Siouxland Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 4

Volume 5, Issue 4
Starting Conversations
Justin Jongerius
Cycling is a State of Mind
Erica Hoffman-Carter
Wheelchair to Scuba Diving - Looking at the
World from a Different Perspective.

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ON THE COVERCONTENTS
Conversing
8-9 Things Will Happen In Your Life - You Choose How To
Respond To Them
10 -11 Cycling is a State of Mind
12-13 Eating In A Way That Is Best For You
14-15 Living a Sustainable Lifestyle
17 Inclusive Peek – Ines Veillon
18-19 Starting Conversations Podcast wtih Stacie & Tony,
Interview with Travis Morgan
Collaborating
21 Nonprofit Spotlight – Siouxland Pride Alliance
22-23 Small Business Spotlight – Mud on Main
24-25 IWCI’s Business Feature – Britton Hacke Photography
26-27 SBDC – Office of Native American Affairs of the SBA
28 Chamber – Let the Siouxland Chamber Work for You
29 Experience Downtown – Farmers Market, Downtown LIVE
& Food Truck Fridays
30 Tony Michaels – Hot Air
31 Council Connection – Wastewater Treatment
32-33 Leading the Way – Leadership Siouxland
35 Future Foundation – Siouxland GO
38-39 Up From The Earth
BeComing
40-41 Ask the Therapist – Journey of Grief
42-43 Health is a Journe – Welcoming Megan & Co.
44-45 Living Lumin – Co-Creating Our Common Ground
47 Dare 2B Great – Mental Diet
Photo Credit Britton Hacke Photography

Welcome To siouxland magazine
It’s in these pages we educate and inspire. Even more importantly, we
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 appreciation for the power of connection
through meaningful conversations, it only made sense to name the
business Empowering Conversations.
Siouxland Magazine / 5
Stacie Anderson, Owner
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 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.
connect@empowering-conversations.com
Facebook @siouxlandmag
Want to be included in our September issue? Contact us soon!
Deadline to reserve space is August 1st. Media Kit at siouxlandmagazine.com.
E m p o w e r i n g
Conversations, LLC
siouxlandmagazine.com

Siouxland Magazine Writers
Megan Fuhrman-
Wheeler, Owner
of MEGAN & CO.
Herbal Apothecary
and Clinic
Carly Howrey,
Business
Development
Coordinator for
Downtown Partners
Sydney
McManamy,
President of SGO
Jackie Paulson,
Licensed Mental
Health Counselor &
Registered 500Hour
Yoga Instructor
Todd Rausch,
SBDC Regional
Director at
WITCC
Cody Rininger,
Certified
Professional
Fitness
Instructor
Alex Watters,
Sioux City Council
Tony Michaels,
KSUX Morning
Show Host with
Candice Nash
Peggy Smith,
Executive Director
for Leadership
Siouxland
Amy Buster,
Writer & Editor
Dr. Meghan Nelson &
Dr. Ryan Allen, Co-owners
of Lumin Therapy, LLC,
integrative health and
education provider
Up from the
Earth Leadership
Team
Kari Nelson,
Graphic Designer

Editors
Note
Siouxland Magazine / 7
In this issue, I am excited to introduce you to some amazing individuals from our community. We have
highlighted diversity in its many forms since the beginning of the year. We started with what most would
consider the prominent discussion topics around diversity.
In the following pages, we showcase people who have chosen to take a less traveled path, from someone
who lives a vegan lifestyle to a couple who works towards a self-sustainable lifestyle with less impact on
the planet. We also have a man who would rather pedal than drive a car. And a woman who, although
bound to a wheelchair, chooses to focus on the positive and decidedly looks at the world from a different
perspective. She doesn’t limit herself, and as we were putting together this issue, she was scuba diving
off the coast of Honduras.
The world is full of diversity, a patchwork of beauty. In opening ourselves up to learn about one another,
we grow ourselves. Will you join me in getting curious and exploring their worlds?
Stacie Anderson
Owner of Empowering Conversations LLC & Siouxland Magazine
Certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer & Coach
Passionate about Leadership & Communication
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.

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 8
Things Will Happen In Your Life -
You Choose How To Respond To Them
By Amy Buster
If you mention the name Erica Hoffman-
Carter, the image that comes to mind for
most people is a young lady with a very
bubbly and vivacious personality who loves
to live life to the fullest.
“I grew up in Sioux City, got married in my 20’s, and
then moved to Washington State with my husband,”
said Erica. That was 13 years ago. At the time, she
was working as a civilian in the Air Force, giving
mountain tours to people in Washington. It was at
that time that she started skiing and snowboarding.
“I was skiing on one of my days off and had a terrible
fall. The doctors told me that was probably when I
broke my neck, or at least fractured it,” explained
Erica, although she was still completely mobile and
able to walk.
She moved back to Sioux City a year or so later and
then fell in her kitchen at home. The fall shattered
her neck and left her partially paralyzed. “They
had to put me in a medically induced coma in the
hospital,” stated Erica. This was necessary to allow
her neck to be worked on and to start to heal. Once
she came out of the coma, then it was off to a rehab
hospital in Colorado.
“I was never treated like there would be things I
couldn’t do anymore. The mindset they worked from
was you’re going to be able to do most everything
that you did before; it’s just that you’re going to
have to learn how to do them differently,” explained
Erica. During the transitional period from being
in the hospital in Sioux City and eventually being
transported to the Rehab Hospital in Colorado,
Erica clung to the mantra she had always lived by,
Things Happen In My Life for a Reason. If this was
going to be her new life, she needed a new plan.
Erica’s Mantra: Things Happen In
My Life for a Reason
While she worked on physically rehabbing her body
in Colorado, she was also mentally, strategically
planning how to live her life now. Once rehab was
completed, she enrolled in college, completed
her bachelor’s degree in accounting, and then
Erica Hoffman-Carter
went on and completed her Master’s in Strategic
Management, Human Resources, and Non-Profit
Management.
“The first two years with rehab were rough. I had
to relearn how to do everything, from writing to
eating, bathing, and getting dressed. The difficulty
never stops; it’s just learning how to adapt. It never
becomes easy. There are days when it just really sucks
being stuck in a wheelchair. But there’s nothing I can
do about it. So, I choose to focus on the positive,”
said Erica.
She admits she feels that her roughest days are less
now than they used to be, but the one obstacle, her
menace, is the loss of time. “The time that I lose
having to do simple things is the hardest adjustment
I deal with daily. It used to take me 15 minutes to
take a shower, now it takes an hour,” stated Erica.
Getting into bed, taking a shower, and getting out
of bed now also require the assistance of a nurse.
Gratefully, she has had the same nurse for the past
ten years that assists with her nightly routine. She
also has a different nurse who helps her with her

morning preparations. “My day starts at 6 a.m. A
nurse comes to the house (she lives with her sister
and her family). It takes me an hour and 45 minutes
to get ready for the day and then an hour at night to
get ready for bed,” said Erica. Her sister also has a
nursing background, so if one of the nurses cannot
come to the house, her sister can help as a backup.
However, there are still challenges she faces daily
once she leaves home.
For the past 3.5 years, she’s been the Finance
Manager for the Umonhon Nation Public School in
Macy, Nebraska. “I love my job! My job and what I
get to do for a living is great for the kids and a way
for me to still go on adventures. The school is the
heart of the community in Macy. I approached Blue
Cross Blue Shield for a donation to buy skateboards
and helmets for the students so they could actually
use the pump park,” said Erica. Blue Cross donated
$5,000 to the school, allowing Erica to purchase the
equipment.
The water is a leveling environment.
At this stage of her life, she is taking on other
adventures. “A-1 Scuba is a group from Colorado.
I had to get certified to scuba dive first, and it’s an
adaptive scuba dive. Each person goes diving with
two buddies. Last year we went to Bonaire to dive;
this year, we’re diving off the coast of Honduras. You
go for a week and dive twice a day. We’ll do some
diving around the coral reefs, some dives looking
at sunken ships. It’s great! For a week, I am with 40
other people and treated completely as an equal,”
said Erica.
Her nieces and nephews did not know Erica before
she was in a wheelchair. She is the same as any other
person in their minds, she has no limitations. She
just does them from her wheelchair. In their minds,
there is nothing she can’t do. “I’m very fortunate in
that I have a great support system. I’ve lived with my
sister, her husband, and their two daughters since
the accident. Being an Aunt is my favorite role in
life. My nieces and nephew are my little buddies.
They’ve never treated me any differently than
anyone else. We go for drives, go fishing, get ice
cream, and spoil our dinner appetites,” she stated
proudly.
Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 9
Erica has learned that she has had
to look at the world from a different
perspective now and believes that
is the key.
“I have to be a voice for that. Disabled people
aren’t going to avoid going to stores simply
because they can’t get into them, but change has
to happen. Zoning requirements have improved
over the years, and costs have come down to
make the changes, so that’s helped a lot. Change
can happen; it just takes multiple people willing
to listen and work together to make that change
happen.”
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for
the past 25 years. The majority of her work has been
writing and editing for small-town newspapers in
Kansas City and Siouxland.
Erica diving
Photo Credit, left page, Britton-Hacke-Photography.
Photo Contributed, right page, by Erica Hoffman.

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 10
Cycling is a State of Mind
By Amy Buster
For Siouxland resident Justin Jongerius, being
around a bike, whether it was motorcycles or dirt
bikes, they were always a part of his life.
“I’ve raced motorcycles since I was a kid. I never took the
training part of that seriously, and relied on natural ability,
as opposed to putting in work on a bicycle or by other
means. That will always be a regret of mine. Then I got into
my 30’s, and suddenly saw myself trying to outrun Father
Time in staying healthy,” commented Justin.
A couple of his very good friends were into bicycling
seriously. Justin himself hadn’t been on a bicycle since his
BMX racing days. His two friends loaned him a bike and
suggested he try it out.
“My buddy, Todd, loaned me his Specialized bike to
practice riding on; and then another friend also loaned
me his bike, which was a LaPierre. It was 2015. I was used
to racing around a track on a bike and maybe riding up
and down the neighborhood on one. I’d never ridden
for distances of 50 to 100 miles before, let alone for my
health and well-being,” he reminisced.
Justin isn’t one for doing anything half-heartedly and
jumped in with both feet. He started riding more each day
and increasing the distance.
“I want people to know that committing
to cycling literally changed my life!”
Justin Jongerius, a.k.a. Mugz
Goals and ambitions make me more accountable, the health benefits are obvious, and I completely enjoy it, which leads to
a happier existence (for me). I think everyone who can, should try it, even on a local trail level. Not everyone has to go out
and pound the miles. Just commuting or enjoying a few miles of the trail every once in a while can be huge for a variety of
reasons,” shared Justin.
“My first real distance ride happened on the 4th of July weekend in 2015. The two friends who had loaned me the bikes
asked me to join them. I was riding Todd’s Specialized bike at the time. We went 20 miles. The effort in riding in a group was
cool, and the freedom of being on the road. It has a nomadic tribal feeling to it. You learn the tricks of drafting when you ride
in a group. Somebody will lead for a while, and then you change positions. It’s more of moving as a mass and not just as a
rider,” stated Justin.
From that point on, he was hooked. He continued riding as much as he could on his own time.
“Those same two buddies of mine and I were out one night at the bar, and they said why don’t you ride the first day of
Ragbrai with us tomorrow? I rode from the starting point at LeMars to Spencer and absolutely loved it. I hated that I could
only ride that day due to work commitments,” said Justin.

