Expand Magazine - Volume 6 Issue 2
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Formerly Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Julie<br />
Lohr<br />
Living an<br />
Authentic Life<br />
Looking for<br />
Something to Do?<br />
Get on<br />
Downtown<br />
Partners<br />
Email List<br />
Downtown<br />
has a<br />
Grocery<br />
Store!<br />
Accepting<br />
Nominations<br />
<strong>Volume</strong> 6, <strong>Issue</strong> 2
WHOLE BODY CRYOTHERAPY<br />
“Be well with THRIVE”<br />
(712) 870-2574<br />
819 Gordon Drive • Sioux City, IA<br />
Whole body Cryotherapy is the exposure of<br />
a person’s skin to temperatures of -130 to<br />
-170 degrees Celsius (-238 to -285 degrees<br />
Fahrenheit) for a short period ( 3 minutes or<br />
less.) At this temperature, the body activates<br />
several mechanisms that have significant<br />
long-term medical and cosmetic benefits.<br />
RECOVERY AND WELLNESS<br />
• Reduces Inflammation,Swelling, Pain<br />
• Decreases Stress and Anxiety<br />
• Boosts Immune System<br />
• Increases Blood Circulation<br />
• Full Body Detox and Better Sleep<br />
CoSmetIC<br />
• Increases Collagen Production<br />
• Reduces Cellulite<br />
• Improves Skin Conditions<br />
• Accelerates metabolism<br />
• Reverses the Signs of Aging<br />
AthletIC<br />
• Quicker injury recovery time<br />
• Increase Stamina<br />
• train harder<br />
• Recover Faster<br />
• Increase energy<br />
• Reduction of muscle Soreness
Did You Know…<br />
Offers Professional<br />
Development Training?<br />
Check it out<br />
here<br />
Or visit our website<br />
<strong>Expand</strong>2More.com
<strong>Expand</strong> /4<br />
We are here to live a BIG life. To explore our inner and outer<br />
world, moving us towards the leading edge to discover what we<br />
are capable of that can be of contribution. To create a life designed<br />
with intention and executed with passion.<br />
This publication aspires to be a source of inspiration. We are<br />
committed to connecting you with community experts and<br />
information to help you live your best life. It is our intention to<br />
encourage balance in your life, reminding you to prioritize your<br />
health and wellness while pursuing your dreams. We wish for you<br />
to be healthy, strong and radiant. We wish for you to find meaning<br />
in your work and be of service to those around you.<br />
In these pages, you’ll find advice and resources, but you will also<br />
find community and love. It is our desire to be by your side on your<br />
journey, providing articles, video content, podcasts, trainings, and<br />
live events. We are here for your expansion.<br />
This is your life.<br />
For those who want more…<br />
To be more, do more and give more.
Editors<br />
NOte<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> / 5<br />
Question for you…<br />
Are You Willing to <strong>Expand</strong> with Me?<br />
In the last issue, introducing the rebranding of<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> as <strong>Expand</strong>, I shared my intention<br />
to be a source of inspiration and provide a space that<br />
fuels your growth and expansion. Ultimately, I want<br />
you to engage with all that is <strong>Expand</strong> – a brand that<br />
shares content in multiple platforms, but also gives<br />
you the opportunity to attend trainings and live events.<br />
Last month, we had an event at Rooted Boutique to<br />
get the new magazine in your hands, let you meet<br />
our cover person, Emily Vollmar, and watch a live<br />
podcast interview with Emily. It was a chance to build<br />
on the original interview published in January and let<br />
the attendees ask their questions. It was also a great<br />
opportunity to network. We are creating a community<br />
of expanders – those who want to be more, do more<br />
and give more.<br />
We will be holding another event to introduce you to<br />
Julie, this month’s cover person. I hope you decide to<br />
attend and come with your questions for the podcast<br />
interview. We will create a Facebook event with all<br />
the details. Be sure to follow us and stay in the loop.<br />
Over the next several weeks, you will also<br />
see us expanding our offerings on leadership,<br />
communication, and sales training. The details will be<br />
on our website. If there is something you need for<br />
your expansion, ask. We love ideas and feedback.<br />
Together we can expand further.<br />
Stacie<br />
Stacie Anderson<br />
Owner of Empowering Conversations LLC & <strong>Expand</strong><br />
Certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer & Coach<br />
Passionate about Leadership & Communication<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> is owned and published by Empowering Conversations, LLC. All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, and photographs)<br />
are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or modified in any<br />
way without the prior written consent of Empowering Conversations, LLC or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not<br />
alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of this content.
e more<br />
8-9<br />
10-11<br />
12-13<br />
14-15<br />
16-17<br />
18-21<br />
do more<br />
24-25<br />
26-27<br />
28-29<br />
30<br />
31<br />
33<br />
give more<br />
39<br />
40-41<br />
43<br />
Table of Contents<br />
Ask the Therapist – Speaking to Overwhelmed Mothers<br />
Health is a Journey – The Dark Before The Rebirth<br />
Mastering the Self Through Ancient Wisdom<br />
Dare 2B Great – Spring is Coming<br />
Living Lumin – Snow Day in Alaska<br />
Cover Story – Dr. Julie Lohr<br />
Small Business Spotlight – Crumb.<br />
IWCI’s Business Feature – Red Valley Natural Foods Co.<br />
SBDC – Taking Care of Business – Taxes and Accounting<br />
Leadership Siouxland – Do You Have Glossophobia?<br />
Experience Downtown – Springing Forward With a New Website!<br />
Council Connection – Improving Sioux City With One Hand Tied Behind Our Back<br />
Inclusive Peek – Dr. Dora Jung<br />
Nonprofit Spotlight – SHIP<br />
Hot Air with Tony Michaels – Not So Digital Footprint<br />
ON THE COVER: Dr. Julie Lohr | Styled by Rooted Boutique | Photo Credit Anna Marie Photography
EXPAND | BE MORE / 7<br />
Who are you becoming?<br />
Being more is simply growing beyond who you were yesterday.<br />
No perfection. Just progress.<br />
It’s about living life to its fullest and learning from every moment<br />
so that we show up healthier, stronger, and more radiant.<br />
Our writers want to support you on your journey of self-reflection<br />
and discovery of your fullest potential.<br />
Be more.
EXPAND | BE MORE /8<br />
ask the<br />
Therapist<br />
By Jackie Paulson<br />
Q:<br />
I am struggling with motherhood. I feel so overwhelmed and guilty all the<br />
time. It feels hard to keep up with everything. I feel so overstimulated<br />
by our schedule and the stress in our home. The whole experience of<br />
parenthood is way harder than I ever expected. I didn’t see our life being<br />
so busy when I first became a mother. I wish we had more time to enjoy<br />
each other and feel connected. Now we all are just exhausted when we are<br />
home and stare at our devices. I want to be better for my family. Help!<br />
Dear Reader,<br />
Thank you for your vulnerable and brave share. I am<br />
sure there are many parents reading this right now<br />
that could relate to what you are saying. I want to<br />
take a moment to note that for the sake of the article,<br />
I will be referencing mostly women and mothers,<br />
however, I must emphasize that all of this can also be<br />
a shared experience by those parents who identify<br />
as men, transgendered, and/or non-binary.<br />
As a therapist who practices from a decolonized<br />
lens, I am acutely aware of how the systems in which<br />
we live create many of the symptoms that we are<br />
experiencing as individuals, couples, and families.<br />
Many people come into my office and say, “what’s<br />
wrong with me? I can’t keep up with everyone else,”<br />
in some way or another. And some of the first layers<br />
we explore, are how none of us were meant to keep<br />
up at this pace as human beings.<br />
The history of the society in which we find ourselves<br />
is built on hyper-individualization, industry, and<br />
productivity. The role of the mother or caregiver<br />
has long been abandoned as something of<br />
importance. Although most people will say that<br />
it is in conversation, the overall systems in which<br />
we live neglects the care of the caregiving, child
earing, teaching occupations - including the work<br />
of the stay-at-home mother. I don’t have the word<br />
count to go into this as much as I would like, but I<br />
need you to know that you are not alone, that there is<br />
nothing wrong with you, and it is very normal to feel<br />
overwhelmed, isolated, and confused. It feels like<br />
motherhood is expected to be done in isolation, plus<br />
the added pressures of conforming to a fast paced<br />
society that rewards doing more and spending more.<br />
Already with a fresh kindergartener in tow - I am<br />
amazed at how quickly my family could be swept up<br />
in copious events and extracurricular activities. The<br />
fear that my child is falling behind her peers is a real<br />
thing. This is what I am talking about when it comes<br />
to internal pressures that are coming from an outside<br />
force. A family really needs to decide what their<br />
values are going to be and sculpt their decisions<br />
from that place. Otherwise, the sea is wide, and our<br />
boat is small.<br />
The overarching demand of capitalism will<br />
surely engulf you if you are not rooted in your<br />
own heart’s desires as a mother, parent, and<br />
family. You must decide what your family has<br />
the capacity to endure as well. Just because<br />
you want to do something, doesn’t mean<br />
you, and/or your child, or your family has<br />
the capacity to do it - physically, financially,<br />
or otherwise. We overspend in all areas of<br />
our resources, both internally and externally,<br />
in order to keep up with the fast-paced<br />
rhythm of our culture. But the whole world<br />
is showing all the signs and signals that we<br />
are in desperate need of slowing down and<br />
coming back to what matters most.<br />
The high rates of physical disease, mental health<br />
disorders, etc. show us that we are out of balance.<br />
When looking at the root cause of many of these<br />
issues, stress is the number one factor. We must start<br />
looking at the quality of connections and support,<br />
not the quantity of things we have, or the number of<br />
social events on our calendar.<br />
Send Your<br />
Questions<br />
I invite you to truly ask yourselves where all of<br />
this stress originates; what is its core foundation?<br />
You feel overwhelmed on a regular basis and are<br />
acutely aware that the way that you are parenting<br />
is out of alignment with what you truly desire.<br />
Ultimately, we can’t get away from feeling this way<br />
in parenthood at times, but one way that we can<br />
create a bit more empowerment is by taking the<br />
reins on the amount of stress we are under, and by<br />
increasing the level of support we have in our lives.<br />
This will mean you will need to let go of control,<br />
ask for help, actually let others help. Allow it to<br />
be imperfect, feel vulnerable in being held in the<br />
messiness that is mothering in the modern age.<br />
Take time for yourself, even as you feel guilty doing<br />
it. Connect with other parents in ways that are more<br />
quiet, intimate and real, and slow way down. There<br />
may be some boundaries that need to be set in the<br />
home and in the schedule so that you can come<br />
back to your body as the mother, find your center,<br />
be nourished, and be the muse of the household.<br />
I understand I shared a lot here and there is much<br />
more to say. But to summarize, I invite you to<br />
consider decreasing stress where you can and<br />
increase use of your support systems as much<br />
as possible! You and your children are worthy<br />
of being well-nourished in both the physical and<br />
emotional realm. That won’t happen in a silo. We<br />
need each other.<br />
I offer various support circles and workshops to<br />
help women, couples, and individuals learn about<br />
their nervous systems and how that impacts their<br />
relationships with their kids, partners, and their own<br />
self-esteem. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d<br />
like more specific support on how to find the ease<br />
and pleasure in parenting that you are searching<br />
and hoping for - knowing that as long as we live in<br />
a stress disordered society, we will only be able to<br />
go so far until there are more supportive systems<br />
in place for mothers and caregivers. Do your best,<br />
you are not alone. Again, I am here for you!<br />
All my love,<br />
Jackie<br />
You can submit your question for “Ask the Therapist” by by simply scanning the QR<br />
code or sending an email to jaclynpaulsongmail.com, putting “Ask the Therapist” in<br />
the subject line. Your privacy is kept confidential. Our questions are often shared with<br />
others. Let’s get answers together.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /9<br />
JACKIE PAULSON | LEAD INSTRUCTOR | E-RYT 500, LMHC<br />
Jackie Paulson teaches yoga, is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Iowa, and yoga teacher in Sioux City. She holds a deeply held intention in her work:<br />
to empower somatic awareness that increases the connection and sacred wisdom within individuals and communities. Jackie facilitates in-depth yoga trainings,<br />
experiential process groups, individual + couples therapy, and energy work. The inspiration that fuels her teaching includes philosophy, myth, depth psychology, and<br />
subtle body practices. A lifelong student of the practice, Jackie completed her 300hr Yoga Teacher October 2017 and continues her education of Tantra and Somatic<br />
therapy with teachers from around the world.
