at seven months old, he
never crawled, and even holding his head up became an
effort we could not imagine. He had the ability to hold
his head up, but the combination of high and low tone in
his muscles made this ability very difficult. He has never
eaten more than pureed food. And swallowing fine
liquids goes straight into his lungs. My days were spent
managing Everett’s care, which included therapy services
and new specialty doctors. When we took Everett back
to the neurologist, I was ready to raise hell with the
statement they gave us six months earlier, “Everett will
be fine, just a little clumsy”. What the last several months
showed us was this is not the truth. To my astonishment,
Everett was scheduled with a different neurologist. We
would live with “undiagnosed” CP as Everett’s diagnosis
until the summer before Everett turned three.
I have heard of PTSD, and I knew the definition of trauma,
but I never thought I would ever be one to suffer from
Summer of 2013 we finally received a diagnosis for
Everett. Beta-propeller Associated Neurodegeneration,
or BPAN. Everett received his diagnosis through
whole exome sequencing. At that time Whole Exome
Sequencing was a very new way of genetic testing, as it
looks at everything. It is spell checking for your genetic
code, finding the miss spelled area of genetic coding. I
did my best navigating our undiagnosed child’s first two
years the best I could, learning most from reading and
learning from other parents through social media. The
one thing that never crossed my mind was that we would
out-live Everett.
After the BPAN diagnosis we asked Everett’s neurologist
what this means for Everett. He said that BPAN was
only discovered a year before, so there is little to no
information on this syndrome. We asked if anyone else
has this diagnosis. What he told us was no, when the truth
was yes, but not many. I found out 3 years later that there
was an entire research group looking into BPAN and had
discovered it while researching another syndrome within
the same family.
Everett had a one in a billion chance of this
happening. These statements should make
me feel relieved, however, anger is all I feel.
Why Everett?
When I finally discovered the research group, we found
valuable information on what BPAN really means. BPAN
is an X-linked syndrome and most males do not survive
pregnancy. Everyone that has the BPAN diagnosis has
seizures. This syndrome is also neurodegenerative.
Everett is deteriorating right in front of us with each

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /31
Everett celebrating his birthday.
passing day. I would love to spend all my time finding
a cure for Everett, but I am spending all my time making
sure that the common cold doesn’t take him from me.
Everett is now eight years old. He weighs 65 lbs but
keeps his mom strong. His seizures are being controlled
with a ketogenic diet. He has dystonia and hypotonia;
CP; doesn’t drink any fine liquids orally, but through a
gtube; an ACE tube to control constipation; osteopenia
due to not using his bones as he should; hearing loss;
severe optic atrophy; and multiple medications.
Even in all this, he tries every day. He is the
perfect example of “one minute at a time”.
I refuse to have the persona of always having my shit
together, when the reality is the opposite. I try to walk
with my children through the truths of life; hoping to
provide them with tools to work through what life brings
them.
Jason and I will be celebrating 12 years of marriage this
August. We added to our family with two more boys.
Lincoln is 4 and Landen is 2. After Lincoln was born,
Everett went through his fist regression. It was the first
time we realized stress can cause his body to regress. We
rebounded as a family and found again, a new normal.
Landen was our surprise baby and adds so much value
to our family of five. We still don’t know much about
BPAN, or what the future looks like, but learning to see
Everett with his siblings.
the small miracles, such as the ability for Everett to use
his eyes to talk to us, are worth living to see.
I wish this story was triumphant with the love for God
that would cure Everett and all the pain life has brought
me, but in retrospect, this also brought a lesson in
selfish praying and the idea of what miracles should
look like in the reality of what a miracle is which has now
propelled me into my spiritual awakening. With the last
15 years being combined with the trauma and continued
navigation to life of a complex child, I allow light to shine,
even in the darkest of corners. The road is rocky, but I
will survive, one minute at a time.
Samantha Geurts, born and raised in SW Minnesota
has grown to be a wife and mother along with being
a licensed hairstylist, yoga instructor and a full-time
paraprofessional for the local schools.
Photos courtesy of Samantha Geurts.

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire / 32
One Siouxland: Strengthening Siouxland Together
By Philippa Hughes
Two years ago as our community anticipated the
influx of hundreds of workers from across the
country and perhaps the globe to support our
growing economy, a group of about 30 community
leaders from all sectors and all sides of the rivers
came together to answer the question, “Are we
ready to welcome and support our new neighbors?”
While we certainly recognized we had challenges to meet,
we also agreed we are a resource-rich community. We are
rich in organizations that strive every day to fill gaps and meet
their clients’ needs, faith-based organizations that reach
into the streets to serve, businesses that focus as much on
their employees as their bottom line, and genuinely caring
people who want to help others in whatever way their time,
talents, and treasures allow.
What we also acknowledged was that our many programs,
initiatives, organizations, and resources are not always
meaningfully connected. Even in that room two years
ago, among a group of well-connected leaders, new
partnerships were forged, and a greater awareness of our
region’s resources showed attendees that the answer to
our question wasn’t to add a new program, but to betterconnect
existing ones.
And that’s how One Siouxland was born. We serve as
a connector of ideas and resources, be they nonprofit,
governmental, business, educational, or otherwise, in an effort
to help our community fill the gaps and expand the resources
that help newcomers feel more welcome and desire to remain
in Siouxland, and help long-time community members
understand and embrace our changing demographics.
Many of the vehicles (also referred to as initiatives, programs,
and partnerships) to achieve each pillar’s vision are underway.
One Siouxland’s role is different for each vehicle; for some, we
are leading the effort. For others, we are a convener, a funder,
or a voice for those not at the table. Always, we strive to
strengthen our community’s resources so that the newcomers
who move here for work will stay because they were welcomed
and provided the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to
the economic, civic, and cultural fabric of our community.

The work of One Siouxland is organized
around five pillars that are essential in a
welcoming community:
Equitable Access; Civic Engagement;
Connected, Safe + Healthy Communities;
Education + Workforce Development; and
Economic Development.
A few of the many vehicles that are driving the implementation
of the One Siouxland Strategic Plan for Welcoming &
Integration are:
Community Resource Center. One Siouxland
stakeholders identified this initiative as the one that would
make the greatest impact on our entire community. We
envision a center that houses the social, health, and other
essential needs of our residents, in addition to professional
and retail services that complement the mission to welcome,
support, and connect all who enter. Together with Growing
Community Connections and dozens of partners, One
Siouxland is developing a business plan and working with
investors to make the center a reality.
Rising Leaders Academy. Community stakeholders
also prioritized the concept of a ‘pre-leadership program’
that would identify and develop individuals from
underrepresented populations to grow into leaders in
business, nonprofit, governmental, and other sectors. The
collective expertise of Leadership Siouxland, Leadership
Dakota County, NAACP Sioux City, the Sioux City Human
Rights Commission, Northeast Community College, and
Women Aware is shaping this program.
Civic & Community Engagement. Most newcomers
strive to engage in their new community, despite the many
barriers standing against them. Whether as volunteers in
their faith or cultural communities, at a local fire department,
or at their children’s schools, newcomers are giving back
in the ways that matter to them. At One Siouxland, we are
working with our city and business leaders, educational
institutions, nonprofit organizations, and newcomer leaders
to develop a culture of civic and community engagement
in Siouxland. The first priority is to equip organizations
providing naturalization education and legal assistance with
more tools to support and maximize their efforts so everyone
who has a legal path to U.S. Citizenship has the resources
to get there. From there, One Siouxland is partnering with
grassroots organizations that provide voter registration and
non-partisan education to present and explore the issues
about which they will vote. And finally, we are working
closely with area Complete Counts Committees to ensure
Siouxland’s 2020 Census is an accurate representation of
our diverse community.
Workforce Development through Postsecondary
Opportunities. Newcomers will play a significant role
in filling tomorrow’s workforce needs. In Iowa, where the
Future Ready Iowa goal is to reach 70% of Iowa’s workforce
with education/training beyond high school by 2025,
that amounts to almost 140,000 additional credentials
beyond the current rate. Siouxland is rich with refugees
and immigrants that are currently underemployed because
of language barriers and restrictive foreign credential
transferring. Connecting them to upskilling opportunities
or new careers not only improves their family’s economic
outlook, but also increases tax revenue to the government
and potentially puts more discretionary income into the
economy.
Supporting Entrepreneurship. Studies show that
immigrants and their children are more than twice as likely to
start a business than U.S.-born Americans, and currently make
up about 40% of the Fortune 500 companies. One Siouxland
wants to help our community harness that entrepreneurial
spirit by connecting entrepreneurs to mentors, information,
training, financing programs, and other tools to plan, launch,
and grow Siouxland’s next great company. We are thrilled
to have local government engagement and support in
this area, and look forward to the day when today’s new
entrepreneurs become tomorrow’s success stories and
mentors for a new generation.
Recently, One Siouxland was selected as one of six cities
on the inaugural Looking for America tour. A collaborative
effort of New American Economy, the American University
School of Public Affairs, and CuriosityConnects.us, Looking
for America uses art as a jumping off point for moderated
conversations about the values that connect us and the
issues that divide us. We are currently looking for artists of all
cultures, political ideologies, faiths, nationalities, and other
diverse backgrounds to be part of the art exhibition, which
will open at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center starting
September 29, 2019. On that same day from 2-5pm, about
50 Siouxlanders will join us for a late lunch and what we
expect to be very empowering conversations. Please reach
out to Erica@OneSiouxland.org for more information about
the event.
Philippa P.B. Hughes is a social sculptor and creative
strategist.
Photos courtesy of One Siouxland.
Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /33

