FCS Professionals are invited to the Urban Roots 20 Year Celebration at the Harriet Island Pavillion, October 12, 2017 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Evening will include delicious food and drink as well as a silent auction. For more information and to register, click here
On Tuesday, September 19, FCS Professionals kicked off the year at The Beez Kneez in Minneapolis. The evening began with a dinner catered by the Seward Co-Op. Dinner included a variety of wraps and sandwiches, fruit platter, roasted vegetables, and mini desserts.
Following dinner, members and guests were welcomed by Susan Vance, Blog chair. Susan encouraged attendees to like and follow FCS Professionals on Facebook and Twitter. When posting pictures or videos from FCS Professionals events this year, people are encouraged to use #connectlearninspire and #fcsprofessionals in their postings.
Membership chair Trudy Nodgaard welcomed new and returning members and also recognized the guests in attendance: Katie Walz and Kathryn Holmes, students from St. Kate’s and guests Kathryn Zessman and Melanie Waldon
Program chair Colleen Glenn thanked all who participated in the programming survey and announced the winner of the free meeting registration–Mary Bartz! She then introduced our speaker of the evening, Kristy Lynn Allen, founder and beekeeper at The Beez Kneez.
Kristy is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Global Studies. She did quite a bit of traveling the world and landed in Arkansas working with Heifer International. While working in agriculture in Arkansas, she first learned about the problems facing pollinators–including honeybees. She spent time with her uncle in Northern Minnesota who is a commercial beekeeper and fell in love with bees. Eventually she got her own bees and started a bike delivered honey business. Dressed in a bee costume with a painted “bee bike” she pedaled around the Twin Cities delivering local raw honey.
Her story does not stop there! Not satisfied with merely running a successful business, she became a champion for the well-being of bees. She runs bee education programs, not only for people interested in beekeeping, but also as general education for kids and adults to learn about the role of bees in our agriculture system. She has lobbied and testified at the state legislature for stricter laws regarding insecticide use.
Following her presentation, Kristy delighted our group with a demonstration of honey extraction using her bike powered extractor! Samples of honey and mustard were also available and many members made purchases to take some home.
Join us for our next program at Summit Brewing Company on Monday, October 16! Registration is now open!
FCS Professionals that have an interest in food safety training are welcome to register for “Food Safety Training By the Numbers” workshop presented by the Minnesota Department of Health to be held October 18, 2017.
Registration and a continental breakfast begin at 8:30 am.
Welcome and workshop start at 9:00 am
Wilder Center
451 Lexington Parkway North
Saint Paul, MN 55104
For more information and to register, click here. You must register by October 4 and the workshop is limited to the first 100 registrants.
Here are a few snippets from the headlines!
Looking for a job change? Hudson Physicians is looking for a Diabetes Educator. See the ad below for more information.
The annual joint meeting of FCS Professionals, MAFCS, and TCHC will be held Thursday, November 9 at Becketwood. Featured speakers include Dr. Julie Jones speaking on “Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods and the Trend for Fewer Ingredients in these Foods and What that Means” and meteorologist Paul Douglas speaking on, “Why Everyone Should Be Concerned with Climate Change.” Registration for this event will be done via the mail only and space is limited. Registration forms were sent via email to current FCS Professionals members. If you are interested in attending but do not have a registration form, please contact hello@fcsprofessionals.org
The dates and theme for the 2018 MAFCS Annual Conference have been released! “Family and Consumer Sciences Life Systems for Your Life” will be held in Rochester February 7-9, 2018. Save the date! The planning committee is currently seeking individuals to present at breakout sessions. If you have a creative topic you think members would be interested in, please email mafecstateconference@gmail.com
Introducing Gerry Luepke, 2017-18 President of FCS Professionals! Anyone who knows Gerry, knows that she puts one hundred percent effort into everything she does. That is reflective in her goals for this year as President!
1). Work cooperatively with the board to keep FCS Professionals alive, vibrant, and well.
2). Remember member needs and why we are Food Consumer Science Professionals. Members drive our actions and decisions!
3). To be the very best organization for Food and Consumer Science Professionals!
4). Maintain current members while attracting new members.
Gerry’s career began as a Home Economics teacher. Her career turned a different corner when she responded to an ad for a home economist for Economics Laboratory. Through acquisitions and mergers she worked for Ecolab, Bencksier, and Recitt Benckiser. She enjoyed roles putting together strategic partnerships and being a member of the new products team. She later set up a Consumer Affairs Department for the White Rain Company. Gerry says, “I absolutely prized my job! It was pleasurable doing my part to make good things happen and rewarding to be part of a team developing safe and effective consumer products resulting in healthier homes and lifestyles!”
Gerry joined FCS Professionals (then TC HEIB) because it was mandatory. She says, “To do my job I needed to be knowledgeable of all disciplines of Family and Consumer Sciences–topics of everyday life like housing and interior design, food science, nutrition and wellness, textiles and apparel, personal and family finance, and consumer issues and human development.” Along with knowing the disciplines, she needed to know professionals in each of these areas. This organization provided her with resources to complete assigned tasks.
Why has Gerry remained a member all of these years? She says, “The organization has been very rewarding and extremely good to me. I appreciate the friendships and knowledge of members. At each and every FCS Professionals meeting I learn something new, am motivated and inspired, see beautiful/fun spaces, meet new folks, enjoy delectable food & the camaraderie is top notch!”
She continues, “There is nothing better than a FCS Professionals membership! You may not even know that you like something, but it’s important to me to be proactive on my learning and exploration journey. Being an active FCS Professionals member helps to fulfill my continuous learning and exploration needs. I’ve been exposed to learnings that I would not have discovered on my own. What I’ve gained makes me willing to stay involved, give back and eagerly await our 100th birthday celebration occurring in 2026!”
On a personal note, Gerry is widowed. She shares her Stillwater condo with her Ocicats named Miss Lucy (chocolate) and Uptown Violett (lavender). She enjoys country rides, exploring and learning all about Stillwater, being an active member of Hudson Home & Garden Club, designing and planning memorable tablescapes, and for the 2017-18 year is dedicated to FCS Professionals!
Introducing Verna Ludvigson. She was the 2016-17 President and is now serving as Advisor! Her goal as advisor is to be the contact person between the board and the webmaster.
Verna graduated from University of Minnesota-Duluth with a BS in Home Economics Education and a minor in Health. Her career path has taken her from the Home Service Department of Minnegasco (Center Point Energy), to Litton Microwave where she oversaw the first comprehensive consumer microwave cookbook and hotline and eventually became the Director of Consumer Affairs. Missing a creative outlet, she pursued a sales career at a retail kitchen showroom in Hopkins for Automated Building Components, a division of Lyman Lumber. There, she spent three decades selling and designing cabinetry for the professional builder. Verna is now retired.
Verna has been a member of FCS Professionals for five decades because, “I have always identified as a home economist, even in a non-traditional role. You will always find people who speak your language and meet and maintain lifelong friends.”
On a personal note, Verna lives in the warehouse district of Minneapolis with her husband Mauricio.
FCS Professionals are welcome to register for the upcoming Women’s Foodservice Forum Workshop to be held Wednesday, September 20 from 7:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Cost is $350 and includes breakfast, workshops and lunch.
For more information and to register click here
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