Halliwills Visit Germany

Hi Everyone!

We returned home from Germany Saturday night at 11:00 p.m. after 24 hrs.+ of traveling and 12 + hours of flying.

Yesterday Ike spent the entire day outside mowing the lawn etc. and enjoying a gorgeous day on Gull Lake. I spent the day washing clothes and unpacking!

The trip was absolutely wonderful and exceeded our expectations. We explored Munich on several occasions especially the Marianplatz and historic areas. On our second day we took the train south to Bad Endorf to meet my German sister Brigitte and my "real" sister Gloria. Brigitte booked a hotel room for us in the village of Obing, and we awoke the next morning to the ringing of church bells. The highlight of our visit with Brigitte was a trip to the Bavarian Alps where we took a cable car up the mountain. Ike and Brigitte then hiked to the highest peak in Bavaria while Gloria and I relaxed enjoying the breathtaking view of the mountains.

After visiting Brigitte we returned to Munich and joined our tour group with whom we journeyed to Murneau and Oberammergau to see the Passion Play. There are no words to describe this event. The German critics praised the production and the director who is from Munich. We sat for three hours in the afternoon and after a dinner break for another three hours in the evening. We followed along in our programs reading the English version while the play was performed in German. This was actually fairly easy to do. Again this event totally exceeded our expectations, and we could not have imagined how exceptional this would be.

Following our tour Ike and I took off once again by train to Stuttgart. We stayed at a lovely German apartment hotel in Stammen which is very close to Zuffenhausen where the Porsche factory and museum are. Believe it or not, I found the tour of the factory fascinating. Our tour guide at the factory spoke English very well, and he was also very knowledgeable. Of course Ike was thrilled. I think most of you know he has a Porsche, Ike has always been interested in the manufacturing process, and he was very impressed with the logistics of the assembly lines at the factory..

We had also heard that the Mercedes Benz museum was worth seeing, and since we were in the automobile mode, we decided to go there as well. Indeed, this was a good decision.Once more we had a unique experience. The Germans really know how to construct a museum.

The last day of our trip was my birthday, and we spent it in Munich. This certainly had to be one of my best birthdays even though I'm not fond of getting older.

This is probably more than you wanted to know, but I just had to share our excitement about the trip.

Now back to reality!!!

Books For Wadena

From the Brainerd Dispatch of July 28, 2010 (www.brainerddispatch.com)

When the EF4 tornado damaged the high school on June 17, sprinklers were activated throughout the building, including those in the library. Resources instrumental to teaching and learning were lost.

Because of the unsafe structure of the building, the books remained in the high humidity of the high school for three weeks until they were removed by a specially trained crew. The books were transported to Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary School, where they were unloaded by volunteers. Unfortunately, more than 7,000 books were contaminated or damaged and unable to be saved.

As Wadena-Deer Creek School District waits for insurance information, it continues to look ahead to the upcoming school year. Instead of one library for 7th-12th graders, there will be two libraries to serve the student body, which will be split into temporary locations.

To help replace the books, the library is participating in a new online fundraising program called Funds4Books, sponsored by Mackin Educational Resources, a school library and classroom vendor with 26 years of experience.

For approximately every $15 donated, the library can purchase a new book that is ready to be shelved and checked out by students. Most importantly, 100 percent of every donation will be spent on books for the library.

To participate, donors may go to www.funds4books.com, and then log in to Wadena-Deer Creek High School's personal fundraising page with the code 2e65. From there they can donate via credit card or electronic check. For those without computer access or a credit card, the library will accept checks made out to "Funds4Books" and mailed to WDC High School, 215 Colfax Ave. S.W., Wadena, MN 56482. One hundred percent of every donation goes right to the library.
Thanks to Ike Halliwill for putting us on to this story.

You Can Help Make Wadena Green Again

Want to donate to the replanting of trees destroyed by the recent devastation?  Here is an opportunity to pitch in and help with the planting of trees in the cemetery, streets and residential areas of our favorite town.  treesforwadena.com
Lots of very good pictures of tornado damage on this site as well.  