EXPAND | BE MORE /10<br />
The Dark<br />
BEFORE<br />
The Rebirth<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler<br />
T<br />
he first blade of green grass, the<br />
first robin you hear, and the first day<br />
you step outside without your coat; it is<br />
the feeling that you have made it. You made<br />
it through another winter. We may not experience<br />
the fear of starvation our ancestors experienced<br />
every winter; however, the mental struggle one<br />
goes through with shorter days and isolation from<br />
friends and family triggers an effect on us just as it<br />
did on our ancestors.<br />
Our daily life is often defined by our relationships<br />
and rituals. These relationships and rituals are<br />
intertwined with the cycles of nature. Summer<br />
activities and rituals are much different from Winter,<br />
Fall, or Spring. It is important to see the connection<br />
between the seasons and our relationship to these<br />
cycles so that we may appreciate the physical state<br />
we are currently in.<br />
Early springtime, for me personally, is the most<br />
difficult season of the year. I find myself isolating<br />
from my important relationships, sleeping too much,<br />
seeking any type of warmth I can find (which is<br />
typically heavy, fatty foods) and slipping into a bit<br />
of a seasonal melancholy. I begin to feel apathetic<br />
about myself and my relationships, and I experience<br />
an increasing anxiousness for warmer weather to set<br />
in.<br />
In these slower and darker days, it is easy to become<br />
critical of oneself. It is easy to say, “I won’t let myself<br />
fall back into that dismal, depressed, and lethargic<br />
pattern again this year.” It is equally easy to bypass<br />
the experience and move on without thinking much<br />
about it. However, when I consider my relationships<br />
and rituals during this time, and how they relate<br />
to nature and land, it is understandable that I may<br />
become internal and self-reflective.<br />
During early spring in the Midwest, we have been<br />
experiencing colder weather and shorter days<br />
for going on six months. During this time we have<br />
watched our surrounding land and nature slip into
the death or hibernation stage. We have celebrated holidays, played in the snow, and enjoyed winter.It is the<br />
dark before the rebirth.<br />
This phase, a deep hibernation, is really an internal preparation for what is to come. It is a rest and recovery<br />
phase before the days become long, hot, and strenuous. If we can acknowledge this time for what it is, a time<br />
for healing, recovery, and inner reflection, then we are able to take responsibility for what we do with this time.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /11<br />
This can be a truly difficult activity to do. In our lives, there are a thousand distractions and unlimited ways to<br />
remove ourselves from how we are feeling. But nature is here for us, still; even when she is not blooming and<br />
feeding us, she is teaching us lessons in her stillness, teaching us to be still.<br />
Spring is a time for cleansing. Many of the first greens, or weeds, to pop up in the spring are nutrient dense and<br />
great support for the liver. The following activities are meant to promote inner reflection and stillness. I have also<br />
listed herbs to assist the hepatic system, and a breathing activity to assist with releasing stress with the hopes<br />
that in time, springtime can be appreciated for the wonderful time it is.<br />
1. Begin Springtime Liver Cleanse<br />
Add in one or more of the following<br />
Lemon Water:<br />
The sour aspects of lemon add a<br />
wonderful support to the liver.<br />
Digestive Bitters:<br />
Burdock Root<br />
Dandelion<br />
Bitter Melon<br />
Wormwood<br />
Bitters stimulate digestive enzymes and<br />
increase detoxification of stagnant lymph.<br />
2. Ten Minutes of Reflection<br />
Commit to ten minutes a day of silent reflection with yourself.<br />
Liver Tonic Tea:<br />
Dandelion Root, (Taraxicum spp.)<br />
Nettle Leaf, (Urtica dioica)<br />
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)<br />
Oregon grape Root (Mahonia aquifolium)<br />
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)<br />
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla).<br />
Dark Leaf Greens:<br />
Nutrient dense greens such as kale, collard greens,<br />
and spinach are a wonderful support nutritionally,<br />
and they offer a gentle detox for your liver.<br />
It is recommended to utilize this time to disconnect from technology. Find a quiet space for<br />
yourself and lay down. Begin by taking a few deep breaths. Start to identify where you are holding<br />
your stress, anxiety, pain, or any other emotion in your body. Try to stay present with yourself for as<br />
long as possible. After you have finished, take some time to journal about what you experienced.<br />
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is not<br />
intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult with your doctor before<br />
utilizing any herbal medicine.<br />
Resources:<br />
1. Chevallie, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. DK Pub.,<br />
New York, c2000.<br />
2. Skenderi, Gazmend. Herbal Bade Mecum. Herbacy Press.<br />
Rutherford, NJ, c2003.<br />
3. Tierra , Michael. Planetary Herbology. Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, WI.<br />
c2018<br />
4. Maier, Kat. A Season Model for Working with Depression.<br />
Medicines from the Earth 2021<br />
By Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler, Owner, MEGAN & CO. Herbal<br />
Apothecary + Teahouse<br />
Her goal is to spread herbal knowledge to rural America in a<br />
safe, constructive, and accessible manner.<br />
Owner, MEGAN & CO. Herbal Apothecary + Teahouse<br />
www.meganandco.com<br />
Trained at the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism<br />
Certified Clinical Herbalist<br />
Certified Clinical Nutritionist<br />
Certified Flower Essence Practitioner
EXPAND | BE MORE /12<br />
Mastering<br />
THE<br />
Self<br />
through<br />
Ancient<br />
Wisdom<br />
By Erin Kuehl<br />
he epic poem, The Bhagavad Gita, symbolically details the battles that we wage in our minds, “For him who<br />
has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind<br />
will be the greatest enemy.”<br />
TThe Quest for a Fulfilled Life<br />
We all harbor a desire to live fully, as our health, wealth, peace, and happiness depend on a healthy body<br />
and a healthy mind. Achieving a fully integrated relationship between body and mind, where both listen<br />
to each other with love, enables us to skillfully engage with the world.<br />
What are the necessary ingredients to live a fulfilled life?<br />
Countless paths lead to fulfillment, but today, our focus is on<br />
habits. Good and bad habits, to be precise. We need internal<br />
awareness of the causes and effects of our habits on our<br />
physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Through a yogic<br />
lens, we evaluate our samskaras—our imprints, habits, patterns,<br />
and conditioning—working to create an internal point of focus<br />
for refining the mind and achieving a clearer perception.<br />
Neurologically, we tend to respond to situations in the same<br />
manner as we did yesterday, forming habit grooves in our<br />
Master the Mind, Master of Self<br />
Ancient Wisdom traditions recognize the importance of<br />
mastering the mind to master the self. Through body-mind<br />
practices such as meditation, Tai Chi, chi gong, pranayama<br />
(breathwork), yoga, and deep relaxation, practitioners<br />
utilize techniques that cultivate deep body awareness,<br />
relaxation, concentration, and meditation. These practices<br />
influence the flow of impulses through connective tissue,<br />
brains. These default grooves or pathways keep us trapped<br />
in our own habits, patterns, and neural programming…<br />
repeating, repeating, repeating mindless, rote behavior.<br />
Soon, unconscious patterns can emerge that can keep us<br />
from living a full and well-balanced life.<br />
These repeating habits, responses, and behaviors elicit<br />
mental stress; which in turn, creates physical malaise. Even<br />
good or healthy habits can become stressful if adhered to<br />
rigidly or unconsciously.<br />
nerves, and glands. They slow respiration and metabolic<br />
rates placing the body in a tranquil and observant<br />
state, activating the parasympathetic nervous system.<br />
Simultaneously, they create new neural pathways, rewiring<br />
the brain, and restoring balance between the sympathetic<br />
and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Finding Richness and fullness in Life<br />
Abundance and fulfillment in life are not based on<br />
our ability to travel or acquire material riches. Rather,<br />
they are cultivated by adopting fresh perspectives<br />
and altering the way we perceive the world. Simple<br />
changes, such as taking a different route to work,<br />
brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, or subtly<br />
modifying your daily routines and habits can aid in the<br />
formation of new habit grooves and deepen awareness and<br />
presence.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /13<br />
Breath Retention and Nadi Shodana: Breath of Balance<br />
While small tasks like alternating the routes you take make headway in our journey to balance, profound changes in<br />
neuroplasticity come with conscious breathwork or any of the mind-body practices.<br />
Stress can alter our breathing patterns, leading to shallow breaths and restricted access to the lower lobes of the lungs. The<br />
lower lungs are home to parasympathetic nerve receptor cells. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the<br />
body’s relaxation responses. By breathing deep into the lowest parts of the lungs, we start to calm and quiet the body and<br />
mind. Shallow breathing can cause an over-oxygenated state, which can lead to anxiety. Studies have shown that breath<br />
lengthening and retention can bring carbon dioxide levels back to a balanced state, ultimately calming the body and mind.<br />
Breathing techniques, such as kumbhaka - breath retention, and Nadi Shodana, a form of alternate nostril breathing, offer<br />
a wide range of benefits including neuro-protective effects, increased self-awareness, reduced stress levels, and improved<br />
mental clarity. These practices have been used for centuries as valuable tools for achieving a balanced and healthy mind/body<br />
connection. They continue to be embraced for their transformative effects on well-being.<br />
Kumbhaka - breath retention, may be practiced anywhere and at any time. Eventually, with practice, you will fall into<br />
a natural rhythm of kumbhaka. To begin, inhale to a count of five, hold to five, exhale five, and hold five. Repeat and lengthen<br />
the process if possible. Strive to specifically elongate the exhale, and the hold at the bottom of the exhale, to decrease anxiety<br />
and create a sense of calm.<br />
Nadhi Shodana will require you to alternate closing off each nostril, using the thumb and inner ring finger. Begin<br />
in a relaxed position and close off the right nostril as you inhale through the left, hold, close left nostril and exhale right, hold,<br />
inhale right nostril, hold, exhale left nostril, hold, inhale left, hold, and repeat for up to 3-5 minutes daily. Nadhi Shodhana helps<br />
to balance both the right and<br />
left hemispheres of the brain,<br />
bringing balance, calming, and<br />
rejuvenating the nervous system.<br />
Mastering the self through<br />
ancient wisdom and practices<br />
lead to a more fulfilled and<br />
balanced life. By exploring how<br />
our samskaras, habits, effect<br />
the mind, and harnessing the<br />
power of mind body practices,<br />
we embark on a journey of<br />
self-discovery and self-mastery<br />
that brings us closer to our<br />
aspirations of health, happiness,<br />
and inner peace.<br />
“Our expert instructors guide students through various yoga styles,<br />
meditation, and wellness practices, providing the tools to tap into<br />
their inner wisdom and find balance in their lives. Whether you’re<br />
looking for a challenging physical practice or a peaceful escape<br />
from the demands of daily life, Evolve has something to offer.<br />
Join us in our journey of self-discovery and evolution.<br />
Erin Kuehl<br />
hello@evolvesiouxcity.com<br />
712-898-4286<br />
Since 2012, Erin has been the driving force behind Evolve<br />
Yoga and Wellness Center, a holistic healing hub in the heart<br />
of Historic 4th Street that integrates Yoga and mindfulness<br />
into transformative classes designed to nurture physical,<br />
mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
eXPAND | BE MORE /14<br />
Spring is Coming<br />
I<br />
am a Game of Thrones fan. The show<br />
is centered around, “Winter is coming.”<br />
Well, this article is letting you know that<br />
“Spring is coming.” And, with that said,<br />
you may need to make the adjustments to be ready<br />
for summer. While working out is key, nutrition is<br />
essential.<br />
We have all met someone in life that can eat anything<br />
they want and not gain a pound. Yet, if you so much as<br />
look at a slice of pizza you’ll gain five pounds. Weight<br />
change is controlled by calories in versus calories<br />
out. That means that to lose weight, you need to eat<br />
less calories than you burn. Conversely, you need to<br />
eat more calories than you burn to gain weight (mass<br />
gain cycle). This is broken down into macronutrients:<br />
protein, carbohydrates, and fat. All of which have<br />
their own calorie count per gram. Not all calories are<br />
equal. Not everyone is the same.<br />
The secret to fat loss does not lie within the realms<br />
of weight training or hours of cardio, although that<br />
helps. The secret comes from the utensil to mouth<br />
ratio. Too many times I have heard individuals talk<br />
about low or no carb diets, as if that is the ultimate<br />
key to fat loss. While it has its place, it can have brutal<br />
repercussions down the road, especially when weight<br />
training. I was guilty of that, but now use the method<br />
in cutting phases, not as a long-term solution.<br />
We are going to focus on some common<br />
misconceptions and discuss the worst<br />
foods to eat for fat loss. We will hit some more<br />
obvious foods that are an easy way to cut unwanted,<br />
unwarranted, and empty calories from the diet.<br />
Dare<br />
2B Great<br />
By Cody Rininger<br />
Pancake Syrup<br />
I would advise pancakes are not<br />
going to get you closer to your goals<br />
but let us stay focused on something<br />
that offers ZERO to the cause; no micronutrients, no<br />
antioxidants, nothing. It is high fructose corn syrup<br />
with preservatives and artificial food coloring. Highly<br />
refined sweeteners, such as syrup, cause your body<br />
to crave more sugar. It is a vicious cycle. If you must<br />
have pancakes and cannot live those brief moments<br />
of your breakfast without a topping, then at least hit<br />
up honey; which, at least offers something to the<br />
body.<br />
Coffee Creamer<br />
This is an easy and effective way to cut out hundreds<br />
of calories in your day. Sugar spikes insulin, thus<br />
inhibiting fat burning and making you feel hungry.<br />
Adding this or anything else to your morning brew<br />
is like convincing yourself that fruit flavored donuts<br />
are healthy. Make the change. If you need coffee that<br />
bad, you can tough it out for eight ounces.