grow
Don’t fear failure. Embrace it. It’s where the learning happens.
Colbibi Kitchen is Spicing Things Up
By Rosalind Torres
“When people I have never met before are telling
me that they absolutely love my salsa, I realized
that I can turn this hobby into something greater.
Everytime I see someone take a taste of my salsas
for the first time, I love seeing the reaction on
their face as they enjoy its bold flavors.”
What motivated you to start your business? What
drives you each day?
My business started simply as a hobby, making salsa for
friends at our get-togethers. Everyone loved my salsas
and some even told me that they were willing to pay me
if I made salsa for them to take home. I happily agreed
and began making salsa for them. They shared the salsas
with their friends and family and they also fell in love.
They would then reach out to me for some salsa and the
demand has been growing ever since.
What’s unique about your business?
What makes my business unique is and we truly only use
fresh vegetables and fruits without any artificial flavors
and preservatives. As far as I am aware, Colibri Kitchen is
the only salsa business in Siouxland.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to
overcome as you’ve grown your business?
The biggest challenge Colibri Kitchen faces as a
business is the struggle to meet the increasing demands
for my salsas (which can be seen as a good problem to
have). While I do get help when it comes to selling my
salsas at the Sioux City Farmers Market, I am the only
one that produces the salsas and drinks. There is only
so much one person can produce in a limited amount of
time (I have a full-time job and have to take care of two
kids). I hope I will be able to find a way to meet growing
demands and ensure everyone would be able to enjoy
my salsas.
What has been your greatest reward?
My biggest reward has been to have the opportunity
to share my passion for making great salsas with other
people. Seeing people come to my stand early in the
morning just to get some salsa before they run out
brings a smile to my face.
How have you benefited from the startup
community in Sioux City and the region? What
resources did you use?
Colibri Kitchen has greatly benefited from the startup
community in Sioux City. When Colibri Kitchen won first
place in the Sioux City Growth Organization’s Innovation
Market, it showed me that my dreams were viable and
had potential to grow. The $5,000 awarded to me
allowed me to get the necessary supplies, equipment
and paperwork to make Colibri Kitchen a reality.

personal growth
leadership
Why is it important for the community to support
startups and small businesses? What more can be
done to help them?
There are several reasons why it is important for the
community to support local startups and small businesses.
I’ll give one practical reason and one idealistic reason.
Practical: If the community supports startups and small
businesses, it would lead to an increase of different goods
and services to the people of Sioux City. This increase
would attract new customers, tourists, and investors. This
would, in turn, provide Sioux City with increased revenue
and opportunities for growth.
Idealistic: Having the community support startups and
small businesses would create a sense of bonding and
unity. It shows that regular people that we know in our
daily lives can pursue their dreams and be successful if we
believe in them and provide our support. These business
owners would return the favor by providing the highest
quality products and services.
What advice would you give to someone looking
to start a business?
My advice to someone that is looking to start their own
business is to never give up. No matter how bleak your
prospects look, it can always get better if you keep your
head up. It is also important that whenever you or your
business do something, it is done with love and respect
to both what your business makes/provides, and to the
people it is meant for.
How can the community continue to help your
business?
The best way for the community to help my business is
simply by continuing to show their love, support and
sharing the salsas of Colibri Kitchen with their friends and
family. Word of mouth can really go a long way.
What are some future goals for your company?
There are few goals in mind for Colibri Kitchen.
Our goal is to get our own permanent location in Sioux
City. This would allow us to hire more people to make great
quantities of salsas in order to meet the rising demands.
This would also allow our salsas to be readily available
any day of the week to our customers as opposed to only
once a week at the Farmers Market.
Rosalind Torres is the owner of Colibri Kitchen, a business
that specializes in producing fresh salsas and beverages,
using only fresh fruits and vegetables without using any
artificial flavors and preservatives.
determination
business development
influence
IAWESTCOAST.COM I 866.537.6052
Entrepreneurs and small business owners now have
access to an information specialist who can assist you
in finding solutions to your most pressing questions by
facilitating connections to the right people, data, and
resources.
IASOURCELINK.COM I 866.537.6052
IASourceLink is the premiere business resource in Iowa
for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free
business webinars, expert advice, and a searchable
directory of organizations that assist Iowa businesses
can all be found on IASourceLink.
IOWASBDC.ORG I 712.274.6454
Do you need free, confidential and customized business
counseling? Contact SBDC for advice on developing a
successful business plan.
SIOUXLANDEDC.COM I 712.279.6430
Siouxland Economic Development Corporation offers
financial assistance programs and services to assist
small and medium sized businesses in getting started or
expanding.
MAKERSPACESIOUXCITY.ORG I 712.251.6050
MakerSpace Sioux City offers shared space for hobbyists,
inventors, artists and innovative people to come together
to create and teach through hands-on learning.
SPRINGBOARDCOWORKING.COM I 515.809.0052
Springboard Coworking offers shared office space in
downtown Sioux City for entrepreneurs that combines
the best elements of cafe culture with a productive,
functional, and affordable work environment.
ISUSTARTUPFACTORY.ORG I 515.294.7444
ISU Startup Factory is designed to help businesses bring
new products to the market and work with companies to
make them attractive to outside capital investors.
VENTURENETIOWA.COM I 515.471.1300
VentureNet Iowa connects ideas to resources,
management, and investors, to create jobs and build
businesses in Iowa. If you have a business idea in the
areas of Biosciences, Advanced Manufacturing, Value-
Added Ag, or Information Technology, you may qualify
for assistance through VentureNet Iowa.
Did you use one of these great resources? We want to
share your story! Visit our website at siouxlandmagazine.
com, fill out the form and connect with us today!
Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 39

Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 36
MARKETING BUILT
FOR YOUR BUSINESS!
> DIGITAL MARKETING SERVICES
+ Google Search Ads + Custom Websites + YouTube Ads
+ Facebook Ads
+ Digital Display Ads
+ Video Marketing
888.828.7934 | arvigmedia.com
Certified
speaker,
trainer
and
CoaCh.

Resilience: The Greatness of the Underdog
By Todd Rausch
This word has so many meanings for so many
people. For me, it’s about overcoming adversity,
to hang in there till the end and win. I am going to
share a recent experience and what it ultimately means to
be a business owner.
My wife Michele asked me last week if we could go to
Southern Iowa and help support small businesses who
had been affected by the terrible flooding in the recent
months. I said sure, so Friday we started on our little 400
mile round trip down the back roads of the Iowa West
Coast. Truly, it was very scenic and a nice break, but when
we got to where it had flooded, it was a devastating sight.
We were there for two days. We visited 11 businesses,
8 of which were small businesses and we talked to the
owners. What we found out is the obvious, that not all
small business owners treat their customers the same.
For a business owner, the biggest key to being resilient is to
provide the best customer service you can no matter what
the situation. Our internal ability to smile, be friendly, and
be appreciative is not stopped by outside circumstances.
Resilient people overcome external difficulties with internal
fortitude.
I wish all of these owners the best and hope you can learn
from our experience. Treat every customer as a buyer and
as someone who is there to receive the best you have.
Contact:
Todd Rausch, Regional Director
todd.rausch@witcc.edu
712-274-6454
Todd Raush is the Regional Director of America’s SBDC Iowa at
Western Iowa Tech Community College.
Siouxland Magazine | grow / 37
The first place we stopped was a small cafe. We were
the only customers and we just wanted some pie and ice
cream. The owner acted like we were bothering her by
giving her our business. Not a good start.
The second place we stopped was at a Lavender Farm, the
girl helping us was friendly and helpful. Then we talked to
the owner and heard the hard luck story of the last eight
years. I have had a business failure and can sympathize.
Another place we stopped was a winery and cider
maker. The owners were friendly and positive. They even
encouraged us to get supper from the small business
next door which we did and they brought it to our table.
Amazing service!
We then stopped at a brewery and had a great time with
the owners as we tasted their products. Outstanding.
Our hotel for the night was a small town hotel that was as
hot inside as out. When my wife told the owner that the
a/c wasn’t cooling the room the reply was, “It gets better
after dark”. That one, not so good.
The next day was a rough one as well as we were literally
told at a winery that we were a bother to the employee
because she couldn’t get her work done. Again, we were
the only customers there.
The bottom line is that when these businesses needed
help, we went down to give them our business and
support them. The resilient ones were happy and
helpful. For these business owners, it takes resilience and
gratitude at a time of uncertainty.

Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 38
From l to r: Sarah Keely, Korey Kletschke, Kalynn Sortino, Karissa Meyerhoff and Tyler Zellmer (SCGO 2019 Board Members).
Volunteering to Build a Better Siouxland
By Sonia Wilson
You have probably heard at one point or
another someone say, “There is nothing to do
in Sioux City.” Maybe you have even caught
yourself thinking the same thing. But where have
you been looking? Economic Development is on the
rise, the housing market is expanding, and nonprofits
in our community are continuing to make a difference!
And this is the best time to get involved! Don’t know
how? Here are a couple helpful hints to kick start your
community involvement.
Join A Local Organization
Whether you are looking for a short term volunteering
opportunity or an ongoing commitment to make a
difference, there are hundreds of nonprofit organizations
within the area that need your help. Find your passion,
and go! Are you an animal lover? Check out the Human
Society. Want to help children in need? There are a
multitude of afterschool programs and mentorships
available. Want to focus on your professional growth
and development skills? Join Sioux City GO!
Passion Is The Key
If you are passionate about the cause, you will become
more engaged and have a larger impact on your
community. Once you find that passion, step into an
engagement level that is right for you. The most common
would be to donate your time. Want more of a leadership
role? Join a board or sit in on an advisory council, help
facilitate and organize an event, or provide marketing
and outreach assistance. Of course a leadership role
requires more time but if you are helping a cause you
love, it’s not work and you will be able to initiate real
change.
Donate
If your time is limited and you still want to make a difference,
donate. A financial donation can go a long way. Not sure
where your funds are going? Just ask. Any size donation,
large or small, can make an impact on any size non-profit
organization. Think about all the different elements it takes
to build a house. Its needs a solid foundation and is built
one brick at a time. As a young professional, you may think
your dollars won’t make a big enough difference. But the
truth is, every dollar and every hour spent volunteering
does make a difference. You can help be the building
block to an organization’s success.
As young professionals in Sioux City GO, we understand
the importance in community service, volunteering, and
the overall benefit of getting involved. That is why our
Civic committee encourages involvement by maintaining
a list of open board positions in local organizations, and
volunteer opportunities as well as staying informed on a
variety of issues including government, and economic
development within Siouxland.
What are you waiting for? Be the leader, the game changer,
ignite your passion, and get involved to build a better
tomorrow for Siouxland.
Sonia Wilson is the Marketing Communications Specialist at
Great West Casualty Company and Marketing Board Adviser
for Sioux City Go. Photo credit Sonia Wilson.