Molly Costin of the Wadena Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) advises the following:
www.treesforwadena.com is the website where people can donate with their credit cards.

http://www.wcco.com/video/?id=81206@wcco.dayport.com this is the newscast that WCCO did for our project last night if you’d like to look!

the Wadena Area Replant Project is the title for our Facebook page!

Donations can also be sent via mail to the Initiatve Foundation at 405 1st St SE in Little Falls, MN 56345

Wadena SWCD contact information is:

Wadena SWCD
4 Alfred St NE
Wadena, MN 56482
(218) 631-3195 x. 3
Fax (218) 631-1625

Wadena, A Special Place

By Audrey Erickson Petersen:

I do not see ever living in Wadena again, but there is a huge part of who I am that was founded in Wadena and when I went back in 1975, Wadena  was very good to me and the boys.  Everyone helped me, I had a winter coat on layaway and was wearing a thin little rag and Bob Hedstrom at Vollies, said, I could pay for it and wear it at the same time, Mrs. Quincer always tipped me Too Much when she had her evening dinner at the Four Seasons and I waited on her.  The people who owned Four Seasons let me come to work when I could get there from my day time job (that was Jim and Marilyn Kramer) and the heating gas company let me get a huge bill when I had surgery and could not work.  The county gave me a one time assist for several hundred dollars and then I got back to my two jobs as soon as I got a medical release, The manager of Penneys let my Mother use her employee discount for getting the boys a winter wardrobe and we got to purchase with the sales price PLUS the discount so it was awesome.  The kids walked to the movies.  One time I allowed them to go to a movie because I did not know the rating and Don Quincer called and suggested they should not see it; of course they were embarrassed getting sent home! (I have never been truly forgiven for this parental error) When I was still in school I worked at Tapley’s Ben Franklin; I remember walking out of there at night in the winter, snow falling, with my pay in CASH in a small brown envelope.  I also worked at the Wadena Drive In theatre where I made ice cream sandwiches while rocking Don and Ellen's first baby in her carriage with one foot and standing on the other.  I remember our money going upstairs on a string in a can at Penney’s and waiting for the change to come back down in the same container.  I remember the Dairy Bar.  I remember Miss Thoene giving me a passing score in Latin for effort.  I remember a driving excursion through the Wadena Cemetery;  no, I will not reveal who else was involved.   Mr. Larson and Ms Filbrandt got me through math/algebra by the brown bag lunch hour classes they so generously gave their time to.  Oh the many times I went up to see Mom in Humphrey Manor - what a wonderful place that is!  In more recent years I worked for Faith in Action in Wadena. 

Wadena is a solid town full of solid people who will survive and endure and grow and go about their daily lives - this tornado is a bump in the road.  I am sure that every time a stiff breeze comes up, the hair on their necks and head will have a tingle of momentary alarm, but these people will not be beaten or disheartened - I am so thankful no lives were lost, None......Miracles in the middle of tragedy still abound, and I have cried and cried, YES, with grief, shock, disbelief and thankfulness for the lives that we did not lose.

Even though there was no loss of life, I cry every time I think of it.   I had kids there from Hawaii at my sisters.  I was waiting at my daughter in law’s mother's house in Ft Worth to see them and I just cannot give enough thanks that they made it; they are OK and so is everyone else.  The material losses are so terrible.  Our roots.......when my Father died, I sensed a loss of roots, well I just took for granted I could always go to Wadena ---- just proves how we can NOT take anything for granted.

Tornado Stories

 

Tornado Over-Rules Wadena High School Reunion

June 17, 2010 was to be the beginning of an action-packed and funweekend of activities to celebrate the All School Reunion of Wadena/Wadena-Deer Creek High School alumni.  The reunion committee had worked long hours preparing a plethora of activities showcasing the entire community and providing a venue for renewing old acquaintances reliving memories of days gone by.  It wasn’t just about the school, it was about a community of folks who cared about each other and the bustling central Minnesota town where they grew up.  Wadena was a place of tidy homes and tree-lined streets where kids rode bikes and played hide and seek at dusk.  The surrounding countryside is dotted with farms peopled by hard-working men and women who help feed America.  

About 5 pm on June 17, just when many Wadena HS alumni were arriving in town for a long awaited all school reunion, nature trumped all plans.