That was the only year he rode only one day. To date, he
tries to ride in at least two, if not three, longer-distance
rides each year.
He returned those borrowed bikes to his friends in
2015 and bought his first bike: a carbon-fiber bike with
disk brakes and electronic shifting.
“Aside from the year of COVID (2020), I try to ride in
half of Ragbrai each year. I lay out my calendar for the
year and schedule three to four days to ride Ragbrai,
and then those same two buddies and I go to Okoboji
and ride for a day,” said Justin.
Now, at that time, the ride in Okoboji is for fun. They
have traditional stops planned on their routes, with
favorite haunts to stop and eat at and visit.
“That last day in Okoboji is a tradition for us now. It’s a
way to enjoy the last day before we have to get back
home and return to reality,” said Justin.
However, their Okoboji route closely follows the
Campus Ride, another distance ride they plan and
attend each year. The Campus Ride is neither a race
nor a test of stamina. It is intended that all participants
ride at their own pace and safely and responsibly. It is
a bike ride around the Lake in a day, in three heats: the
Quarter Century ride (25 miles), the Half-Century ride
(50 miles), or the Century Ride (100 miles).
“We usually try to do the Half-Century ride, but then
get so into it that we go at least 70 miles,” said Justin.
It is an annual event they plan and attend each year.
This year it took place on June 24th and started at
Florence Park in Milford, IA.
“Then last year, we did something EPIC and did the
Triple ByPass in Evergreen, Colorado,” said Justin.
This route is over three mountain passes from Evergreen
to Vail, boasting high-altitude riding with white glove
treatment: closed roads, on-course support, and wellstocked
aid stations. This is not a route for the fainthearted.
“We did 6.5 hours in one day and rode 110 miles. It was
incredible,” said Justin. This will be an event to remain
on the annual calendar.
from the ‘noise’ and daily
trials and tribulations of
a sometimes stressful
lifestyle. There’s also a
gratifying social aspect
when riding in groups or
with friends. It’s tribal in a
sense and not something
everyone will put in the
effort to participate in.
It’s one of those ‘if it were
easy, everybody would
be doing it’ scenarios,”
shared Justin.
Runners talk about
experiencing a runner’s
high when out in their element, genuinely hitting their
stride. Justin compared it to cycling in this way.
“The perspective of viewing your local area or other
environments from the seat of a bicycle . . . it’s something that
can’t be replicated in a vehicle. It’s an amazing experience!
You feel more, see more, breathe in the air . . . etc. riding in
the mountains was one of the coolest experiences of my life,
and I cannot wait to do it again. Similarly, events like RAGBRAI
give you an entirely different experience than traveling by any
other means would provide.”
Justin does advise making safety one of your highest
priorities when hitting the road on a bicycle.
“Iowa has already done an incredible job with road sign
placement, creating awareness, and installing trail systems in
different areas. The Plywood Trail is currently in progress, and
when that’s finished, it will be a huge benefit to cyclists that
want to ride that Sioux City to LeMars corridor ‘safely.’ Cyclists
must also bear the responsibility of safety—ride ‘aware’ at all
times. Pay attention to your surroundings, and if possible, ride
in groups whenever you can. Be visible is the best advice I can
give,” stated Justin.
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for the
past 25 years. The majority of her work has been writing
and editing for small-town newspapers in Kansas City and
Siouxland.
Photo Credit, left page, Britton-Hacke-Photography.
Siouxland Magazine | Conversing /11
Although Justin looks forward to his annual longdistance
rides, cycling is a way of life for him now.
“I love to ride for a variety of reasons that center
around personal goals, physical fitness, and mental
health. It’s a way to challenge myself, set goals, and
strive to improve. It’s obviously an extremely healthy
activity from a fitness perspective and a great escape

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 12
Eating In A Way That Is Best For You
By Amy Buster
Vanessa Bremer has been practicing healthy
eating for more than 31 years. She started by
changing her eating habits and becoming a vegetarian.
Then, seven years ago, she went a step further and
adopted a vegan lifestyle. “I guess the stars aligned,
and I made the changes. The summer between
graduating from high school and starting college, I
became a vegetarian. There were four main reasons for
that,” explained Vanessa. The first two came from her
experience at work.
“I was working at a temp job that summer in refrigeration.
It was my responsibility to type all of the FDA labels
containing the ingredients on packages of frozen foods.
That brought my awareness to what is truly in processed
food products. I also worked as a Spanish interpreter for
families working in the processing plants that summer.
With that job, I learned how animals are executed and
how the meat is processed.” She then left for college
with this newly obtained knowledge. “At college, I
gravitated towards people choosing healthier lifestyles
and was introduced to the vegetarian and vegan ways.
I learned how animals are used in product testing, and
it isn’t always for the good of humanity to find cures for
sickness,” explained Vanessa.
Granted, the reasons for going vegetarian and vegan
are there; eating from a whole foods lifestyle and not
all processed foods have tremendous health benefits.
Animal rights and considering how they are executed
in packing plants, and used as test subjects, are all
legitimate reasons for changing. But what about the
personal sacrifice of giving up all of the great food and
tastes?
“Growing up, when we ate meat (red meat), it was
usually hamburger. We were a busy family, on the go
and a budget. We ate a lot of bologna, hot dogs, and
frozen pepperoni pizza. I just felt that giving that up was
not all that difficult when I could see all of the benefits
of going vegetarian,” said Vanessa. She may have been
able to give up the not-so-healthy meat choices, but she
couldn’t give up butter and cheese so quickly. So, going
vegan would have to wait a while.
Her college years and the first few after college were
Vanessa’s time to learn and shine in the kitchen. “It was
the 90’s. Moosehead was the cookbook that was in high
demand (vegetarian and vegan recipes). I also got ideas
from Mother Earth magazine and Vegetarian Times. It
was a lot of trial and error trying to cook 365 vegetarian
meals. But cooking at
home wasn’t difficult. I
fixed a lot of meals with
rice and beans,” said
Vanessa.
It was also during that
time that Vanessa got
married. “My husband
was a traditional meat
and potato eater,”
explained Vanessa.
However, he was also
very supportive and
witnessed the benefits
Vanessa Bremer
he saw vegetarian living was giving Vanessa. “When
trying to help someone convert to vegetarian or vegan
eating, it works best to ease them into it. You don’t want
to hit them straight up with scrambled tofu. It would
help if you learned how to convert some of their favorite
meals to vegetarian or vegan. I won my husband over
with vegetarian enchiladas. Once he tried and liked
those, he was willing to try more options,” stated
Vanessa.
Healthy eating at home is easy when you are the one
doing the cooking. However, when the couple goes out
to eat, then challenges might occur. “Restaurants here
in the Midwest are very accommodating. I look at the
menu and try to pull the ingredients together. Take a
strawberry/chicken salad. I’ll ask them not to put feta
cheese on it or chicken. And could they possibly add
some artichoke hearts and mushrooms? Once your
body adapts to not having meats and dairy products, it
forgets how to digest it.”
Vanessa, her husband, and their son have lived in the
Siouxland area for a little more than a year now. Prior
to being married, Vanessa lived in Texas. After marriage
she and her familiy have lived in California, South Dakota,
Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana and Virginia. “Restaurants
try to be very accommodating. Texas was the most
difficult place where we lived. Going out to eat could be
challenging. They didn’t have a lot of meat substitutions
available for customers, and Mexican restaurants used a
lot of lard in preparing their food items,” said Vanessa.
Digesting cheese, cream, and butter became an issue
as years passed. “As I got older, I started to become
lactose intolerant. I took it as the universe saying it was
time to bite the bullet and go completely vegan,” said

Vanessa. She and her family have lived the Vegan lifestyle for
the past seven years.
“When you meet people, don’t expect them to be the ones
to navigate towards your lifestyle. Initially, people usually
react by saying they could never give up so many of their
favorite foods with meat and cheese. When I go out, I bring
a bottle of my homemade salad dressing or pack a veggie
burger.”
Vanessa said that by learning to cook vegan and vegetarian,
you learn how to substitute ingredients into food to give it
the flavors people are accustomed to. “People are never
upset or frustrated. They didn’t realize until after eating that
it didn’t have meat or dairy, but it tasted good. You have to
start slowly winning them over with dishes they are familiar
with and fix it vegan or vegetarian.”
Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 13
Although Vanessa sticks to her vegan eating and has no
desire to return to eating any other way, her husband and
son have their days when they cheat. “My son loves gummi
bears and worms, so he still eats those occasionally. And
my husband loves a good hamburger, so he may have one
when we go out from time to time.” It is all about finding
what works for you.
Vegetarian enchiladas with homemade sauce on a
bed of Spanish rice.
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for the past 25
years. The majority of her work has been writing and editing
for small-town newspapers in Kansas City and Siouxland.
Photos Contributed by Vanessa Bremer.
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Siouxland Magazine | Conversing /14
Living a Sustainable Lifestyle
By Amy Buster
Jerry and Norma in front of their passive, geo-solar house.
For South Dakota residents Norma and Jerry
Wilson, living a sustainable life wasn’t a
crossroads in life choice.
The two had always been raised with that sort of
thinking.
“I grew up watching my grandparents live pretty much
a subsistence life. They farmed, milking the cows,
raising their own food, and caring for the animals
they would eat. Jerry grew up the same way. He grew
up close to the land. We try to do as much of that as
possible because we want to know where our food
comes from and have some part in it,” said Norma.
The married couple are both retired English professors
and published authors. They live in southern Clay
County in a sustainable home.
“We were eager to build our own house. We lived in
a cold, drafty house in Vermillion in 1978. We started
looking at places where we’d like to live and where we
could build then,” said Jerry.
“We did lots of exploring. We knew we wanted to live in
the country. A friend had told us about this property that
was for sale. We went and looked at it. It had a hill that
we could build our house into,” said Norma.
That property had a southern-facing hill, a seasonal
creek, a pond, and a spring. It was a vast open prairie as
far as the eye could see, with wild plum, sumac, walnut,
elm, mulberry, boxelder, hackberry, and chokeberry
trees growing on it.
“Before we dug into the hill to start building our house,
the first thing we did was plant trees to help shelter the
house from wind and snow,” said Jerry.
He plowed into the land above where they would build
their home, and it was there that they planted pine,
honeysuckle, ash, Russian olive, maple, locust, and lilac.
“The conservation service helped us with buying and
planting the trees. The trees and the bushes help
provide shelter from the north wind and a snow break,”
said Norma.
In addition to planting the trees, the couple is doing all
they can to bring back the Native Prairie Grasses of the
land.

“For us, it’s imperative to try and bring back the prairie
as much as possible. I appreciate Jerry’s initiative to
restore the native prairie grasses on the land. Tall Grass
Prairie is good at sequestering carbon. It helps us fight
climate change. We want to restore the native prairie
grasses and flowers and the sustainability of the Earth,”
commented Norma.
It was a wet spring that year, and they couldn’t start
digging into the hill until late May. The couple dug into
the land and built a geo-solar home. With the house
being built into the hill, the land is a natural heating and
cooling aid.
“No one is going to be able to build a completely
sustainable house. But stop and think about what you
are doing and how you are living your life. What
can you start doing now that will
help leave a smaller environmental
footprint on the Earth? We don’t live a
completely sustainable life. We still drive a car, and it’s a
small car, not a hybrid or electric,” said Jerry.
The couple suggested gardening as a way to start, even
if it was just a tiny garden.
doing their part to keep the plastic bags out of the
landfill,” shared Norma.
They also highly recommend downsizing your life.
“You need to be able to separate your wants from
your needs. Recognize that our society is headed in
the wrong direction. People see something, and they
have to have it: a bigger car, house, motorcycle, or
boat. You need to differentiate between what you
need and what you want. I’m reminded of the words
of Henry David Thoreau in his book Walden, ‘Simplify,
simplify’,’’ stated Jerry, noting that the size of houses
has more than doubled in the past 40 years.
The couple hopes that people will start to do more to
help with the fight against climate change.
“If we could all do something to help the planet sustain
future generations. We want our grandchildren to be
able to survive and their grandchildren. Think about
your life and how you live it. It can still be fun, but you
need to prioritize things. If everyone would change
just a bit, things would start changing in the right
direction,” suggested Norma.
Siouxland Magazine | Conversing /15
“You don’t have to buy canned vegetables, you can grow
your own and store or can them, and then you have them
year-round,” suggested Jerry.
“Line drying your laundry, or drying them on racks in the
house during cold weather spells, helps cut down on
electricity and doesn’t stir up or bring in near the amount
of dust. There’s nothing I love more than the fresh scent
of line-dried sheets,” suggested Norma.
The couple also suggests trying to limit the amount of
wasted goods.
“We don’t have garbage service out here. We compost
most of our food waste for fertilizer or mulch in the
garden. We separate our recycling and take that into
a center in Vermillion, or what can’t be recycled to the
landfill,” said Jerry.
The couple also noted how they handle things differently
with their grandchildren.
“When the kids come out here to play, we play outside.
We hike, climb the hills and the trees, and go fishing. We
don’t need all the plastic items (toys) to play with and
then store and keep,” said Norma.
The couple also suggests that when you go shopping,
take your own cloth bags from home or purchase them
at the store.
“We drove up to Canada, Winnipeg last week, and they
don’t use plastic bags in the store. They will sell you a
cloth bag for .35 (thirty-five cents). That’s how they are
Sustainable Living Helpful Ideas:
• Plant a garden, even if it is just a tiny
garden.
• Grow your own vegetables and can
and store them or freeze them instead
of buying them.
• Line dry your laundry, or hang them on
racks in the house during cold weather
spells to cut down on electricity.
• Limit the amount of wasted goods
by composting your food waste for
fertilizer or mulch in the garden.
• Take recycling to a recycling center.
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for
the past 25 years. The majority of her work has been
writing and editing for small-town newspapers in
Kansas City and Siouxland.
Photo Credit Walter Wilson.