Siouxland Magazine | grow / 39
From l to r: Heather Mansfield (Wells Enterprises, Inc.), Andrea Kovarna (FiberComm), Tammy Koopmans (Great West Casualty), Jean
Guy Richard (D2), Peggy Smith (Executive Director, Leadership Siouxland)
Bouncing Back
By Peggy Smith
If you met ten new people today and spent ten
minutes with each of them, you would hear about
their lives, their joys and, yes, the challenges they
have faced. Each person’s story would be unique and
the level of adversity faced would be of differing degrees
– but you would learn how each of them were resilient and
handled their challenges.
Life happens, and stress and frustrations are not going
to disappear anytime soon from the workplace, or our
everyday lives. We never know what may be right around
the corner for us, so it makes sense to learn how to handle
whatever may come up.
Resiliency is one of the domains of Positive Leadership, a
model that explores the characteristics of strong, effective
community leaders. When I think of resiliency, I think of
a kid’s small “super ball” - you know, the kind of rubber
ball that bounces back again and again and again – with
each bounce getting stronger and the ball going higher.
Learning to bounce back and thrive when faced with tough
situations is critical to becoming a respected leader. After
all, in today’s world, change is the one constant.
In today’s world, ways of working and living
evolve daily, and not changing and adapting
is not an option. Strong leaders can adjust
to changing environments without acting in
dysfunctional or harmful ways.
Change can be a powerful and positive force, however even
the most positive change is disruptive – even if in a good
way! True leaders can cope well with high levels of ongoing
disruptive change and sustain good health and energy even
when under constant pressure.
It isn’t easy practicing resiliency. Things like our own feelings,
other people and their reactions, too many commitments,
lack of purpose or vision and lack of organization can all
be factors that prevent us from bouncing back. But if we
can learn the art of resiliency, we are set up for success in an
ever-changing world. Participants in Leadership Siouxland,
a community leadership program, experience firsthand
opportunities to practice resiliency. The curriculum of
positive leadership is a tool used that provides education
and skill building.
Even more importantly, the stories participants learn from
the people they meet and the situations they experience
showcase all the ways leaders can adapt and make a
difference. Because, as leaders, others look to us to see how
WE handle adversity. Because we, as leaders, set the tone.
Because we all want to make a difference – an impact – and
sometimes it is only through resiliency that we find our way
to do so……Because often it is the difficult situations that
provide us the most opportunity to grow and shine. And
bounce! So, bring it on – we can handle it!
Leadership Siouxland is now accepting applications
for the 2019 – 2020 class. Apply by August 15 at
www.leadershipsiouxland.org.
Peggy Smith is the current Executive Director for Leadership
Siouxland, a role she assumed in 2017. Photo courtesy of
Leadership Siouxland.

Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 40
Fankhauser, Farrens & Rachel, PLC is a full-service law
firm in Sioux City, Iowa with attorneys who practice
in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The Firm was
originally created in 2016 by attorneys Theresa Rachel
and Dean A. Fankhauser, both having previously
practiced at other law firms in Sioux City. Dean and
Theresa wanted to provide clients with exceptional
service at an affordable rate and give their clients full
access to their case files 24/7. The Firm embraced
technology to make that happen. In 2019, attorney
T. Cody Farrens partnered with Theresa and Dean,
Fankhauser
Farrens &
Rachel, PLC
sparking the change in name from Fankhauser Rachel,
PLC to Fankhauser, Farrens & Rachel, PLC.
The Firm’s services include: Estate Planning and
probate; Family Law, including dissolution of marriage,
child custody, child support, and juvenile law matters;
personal Injury; business law and planning; Criminal
Defense; and, guardianship/conservatorship law.
When you choose Fankhauser, Farrens & Rachel, PLC,
you get a team of lawyers who work tirelessly to achieve
results in alliance with your goals.
T. Cody Farrens
Licensed in: IA, NE & SD
Practice Areas
• Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Dissolution of marriage
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Juvenile Law
• Criminal Defense
• Guardianship/Conservatorship
matters
Passion for the Law: My
passion comes from the people
I work for. And, I do whatever
I can to ensure that when my
representation ends, they are in
a better position than they were
before we met.
Dean A. Fankhauser
Licensed in: IA & NE
Practice Areas
• Litigation
• Business transactions
• Contract formation
• Business formation
• Corporate Law
• Probate
• Estate Planning
• Guardianship/Conservatorship
matters
• Criminal Defense
Passion for the Law: My passion
for the law stems from trust in our
legal system to equitably resolve
conflict, protect people from an
oppressive government, and
ensure individual liberties are
protected.
Theresa Rachel
Licensed in: IA
Practice Areas
• Litigation
• Dissolution of marriage
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Juvenile Law
• Criminal Defense
Passion for the Law: My
passion for the law was
ignited from watching family
members struggle to feel
heard in the justice system
and wanting to be a part of
building something better
“Best attorneys in town! Knowledgeable and
professional. I refer them every chance I get!”
– D.J.
“On the day we entered the courtroom, I truly believe we
had the best attorney we could ever have asked for.“
– M.
“A complete sense of relief when this firm took on
my situation(s) from the very start and all the way
to the finish. Very reasonable cost at an important
time of legal need, client-attorney transparency
with a client portal that gives you insight on filings,
updates, billing. I strongly recommend this firm!”
– J.

Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 41
Downtown is Growing. And Fast.
By Ragen Cote
When was the last time you went to Downtown
Sioux City? And I don’t mean cutting through to
avoid construction. I mean when did you last truly
experience Downtown Sioux City? If this idea makes
you chuckle, it’s understandable. Every downtown will
usually experience a ‘downturn’ at some point or another.
But Downtown Sioux City has a unique resilience through
the ups and downs.
Over the past few years, Downtown Sioux City has grown
rapidly with a resurgence of nightlife, upscale downtown
living opportunities, and major building renovations
and updates. So if it’s been a while since you last spent
time downtown, now’s the time to go! Just take a look
for yourself at some of the incredible growth going on in
Downtown Sioux City!
Lamb Theatre Project
Back in its prime, many well-known stars took the stage at
the 1909 Sioux City auditorium.
And now there are plans in place to bring it back. It’ll be
called the Lamb Arts Regional Theatre and will be fully
restored to its former glory with an exterior resembling
the original 1909 look and an interior featuring three
separate theaters!
Updates to the Convention Center
The Sioux City Convention Center currently hosts
over 200 events each year and has been appreciated
by many. But it’s about to get a facelift. These new
Convention Center updates will include the construction
of a new, nearly 73,000 square foot addition to the center
with the current convention space being converted into
a glamorous ballroom! Plus, the adjoining Courtyard by
Marriott will bring more visitors to the heart of downtown!
Warrior Hotel/Davidson Building Project
The old Warrior and Davidson buildings were once
icons in Downtown Sioux City. And now they’re making a
comeback! The plan includes a 146-room Autograph by
Marriott hotel, luxury apartments, bars, restaurants and
other retail outlets!
Marto Brewing
The 7,300-square-foot space adjacent to the Promenade
Cinema 14 is home to Marto Brewing Company with a
10-barrel brewhouse! The brewery has segregated spaces
for its sour and non-sour barrel programs, a taproom and a
100-seat restaurant!
Explore Downtown
With over 120 events happening each and every month,
a 90% increase in living units downtown since 2015, and
many more upcoming projects planned for the future,
Downtown is teeming with life and growing incredibly fast!
So if you haven’t checked out downtown Sioux City in a
while, go explore a little. You might be surprised at what
you find.
Ragen Cote is the Downtown Partners Director.
Photo credit Jason Babor.

Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 42
34 th Annual Meeting
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Orpheum Theatre
528 Pierce Street ~ Sioux City, Iowa
RUDY GIULIANI
107 th Mayor of New York City
Level 1 - Sponsorships are available for premium seating on a rst come, rst served basis.
If you are interested in sponsoring please call the Chamber office at 712.255.7903.
Level 2 - $55/ticket Level 3 - $45/ticket Level 4 - $25/ticket
This year’s event is a ticketed event. Tickets for Levels 2, 3 & 4 can be purchased online
at www.orpheumlive.com or at the Primebank Box Office at the Tyson Events Center.
9/11 Remembered
By Nick DeRoos
Mayor Giuliani is most remembered for his
leadership role after the 9/11 attacks. Many of
us still vividly recall that tragic day. In the hours, days
and months that followed, Giuliani provided a sense of
hope and resilience, not just for the people of New York
City, but for the Nation.
The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce will host its 34th
Annual Meeting at the Orpheum Theatre on Tuesday,
September 17, 2019, keynoted by Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Long recognized as “America’s Mayor,” Rudy Giuliani
led New York City through the aftermath of the most
devastating international terrorist attack in American
history.
As mayor, Giuliani instituted policies that helped clean
up New York City for residents and tourists alike, while
bringing in an era of fiscal responsibility and broadbased
economic growth. Earlier in his career, Giuliani
was a prosecutor who focused on white-collar crime.
With the Sioux City Convention Center under
renovation, the Orpheum Theatre was the logical choice
of venue for such a high-caliber speaker. As you may
recall, the Orpheum Theatre was publicly reopened on
September 15, 2001, just four days after the terrorist
attacks on New York City.
While there will not be a “dinner” this year, sponsors will
be invited to a VIP reception with Mayor Giuliani prior to
the event. Doors open at 6 pm to the general public for
social time and the program begins at 6:45 pm. All are
encouraged to patronize our local Chamber member
restaurants for dinner before or dessert after the event.
Mayor Giuliani’s message about Principled Leadership
in the Face of Change and Crisis will resonate with all
ages – from high school and beyond. Chamber members
and nonmembers are welcome. Take advantage of this
opportunity to hear a world-class speaker in a world-class
venue.
The Orpheum Theatre allows for a larger audience to be
able to hear the message and with ticket prices starting
at $25, we are hoping to have a broader audience. As
everyone knows, there is not a bad seat in the house.
Please join us in welcoming Mayor Rudy Giuliani to
the beautiful, historic Orpheum Theatre on Tuesday,
September 17, 2019 for an unforgettable evening.
Nick DeRoos is the present Chair for the Siouxland Chamber
of Commerce Board of Directors.

