Camerillo joined the SBM Fire Department in January 1993 as a volunteer firefighter. During his years of service, he responded to more than 2,165 fire calls, and he attended more than 685 weekly drills.

Earlier this year, Camerillo retired on April 29. His battalion chief said he considers Camerillo a “lifelong friend” and was one of the guys at the station who everybody loves, who always had a smile on his face.

Other council business

The council reviewed quotes from five sign vendors for the replacement of the electronic message sign outside City Hall. The existing sign was purchased in 1993 and is outdated. The council postponed a vote to receive more information from staff before approving the bid from Signcrafters Outdoor at its June 24 meeting.

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Buoyed by the success of its economic gardening program, which was launched last fall to help businesses in the county grow, the Anoka County Housing and Redevelopment Authority has given the green light for a second year of the program.

It has authorized entering into a $100,000 contract with the Edward Lowe Foundation to facilitate its economic gardening program.

However, this year it will be a regional program involving five counties, not just Anoka County.

Anoka, Hennepin, Carver, Scott and suburban Ramsey counties have established the Regional Economic Gardening Partnership to provide select growth companies with business research and enhancement at no cost to them.

Anoka and Hennepin counties are currently operating individual pilot economic gardening projects targeted at second-stage companies who show a potential for job creation and longer-term business growth.

Through the partnership, the counties will implement the foundation’s economic gardening program to provide practical tools and techniques designed specifically for growing regional second-stage companies within those counties, according to Karen Skepper, Anoka County community development manager.

From Anoka County’s perspective, the second year of the program will continue to operate very much as it has for the current eight-month cycle, Skepper said.

The counties will individually take applications for program participation – the deadline is July 15 for a September/October start – with a maximum of 15 business owners chosen, and the counties will operate their own programs.

Each chief executive officer will receive 40 hours of one-on-one customized training where they will work with a team of advisers to learn about business tools and resources that Fortune 500 companies have used to be successful, according to Skepper.

They will also take part in eight half-day roundtable sessions, led by a representative from the Edward Lowe Foundation, where they will hear from experts in such areas as Internet, GIS, market research and human resources to develop action plans to grow their business, Skepper said.

The difference will come with the large forum events, which are open to the other business owners not just those who are part of the economic development program, she said.

These forums will be hosted by a different county each month on a rotating basis, Skepper said.

The Anoka County roundtables and forums will take place at Rasmussen College in Blaine.

In the first year of its economic gardening program, Anoka County has put on four large forums, bringing in speakers who head companies that have experienced significant growth in operations and employment to share their stories.

In March, the speaker was Jodi (Sizer) Boldenow, president and chief executive officer of Industrial Door Company in Coon Rapids, while the speaker at the past forum, May 28, was Kieran Folliard, former owner of Twin Cities area pubs and now owner of 2 Gingers Whiskey.

“The first year of the program has been very successful,” Skepper said.

That includes not only helping the 15 business owners from a wide spectrum of companies who signed up for the program to solve issues that might stunt their expansion and job creation, but also linking business owners who are not part of the program but who have attended the large forums, she said.

Skepper cited an example of two business owners who met each other at one of the forums and found that they could help each other’s business grow by working together.

“The forums open up opportunities for everyone,” Skepper said.

To be eligible for the county’s economic gardening program, the business owner must have between 10 and 99 employees and have been in business in Anoka County for at least two years and be ready to expand, but may face challenges to growth.

It must be a nonprofit, privately held company; have between $1 million and $50 million in annual revenue or working capital in place from investors or grants; demonstrate growth in either revenue or employees in two of the past five years; and provide products and/or services beyond current service area to regional, national or global markets.

The impetus for the economic gardening program in Anoka County came from a meeting in the spring of 2012 that the city of Coon Rapids hosted, and was attended by Skepper and Anoka County Board Chairperson Rhonda Sivarajah, at which a presentation on the Hennepin County project was given.

Following that meeting, Sivarajah directed county staff to start the process of creating an economic gardening project in Anoka County.

The Edward Lowe Foundation is a nationally-recognized entrepreneurship development organization headquartered in Cassopolis, Mich.

Ed and Darlene Lowe established the foundation in 1985 to “champion the entrepreneurial spirit” and leverage entrepreneurship as a strategy for economic growth and community development.

The foundation hosts the National Center for Economic Gardening.

Editor’s note: Peter Bodley is managing editor of ABC Newspapers. Peter Bodley is at peter.bodley@ecm-inc.com.

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A benefit is planned for a 10-year-old girl with a strong spirit who has cystic fibrosis.