Sponsored by:
Who will be the
next winners?
Coming soon in the highly anticipated September issue!

Inclusive Peek – Interview with Ines Veillon
What challenges have you experienced in
Siouxland?
I was born and raised in France. When I first came to the
US in 2014, I worked at EPCOT in Florida, surrounded
by French-speaking people. I was living with five other
French girls, who I quickly became good friends with, so
even if I was far from my country, I never felt it was hard
being away from my family and friends. Fast forward to
2017, when I moved to Sioux City, I had no one other
than my husband, and the biggest challenge was the
feeling of loneliness and finding where I belonged in the
community.
How has Siouxland been welcoming?
The people of Siouxland are kind and welcoming.
Despite language barriers, I always found answers
to my questions and help whenever needed. When I
started studying at Morningside University in 2019, I met
students and teachers who believed in me and made
me feel at home. It helped me overcome the challenges
I faced during my first year in the city. My husband and I
had a son in 2019. I cannot
stress enough that Sioux City
is great for raising a family.
There are so many activities
and family-friendly facilities. I
also discovered new aspects
of the city when I became a
mom.
What do you want the
people of Siouxland to
know?
Siouxland is full of
opportunities for everyone,
and I want people to know Ines Veillon
that they should be bold and ask for help, even if they are not
fluent in English. There will always be someone here to help
them. As a future Spanish high school teacher, I have set the goal
to help as many newcomers as possible.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Inclusive Peek – In Spanish
¿Qué desafíos ha experimentado en Siouxland?
Nací y crecí en Francia. Cuando vine por primera vez a los
EE. UU. en 2014, trabajé en EPCOT en Florida, rodeado de
personas de habla francesa. Vivía con otras cinco chicas
francesas, de las que rápidamente me hice buena amiga,
así que aunque estaba lejos de mi país, nunca sentí que
fuera difícil estar lejos de mi familia y amigos. Avance
rápido hasta 2017, cuando me mudé a Sioux City, no tenía
a nadie más que a mi esposo, y el mayor desafío fue el
sentimiento de soledad y encontrar a dónde pertenecía
en la comunidad.
¿Cómo ha sido la recibida de Siouxland?
La gente de Siouxland es amable y acogedora. A pesar
de las barreras del idioma, siempre encontré respuestas
– Nelson Mandela
a mis preguntas y ayuda cuando la necesité. Cuando comencé
a estudiar en la Universidad de Morningside en 2019, conocí a
estudiantes y profesores que creyeron en mí y me hicieron sentir
como en casa. Me ayudó a superar los desafíos que enfrenté
durante mi primer año en la ciudad. Mi esposo y yo tuvimos un
hijo en 2019. No puedo enfatizar lo suficiente que Sioux City
es excelente para formar una familia. Hay tantas actividades
e instalaciones para toda la familia. También descubrí nuevos
aspectos de la ciudad cuando me convertí en mamá.
¿Qué quiere que sepa la gente de Siouxland?
Siouxland está lleno de oportunidades para todos, y quiero que
las personas sepan que deben ser atrevidas y pedir ayuda, incluso
si no hablan inglés con fluidez. Siempre habrá alguien aquí para
ayudarlos. Como futura maestra de secundaria de español, me
he fijado el objetivo de ayudar a tantos recién llegados como sea
posible.
“La educación es el arma más poderosa que puedes usar para cambiar el mundo.”
– Nelson Mandela
Siouxland Magazine | Conversing /17

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing /18
Cool Under Pressure
Starting Conversations
Podcast
Interview with Travis Morgan
with Stacie & Tony
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting
or working with Travis Morgan, you know he
is a very passionate and outspoken young
man. But there may be a few things you didn’t
know about him.
Although his bubbly personality is absolutely
addictive and a trade-mark with Travis, he does
have a serious side, too.
“When you’re leading a group, or an organization,
there’s a time when you need to be serious about
things and buckle down. You’re not always ‘on.’ It’s
like when you meet people in public, and if you’re
not in that ‘on’ mindset, they ask if you’re having
a bad day. Nothing may be wrong, but if you’re
concentrating on something else or working on
something, you can’t always be that upbeat person
they’re used to seeing in the media,” shared Travis.
He credits his powerful work ethic and goodnatured
attitude to being surrounded by wonderful
people growing up.
“Those years in high school, those people you
surround yourself with are a huge factor in who you
become. I was very fortunate. I grew up in Walthill.
From kindergarten through high school, we were
a very tight group. We were highly competitive,
and we did things together. We held each other
accountable; they would not allow you to fail. The
two best men at my wedding were the guys I grew
up with from down the street. To this day, we call
each other all the time to check in and see how
things are going,” said Travis.
He also credits his family for the man he is today.
“I had a fantastic upbringing. My great-grandmother
was always around when I was growing up in high
school. My grandfather was the one who installed
such a strong work ethic in me. My parents were
at every play, every game. But my teachers knew
what they needed to do to get my attention. If I
was goofing off, they would say they would call
my mother. I would sit in the back of the class and
Stacie & Tony interviewing Travis Morgan.
not say a word the rest of the day. Because if you
called my mom, it was all over at that point,” said
Travis.
He went on to share how when he was in 7th grade,
in the interim between football and basketball
season, he let his grades slide.
“Down slips came out, and I had three D’s and two
F’s. My mother said I would not be allowed to play
basketball until those grades were all up to at least
C’s. I said, no, Mom, come on, I need to play. If you
want to play; get them up to C’s. I had parents
calling her saying, ‘he’ll bring his grades up, come
on, and he needs to play.’ My mom didn’t back
down to peer pressure. I didn’t play for the first
three weeks of the season until my grades were
up. She taught me a great life lesson. She taught
me what was important,” shared Travis.
So when it comes to the son and daughter, Cam
and Katelyn, he and his wife are raising, what does
he hope to instill in them?
“I want them to realize that the things you do
today will affect tomorrow. That hard work gets
you what you want and where you want to go in
life. That you need to work hard and stay focused,”
emphasized Travis.

However, he also had another thought on an
important element to teach his children.
“Teach your kids to be kind. The rest
of it will fall into place. They need
to have compassion, a sense of self.
That is what makes a person a great
human being.”
– Travis
He’s been involved in sports broadcasting, is the
current CEO of the Sioux City Musketeers, was
involved in promoting the Sioux City Symphony
and marketing for Winnevegas. But did you also
know that he is ordained? Any idea or guess as
to how many weddings he’s performed? Any idea
how that first got started? Or has it ever been
part of his other careers? Turn in to Empowering
Conversations with Tony and Stacie and find out.
“I’ve always had a very hard time saying no to a
lot of things. I’m an open book. If we can dream
it, let’s give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll
learn something from it,” stated Travis.
Written by Amy Buster based on the
podcast interview with Travis Morgan.
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for
the past 25 years. The majority of her work has been
writing and editing for small-town newspapers in
Kansas City and Siouxland.
This article is just a preview of Season 2,
Episode 7 of Starting Conversations with Stacie
and Tony podcast. Listen to the entire inspiring
podcast on your favorite platform, and while
you are there, don’t forget to subscribe to catch
future episodes.
Listen on your
favorite platform or
scan QR code.
New Episode
Every Week
Don’t forget to Subscribe
to our podcast and leave
a Rating & Review.
See you on our next episode!
Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 19
Sesaon 3
Coming Soon!
Interested
in Sponsoring?
Visit
siouxlandmagazine.com

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 20
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you may want to design your home around it.
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The Siouxland Pride Alliance is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit
organization dedicated to connecting and protecting
the local LGBTQ community. They operate from the First
Unitarian Church at 2508 Jackson Street in Sioux City.
“When the Siouxland Pride Alliance was formed in 2012,
there were no community organizations that dealt with the
full spectrum of people in the LGBTQ community,” explained
co-founder of the organization, Karen Mackey.
Although the area had GSA’s at the high schools and some
of the colleges, and there was a gay men’s support group, it
wasn’t enough to fulfill the complete needs of the Siouxland
LGBTQ community.
“One of the main reasons for all of this was the suicide in
Northwest Iowa of a young teen; he lived in a small town not
far from here. He committed suicide after being bullied on
social media by his schoolmates because he was gay. That
really was an eye-opener for us that things were still that bad.
They may not be our blood, but those are our children. We
can’t have any more kids dying just because they are gay,”
stated Karen.
Siouxland Pride Alliance has groups available for teens in the
LGBTQ community; all groups meet at the Unitarian Church.
“For almost two years, we’ve had a youth support group that
meets once a month, the second Sunday of the month, at
1:30 to 3 p.m. We’d get the kids together, share some food
and drinks, and have activities. The group’s parents would
sometimes plan other gatherings for the kids to do, but we
meet once a month.
Starting in April, we have an additional support group
for teens that meets weekly on Friday nights from 5:30-
7. Because our LGBTQ kids, whether they are trans or not,
are going through a lot of trauma right now because of the
recent loss that the governor signed into law. They’re going
through this themselves or their friends,” shared Karen.
Want to join
Stacie on a
Facebook
Spotlight?
Nonprofit Spotlight
Siouxland Pride Alliance
By Amy Buster
A safe place for LGBTQ teens to be themselves.
“Participate in the group as much as you are comfortable with
doing. You can talk as much or as little as you want. There is no
judging. Some people come for half an hour and then need
to be somewhere else or to another meeting. It is very casual.
Sometimes there are snacks to eat; there’s always something to
drink (tea, coffee, juice, soda). It’s a safe place to sit back and relax,
and the only requirement is to be of the LGBTQ community or an
ally. As long as you support our community, you are welcome
at any of our events. We’re not going to push you to anything
beyond that,” said Karen.
For more information about the Siouxland Pride Alliance, and
the services and programs they offer, you can visit the Siouxland
Pride Alliance Facebook Page, call 712-223-0931, or text that
same number. Also, more information is available on this entire
podcast at Empowering Conversations.
For more information about the Siouxland Pride Alliance,
and the services and programs they offer, you can visit the
Siouxland Pride Alliance Facebook Page, call 712-223-0931,
or text that same number. Also, more information is available
on this entire podcast at Empowering Conversations.
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for the past 25
years. The majority of her work has been writing and editing
for small-town newspapers in Kansas City and Siouxland.
Siouxland Magazine is Committed to
Supporting Siouxland’s Local
Small Businesses and Nonprofits.
We have a platform, and we want to
share it with you.
Get in front of the community by joining
Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 21
Although the Sunday group is geared more towards
fellowship and community, and the Friday group is more
structured to that of a support group, Karen said they are
conducted in a very supportive and nonjudgmental manner.
Get the details by scanning
the QR code or visit
siouxlandmagazine.com.

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 22
Want to join
Stacie on a
Facebook
Spotlight?
Small Business Spotlight
Mud on Main
By Amy Buster
Mud on Main, the local Coffee House and
Roastery located at 207 Historic West Main
Street in Cherokee, Iowa, will celebrate its 13th
Anniversary in business in October this year.
“I started the business on a whim; a friend had asked
me to do it. I didn’t know anything about coffee then,
but thought, let’s roll with it,” said owner Jessica
Kannegeiter.
The humble beginnings started in Aurelia, IA.
“It was a tiny coffee shop, a little place with a drivethru
window,” stated Jessica.
She served a few different coffee selections and
various breakfast items, including pastries, cookies,
and muffins. The business did well, and she expanded
her menu to include sandwiches, soups, and more.
Then she purchased a trailer and was able to deliver
her goods to farmers and the Farmer’s Market in areas
near town.
“I bought my second location for a coffee house in
Cherokee in 2017. This would allow me to roast my
own beans,” explained Jessica.
That second coffee house was when she bought the
Copper Cup in Cherokee, which allowed her to roast
her coffee beans.
“I drank coffee before I opened the business. I
enjoyed it but didn’t consider it a staple in my life. I
have a lot more appreciation for it now. There’s more
that goes into making coffee than what you think. It’s
cool. With roasting our own now, I’ve learned a lot
about the process,” shared Jessica.
She went on to explain more about the roasting
process.
“We get the beans in; they’re green and raw. I order
out of a location in Minneapolis. They get shipped
to us in those big, brown burlap bags. Then we roast
the coffee out at my farm. Everything is roasted within
two weeks. It’s very fresh. It’s great!”
With roasting their beans, coffee is now available to
order and be shipped directly to customers to make
at their homes: https://mudonmaincoffee.com.
“We order a lot of different varieties that we roast. We
can ship it directly to customers, or you can come to
the store to get it,” said Jessica.
Although a number of different varieties are available,
Jessica shared that they have three top sellers: 1.
Light Roast, 2. Mexican Dark Roast, and 3. Farmer’s
Blend (Dark Roast).
Mud on Main
“I prefer the Farmer’s Blend myself. It’s a very robust
coffee.”