Frosting<br />
Satan himself brought frosting to mortals. I am not going<br />
to waste your time on things like donuts and cake. So why<br />
waste it on frosting? I mention frosting because not only<br />
is it loaded with sugar, it is also one of the few items on<br />
the shelf with high amounts of trans-fats. These are the<br />
nastiest fats that raise bad cholesterol and lower your<br />
good cholesterol. Trans-fats can also trigger inflammation,<br />
which leads to belly fat. “But it’s so good!” Really? The<br />
belly fat you gain is hard on your internal organs and bad<br />
cholesterol is just bad. It causes your heart to work harder<br />
and not smarter.<br />
Salad Dressing<br />
Everyone wants to diet with salads and then gets frustrated<br />
when the fat reduction results are not produced. It’s always<br />
a topic with my clients. Dressing is calorie dense with high<br />
fat and sugar content. While lite and fat-free options are<br />
better, the fat is typically substituted with higher amounts<br />
of sugar to compensate for lower fat. As with everything,<br />
check the labels. Place lower calorie options on the side.<br />
I personally use small amounts of salsa. It’s as close as I<br />
ever get to having a taco salad.<br />
Margarine<br />
Advertised as healthier than butter,<br />
it is not. It is high in trans-fats and<br />
lacks nutrition. Review frosting to<br />
remind yourself of just how harmful<br />
trans-fats are to your body. Try using small amounts of<br />
olive oil (healthy fats) instead of using butter or margarine.<br />
Moving on, let us break down a few misinterpreted healthy<br />
snacks that are actually more harmful than helpful. This is<br />
a general list of snacks that I give my clients to keep them<br />
on the right side of Heaven; although, they would argue<br />
that it’s hell.<br />
Cheese<br />
This is the most difficult side or snack for me to give up.<br />
It’s so good, plus it has protein and calcium. But it is also<br />
dense with fat. Remember, nine calories per gram of fat;<br />
cheese is basically a sexy, fat cube. You just want more and<br />
more. Take baby steps and start going for 2% fat versus<br />
”<br />
whole. Take it another step and cut those portions in half.<br />
When I get frustrated with my own personal progress, I<br />
find that, sadly, cheese is the one thing that has kept me<br />
from reaching my next goal.<br />
Dried Fruit<br />
Another word for dried fruit would be candy<br />
based on the sugar content. What<br />
does that mean? Yes, fruit could make<br />
you fat. Dried fruit is much easier to go overboard with<br />
versus fresh fruit because of its sheer size. There is no<br />
water, so it leaves you with sugar and calories. Not just<br />
natural sugars as in fresh fruit but added sugars. By now<br />
you are aware of the impact sugar has on our weight-loss<br />
efforts by altering the blood sugar levels in our bodies,<br />
and halting any burning of stored fat for energy. It also<br />
produces more intense cravings. Go with fresh whole fruit,<br />
or at the very least, make your own. Remember, you have<br />
the power, take control.<br />
“Remember, only you can make the necessary changes for a healthier and<br />
more fit you. You either will or you won’t.<br />
Energy Bars<br />
Not all energy bars are created equal. Nothing truer<br />
than the ultimate healthy snack for dieters and athletes/<br />
weightlifters. The energy or protein bar is certainly an area<br />
I know all too well. Most of these bars, including granola<br />
bars, are just like candy bars with a different and sporty<br />
name. On average, most of your bars will have 200-300<br />
calories, and are saturated with sugar and calories, some<br />
in excess of 500 per serving. When on the go, look for<br />
something with high fiber and high protein. You want low<br />
sugar content. On a side note, many low-carb bars contain<br />
sugar alcohols, which could seriously mess with certain<br />
individual’s digestive tracts.<br />
Remember, only you can make the necessary changes for<br />
a healthier and more fit you. You either will or you won’t.<br />
Sacrifices need to be made. Join the Imperium Lifting<br />
Crew and ask about the to be Fit (Physical Fitness) or the<br />
to be Sustained Programs (Nutrition) offered with our new<br />
membership options!<br />
Photo Credit Truly Juli Photography.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /15<br />
Cody Rininger<br />
website 2bimperium.com | phone 712-870-0758<br />
email rininger@2bimperium.com<br />
For more information on specific training and nutrition, contact Cody. He is certified by the<br />
National Academy of Medicine as a Professional Fitness Instructor in Cardiorespiratory Fitness,<br />
Heart Variance, Nutrition, Neuromuscular Flexibility, Supplements, and Mental/Behavior<br />
Performance. He incorporates techniques for concentration, focus, motivation, and ways to<br />
cope with anxiety. He has been featured in National Fitness <strong>Magazine</strong>s and has spoken on<br />
several national Podcasts. Cody received his Master’s in Instruction, so has first-hand experience<br />
with differentiating personalized instruction, planning, and goal setting. He was named 2022<br />
and 2023 Siouxland Trainer of the Year Award and nominated for 2024 Siouxland’s Choice Best<br />
Weight Loss Center. Cody trains out of the Four Seasons in Sioux City and North Sioux City.
eXPAND | BE MORE /16<br />
living<br />
LUMIN<br />
By Dr. Meghan Nelson<br />
& Dr. Ryan Allen<br />
“For a time I rest in the grace of the<br />
world, and am free.<br />
”<br />
– Wendell Berry<br />
Copper Bay Solitude.<br />
Snow Day in Alaska<br />
B<br />
efore Meghan and I had kids, we had Alaska.<br />
It was magical, a kind of time before time, as<br />
it’s now hard to remember or even imagine<br />
our lives before our children. And being in<br />
the full throes of parenthood with a 13 yearold,<br />
an 11 year-old, and a 9-year-old to keep up with, we<br />
don’t spend a lot of time looking back on days before we<br />
had them. On most days, I’m just happy if I remember to<br />
brush my teeth.<br />
But here we are at the beginning of the year, home for days,<br />
now watching the snow blow and fall in the midst of a high<br />
wind, sub-zero blizzard. Just a couple days in, it’s reminiscent<br />
of the pandemic—schools and businesses closed, sports<br />
shut down, life outside shifted inside. It’s a kind of cross<br />
between begrudged ecstasy and bored delight.<br />
One can only shovel so much.<br />
But somewhere out there in that snowfield Earth, my vision<br />
narrows as my eyelashes and eyebrows freeze. My breath<br />
blows wild in the wind. I follow it down a snowy white path in<br />
my mind and come to a winterland paradise. I see it all, what<br />
was as it was, but here and now all present—a life within Life,<br />
a self within Self, staring starry-eyed at the Northern Lights<br />
outside the Schwabenhof. I’m dodging moose in the streets<br />
of Anchorage at the Fur Rendezvous, grooving with Michael<br />
Franti and Spearhead, dancing with dogs at the Iditarod<br />
in Wasilla, hammering the halibut (and Basil Hayden) with<br />
Spike and Zach in the Prince William Sound, fishing king’s on<br />
the Deshka, so many memories, so much fun.<br />
These moments are a gift from the past reborn in the present.<br />
Valentine’s Day in Palmer, Alaska<br />
We walk on foot after foot of thick slippery-slick Matanuska<br />
River frozen ice.<br />
Last night, word of a moose mounting and stomping a man<br />
walking out of a Fred Meyer grocery store in Anchorage. Today,<br />
rumor of a moose jumping off a cliff and landing on the Seward<br />
Highway. “Look Daddy, moose are falling from the sky,” a small<br />
boy is reported saying.<br />
Lazy Mountain, thirty-five hundred feet tall, Matanuska Peak,<br />
five grand, loom above, pictures fixed on a gray sky wall. At<br />
our feet, bubbles trapped in ice, ribs and ripples in underwater<br />
frozen ice waves, circular crystal fractal prisms where ice<br />
fishermen once drilled holes and dropped their lines.<br />
Individuals who weather the entire Alaska winter are called<br />
sourdoughs. A posted warning in painted bold green:<br />
“TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT!”<br />
Off the ice, on the boot-packed powder dust we see moose<br />
tracks and nibbled buds, trimmed hedges, hundreds of<br />
thousands of black birch and spruce trees, and a single tiny<br />
saucer-shaped bird nest planted and situated firm in the fork<br />
of some birch branches.<br />
We walk, tucked away ourselves, settled and nestled between<br />
two distant glaciers—the Knik, pronounce the “K,” and the<br />
Matanuska, blowing ten thousand year clean and cold, crisp<br />
and old air in our direction.<br />
Our fingers, our eyes locked, hand in hand, palm to palm, flesh<br />
to flesh, warm body to warm body, vision to vision.<br />
On the side of the road, two moose nibbling on birch buds.
Memorial Day at Eklutna Lake<br />
Quartz-seamed, crop-circle patterned rock rubble rests<br />
atop fine-hard charcoal gray-ash black sand lining the<br />
shores of Eklutna Lake. Thin wisps of cirrus hover in paperthin<br />
sheets ¾ up the top of Twin Peaks. Rolling seas of<br />
spruce rollick amidst the base of snow-topped mountains.<br />
The water, a perfect refractory, reflecting a mountain light<br />
mirror. In the distance, tailless floating grebes calling forth<br />
outward their best red-eyed common loon impersonations.<br />
Closer to the mirrored water, rows of ribbed lines of<br />
encrusted quartz sediment signal a time when the lake<br />
rose to greater heights. The grebes, aside from some far-off<br />
mountain runoff filtering and coursing downward cutting<br />
earth and rocks and sand, the only sounds.<br />
All calm, all quiet now in the liquid blue bright dewspattered<br />
morning sky. The only movement, the shifting of<br />
tufted puffy peak mountain clouds.<br />
From my hand, a miniature-small snow-white quartz crystal<br />
flings into the snow cloud mountain mirror and a ringed<br />
ripple courses outward in concentric circles only delicately<br />
interrupting the crystal water mirror’s calm. Over my<br />
shoulder, behind me and mountains, the sun peaks its newmorning<br />
bourgeoning brightening eye.<br />
A bald eagle perched on a nearby branch eyes down at the<br />
delicate ripple.<br />
Minutes upon minutes, we stare.<br />
Then, just as quick as<br />
it was before slow, the<br />
dimpled golf-ball white<br />
headed eagle springs<br />
and leaps forth and<br />
hovers, then quickly<br />
flaps and darts away.<br />
Down the beach, atop<br />
the round sand dollarflat<br />
skipping rocks<br />
hugging Eklutna Lake, I<br />
stroll onward to the beat<br />
of a woodpecker’s drum.<br />
Halibut.<br />
Quiet in Copper Bay<br />
Into the peace of quiet things I find myself.<br />
Silvers jumping in the bay,<br />
muscular seal heads bobbing in glassy calm,<br />
waterfalls flowing, terns flying,<br />
mosquitoes hovering.<br />
Before the others awake it is just me and these things<br />
and a low-tide layer of indigo black mussels.<br />
Just me sitting on a raincoat<br />
underneath a Marmot sleeping bag<br />
scattered on jagged rocks,<br />
watching the rolled-out tide,listening,<br />
glad not to be hearing sirens or ringing phones or<br />
blaring televisions even as I still think of these things;<br />
happy to be here—<br />
on the Prince William Sound,<br />
on Knight Island, in Copper Bay,<br />
where the reflection of the mountains in the water<br />
is clearer than the misted view<br />
of the mountains themselves;<br />
on the rocks,<br />
listening to the stillness,<br />
to the early morning darkness<br />
making way for the earliest light,<br />
to the calm, to the peace of these quiet miracles.<br />
Up above, two bald eagles,<br />
a male and a female in a flat-wing soar<br />
whirl in dervish circles amidst mountain shadows.<br />
There can be no mistake: a yellow tarsus<br />
tucked into wet wood-browned bellies,<br />
a white head, crown, and forehead,<br />
massive yellow upper and lower mandibles,<br />
hook-tipped beaks, and pointed tail feathers<br />
white as the freshest Best Western linens.<br />
The two fly,<br />
circling in tight formation—<br />
a dip of one primary, a dip in the other;<br />
an inquisitive tilt of one neck,<br />
an inquisitive tilt in the other.<br />
EXPAND | BE MORE /17<br />
Deshka River crew.<br />
Far below,<br />
my head rotates back and rests on a rock,<br />
my eyes open to look up,<br />
and for a second the circling eagles<br />
disappear behind a cloud<br />
and are gone.<br />
A light mist of drizzle trickles to my cheeks.<br />
We are free.<br />
Lumin Therapy provides integrative health and education for the mind, body, and spirit to those suffering or struggling to step into and live their heartfelt<br />
mission and purpose. Through the practice of physical therapy, medical therapeutic yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and resiliency mentoring, Dr. Meghan<br />
Nelson, DPT, and Dr. Ryan Allen, Ph.D., bring their over forty-plus combined years of knowledge and experience serving individuals, families, and<br />
organizations to learn and heal and live without boundaries.<br />
Photo Credit Michael Lee.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 18<br />
Julie<br />
Lohr<br />
Be More<br />
What would people be surprised to find out about you?<br />
I am a reformed people pleaser. I used to worry about making<br />
everyone happy and cared what they thought of me. On my weaker<br />
days, I still do. Childhood taught me that to be seen, heard, or given<br />
affection or any attention, you must achieve, work, or perform at a<br />
certain level to be worthy.<br />
As an adult, I’ve discovered that all that truly matters is what God, my<br />
husband, and my children think of me. What other people think of me<br />
is none of my business. My pastor, Fr. David Hemann, gives excellent<br />
homilies regularly. He once said that if 100% of the people in your life<br />
approve and like you, you are doing something wrong. He said that<br />
if 100% of the people dislike and disapprove of you, you are doing<br />
something wrong. If about half of the folks around you like you and<br />
half dislike you, then you are LIKELY living an authentic life where you<br />
stand up for what you believe, and do not make decisions based on<br />
others’ opinions. It resonated with me. I left Mass feeling like I was<br />
definitely living an authentic life.<br />
What is your life purpose? Do you have a personal<br />
mission statement for this phase of your life?<br />
I think my life’s purpose is to be a wife, mother, and dentist. I want to be<br />
the best version of myself. I do not have a personal mission statement,<br />
but if I did, it might just be about surviving. The last two years have felt<br />
like I’m living in survival mode. Just keep swimming, as Dory says in<br />
Finding Nemo.<br />
As a business owner and a mother to four children, one with a<br />
disability, I often feel that I am operating at my maximum capacity for<br />
18 hours a day, seven days a week. When my mother was diagnosed<br />
with terminal brain cancer at 61, I wasn’t sure I could handle the<br />
heartache or additional stress. It was gut-wrenching watching her<br />
suffer and knowing that my mom was going to leave this earth far<br />
earlier than expected. In addition to that, my associate dentist also<br />
moved away to be closer to his wife’s family. Carrying the entire clinical<br />
load while trying to help my mom navigate a cancer journey was<br />
extremely challenging. As the sole provider at the dental practice, I<br />
was overwhelmed. I relied on my Catholic faith and friends to help me<br />
through. I surrendered control and trusted in God’s timing, survived,<br />
and thrived in the chaos.<br />
What drives you?<br />
My children are my driving force. Providing for them keeps me going.<br />
I want my children to have less stress and worry than I did. My parents’<br />
divorced when I was nine, it was traumatic. My kids deserve to have
two parents who love each other and provide a secure home<br />
life. My husband and I prioritize each other and our marriage.<br />
We connect every morning and evening.<br />
We work together, and that is difficult. We have nontraditional<br />
gender roles, and are a very traditional and conservative<br />
couple. We accepted the trajectory of our lives as God’s<br />
will for us after our oldest son was injured and nearly died.<br />