Diversity in Leadership
By Sonia Wilson
“I firmly believe I was in
the right place, at the right
time and was given the
opportunity to succeed
and lead.”
Mary Anderson is the Senior
Vice President, Treasurer, and
Chief Accounting Officer, at
Great West Casualty Company.
She began her career as a
Mary Anderson
public accountant until an
internal auditor position opened up at Great West
Casualty Company. Mary began her journey at Great
West and six months later, in 1989, she was offered the
Treasurer position. At this time, she was the first of two
women to ever be promoted into a senior management
role at Great West. Mary has learned many life and
leadership lessons that have attributed to her success.
Sonia: What does leadership mean to you?
Mary: Setting the example and providing guidance to
help others succeed.
Sonia: What do you attribute to your success?
Mary: Education is the beginning. Education, knowledge,
and hard work are all important however I firmly believe
I was in the right place, at the right time and was given
the opportunity to succeed and lead. When I was
promoted to Treasurer, I was one of two women to ever
be promoted to senior management. The CEO at that
time was a visionary leader and had made it a conscious
goal to have more women in leadership roles at Great
West. Partnered with my education, drive, timing, and
support of the leaders in the organization, I was tasked
with that amazing opportunity which has been followed
by others. It wasn’t just the timing, without the hard work
and dedication to my internal audit role, I would not have
seen the leadership opportunities I did. I had to qualify
myself and show the company my value and what I could
do to continue to add value to the organization.
Sonia: What challenges have you faced in your
leadership roles?
Mary: When I was advancing in my career, I found
networking and socializing in a work setting challenging.
The insurance and trucking industry is a male dominated
industry and it was difficult to network with men. They
didn’t want to speak to me. I remember that it wasn’t
until I had proven myself, it was difficult to have a simple
conversation. I had to work harder than the men and
prove myself and my value even more. Today networking
and socializing among men and women are more
common however, the barriers are still there.
Sonia: What is your best advice for young
professionals?
Mary: First, build strong relationships. Relationships are
the foundation to you being successful in your career.
Second, pay attention to what people are doing not what
they are saying. Follow up on verbal promises, are they
doing and giving you the opportunity, they promised?
If not, make a pivot and make your own path. Lastly, it is
important to not just do the job you were hired for but to
bring value to management and you will move up in the
organization.
Sonia: What advice would you give to women
who want to pursue leadership positions?
Mary: You have to be willing to work hard and go the
extra mile to prove yourself, be assertive, and find a way
to bring value. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or have a
fear of being too pushy. It is ok to challenge a stance as
long as you have the data and knowledge to back it up.
If you have already qualified yourself, be assertive and
pushy when needed. Once respect is built, your push
back will be better received. I caution people to be too
assertive without first qualifying and proving themselves.
Especially with women, it can be taken the wrong way
and you may think that makes people take you seriously,
but it actually can do the opposite.
Sonia Wilson is the Marketing Communications Specialist
with Great West Casualty Company.
Siouxland Magazine | Grow / 43

alance
Inside and out.
Mt. Evans Wilderness in Colorado.
Digital Well-Being
By Jianna Hoss
I grew up playing kickball in my backyard,
running around barefoot, and watching the
weather roll by. We spent winters sledding and having
snowball fights. We had dial up internet, although we
mostly used the computer to play pinball.
Our world moves fast, and we let it.
Surrounded by constant buzzing, pinging, vibrating, and
ringing, it’s no wonder we feel a little stressed out. We
live in a world that pulls our attention to a dozen places
at once and we have immediate access to information,
businesses, and people.
On average, Americans spend 24 hours a week on their
phones. That works out to nearly 3.5 hours per day. The
number only gets higher with younger generations who
spend upwards of 35 hours a week on their devices.
Our time is spent looking down to screens
instead of eye-to-eye with other humans.
Sure, we’re connected through the digital
realm, but are we connected when we sit
across from one another?
Technology isn’t the enemy. It has revolutionized the way
that we live, and allowed us to connect across the globe.
It does, however, need to be balanced out. We can do
that by making small but monumental changes in our
day-to-day lives, and returning to hobbies we left behind
in the name of technology.
Let’s seek out simple, again. Let’s turn our phones off
while we have coffee dates and family dinners. Let’s opt to
spend time outside when the sun shines. Let’s put down
the phone, and look up.
Change doesn’t have to be a huge thing, all at once.
Implementing small changes over a period of time can
help you be successful at creating a new normal.
Jianna Hoss is a local yoga teacher and movement practitioner.
In her free time, she loves to climb, slackline, and be outside
regardless of the season. You can practice movement and
yoga with her at {be} Studio downtown or learn more about
her at jiannahoss.com.
Photo courtesy of Jianna Hoss

eathe
clarity
nutrition
flexibility
strength
Here’s a few ways to simply change your outlook
on your usage of technology, and scale back
on the time spent looking down, rather than
looking up.
1. Track your consumption. Some phones are
built with features that track your usage. Find one that
alerts you when your time is up for the day and sends
diagnostics to you once a week.
2. Be person first. The next time you’re out to
lunch, sitting across the dinner table with loved ones,
notice if you’re phone-first or person-first. It seems
like a small thing to say, “I just have to answer this text
quick.” However, it’s a bigger act to not respond to the
message, and remain present with the person in front
of you. You help create a new normal.
3. Unplug for 24 hours, sundown to sundown.
Notice what happens. What do you fill your time with?
Are you able to connect more deeply, enjoy your meals,
and even find time for rest? Find a day that works, and be
disciplined in it.
4. Create better habits. Have cut-off points. Instead
of remaining on your phone until you go to sleep, try
turning your phone off an hour (or more) ahead of sleep.
Try to not scroll on it first thing in the morning.
5. Return to simpler times. Get outside. Have a grill
out. Play kickball or cards or a board game. See how
great you are at hopscotch, all these years later. Have
fun, without the screen.
Sources:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/01/decade-smartphones-now-spend-entire-day-every-week-online/
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/press-releases/deloitte-launches-2018-global-mobile-consumer-survey.html
NOW OFFERING
AESTHETIC SERVICES:
Facials
Chemical Peels
Microneedling
Dermasweep
Microblading
Waxing
Lash Lift & Tint
Organic Spray
Tans
CALL 712-224-SKIN TO SCHEDULE!

Siouxland Magazine | balance / 46
Amber’s Top 5 Healing JUICES
By Amber Sherman
How many times have you heard the phrase, “eat
more fruits and vegetables for better health”?
Probably many times. The American Heart Association
recommends a minimum of 4 servings of fruit and 5
servings of vegetables per day to maintain a healthy
diet. Even though we have heard this over and over,
how many of us out there are actually consuming this
amount? It is estimated by the Center for Disease Control
(CDC) that only 1 in 9 adults actually eats the proper
servings of fruits and vegetables daily. That means
for every 100,000 people, 88,889 are not consuming
an adequate amount of nutritious foods for optimal
health. This trend is alarming to me, and just based on
my observations of society today, many people seem to
be sick, tired and carrying excess weight. I suspect that
lack of fruits and vegetables may be a big part of the
problem…. But, let’s face it, eating the proper servings
of these nutritious foods can be especially difficult if you
are someone that doesn’t enjoy salads and often eats
on the go.
So, what can we do? I’m here to tell you, the answer is
actually quite simple. There is a way to get all of your fruit
and vegetable servings quickly and easily. The answer
is JUICING! All you need is a juicer, a few extra minutes
of time, and VIOLA! You have a delicious drink that is
chock full of nutrition, vitality, and life force energy! The
juice of fresh fruits and vegetables is the richest available
food source of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Juice
enables your body to easily assimilate the many valuable
nutrients found in food, and it allows you to get the
benefits of eating loads of fruits and vegetables, without
turning into a rabbit. I like to call fresh pressed juices
‘Vitamin and Mineral Cocktails’. Please note that I am not
referring to juices that you purchase pre-packaged in a
store, those juices are ok, but they do not hold the same
health benefits as a freshly made juice, that has not been
pasteurized.
I experiment with a variety of juices, but, today I would
like to share with you my TOP 5 favorites!
1) Celery Juice – Celery juice tops the list again. You
would be hard pressed to find a juice that has more
nutrition and healing properties than celery. This amazing
herb helps to strengthen HCL production in the gut and
increases the production of bile in the liver. Personally,
celery juice has helped to heal my digestive system issues,
my skin problems, and it gives me tremendous amounts