The clashing high pressure and low pressure systems that rolled across the state of Minnesota that day were not to be denied and with an awesome fury, released their pent up energy upon this unsuspecting country town that harbored so many memories for so many people.

The worst natural disaster in the history of Wadena struck hard leaving approximately 230 homes in shambles, countless trees down and a cadre of public buildings destroyed on the west side of town.  Only now has the damage and disruption has been brought to a stage where the long, slow process of planning for repair, replacement, and renewal can be even conceived.

The following narratives recount the observations, experiences and memories of a few members of the class of ’57 regarding that terrible day. 

From Rose Schwartz Forsch:  I did go to Wadena on Friday with my sister Jan, and  brother Tom and his wife Sharon.   We had made plans to stay in Sunny Brook Park weeks ago and so we went although we knew of the Disaster in Wadena.   We had no problems getting into the park and the park was full with campers.   There was security at every intersection on Hwy 10.   So after going thru the roadblocks we were able to get to my niece’s and see the devastation in the Fairgrounds on Hwy 10.  I grew up by the Fairgrounds so it was devastating to see most of the buildings destroyed by the tornado.   There was a building there that housed many of the school buses and they were completely destroyed as the roofs were gone and buildings in a heap.  Also, bricks, trees uprooted, electrical wires hanging from trees and the grandstand twisted in a heap of metal.  We did walk down Hwy 10 and so many of the old buildings gone. From that point we could see the roof of the High School was gone.   

Friday nite we went to the VFW and many people were there as well as a lot of workers and crews that had been removing trees as the utilities in the hard hit area had no electricity. They had served a steak fry for many people that came to help as well as others.  I did see my friend Jane Bradford Engle as she came down on Thursday from AZ and met up with her sister Julie and Brother John.   So we did get together for a visit.  We also met up with Sandy Severson Moench who lives in Wadena, so it was good to see a few classmates.  

We tried on Saturday to get to the hardest hit area, school. pool, cemetery, and where all the 240 homes were destroyed.   Could not get any where close as you had to have papers that you lived there and there were National Guard  soldiers  on every corner.   So we took some back roads and did see a lot of disaster  in the country where the tornado had touched down. Saturday nite I did connect with Dee Simmons Schwartz and my cousin Ruth Ann Lorentz. So we did have a good visit and Dee did have a lot of damage to her home and vehicles.   

I was glad that I made the trip, but was sad to see so much damage all around Wadena, were I had grown up.  My sister Jan saw no one from her class of 1962.  My brother saw quite a few friends that he graduated with in 1966. 

We packed up Sunday am and went back to Hutchinson were my brother lives, of course we did make a stop at the Motley Fish Market which was very busy for a Sunday afternoon.  

So sad to have such a tragedy in our hometown.    Missed seeing everyone     Hugs to all Rose Schwartz Forsch  

  Ike Halliwill   I arrived in Wadena about 30 minutes before the tornado.

 The rain and hail became serious when I arrived at the historical building.  I was about to go in when I received a call from my sister Lyn who was also in Wadena for the parade.  She asked that I join her and friends at McDonald's.  As I entered, the sirens were sounding and we were directed to the walk-in cooler.  It was crowded and cold so we decided to go to the VFW which has a basement.  Shortly after our arrival, the main storm hit Wadena, and the lights went out.

It was entertaining to watch the bartenders try to find the wine we ordered with cell phone lights.

 In the future if there is a storm, I will go directly to the VFW.  I may even start going to the VFW for storm warnings.  The people sitting at the bar appeared quite mellow and comfortable with the sirens.

 The first thing we did after leaving the VFW was to check the windows on the Congregational Church.  I spent many hours as a child studying those windows on Sunday mornings instead of listening to the sermon.  Fortunately, they are fine. I was supposed to meet the Huffman's at the Uptown Cafe at 5:30, but it was closed.  Ironically, Wayne's brother-in-law drove by just as I was leaving the area and told me the Huffman's were at his house.  We all went there and shared our stories.  Also, in spite of the terrible damage to the town, I am happy no one was seriously injured...

 I plan to return to Wadena next week as a volunteer.

