Rhymes With Decorah

Rhymes With Olivia Schnur - Mental Health Writer

Olivia Lynn Schnur is a writer, Mental Health Counselor, and yoga teacher, with roots in NE Iowa! You may have read some of Olivia's pieces in the pages of Inspire(d) over the past 4+ years, as she and Aryn have partnered to present various themes and topics throughout each issue. Olivia has a wealth of experience to draw from with her background as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, and an EMDRIA-Certified EMDR Therapist. Yoga is also part of Olivia's path, including becoming 200-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher and a Reiki Master, including additional training in trauma-sensitive yoga and yin yoga.
We can't thank Olivia enough for all her contributions to Inspire(d). We also invite you to look back at articles and issues from the past, including the "tear out" worksheets that you can download at the Inspire(d) website.
Find out more about Olivia's work at https://oliviaschnur.com/
Thanks for listening!
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming

Rhymes With Decorah - Kim Karr - Digital4Good #ICanHelp

Decorah Native Kim Karr started her professional career in high school education, and quickly realized a need in the digital world - social media specifically, and the way that young people interact. Fast forward, and Kim has been the Executive Director of Digital4Good and #ICanHelp for a decade - making positive impact on a world wide audience.
Digital4Good and #ICanHelp are agents of change committed to creating awareness of the mental health and digital safety of students and adults. Their work is focused on youth digital empowerment, and preventing cyberbullying or other types of abuse, through education and the promotion of student leadership.
Digital4Good is a Non Profit entity that is powered by three goals: Educate. Engage. Lead.
Programs include:
- Student Leadership through Internships, Volunteers, and Mentors.
- Digital Citizenship Education via Curriculums, Courses, and Training.
- Community Engagement in Social Media, Events, and Webinars.
You can support the work of Decorah Native Kim Karr and the Non Profit Digital4Good and #ICanHelp by learning more or donating here. 
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming

Rhymes With Decorah - DCSD Superintendent Tim Cronin

Decorah Community School District Superintendent Tim Cronin joins us for this episode of "Rhymes With Decorah" to talk about his long family ties to Decorah, generations of educators, the successes and challenges our School district faces, and the perfect "Decorah" day! 
Dr. Cronin's path found him attending Luther College for undergrad studies (and basketball!) before making his way to UW, and the University of Iowa where he completed his PHD. And while education was paramount in the Cronin Family, Tim found that his experiences and interests really led him to higher administrative positions and work. With more than three decades of experience - from elementary classroom teacher to principal, and being a superintendent (amongst many other positions), Cronin continues to look forward to guiding the DCSD. 
We thank Superintendent Cronin for sharing his time with us for this show - and hope to have more conversations in the future. 
Find out more about the Decorah Community School District here. 
 
 
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming
 

Rhymes With Decorah -Winter 2024 - The Fam!

Welcome to 2024 - and welcome back to "Rhymes With Decorah"! 
On this episode Roxie, Aryn, and Benji work to shake off the end of holiday school break while running down the "Winter 2024" issue of Inspire(d), and looking at 2024 bucket lists. This show is loose as a goose -and funky as a chicken, but we hope you enjoy it as a way to roll on into 2024 before we hit some harder topics and episodes. 
 
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming
 

Rhymes With - Raptor Resource Project’s Dave Kester

Founded in 1988 by the late Bob Anderson, the Raptor Resource Project (RRP) is a non-profit that preserves and strengthens raptor populations, expands participation in raptor conservation, and educates people around the world about raptors and their habitats.
Photo courtesy of Raptor Resource Project
With the core goals of education, conservation, and research, RRP was at the forefront of peregrine falcon reintroduction to wild sites across the upper midwest, as well as some of the earliest web based "Bird Cams", including the Decorah Eagles Cam that went viral beginning in 2011 (the camera started as a still image updated every 2 mintues in 2009). 
"DNF" Photo courtesy of Raptor Resource Project
While founder Bob Anderson was at the heart of everything that RRP did in it's first two decades, it took a village of friends and enthusiasts to grow the organization and do the physical work of the organization. One of those folks is Decorah falconer Dave Kester, who joins us on this show to talk about all things RRP.
RRP's Dave Kester with eyasses, 2021Courtesy Raptor Resource Project
As a nonprofit, the Raptor Resource Project is governed by a board of directors, and depends on donors, research, and other programs for their annual budget. – You can support the incredible work of RRP at this link!
Find out more at:
https://www.raptorresource.org/
 
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming
 

Rhymes With - New Minowa Players

Since 1975, New Minowa Players (NMP) have been creating community through theatre in Northeast Iowa. From the founding days of friends Bette Greedy, Donalee Burns, and Helen Schmidt meeting up to present true community productions wherever they could find a space, to almost half a century later featuring an annual season of 6 productions, NMP has built a theatrical legacy in rural Iowa. Join us on this episode with NMP's Sarah Brandt and Molly Holkesvik to hear more about New Minowa Players and their 200th production!
 