of energy! I drink this stuff Every. Single. Day. If you are
coming down with a cold, reach for celery juice, as celery
contains special mineral salts that help break down viral
loads in the body and alkalize the bloodstream. In my
opinion, it provides healing powers to just about any
condition you may have. Celery Juice = Pure Magic.
2) Cucumber Juice – Cucumber juice is my 2nd
favorite juice. It is a highly alkalinizing and hydrating
drink that is rich in nutrients such as vitamins A, C, K,
magnesium, silica, and potassium. It has the ability to
cleanse and detox the entire body as well as help to
alleviate digestive problems such as gastritis, acidity,
heartburn, indigestion, and ulcers. It is also an ideal way
to properly hydrate the body since it is contains beneficial
electrolytes that have the ability to bring nutrients and
hydration deep into the cells and tissues making it far
more effective than water alone. Finally, if you have a
fever, cucumber juice is an excellent remedy for helping
to cool down body temperature. So, that saying, ‘cool as
a cucumber’ is pretty much spot on!
Siouxland Magazine | balance / 47
3) Carrot & Ginger Juice – It doesn’t get much
more delicious than carrot ginger juice! Carrots are
a great fuel source for the liver and they inhibit the
growth of unfriendly microorganisms. Ginger improves
bile production and increases HCL production in the
stomach. The combination of these foods delivers a
one-two punch in helping the digestive system function
optimally.
4) Watermelon Juice – Watermelon is my all-time
favorite Summer fruit. In my opinion, there is not a
drink more refreshing and hydrating than watermelon
juice. Melons are predigested, which means they are
so assimilable that our digestive systems barely need
to process them when they enter the body. Drinking
melon juice is like getting intravenous nutrient therapy.
Watermelon specifically is known to significantly reduce
inflammation, help flush out edema, clean the liver, aid
in weight loss and alleviate depression. Watermelon
can also boost the immune system as well as strengthen
vision. So, drink up and enjoy!
5) Grape Juice – There is more to grape juice than
its rich, tempting color. It is a delicious sweet drink that
promotes heart, brain, and skin health. Grapes are
literally packed with antioxidants. Phytochemicals like
resveratrol and quercetin, procyanidins, tannins, and
saponins are a few antioxidants known to protect your
heart health. Fresh, organic grape juice has antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties, and it can help to slow
down the aging process. So, move over green juice,
grape juice is moving in as the next new-age detox drink.
Amber Sherman is a raw food enthusiast. Level I ISOD
(International School of Detoxification)
Photo credit (left page) Becca Feauto.
Photo credit (right page) Amber Sherman.
CELERY JUICE
Ingredients:
2-3 Bundles of Celery Stalks
Directions:
Place celery stalks in juicer.
Drink up and enjoy!
Please note:
The best way to take your celery juice is to
drink a minimum of 16 oz. of straight celery
juice every morning on an empty stomach,
then waiting 15-30 minutes before eating
breakfast. Work this into your schedule and
see for yourself how it works its magic!
Resources:
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/
add-color/fruits-and-vegetables-serving-sizes
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/whatshould-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruitvegetable-consumption.html
William, Anthony. Life Changing Foods. Hay House
Publishers. 2016.
William, Anthony. Liver Rescue. Hay House Publishers. 2018.

Siouxland Magazine | balance / 48
The Window of Tolerance
By Nesrin Abu Ata
People generally experience ebbs and flows
in life with a range of emotions and body
sensations. This concept is known as the “window
of tolerance”, coined by Dan Siegel. The range of the
window of tolerance is different for each individual, and
can be affected by the amount of sleep, exercise, dietary
habits, trauma history and physical health among other
things. Each person also has an ability to selfregulate
to stay within this window of tolerance.
A healthy window of tolerance is wide,
flexible, and a person is able to use
self-regulation skills to remain within
the window of tolerance.
We start to build self- regulation and the range of
our window of tolerance as infants, with the help of
our caregivers. For example, an infant feels hungry,
which may raise fear or panic, and when the caregiver
provides food, the infant feels full, has her needs met
and returns to feeling content and calm. This is known
as co-regulation; creating regulation with the help of
someone else. Another example is when a toddler is
fussy, scared or upset, the caregiver provides comfort and
a sense of safety; the toddler is able to return to feeling
safe and content.
The autonomic nervous system, specifically through a
nerve known as the vagus nerve, drives self-regulation and
is able to keep a person within the window of tolerance.
The vagus nerve is a big nerve, think of it as a highway
that connects between the brain, heart, lungs and the
gut-brain and is in constant cross talk communication
between all of them. When someone’s heart is racing, or
they have chest tightness, the vagus nerve carries these
signals to the brain, specifically the brain stem. This is
known as our reptile brain, or survival brain, where we
react freeze, fight or flight in order to survive. If the signals
are not too overwhelming, and we are able to use selfregulation
skills that come from the cortical brain, then
we are able to notice what we feel in our body, identify
it, name it and instead of immediately react to it, be able
to stay with the feeling of heart racing, learn from it and
bring down the racing heart.
When the signals from our body are too strong, such
as fear or anger, this overwhelms the nervous system.
Instead of the signals traveling from the vagus nerve, to
the brain stem and then to the cortical brain where we

can self regulate, get stuck in the brain stem. The
brain stem only knows to do three things to survive -
fight, flight or freeze. As a result, the body goes into
“hyperarousal” mode, also known as fight or flight,
where the heart races, we experience shortness
of breath, have a heightened sense of awareness,
become hypervigilant, and thoughts become chaotic
or rigid. The body may also go into “hypoarousal
Learning to notice when we are in
hyperarousal or hypoarousal states and
then take steps to help us feel calm and
safe is the practice of returning to our
window of tolerance.
state”, also known as “freeze”, where a person may
feel like they freeze, become numb or depressed,
withdraw and feel that they can’t think. Quite often,
when the window of tolerance is overwhelmed, the
person may alternate between hypoarounsal and
hyperarousal states.
Once we are back in the window of tolerance again,
we feel safe and content and are able to handle
different emotions, events and feelings.
The building blocks to return to the window
of tolerance are: feeling safe in our body,
feeling safe in our emotions/thoughts
and feeling safe in our environment and
relationships.
There are different skills that help with restoring
a sense of safety, including mindfulness. Others
include being in the here and now with grounding
exercises and walking and practicing different types
of breathing techniques to slow down the autonomic
nervous system.
As you go through the day today, ask yourself, where
you are in relationship to your window of tolerance?
Are you within your window of tolerance? Are you
above or below your window of tolerance? Can
you practice mindfulness, or go for a walk, or take a
deep breath for a few minutes to bring yourself back
into your window of tolerance?
Nesrin Abu Ata is a psychiatrist and a family physician
who trained at the University of Iowa Hospitals and
Clinics. I have an interest in integrative psychiatry.
Photo credit Becca Feauto.
At Le Mars Beauty College, we are committed
to inspiring our students and teaching them
the skills they need to be successful in any
area of our ever expanding beauty industry.
• 100% Passing Rate on State Board.
• Successful Job Placement!
Classes Start:
September 10th
Go to LeMarsBeautyCollege.com to apply.
128 Central Ave SE | Le Mars IA 51031
712.546.4195 | info@LBC4U.com
Siouxland Magazine | balance/ 49
Resource: The Body Keeps The Score
Author Bessel Van Der Kolk.

Stop suffering
with chronicpain
Enhance Your Body’s Natural Ability to Heal
Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy
Find relief without surgery
& start enjoying life again!
Stem cell therapy is now available, in office, at
Multicare Clinic. As a minimal risk, high benefit alternative to surgery,
stem cell procedures are typically able to compel the body to do what it
was meant to do – heal naturally. Whether you choose to use your own,
or ethically and safely donated stem cells, we abide by strict protocols
including rigorous testing and processing at only FDA registered biologic
laboratories. Stem cells procedures help with reduction or elimination
of pain and inflammation, minimizing scar tissue, and promoting soft
tissue growth. The future of Medicine is here, making our goal of
addressing the source of your pain more obtainable than ever.
Arthritis
The Power of
Regenerative Medicine
can effectively treat:
Ilene D.
Knees & Ankle
“In 2016, I was in an accident that
destroyed the tibia plateau of my knee,
which is what holds your knee, and it
also severely strained my ankle in that
right leg. I had three stem cell shots.
When the procedure was over, they
did a little bit of treatment and then
we walked right out of here. I am just
amazed how much better I feel. The
staff here has been wonderful. We feel
very welcome when we come in and
we know that they are concerned for
us. If we have a question, they find the
answer for us.”
Bursitis
Tendonitis
Muscle Problems
Cartilage Problems
Joint Problems
Plantar Fasciitis
Tennis/Golfers Elbow
Sports Injuries
(712) 276-4325
MulticareClinic.com
Harold I.
Hip & Knees
“It seemed like I’d been suffering forever.
The pain was in my left hip and both
my knees. Since I’ve had it done, my
arthritic pain has disappeared. I have
ambition. I feel like doing something. I
don’t sit in the car waiting for my wife
to shop. I actually go with her, which I
don’t know if that’s a good idea, but
that’s what I do. I didn’t realize it would
change like it has. Life’s great! I look
forward to doing things every day now.
I would recommend it to anybody, and I
have. I don’t know why you wouldn’t.”
Stem cell therapy is still considered
experimental by the FDA.

Who Is A Candidate &
Why Multicare Is The Best Choice
For Your Regenerative Medicine Care
Regenerative Medicine is rapidly becoming the most promising advancement in modern
medicine with its ability to repair injured and damaged tissue in the body. Simply put,
regeneration by definition means to bring into existence again, so it’s basically returning
your body to its healthy state.
This is exciting news for those suffering with chronic pain. With regenerative medicine procedures you
would not only eliminate your pain, but Repair and Rebuild any injured area of your body. It is addressing
the source of pain by trying to fix the actual problem.
By harnessing the power of biology, healing can happen naturally and effectively. This is a next generation
non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment that uses the human body’s own ability to heal, and has been
shown to be extremely effective in helping people with knee pain, shoulder pain, back pain, neck pain,
joint pain from arthritis to other types of pain from chronic disease.
Attending one of the free educational seminars will not only provide more information, but also allows for
attendees to receive a complimentary consultation. The consultation gives you the opportunity to ask the
doctor questions and for the doctor to determine if you may be a candidate. Multicare is purpose driven, to
help as many people as possible live long, healthy, pain-free lives. Time and attention is given to patients
to determine the best course of action.
Certainly the fact that Multicare has been a part of Siouxland for nearly twenty years, with over 100
years of combined medical experience, and has a reputation for exceptional care makes a strong case for
choosing Multicare for regenerative medicine procedures. But here are a few more great reasons to choose
the clinic that’s leading the way in regenerative medicine with stem cells.
• Multidisciplinary Clinic (Medical, Chiropractic & Physical Therapy)
• We’re one of 190 Centers of Excellence in completing hundreds of thousands of Stem Cell Procedures
• Follow strict International Review Board Protocols
• Use the Highest Quality Products and Use Image Guidance for Better Results
• FREE No Obligation Consultation
• Complimentary monthly follow-ups for six months after the injection
Next issue:
Effectiveness of Stem Cells
and the Cost
To Get the Date and Time of Our Next Seminar:
Attendees
Receive
Special
Offer
Can’t wait to learn more…
Attend One of Our
FREE Educational Seminars
Call Us
(712) 276-4325 Office Hours
(712) 266-6294 After Hours
at Multicare | 3930 Stadium Drive
Like Us
@MulticareHealthClinic