Ike provides this information: To volunteer to assist in cleanup call 211.  They will provide information on what is needed and when and where to meet. 

 Wayne Huffman:  Thursday, June 17, 2010,  Carol and I headed to Wadena about mid-afternoon, in anticipation of picking up our reunion packets, meeting with my brother and sister in-law, meeting Dwight (Ike) Halliwill at the Uptown Cafe and watching the big Parade.  We had reservations at the Uptown for 5:30P.M.  As we headed to Wadena with the radio on, announcements came on of pending tornado watch in Douglas County.  I joked to get out of Douglas County and into Wadena where it was safe.  As we entered Otter Tail County the warning had been extended to eastern Otter Tail and Wadena County.

Upon arrival in Wadena, we went directly to the High School to pick up our packets.  We met Dorothy (Kuefler) Macallister and her sister on the way in.  We quickly picked up our packets from a very nice lady, but knew no one else.  We then headed to Southbrook Drive, past the swimming pool, down 2nd street past former college friend and Wadena teacher Bill Adam’s house and on to the brother-in-laws.

While visiting and killing time before our Uptown meeting, we moved to the basement and enjoyed a cocktail or two.

It was already raining at the high school and seemed to rain harder, wind blowing and twigs began falling to the ground.  Soon the power was off.  It kept raining and blowing hard.  What seemed like a quick change in wind direction a door blew open. I think that was the time of touchdown.

At around 5:30, we called the Uptown to see if they had power (they didn't.)  They informed us that a tornado had touched down near Tapley Park.  Cell phones are great, but at this particular time I could not make contact with Ike.

I decided to go downtown to find him while Gordy, Nan and Carol took a sight seeing trip.

 My trip downtown was something else.  People were standing on the street corners with cell phones and looking to the west.  No travel up Second Street as a large tree covered the street by Bill Adam’s. Downtown was alive with fire trucks, police cars, ambulances and other emergency vehicles racing toward the south and southwest part of town.

I returned to Gordy's and waited for Carol, Nan and Gordy to return.  Soon they returned with Ike, his sister Lynn, and two other friends of Lynn's that we did not know, but were in Wadena for the Reunion.  Hopefully, Ike will relate this part of the story.

After many phone calls, discussion and a need for food, it was decided that Gordy and I would go to McDonalds and pick up some food.  Also to Gordy's shop on the west side of town to pick up some ladders so he could help some people. The trip was unbelievable.  By now all the streets on Jefferson were blocked off with police at each intersection.  Trees were down everywhere.  St. Ann's was set up as a portable command center and ambulances lined the street.  Emergency vehicles were everywhere from all the surrounding communities, plus the gawking population was already out looking.  We journeyed through the northwest section of town, finally getting to his shop.  Traveling back down Highway 10, we viewed the destruction of the Civic Center, other businesses, the bus garage, fair grounds and the Chief’s ball park.

Carol and I soon headed back to the lake via Highway 71 south.  Near the intersection of Highways 210 and 29 we encountered crews replacing power poles that had been snapped by the storm.

We are so thankful that our family was spared.  So thankful that no lives were lost and only a few injuries.  Hopefully other classmates have not suffered a great loss. Thinking of coming to Wadena and helping with clean-up maybe next week.  Hang in there Wadena Indians; our prayers and thoughts are with you.

 They are going to take Sunday off to be thankful according to the Mayor

Scott Anderson

Perhaps you were among the many that didn't make it to Wadena last weekend.  When I checked in at the vacated Pamida store on Friday, I left my cell number so any one from our class could contact me if there was going to be any attempt at a get-together for those who made it.  The check-in was moved from the High School to Pamida after a very close call for those who were involved in the process at the time the tornado hit the school.

 Just to show you how naïve I was, I brought my chain saw and work clothes, thinking we could at least have an "All Classes Clean-up" on the weekend.  Well, I stopped at the Armory and put my name on the Red Cross volunteer list, and still haven't been called.  Of course, I learned that it wasn't as simple as I thought...gas leaks, downed power lines, and much organizing to be done before allowing outsiders in to help.  Even though I officially left Wadena in 5th grade, having gone back for many summers through college, and staying in Wadena each fall to deer hunt with Harold Sundby for 50 years, and most recently having been invited to join the Wadena men who gather in St. Cloud every Spring, I certainly felt the pain brought on the community by the tornado.