“The 4-H program in town needs to purchase a new
scale. So we’re having puzzle parties to help them raise
the money. You assemble a 500-piece puzzle while
drinking an adult beverage and munching on pretzels.
You have to finish in the allotted time to be the winner.
We want to do these different events and give back to
other town-support groups. If you have an idea or want
to do something for a fundraiser, please reach out to us,
message us on Facebook, or message us through the
website. We’re always up for something new. We like to
keep things fresh and people excited about different
activities. It helps get exposure for the local groups and
organizations, too,” said Jessica.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 23
Mud on Main isn’t just about the coffee. It’s about
bringing people together.
Partner with Mud on Main to raise funds for your
school, nonprofit, extracurricular activity, club or
organization with one of the easiest products to sell!
They provide the sales materials and can even add
your logo for some enhanced branding!
The small store in Aurelia was going well and the
coffee trailer was spreading business throughout
the Siouxland area. Then in 2020, a piece of property
down the street in Cherokee was up for sale.
“We bought it and moved our location down the
street. I sold the smaller store in Aurelia, and my
family (husband Tyler and four children) moved to
Cherokee. Now we’re in a much bigger location
with a lot more opportunities.
“We’ve created layers of community. We want to be able
to give back and give exposure to those who need it. It’s
been a great team effort. My staff is great! They have a
lot of fun with it!”
Jessica said in closing that she loves it when people
come in and have business meetings at the Coffee
House, or Bible Study groups come in and meet, or
simply students come in to study; that they have been
able to create a safe place for people to come, meet,
and be part of a community again.
Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for
the past 25 years. The majority of her work has been
writing and editing for small-town newspapers in
both the Kansas City Metro area and the Siouxland
Community.
It’s been a great move,” shared Jessica.
The new, larger location has a stage, allowing them
to do several different things.
“We host special events for non-profits to raise
funds. We do BINGO on Thursday night every other
month in the fall and winter months. People with
the nonprofit for the event come in and call the
numbers. They get to talk about their organization
and what they are doing. The last group we had this
spring was the speech kids from the high school.
They came and called the numbers. Then at the
intermission, they did a little skit about what they
take to their showcases. It’s fun! We have a free-will
donation. It doesn’t cost to play. We get donated
prizes from other businesses in town.”
The Coffee House is open from 6 a.m.
to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. With the larger
facility and the stage, they have live music after dark
with beer, wine, and cocktails on the menu.
Siouxland Magazine is Committed to
Supporting Siouxland’s Local Small
Businesses and Nonprofits.
We have a platform,
and we want to share it with you.
Get in front of the community by joining
Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight.
Get the details by scanning
the QR code or visit
siouxlandmagazine.com.

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 24
Britton Hacke Photography
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative Feature
Business Owner: Britton Hacke
Business Name: Britton Hacke Photography
Main Products/Services: Photographer
Location: Siouxland
Connect: Instagram- @britton_hacke_photography
or Facebook- Britton Hacke Photography
Short description of your business:
I’m a photographer in the Sioux City area. I don’t
necessarily have a specialty, as I shoot everything
from events, to weddings, family portraits, cooperate,
and product photography. I also shoot concerts for
several larger area venues. I’ve worked with nationally
touring acts like Wu Tang Clan, Steve-O, as well as
several clothing brands, and Netflix.
What’s unique about your business?
I strive to highlight our community in ways people
might not have seen before. The biggest compliment
I hear often is how people look down on Sioux City
or don’t think there’s anything of beauty here and
tend to focus on the negative, and seeing my shots
have given them a whole new perspective. I’m also
WU-TANG Clan
completely self-taught, photography and social
media wise, which has been challenging at times but
has allowed me to put my spin on these things, and
luckily, people have responded.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to
overcome as you’ve grown your business?
I think I’m a bit chaotic by nature (But in a good way,
lol), so organizational things have been a learning
curve. I am also figuring out what steps are necessary
to grow my client base.
Wedding Session
Alice Cooper
What has been your greatest reward?
Being able to give back to the community that’s given
me so much. The support I’ve received in Siouxland has
been incredible. As a result, I’ve been able to help raise
awareness for some issues I believe are important and
are affecting the community, such as homelessness.

How have you benefited
from the startup community
in Sioux City and the
region? What resources did
you use?
I didn’t, and I do regret
it. I didn’t really start up
intending to be a business. It
just took off, and I’ve been
trying my best to steer it ever
since.
Why is it important
for the community to
support startups and small
businesses? What more Local homeless shot of optimism.
can be done to help them?
Community support - absolutely, it’s the most important
thing. Without that, small businesses would not exist. I’ve always
felt this way, but 2020 put this into perspective. I was seeing so
many small businesses close around town. It takes little effort
to support your favorite local businesses. Make a post on your
favorite social media platform, leave reviews on Google and
Facebook, and most importantly, frequent them!
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 25
What is one thing you know now that you wish you had
known when starting your business?
I wish I would have known about all the amazing resources
available such as Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, Small Business
Development Center, Siouxland Economic Development
Corporation, etc.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start
a business?
Do it! The biggest piece of advice is just do it and really commit
to whatever it is you’re doing. Get up earlier and stay up later
than the next guy, and you’ll already be ahead.
How can the community continue to help your business?
It’s easy. Make sure to follow my pages (Facebook- britton
hacke photography / instagram @britton_hacke_photography).
Like and share posts; consider, booking a session or buying
some prints! I have a rack of prints available for purchase any
time at the Art SUX Gallery (515 4th St).
What are some future goals for your company?
Hopefully, I can continue to be one of Siouxland’s favorite
photographers. Also, I’d love to get a shot on the cover of
Rolling Stone, haha.
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) is a collaboration between the
economic development organizations in Plymouth, Monona, and
Woodbury counties, and includes the following organizations:
City of Sioux City, Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning
Council, Siouxland Economic Development Corporation, The
Siouxland Initiative, Le Mars Business Initiative Corporation,
Woodbury County, and Monona County. Learn more about IWCI
at www.IAWestCoast.com.
Photo Credit Britton Hacke.

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating /26
Office of Native American Affairs of the SBA
The Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) is a vital
component of the U.S. Small Business Administration
(SBA) that focuses on facilitating the growth and
expansion of small businesses owned by Native
Americans. Recognizing the unique challenges and
opportunities faced by Native American entrepreneurs,
ONAA plays a crucial role in providing access to business
development tools and resources.
One of the key functions of ONAA is engaging in tribal
consultations. These consultations involve establishing
partnerships and collaborations with Native American
tribes to better understand their specific needs and
challenges. By actively involving tribes in the decisionmaking
process, ONAA ensures that its programs and
initiatives are tailored to address the unique economic
circumstances of Native American communities.
To promote awareness and accessibility, ONAA produces
a range of promotional materials. These materials
serve as informative resources highlighting the various
programs and services available to Native American
small business owners. The Office of Native American
Affairs goal is to increase visibility and encourage
participation in its initiatives by disseminating these
materials.
Furthermore, ONAA actively participates in national
economic development conferences. By attending
these conferences, ONAA representatives have the
opportunity to network with key stakeholders, share
best practices, and learn about innovative strategies
for supporting Native American small businesses. This
participation enhances ONAA’s ability to stay abreast
of the latest trends and developments in the field,
ultimately benefiting the entrepreneurs it serves.
One valuable tool ONAA provides is the local assistance
tool, which enables American Indians, Alaska Natives,
and Native Hawaiians to locate nearby offices and
resources. Through this tool, individuals can access
counseling services to determine eligibility for ONAA’s
8(a) Business Development Program. This program
assists socially and economically disadvantaged small
businesses in accessing federal contracts and resources.
In addition to counseling services, ONAA offers free
technical assistance to various types of businesses.
This assistance covers a wide range of topics, including
business planning, financial management, marketing
strategies, and government contracting. By providing
SBDC – Taking Care of Business
By Todd Rausch
such support, ONAA strives to empower Native
American entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills
necessary to thrive in today’s competitive business
landscape.
ONAA also recognizes the importance of leveraging
other federal programs and resources to support Native
American communities. The Department of the Interior’s
Bureau of Indian Affairs, for instance, provides services
to federally recognized tribes, offering education,
job training, and employment opportunities through
contracts, grants, and compacts. ONAA encourages
Native American entrepreneurs to explore these
programs to access additional resources and support.
To further expand the available resources, ONAA has
contracted with Sister Sky, Inc., and other companies
to offer entrepreneurial empowerment workshops
specifically tailored for Native American communities.
These workshops provide valuable insights, guidance,
and networking opportunities to Native American small
business owners, enabling them to enhance their skills,
knowledge, and capacity for growth.
In addition to ONAA’s initiatives, there are other
organizations and associations that provide resources
and support to Native American entrepreneurs. The
Native American Finance Officers Association, for
example, focuses on promoting financial management
and economic development within Native American
tribes. The National Center for American Indian
Enterprise Development serves as a valuable resource
center, offering business development programs and
advocacy for Native American businesses. The Native
American Contractors Association represents tribal,
Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian-owned enterprises,
advocating for their interests in the federal contracting
arena. Lastly, the National Congress of American Indians
serves as the oldest and largest national organization
representing Native American tribal governments and
their citizens, working to improve the economic wellbeing
and sovereignty of Native American communities.
In conclusion, the Office of Native American Affairs
plays a pivotal role in supporting and empowering
Native American small businesses. Through tribal
consultations, promotional materials, national
conference participation, counseling services, technical
assistance, and partnerships with other organizations,
ONAA strives to provide comprehensive resources

and opportunities for Native American entrepreneurs
to succeed. By recognizing and addressing the
unique challenges faced by ChatGPT Native American
entrepreneurs, ONAA contributes to fostering
economic growth and self-sufficiency within Native
American communities.
To further enhance the support provided to Native
American small businesses, ONAA continues to
collaborate with various stakeholders and government
agencies. For instance, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) offers
programs and resources that specifically cater to the
agricultural and rural development needs of Native
American tribes. This partnership enables Native
American entrepreneurs to access funding, technical
assistance, and training programs to support their
agricultural ventures.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is
another important resource for Native American
entrepreneurs. The committee focuses on policy
development and legislative initiatives that promote
economic development, education, healthcare, and
tribal sovereignty. By staying informed about the
committee’s activities and engaging in advocacy efforts,
Native American entrepreneurs can actively contribute
to shaping policies that impact their businesses and
communities.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
also provides valuable resources through its Federal
Agencies Native American Offices, Programs, and
Resources. The OCC collaborates with Native American
tribes to promote economic inclusion, access to capital,
and financial literacy. Native American entrepreneurs
can leverage these resources to strengthen their
financial management skills and access financial
services that support business growth and expansion.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’
Administration for Native Americans (ANA) is dedicated
to promoting self-sufficiency and cultural preservation
within Native American communities. ANA offers grants
and resources that support economic development,
social services, and community-based initiatives. Native
American entrepreneurs can explore ANA’s funding
opportunities and technical assistance programs to
launch or expand businesses that address the unique
needs of their communities.
entrepreneurs can access industry-specific expertise,
business development programs, and advocacy
platforms.
Furthermore, the National Congress of American Indians
(NCAI) is a prominent organization that advocates for
Native American tribal governments and their citizens at
the national level. NCAI focuses on policy development,
public awareness campaigns, and legislative advocacy
to address the economic, social, and cultural issues
facing Native American communities. Entrepreneurs
can engage with NCAI to stay informed about policy
initiatives and collaborate with tribal leaders to create
an environment conducive to economic development.
In conclusion, the Office of Native American Affairs serves
as a valuable resource and advocate for Native American
small businesses. Through its various programs,
partnerships, and collaborations, ONAA empowers
Native American entrepreneurs with the tools, resources,
and knowledge needed to overcome challenges
and succeed in the business world. By harnessing the
support offered by federal programs, organizations,
and tribal initiatives, Native American entrepreneurs
can navigate the path to success and contribute to the
economic prosperity of their communities.
Todd Rausch, Regional Director for the Small Business
Development Center at Western Iowa Tech Community
College. 712-274-6454 | Todd.rausch@witcc.edu
America’s SBDC Iowa provides free, confidential,
customized, professional business advice and consulting in
all 99 Iowa counties to entrepreneurs.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating BeComing / 27 / 27
In addition to federal programs, ONAA encourages
Native American entrepreneurs to seek support
from regional and local organizations that cater
specifically to their needs. These organizations often
provide specialized assistance, training programs,
and networking opportunities. By collaborating with
the Native American Finance Officers Association,
Native American Contractors Association, and National
Center for American Indian Enterprise Development,

