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Tools for Economic Growth in Spring Valley, Minnesota.

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Kolling’s new venture is safe, versatile…fun!

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, September 25, 2023.  Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

What’s Matt got?

A swingset for the ages.

“They are for all ages. They have many options for baby swings all the way up to two-person swings for adults so they can sit and hang out right there with their kids or grandkids,” said Spring Valley business owner Matt Kolling, pointing out that the swingsets that he now sells on his lot behind Racks Bar & Grill, just off County Road 8, are not just for the littlest jungle gym junkies.

He has long been part of his family’s businesses, including Valley Home Improvement, and has since developed his own ventures. This one just happened to evolve from his own kiddos growing into their jungle gym backyard adventure years and the accompanying terrible tangle of playset parts and the patience it requires to pick out what’s most versatile, safest and fun.

“I was looking for another product offering, and I remembered how hard it was to find a quality swingset when our kids were younger. I thought it would be a good fit with some of the other areas of our business. I think there is a big need in the surrounding area. Besides buying kits that need to be assembled, there are not many–if any–local options available that can be delivered, assembled and ready to use the same day.”

Kolling stated that he “did extensive research” before investing in playground equipment to sell to other people. “We wanted something that was top quality that was also reasonably priced. We chose to go with Adventure World because they had some great designs, topnotch quality and were a more affordable option than the other ones we researched. They also have a great online designer option where you can create your own custom swingset. They are 100% maintenance-free. With so many customers looking for maintenance-free options in every other area, I figured swingsets would be no different. No one wants to spend a weekend staining a swingset every couple of years to make it look good. There is no exposed wood, no exposed fasteners to catch a leg on, so they are extremely safe as well.”

He’s certain that “parents will love how safe and sturdy the playsets are…the quality of construction, the 20-year warranty…no maintenance, and the fact that they can be delivered and installed in your yard.” Also, he said, “The color schemes are really nice and they look super sharp sitting in someone’s yard.”

Kolling has long owned the plot on which the new playset business now stands, and with that addition, he also chose to build a new structure on the parcel for various uses. “The new building is multi-use. It is extra storage for the lumberyard; a place to assemble the playsets; and also, a shop for our equipment. We do have room on that property. With storage complexes becoming more popular, we could build multiple buildings there that could be purchased or rented. People could run a business out of theirs, use it for storage, a shop, man cave… many options. Not everyone has the space where they live, or maybe zoning won’t allow them to build. So, it is an affordable way for someone that would like some extra space for a multitude of options.”

For those who’d like a multitude of options for their play spaces, Kolling feels confident that he’s made the right choice in becoming a sales outlet for Adventure World swingsets and is looking forward to seeing babies, parents and grandparents playing outside together on the very same jungle gym.

For more information on Kolling’s new business addition, stop by the lot on County Road 8 or call 507-259-6464.

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325

 

Artist brings Gospel to life at Our Savior’s, Spring Valley

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, September 25, 2023.  Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

Our Savior’s is Drawn to the Word and ready to see the big picture.

“See the Bible story come to life before your eyes as Paul Oman paints throughout the service on a large-scale canvas…bringing the Word to life before your eyes,” shared an invitation posted to the Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (OSLC) Facebook page, highlighting that the congregation will hold a very unusual service on Sunday, Oct. 1, as it hosts Wisconsin artist Paul Oman, who sketches and paints the stories of the Gospel as he speaks about what God’s purpose is for humanity and heaven, among other messages.

The Drawn to the Word website shares Oman’s biography, citing that he was born in the beautiful state of Wisconsin, where he currently resides with his wife and children, and continues, “He had a strong interest in art early in his life, inspired by the landscapes and nature surrounding him on the farm where he spent his childhood years. At age 10, he began receiving personal instruction in acrylic, oil, and watercolor painting. During this same year, Paul was the Wisconsin elementary youth selected to present an original watercolor to the governor at the State Capitol for Youth Art Month, a significant milestone in his life. His passion for painting and drawing continued to grow. He studied drawing in college (along with science education, and later, divinity at seminary).”