Gracelyn VanGorden was diagnosed with the genetic disorder when she was two years old. It affects the lungs and digestive system and is inherited.

Gracelyn’s mother, Linzi, said her daughter was coughing a lot and doctors at first thought she had pneumonia, but treatment wasn’t working. They were sent to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis and were told Gracelyn had either asthma or cystic fibrosis.

A sweat test was done, which measures the amount of chloride, or salt, in sweat. Children with cystic fibrosis can have two to five times the normal amount of chloride in their sweat.

The test confirmed that Gracelyn had cystic fibrosis.

A defective gene, which Gracelyn inherited from both of her parents, and its protein product cause the body to produce thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs. It also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

Living with cystic fibrosis

“She’s just a normal kid on the outside,” Linzi said. “The disease controls not only her life, but it controls everything we do, where we can go, how long we can be there.”

Gracelyn takes enzymes to digest her food and wears a vest machine that shakes her lungs and loosens up the mucus, which Linzi said is as thick as peanut butter.

Gracelyn coughs frequently and gets tired easily. She can’t ride her bike anymore, walk long distances or walk up big flights of stairs. Her lungs are only working at about 20 percent. The lung function of an average 10-year-old with cystic fibrosis is between 80 to 100 percent.

“They said she is significantly sick compared to most,” Linzi said.

“She has a port in her chest and a feeding tube in her tummy,” she said. “We administer IV meds at home for her around the clock, between every six to eight hours.”

If it wasn’t for her port, Gracelyn would need to go to the hospital every time she is on IV medication.

At night, she uses a feeding tube that gives her extra calories; her lungs burn so many calories because they’re working so hard, Linzi said.

Gracelyn will be a fifth-grader next year at Bel Air Elementary in New Brighton. Her favorite subject in school is reading.

“She has read more books than I ever have in my life,” Linzi said.

Gracelyn was home schooled before attending Bel Air this past school year, at her request.

The VanGorden family at a Twins game last fall. Gracelyn, right, has cystic fibrosis and will be put on a lung transplant waiting list in Houston, Texas. (Submitted photo)

“She always just wins over everybody’s heart. She’s so kind and caring and very, very independent,” Linzi said.

“She’s probably had the worst year medically, but we’ve never seen her so happy at school, at Bel Air, and just growing up. She has, of course, bad days, but overall is very happy.”

Waiting for new lungs

On June 28, Gracelyn and her family are temporarily moving to Houston, Texas, where Gracelyn will be put on a waiting list for a new set of lungs. Her mother and father, Sonny, will be with her, along with her two siblings Vince, 7, and Isabelle, 6. Linzi and Sonny are quitting their jobs.

They were referred to the Children’s Hospital in Houston, which is one of three places in the United States that perform lung transplants on children. The other two hospitals are in Philadelphia and St. Louis.

The family bought a 35-foot RV and will stay at an RV resort, which is five miles from the hospital. Linzi said a lot of medical people stay at the resort, which offers a free shuttle to the hospital. At any point, they could be called and told a lung transplant is available, so they will have a pager and cell phones with them at all times. They must always be within two hours of the hospital.

On average, a person remains on the waiting list at Houston for about three months, Linzi said. After the surgery, Gracelyn will stay in the hospital for about two weeks and will stay for three months for weekly, routine testing. After that, she will need to return once a month or every two months for check-ups.

Benefit on Sunday

A benefit for Gracelyn and her family will be noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at Marino’s, 7365 Old Central Ave. NE in Fridley. There will be lunch, a bake sale, a craft sale and a silent auction. Cost is $20 for adults and $5 for kids under 12 years old. RSVPs are appreciated. Email rosannepetersen1@gmail.com or call 952-486-1372.

The future 

Linzi said she hopes that Gracelyn gets through the surgery OK and hopes for the day when she no longer has to wear her vest machine, during which treatments last 30 minutes.

“Just to see her life without having to do that, I just can’t wait for that…to have her energy back, gain weight, have her ride her bike,” Linzi said. “I just want her to be a normal kid and be able to run around with her brother and sister and ride her bike and not be in pain.”

Before the VanGorden family leaves for Houston, the New Brighton Department of Public Safety will present Gracelyn with a hockey jersey. Each year the department plays in an annual hockey tournament that raises money for the fight against cystic fibrosis. The send off will also include a fire truck or a police car.

Linzi said the support from everyone has been wonderful and more than she could have ever expected.