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating /28
Let the Siouxland Chamber Work for You
Siouxland Chamber of Commerce
The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce exists
to support and advocate for our membership.
Recently, two key members, the Iowa Poison Control Center
and the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation, received
significant and positive news about the future of their
respective organizations.
First, the Iowa Poison Control Center (IPCC) is located in
Sioux City and has served the people of the entire State of
Iowa for more than two decades. Executive Director Linda
Kalin, a past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Siouxland
Chamber of Commerce, has been the poster child for fiscal
discipline in the public sector for more than 20 years.
Leading the statewide IPCC, Kalin has seen minimal
increases in her annual budget and leveraged relationships
with hospitals, insurance companies, and available federal
matching dollars to complement her modest allocation
from the state legislature. COVID-19, however, substantially
increased demand for the IPCC’s services and strained
the organization’s budget in an unprecedented and
unanticipated way. As a result, Kalin appealed to the
Siouxland Chamber of Commerce for support in requesting
a modest $250,000 increase from the state legislature
to meet the growing demand for the center’s life-saving
services.
Recognizing both the effectiveness of IPCC, as well as the
need for enhanced funding, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
budgeted for an increase and, led by State Representative
Jacob Bossman, the Iowa Legislature adopted the Governor’s
recommendation and allocated an additional $250,000,
ensuring the present and future of this indispensable statewide
agency located in Sioux City.
Simultaneously, the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation
(SMEF), which trains family physicians in a three-year medical
residency training program in Sioux City, became concerned
about their future when similar programs closed in Cedar
Rapids and dissolved in Waterloo. The Siouxland Chamber
of Commerce effectively intervened with the Reynolds
Administration to address a financial crisis primarily driven by
rapidly escalating medical malpractice insurance premiums.
This May, after two years of confidential negotiations, the
University of Iowa Department of Family Medicine, as part of
the Carver College of Medicine, announced that effective June
of 2023, they will assume operations of the Siouxland Family
Medicine Center, as well as the medical residency training
program for the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation. This
critical development ensures the future and long-term viability
of this program. It preserves the pipeline of family doctors in
our tri-state area, as well as approximately 70 critically important
healthcare jobs in our Siouxland community.
Let the Chamber
work for you!
Learn Network Promote
Community Enhancement
Discovering Worksite Wellness
Entrepreneur Hour
Government Relations
Small Business Education Series
Transportation
Annual Dinner
Chamber Golf Classic
Connect 101
Key Leadership Welcome
Rush Hour Connect
Siouxland/Washington Conference
WMN Mentoring & Networking
Ribbon Cuttings
Newsletter Advertising
Post Your Job Openings, Events,
Sales & Services
Chamber Event Sponsorships
Post Your News Releases
Call to become a member today!
712.255.7903
siouxlandchamber.com

Summer in Downtown Sioux City
Experience Downtown
By Carly Howrey
Summer is officially here in Downtown Sioux City!
There are so many opportunities to experience Downtown
this summer. As the days get longer and the weather gets
warmer, we are excited for our community to come alive
with events, live music, food, and fun.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 29
To kick off the summer, the Farmers Market began its
season on a beautiful May morning. Since the season
kickoff, vendors have been setting up shop in the parking
lot west of the Tyson Events Center every Wednesday and
Saturday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (weather permitting). They
will continue until October 28, 2023. In addition to being
a fun experience, the market is an opportunity to support
small businesses and to try fresh, local food. In fact, more
than 20 farmers sell homegrown produce at the market.
But the market isn’t limited to produce. Vendors selling
jewelry, baked treats, coffee, flowers, teas, and more make
themselves at home at the Sioux City Farmers Market.
A peak summer experience wouldn’t be complete without
Downtown LIVE! Downtown LIVE, once Fridays on the
Promenade, is back for its 18th season. Throughout June,
July, and August, we invite you to experience an outdoor
summer concert almost every Friday night from 6 to 9 p.m.
on the lawn of the Public Museum. Anyone can enjoy a night
of live music ranging from rock and folk to country and
bluegrass for just three dollars. To complete the concert
experience, the Sioux City Convention Center will be out
each night, ensuring no one goes thirsty. We’re welcoming
local favorites and musicians that have never played in
Sioux City to the stage. Visit downtownlivesc.com to view
dates and band descriptions, and for more information.
Farmers Market
This summer, you can even support local businesses on
your lunch break! That’s right, Food Truck Fridays are
back! An incredible variety of food is coming to Pearl
Street Park every Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It’s a
great opportunity to try something new and break out of
your routine. Our vendors are excited to showcase their
dishes to Siouxland. They’ve worked hard to prepare
for the season, and we are excited for the community to
thank them (and enjoy some incredible food, of course).
Visit the Sioux City Food Truck Fridays Facebook page for
weekly menus and weather updates.
We know a lot is happening Downtown, but we always
welcome more! Are you looking for a place to host your
next event? Look no further; Downtown Sioux City has
a little something for everyone, and Downtown Partners
would happily guide you through the event planning
process. If you’re just checking out the scene, you can get
a list of downtown events sent to your inbox by signing up
for our weekly E-blast! The E-blast showcases what’s up
downtown every weekend to visitors and locals alike. To
learn more about how Downtown Partners can help with
your downtown event or sign up for the weekly E-blast,
visit downtownsiouxcity.com.
Downtown LIVE.
Contributed by Downtown Partners, a non-profit
organization that works with downtown stakeholders to
create a vibrant, expanding downtown. To learn more about
Downtown Partners and stay up to date on downtown
projects and events, visit downtownsiouxcity.com.

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 30
My New Chapter
Hot Air
By Tony Michaels
This may be the most difficult article I have written.
I wanted to make sure I am honest and authentic with all
of you. At the time of penning this article, I am way past
the deadline. I have written about 20 different versions
in my head. I am currently experiencing a roller-coaster
of emotions. It’s unusual for a guy who chats for a living
to be at a loss for words.
Here it goes.
On May 31st, I walked away from a 28-year career in
radio.
For nearly three decades in Sioux City and Lincoln, I have
opened the microphone and searched for something
witty and insightful to share with listeners. Ok. The
theme of my topics mostly centered around country
music, embarrassing moments, and why the heck don’t
we have a Runza restaurant somewhere in Siouxland? I
mean, seriously, it’s amazing!
As you read this, I have already started my next fulltime
gig as a care provider for my oldest son, Trey.
My thoughts on that life change could fill an entire
magazine. My big takeaway and goal today is to be free
to take risks and squeeze every ounce of joy out of our
new paths into the unknown. For Trey. For me. For our
family.
Many times, I feel like an outsider in this space. There are
some superb contributors to Siouxland Magazine, and
they all appear to have themselves figured out. I believe
I am more of a work in progress. As I chart out a new
chapter in my work life, I plan to lead with compassion
and curiosity. During a break in the writing process,
I took a trip to the grocery store, where three people
referred to me in connection to the radio. I haven’t
been anywhere in Siouxland for quite some time where
my identity was NOT shared with the brand of a radio
station. While I thought about that, a song came over
the speakers while I was in the beer aisle. It was familiar
to me, but not a tune I remember as a hit. The lyrics bolt
out, “Got some new priorities in that schedule that you
keep, and when you say time’s a-wastin’, now you know
how right you are.” It was “Busy Man” by Billy Ray Cyrus.
It came out early when I got my first radio promotion at
work in 1998. It hit me that since then, I had put so much
mental attention into building my name through spoken
word for a station, it became my identity. Radio is easy
and fun work which demands a lot of time investment:
nights, weekends, on-call at 2 a.m. A popular station is
an active one. That’s the recipe for success. You get out
of it what you put into the process.
Trey
In the future, I hope to keep a creative spark alive in several
passion projects I have thought about and not yet fully
pursued. I will be busy, but in a different way. Along with my
wing-man at the store, Trey.
I guess we are both searching for a new identity. One we will
find together through love and hope.
We will be two busy men.
Tony “Michaels” Michalski is an author of “Tacos and
Beer Atmosphere” and former radio broadcaster. He is
also the co-host of the podcast, Starting Conversations
with Stacie and Tony, and is the new Account Executive
for Siouxland Magazine.

Council Connection
By Alex Watters
Wastewater Treatment Discussions Turn a Little Crappy
If you only read the first sentence of articles, let me say this: the Sioux City Wastewater Treatment Plant
(WWTP), which processes what you flush down the toilet and what all our industries wash down their
drains, is in dire need of renovation. In fact, previous circumstances have caused Sioux City to find itself
in a lawsuit with the state of Iowa and under scrutiny from the Environmental Protection Agency and the
Department of Natural Resources. The situation is very serious, and something has to be done.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating /31
That’s why more than a year ago, on April 19, 2022, our staff met with Hazen. This professional firm specializes
in the design and execution of wastewater treatment projects across the country. On April 26 of that year,
a survey was sent to all Sioux City industries to ask for their pre-treatment plans and explain that we were
evaluating a comprehensive facility plan for the WWTP. This evaluation would include an option to rebuild the
existing plant, or build a brand-new state-of-the-art plant south of town.
After analyzing survey results, Hazen met with different council members to discuss their facility plan findings
and analyze three alternative solutions, cost estimates, and timelines. There were options to place more
responsibility for the updates on citizens or on industries. On November 16, the City Council opted for a 50-
50 split. After determining a new facility would be nearly $1 billion, the City Council also opted to rebuild the
existing plant for less than half of that amount. On January 11 of this year, city staff held a mandatory industrial
partner meeting to discuss the decisions that have been made. Finally, a presentation was made to the City
Council and a first reading was past 4–0 –1, with the mayor abstaining.
After that initial first reading, additional conversations were had. Industries asked that rather than their full
increase for the year take effect on July 1, they asked if they could have a slight increase on July 1 and the rest
of the increase be moved to January 1, so that it would coincide with their budget cycle. Following that, the
item was deferred and the ultimate passing of it extended multiple weeks to allow for additional conversation
and exploration of funding sources.
What was unfortunate about the dialogue that ensued was the spreading of misinformation, exaggerations,
raised voices, and misplaced anger. However, we were able to dredge through it and pass what will be a
once-in-a-lifetime overhaul of the facility. Understanding that further discussion needs to take place during
the design and execution of this plan, the City Council created a committee composed of city staff, our expert
consultant, industry representatives, and citizens to meet monthly to continue the collaborative work necessary
to ensure we learn from our mistakes of the past.
The WWTP needs an overhaul. We did our best to find the best in the business to give us a true estimate of
what we were looking at and what our best options would be -- in addition to what it will cost. Unfortunately
to pay for what’s needed, rates will need to increase. Even after the increase, our rates are highly competitive—
both for our industrial users and our residents. We all feel the pressure of the economy and increasing costs.
The city is not immune to that. We need to put our egos aside and recognize that we are all on the same
team and one that wants what’s best for Sioux City. Through collaboration and creative problem-solving, I am
confident this will have us prepared to meet the challenges of today and the needs of the future.
Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City
awatters@sioux-city.org