His biography continues, “In 2011, Paul and his wife, Jana, decided it was time to take the next step in this journey by moving into this developing artistic ministry full-time, giving it the time and attention it needed if it was to grow. There was risk involved, yet promise, as well. If this is what God had in mind, then he and his family would follow where it would lead. Since that leap, Paul has painted with many churches of all denominations across the United States, in China, and in both public and private schools, with nonprofits, camps, seminaries, colleges, and with inmates at correctional facilities. ‘The greatest joy of it all,’ Paul says with a smile, ‘are the people I meet along with way. I hope that what I do gives even a small amount of hope to anyone who is in need of hope.’ Paul continues to seek out and implement new ways in which the arts can revitalize congregations and communities.” It goes on to cite, “Receiving national and international recognition for his work in watercolor, painting worldwide as a live-audience mural and performance artist, as well as demonstrating, teaching, speaking and consulting, Paul shares his joy of painting and its power to communicate with people of all ages.”

OSLC Pastor Jolene Knudson-Hanse shared why it’s so exciting to have Oman at the front of the OSLC sanctuary. “Paul Oman is a talented artist, and it is mesmerizing to watch him paint a Bible story on a large canvas in 50 minutes. He does a lot of prep work before the event. We will have amazing music during this service to correspond and complement Paul’s live painting. Jordan Buchholtz will provide captivating pieces on both organ and piano. Jordan grew up in the Our Savior’s Lutheran congregation and now serves as the principal organist at Mount Olivet Lutheran in Minneapolis. Our Savior’s bell choir and senior choir will also be offering special music.” She continued, “We invite all ages to come. Children enjoy this service – it is very memorable. It is joyful and engaging. Paul is a seminary classmate of mine, and he is a joyful, faithful, talented painter and pastor. He has brought his art to many countries, including China’s underground church. Our Savior’s is able to offer these special events because of the generosity of Clifford Kumm and the members of OSLC. We love preparing special events that bring renewal and joy to our Christian faith. Paul will explain the images in his paintings and why he chose certain colors, following the painting’s completion.”

The pastor continued, “Another pastor has shared a testimonial about Paul – ‘Featuring Paul in our worship was one of the most engaging, meaningful experiences our congregation has had in years. Paul’s gift of painting and presence are amazing, and the good news shines through him.’ My parents are driving seven hours to see Paul paint in Spring Valley! They have seen him at my previous congregations and say the event is worth the drive. Stay for pancakes, muffins, sausage and fruit following in the fellowship hall.”

The congregation issued an invitation to the community to join them on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 9 a.m., relaying, “You don’t want to miss the Drawn to the Word experience – bring friends and neighbors, and anyone who might need an invitation.” A pancake breakfast is slated to follow the service. The church’s members included that “a gluten-free griddle is available” and that an offering will be taken to help cover expenses.

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is located at 805 S. Broadway Ave., Spring Valley, and it holds services on Saturday evenings at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. throughout the fall to spring; summer services take place on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9:00 a.m. For more information, log onto the OSLC website at oursaviorsspringvalley.com, email oursaviorsspringvalley@gmail.com, or call the church office at 507-346-7251.

 

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325

Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley to Honor 2023 Citizen of the Year October 22nd

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The Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley has selected Stacey Rath as their 2023 Citizen-of-the Year.  Club president Dave Phillips said many great nominations were submitted but that Stacey stood out because of her long service to the community.

Stacey will be recognized by the Kiwanis Club on Sunday, October 22, at the Spring Valley Community Center with the event starting at 1:00 pm.