Director of Public Safety Bob Jacobson recently met Linzi after she contacted the city about parking her RV on the street overnight before heading to Texas.

“What impressed me is that Linzi, despite the challenges faced, has the strength and wherewithal to keep pushing ahead, removing any obstacles in her way in a straightforward and purposeful manner, and keep her eye on the end result, which is to get her daughter lungs.

“I am quite frankly in awe of Linzi and of Gracelyn who for a child of 10 should not have to face such difficult circumstances. We wish them only the very best in their travels and in Gracelyn’s potential transplant. I only regret that I did not meet the family before this crisis. Our community is better for having them living among us. I look forward to their return.”

To donate to the Gracelyn VanGorden Fund, visit any Wells Fargo bank. Cash or check donations will be accepted at the benefit. Donations can also be mailed to Gracelyn VanGorden, 1898 Livingston Ave., West St. Paul, MN, 55118.

Contact Kassie Petermann at kassie.petermann@ecm-inc.com

 

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New Horizon Academy in Columbia Heights on June 17 joined childcare centers throughout the state to serve healthy, locally-grown foods as part of a Farm to Childcare initiative.

The program began last year as a pilot project, designed to evaluate effectiveness at 14 childcare sites throughout the state. After seeing success, the Farm to Childcare program is expanding to 62 New Horizon Academy centers throughout the metro area and greater Minnesota, potentially reaching 7,500 children.

Healthy food from nearby farms, experiential learning opportunities, garden-based education and interactions with farmers are connecting young children with how their food is grown. Research shows children’s taste preferences are most actively developed between the ages of 3 and 5.

It is a program designed in partnership between the Minnesota-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and childcare provider New Horizon Academy (NHA).

“We believe our children are best served when they understand where their food is coming from and the critical role fruits, vegetables and other crops play in a healthy diet,” said Cisa Keller, director of government and community relations for NHA.

Info: iatp.org.

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Bow hunting permits will be issued this fall by the Anoka County Parks Department to cull the deer herds in three county regional parks.

The Anoka County Board June 11, acting on the recommendation of its Parks and Recreation Committee, approved the 2013 deer management program.

The regional parks affected are Bunker Hills, Rice Creek Chain of Lakes and Mississippi West.

While Bunker Hills and Rice Creek have been included in county’s annual deer management program for several years, Mississippi West in Ramsey is new this year, according to Jeff Perry, county park planning and resources manager.

But Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, for which bow hunting permits have been issued for the past several years, is not part of the program this year.

“The deer herd there is at a sustainable level,” Perry said.

The county conducts an aerial survey to check on the deer herd populations in its parks every February, he said.

“The was plenty of snow on the ground this winter to get an accurate count,” Perry said.

At Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, the survey found the deer herd to be at a sustainable eight per square mile, he said.

“I think that can be largely attributed to the effectiveness of our management program,” Perry said.

According to Perry, the management goal of the parks department is to sustain a deer population of 15 to 20 deer per square mile in each of the parks.

But in Bunker Hills Regional Park, the density is more than 54 deer per square mile; at Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park, it’s greater than 27 deer per square mile; and in Mississippi West Regional Park, the deer population has been determined to be more than 55 deer per square mile.

The cull at Bunker Hills Regional Park will be in the 30 to 40 range, with up to 33 permits issued for the archery hunts. The hunts will be spread over three weekends, Friday through Sunday, this fall with 11 permits issued for each, according to Perry. The dates are Oct. 25 to 27, Nov. 15 to 17 and Dec. 6 to 8.

At Rice Creek, the goal will be to harvest between 10 and 20 deer with up to 100 permits issued for the hunts, which will take place twice this fall, according to Perry. The first hunt is scheduled for Oct. 19 to Nov. 10 and the second from Nov. 11 through Dec. 31. Fifty permits will be issued for each hunt.

The deer herd at Mississippi West Regional Park is found on Cloquet Island, which is located in the Mississippi River adjacent to the park, Perry said. With a goal of harvesting up to 25 deer and only six permits being issued, the season will last from Oct. 5 through Dec. 31, he said. “Hunters will get to the island by boat,” Perry said.

The regional parks at Rice Creek Chain of Lakes at 3,500 acres and Bunker Hills at 1,600 acres both have large land areas with excellent habitat for deer herds, and so does Cloquet Island, which covers 60 acres, Perry said.

The hunts will be limited to designated areas in all three parks.

According to Perry, hunters can apply for bow hunting permits for the hunts in all three regional parks, but they will only get a permit for one of the parks.

“We always have a lot more applications than permits available,” Perry said.