explore
Get dirty.
A Resilient Approach to Stormwater Management
By Carrie Raloff
Stormwater is often viewed as a nuisance;
something that must be directed to the
nearest storm drain as quickly as possible. Most
communities depend on storm intakes and a system
of pipes to carry stormwater away to prevent flooding.
Not much thought is given to how stormwater runoff
interacts with the surrounding landscape and how our
actions can affect the quality of the water that ultimately
enters the Missouri River.
Today’s Landscape
Take a look around your community; how much
“green” vs. “gray” do you see? For decades we’ve
seen increasingly more “gray” in the form of streets,
highways, parking lots, sidewalks, and buildings. These
are impervious surfaces, areas that don’t allow rain or
snow melt to soak into the ground, creating what is
called stormwater runoff. “Green” areas, such as parks,
landscaping, open areas, and drainage ditches are
referred to as pervious surfaces and are able to soak up
more stormwater, reducing runoff.
Connection to the Missouri River
Impervious areas paired with an efficient storm system
convey water quickly to the nearest stream, often at very
high rates that damage vegetation and lead to erosion and
steep banks in stream channels. Runoff from these areas
often carries pollutants such as gasoline and oil residue,
de-icing chemicals, sediment, heavy metals, and bacteria.
And while lawns are not considered to be impervious and
do allow some precipitation to soak into the ground, heavy
rains carry lawn chemicals, animal waste, and other debris
such as grass clippings and leaves to storm drains. In
Sioux City, stormwater, along with these pollutants, flows
to Perry Creek, the Floyd River, Bacon Creek, or the Big
Sioux, before ultimately emptying into the Missouri River,
which provides drinking water, recreational uses such as
boating and fishing, and habitat for several species.

fresh air
get outside
protect
active
play
Changing Attitudes Towards Stormwater
Fortunately attention at the national level regarding
stormwater impacts to water quality have led to better
laws and policies. Along with water quality, flooding and
infrastructure maintenance are also concerns. A community’s
growth and continued development increase the strain on
our stormwater infrastructure. Preserving natural spaces and
implementing green infrastructure can reduce impacts to
water quality, act as buffers during flood events, and reduce
stress on our City’s stormwater system, all of which support
sustainable growth and a more resilient community.
Reducing the Impact
Communities and property owners are increasingly
implementing green infrastructure, such as rain barrels,
rain gardens, swales, bioretention basins or “biocells”,
and permeable pavement. Rain gardens, biocells, and
permeable pavement systems are designed to capture and
infiltrate the first 1.25 inches of rain, often referred to as
the “first flush”, and which carries the majority of pollutants.
Incorporating green infrastructure improves water quality,
slows and reduces stormwater runoff, and can provide
habitat to support our pollinators.
Local Projects
Two Urban Water Quality Initiative Projects funded by the
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship were
completed in 2017: the Promenade Improvement Project and
Riverside Soccer Complex Biocell Project. Two large biocells
at Southern Hills Mall were completed in late 2018. And
this year, biocells will be constructed at the Siouxland Expo
Center and Lewis and Clark Park. Though they may appear
to be simple landscaping, biocells are designed to capture
and infiltrate runoff from precipitation events that are less
than 1.25 inches, which historically account for 90% of
rain events in Iowa. The root systems of the native plants
in these biocells are better able to reduce the amount of
water leaving the site, while capturing and breaking down
pollutants, all while providing habitat for pollinators.
Biocells are designed to capture and infiltrate
runoff from precipitation events that are less
than 1.25 inches, which historically account
for 90% of rain events in Iowa.
The City received a grant from the Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship through the Urban Water
Quality Initiative Program to assist with the Siouxland Expo
Center bioretention basin project. The Siouxland Expo
Center will connect by trail to Chris Larsen Park, which will
also include several biocells with native plants and a “green
roof” shelter, another green infrastructure practice that uses
soil and native plants to reduce runoff.
Carrie Radloff chairs the Northwest Iowa Group of Sierra Club
and serves on the Sioux City Environmental Advisory Board.
Photo credit Carrie Radloff.

Siouxland Magazine | explore / 54
Building Resilience through the Outdoors.
By Olivia Parks
Every living thing is influenced by stress.
The stressors that come to mind as adults include work,
family, and money. Similar to their parents, children are
also influenced by daily hardships but unlike adults,
they do not have the knowledge of how to cope with
this feeling. There are also many environmental factors
that we encounter on an annual basis. Some factors
that Siouxland experiences are floods, extreme heat,
drought, and extreme cold. These environmental factors
are influenced by our climate which native plants have
grown to be resilient against. One of the most resilient
environments in our region is prairie. Children benefit
from observing these conditions in prairies and being
out in these environments to learn how to be resilient
against the harsh conditions in their own life.
Though there are only less than 0.1% remaining of
the original prairies, they are one of the most robust
ecosystems that exist. Prairies consist of mostly native
grasses, flowers, or forbs and when those native plants
are grown together in a community they become strong
against environmental hazards. In floods, these plants
will retain rainwater and also help stabilize the landscape
by preventing erosion because of their root system.
During droughts, plants will go dormant without water
until they are rehydrated then they will perk right back
up and not die. Many of the prairie plants are also heat
resistant and can handle the extreme heat, and in the
winter, their roots are so deep and dense underground,
averaging two-thirds of the plant being underground,
that they are able to survive in the freezing temperatures.
Finally, prairies are a low maintenance ecosystem and do
not require fertilization or pesticides. Prairies attract native
wildlife and pollinators that provide protection from
harmful invaders.
Being in nature benefits child development
too. Having children outside allows them to
burn off energy, improve their mood, and
helps improve focus which helps in school.
Schools use recess as a time for students to get outdoors
and try to gain the benefits from it, but recess is not nearly
enough time to fully gain the experience of being in
nature. One of the best ways to observe children gaining
tractability is by taking a long hike on a rough trail. In
this type of condition, children will experience some
discomfort that they would not normally get exposed to.
They would be asked to push their limits, either by waiting
until they reached the end of a stretch of trail to catch their
breath or waiting longer times between breaks for a snack
or water.

Siouxland Magazine | explore / 55
Useful Websites:
https://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/DNR-News-Releases/
ArticleID/201/Great-Escapes-7-of-Iowa%E2%80%99s-Best-Hikes
https://americanhiking.org/resources/hiking-with-kids/
https://lnt.org/
Parents can help build their children’s spirit by pushing
those limits, but also by encouraging them to find a
walking stick or to lean on each other to assist in
easing the pain. They can also help build emotional
strength by hiking to earn a reward at the end of
the trail, whether the peak of a mountain or a secret
waterfall or lake. To increase entertainment on a hike,
include games or even an outdoor scavenger hunt to
help with longer hikes. By hiking trails frequently you
will also build the child’s emotional power by showing
them that not all things are permanent. One time you
hike a trail you may see hundreds of flowers growing
in the prairie, the next time it is brown and dormant or
even burned up. If you return to that place again later
next year, you might be able to see the return of those
once beautiful flowers.
Over time, like the prairie, the children you hike with will
gather the resilience to continue fighting against those
stressors. They will go on that hike and understand
that the discomfort is only temporary. They will gain
the knowledge that with a little help they can tackle the
challenge presented to them and take that into their
everyday life.
Olivia Parks, AmeriCorps 4-H Environmental Education
Naturalist, Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
Photos courtesy of Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center.

Siouxland Magazine | Explore / 56
Resilience in the Garden and on the Farm
By Mark Raymond and Jenny Jorgensen
As gardeners we can plan months ahead of time,
have all our seeds ordered, all our materials
ready, everything laid out perfectly, but we also
know that things do go wrong.
A few weeks ago in one of our last sessions of School
Garden 101 at Woodbury County Extension, we
discussed some of the benefits of gardening in a school
setting. As we talked to one of the primary benefits
defined was teaching youth it’s okay to make mistakes.
If you do make mistakes, you need to take the time to
look at what happened and figure out if it can be fixed
now or what to do differently next time! Resiliency! Turn
the mistake into a learning opportunity! In today’s world
many students through the full age gamut have not
developed the use of this skill. Too many often feel that
mistakes are failures when they are really opportunities
for learning!
Many of us start our gardens with our own seeds in
order to save money and be able to share seedlings with
others. But most years, we know there is a possibility we
will have some problems along the way.
Some of those problems may the following:
• Older seeds that don’t germinate
• Low germination rates
• Too much water/not enough water
• Height of lights above the seeds affecting
stem development
• Temperature
After “hardening off” by moving our seedlings to
protected areas from sun and wind for a few days after
the last frost, we eventually plant into the garden, raised
beds, grow bags and anything that works as a planter. We
still can have problems. Even if we are consistent with our
watering and fertilizing it is easy to still lose some plants
due to high winds or hail or too much rain as well as pests.
And what about resilience in regards to pests? (No, we’re
not referring to your big-hearted neighbor who thinks
you need another bushel basket of zucchini). Pests for the
gardener can include not only a wide variety of insects but
also a number of walking, crawling, flying or burrowing
creatures whose survival is made easier by stopping
by your garden for a meal...and their determination
in gaining access to your bounty is a testimony to their
resilience in adapting to any and all methods employed
to limit their indulgence.
However, if you’ve gardened for any length of time, you
know that you will not eliminate all of the invaders, nor
should that even be your goal. Resilience in the garden
also means sharing what you’ve grown with the unwanted,
but not unexpected, drop-in diners. As a gardener, you are
always striving to balance your flexibility with that of the
lasting ability of ubiquitous garden pests. Understanding
these pests you will inevitably confront in your garden and
appreciating their resilience will help you to respect these
worthy opponents and become more resilient yourself.
It’s a bug-eat-vegetable world out there and we’re just
living in it.