Chris, my husband, felt being a stay-at-home dad was really<br />
hard. For me, being the sole provider was brutally difficult.<br />
We envied each other and struggled with resentments.<br />
We leaned on prayer and our love for each other to get us<br />
through those first 21 years of marriage. We will do the same<br />
for the next 20 years. We laugh together and continue to<br />
date. We love to exchange witty banter and fun sexy talk. We<br />
truly enjoy each other and know we are soul mates. I know<br />
it sounds corny but who isn’t looking for what we have? We<br />
know we are lucky, and do not take it for granted. Chris is<br />
a wonderful husband and father. I feel incredibly blessed to<br />
have him in my life.<br />
What have been the most valuable lessons you<br />
have learned?<br />
Life is short, precious, and fragile. Live each day of your life<br />
to the fullest and strive to enjoy each moment. Choose to be<br />
happy, to find joy in your career and your chores. Decide to<br />
be thankful instead of complaining and focus on what is right<br />
instead of what is wrong. I have learned that unconditional<br />
love from your parents cannot be underestimated in terms of<br />
its importance in a child’s life. The negative impact of trauma<br />
from abandonment and rejection from your parents cannot<br />
be understated.<br />
Do you have morning rituals or daily habits<br />
that enhance your life?<br />
I start my morning early with water, attempting not to<br />
trip over my two dogs. I make a cup of coffee, read my<br />
devotionals, and a couple of pages of a good book<br />
while loving my pups. I am currently reading Financial<br />
Happiness, by Mike Finley. I write a few things that I am<br />
grateful for in my gratitude journal and then give myself<br />
15 minutes to hit social media, news, and weather.<br />
Then it’s either to the gym to meet my trainer, meet my<br />
friend Amanda for a run outside or at a fitness center, or<br />
I go downstairs to my home gym. When my kids were<br />
younger, nights and mornings were so unpredictable.<br />
After my workout, it’s getting everyone ready and out the<br />
door. My prayer time and exercise set the stage for me to<br />
have a healthy, productive, and positive day.<br />
Bringing babies, toddlers, and preschoolers up during the<br />
night is a real challenge when you are a mom who works<br />
full-time outside of the home. With the kids getting older,<br />
I have a more predictable morning routine now. Another<br />
daily habit is positive self-talk and shutting down negative<br />
thoughts once I recognize I am drifting down that path.<br />
What are your non-negotiables?<br />
We are raising our children to value these traits: respect<br />
for the truth, authenticity, accountability, honesty, and<br />
integrity. These qualities are all interrelated. I expect these<br />
characteristics in myself, and I hope for them in others.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 19<br />
A dose of a new perspective can change your whole outlook.<br />
Perception is your view of reality. How do you see the world?<br />
How do you fit in it? Can you open your mind to see what<br />
is outside of your narrow worldview? Can you imagine<br />
someone having bigger obstacles to overcome than your<br />
own? Can you visualize someone enduring more tragedy or<br />
hardship in their life than you have, and yet they approach<br />
each day with gratitude and positivity?<br />
When people you care about show you clearly that they do<br />
not value you the way you do them, listen and learn from it.<br />
Many people choose to avoid difficult conversations. Conflict<br />
delayed is conflict multiplied. Left unaddressed, hurt feelings<br />
only lead to deeper wounds. When people show you their<br />
true colors, believe them. Do not make space for people who<br />
do not value what you bring to the relationship.<br />
There are some people in life that can drain the life out of a<br />
room with their negativity. They complain and whine and do<br />
nothing to improve their lot in life. They often have a fixed<br />
mindset. I struggle with this type of person, the 50% who do<br />
not care for me.<br />
I gravitate towards positive people who have a growth<br />
mindset. They self-reflect and want to continue growing<br />
and improving in all aspects of their lives. They are openminded<br />
to constructive criticism and strive to learn new<br />
things, especially about themselves. They enjoy a challenge<br />
and do not seek comfort, because being comfortable creates<br />
weakness.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 20<br />
What habits have you built into your life that<br />
increase your stamina and help you power<br />
through long days?<br />
Dentistry is taxing on the mind and body. It is a very<br />
stressful profession. Many people have high anxiety<br />
levels at the dentist’s office, and the person responsible<br />
for diminishing that anxiety while completing excellent,<br />
painless dentistry, and staying on schedule is your dentist,<br />
in other words, me. You are required to be on all day<br />
long. Stamina is definitely required due to holding static,<br />
unnatural positions all day. I’ve done that for the last 15<br />
years and it has created muscle imbalances in my body.<br />
Exercise has helped me<br />
combat pain and stress. I<br />
enjoy long-distance running.<br />
It clears my head and allows<br />
my mind to wander and be<br />
creative. Strength training<br />
has also been beneficial<br />
as it provides variety and<br />
challenges to my workouts.<br />
My trainer, Laura Groseth, has<br />
taught me so much in the last<br />
year and a half. She opened<br />
my eyes to the importance of<br />
mobility training for a lifetime<br />
Julie and Amanda; running buddies.<br />
of healthy joints and agility.<br />
Flexibility, balance, and range of motion of our joints are<br />
all things that seem to decrease in our bodies as we age.<br />
That does not have to happen. If we train our bodies in<br />
mobility, they can function and move at a high-level very<br />
late in life. She has helped me prevent injuries, as has my<br />
physical therapist, Jane Stanley. I am very grateful to these<br />
two women who have taught me so much about how to<br />
take care of my body.<br />
How do you decompress or unwind?<br />
I love to be in nature, walking, running, hiking, kayaking,<br />
and playing with the dogs. A long walk at Adams Nature<br />
Preserve is relaxing and peaceful or taking the dogs to<br />
Bacon Creek to run at the dog park. They both help me<br />
let go of work stress. We have kayaks, and some of my<br />
favorite memories with my kids were kayaking on Lake<br />
Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park or at Lake<br />
McDonald in Glacier National Park.<br />
I love watching comedy. Chris makes a mean Moscow<br />
mule and delicious homemade margaritas, and a cold<br />
drink on the couch watching Sebastian Maniscalco is a<br />
good way to chill out.<br />
I love going to the spa for a massage or a facial when I’m<br />
on vacation or a hot bath with some scented oils. The kids<br />
got me some of those battery-operated candles to put<br />
around my big bathtub, too. It’s lovely. When I come home<br />
from work, I like to light a couple of candles throughout the<br />
house to make everything feel cozy. Pizza and game night<br />
with the kids, followed by a movie and a glass of wine on<br />
the couch, is perfectly blissful after a long week at work.<br />
Where do you find joy?<br />
I find joy in helping my patients achieve healthier mouths.<br />
Some of them struggle with complicated dental problems<br />
that require spending a lot of time in the chair. When we<br />
complete a treatment plan, and the patient and I both feel<br />
proud and satisfied with the result, it is a wonderful feeling.<br />
I also enjoy teaching, mentoring, and training my team. We<br />
work well together. We often can anticipate each other’s next<br />
move in a procedure. That doesn’t just happen organically.<br />
It takes time working together, perfecting policies and<br />
procedures, and working through patient scenarios that<br />
didn’t work so well. Leading my team has been a humbling<br />
experience for the last 11 years. It has helped me grow as<br />
a person and an employer. They taught me as much as I<br />
taught them.<br />
I find joy in watching my children grow, learn, and thrive.<br />
I love watching them play and laugh together. They are<br />
beautiful and unique humans with incredible souls. Jack is<br />
incredibly resilient and becoming such a handsome young<br />
man. Savannah is strong, athletic, and hard-working in<br />
school. Landon is sweet and affectionate, always wanting to<br />
help me and his dad around the house. Charlotte is quickwitted<br />
and is always making us laugh.<br />
I find a lot of joy in my<br />
marriage. Chris is my best<br />
friend. I cherish the quality<br />
alone time we have together.<br />
He puts me back together<br />
when I am falling apart. We<br />
have so much in common and<br />
are aligned with each other<br />
on all the big stuff: religion,<br />
politics, family goals and<br />
ambitions, and our goals as a<br />
couple. We love to travel, just<br />
the two of us. Hiking, golfing,<br />
snorkeling, and exploring<br />
new places are things we enjoy doing together.<br />
Julie and her husband, Chris.<br />
I find joy in Christian music. The songs shift my mood in<br />
wonderful ways. I find joy in writing. Currently, I am writing<br />
my memoir with the help of another talented writer. It has<br />
been therapeutic for me to go back through coping with the<br />
memories of my childhood, including my mom’s death, to<br />
find meaning and understanding. I am hoping my children<br />
will want to read it someday. I find joy in learning new skills<br />
and taking up new hobbies. This year, I am working to<br />
become proficient with firearms and striving to become a<br />
confident shooter. And, I find joy in running with Amanda.<br />
She is hilarious and makes me laugh. I find joy in spending<br />
time with my dear friend, Samantha. She helps me become<br />
a better person and a gentler mother.<br />
Who do you look up to?<br />
I look up to people who are living their best lives. I admire<br />
people who remember that they are living the lives they<br />
prayed for to God. A grateful heart to God for all your<br />
blessings in life makes you radiate light to others around<br />
you. I admire my fellow women dental practice owners in<br />
the trenches with me, raising their families and working<br />
hard to provide for them. I look up to people who are not
“I admire my fellow women dental practice owners in the trenches with<br />
”<br />
me,<br />
raising their families and working hard to provide for them.<br />
afraid to speak the truth. People who are intelligent and<br />
work hard. People who have earned their success. These<br />
people have fortitude and tenacity. They are gritty folks like<br />
Elon Musk, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Tucker Carlson, Candance<br />
Owens, Rand Paul, Tim Scott, Allie Stuckey, Abby Johnson,<br />
and Vivek Ramaswamy.<br />
How do you want to be remembered?<br />
I want to be remembered as someone who you could<br />
have counted on. I want my children to remember me as a<br />
mother who always unconditionally loved them. A mother<br />
who recognized that children who may be acting unlovable<br />
are actually demonstrating that they need love the most at<br />
that moment. I want to be remembered as someone who<br />
helped people reach their full potential. I hope people<br />
think of me as someone who served others. I want to be<br />
remembered as a generous, kind, and faith-filled woman.<br />
I want people to remember me as someone who served<br />
God and loved her country.<br />
<strong>Expand</strong> | Cover Story / 21<br />
Do More<br />
What drives you?<br />
In a career that is incredibly important to me, I am driven<br />
by a never-ending desire to achieve excellence. My patients<br />
and staff put their trust in me. It is an incredible responsibility<br />
to consistently deliver top-notch results to my patients and<br />
create a thriving working environment for my staff.<br />
What sets your business apart from the rest?<br />
A patient recently told me I should use his marketing idea.<br />
He was in the chair and starting to get numb. He is tough,<br />
tall, broad, and fit, with multiple tattoos and steel-toed<br />
boots. Pretty sure he was the most well-armed patient I have<br />
ever had in my chair. He was grateful to get in as we moved<br />
his appointment up when we had a cancellation, and one<br />
decayed tooth was starting to hurt him. He said, “I know you<br />
are swamped, but if you ever need an advertising slogan,<br />
I got one for you.” I could tell he was being authentic, and<br />
he smiled. I said, “Okay, let’s hear it.” He grins and says,<br />
“Lohr cares more.” He went on to explain that he’d been to<br />
several dental offices in his lifetime and had never felt that<br />
his dentist truly cared about him until he came to my office.<br />
That just made my day. He was so genuine and grateful that<br />
we were helping him. That is what sets our office apart from<br />
the rest!<br />
What is the client’s experience?<br />
The client’s experience should be personalized,<br />
individualized care that prioritizes their oral health. We<br />
value relationships based on trust and work to earn that<br />
trust. Dentistry is not a commodity. My skill level is not the<br />
same as every dentist. Each dentist has a different set of<br />
talents for different procedures. We use trusted, exceeding<br />
industry standards materials in our office that are made in the<br />
best labs in the USA and not outsourced overseas.<br />
How do you approach obstacles or setbacks?<br />
I approach challenges in my life with discipline, resilience, and<br />
fortitude. I give myself precisely 15 minutes to wallow in selfpity<br />
when things go wrong or encounter a setback. After that,<br />
it’s full steam ahead with a positive outlook.<br />
What has been the most valuable lesson you have<br />
learned?<br />
I learned that doing dentistry is the easy part. Running a<br />
business and being a consistent and effective leader is the<br />
challenge. I am required to make important business decisions<br />
daily that have repercussions. I do not have a lot of time to<br />
belabor them and must be decisive. It is difficult, but each year<br />
that passes, I gain valuable experience. I make decisions with<br />
more ease and no longer overthink them.<br />
What are your non-negotiables?<br />
I must work with people who share my strong midwestern<br />
work ethic. I have a rural/agricultural part of my upbringing<br />
that I take pride in. I sometimes joke about being farm-strong.<br />
You cannot be part of my team if you are not a hard worker.<br />
What makes you proud?<br />
I am proud that we made it through massive phases of<br />
renovation while keeping our office open and surviving the<br />
pandemic. It was brutal. There were so many times when I<br />
felt disheartened, discouraged, overwhelmed, and even a bit<br />
hopeless. It was very hard, but we persevered.<br />
What are you doing to better our community?<br />
I am passionate about the FIRE Foundation in NW Iowa.<br />
Witnessing the momentum of inclusive Catholic education<br />
in our community and Le Mars’s Catholic community has<br />
been extremely fulfilling. I serve on the board of directors,<br />
and we are proud of the growth and success of our nonprofit<br />
organization. FIRE is changing the landscape of Catholic<br />
education in a beautiful and positive way for all the children<br />
attending Catholic schools in the diocese.<br />
Lohr Family Dentistry, P.C. is located at 2918 Hamilton Blvd,<br />
Sioux City, IA
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EXPAND | Do MORE / 23<br />
How do you contribute?<br />
When we find meaning in our work it feeds the soul.<br />
Our work can be an expression of love when we weave service<br />
into the cracks, contributing to our community by delivering<br />
excellence in everything we do.<br />
Whether we run our own business,<br />
or work at a level of excellence as if it were ours -<br />
It is felt by others.<br />
Our writers encourage your professional development<br />
and contribution to our community, and provide you<br />
the tools and resources to<br />
do more.