NMP is celebrating their 200th production in November of 2023, with “Ye Olde Cabaret: New Minowa Players Throughout the Years”, a retrospective of productions and performers that have contributed over the past 48 years. The show is being directed by Molly Holkesvik and Alison Blake, with a cast of 25+ local performers telling stories about NMP, including a glimpse into its history from one of the founding "mothers", Donalee Burns. The show will be performed November 2, 3, and 4, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. and November 5, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the NMP Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under - available online or at the Oneota Community Food Co-op.
https://www.newminowaplayers.org/
 
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming

Rhymes With Decorah - Fall 2023 Inspired - Aryn H Nichols

Aryn Henning Nichols joins Benji for a rundown of the Fall 2023 issue of Inspire(d) Magazine - which also marks 16 years of Inspire(d)! Aryn likes to say the magazine is finally old enough to drive - even though it's been driving our lives for 16 years! Truly - we're grateful for everyone that has made this "experiment in positive news" possible - readers, advertisers, our amazing contributors, and so many others - A huge "Thank You"!
 
Listen in to hear about the great stories featured in this issue, including community builders like Laura Gentry, Julia Borgen, Caitlyn Konze, and Wendy Lickteig. We also have feature stories on Decorah Native Elena Rue and Storymine, our "Sum of Your Business" La Rana Bistro, Postville School Districts Therapy Dogs, a feature about all that is happening at the International Owl Center in Houston, MN, our conservationist feature on Biophilia, 16 tips on finding inspiration, and so much more! 
Tune in, read on, and spread the word - thanks for being Inspire(d)!
Become a member of Inspire(d) to support our work today.
 
"Rhymes With Decorah" is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.
Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram, Patreon, TikTok and more @indicative_of_drumming

Rhymes With - Mission Green LLC / Good Shepherd Church

On today’s show we welcome Liz & Jim Fritz, both (mostly!) “retired” music educators from Decorah, and longtime members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. As it turns out, Liz & Jim also have a long track record of home improvement, efficiency, and sustainability projects, stemming from lifelong interests and opportunities to make their corner of the world a better place. Listen in to hear how they were able to help their hometown congregation forge the right partnerships to take on a major remodeling project while becoming a carbon neutral congregation! (Spoiler - it involves Mission Green LLC!)
The solution for this project came from many conversations. Jim and Liz worked first with their Congregation, and then with local sustainability mentors Larry Grimstad, Andy Johnson (Winneshiek Energy District), Joel Zook (Alliant Energy), Jim Martin-Schramm (Professor Emeritus of Religion at Luther College), Amy Bouska (Howard County Energy District), and others to brainstorm and dream about the possibilities for this project. They also worked to create and develop a business plan forming Mission Green LLC (a mission with a company).
Would a carbon-neutral project fit in with their ideas? Can you grow a business using a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)? Could this idea/business model allow Good Shepherd to lower energy bills and their carbon footprint? Could this include some of the ideas for a renewed outdoor space for the congregation?
The result of these conversations and questions was a proposal from Mission Green to enable a Carbon Neutral Project for Good Shepherd. Mission Green would create a business relationship with the Good Shepherd congregation, and see the successful project through, including:
Selling the congregation electricity at lower fixed costs through a PPA (purchase power agreement).
Eliminating their use of carbon-based fuels by installing and leasing heat pumps, while removing eyesores on the roof.
Providing an opportunity to fix water drainage problems of an unused outdoor space (French drain).
Update/upgrade all service entrances to the entire facility.
Providing solar panels for rooftop installation (21 kW, 52 bi-facial). 
Creating a 37'x37' solar canopy (27 kW, 50 bi-facial panels) with a waterproof racking system on a Douglas Fir post and beam pergola.
Installing a permeable paver courtyard directly over the French drain, with sound and light amenities.
Photo Courtesy of Joel Teslow - Decorah Electric
Good Shepherd is now 100% electric. The gas meter was removed in February 2023. The Good Shepherd Carbon Neutral Project has replaced the fossil fuel HVAC system with four geothermal heat pumps, three air-to-air heat pumps, and a mini-split unit. It can heat/air condition the entire facility using solar electricity, all created onsite. LED lighting throughout the whole campus also reduces the overall electrical needs. Other efforts by the congregation to lower their Carbon Footprint include planting over 20 trees on the campus greenspace and considering adding a prairie wildflower/pollinator garden. 
Once the PPA and lease are completed, the congregation can use previous energy dollars for mission dollars instead. We're proud of our combined efforts to Move the Needle in the fight against climate change. 
To find out more about this work, visit:
Mission Green LLC - https://missiongreen.llc
Winneshiek Energy District - https://energydistrict.org/