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 32
Leading the Way – Leadership Siouxland
By Peggy Smith
If you listen to the news at all, regardless of what station or
source your information comes from, you most likely feel like
I do – overwhelmed by the problems, tragedies, and issues
that seem only to be compounding rather than diminishing.
We hear about the increase in mental illness and how people
are generally becoming angry, frustrated, and fearful.
Divisiveness and isolation abound. The problems seem so
large that it is hard to imagine that a single person could make
a difference, so the tendency is to simply do nothing. Deep
in our hearts, we all know that doing nothing is not the right
choice. It is important to learn about ourselves and discover
our talents and strengths, and ultimately our passion. Only then
can we become leaders that will make a positive difference in
our own lives and the lives of our family, co-workers, and our
community.
As the Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland, I strive
to ensure that the nine-month program provides thoughtprovoking
material and introduces the class to information
and resources to help them better understand their strengths
and talents and discover what they are passionate about. The
intent is to inspire each participant to enhance their leadership
skills and become engaged to better their community.
The 41 Siouxlanders that recently graduated from Leadership
Siouxland are well on their way to making a positive difference.
The class was formed into seven “connection circles” (Teams)
early on, and each circle completed a project in conjunction
with a mission-driven organization. At graduation, the circles
shared their accomplishments with the group, and it was
amazing to hear their passion and how rewarding it was to be
involved in creating good in the community. In addition, each
graduate shared what they learned from the program and
how it affected them.
Team Alloy (the name was chosen because an alloy is a
combination of more than one metal, which makes it stronger
than a single metal – just as a team is stronger than one
individual) collaborated with a newly formed mission-driven
organization in Siouxland – YANA (You Are Not Alone). This
organization is dedicated to helping people keep their minds
strong, sharp, and whole. It works to raise awareness about
mental health and support youth or adults struggling with
depression, and to prevent suicide through outreach events.
The Team is helping YANA put on a basketball tournament as
a “back to school” event in August, as a way for youth to meet
socially at an event that will provide resources, education, and
fun.
The team members shared how their participation in
Leadership Siouxland created awareness of the many missiondriven
organizations in Siouxland and how to get involved.
They spoke about gaining a new perspective through the
various diversity and generational differences sessions and
how the experience humbled them and made them more
appreciative and tuned into other people.
Team Leadership SUX thought outside the box. They
discovered that Siouxland lacks support groups for individuals
with breast cancer. Since 1 in 8 women in the US will develop
breast cancer, they saw the need to create a forum (Breast
Cancer SUX Tea Parties) that would provide a monthly event
for women recently diagnosed, receiving treatment, or
survivors of breast cancer to support each other. This new
support organization will continue to build awareness and
provide on-going support.
These team members shared that they learned different
styles of communication and leadership that they are putting
into practice daily, resulting in better relationships with coworkers
and colleagues. Networking with classmates from
various businesses and professions and learning how they
handle similar challenges and obstacles was refreshing and
helped everyone re-energize and re-focus. The importance
of self-care and celebrating little moments of success was also
impactful.
Team Mission Possible collaborated with the Siouxland
Coalition Against Human Trafficking (SCAHT). Their project
was to help spread the word about SCAHT and its services.
Each group member completed awareness training with
SCAHT then approached various Siouxland businesses,
providing them with educational materials in English and
Spanish and introducing the businesses to the possibility
of receiving awareness training from SCAHT. These team
members stressed the value of networking to expand your
knowledge and open your mind to other ways of viewing a
situation. Taking time to care for yourself makes you a better
person, co-worker, parent, and partner.
Team Sioux Team 6 was named such as a play on Seal
Team 6 because they wanted to give the same intensity and
professionalism to their project as an actual Seal Team would.
These team members found a lot of value in completing the
Gallup Strength Finder as it helped them better understand
themselves and focus on their strengths vs. trying to improve
their weaknesses. The group also found that the exposure
to community speakers broadened their understanding of
Siouxland. The team partnered with Meet the Need Siouxland,
a new mission-driven organization that is striving to ensure
that when an individual is struggling, they are connected with
the appropriate organization that can best meet their needs.
The team proactively contacted local agencies and then

Leadership Siouxland Graduation Class 2022-2023.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 33
compiled a comprehensive spreadsheet listing the various
resources each agency has at its disposal. This will be put into
a “resource guide” that will be invaluable to various agencies
in Siouxland.
Team Bruguier’s Bunch took their name from Theophile
Bruguier, the first white settler on land that later became
Sioux City. Bruguier’s farm and trading post included several
log cabins and teepees used by his friend War Eagle and
his family. One team member shared that the program has
inspired him to create his professional development plan.
Another team member indicated that she now understands
better how non-verbal communication needs to be managed
to ensure the “message” you are projecting to others is what
you intended. Learning more about the history of Siouxland
and all the wonderful opportunities to get involved, was
also important to these team members. Team Bruguier’s
Bunch partnered with the agency Sleep In Heavenly Peace,
an agency committed to providing beds to ensure that no
child in Siouxland has to sleep on the floor. They learned
that the agency struggled to find volunteers to build and
deliver beds. The group discovered the main issue is a lack
of awareness within Siouxland of the agency and what it does.
They created a very professional educational video that can
be used as a marketing tool and will significantly help educate
the community on how easy it is to volunteer and what a
rewarding experience that would be.
Team Siouxvenger Squad took their name to show their
willingness to get involved and, like superheroes, fight to
help youth in our community. This team collaborated with
Siouxland Youth for Christ and helped that organization,
which works with youth ages 11 – 19, to transform a space
within their Youth Center as a “clothing closet.” The group
collected donations and then created a process guide that the
organization can use going forward to collect more donations
and how to handle surplus donations and recycle used
items. Members of this team are committed to continuing to
partner with Siouxland Youth For Christ and be involved with
the organization’s mission going forward. Team members
expressed that the Leadership Siouxland program made them
much more aware of the great needs right here in Siouxland
and how each person can make a difference regardless of
their leadership style.
Team Shared Outcomes was excited to partner with Wet
Nose Rescue, formed in 2019 as a rescue shelter for Plymouth
County, based in Le Mars. The organization finally opened
in 2022 to shelter cats and dogs. The Team was instrumental
in helping this new organization organize and build a cat
colony and additional housing for cats, organized the storage
room, cleaned the area, and helped sort supplies. The Team
learned that many non-profit agencies are strapped for
volunteers and funding and lack the resources to handle many
necessary business functions. The team recognized that this
is an opportunity within Siouxland – to help connect agencies
with professionals in the business community that can lend
their expertise to help the non-profit function more effectively.
Team members spoke about the value of exposure to different
speakers sharing information about Siouxland that educated
the class. The importance of self-care was also mentioned as a
great take away, as well as the session on change management.
Reflecting on the 2022 – 2023 class (my sixth graduating class
as Executive Director), I realize how much I learned. Each class
opened my eyes to the great people we have in Siouxland and
how dedicated they are to become better leaders. I think this
quote from George Washington Carver sums up my thoughts
on how we can all make a difference in the world – and what our
purpose should be:
“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the
young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the
striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday
in your life, you will have been all of these.”
As Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland, Peggy Smith
has the privilege of working with and learning from amazing
Siouxlanders committed to enhancing their leadership skills
and making a positive difference in Siouxland. Contact Peggy
to learn how you can join the 2023 - 2024 class.
The mission of Leadership Siouxland is to develop diverse,
passionate leaders who positively impact our community
for today and tomorrow. Leadership Siouxland began in
1984 and is proud of the over 1200 graduates who make
positive differences each and every day. To learn more,
contact Peggy Smith, Executive Director, at 712-898-8594
or email info@leadershipsiouxland.org.
Peggy Smith, Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland,
is dedicated to inspiring others to follow their passion to
positively impact the Siouxland Community.
Photo Contributed by Siouxland Leadership.

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 34
Downtown Sioux City
Davidson Building Connected
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505 6th St. Sioux City, IA 51101
Men’s and Women’s
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Siouxland GO Affecting Change
Siouxland Growth Organization members
have been busy this Spring in their mission
to nurture and grow opportunities for young
professionals in our community! Since the last
issue of Siouxland Magazine, we have volunteered at
the Wine & Chocolate Festival, volunteered in Litter
Dash, hosted our annual golf classic fundraiser, held
social events, and had countless committee and
general meetings. On May 18, we had the pleasure of
hosting our 14th annual Innovation Market.
Future Foundation – Siouxland GO
By Sydney McManamy
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 35
Innovation Market strives to grow our community
through innovative ideas and supporting local
businesses by helping to bridge the gap between the
inception of an entrepreneurial idea and making it a
reality. Siouxland Growth Organization uses this event
to create an environment where potential startups or
businesses less than a year old test their ideas in a
community setting. With our partnership with the
Siouxland Chamber to make our event a Rush Hour
Connect this year, we were ecstatic with the turnout of
Siouxlanders who came to rally around aspiring local
entrepreneurs.
At the end of this year’s innovation market, the
community decided which five business ideas they
wanted to move on to the next round of judging by
Siouxland GO members and our generous event
donors. After several inspiring presentations, one
business won $5,000 (provided by Sterling Computers)
to assist with its startup costs. Second place (provided
by the City of Sioux City, the Siouxland Initiative,
and Vitus) and third place (provided by Iowa’s West
Coast Initiative) walked away with $2,500 and $1,000,
respectively, to make their entrepreneurial dreams a
reality. We are incredibly grateful for the support of
our event sponsors, who helped us create a space
locally where progress can take root.
2023 Siouxland GO board members.
at the United Way of Siouxland. For more information on
our upcoming events, please check us out on Facebook!
If you’re interested in becoming a member of Siouxland
GO, there are many opportunities to affect change in our
community. Check out our website at SiouxCityGO.com
to learn more about Siouxland Growth Organization and
the committees you can get involved in. Please contact
any board member if you want to start a dialogue about
membership benefits for yourself or your employees.
Siouxland Growth Organization, was formed in 2002 to
encourage young professionals to become active members
of the Siouxland community. Our goal is to attract
and retain young professionals in the area by providing
insight into what Siouxland has to offer and how they can
get involved in shaping its future.
Sydney McManamy, 2023 Siouxland Growth Organization
President.
Photo Contributed by Siouxland GO.
Siouxland GO members plan to assist with this
summer’s RAGBRAI and Summer In Siouxland
Internship Program. If you want to get involved in the
community but are unsure where to begin, please
stop by any of our general meetings! We will hold our
July meeting on Wednesday, July 19, from 8 - 9 a.m.,

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 36
To Catch a Frog
By Chris Ferry
Local Siouxland Entrepreneur, Chris Ferry,
takes on the additional title of Children’s
Book Author.
Illustrated By Vanessa Kuiper
Preschooler, Leo, loves all things slimy, fuzzy,
or creepy crawly. That doesn’t change on a
particular day he shows up at Theodore’s
Academy with a frog in his pocket. Froggy
can’t stay in Leo’s pocket, so the students are
searching for ways to keep Froggy safe- and
hoppy- I mean happy! But how do you keep a
frog happy?
To Catch a Frog follows Leo, his friends,
and Froggy on an adventure at Theodore’s
Academy and watches the students transform
from wanting to keep Froggy for themselves
to understanding the needs and wants of a
wild animal and what it needs to be happy. Leo
is inspired by one of Chris’s grandchildren,
Hendrick, who has a passion, like Leo, for
all bugs, critters, and reptiles. The other
characters and actions seen in the book are
Hayes with book.
inspired by other children at Theodore’s and fun
stories of what happened inside (and outside) the
walls at Theodore’s.
Local Author, Chris Ferry, is a busy mother,
grandmother, and also Entrepreneur. Along
with multiple other small businesses, Chris and
her husband, Todd, own Theodore’s Academy,
Preschool, and Childcare. Theodore’s is a small
quaint daycare and preschool center on the edge
of Whispering Creek, tucked away in prairie grass
and the rolling hills of Iowa. A primary component
of Theodore’s curriculum and the overall theme
is nature, and what better way to learn about this
than explore the grassy area they call home?
If you drive by Theodore’s, you will notice they
have no hard structure playground equipment
to encourage the natural playgrounds. Natural
playgrounds encourage unscripted play and give
the children the opportunity to include nature in
their play. Chris wanted her books to follow the
nature theme of Theodore’s, as this gives true
insight into what these littles do daily. Because
of the rural surroundings, many critters and bugs
make their way near Theodore’s. To date, they