Kiwanis International is a world-wide service organization with its’ guiding principle being, “improving the world one child and one community at a time”.  As such, the public has traditionally donated money to the club in honor of the selected Citizen-of-the-Year to be used for the clubs yearly Citizen-of-the-Year Scholarship which is given to a graduating Kingsland senior.   Donations this year may be brought to the community center on the 22nd or sent to: Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley, P.O. Box 133, Spring Valley, MN 55975, in recognition of Stacey.

 

 

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation awards $206,000 in Small Town Grants ~ Milestone surpassed: More than 100 grants to support small towns awarded since program began

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, September 14, 2023.   

Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently approved 23 grants totaling $206,000 to support small towns of 10,000 or less in SMIF’s 20-county region.

The Small Town Grant program was launched in 2017 to support smaller communities which can benefit from additional financial resources to help them grow and address challenges. The recent approval of 23 grants has pushed the total of Small Town Grants awarded beyond 100 for a total of 113 projects since the program began. Through this program, SMIF has invested a total of $972,490 in the small towns of our region.

The Small Town Grant program is supported, in part, by a generous donation in memory of Paul O. Johnson who wanted southern Minnesota’s smallest communities to thrive. Paul’s legacy is being continued by his family, Amy De Jong, Paula Rehder and Scott Johnson.

The 2023 Small Town Grant award recipients in this area are:

$7,500 to the City of Elkton to transition an unused football field into a useable park with disc golf and other amenities. Additionally, they will make their Community Center for inclusive by adding sound boards which will make it easier to hear.

$10,000 to the Fillmore County Historical Society for educational signage to better accommodate tourists that come in search of the sinkholes that are unique to the area.

$10,000 to Good Earth Village in Spring Valley to create interpretive signage and educational materials to help the community and visitors learn about the rare species that exist on the 477- acre property.

$6,854.25 to the Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center to develop one cohesive brand for the community to be used by the Chamber and other city-wide organizations.

$10,000 to Preston Historical Society to create an implementation plan for the historic campus and riverfront area. The plan will include key design elements such as the depot/museum, riverfront amenities, history and story-book trails, playground and park spaces and historic signage, as well as land use and historical cultural designations.

“This grant gives our smallest towns the financial support they need to do things that can make a huge difference for the people living there,” said Tim Penny, president and CEO of SMIF. “We are once again grateful to Paul Johnson’s family for continuing his legacy and giving SMIF an opportunity to leverage additional funding for small town support. Without them, we would not have been able to reach this milestone so soon.”

“We are pleased and honored to be able to continue our father’s legacy by supporting small towns in the region of Minnesota where we were raised,” said Paula Rehder. “We are seeing the potential of his gift realized through the amazing projects that these small communities have proposed that will make a difference in the part of the country that was near and dear to our father’s heart,” said Amy De Jong.

For more information about the Small Town Grant Program, contact Andi Arnold at andia@smifoundation.org or 507-214-7029.

 

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325

Melartin at home in driver’s seat at Matt’s Body Shop

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, September 14, 2023.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy

 

Greg Melartin never gets tired of working on cars.

There’s possibly an occasion when he’s feeling that it’s time for new tread, but never a day when taking them apart and putting them back together has worn on him so much as to blow a gasket.

“It wasn’t Hot Wheels that started this. The first car memory I have was when we were living in a trailer park in St. Charles—I was probably 8 years old at the time—and my mom’s friend Dave Nolting had a custom-built 1946 Ford coupe of some kind with pearlescent pink and purple paint. That car, being all shiny and sitting in the trailer park, was probably the most expensive thing I had seen in my life, and it showed that you can have more,” recounted Melartin, Spring Valley resident and proprietor of Matt’s Body Shop, speaking on a different occasion about just how the curiosity pulled him under the hood and got him tangled up in the belts and gears. Of course, this is the guy who’s dismantled so many different household appliances—including ones his mother didn’t want him to when he was still a kid—and motorcycles, cars and trucks, that he’s lost track of the actual number of his own vehicles that he’s either taken apart to reassemble for fun or to revamp into something entirely different or to sell for change to buy something new, like that Dairy Queen hamburger he delivered in trade for a car he sold to someone else the very next day.