EXPAND | DO MORE / 24<br />
Small Business spotlight<br />
C<br />
rumb. is a small-batched scratch bakery<br />
established in Sioux City, Iowa. Their bakery<br />
offers a wide variety of baked goods, from<br />
cookies and bars to cakes and cheesecakes.<br />
They even provide catering for small groups<br />
and events. They find joy in sharing homemade goods<br />
with their family and friends. This was the motivation<br />
for starting the business, to expand it to include more<br />
people. This is still a part-time operation, but they are<br />
driven each day by the reaction of their customers. It is<br />
about being part of a significant milestone, brightening<br />
someone’s day, or just creating a memory.<br />
Crumb. is unique regarding the products they offer,<br />
taking a traditional item and putting their spin on it.<br />
For example, they make a sauce for their cheesecakes<br />
based on a margarita recipe they tried during the<br />
pandemic. Likewise, their Toasted S’mores cookies<br />
were born out of an idea to capture fall nights around<br />
the campfire. They look for inspiration in the items they<br />
make from their experiences. Their biggest challenge<br />
has been figuring out what items will sell the best at<br />
events; predicting demand has been difficult because<br />
Crumb Cheesecakes.<br />
Lexa and Jake Hawkins.<br />
it changes from week to week or event to event. Their<br />
greatest reward has been the feedback they receive<br />
from their customers. When they share their stories<br />
about how their products have been a part of a<br />
celebration or caused a tiff over who got the last bite<br />
as part of a family evening, those are the stories that<br />
make it all worth it.<br />
The community has been a great support, from<br />
individuals to other businesses. Over the past few<br />
years, they have been fortunate enough to participate<br />
in the entrepreneurial ecosystem that is present in<br />
Sioux City. When they moved into their commercial<br />
kitchen space, help from entrepreneurs like Matt and<br />
Amy Thompson, owners of ArtSUX, and the Rent Relief<br />
Program from Downtown Partners made the move<br />
possible. Ongoing support on spreading the word<br />
about their business and educational programs offered<br />
by Iowa’s West Coast Initiative and the Siouxland<br />
Chamber of Commerce have been invaluable. Then<br />
there is the Sioux City Farmer’s Market, it has been a<br />
fantastic place for them to grow their business. Their<br />
experience with the farmer’s market is on the list as<br />
being the most influential experience. It is where, as<br />
a small business, they get to interact with the farmer’s<br />
market community, and have the chance to work on<br />
their business in real-time.
The other experience that has been influential is<br />
being active in the events hosted by Downtown<br />
Partner, Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, Siouxland<br />
Chamber of Commerce, and the other opportunities<br />
presented by the colleges and universities in the<br />
area. All of these provided some opportunity to<br />
network or learn about topics that small businesses<br />
can relate to. Supporting small businesses and<br />
startups is critical for the community. The people<br />
behind these small businesses are the ones planting<br />
their roots in this community. On occasion, you may<br />
hear someone say there is nothing to do in Sioux City<br />
and the surrounding areas. These small businesses<br />
are the ones that are making things happen, so<br />
we have things to do in this community. We have<br />
unique small businesses like breweries, food trucks,<br />
bakeries, dog treat makers, restaurants, jewelry<br />
makers, photographers, and the list goes on and<br />
on. All these small businesses support each other<br />
because they recognize the importance of keeping<br />
business local, and they need the community’s<br />
support to keep growing.<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 25<br />
When asking Jake Hawkins, the owner of Crumb.,<br />
how the community could support their business, he<br />
said, “The most helpful thing the community can do<br />
to support us is not just spend money with us but<br />
spread the word about what we are doing.” It makes<br />
a difference to share with others that Sioux City has<br />
some amazing entrepreneurs doing pretty great<br />
things in the community. He hopes that you will help<br />
spread the word.<br />
Cinnamon Rolls.<br />
Crumb. has moved into their commercial kitchen space.<br />
The next step is to open a retail presence in that space.<br />
It is unclear when that will happen yet. Until then, they<br />
are looking forward to 2024 and growing their business<br />
at the Sioux City Farmer’s Market and through other<br />
collaborations, like the one they have with Main and<br />
Abbey at the Hard Rock. They are also working on<br />
adding an online store so you can order their products<br />
straight from their website. Now that is a delicious<br />
improvement.<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> is Committed to<br />
Supporting Siouxland’s Local<br />
Small Businesses and Nonprofits.<br />
We have a platform,<br />
and we want to share it with you.<br />
Get in front of the community by joining<br />
Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight.<br />
Get the details by scanning<br />
the QR code or visit<br />
siouxlandmagazine.com.<br />
Smore Cookies.<br />
Photos Contributed by Crumb.
EXPAND | DO MORE /26<br />
Red Valley<br />
Natural Foods Co.<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative Feature<br />
Short description of your business:<br />
We are a natural and organic grocery store located<br />
in Sioux City, IA. We specialize in organic, natural<br />
products and specialty diets. We carry everything<br />
from locally raised grass fed beef, whole grains,<br />
fluoride-free toothpaste, and everything in<br />
between. Our purpose is to provide our customers<br />
with wholesome clean foods, free of antibiotics,<br />
pesticides, and other poisons.<br />
What motivated you to start your<br />
business?<br />
We saw the need for a larger selection of organic<br />
and clean daily eating options in the Siouxland<br />
Area. We enjoy spreading healthy eating habits<br />
and improving our customers’ lives by providing<br />
these options.<br />
What’s unique about your business?<br />
You may find an organic section in any typical<br />
grocery store, but there is no one that showcases<br />
local producers and Midwest families in these<br />
products.<br />
We also carry a large variety of many different<br />
specialty diet-based foods. Our employees are<br />
knowledgeable in these specialty diets and are<br />
eager to help you find solutions to daily diet needs.<br />
We also have an in-house chef that prepares fresh,<br />
healthy, ready-to-eat options.<br />
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve<br />
had to overcome as you’ve grown your<br />
business?<br />
The biggest challenge when starting and growing<br />
any business is finding the appropriate capital.<br />
What has been your greatest reward?<br />
Throughout the journey of starting up an organic<br />
and natural food grocery store, the greatest reward<br />
we have seen is the change in our customers’ lives<br />
on their journey to healthier, holistic living and<br />
eating. The positive response from our customers<br />
is something we never could have guessed would<br />
happen, and effects our lives in such a positive<br />
way as well.<br />
Business Owners: Jordan and Vianna Hobbs<br />
Business Name: Red Valley Natural Foods Co.<br />
Main Products/Services: Organic and specialty diet grocery store<br />
Location: 600 Water Street, Sioux City, IA 51103<br />
Connect: www.redvalleynaturalfoods.com<br />
How have you benefited from the<br />
startup community in Sioux City and the<br />
region? What resources did you use?<br />
The community resource that helped give us the<br />
courage to start our business was visiting with<br />
the regional director of America’s SBDC, located<br />
in Western Iowa Tech Community College. He<br />
was able to give us good insight into researching<br />
the business market and presenting our plan to<br />
potential capital investors.<br />
Why is it important for the community to<br />
support startups and small businesses?<br />
When you support a small business, you are<br />
directly impacting a local family’s life, not some
EXPAND | DO MORE / 27<br />
CEO that you’ll never know or meet. You can watch the local business and<br />
family grow and improve over time from the support you give them and<br />
know that the money you spend is going towards making your community<br />
a better place.<br />
What is one thing you know now that you wish you knew<br />
when starting your business?<br />
You should talk to people in a similar line of business to get an insider’s look<br />
at everything that is involved in starting your own business and being selfemployed.<br />
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a<br />
business?<br />
Seek wisdom from fellow business owners and be ready and willing to give<br />
everything you’ve got to push your business into succeeding.<br />
How can the community continue to help your business?<br />
It isn’t about supporting our business specifically, it’s about supporting as<br />
many small local businesses<br />
as possible, because that is<br />
how you help build a better<br />
community.<br />
What are some future<br />
goals for your company?<br />
We are hoping to continue<br />
to grow in the future creating<br />
a more positive impact on<br />
our community’s health. We<br />
are excited to continue to<br />
support more local businesses,<br />
producers, farmers, and families<br />
through our store outlet, and in<br />
doing so, create a more positive<br />
impact on our community’s<br />
health.<br />
Owners Vianna and Jordan Hobbs<br />
Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) is a collaboration between the economic<br />
development organizations in Plymouth, Monona, and Woodbury<br />
counties, and includes the following organizations: City of Sioux City,<br />
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council, Siouxland Economic<br />
Development Corporation, The Siouxland Initiative, Le Mars Business<br />
Initiative Corporation, Woodbury County, and Monona County. Learn<br />
more about IWCI at www.IAWestCoast.com.<br />
Photos Contributed By Red Valley Natural Foods Co.
EXPAND | DO MORE /28<br />
SBDC<br />
Taking Care of Business<br />
By Todd Rausch<br />
Taxes and Accounting<br />
Small business owners should understand the<br />
federal, state, and local tax and accounting<br />
requirements as this will help you with record<br />
keeping, filing tax returns accurately, and making<br />
timely payments to the government. Failure to file and pay<br />
tax obligations may result in financial penalties in addition<br />
to interest on amounts outstanding. Tax and accounting<br />
for small businesses can be complex; this guide serves as<br />
a starting point for resources and information to help you<br />
navigate your next steps – speaking with a tax professional.<br />
Small business owners should remember these five<br />
important items that affect small businesses taxes:<br />
1. Business structure.<br />
2. Tax deductions.<br />
3. Startup costs write-offs (Deduct up to $5,000 only if<br />
total startup costs are $50,000 or less).<br />
4. Pay quarterly taxes.<br />
5. Keeping track of the amount of taxes due/refunded.<br />
The business structure chosen when starting a business<br />
will determine the taxes small businesses pay, as well as<br />
how and when to pay them.<br />
Review key tax calendar dates using the IRS Online<br />
Calendar. Exceptions: If the tax year does not start on<br />
January 1, follow the IRS fiscal year due dates. Also,<br />
be sure to review tax due dates by classifications of<br />
businesses.<br />
IRS Tax Guides for Small Businesses<br />
As a small business owner, it is important to understand<br />
your federal, state, and local tax obligations. The Internal<br />
Revenue Service (IRS) provides plenty of information to<br />
help small business owners when filing their taxes. The<br />
Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center is the main<br />
resource for entrepreneurs. Additional resources include<br />
the following:<br />
• Business Taxes – provides the five general types of<br />
business taxes and their tax forms.<br />
• Small Business Tax Workshop – eight lessons to help<br />
small businesses learn how to file taxes.<br />
• Online Learning and Educational Products – links to<br />
virtual tax workshops and SBA Learning Centers.<br />
• Starting a Business – resources to new/prospective<br />
business owners and checklists for starting a<br />
business.<br />
• Industries/Professions Tax Centers – specific<br />
industries tax centers.<br />
• State Government Websites – links to each state<br />
website, and guidance to doing business in each<br />
state.<br />
• Sale of a Business – tax guidelines to follow once a<br />
business is sold.<br />
• Tax Guide for Small Businesses.<br />
Accounting Methods<br />
There are two primary accounting methods for<br />
businesses to report revenues and expenses – cash<br />
accounting and accrual accounting. It is important to<br />
understand the difference between the two, as once<br />
you select a method, you should maintain that for the<br />
duration of your business; unless, of course, you get an<br />
exemption from the IRS to change your method.<br />
Cash accounting is an accounting method when<br />
revenues are recorded when payments are received<br />
and expenses are recorded when they are paid.<br />
Accrual accounting is when revenues and expenses are<br />
recorded when they are billed and earned, regardless<br />
of when the money is received and paid. Small<br />
businesses with average gross receipts of $25 million<br />
or less in the prior three-year period are allowed to use<br />
the cash method of accounting.<br />
• Cash-Based vs. Accrual-Based Accounting – an<br />
explanation and differences.<br />
• Pros and Cons of Cash and Accrual.<br />
• Cash Flow Analysis for Small Business Owners – how<br />
cash flow analysis is conducted.