I did go to the VFW for the Friday evening steak fry hoping to see a few people I knew.  No one from the Class of '57, but did have a chance to visit with Steve Sundby, Jim Rice, Sam Phillips, Gary Davis, and a few older grads who shared memories of my dad's teaching and coaching days in Wadena.  I finally found one member of our class, Jane Bradford, who was out at the Golf Course with her sister Julie, who was there for her 50th Class Reunion.

 Enough from me, I’m sorry the Reunion had to be cancelled, as I was so looking forward to seeing people I hadn't seen for so many years...but, I feel much worse for the people of Wadena who have and will continue to suffer from the damage caused by the tornado.

 

Mary Fox Helling

I drove up to Wadena on Friday thinking maybe I would see some of you people but not one sole did I see.  I did stay over since I was staying with my sister-in-law.  Her class of 1945 was having a gathering at the Pine Cove Inn so I went to the gala event.  There were 14 elderly (safe to say - 83 years of age) people but in good shape and alert.  The class of 1970 also had a gathering out there and I was amazed how many from that class were there.  I was very sad to see all the destruction.  I was not able to get to my home where I grew up so I do not know if it was destroyed or not.  It was somewhat in the area to where the tornado went through.  I have a question to who ever might know.  A man, a professor from River Falls College would like to know where a farm Lapanoyja ( I assume the name of the people who lived there) might be located.  He thought it might be between Wadena and Sebeka.  If anyone knows the name or would ask around since someone might know or have heard  the name of the place please write me.  Sorry I missed everyone and I do hope each and everyone of you are safe.

 From Cicely Richardson Johnson:  I have just been so sad this week, and have not been to Wadena....The pictures are so terrible, and I know the devastation will be shocking to see in person.  I am planning to drive in for church on Sunday morning.

    I feel so sorry for Carol and others who worked so long and hard on the All School Reunion...I was not planning to attend due to my healing spine, but I know they were expecting a large group!

    I very seldom go to Wadena, but as Audrey mentioned, our roots are there...For me, not physically anymore, but always in my memories of growing up, getting married, raising my children, most of my working life, and living with Dick in my childhood home for 20 years....I don't want to live there ever again, but there will always be strong feelings for "the way we were, and will never be again!'  A lot of sadness, which I know will get better in time.

If you haven't already done so, please go to the Wadena Pioneer Journal website - wadenapj.com -

Our classmate, Bill Weniger lost his farm in the tornado on Thursday. From what I read, there is nothing there anymore....There are also lots of pictures on the Brainerd Dispatch website and on Facebook for Wadena.

 Kathy Newell

I had planned on going to Wadena on Saturday for the Saturday evening festivities and was to stay at my cousin, Phyllis Busker Burn’s house.  However, her house was damaged with deck demolished and windows all blown in so glass all over carpet and furniture.  There was slight damage on the roof.  But thankfully, she still has her house and when repairs are made it will be fine.  She has a lake home on Ottertail Lake and is staying there.  We are all thankful that her loss was very little compared to so many others.  And, of course, am saddened for those who lost every thing and for the deaths in other places in Minnesota.

I plan to go up this Friday (June 25) for the day to see her and look around.  And thank you to David Burrows for the photos.  (Dave has several photos of the damage on his Kodak Photoshare)

Susan Thompson

The tornado damage is an unbelievable and terrible sight.

 The Sunday after;  (June 20, 2010)

It was a heart-wrenching morning.   The worship service at Immanuel was very good.   During the children's sermon all the little kids wanted to tell their own tornado stories.   The men's choral group sang the Navy Hymn and some of them, as well as some of us, broke down.   The bishop happened to have an unscheduled Sunday so he and his wife drove down from Moorhead and he spoke briefly.  The mayor spoke before the service began - standing there in his jeans and bright lime green vest over his shirt - he began by almost shouting, “God loves you and so do I!”.   Then he thanked everyone for their support and said how important that has been to him in these days.    I heard later that FOX national news was at St. John's, which suffered damage, being right across from the cemetery.  After some post-church visiting, I went over to the cemetery.   The Thompson tombstone was still standing and in good shape, as was the Richardson one.   But trees are down everywhere and covering a lot of tombstones.   I walked over to Lenore Leaders’ parents' stone (couldn't drive around much because of the trees) which will only need to be reattached to its base.