Though he’s always had a wrench or screwdriver in hand, he hasn’t always owned Matt’s. He’s been an employee of the United States government— twice deployed overseas—making his current enterprise veteran-owned, and he’s also worked in construction, as just before he bought Matt’s from Chris Czapiewski in March 2021, he was employed by Terry Fetterly Construction. He’d long considered opening his own repair shop, but upon the occasion which presented itself to him while he and his wife, Oy, were living in New Jersey, they decided to spend the money instead to move home to Minnesota—specifically Spring Valley, because that’s where his grandparents, Curt and Barb Osterhus and his mom, Sarah Osterhus, awaited his return. Approximately ten vehicles, revving up the idea for a town festival, and an occupational epiphany later, he chose to seize the moment when Czapiewski and longtime Matt’s employee Dave Blazing offered to remain at the body shop to help him get comfortable in the driver’s seat. “Chris and Dave stayed on with me, and Dave was here for six months. Chris said he’d stay a year, and he ended up being here with me for two years,” Melartin recounted, “and the first day after the papers were signed, Chris and Dave were here, and the phone rang. They looked at each other, and you could tell that they were thinking, ‘This is not my rodeo anymore,’ so I thought, ‘I’d better get that.’”

Melartin credits his time in the military and his work for Fetterly Construction for giving him the training he needed to become a business owner. “I liked working for Fetterly. He was very ethical and empowering— the type of leader I try to be–not a micromanager. The people I have working for me are better than ever. Chris is an amazing body man, and the mechanics I have working for me are amazing, too. They can easily figure out what’s going on with a car. I think it’s important to put people in a place where they’re going to excel. I always, in the back of my mind, had the idea that I wanted to be a business owner. You’re always learning, learning, learning. Leadership abilities have always been important to me. I was a leader in the military, and now I’m in marketing, customer service, numbers– being an owner, you have to know your numbers. Being an owner is a huge blessing. I’m happy with the deal, and I owe them for their help. Flexibility is something that took the longest time to get used to, but I’m the first one in and the last one out.”

He immediately got busy overhauling the accounting system, “setting up processes and policies to make the shop more automated if I’m gone or the mechanic is gone,” and assessing how efficient the building was in relation to service turnaround time, which, at the time that he bought the shop, was an important factor simply because it was mid-pandemic and supply and demand greatly affected how satisfied the end users of all products and services were if they did or didn’t receive what they expected. A few tweaks here and a wrench-turn there, and he had expanded the body shop to include more services than tires and buffing out scratches and removing dents – now offering mechanical serv[1]ices, “a proper, full analysis of vehicles so that customers know in a reasonable amount of time if it’s feasible or economical to repair” a car, and in case of close encounters with road-rashed deer, “if they bring it to me, I’ll give them just a curbside estimate so that they know that if it’s between $6,000 and $8,000, they know that they can total it out.”

“It’s grown significantly. The community had a need for experienced mechanics…also, everyone was backed up. Me and the other shop owners were backed up and people had nowhere to go with their cars because it was a supply-and-demand issue. But I was able to expand the mechanical portion of my business. I’ve updated quite a bit of the equipment…and pretty much immediately, I decided that the biggest hindrance was that we had only one overhead door, so anytime someone parked in front of that door, the bay would be blocked. It slowed down efficiency, and I wanted to do oil changes and mechanical service. I knew that I had to add a side door to make it usable.”

The sale of an easement across the back of the lot to the Penz Group and Chevrolet of Spring Valley for the construction of the new Chevrolet dealership allowed Melartin to expand the shop by an entire service bay to make it more accessible and efficient for his business to operate.

