The final Wednesday evening group walk for the “Walking Lake Pepin” participants took place on August 17. The location of the walk was a mystery until Paul Luhmann, Pepin Heights manager, met the group at Roschen Park to escort them up to the original Pepin Heights orchard on the bluff overlooking Lake City and Lake Pepin.
Paul spoke of the history of the orchard being established by Gil and Evelyn Courtier in 1949. The orchard continued under Courtier management by their son Dennis until 2018. Ferguson Orchards now manages the original orchard. Paul also told the group of how the Honey Crisp apple was developed at the U of M and that Pepin Heights was the first orchard to grow the Honey Crisp apple. Pepin Heights Orchards delivered the first Honeycrisp apples to grocery stores in 1997. The Honey Crisp apple is now grown all over the world. Paul related that in taste tests with Honey Crisp apples grown in different locations, the apples grown in Minnesota and the Midwest are rated the best tasting as the soil in Lake City and the Midwest produces the flavor the apple was developed for by the U of M. So make sure you buy your Honey Crisp apples in Lake City where they were meant to be grown. After enjoying the spectacular bluff top view of Lake Pepin and Lake City the group returned to Roschen Park to celebrate the participants who completed the ”The 150 Challenge” (walking 150 minutes a week or walking 150 miles over the 10 week event.) Drawings were held for Lake City Chamber Bucks; $25 to Becky Schultze and Terry Smith for “The 150 Challenge” and $10 Chamber Bucks for 10 walkers who attended the weekly group walks. Door prizes were also given away to all who attended. The Walking Lake Pepin organizers would like to thank Treats and Treasures, Anytime Fitness, Fresh Market, Cannon Valley Trail, Sand and Ross Bendickson, Jim and Ann Scheck and Patty Svien for their donations and support of the 2022 summer community walking event. Twenty “Walking Lake Pepin” participants turned in their log sheets and met “The 150 Challenge” this year by accomplishing the goal of 150 minutes a week or 150 miles of walking over the 10 week period of the challenge.
Pictures here at the finale event are those that completed the challenge. L to R; Marilyn Lichtenberg, Becky Schultze, Sandy Bendickson, Marjean Severson, Jayden Lichentenberg, Mary Ann Beck, Sue Stechmann, Teri Schones, (standing) Wanda Myers, Julie McDevitt, (kneeling) Ryanne Hoyer and Mary Hill. Not pictured who met “The 150 Challenge” are; Terry and Bonnie Smith, Kathy Krueger, Paul Myers, La Donna Severson, Constance Anderson, Patty and Lawrence Svien and Dianne Streed. Winners of a drawing for $25 of Lake City Chamber Bucks from this group who met “The 150 Challenge” were Terry Smith and Beck Schultze. Wednesday August 17th will be the final walk and finale event for Walking Lake Pepin 2022, "Walking the 150 Challenge."
We will meet at Roschen Park on the 17th at 6:30 pm and carpool to the "surprise" destination of our final walk of the season. After the walk we will return to Roschen Park for the Drawings for door prizes and for Lake City Chamber Bucks for the weekly walkers and those who have logged their minutes or miles over the 10 week event. Please bring your log sheets to the finale or drop them off at Treats and Treasures or scan/email or mail them to me Patty Svien; svien65@hbci.com or 612 Willers Court, Lake City, MN. See you on the 17th August 10th the “Walking Lake Pepin” (WLP) group walkers ventured out to the Frontenac State Park prairie that led to a wildlife observation blind above Pleasant Valley Lakelet, the pond we see on the right side of Hwy 61 as we head to Red Wing before entering Frontenac Station.
This is the first time the group has walked this trail in the state park. The walk was on a mowed trail that led the group through tall prairie grasses and wild flowers. At the end of the trail the wildlife observation blind above the lakelet that had a picnic table in it that would offer a wonderful location to enjoy a picnic after an easy hike with friends or family. This was the ninth group walk of the season and four of the walkers have perfect attendance, making all 9 walks; Donna Anderson, LaDonna Severson, Marilyn Lichtenberg and he grandson Jayden. Congrats and thanks for showing up each and every week. Sand Point Trail in Frontenac State Park is one of “Walking Lake Pepin’s” (WLP) favorite trails and the group walks it every year if conditions are right. The WLP group walked the trail Wednesday July 20.
The 1.9 mile starts across Wabasha County 2 at the wayside rest on Hwy 61. The trail features a tree lined path with an elevated boardwalk when needed if during spring flooding, a bridge crossing a woodland pond and a shelter as you reach the waters of Lake Pepin. The WLP group walked the forest trail and along the beach to the end of the point. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and walking, and the sandy beach along the point is a favorite place for boaters to spend the afternoon. Prior to the walk, WLP organizer. Patty Svien shared some of the interesting health benefits provided by a walking in nature and woodlands that scientists are just beginning to understand. Research in the benefits of being in nature shows that tree emit phytocides that benefit humans who spend time in woodlands. These compounds are believed to act as anti-inflammatory agents and have been shown to reduce stress hormones and improve immunity. https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-cardio-exercise-good-for-more-than-heart The Sand Point Trail, Frontenac State Park and Hok-si-la Park are all perfect locations to get the benefits of a walk in the woods. The August 10th WLP group walk will be along the prairie in Frontenac State Park behind the Villa Maria. The group will gather again at the way side rest at Hwy 61 and Goodhue County 2 and carpool to the trail head at 6:30 on August 10. Questions? Contact Patty Svien at 345-4383. Get to know this 1.9-mile out-and-back trail near Frontenac, Minnesota. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 33 min to complete. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.
WLP Group walk this Wednesday July 27 at 6:30 pm, Meet at wayside rest on Hwy 61 and Goodhue County 2. The Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) group walkers met at the Villa Maria in Frontenac on July 20 for a walk around the beautiful grounds of this historic space. Pernille Flesche and Margaret Peterson, Lake City day students who both attended and graduated from the Villa Maria, joined the group and were able to share their memories of their time at the Villa Maria.
The Ursuline Sisters, who established the Villa Maria Academy in 1891, a girl’s boarding school, the outgrowth of a girl’s school the sisters established in nearby Lake City in 1880, three years after their arrival to the area. The Villa Maria Academy closed abruptly after a fire caused by a lightning strike burned down the three-story classroom building on March 20, 1969. After the academy closed, the Ursulines established an ecumenical retreat center on the property in 1970. For 45 years, Villa Maria remained an interfaith retreat and conference center sponsored by the Ursuline Sisters to help people, organizations and groups in their spiritual and personal growth. The main building on the property, Marin Hall built in 1946 by the Sisters in the style of historic French Country Chateaus is being renovated as an event center with lodging rooms and suites expected to be available in 2023. Walkers hiked to the back of the property visiting the dining hall and camping cabins that were used for summer campers. Pernille Flesche and Margaret Peterson spoke of the excellent education they received from the nuns, the opportunity to meet girls from around the world who were boarding students and great memories of their school experiences such as prom. The WLP group will meet next week, Wednesday, July 27, at 6:30 at the wayside rest just off Wabasha County Rd 2. The group will hike the Sand Point Trail to Lake Pepin. This is a trail the group does every year, one of the groups favorite hikes. Bring water, walking poles if needed and bug spray. Questions? Call Patty Svien 345-4383. 0 People reached 0 Engagements – Distribution score Boost post Like Comment Share Everyone is invited out to the Villa Maria tonight at 6:30 pm for a walk around the grounds. A couple former students will be with us to share their experience as students at the Villa.
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