Tax Software<br />
Small business owners may be overwhelmed when it<br />
comes to selecting software to prepare their tax returns<br />
or identifying tax professionals. Some key features to look<br />
for in tax software include budget-friendly, ease of use,<br />
excellent customer service, e-filing return options, and data<br />
security.<br />
The most commonly used tax software include:<br />
• TurboTax<br />
• H&R Block<br />
• Jackson Hewitt<br />
• TaxSlayer<br />
Additional Resources<br />
Are you already in business or thinking about starting<br />
your own small business? The SBDC has various small<br />
business resources available to you.<br />
• Small business help topics here: Small Business<br />
Information Center.<br />
• Business reports - Small Business Snapshots.<br />
• Industry-specific research - Market Research Links.<br />
• Small business cybersecurity resources.<br />
• Pandemic business resources - COVID-19<br />
Publications.<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 29<br />
Accounting Software<br />
Small business owners need to budget, track expenses, pay<br />
suppliers, categorize transactions, keep detailed, accurate<br />
books, and therefore require accounting software.<br />
The most common accounting software for small businesses<br />
include:<br />
• QuickBooks<br />
• Xero<br />
• FreshBooks<br />
Cloud-based accounting software is on-demand software<br />
hosted remotely for recording and storing encrypted<br />
financial data online. The pandemic forced many<br />
accounting teams to transition to work from home to follow<br />
local COVID-19 mitigation protocols. The workplace shift<br />
resulted in an increasing demand for cloud-based solutions.<br />
A recent survey of more than 3,000 accounting professionals<br />
indicated that nearly two-thirds of businesses plan to adopt<br />
cloud-computing technology within the next two years.<br />
• Research Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud-<br />
Based Accounting Solutions.<br />
• Business Software Marketplace – More than 300 cloudbased<br />
accounting solutions for small businesses.<br />
• Sage Business Cloud Accounting – An example of a<br />
cloud-based accounting software.<br />
• Regardless of the tax and accounting software vendor<br />
that you use for your business, it is important to be aware<br />
of their cybersecurity safeguards.<br />
Remember, you can receive free professional business<br />
advice and free or low-cost business training from your<br />
local Small Business Development Center!<br />
The SBDC is federally and state funded with the sole purpose<br />
of helping small businesses to succeed! Our entire purpose<br />
is to help you move your business forward.<br />
Todd Rausch, Regional Director for the Small Business<br />
Development Center at Western Iowa Tech Community College.<br />
| 712-274-6454 | Todd.rausch@witcc.edu<br />
Kletschke Wealth<br />
Management Group<br />
Personalized Investment Strategies<br />
Tax and Accounting Resources<br />
• 5 Things to Know About Your Balance Sheet – U.S. Small<br />
Business Administration.<br />
• State Tax Obligations – U.S. Small Business<br />
Administration, identifies tax requirements by state.<br />
• Common Small Business Tax Deductions – Provides the<br />
most frequent expenses deducted by small businesses<br />
Additional Information for Business Expenses – IRS.<br />
• Find a CPA – American Institute of CPAs.<br />
• CPA Directory – searchable by zip code.<br />
• Tax Rates for All 50 States – Federation of Tax<br />
Administrators.<br />
• Employer W-2 Filing Instructions & Information – U.S.<br />
Social Security Administration.<br />
• Small Business Taxes & Management.<br />
Korey Kletschke, CFP ® , ChFC ®<br />
Associate Vice President/Investments<br />
Branch Manager<br />
(712) 252-6956<br />
www.kletschkeinvest.com<br />
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated<br />
Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com
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Leading the Way<br />
Leadership Siouxland<br />
By Peggy Smith<br />
Do you have glossophobia?<br />
I<br />
f you do, you are not alone – 75% of people have<br />
it. So – what is it?<br />
Glossophobia is the strong fear of public<br />
speaking. It is a Greek word – Glossa, which<br />
means tongue, and Phobos that means fear or<br />
dread. People are more scared of speaking in public,<br />
than are scared of heights, spiders, snakes, tornados, fires,<br />
or hurricanes. Why are we so frightened of speaking in<br />
public? Often, we worry about forgetting what we want to<br />
say, or that people will laugh at us, or that people will tune<br />
us out. We might even worry that we will do such a great<br />
job, we will be asked to speak in public again.<br />
If you have glossophobia, it helps to understand what<br />
your audience will be paying attention to when you speak.<br />
Studies show that 45% of the audience reaction is based<br />
on your voice – how you say what you say. Another 45%<br />
of their reaction is based on how you execute – your body<br />
level of understanding, or do you need to adjust your<br />
talk? What is the intended outcome of your speech?<br />
Determine if there is something specific the audience<br />
needs to learn. I love this quote from the Change Cycle<br />
training course – “Information and communication<br />
are never synonyms – information is giving out, while<br />
communication is getting through.” It is vital that<br />
your presentation accomplishes true communication<br />
– that the audience understands exactly what you are<br />
conveying. Another great quote from George Bernard<br />
Shaw is: “The single biggest problem in communication<br />
is the illusion that it has taken place.”<br />
Surveys in almost every business will show that<br />
employees feel that there needs to be more, and better,<br />
communication from managers, leaders, and within<br />
their work group. Learning to be comfortable speaking<br />
up in meetings, presenting your viewpoint and ideas,<br />
and delivering your message in a way that is heard and<br />
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.<br />
– George Bernard Shaw<br />
language, your gestures, your personal presence. And<br />
lastly, 10% is based on what you say – the words you speak.<br />
There are some suggestions that you can use to help you<br />
overcome your fear. Since the manner in which you speak<br />
is vitally important, be sure you are choosing a topic that<br />
you are passionate about and is meaningful to you. If you<br />
are talking about something that is extremely important to<br />
you, your talk will be genuine, and your own personality<br />
will shine through. Your audience will give you grace if you<br />
fumble or say ah. Speaking from the heart means you will<br />
automatically have inflections in your voice – and power in<br />
what you say. Making good eye contact will help both you<br />
and your audience – and allows you and those listening to<br />
really connect.<br />
It is important that you are prepared with the content of<br />
your speech. You need to know your topic; however, even<br />
more importantly, you need to know your audience. What<br />
is the demographic makeup of the group to whom you<br />
are presenting? Do they have previous knowledge of<br />
your topic, or is this something new, which requires you to<br />
provide more basic information? Are you speaking at their<br />
”<br />
understood is very important as you strive to be a leader.<br />
Allowing your audience to see your true, authentic self is<br />
the most relevant element of any speech you deliver.<br />
Leadership Siouxland was privileged to hear from<br />
Stacie Anderson during the January session. She is the<br />
embodiment of authenticity and demonstrated that<br />
people listen when you speak from your heart. Here’s<br />
hoping that you can face your glossophobia and move<br />
past it to become a great leader and communicator!<br />
The mission of Leadership Siouxland is to develop diverse,<br />
passionate leaders who positively impact our community for<br />
today and tomorrow. Leadership Siouxland began in 1984<br />
and is proud of the over 1200 graduates who make positive<br />
differences each and every day. To learn more, contact<br />
Peggy Smith, Executive Director, at 712-898-8594 or email<br />
info@leadershipsiouxland.org.<br />
Peggy Smith, Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland, an<br />
organization devoted to developing leaders who make a positive<br />
difference in the Siouxland community.
HOTEL<br />
CAFE<br />
MUSEUM<br />
Experience<br />
Downtown<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE /31<br />
Springing Forward with a New Website!<br />
J<br />
ust like nature, Downtown Partners<br />
has been growing & developing… a<br />
brand new website is ready to bloom!<br />
It proudly features cool downtown<br />
businesses, exciting downtown events,<br />
helpful business information, and so much<br />
more. This new and improved design caters to a<br />
broad spectrum of interests and needs.<br />
Discover your favorite businesses<br />
As the online hub for downtown, our website is<br />
often the first step into discovering what unique<br />
services or items businesses offer. With more than<br />
400 business listings, they are sorted into categories<br />
where you can easily find their contact information<br />
and social media links. A guarantee to find exactly<br />
what you’re looking for and more.<br />
Tailor it to your business<br />
Downtown businesses can personalize both their<br />
business listing and events on our website! If you<br />
haven’t already, be sure to claim your business<br />
listing by requesting an account at the bottom of the<br />
page. With this account, you’ll be able to describe<br />
your business, mark your location, add website and<br />
social media links, upload images, and list your<br />
downtown events for us to help you promote.<br />
The website also makes finding downtown business<br />
resources simple! You’ll find information about our<br />
Rent Relief program, Storefront Grants, and other<br />
additional resources under the Doing Business tab.<br />
These tools can be used to help you stay up-todate<br />
and connected to Downtown Partners. Not to<br />
mention, you’ll find more information about the best<br />
parking and transportation options available.<br />
Find out what’s happening<br />
From dance parties and scavenger hunts to the best<br />
live music, our website features downtown events<br />
that make planning out your weekend adventures a<br />
breeze. Be the first to know about all the things to do<br />
in Downtown Sioux City each week by signing up for<br />
our e-blast on the website.<br />
Now it’s time to plan your next Downtown Sioux City<br />
adventure<br />
Contributed<br />
at downtownsiouxcity.com!<br />
by Downtown Partners,<br />
Don’t<br />
a non-profit<br />
forget to<br />
follow<br />
organization<br />
us on social<br />
that works<br />
media<br />
with<br />
and<br />
downtown<br />
stay up-to-date<br />
stakeholders<br />
with<br />
to<br />
all<br />
the<br />
create<br />
great<br />
a vibrant,<br />
events<br />
expanding<br />
and projects<br />
downtown.<br />
happening<br />
To learn<br />
downtown.<br />
more about<br />
Downtown Partners and stay up-to-date with downtown<br />
projects and events, visit downtownsiouxcity.com<br />
LIVE<br />
MUSIC<br />
• downtown market •<br />
THIS<br />
IS<br />
SPORTS BAR<br />
P<br />
TAILGATE<br />
PARTY
Council<br />
Connection<br />
By Alex Watters<br />
EXPAND | DO MORE / 33<br />
Improving Sioux City With One Hand Tied Behind Our Back<br />
T<br />
he City Council recently met with our local<br />
delegation (senators and representatives)<br />
to discuss our goals, priorities, and how the<br />
legislature in Des Moines can help us. We<br />
discussed various topics, some that are rumored to be<br />
at risk of losing funding and others where improved<br />
processes could greatly improve our efficiency and<br />
operations. However, one of the topics presented by<br />
Teresa Fitch, City Finance Director, caused me the greatest<br />
concern. I wanted to share my perspective in hopes that<br />
praise and blame get properly directed.<br />
As an elected official, I open myself up to criticism and<br />
feedback. At times, it can be difficult to hear; however,<br />
I also believe that it can give us ideas for improving our<br />
community. Unfortunately, House File 718 appears to do<br />
nothing but harm our taxpayers, and limit our ability to<br />
fund essential services. The Governor signed this bill on<br />
May 4, 2023, and essentially set parameters on what local<br />
governments can tax their citizens to meet budget needs.<br />
In year’s past, if your community experienced an increase<br />
in the total value of assessed properties, the amount of tax<br />
dollars could increase by the same percentage. However,<br />
with this bill, various levies were consolidated into a newly<br />
defined, adjusted, City General Fund Levy (CGFL), which<br />
has a growth limitation based on property tax growth. If a<br />
city experiences between 3% and 6% growth in assessed<br />
value, the State will now only allow a 2% increase in the<br />
CGFL. If the assessed value grows by 6% or more, the State<br />
will only allow a 3% increase in the CGFL.<br />
While initially lower taxes might be exciting initially,<br />
sometimes that can be to the detriment of a community.<br />
The City of Sioux City has kept their taxes as low as<br />
possible, utilizing fund balances in place of raising taxes,<br />
and decreasing taxes when possible. These funds are used<br />
for a various City services including: public safety, parks<br />
and recreation, library services, the museum, subsidizing<br />
the airport, the Convention Center, and Tyson Events<br />
Center, in addition to day-to-day operations. As costs of<br />
services continue to rise, this levy limitation may hinder the<br />
necessary funds to maintain existing services and public<br />
safety. The impact of this bill is $603,076 in lost property tax<br />
revenue for the FY 2025 budget year (2023 Assessments).<br />
If the City experiences 6% growth in assessed values, the<br />
3% CGFL growth limit would amount to a loss of $11.4<br />
million in property tax revenue in the next five years. If the<br />
City only experiences a 4% growth in assessed values, the<br />
2% CGFL growth limit would amount to a loss of $10.8 million<br />
in property tax revenue in five years.<br />
The $10.8 million to $11.4 million in lost revenue in the next<br />
five years would go a long way in funding existing services and<br />
expanding others. The City has used fund balances for years to<br />
be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers, with not having those<br />
excess fund balances. The City may have to look at cutting or<br />
modifying existing services. However, the Governor and state<br />
legislature seem to believe they would do better if that money<br />
was directed to them.<br />
I believe that if I’m spending foolishly and increasing taxes at a<br />
rate that doesn’t make sense, the citizens of Sioux City will hold<br />
me accountable at the ballot box. I trust our local governments<br />
to manage their money. If the State doesn’t, perhaps the State<br />
Auditor could assist, but please urge your elected officials to<br />
stop bills like this that are stripping services and funds used to<br />
help our communities.<br />
Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City<br />
awatters@sioux-city.org
Could a Thief Steal Your Phone Number?<br />
Here’s How SIM Swap Scams Happen:<br />
Do you enjoy high-tech thrillers like Mission Impossible? Whether you do or not, if someone<br />
stole your cell phone number, you could find yourself embroiled in a techno-drama of your<br />
own. How would this happen, you ask? Cybercriminals are becoming adept at something<br />
called “SIM swapping.”<br />
WHAT IS SIM SWAPPING?<br />
SIM swapping is a way for someone to steal your mobile phone number. It happens when a<br />
criminal tricks your cell phone provider into transferring your phone number to their SIM card<br />
(the small, plastic chip inside a mobile device that tells it which phone number to use).<br />
HOW DOES A SIM SWAP ATTACK WORK?<br />
Once a thief has stolen your phone number, stealing your identity becomes relatively easy.<br />
This is because your number is likely tied to your bank, email and social media accounts.<br />
Fraudsters with your number could try logging into these accounts — and then intercept the<br />
confirmation codes that were supposed to be texted to your device! Once inside, the bad<br />
guys can drain your financial accounts, take out loans in your name and scrape your email<br />
contacts to scam friends and family.