“I added a door to the side to make it usable. With the new dealership, it presented me with an opportunity to sell and allowed me to build a 1,500- square-foot expansion. That gave us three more doors, so we’re not always jammed up. I’ve added that extra bay and two lifts. There’s a flat bay for mechanical and tires. That freed up room in the body shop for body shop work so we can move more efficiently. That means there’s quicker turnaround for repairing a car. The turnaround could be…about three weeks if it’s a very, very big job (to repair and rebuild a car), but that’s helped get turnaround to about a week to a week and a half or so.”

Melartin feels that his customers should receive exactly the parts and service they expect, even if their insurance companies insist that they don’t need to pay for repairs to a specific standard. “One of the benefits I’ve focused on is that we work for the customer. There are a few good insurance companies that want to take care of their customers, but a lot of insurance companies try to force people into [taking less on a claim]. I’m not one of those shops. I work for the customer, and one of the benefits for my customers is that I do the full analysis.” Additionally, he’s willing to “do pre-purchase inspections so that people can make better decisions…I’d highly suggest that anyone looking to buy a used vehicle ought to have it checked by a body shop and mechanical shop, and we’re both.”

He continued, “Spring Valley deserves a place to have a vehicle properly inspected and repaired after an accident, somewhere where they can get quality repairs, and to do that, you have to take care of employees and customers and charge appropriately for services. I’ve kept a lot of longtime customers, and I’m really happy that that transition went smoothly for the community. That’s great.”

Nearly three years into business ownership, Melartin is satisfied that he’s chosen work with tread that aligns with a balanced life–just enough working on cars each day that he can go home to his own family at night and be certain that he’s had a good time…and his mom won’t even be looking for the parts of her toaster anymore.

Matt’s Body Shop is located at 1140 N. Broadway, Spring Valley, and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, stop in with questions or call 507- 346-2161 or log onto the shop’s website at www.mattsbodyshop.com.

 

 

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325

Kingsland’s new principal intertwines in community’s fabric

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Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, September 7, 2023.   Reprinted with permission and gratitude.

 

Dana Simmons wanted to be knit, so she joined the Knights. “I came to Kingsland because I missed being part of a smaller school in a close-knit community. I am from a small town, so Kingsland feels like home to me,” stated Simmons, Kingsland’s new 5-12 principal, sharing why she chose to become part of the Kingsland staff as an administrator.

Simmons is a transplant from up north who determined that teaching anywhere was in her personal yarn strand. “I graduated from East Central High School in Finlayson, Minnesota, in 1998, and I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2004, my master’s from East Tennessee State University in 2018, and my specialist degree from Minnesota State University-Moorhead in 2023. This is my 19th year in education, and I was an English teacher for many years prior to becoming an administrator. Prior to Kingsland, I was in Red Wing and then Tennessee before that. When I was a teacher, I taught English language arts because I love reading and writing myself, but I found it thrilling to help my students find a book that they thoroughly enjoyed or helped them learn how to express their thoughts on paper. I then went into administration because I wanted to help teachers be successful in the classroom and work to create welcoming school communities where students thrive.”

She stated, “While all subjects are important for students to learn, I believe that learning how to communicate effectively, work hard, and have integrity are some of the most important things that we can teach young people. The main challenge with any new position is that of change. Change is hard for everyone, whether it is a new rule or policy or a new person in the office.”

She remarked that she’s going to do her best to become part of the district’s fabric as she adjusts to being the new person in the office. “As the new principal, I am excited to get to know families throughout Kingsland. Since I am going to be working with fifth through twelfth grades, I will have the opportunity to meet and build relationships with many new faces. I am most excited to be part of Kingsland’s staff because I thoroughly enjoy getting to know new people and building relationships. People here have been amazing!”

Simmons lives in Stewartville with her family. “I live in Stewartville with my husband, who teaches at Stewartville High School, my seventh-grade son Dexter, my sixth-grade daughter Gabriella, and my kindergarten daughter Isabella. During my spare time, I attend my kids’ sporting events, cook, garden, and spend time with family.

 

Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325

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