 Then I drove down 2nd street, where 1016 and 1020 (The Thompson and Leader’s childhood homes?) seem to be just fine, as are the homes around there.   There are tree branches on the sides of the roads in piles now almost everywhere, including there.   One hard hit area was 5th street near cemetery - and the homes beyond the cemetery going to 29 (including Dave Burrows' childhood home)  - related, the area from 5th to 10th streets starting at Lincoln Street on the south and going to the cemetery on the north was devastated.   That area really does look as I imagine a war zone to be.   I just keep gasping as I drove by heavily damaged house after heavily damaged house.   There were electrical crews and tree-cutting crews around and I've heard that general house debris can start to be cleaned up as of tomorrow.    But there were lots of people just standing or sitting in their driveways looking dazed with chaos all around them.    I also drove down Bryant Street, where there were also damaged homes, not surprising due to their proximity to the school and community center,  which were so badly hit.   Cis' home looked pretty good but the garage Dick built was about 1/2 down.   Debris from the community center was all over, as well as from Leaf River Ag behind if (from which I get my propane).  Back on 2nd street, a big tree was uprooted and had fallen on the front of Don Bottemiller's house.  And there's more.

 Over on the east side, one would hardly know there'd been a storm.

Susan and Lenore have come up with an idea to provide donations to perhaps enlist the confirmands from Wadena churches to plant new trees.  Buying trees for the cemetery might be a good start.   Susan may check around to see who to talk to about that.  Update:  check this link Trees for Wadena

David Olson sent some amazing aerial photos of damage to the cemetery, pool, school and fairgrounds.

Bob Danielson sent a link to a riveting professional slide show with music of the tornado damage and activity. 

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d5463304f5445304f544d3d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_instructions_directurl_makeyourown ;

Dee Schwartz and Nancy Harrison Kozen forwarded the same link.  Nancy also included a comment from another former Wadena resident who came to lend a hand:  “Am sending this to you so you can see the devastation first hand in Wadena. It is very moving. And yet, there is so much in way of recovery that I saw from when this video was first made to what I witnessed yesterday.

Thank you to all of you who donated items and cash. As you dropped off items, each of you stated you wish there was more you could do. What was inspiring is that, with each bag, my van became filled, more filled, and then filled to capacity to the point I had to take out my back seats. So, you did make a difference one bag at a time. To quote mother Theresa: "It is not about doing great things, it is about doing little things with great love". Thank you.”   Author unknown

 Chuck Zosel:  We were staying at Lake Miltona with friends in anticipation of going over to the reunion on Saturday.  I was aware that the reunion was called off due to the tornado when we left home, so I came prepared with my chain saw and work clothes.

The town had been taken over by the Incident Command System, which is a national system for emergency response.  Conditions were similar to martial law. About half the town was closed to public travel.  Police cars and fire trucks were everywhere.  To visit someone in the restricted area you had to go to a table set up in front of the courthouse, show your id and give the address and relationship to the person you were visiting.  Then you would be escorted to that location.

I started off by going to the old Pamida location and signing in with the officers there to volunteer to help. Larry Johnson (’55) came in as a home owner and requested help.  I joined 5 others to go to his home and assist in cleaning up debris (metal, glass, wood, trees, insulation, etc) from his yard.

After that, I went over to Bob Zosel's to check them out.  All was okay there, so had lunch with several of their neighbors in Bob’s driveway and then cut up a downed tree across the street at Frank Yetter Jr.'s.  There were lots of trees down in Edith Bottemiller's yard.
To get an idea of the path of the tornado, trace a line from just north of Tapley's home to the cemetery to the swimming pool to the new school to the fairgrounds.  Before I headed back to Miltona, I took an unauthorized stroll down to the cemetery where I was disheartened to see trees of all sizes downed.  My folk's head stone was tipped off it’s base.  The tornado had no respect of persons!