WAIT ... JUST HOW EASILY CAN MY PHONE NUMBER BE STOLEN?<br />
WAIT ... JUST HOW EASILY CAN MY PHONE NUMBER BE STOLEN?<br />
To find out how easy it is to pull off a SIM swap scam, Princeton researchers recently tested<br />
To find out how easy it is to pull off a SIM swap scam, Princeton researchers recently tested<br />
five major U.S. cell phone providers. They were alarmingly successful, completing 39 fake SIM<br />
five major U.S. cell phone providers. They were alarmingly successful, completing 39 fake SIM<br />
swaps in 50 attempts. What does this tell us? If someone sets their sights on your cell number,<br />
swaps in 50 attempts. What does this tell us? If someone sets their sights on your cell number,<br />
the odds are not in your favor.<br />
the odds are not in your favor.<br />
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF SIM SWAP FRAUD?<br />
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF SIM SWAP FRAUD?<br />
If you notice any of these warning signs, you should contact your cell phone<br />
If you notice any of these warning signs, you should contact your cell phone<br />
provider immediately:<br />
provider immediately:<br />
GETTING LOCKED OUT OF YOUR PHONE’S ONLINE ACCOUNT. Contact your cell provider<br />
GETTING LOCKED OUT OF YOUR PHONE’S ONLINE ACCOUNT. Contact your cell provider<br />
immediately if you suddenly find yourself locked out of your phone service’s online account—<br />
immediately if you suddenly find yourself locked out of your phone service’s online account—<br />
a SIM swap may be the cause.<br />
a SIM swap may be the cause.<br />
NO CELL PHONE SERVICE, EVEN WITH GOOD RECEPTION. If your phone loses service or you<br />
NO CELL PHONE SERVICE, EVEN WITH GOOD RECEPTION. If your phone loses service or you<br />
cannot receive calls or texts when reception is clearly present, it’s time to notify your provider.<br />
cannot receive calls or texts when reception is clearly present, it’s time to notify your provider.<br />
PHONE SERVICE NOTIFICATIONS FOR THINGS YOU DIDN’T DO. Be alert for notifications of<br />
PHONE SERVICE NOTIFICATIONS FOR THINGS YOU DIDN’T DO. Be alert for notifications of<br />
suspicious activities. Most cell providers will notify you when something out of the ordinary<br />
suspicious activities. Most cell providers will notify you when something out of the ordinary<br />
happens to your account.<br />
happens to your account.<br />
If you suspect that you’re a victim of a SIM swap scam, call your mobile carrier and let<br />
If you suspect that you’re a victim of a SIM swap scam, call your mobile carrier and let<br />
them know that you didn’t make changes to your account. You should also get in touch with<br />
them know that you didn’t make changes to your account. You should also get in touch with<br />
your bank and check for transactions that aren’t yours. Subscribing to a reputable credit<br />
your bank and check for transactions that aren’t yours. Subscribing to a reputable credit<br />
monitoring service is also advisable. (At SNB, we offer a Value Checking account that includes<br />
monitoring service is also advisable. (At SNB, we offer a Value Checking account that includes<br />
credit monitoring and identity theft protection service).<br />
credit monitoring and identity theft protection service).<br />
HOW TO PREVENT SIM SWAPPING:<br />
HOW TO PREVENT SIM SWAPPING:<br />
Take these extra precautions to avoid falling victim to SIM swap fraud:<br />
Take these extra precautions to avoid falling victim to SIM swap fraud:<br />
LOCK YOUR PHONE NUMBER WITH YOUR SERVICE CARRIER.<br />
LOCK YOUR PHONE NUMBER WITH YOUR SERVICE CARRIER.<br />
Many carriers offer a “Number Lock” (or “Port Freeze”) to protect your mobile<br />
Many carriers offer a “Number Lock” (or “Port Freeze”) to protect your mobile<br />
number from an unauthorized transfer. Once a number is locked, it cannot be<br />
number from an unauthorized transfer. Once a number is locked, it cannot be<br />
ported to another line or carrier unless you remove the lock — usually with a PIN<br />
ported to another line or carrier unless you remove the lock — usually with a PIN<br />
number or by physically walking into the store. If your cell carrier allows a number<br />
number or by physically walking into the store. If your cell carrier allows a number<br />
lock, it’s a good idea to get the extra protection.<br />
lock, it’s a good idea to get the extra protection.<br />
LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION YOU SHARE ONLINE.<br />
LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION YOU SHARE ONLINE.<br />
Fraudsters will latch on to the smallest details in order convince your carrier<br />
Fraudsters will latch on to the smallest details in order convince your carrier<br />
that they are you. Avoid posting anywhere public your full name, address, phone<br />
that they are you. Avoid posting anywhere public your full name, address, phone<br />
number and birth date. Also, do not overshare details of your personal life on social<br />
number and birth date. Also, do not overshare details of your personal life on social<br />
media. Chances are, you’ve included some of these details in the online security<br />
media. Chances are, you’ve included some of these details in the online security<br />
questions used to verify your identity.<br />
questions used to verify your identity.
EXPAND | DO MORE / 36<br />
DON’T FALL FOR PHISHING EMAILS, TEXTS AND CALLS.<br />
Phishing messages are also a popular way for cybercriminals to get sensitive<br />
information. Criminals will often try to impersonate trusted institutions, relying<br />
on the assumption you won’t hesitate to answer their question or scrutinize their<br />
email. Your bank, the government and reputable health offices will never contact<br />
you out-of-the-blue and ask for your personal information. Hang up or delete the<br />
message, and instead contact the institution on your own.<br />
USE STRONG PASSWORDS AND SECURITY QUESTIONS.<br />
Use a strong password that is nearly impossible to guess, and contains 12<br />
characters or more to protect your cell phone’s online account (and all of your<br />
online accounts, for that matter). Also, use identity questions that even close<br />
acquaintances couldn’t guess.<br />
USE FACE/TOUCH ID AUTHENTICATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE.<br />
Whenever possible, use mobile apps that support two-factor biometrics (Face/<br />
Touch ID). On the SNB Mobile App, for example, you can set up a fingerprint reader<br />
or facial recognition as a login requirement. Even thieves who have your phone<br />
number cannot duplicate your biometric information.<br />
But perhaps most importantly, protect the financial well-being of you and your loved<br />
ones by partnering with a strong community-based bank like Security National Bank.<br />
Our employees live and work in Siouxland, and we take pride in serving and protecting<br />
our community. If the unthinkable happens, our team of financial professionals is here<br />
to assist you in every way possible.<br />
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />
Michelle Hacker is the Digital Services Officer at Security<br />
National Bank, overseeing all personal and business digital<br />
platforms for customers. She is a graduate of Iowa State<br />
University and has nearly a decade of experience in the<br />
technology and financial service field.<br />
SNBonline.com<br />
Member FDIC
EXPAND | GIVE MORE / 37<br />
“The meaning of life is to find your gift.<br />
The purpose of life is to give it away.” -Pablo Picasso<br />
We can give of ourselves through our work.<br />
We can rise to the call when we are needed to volunteer<br />
or participate on a nonprofit board.<br />
We can hold space to comfort someone in need -<br />
Lend an ear or a shoulder.<br />
When you think you have nothing to give -<br />
Give more.
So beautiful,<br />
you may want to design your home around it.<br />
712.252.4431<br />
siouxcitydoor.com<br />
2500 Dace Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106<br />
Overhead Door Co. of Sioux City <br />
The industry leader for over 100 years, Overhead Door garage<br />
door systems add beauty distinction and value to any home.
Inclusive<br />
DPEEK<br />
o<br />
R<br />
”<br />
A”<br />
Dr. Dora<br />
Jung<br />
What challenges have you experienced in Siouxland?<br />
Overall, my experience in the community has been wonderful. There are some areas that, in my opinion, are in development<br />
such as growing the mindset of moving forward together. Siouxland has a wealth of diversity, not only in culture or language.<br />
Capitalizing on this diversity will enhance opportunities for all members of the community and support long-term economic<br />
growth. Having a mindset that includes every group in the community is key to ensuring that everyone has an<br />
opportunity to be a successful member of Siouxland.<br />
How has Siouxland been welcoming?<br />
Siouxland has been very welcoming to my family and me. The professionals in this area are very welcoming<br />
and supportive. For the last several years, I have experienced many people who take the time to help<br />
whenever I need something. Coming from a different community and country, I’ve had to connect with<br />
many people to grow personally and professionally. The support I have received has been the key to my<br />
desire to stay in the community. When the professional community is inclusive and kind, new people want<br />
to stay in the area, bring their families, and recommend the area to others. I am grateful to the people in<br />
Siouxland who have made my transition here a great one.<br />
What do you want the people of Siouxland to know?<br />
I would like people to remember how beautiful the Siouxland area is and how lucky we all are to live here. I would like them to remember<br />
that together we can achieve wonderful things for all. Great things are achieved when we love and focus on what we have and make the best<br />
out of what we have. Siouxland is an area with great things and people, including its wealth in diversity. We should continue to love all of that,<br />
focus on those things, and make the best of what we have to showcase our community for what it is - a great place and a great community!<br />
“If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.<br />
– Mother Teresa of Calcuttag<br />
In Spanish<br />
¿Qué desafíos ha experimentado en Siouxland?<br />
En general, mi experiencia en la comunidad ha sido maravillosa. Hay algunas áreas que, en mi opinión, están en desarrollo, como el aumento<br />
de la mentalidad de avanzar juntos. Siouxland tiene una gran diversidad, no sólo en cultura o idioma. Aprovechar esta diversidad mejorará las<br />
oportunidades para todos los miembros de la comunidad y respaldará el crecimiento económico a largo plazo. Tener una mentalidad que incluya<br />
a todos los grupos de la comunidad es clave para garantizar que todos tengan la oportunidad de ser miembros exitosos de Siouxland.<br />
¿Cómo ha sido la acogida de Siouxland?<br />
Siouxland ha sido muy acogedora para mi familia y para mí. Los profesionales en esta área son muy acogedores y solidarios. Durante los últimos<br />
años, he conocido a muchas personas que se toman el tiempo para ayudarme cuando necesito algo. Al provenir de una comunidad y un país<br />
diferente, he tenido que conectarme con muchas personas para crecer personal y profesionalmente. El apoyo que he recibido ha sido clave para<br />
mi deseo de permanecer en la comunidad. Cuando la comunidad profesional es inclusiva y amable, las personas nuevas quieren quedarse en<br />
el área, traer a sus familias y recomendar el área a otros. Agradezco a la gente de Siouxland que ha hecho que mi transición aquí sea excelente.<br />
¿Qué quieres que sepa la gente de Siouxland?<br />
Me gustaría que la gente recordara lo hermosa que es la zona de Siouxland y lo afortunados que somos de vivir aquí. Me gustaría que recordaran<br />
que juntos podemos lograr cosas maravillosas para todos. Se logran grandes cosas cuando amamos y nos concentramos en lo que tenemos<br />
y sacamos lo mejor de lo que tenemos. Siouxland es un área con grandes cosas y gente, incluida su riqueza en diversidad. Deberíamos seguir<br />
amando todo eso, centrarnos en esas cosas y aprovechar lo mejor que tenemos para mostrar a nuestra comunidad tal como es: ¡un gran lugar y<br />
una gran comunidad!<br />
“Si eres humilde nada te tocará, ni la alabanza ni la deshonra, porque sabes lo que eres.<br />
– Madre Teresa de Calcuta<br />
EXPAND | Give more /39
EXPAND | Give more / 40<br />
Nonprofit spotlight<br />
SHIP<br />
Want to join<br />
Stacie on a<br />
Facebook<br />
Spotlight?<br />
Fighting For Those Without a Voice<br />
SHIP is the non-profit organization in<br />
Sioux City, Siouxland Human Investment<br />
Partnership, which provides leadership in<br />
response to identified community needs and<br />
collaboratively supports the delivery of health,<br />
human services, education, and public safety in Siouxland.<br />
To put it more concisely, these are the people behind the<br />
scenes who devote all their time and effort to connect<br />
resources to the people who need them the most; they<br />
allocate state and federal funds to the best use locally. The<br />
organization traces its beginnings to 1998.<br />
“Prior to 1998, decategorized child welfare and Early<br />
Childhood Iowa (ECI) dollars were state-prescribed;<br />
officials in Des Moines decided where funds for programs<br />
for children, or families with children, in the child welfare<br />
system, were distributed. At about this time, our legislature<br />
noticed that every community in Iowa is different. For<br />
example, Ida County is rural, whereas Woodbury and<br />
Polk County are urban. You can’t have the same types of<br />
programming in all three communities because their needs<br />
and gaps are different. The legislature decided to allow<br />
each county to apply for those dollars and then make<br />
boards around those dollars so that they could decide<br />
what’s best for their community and prescribe what funding<br />
and programs would be best for their community. That was<br />
how SHIP was formed,” stated SHIP Executive Director Matt<br />
Ohman.<br />
As stated on its website, SHIP is the Decategorization (DCAT)<br />
Board for Woodbury County. DCAT is a collaborative child<br />
welfare and juvenile justice planning process. Since its<br />
inception in 1999, SHIP has evolved into an organization<br />
capable of administering initiatives focusing on health,<br />
human services, education, and public safety, with a scope<br />
of pre-birth to death in serving its constituents. Currently,<br />
20 members serve on the SHIP Board, specializing in early<br />
childhood and child welfare. Initially, the Early Childhood<br />
Iowa was only Woodbury County, but in 2011, Ida County’s<br />