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 37
have seen frogs, toads, rabbits, mice, deer,
raccoons, and many bugs, including bees and
butterflies, who enjoy the garden planted by
the children. With video surveillance, they
enjoy watching the critters make nighttime
appearances too!
The children and teachers are very into nature
and animals. Weather permitting, the older
age classrooms spend a lot of time outdoors
exploring, looking for bugs and frogs, or
tending to the garden.
More about
To Catch a Frog:
To Catch a Frog is the first of many books in a series
based on the children of Theodore’s Academy.
Published in January of this year, all profits return to
Theodore’s Academy.
Leap over to AMAZON to grab
your copy today or message Chris
on their Facebook page. Chris can
also be emailed at chris.ferry@
ibcins.biz for ordering!
PS: There is a fun outdoor activity at the end of
the book!
More about Theodore’s Academy:
Theodore’s Academy recently celebrated
its third anniversary; it opened its doors
in March 2020. For information on child
enrollment, contact Center Director Paxi
Cutler. 712-560-4056.
Ribbit

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 38
How a QR Code and UFTE are Helping Address Food Insecurity
By Pam Mickelson,
A nice story about inclusion and a team of doers.
How can a small group of gardeners help with food insecurity in Siouxland? And what more can be done?
Those are questions Up from the Earth (UFTE) thinks about each year. Up from the Earth is a small group of gardeners
who encourage like-minded folks to grow an extra row of produce and share it with local pantries. A website and a
brochure with a pantry list were developed around 2015 with a goal to bring fresh produce to those with food insecurity
around Siouxland.
It is estimated that 1 out 5 children and 1 out of 10 adults in Siouxland experience food insecurity. Food insecurity is
when there is not consistent access to food for every person in a household.
The UFTE website is the host to a listing of pantries, including their schedule and a map link. It also has a listing of the
drop off places that will accept fresh and clean garden produce. This past winter the leadership team evaluated some
problems and opportunities facing the community. Once the problems were stated, we started looking for opportunities.
A plan quickly came together.
The Problems
• A typical client of a food pantry is not aware of the
many pantry options.
• Gardeners aren’t aware there are places who
accept their bumper crops.
• The printed pantry and collection site schedules
quickly become outdated.
• No central location exists to communicate all of
the collection sites and pantries.
• The 40 or so sites operate with different schedules
and parameters.
• All of the communication is in English. Our schools
are a snapshot of the area population. Young
Siouxland residents who are in ESL programs in
Sioux City and South Sioux City School Districts
account for 22% and 15% respectively of the
student population (KTIV, March 2023 and SSC
District website, May 2023).
• Food pantry clients as well as gardeners aren’t
aware of the UFTE website with current collection
sites and pantries.
The Opportunities
• Call or check on each location to confirm the
pantry schedule.
• Update the website once the new schedule is
confirmed.
• Create a print-ready pantry schedule in Word
with color coded days.
• Create an app so that clients can find pantries
from their devices.
• Or - Create a QR code (Quick
Response) that can be put on
posters to direct readers to the
website with updated pantry
information. QR codes are free
and easy to create, and most smartphones and
tablets have built-in QR code scanners in their
cameras.
• Collaborate with UFTE team members and
pantries on editing and approving the posters.
• Take the call from Erica DeLeon at One
Siouxland who offered to interpret the posters
– in SEVEN LANGUAGES.
• Print and distribute the posters to all of the
current collection sites and pantries.
• Create a button on the website to download a
pdf copy of the schedule.
• Create Google Map links for each location
listed on the website.
Food at the pantries.

Here are the posters – in EIGHT LANGUAGES. We used the headline Pantries Feed Neighbors, with the image of
beautiful produce at the First Lutheran Church pantry in Sioux City. Erica’s team interpreted each of the seven non-
English posters, and had to edit the words because ‘pantry’ or ‘neighbor’ or some other word did not translate exactly.
Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating /39
Many folks helped to put this
project together –
• I volunteered to do the heavy
lifting on the Website, get the QR
code, develop a Poster and slides,
and create the Pantry schedule on
a Word doc.
• Randy Burnight provided new
pictures for the website and
the poster, tested the copy with
pantries, and wrote a grant
with Thrivent Financial to cover
printing cost.
• Valerie Peterson, Graphic Designer
at the Food Bank, tweaked the poster
for print, size and design.
• Brenda Sale, NEP Associate, Dakota County Extension
of UNL edited the copy.
• Erica DeLeon, Director of One Siouxland, and her
translators interpreted the posters as well as post
them on various monitors in Siouxland where ESL
families might congregate and need access to a
pantry.
A nice story, right? I was very surprised that Up from
the Earth is the only group to create a master list of
Produce Drop Off sites as well as Food Pantries, and
offer materials in different languages. Because of
our diverse Siouxland community, I’m proud to be a
part of a solution to help families in need, to be more
inclusive, and to work with a team of people with
similar values. Up from the Earth will continue to work
toward addressing food insecurity, and is hopeful the
new posters in seven languages and the QR code will
help Siouxland families.
Pam Mickelson, she worked with Morningside University students
on UFTE branding and currently volunteers with UFTE, the air
museum, and Iowa Master Gardeners. She and her husband
donate produce from their small garden, drive thousands of
miles each year to various national parks, and visit their kids in
Seattle and Kansas City.
mickelson@morningside.edu
https://upfromtheearth.wixsite.com/siouxland
Up from the Earth exists to connect extra produce from
home gardens to people in need.

Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 40
Ask the Therapist
By Jackie Paulson
Send Your
Questions
to the
Therapist.
Q:A few years ago, I experienced the loss of a family
member and am noticing that I am still struggling with
feelings of sadness related to their passing and the
space it has left in my life. I sometimes feel frustrated
that I still struggle as much as I do most days. Can you
offer any hope on moving forward?”
Dear Reader,
Grief is a wild journey and a deep initiation. The
research the psychology community has done on
grief is astounding. Yet, I have found that theories
and the intellectual mind can only grasp grief so
far. I’ve discovered that grief is less about moving
through stages and more about developing a way
of relating to our grief because I do not believe it
ever “resolves” itself or even “heals” in some ways.
I do believe that we can live through our grief and
even thrive because of it. All of this depends on
our internalized beliefs about feelings and grief
in particular. Grief is intrinsic to life. Everyone,
whether you have experienced a direct loss or not,
has some experience with it. We must accept that
it is here.
Many of us try to bypass the sensations
and experience of grief because it can be
overwhelming. In a society that has, for the most
part, lost a genuine deep respect for rituals and
community, grief itself can be traumatic. But grief
itself is not. In fact, it can be quite the contrary. The
mind has a terrible time conceptualizing death and
dying. The body can process it a bit more fully, but
even in the physical realm of our existence, death
(although quite natural) is incredibly existential.
It is hard to make sense of it. In our world of
wanting certainty, death gives way to nothing
but a mystery. It shows us where we are vulnerable
and in need of support from something greater.
For some, this is their spiritual community and belief
system. But even if you do not have a particular belief
in a higher power, there is the authentic power of
community and gathering, the power of nature and
the elements, of singing songs and writing poetry, of
movement rituals and feeling with others, the power
of creating art out of our heartbreak.
I do not have any specific advice regarding anyone’s
grief process because it is theirs, and it is so unique to
the love you shared with your loved one. That is what
makes it so exquisite and also so lonely sometimes.
I know this, having lost both my parents and my sister in
my early 20s. I speak to you from personal experience,
not some trivial soundbite of Pollyanna comforts.
Part of the creative process when it comes to grief is
allowing any and all feelings to have their space. If
there is rage, channel the rage. If there is despair, can
you allow it to be there and hold it like a small child
needing the most sensitive care? There is no timeline
for grief. Just as love is without limit, grief is as well.
Ultimately, I invite you to do it with support. The need
for solitude makes sense; however, isolating in it will
only consume you into realms of shame and overwhelm
that can create unneeded suffering. Find a friend, a
group, a therapist, a clergy person, a tree, or even the
sky; something that you can feel safe to be held by and
let yourself fall apart and be reborn into this new way
of being in the world.

The relationship with your grief will ebb and flow.
Ultimately, I hope you will find that this grief has and
will allow you to live life on an even deeper level -
where the colors and tastes of the world become
more vibrant. Take good care of your body and your
mind. Move, breathe, rest. In the grief process,
sometimes, that is all we can do.
And I will leave you with this beautiful poem that
my supportive grief guide once shared with me. It
is called:
“Blessing for Falling into a New Layer of Grief”
by Jan Richardson
You thought you had hit every layer possible,
that you had found the far limit of your sorrow,
of your grief.
Now the world falls from beneath your feet
all over again, as if the wound
were opening for the first time,
only now with an ache you recognize as ancient.
Here is the time for kindness—
your own, to yourself—
as you fall and fall, as you land hard
in this layer that lies deeper than
you ever imagined you could go.
Think of it as a secret room—
this space that has opened
before you, that has opened inside you,
though it may look sharp in every corner
and sinister no matter where you turn.
Think of it as a hidden chamber in your heart
where you can stay as long as you need,
where you will find provision you never wanted
but on which your life will now depend.
I want to tell you there is treasure even here—
that the sharp lines that so match your scars
will lead to solace;
that this space
that feels so foreign will
become for you a shelter.
So let yourself fall.
It will not be the last time,
but do not let this be cause for fear.
These are the rooms around which your
new home will grow—
the home of your heart, the home of your life
that welcomes you with such completeness,
opening and
opening and
opening itself to you,
no part of you
turned away.
You can submit your question for “Ask the Therapist”
by visiting jaclynpaulson@gmail.com and sending your
question through the contact page. Please put “Ask the
Therapist” in the subject line.
Jackie Paulson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor
in the state of Iowa. It is her belief that every person
has an innate intelligence within them and can
“whole” themselves with the right support. Jackie
offers a holistic and somatic based therapy practice
in Sioux City, IA. Ultimately, she humbly sits with
others in hopes to empower them to seek and
connect into their own deep and sacred wisdom that
resides within. You already have the answers, it is
with the right witnessing and curiosity that the truth
is revealed.
Siouxland Magazine | BeComing /41
With love,
Jackie

Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 42
Health is a Journey
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler
Health is a word that means something different
to each person. Health is a word that means something
different to each person. For me, it is more than a word;
it is a lived experience. My name is Megan. I am a clinical
herbalist, nutritionist, and flower essence practitioner,
and this is my experience.
I was a small child around the age of eight when my
health journey started; as I look back, I can see the
progression of seemingly disconnected aliments piling
up. The stomach aches that started first, complaints after
eating, and pickiness about certain foods. Then came
the frequent earaches and sore throats. My tonsils were
taken out, and tubes were placed in my ears in hopes of
helping the chronic strep throat and tonsillitis.
As I entered the time of my menarche (the time in a
woman’s life when she experiences her first period),
I had my first seizure. My mom had woken me from a
nap to prepare me for piano lessons, and as we walked
outside to the car, I fell unconscious and into my first
grand mal seizure. I was in fourth grade and ten years
old. This was the first of hundreds of seizures that led
to the diagnosis of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. This
initial diagnosis of Epilepsy was encompassed in fear
and the unknown. Information given to my parents by
our leading medical establishment was confusing and
unclear. What was causing the seizures? How long would
I have the seizures? When would the seizures occur? All
was unclear and remained unanswered. The only thing
that was known was that I needed to be medicated.
my symptoms were getting worse. I was unable to hold a
job; I was not able to drive a car; I was visiting the ER two
to three times a week due to dislocated shoulders from
seizures. I was depressed, weak, and still, I had the hope for
something more.
Around this time, I took a trip to Colorado to visit family. We
visited my first-ever herbal apothecary. I walked up to the
counter and asked the herbalist at the counter if they had
any recommendations for seizures. I was sent home with one
single herb: Skullcap. I had an immediate connection with
this plant. I began brewing myself cups of tea throughout
the day, and one week would go by without a seizure, then
one month, then two months. I was elated. I was hooked.
Within months I was registered at the Colorado School of
Herbalism; I had encountered a crossroads and made a
decision.
Children are inquisitive, and I was no exception. I
remember asking my doctors and my parent why.
Why are these seizures happening? What am I doing
wrong? What is wrong with me? There were no answers,
and as I grew, I never gave up asking those questions.
Those questions transformed a scary experience into
a successful health journey. Growing up in the 90s
and living in rural northwest Iowa, alternative forms of
medicine were not talked about or available. I did not
uncover herbal medicine until I was 25 years old. Once
I did, I knew that was the path I had been searching for
all along.
At 25, I was at a crossroads; I could foresee the future I
would have if I continued on pharmaceutical medication
to treat my seizures, but I knew I wanted a different
experience. After 15 years of switching and maxing
out medications, my options were running out, and
Skullcap herb.
Health means something different to me today than to
that 25-year-old woman. Along the way, I discovered
many parts of the human spirit, from depression and fear
to understanding and hope. It is from these experiences I
came to understand that the growth of our spirit happens
during times of fear and times of trial. Health is a constant
choice, a journey, not a destination. It is an understanding of
what works well for one’s body. It is a connection between
our physical body and our spiritual body.
In each issue as we begin this journey together, I will share
different herbal recipes and knowledge on medicinal
herbs, and what better herb to start with than the herb that
introduced me to herbal medicine… Skullcap.