To be eligible, applicants must have a state deer hunting license.

And once the permits have been issued, hunters are required to attend an orientation session put on by the county parks department in September.

People can apply for the deer hunting permits now through Aug. 23 by going to the parks department website at www.anokacountyparks.com and downloading the registration form.

Editor’s note: Peter Bodley is managing editor of ABC Newspapers. Peter Bodley is at peter.bodley@ecm-inc.com.

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During the June 10 council meeting, Columbia Heights Mayor Gary Peterson said the city annually seeks one person who has gone consistently above and beyond, someone who puts others needs before their own. Nominees must live in Columbia Heights, and the city particularly seeks people who have not otherwise been publicly recognized.

Bruegger has lived in Columbia Heights for 18 years, along with his wife, Maxine. At Immaculate Conception Church, he is an usher and volunteers for the annual Fun Fest. He also helps at the pancake breakfast by setting up tables and making coffee, and works with the Meals on Wheels program delivering food to residents in need.

Bruegger travels around the Twin Cities teaching a program called ZoomText, a screen magnifier, which helps visually impaired people see and use computers.

Bruegger is legally blind, Peterson said, although it does not stop him or slow him down from helping others within and outside the community.

Since retiring from Hennepin County as a computer programmer for 15 years, Bruegger enjoys being outside and gardening. He is also a member of the Lions Club and Knights of Columbus.

Columbia Heights Humanitarian of the Year Armin Bruegger, left, receives a plaque from Mayor Gary Peterson during the June 10 City Council meeting. (Sun Focus photo by Kassie Petermann)

Bruegger’s name will be added to a plaque in City Hall, and he will ride in the Jamboree parade on Friday, June 28. “It sure was a surprise to me,” Bruegger said of the award. “I had no idea.

“I just do the things that I think God put us on this earth to do — help other people. That’s the main thing in life.”

Regarding ZoomText, Bruegger said he works with people as old as 95 who want to continue to use email.

“It’s very rewarding,” he said.

Pat Schreifels, Maxine’s sister, said that July will mark Bruegger and Maxine’s 16th wedding anniversary.

“We’re so happy and proud of Armin,” Schreifels said.

She said that Bruegger met Maxine on the bus and they became good friends. He was looking for a church, and he really liked Immaculate Conception, Maxine’s church, after visiting.

“[Maxine] was his mentor for him to become a Catholic, and that’s when they fell in love,” she said.

“He’s going to be 70 on June 27. I guess he’s going to celebrate by riding in the parade,” Schreifels said, which was met with laughs.

Henry Drews, chair of the Knights of Columbus, said Bruegger is at the church at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday to help with the pancake breakfast at Immaculate Conception. He takes care of setting up 60 tables in the dining room, refills the coffee and helps until everything is cleaned up.

“He’s always there working. Thank you, Armin,” Drews said.

A fellow Lion, Peterson said, “[Armin] is always doing whatever needs to be done at a Lions function.”

This is the award’s 39th year in Columbia Heights.

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Through a partnership with Twin Cities-based Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), volunteers will prepare 150,000 life-saving meals. The MobilePack will take place at St. Anthony Village High School, 3303 33rd Ave.

Packing sessions will each begin with a 15-minute overview of FMSC’s work around the world. Setup on Tuesday, June 25, will be from 2-4 p.m. The first session is 5-7 p.m. and the second session is 7:30-9:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, June 26, the third packing session runs from 3:30-5:30 p.m., and the last session will be 6-8 p.m. Cleanup is scheduled for 8-10 p.m.

Community members can support the MobilePack by making a donation for food production costs and by volunteering to pack meals. To donate or to sign up to pack, visit fmsc.org/mobilepack/events. The event number is 1306-123.

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St. Timothy’s is at 825 51st Ave. NE in Columbia Heights.

Info: 763-571-9721.

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New Brighton 311 is a mobile application that can be downloaded to iPhone and Android devices. Go to the city of New Brighton’s website, select the community links section and click on the New Brighton 311 link to download.

Citizens can take a picture of a problem that they spot in the community, such as a broken stop sign, potholes or graffiti, and send that picture and other information to the appropriate city department. The mobile application will automatically identify the GPS coordinates of the incident being reported to the city.

The web interface requires all New Brighton 311 users to enter the location of the problem. This product will allow citizens to notify the city of problem areas. An email, which includes a resolution to the issue, will be sent to the person that reported the problem to the city.

The New Brighton 311 software is a free download and is available at the Apple or Google Play stores.

Info: newbrightonmn.gov.

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