ECI Board merged with SHIP to make one area.<br />
“I think that every single person employed at SHIP is on<br />
a mission to zealously fight for human beings who don’t<br />
have a voice for themselves; that’s why we get out of bed<br />
every day. For me, specifically, it’s the children because the<br />
children we serve, and their families are the most at-risk<br />
in our community. Some of them fall through the cracks.<br />
That’s our job, to find the cracks and find the kids and do<br />
what we can to help them,” stated Kerri Hall, Government<br />
Relations/Advocacy & Early Childhood Director.<br />
The Board then facilitates community forums addressing<br />
issues confronting the Siouxland community. It builds<br />
collaborations among community entities to meet the<br />
needs of the citizens, seeks allocations and funding for<br />
programs and services, and this way evaluates the delivery<br />
of programs and services while also advocating for their<br />
sustainability.<br />
“In some instances, we also can provide Employer of Record<br />
services to organizations that need assistance providing<br />
benefits, payroll, and human resources to employees, and<br />
Fiscal Agent services to organizations that need assistance<br />
administering grants and other funding. In addition to<br />
managing funds, we also have a lot of programs of our<br />
own,” shared Matt.<br />
I think that every single person employed at SHIP is on a mission to zealously fight for<br />
human beings who don’t have a voice for themselves; that’s why we get out of bed every day.<br />
– Kerri Hall
SHIP Programs:<br />
• Beyond the Bell<br />
• BOOST GO<br />
• BOOST<br />
• R-Entry<br />
• SHIELD<br />
• SUNS<br />
Programs SHIP funds:<br />
• CAA’s Child Care Nurse Consultant<br />
• Crittenton Center Programs<br />
• Functional Family Therapy<br />
• Ida County Preschool Program<br />
• Lutheran Services in Iowa: HOPES Program<br />
• Mary Treglia Community House Preschool<br />
Programs SHIP serves as<br />
Fiscal Agent or Employer:<br />
• Growing Community Connections<br />
• Health and Human Services<br />
• Juvenile Court Services<br />
• Hope Street of Siouxland<br />
• Sky Ranch Behavioral Services<br />
EXPAND | Give more /41<br />
• Preschool Scholarships for Low-Income Families<br />
• Siouxland District Health HOPES<br />
• Urban Native Center<br />
Building a Stronger Connection with<br />
the Native American Community - the<br />
Annual Memorial March to Honor Lost<br />
Children<br />
“A strong example of what SHIP does in action is our<br />
involvement with the Annual Memorial March for the Lost<br />
Children. We saw the need to help facilitate a discussion,<br />
elevate the situation to another level, and then address<br />
how we could collaborate and assist to help make progress<br />
and make things better,” said Kerri.<br />
Woodbury County has the highest Native American<br />
population in the state. Disproportionately, if you look<br />
at the number of children in the foster care system and<br />
if you look at the juvenile court, the demographic most<br />
represented is Native American children.<br />
“A lot of our dollars went to programs for the Native<br />
American youth and their families. We worked alongside<br />
Frank LaMere, a long-time community advocate and<br />
activist, with whom we did a lot of programming. A few<br />
years ago, we started working with Terry Medina, another<br />
well-known Native American advocate in the community.<br />
Through our work with Frank and Terri, we participated<br />
in the Memorial March; we now help organize that event<br />
for the community and partner with them. The Memorial<br />
March takes place the Tuesday and Wednesday before<br />
Thanksgiving, “stated Matt.<br />
The Memorial March started 20 years ago; its original<br />
purpose was a protest against the local health and human<br />
services. At that time, a concentrated number of children<br />
had perished while in foster care, the majority of them<br />
Native American children.<br />
“After that first Memorial March, Health and Human Services<br />
started meeting with the Native American Community<br />
more regularly, and SHIP formed the Community Initiative<br />
for Native Children and Families. Representatives from<br />
Juvenile Court and DHS, non-profits, and community<br />
members would meet each month. Today, we do a lot of<br />
community planning with that group. The Memorial March of<br />
today is truly less of a protest and more about collaboration,<br />
unity, and the community working together to make the<br />
system better for Native American children and their families.<br />
It’s more of a celebration of working together to fit their needs<br />
better; however, we still remember the lost children before<br />
reaching this point. It’s a peaceful collaboration, and we’re<br />
very proud to be a part of it. SHIP elevates issues very well.<br />
We bring the whole community together around those issues,<br />
and then we facilitate discussions on how to deal with those<br />
issues positively,” said Matt.<br />
For more information about SHIP, to become involved<br />
with the organization, or to inquire about becoming a<br />
board member, please get in touch with Kim Jenkins<br />
at SHIP at (712) 222-6389 or email her at kjenkins@<br />
siouxlandship.org.<br />
Amy Buster has been a writer/editor for the past 25 years,<br />
specializing in newspaper and magazine publications.<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> is Committed to<br />
Supporting Siouxland’s Local<br />
Small Businesses and Nonprofits.<br />
We have a platform,<br />
and we want to share it with you.<br />
Get in front of the community by joining<br />
Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight.<br />
Get the details by scanning<br />
the QR code or visit<br />
siouxlandmagazine.com.
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Hot<br />
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By Tony Michaels<br />
EXPAND | Give more /43<br />
P<br />
lease don’t read this article and immediately<br />
contact the producers from the tv show<br />
Hoarders. I have a weakness. If you read this space<br />
on a regular basis, you know I have numerous shortfalls.<br />
I never throw away anything. Once I get my mitts on something,<br />
it becomes part of my personal collection. I once was given the<br />
world’s ugliest brown office chair. The upholstery was made with<br />
material resembling burlap. Did it end up in the landfill? Nope.<br />
It sits right next to my bed, against the wishes of my lovely wife.<br />
You see, I had a mentor, Jim, who invested in me way more than<br />
anyone else. He cared and correctly lectured me many times while<br />
I was in that sweaty chair. I took those lectures as pain decades<br />
ago. Now, I cherish those memories and I miss him more than you<br />
can ever imagine. Life moves fast. Sometimes, key figures move<br />
on to a higher calling. I just can’t get rid of the chair . . . ever.<br />
I have a closet full of stuff 100 miles south of where I pen this<br />
essay. It’s in my parents’ attic. I have visitation rights with it about<br />
every five years. I just know my mother and father would love me<br />
to take those boxes to my Northside Sioux City home. But I would<br />
have to get rid of 20 years of radio industry magazines. Oh no. I<br />
shared too much.<br />
You’re calling the producers right now, aren’t you?<br />
This generation now probably has a much bigger digital footprint<br />
than I will ever produce. However, my box of nostalgia has<br />
better memories than images from Instagram, Snapchat, and<br />
Lookeyatmeallthetimeville. That’s a social platform, right? Ok. If<br />
you are under 45, please avert your eyes.<br />
My cherished keepsakes in a dusty old attic include mixtapes.<br />
Some of them were made for me, and some for pretty girls that<br />
were returned to me. By the way, mixtapes required taping tunes<br />
off the broadcast radio and mixed by a dual cassette recorder.<br />
Man, that was 1989 magic, baby! A Spotify playlist is child’s play.<br />
This work of art was like Casey Casem painting on the ceiling of<br />
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, or something like that.<br />
You’ll also find newspaper clippings from every Husker football<br />
win, a relative that won a spelling bee, or got arrested for stealing<br />
blank cassette tapes from Radio Shack.<br />
Printing off results from a Google search just doesn’t pack the<br />
same punch.<br />
This concept will be alarming to Tik Tokkers. I used to receive<br />
actual letters and birthday cards you can hold in your hands. They<br />
came from loved ones, my inner circle, girlfriends or someone<br />
I knew on some surface level basis of connection. I’m sure they<br />
have probably forgotten my name.<br />
Did some of those letters smell like Night Rhythms perfume<br />
from a high school double date of Sleepless in Seattle? You<br />
Not So Digital Footprint<br />
betcha! Researchers say the sense of smell will evoke the strongest<br />
memories and I clearly remember having sweaty palms even more<br />
than when I was sitting in the ugly brown office chair. My nerves<br />
were as high as the Empire State building.<br />
Jelly Roll recently accepted a Country Music Association Award<br />
and said, “I want to tell you that the windshield is bigger than the<br />
rearview mirror for a reason, because what’s in front of you is so<br />
much more important than what’s behind you.”<br />
I agree with that statement. I also know that memories I can hold<br />
about amazing people who have graced my life and made it better<br />
are well-worth the closet space.<br />
At least that’s what I’m going to say when the tv crews from Hoarders<br />
show up on my doorstep.<br />
Tony “Michaels” Michalski is an author of “Tacos and Beer<br />
Atmosphere” and former radio broadcaster. He is also the co-host<br />
of the podcast, Starting Conversations with Stacie and Tony, and is<br />
the new Account Executive for Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong>.
<strong>Expand</strong> | Give more / 44<br />
United by bridges<br />
United by soccer<br />
Creating Unforgettable Game Day Experiences:<br />
At Siouxland United F.C., their goal is to make game day not just about soccer—it's<br />
an immersive experience designed to captivate fans of all ages. The ownership of<br />
the club will create an atmosphere filled with excitement and anticipation, where<br />
the stadium pulses with energy as supporters proudly display their team colors and<br />
wave banners in passionate support of the beloved Outlaws.<br />
Assisting in orchestrating this<br />
unforgettable experience is Siouxland<br />
United’s esteemed Gameday<br />
Operations Director, Dagwood Bugge<br />
from Le Mars, IA, who brings a wealth<br />
of event management expertise. With<br />
a track record of collaborating with<br />
industry icons like Hugh Hefner, Red<br />
Hot Chili Peppers, and Sharon & Ozzy<br />
Osbourne, Dagwood ensures that<br />
every detail is flawlessly executed.<br />
The soccer club's vision for game day events is inclusive and diverse, catering to a<br />
wide range of tastes and preferences. From vibrant tailgating and social gatherings<br />
before kickoff to a dedicated kids' zone featuring bounce houses and visits from<br />
their mascot, Big Bad Bronco Hattrick, there's something for everyone to enjoy.<br />
Adults can indulge in live music or DJ performances, beer sales, and the thrilling<br />
spectacle of watching Siouxland’s only Premier Men’s Soccer Team.<br />
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EXPAND | GIVE MORE /45<br />
s:<br />
d<br />
Ticket Sales & Community Involvement<br />
Siouxland United F.C. is dedicated to making soccer accessible to everyone in our<br />
community, and their ticket sales reflect this commitment. With affordable<br />
prices and special promotions for families and groups, attending a match at<br />
Bishop Heelan Memorial Field is affordable for fans from all walks of life.<br />
Whether you're looking for single-game passes, season passes, or the exclusive<br />
Outlaw Posse Membership—which grants members exclusive<br />
access to club events, photo opportunities with players,<br />
exclusive discounts, an inaugural SUFC official match jersey,<br />
a 2024 SUFC scarf as well as a special edition beverage cup,<br />
and lots more—there's an option for everyone.<br />
GET YOUR<br />
TICKETS<br />
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Siouxland United F.C. is dedicated to fostering<br />
inclusivity and accessibility within the community<br />
through partnerships with local businesses and<br />
organizations. These collaborations allow the club to<br />
distribute complimentary tickets to lower income<br />
communities, ensuring that everyone, regardless of<br />
their financial situation, has the opportunity to enjoy<br />
the excitement of live soccer action.<br />
By providing access to matches, Siouxland United aims to break down barriers<br />
and create opportunities for individuals and families from all backgrounds to<br />
come together and experience the thrill of the game. These partnerships<br />
promote inclusivity but also strengthen the bonds between the club and the<br />
local community.
2023 Winners<br />
Siouxland <strong>Magazine</strong> is proud to host the 13th annual 2024 “10 Under 40”<br />
recognition! The highly anticipated issue comes out in September, featuring young professionals<br />
in Siouxland who are making a real difference in our community. Nominations will be open starting<br />
March 1. The form can be found on our website at <strong>Expand</strong>2More.com.<br />
Here is what we look for in Siouxland’s 10 Under 40.<br />
Look around to your co-workers, employees, bosses, friends, colleagues, and think about who meets the<br />
following criteria:<br />
• Under the age of 40 as of December 31st, 2024 (Yes, you may have to ask, but he/she will be<br />
honored that you are thinking of them for an award!)<br />
• Is a business owner or high executive/manager/director (or has experience in this area) within their<br />
organization. This can be a large corporation, small business, or non-profit organization.<br />
• Must be in their current position or have had experience in a managerial role for at least one year.<br />
• Lives and works in the Siouxland area (approximately a 60-mile radius around Sioux City.)<br />
Has a history of displaying:<br />
• Vision and Leadership<br />
• Innovation and Achievement<br />
• Growth/Development Strategy<br />
• Community Involvement/Contribution<br />
• Consistent display of excellent character<br />
and ethics<br />
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EXPAND | GIVE MORE / 47<br />
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