Resources:
1. Wikipedia contributors. “Materia medica.”
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The
Free Encyclopedia, 16 Mar. 2023. Web. 11 Jun. 2023.
2. Chevallie, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal
Medicine. DK Pub., New York, c2000. p 135
3. Skenderi, Gazmend. Herbal Bade Mecum. Herbacy
Press. Rutherford, NJ, c2003. p 346
4. Tierra, Michael. Planetary Herbology. Lotus Press,
Twin Lakes, WI. c2018 p 354-355
Siouxland Magazine | BeComing /43
Skullcap tea.
Skullcap Materia Medica
(Materia medica is a Latin term translated simply
to: ‘On Medical Material.” It is a source or book
involving clinical information, history, and properties of
medicine.) (1)
Botanical Name: Scutelleria lateriflora
Common Name: Skullcap, Scullcap
Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler, owner of MEGAN & CO. Herbal
Apothecary and Clinic. It is Megan’s hope to spread herbal
knowledge to rural America in a safe, constructive, and
accessible manner. She has been a trained and working
herbalist for the past ten years.
Trained at the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism
Certified Clinical Herbalist
Certified Clinical Nutritionist
Certified Flower Essence Practitioner
Part Used: Aerial (Flower, Leaf, Stem, Everything
above the ground) (2)(4)
Constituents: Flavonoids, Bitter Iridoids, Volatile Oils,
Tannins, Resin, Bitter Glycoside, Fat, Sugar (2)(3)
Clinical Actions: Sedative, Nervine Tonic,
Antispasmodic, Mild Bitter, Hypnotic, Stomachic,
Astringent, Aromatic (2)(3)
Honda SUVs
RULE THE ROAD
in style and performance!
Common Uses: Restorative actions on the nervous
system; supports and nourish hysteria, epilepsy,
convulsions, and serious mental illness, calms and
relieves stress, anxiety, insomnia, strengthens brain;
supportive in times of addiction (drug and alcohol)
withdrawal, mild antispasmodic effects, stimulates
menstruation (2)(3)(4)
Energetics: Cool, Dry, Bitter. (2)(3)
Organ System Effected: Central Nervous System,
Nerves, Brain, Muscles. (4)
Common Form: Infusion, Capsules, Tincture
Infusion used for short-term stress and anxiety
Capsules: for nervous exhaustion and insomnia
Tincture: for nervous tension and headaches (2)
Cautions: Not recommended during pregnancy.
It has been found adulterated with germander,
a hepatotoxic herb. It should be handled by
experienced practitioners only to ensure genuine
herb. (3)
4625 Singing Hills Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51106 | 712-274-6622
VernEideHondaSiouxCity.com

Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 44
Co-Creating Our Common Ground
Living Lumin
Dr. Meghan Nelson & Dr. Ryan Allen
I was of many minds on the Friday afternoon
in the Fall of 2021 as I drove into Joy Hollow
Girl Scout Camp to prepare for the upcoming
weekend immersive outdoor retreat, “On
Common Ground.” The collaborative intersection of
the arts and sciences had been two years in the making,
with the Covid-19 pandemic wrenching our plans for
a gathering the year before. Foremost in my thoughts,
though, was gratitude: to have this time to connect
with nature, engage with community, and to celebrate
a venture with so many interesting, talented people.
This included prominent, big-name authors I’ve long
admired like Connie Mutel, Dan O’Brien, John T. Price,
and Patrick Hicks, theologians (Kristen Drahos & Vince
Miller), prairie restoring land owners (Bill & Dotty Zales,
Jerry & Norma Wilson), and ecologists, students, and
others who all shared a common desire to go further,
to dive deeper, and to connect with people and places
and ideas and feelings in a way that can only be
experienced with others, especially because, for most
of us, this weekend gathering would be the first time in
the company of strangers since the Covid-19 pandemic
began.
I was especially satisfied to be engaged in this
project with Dr. Brian Hazlett, an environmental
science professor at Briar Cliff University and a former
colleague. Brian and I had worked together dozens
of times over the years on efforts to create genuine
intersectionality between the arts, humanities, and
sciences, both at BCU and out in the community as
well. We co-sponsored the annual “Little Readings on
the Prairie” to celebrate Iowa Prairie Heritage Week
and attended and presented at the Loess Hills Prairie
Seminar. So, when Brian approached me years before
and shared the book, In the Blast Zone, a text about a
gathering of artists and -ologists at Mount St. Helens,
the idea for our own Loess Hills version, our “Common
Ground,” was born.
Our end goal was to execute a multidisciplinary,
multimodal project that would ultimately lead to
various media, namely, a film, a book, and educational
content to foster integrative collaboration between the
arts and sciences among those who’ve devoted their
Bill Zales, the Burn.
personal and professional lives to protecting the Hills and
those new to the unique, micro-climate topography. So
that’s what we did.
On Common Ground: Learning and Living
in the Loess Hills (Ice Cube Press) aims to
increase the awareness of and appreciation
for the Loess Hills by representing opportunity
and showing potential—for discovery, for
understanding, and for growth.
The poet Joseph Brodsky writes, “Geography blended
with time equals destiny.” We sought to test this premise
in western Iowa. At the soul of this project are fundamental
questions: What can literature and visual images bring to
the study of the Loess Hills and its preservation that science
cannot? What can science show us about the Hills that the
arts appear to miss? How will understanding the ways we
approach knowledge help us to better understand and
‘know’ the Hills?

Thankfully, our community partners and funders,
including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources REAP program, and
the Margaret Ann Martin Everist Foundation, could all
recognize the value of this effort and the proposition for
what it might be able to produce.
The On Common Ground collection of essays, poetry,
photographs, and sketches represent the shared
pursuit of this understanding and a commitment to our
collective cause: to better understand the land and our
relationship to it, and how this informs our identity and
purpose.
Siouxland Magazine | BeComing /45
The On Common Ground text draws on collaborative
literary projects such as Land of the Fragile Giants
(1994), Forest Under Story (2016), and In the Blast Zone
(2008). We believe society’s big questions and issues
are better addressed when the humanities and sciences
collaborate. We believe it because we witnessed it over
the course of a weekend together in the Hills and out
beyond in the pages of the text.
But to be fair, Brian and I never really knew what would
happen, just that if we got enough magical, brilliant
people together around some fire and some bison,
something amazing would transpire. And it did. IT
happened sitting in circles at mealtimes. IT happened
practicing yoga and meditating at sunrise and jamming
and dancing to a Mike Langley musical performance at
sunset. It happened in all the walks and talks with each
other during the days and in the solitude and quiet of
our tents, rooms, and cabins late at night.
I hope there’s a little bit of something for everyone within
this On Common Ground text. We all look at these same
Hills but see with such beautiful, wild, unique eyes: like
Patrick Hicks, who looks to the Hills and sees Irish history,
or Vince Miller or Kristen Drahos, who unveil Genesis,
or Jerry Wilson through the politics of climate change,
or Aric Ping, who in “Joy, Hollow,” explores the Loess
Hills of the mind. It’s not just a written story, though.
On Common Ground is a visual journey as well. Nan
Wilson’s graphite sketches and acrylic paintings reveal
relationships—to one another and to the plants, the lead
plant and yucca, and goldenrod- that so enraptured
our attention and imagination. And the photographs
of Jeremy Covert and his team, especially the aerial
drone shots of the burn, reveal the scale and scope of
the prairie landscape, and the smallness, despite our
impact, of our place in it.
At one point in the weekend, Scott Moats, the Nature
Conservancy’s Director of Stewardship at Broken Kettle,
said a line that still sticks with me today. “Everything has
an impact.” How much we need each other, how much we
need this land, how much we need to love this land and
each other, is a lesson still resonating within me today.
And although we’re about two years removed from our
time together in the Hills, what happened there, what we
Bison is believing.
learned and lived there together for those three days,
will live on now. We all get to have a new adventure
together.
You can join us. On Common Ground: Learning and
Living in the Loess Hills (Ice Cube Press) will be out on
August 1, 2023. ISBN 9781948509459. You can order
here at www.icecubepress.com or join us in person
in Sioux City to celebrate the release at Briar Cliff
University at 7 p.m., Thursday, August 24th, and at
Book People on Sunday, August 27th, from 12-2 p.m.,
for a short reading and book signing.
Lumin Therapy provides integrative health and
education for the mind, body, and spirit to those who
are suffering or struggling to step into and live their
heartfelt mission and purpose. Through the practice
of physical therapy, medical therapeutic yoga,
meditation, mindfulness, and resiliency mentoring, Dr.
Meghan Nelson, DPT, and Dr. Ryan Allen, PhD, bring
more than 40 years of knowledge and experience
serving individuals, families, and organizations to
learn and heal and live without boundaries.
Photo Credit, left page, Brian T. Hazlett. Photo Credit,
right page, Jeremy Covert.

Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 46
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Advertise with us!
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Tony Michalski: 712-490-1145
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Sioux City, IA 51101

Your overall mental state is
determined by your mental diet.
In the same way that the state of
your body is determined mainly
by the food you eat, the state of
your inner world is a function of
the mental food you consume—
what you think. In the context
of thought power, we can say that
the term ‘thinking,’ does not only
refer to what we are accustomed
to as thinking about this or that. All
your mental activities—your beliefs,
imaginings, assumptions, and the
feelings they evoke, are the thinking
activities of your mind. And together,
they determine your mental
frequency and direct your thought
power in their respective directions.
Everything in your inner world begins
with a thought. You may think your
beliefs and feelings are independent
of your thoughts, but they all started
Dare 2B Great
By Cody Rininger
as a single thought. A belief is a
thought you repeated persistently, be
it consciously or not, until it was passed
down to your subconscious mind and
became part of the core beliefs of
your personal belief system. Even a
single thought-reaction to an outside
event can be so impressionable that it
creates a permanent belief. Thereafter,
your beliefs confirm and justify the
way you think. The same applies to
your feelings. Your thoughts about a
specific event, be it an actual event
or an imagined one, give rise to
corresponding feelings. And those
feelings then affirm your thoughts
about the event and the one sustains
the other.
Having the right mental diet can
help cultivate self-awareness and
may help improve our capacity for
self-compassion while reducing
stress, depression, anxiety, and other
negative emotional states associated
with self-judgment. Mindfulness
can apply to your communication,
relationships, eating patterns, or
simply observing your own reactions
and behaviors. Here are some ways
to be more mindful…
• Nonjudgemental: Be aware
of our judgments towards
ourselves, food, others, and
our environment.
• Patience: This is a process; it
takes time to be aware moment
by moment.
• Trust: This is your journey,
and it won’t be the same as
anyone else’s; noticing and
appreciating our experience
helps us build trust with
ourselves.
• Go with the Flow: Tune into
what’s happening in the
present without judgment.
Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 47
• Acceptance: It’s one thing to
develop awareness, it’s another
to be accepting of what comes
up during the process; practice
the mantra ‘it is what it is.”
• Letting Go: Release past
expectations and resentments
around our choices, let go
of attachments and try to be
present in the here and now
without judgments based on
things in the past.
Cody Rininger
Cody Rininger is certified by the National Academy of Medicine as a Professional Fitness Instructor. He is also certified in
Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Heart Variance, Nutrition, Neuromuscular Flexibility, Supplements, and Mental/Behavior Performance.
He incorporates techniques for concentration, focus, motivation, and coping with anxiety. He has been featured in National
Fitness Magazines and has spoken on several national Podcasts. Prior to personal training, Cody received his Master’s in
Instruction. He has first-hand experience with differentiating personalized instruction, planning, and goal setting. Cody brings
his 2B Imperium training methods, knowledge, and experience to give clients the best overall experience, whether they have
been exercising for years or are beginning their fitness journey. He was named 2022 and 2023 Siouxland Trainer of the Year.
Cody trains at the Four Seasons in Sioux City and North Sioux City.
Photo Credit TRULY JULI PHOTOGRAPHY.