A huge thanks goes to those who “garden on a much higher
level”, our farmers, who are so much more greatly affected
by pests and Mother Nature. Farmers plan for next year’s
crop a minimum of six months ahead of time. Most times
their cash outlay for the next Spring’s planting is paid six
or more months out. Some applications of nutrients or
pest controls are applied in the fall. Last year’s fall was not
conducive to this application in some areas. So the farmer
looks at Plan B. This spring threw more curve balls to
farmers than anyone needs to confront. Because it was too
wet, a different chemical combination of nutrients had to
be used. Physically (since most farmers hire the application
of nutrients done), there is simply not enough equipment
to get it done when a farmer might really want it done.
The farmer just “keeps working the plan” with the special
resilience they have to believe in the future.
Siouxland Magazine | Explore / 57
Planting may need to be postponed until all the parts fall
into place on a different schedule than planned. This year
with the major flooding, seeds that had been bought last
fall needed to be changed out for many farmers. A different
seed with a shorter growing season and other attributes
fitting the individual farmers goals had to be bought.
Just when things appear to be moving forward Mother
Nature continued to make her presence known. Late
planted crops became stripped by hail or laid flat by
excessively high winds just in recent days. Only time will tell
if those crops are a total loss or will regain for some harvest
potential. Resilience and learning what we can do to work
the problem are how we keep our focus and continue to
move forward.
Food (and the food to feed the cattle, hogs, chickens, and
more animal food sources for us) comes from farmers and
ranchers in their gardens or vegetable farms, fields, and
pastures.
Someone somewhere has to grow it or raise it (meat
products) before it can be sold at the grocery store. In
today’s society, it seems many people have forgotten this or
never understood it.
It is through the resilience, the “let’s-try-this-again” and the
“we-will-get-through-this” attitudes of farmers, ranchers,
and gardeners that we all continue to have food available to
purchase at stores and seasonally at our wonderful Farmers
Market.
Jenny is a Master Gardener and joined Up From the Earth
after retiring as a SC kindergarten teacher. She consistently
works to connect extra produce from home gardeners to the
community affected by food insecurity.
We need to help educate people to
understand where food truly comes from
and the wonderful resilience our growers
and farmers have to overcome and move
ahead keeping all of us fed.
4625 Singing Hills Blvd
Sioux City, IA
(712) 274-6622
Mark Raymond (aka the Zucchini Guy) joined Up From
The Earth after retiring from Mercy Medical Center’s
Neurophysiology/Sleep Lab. He is a Master Gardener and
likes to try at least three unique veggies each year.
Photos courtesy of Up From The Earth.
www.VernEideHondaSiouxCity.com

enjoy
You only live once.
Sfumato Pizzeria: Offering a Refined Experience
By Kolby DeWitt
Major highway and road expansions are often
a bane and hindrance to many of Iowa’s (and
the nation’s) best, small town eateries, cutting
off or steering away a steady supply of hungry
passersby.
In the case of Sfumato Pizzeria and the Highway 60
bypass completed in the late 2000’s, the busy four-lane
highway leads you right to the delicious rural Carnes, IA
restaurant.
Located at the intersection of K64 and Highway 60 in a
former service station, Sfumato Pizzeria’s Shannon and
Matt Slemp are masters of their domain, preparing pizza
pies with precision. “We just aim to get extremely good at
one thing, and excel at it,” says Shannon. The admirably
simply menu leaves the decisions to a minimum, but no
set of pizza-lover lacking. Matt’s father, Mark, is also a
principal of the thriving business.
“Everything is made entirely in house,” prides the
confident Shannon. “Our mozzarella cheese is made
fresh daily, as is our dough. The tomatoes are crushed
Marzano, imported often from Italy.” The creamy dressing
is of Vidalia onions and jalapeno jam. The chocolate
cake and even the art that hangs in the bistro is by their
waitress, Anne Plageman. The compound itself is largely
the handiwork of Mark and Matt, whose day jobs have
them creating custom constructions across the country.
The northern addition, which is timber framing, is built in a
jigsaw manner from the ground up.
Although the menu is concise, the variety is wide, with
eight prefabbed Neapolitan Pizza options (and endless
variances for those who want to personalize). “We start
the dough each morning, and it proofs in the afternoon,”
Shannon describes. “We then we add the sauce, then
toppings, and place it in our 900 degree, wood-fired brick
oven, custom ordered from Naples, Italy.” The cooking
process is a mere 90 seconds, and that’s all it takes to
slightly blacken the crust which gives it unrivaled flavor.
While dining with Siouxland Magazine owners Becca and
Stacie, we dined like Italian nobility! We first sampled
the Fig and Caper. Topped with prosciutto ham, it was
complemented by (you guessed it) figs and capers. This
pizza also had mushrooms and arugula.

have fun
entertainment
culture
gather
relax
We next tasted the Barbeque Pizza, ours topped with Italian
sausage. Barbeque sauce served as the base, and cilantro
added a fresh finish. As a pizza purist, I was originally alarmed by
the pineapple addition, but it did accompany the ingredients
quite well, and it is an item I look forward to ordering again.
Lastly for pizzas, we partook in a good ol’ fashioned Pepperoni
Pizza. With this, Sfumato Pizzeria’s fresh made cheese and
Marzano tomato sauce really stood out. The tomatoes boasted
a sweet and wholesome flavor. I had the honor of eating this
one steaming hot, seconds from being removed from the oven.
All of this knowledge of the science behind Neapolitan pizza
comes from a course Matt took with Verace Pizza Napoletana
(VPN), an international regulatory body of this particular pizza
variety.
In addition to the Neapolitan pizzas, Sfumato Pizzeria has a
delicious dessert menu and diverse drink selection. The star
of the dessert menu is the gelato. “You’re eating the Rote
Grütze,” says Shannon, “which has strawberries, blackberries,
and raspberries. This is also made in-house.” She also pointed
out how well the gelato espouses the deep, rich flavor of the
berries. I didn’t think that the small cup it came in would be
enough, but somehow it was the perfect amount. There is also
a Chocolate Cake (you guessed it, also made in-house) which
has an airy bread, and is topped with a creamy dark chocolate
frosting.
The vast drink assortment is unrivaled for miles. “These are
all hand-selected wines. Tough gig, right?” says Shannon.
Although she jests, it is clear she isn’t kidding, everything
about Sfumato Pizzeria is intentional and chosen with purpose.
While we were photographing and interviewing for the story,
Shawn, a regular from Sioux Center approached me. “This is the
best kept secret around. I bring friends and family here all the
time,” he says, satisfied after another filling evening. The front
door was practically rotating while we were there on a typical
Thursday night. As Becca, Stacie, and I were recovering from
our smorgasbord that would make E. B. White’s Templeton
character proud, we all had the same revelation: Of the several
dozen customers we observed at Sfumato Pizzeria, none
of the tables had their phones out (even the Millennials and
Generation Zers). People definitely come for the experience,
and Sfumato Pizzeria does not disappoint.
For the next time you’re traveling north out of Le Mars on
Highway 60, Sfumato Pizzeria is open from 5pm-9pm, Thursday
through Sunday.
Kolby Dewitt has enjoyed writing (primarily about food) for
Siouxland Magazine since 2010.
Photo credit Becca Feauto.

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 60
Back-to-School
Isn’t All About the Kids!
Stop in and treat yourself
to a little something special.
You’ve earned it momma!
We’ve got dresses, accessories,
bags and more!
Located on 4th & Court Street
on the 2nd floor inside
Belle Salon & Spa.
A Full Service Marketing Firm
Designed for Your Small Business.
Social Media. Website Design. Photography.
Copywriting. Graphic Design. Video.
Pulse
MARKETING
712.898.9727
pulse co.com

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 61
Enjoy this homemade cheesecake at Sfumato Pizzeria.
Filled With Love: Cheesecake
By Jada Tirre
I learned to make the cheesecake from Nathan
‘Nate’ Howe who had worked at Sfumato’s and
had passed down the recipe to me. I met Nate at
the Le Mars Farmers Market in the summer of 2018, when
I started my business, Filled with Love.
I brought an assortment of baked goods (Chocolate
covered bacon, artisan bread, empanada, bagels, Aztec
brownies, cake pops, etc.) and would always share with
Nate. He had become my unofficial mentor as he would
offer feedback.
In the Fall of 2018, Nate had an opportunity in front of him
that would take him to California. He had recommended
to Shannon Slemp at Sfumato’s that I continue providing
the cheesecake.
The truth is, the cheesecake is really one of the cleanest
label recipes I have. Meaning that it has very minimal
ingredients. I have done only small tweaks with the recipe
and ran this by a few taste testers for approval.
Any individual can find a ton of great cheesecake recipes,
but I believe that process is really what makes the food
come to life. It’s a form of tradition, although we are all
not family by blood, we can all connect through food.
And of course, my cheesecake is always Filled with Love.
I would encourage teenagers to align with their parents
and even themselves early on about what they want to
accomplish. I often ask myself, what is the goal? My mom
and dad have been amazing. I have taken over a good
portion of the kitchen and have my own baking area, not
including the time that I occupy the kitchen!
Jada Tirre, student at Le Mars Community
High School.
I would also recommend finding mentors that are going
to show you something beyond an internet video. Yes, you
can learn just about anything online today, but that does
not replace a face-to-face conversation and hands-on
learning.
Photo credit (left) Becca Feauto and (right) Chelsi Hector with
C-Starr Photography.
Giving Back
This morning something surreal happened at the Le Mars
Farmers Market. There were about 10 vendors set up for
sale at the market. The market had already opened up
and we were about 10 or 15 minutes past 9.
The storms were supposed to go around us and head
north but all of the sudden you could see the clouds
rolling in, fast. The winds ended up lifting and ruining
about 5 or 6 tents. A ton of vendors products were
destroyed or unsalvageable after being thrown on the
ground.
Everyone was holding onto the tents and helping
each other out. There was at least one vendor that was
considering opting out of the remainder of the season
because of the damage done.
I am thinking about how to replace the tents for the
vendors that lost their tents and goods. This also has me
thinking quite a bit about how Filled with Love can not
only benefit myself, but others around me.

