​It was a glorious evening as the Walking Lake Pepin group gathered in Old Frontenac to walk and learn about the history of this special community.
Jim Schreck narrated the walk telling the group how Old Frontenac was settled starting with the Native Americans to the French and Spanish fur traders to James Wells and finally to Evert Vestervelt and the Garrard family, who in the 1850's really put time and resources into developing what is now Old Frontenac. The WLP group is pictured at The Winona Cottage, built in 1889, which was built on Garrard Avenue between Faribault and Sumner Streets by Israel Garrard as a wedding present to his son George and wife Virginia. A mortar less stone wall is constructed by teams of Native Americans led by tribal elder Little John.
The group also walked down to the site of the Lakeside Hotel (1867) the first resort hotel in the Upper Midwest which established Frontenac as a key resort area serving Mississippi River travelers. The hotel site and building eventually was turned into a Methodist Bible Camp and is now a site of restored single family dwellings.
Thanks to Jim for doing such a fabulous job with recalling the rich history of this idyllic place. (Rumor has it Jim is starting an Old Frontenac weekend tour business with a Food Truck on the weekends) JUST KIDDING!
The WLP group was encouraged to take part in the 160th Anniversary celebration of Old Frontenac scheduled for Sept 21 and 22, 2019. Check out this website to find out more information about the schedule of events, http://www.frontenac160.com/index.html 

​Our host last night, Dag Knutson, gave an enlightening slide show and narrative about healthy soils and the consequences that we, our children and grandchildren will be facing unless we change the way we care for our soils. He also handed out the newsletter that he puts out twice a year. Please not in the title space that he dedicated this newsletter to the Walking Lake Pepin group. Copies of the newsletter will be available at our walk next week if anyone wants to have one. We had 25 walkers last night. A slip for the door prize drawing will be entered in the box for each of you.

​On Wednesday July 31st the weekly walking group will meet at the LC Marina parking lot at 6:30 and carpool out to Manawa Prairie Farm to explore the sustainable farm that Dag Knudsen and Dierdre Flesche have created. To lean more about this farm and their mission go to; https://www.protectourresources.org/index.html. All Lake City residents are invited to come out to any of the WLP group walks. Question contact Patty Svien 345-4383.

The “Walking Lake Pepin” (WLP) weekly walk took the group through The Jewel last Wednesday evening.
Prior to the walk, the group was asked what the “The Jewel” is? Some newcomers to the area thought it was a golf course and a housing development. They were unaware that the “The Jewel” was a nursery long before the golfers showed up.
Founded in 1868 by Phineas Jewel and Joseph Underwood, Jewel Nurseries started with 10 acres and grew to be 1,500 acres. Jewel Nurseries operated for more than 125 years.
The Jewel Nursery was at one time the largest nursery in the United States and employed 200 people at this zenith. The nursery raised trees, shrubs and other greenery for sale to retailers and landscapers.
Jim Schreck. a Lake City resident who was raised in Lake City, was able to tell the group how the nursery provided jobs for kids and adults in town. Jim worked at the nursery from the age of 10 through high school and into his college years.
He remarked that any kid in town who wanted to work for 35 cents an hour could earn enough money to buy a bike at the local hardware store before summer’s end.
After the walk the group cooled off inside of First Lutheran Church and heard a short report about the church’s 150th anniversary being celebrated this year.
The next group walk on Wednesday, August 7th will be start at the home of Paul and Wanda Myers. The group will meet at the Myer home at 1092 Pine Grove Lane at 6:30. The walkers will hike along a path that Paul grooms along Miller Creek. Everyone is welcome to attend.

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An “Elite Walker” competition will be part of the 2019 Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) fitness challenge . Organizers of the WLP event want to challenge those participants who are ready to step-up and increase their walking this summer.


Walkers who want to participate in the Elite Walker challenge can sign on by emailing walkinglakepepin@gmail.com.  They then will be sent an entry form they will fill out as they accomplish the four challenges needed to be eligible for an Elite Walker t-shirt and a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks.


To quality as an Elite Walker participants must accomplish four requirements.

• During the 10 week period log a total of 2,500 minutes or more of walking, running, biking, swimming or other moderate physical activity.
• Achieve a coverall bingo on the walking bingo card they will receive when they register.
• Walk the entire length of the Riverwalk and back, 5 miles, once during the 10 week period.
• Attend 4 or more of the group walking events that will be he held on Wednesday evening throughout the summer.

Elite Walker participates will need to turn in their  completed entry form by the finale event on  August 21.

​All others who want to participate in the 2019 WLP challenge can sign up at Treats and Treasures on Washington St, Anytime Fitness on N 7th Street and online at walkinglakepepin.com.

This year’s theme is “PARK and WALK, Just for the Health of It!”   WLP hopes to encourage all Lake Citians to get out of their cars and walk this summer to achieve the health benefits of physical activity.
 Questions call Patty Svien 345-4383.


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Participants of “Walking Lake Pepin” 2018 gathered at the Lake City Marina deck on Wed, Aug 15 for their last group walk of the season and to walk the marina point for the season finale.  
The weather was threatening so the walkers headed in doors for the awards ceremony where walkers who turned in their log sheets were eligible for a drawing for $25 LC Chamber Bucks prize.  Those winners were: Jayden Lichtenberg, Marilyn Lichtenburg, Bob Wolff, Dianne Wolff, Paul Myers and LaDonna Severson. 
Winners of $10 in LC Chamber Bucks through a drawing for all who participated in the evening group walks were: Ross, Sandy and Emma Bendickson, Joel Grettenberg, Mary Ann Beck, Ella Lystad, Jim Schreck and LaDonna Severson. 
Jayden Lichtenberg and his grandmother Marilyn were acknowledged for perfect attendance at all the WLP events this season.  Jayden, a first grader, brought a collage of all the things he had collected during the walks and shared it with the group.  This is Jayden’s and his grandmother Marilyn’s second year of participation in the WLP program.  
A brief discussion about wellness and happiness was led by Patty Svien.  She told of new research examining “Blue Zones” and happiness by Don Buettner, Blue Zone founder. (Blues Zones are regions in the world where people live the longest and are the happiness,   https://www.bluezones.com/about/history/) Research identifies Denmark as the happiness country in the world.  The US ranks 18th with Boulder. Co ranked the #1 happiest city in the US.  The Twin Cities is ranked the 22nd.  
One of the interesting findings in this research is that happiness, especially as we age, is highly correlated with health status.  Happiness actually increases as we age if one continues to be healthy. WLP theme this year was “Walking to Wellness” emphasizing how important physical activity is to achieving good health and happiness.  
The evening ended with drawings for door prizes for those who attended the finale event. Thanks  to Hok-si-la Park, Trophy Store and More and the Cannon Valley Trail for donating door prizes. 
Thanks to Dr. Douglas Pflaum and Dr. Tom Ziebarth  of the Olmstead Medical Clinic in Lake City for their monetary donation to WLP for the 6th season.  
The WLP organizing committee would like to thank Dennis Robertson, Dag Knudsen and Deirdre Flesche, Paul Myers and Tracy Thorson DPT for offering their talents to the group walk schedule this season.  
A special thanks to Jill and staff at Treats and Treasures for being WLP’s base camp for registration and t-shirt orders.