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 62
FIFI – The B29 Superfortress will fly into Siouxland
By Jacques Robitaille and Pamela Mickelson
Get ready to rumble in Siouxland! The rumble of
engines from one of the rarest World War II bombers,
the B-29 Superfortress FIFI will be heard over the skies of
Siouxland in August when she visits Sioux Gateway Airport
as part of the AirPower History Tour of the Commemorative
Air Force. The event is being held in partnership with the
Mid America Museum of Aviation and Transportation.
The bomber is to be accompanied by a T-6 Texan and a PT-
13 Stearman.
The Boeing B-29 was the most advanced four-engine
bomber of WWII and featured many innovations such as
a pressurized cockpit, remote-control computerized firecontrol
system that operated four machine gun turrets,
and onboard radar. It was the most expensive weapons
project undertaken by the United States during the war,
costing more than $3 billion, which exceeded the cost of
the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb.
The bomber could fly higher, 31,850 feet, than any other
bomber of the period and had a top speed of 350 miles
per hour.
Superfortresses were used in the China-Burma-India Theater
and in the Pacific Theater of Operations where their range
could take the air war to Japan. Hundreds of B-29s at a time
would make the 3,000-mile round-trip from the islands of
Guam, Saipan, and Tinian on missions lasting anywhere
from 12 to 18 hours.
On August 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay dropped an atomic
bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, the B-29 Bockscar,
dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Those two
missions led to the end of the war and the surrender ceremony
on the deck of the USS Missouri on September 2 with 525
B-29s flying overhead in a show of force.
FIFI is one of only two flying B-29s in the world. She was
acquired by the CAF in 1971 from the U.S. Navy Proving
Grounds in China Lake, California. After a three-year restoration
she began touring in 1974 and has been entertaining air show
audiences across the country ever since.
Known as the “Pilotmaker,” the T-6 Texan was an advanced
flight trainer manufactured by North American Aviation, the
same company that built the P-51 Mustang fighter. First flown
in 1935, the T-6 introduced new pilots to a complex aircraft
with more speed, 200-plus miles per hour, to prepare them
for the warbirds they would fly in combat in WWII. The T-6
was designed for an instructor and student, and had a closed
cockpit. Airshow fans may notice the T-6 serving the CAF as
an impersonator---several of the airplanes have been slightly
modified and painted as Japanese torpedo bombers and
fighters for the Tora, Tora, Tora re-enactment of the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
The Boeing PT-13 was the primary flight trainer for all
branches of the military during World War II. Officially named
the Boeing Model 75, this plane is almost universally known

as the “Stearman”. If an aspiring aviator wanted to earn his
wings, he started in the iconic bi-plane, which was sturdily built
to withstand the abuse of flight students. The open cockpit
airplane had a maximum speed of 135 miles per hour. A ride
in the fully aerobatic Stearman brings back the wind-in-your
hair feeling of the early days of flying.
The aircraft will be located at the Sioux Gateway
Airport. Parking and entrance gates are located
at the south end of the field at 6121 Pershing
St., Sioux City. The Mid America Museum of
Aviation and Transportation is located just off
Harbor Drive on the northeast corner of the field
at 2600 Expedition Ct., Sioux City, IA 51111.
Plenty of parking is available at both sites.
A big band dance will feature the Mearl Lake Orchestra and
VIP access to The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) crew on
Saturday August 10 at the air museum. To purchase tickets go
to www.midamericaairmuseum.org. To book a ride on any of
the CAF aircraft, go to www.airpowertour.org.
Collecting aircraft for nearly a half a century, the CAF now ranks
as one of the largest air forces in the world. Today the CAF has
approximately 13,000 members and a fleet of more than 175
aircraft representing more than 60 different types, including
planes from several foreign countries and other military
conflicts since World War II. The CAF was founded to acquire,
restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection
of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of
the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the
education and enjoyment of present and future generations of
Americans.
The airshow will be open to the public from 9
a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday,
August 7-11. Access to the ramp where the
warbirds are parked is $15 for adults, $9 for
children ages 10-17 and free for children nine
and under. Supporting aircraft will be offering
rides all five days. The B-29 flies on Saturday
and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Cockpit
tours of the B-29 will be available beginning at
9 a.m., except on Saturday and Sunday when
they will begin at noon.
The ramp fee includes free admission to
the Mid America Museum of Aviation and
transportation, located at the airport at 2600
Expedition Ct., Sioux City IA 51111. Additional
information about the museum can be found at
MidAmericaAirMuseum.org.
Siouxland Siouxland Magazine |
Magazine Enjoy | Design / 63 Issue / 21
The Headquarters of the CAF is located in Dallas, TX. CAF
members live in every state and 28 foreign countries. In 26
states and four foreign countries, members have joined
together and formed units to foster camaraderie and, in many
cases, actively support one or more of the classic military
aircraft operated by the CAF.
More than just a collection of airworthy warplanes from the
past, the CAF’s fleet of historic aircraft, known as the CAF Ghost
Squadron, recreate, remind and reinforce the lessons learned
from the defining moments in American military aviation
history in a living tribute to the men and women who built,
maintained and flew them.
Jacques Robitaille is the Public Information Officer with the
CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron.
Pam Mickelson serves as president of the board of directors
for the air museum. She retired as professor and chair of
business at Morningside College.
Photo Credit: CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 64
Food Truck Fridays
The region’s most popular food truck gathering
620 Pearl Street
(712) 266-6452
Battery Park Concerts
Outdoor concert venue
113 3rd Street
(712) 224-7659
hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com/nightlife/battery-park
Farmers Market
Locally grown/produced market
100 Pearl Street
(712) 251-2616
farmersmarketsiouxcity.com
Sioux City Public Museum
Discover Sioux City’s history and culture
607 4th Street
(712) 279-6174
siouxcitymuseum.org
Art Center
An exhibitions from the best regional artists
225 Nebraska Street
(712) 279-6272
siouxcityartcenter.org
Vangarde Arts
Live convert venue
416 Pierce Street
(712) 251-6432
vangardearts.com
Tyson Events Center
Multi-purpose arena
401 Gordon Drive
(855) 333-8771
tysoncenter.com
Orpheum Theatre
Performing arts venue
528 Pierce Street
(712) 258-9164
orpheumlive.com
Launchpad Children’s Museum
Indoor educational center
623 Pearl Street
(712) 224-2542
launchpadmuseum.com
Promenade Cinema 14
Digital projection movie theater
924 4th Street
(712) 277-8300
mainstreettheatres.com
Convention Center
Event center hosting over 200 events each year
801 4th Street
(712) 279-4800
siouxcityconventioncenter.com
You don’t always need a plan.
Sometimes you just need to breathe,
trust, let go and see what happens.
– Mandy Hale

5678! Dance Studio
Adams Homestead & Nature Preserve
Art by Nature
Bike Trails
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor & Museum
Cone Park
Contemporary Dance Studio
Dakota Dunes Country Club
Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
Downtown Partners
Drop Zone Family Fun Center
Farmer’s Market
Gallery 103
Green Valley Golf Course
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City
LaunchPAD Children’s Museum
Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center/Betty Strong Encounter Center
MakerSpace
MidAmerica Museum of Aviation and Transportation
Norm Waitt Sr YMCA
Orpheum Theatre
Park Jefferson Speedway
Poppin’ Bottles n’ Brushes
Prairie Rose Equestrian Center
Promenade Cinema 14
Rush Werks
Sioux City Art Center
Sioux City Bandits
Sioux City Community Theater
Sioux City Country Club
Sioux City Explorer’s
Sioux City Musketeers
Sioux City Public Library
Sioux City Public Museum
Sioux City Railroad Museum
Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
Siouxland Gymnastics
Siouxland Youth Hockey
The Nature Conservancy
Total Baseball Development
Tucker Hill Vineyards
Two Rivers Golf Course
Tyson Events Center
V.I.P Gymnastics Ninja & Cheer
WinnaVegas Casino Resort
Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 65
Alzheimer’s Association
American Heart Association
American Red Cross – Siouxland Area
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Siouxland
Boys & Girls Club of Siouxland
Boys & Girls Home & Family Services Inc.
Boys Town
Camp High Hopes
Center for Siouxland
CIRAS (Center for Industrial Research
and Services)
Community Action Agency of Siouxland
CSADV (Council on Sexual Assault &
Domestic Violence)
Connections Area Agency on Aging
Crittenton Center
Crossroads of Western Iowa
Dismas Charities Sioux City
Gigi’s Playhouse – Sioux City
Girls Incorporated of Sioux City
Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa
Goodwill of the Great Plains
Growing Community Connections
Heartland Counseling
Her Health Women’s Center
Historic Preservation Committee
Hospice of Siouxland
Jackson Recovery Centers
Junior League of Sioux City
KWIT/KOJI Radio
Leadership Siouxland
Mary J Tregalia Community House
Mid-Amercia Council Boy Scouts of America
Mid-Step Services
Miracle League of Sioux City
Mission of the Messiah Thrift Store &
Outreach Center
New Perspectives Inc
One Siouxland
Opportunities Unlimited
Pier Center for Autism
Plains Area Mental Health Center
Projects for Patriots
Ronald McDonald House Charities
of Siouxland
Sanford Community Center
Seasons Center for Behavioral Health
SHIP (Siouxland Human Investment
Partnership)
Simple Life Inc
Sioux City Gospel Mission
Sioux City Growth Organization
Sioux City Public Schools Foundation
Siouxland CARES about Substance
Abuse
Siouxland Center for Active Generations
Siouxland Civic Dance Association
Siouxland Coalition Against Human
Trafficking
Siouxland Estate Planning Council
Siouxland Freedom Park
Siouxland Habitat for Humanity
Siouxland Optimist Club
Siouxland Toastmasters
Siouxland Youth for Christ
South Sioux City Schools Foundation
S.T.A.R.S (Special Troopers Adaptive
Riding School)
STEMM
Support Siouxland Soldiers
The First Tee of Siouxland
The Food Bank of Siouxland
The Pride Group
United Way of Siouxland
Volunteer Siouxland
We Got Next Foundation
Women Lead Change

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 66
Come Feel What You’ve Been Missing!
siouxcitysymphony.org | 712.277.2111