“Love the energy and community concept. You’ve got something special here.”

-Tami LaPole Edmunds

Art in the Alley - Duluth

Old School Lives

2013 Annual Report

our 2013 board members:

John Wood | chairman

Jake Crispo |vice chairman

Joe Froehlingsdorf |treasurer

Craig Kinsley|board member

our 2013 staff members: Kate Crispo:

youth director | marketing

Ashley Long:

gift shop|thrift store manager

Katrina Anderson:

book keeping|food manager

Old School Lives Incorporated is a

faith-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation

who uses the Bible and the gospel of Jesus

Christ as the governing line for its rules of

conduct.

The Center offers community

development and social services to

individuals and families by building

community, growing relationships, confirming

the unique attributes of people in the

community, and fulfilling needs to

impoverished families. The center will also

provide many services including: youth

services, parenting, life skills, job skills,

counseling, adult education, economic

development endeavors, and physical and

social opportunities.

“… The God of all grace, who

has called you to His eternal

glory in Christ, will himself

restore, confirm, strengthen,

and establish you.”

1 Peter 5:10

our 2013 directors

Ginger Kinsley

Ruth Kallberg

Kate Crispo

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious” said food writer, Ruth Reichl. After the first few months of volunteers, young and old working tirelessly to clean and repair this old building that had once held the fullness of life in the Cotton area, we have finally found some time to say to community ‘sit a bit and share some food and talk with us’. Our efforts at community building are showing fruit. For me personally, I am amazed at the many wonderful hardworking and joyful people I have met in this past year. A shared commitment from a diverse group of people has begun the process of creating community relationship. Learning to slow down, listen, laugh and cry with people has been the biggest lesson and the source of the biggest blessing of our first year. We woodsmen are notorious for hiding out in the forest and keeping to ourselves but we are learning that good things come from a shared laugh, a shared meal and even doing a bit of sweating together as we create a place for everyone to belong.

2013 brought us full swing into understanding the valuable asset this building is. During the long winter months the archery range sprang to life. The challenge of recycling old text books was solved by insulating a wall for the arrows to pierce. Gym time was a much sought after commodity. Fitness classes for men and women, Cotton Area Baseball Spring Training, Lakeview Christian Academy Basketball, various community events all scheduled time in the Cardinal gym. The fitness program alone served 1000 people of all ages.

The OSL Community Library began to attract readers seeking books of all kinds. We sorted through thousands of books left behind, text books, and library books. Some books were sold and shipped around the country to help raise funds to operate the building. We have begun collaborations with other public libraries who are supplying us with books. Our plans for the future include tutoring programs and special events through the library.

Our community was drawn together through the arts with special event demonstrations, knitting groups, art projects, even building painting projects, thanks to a Northland Foundation Valspar paint grant, that are indeed “Restoring, Strengthening, Establishing and Confirming”. The future holds much promise for South Central St Louis County. Individuals and families are growing and maturing and Old School Lives will continue to thrive into the future.

Ginger Kinsley

Ginger Kinsley (with husband, Craig)

Old School Lives Executive Director

Old School Lives is a

501(c)3 non-profit family

services and outreach

center in Cotton, MN.

Check us out at

www.Oldschoollives.com

Find us on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.co

m/OldSchoolLives

Above: Volunteers working hard and joyfully while

putting together the community meal during the 2013

annual OSL community get-together, Cotton Days.

Below: Community Members take a ride in a horse

drawn sleigh during the annual Live Nativity.

One of the main purposes of Old School

Lives is to restore a sense of community in our

area. 2013 proved to be a year full of events

that brought everyone together as a

community. We hosted our annual events:

Cotton Days, a spring and fall “Junkaroo and

Mocha Too”, and a Live Nativity, all of which

were wholesome days of family-friendly fun!

2013 also brought the establishment of a

community garden and the opening of our

retreat center!

Our Gift shop acts as an outlet for

community members to create and sell

handmade crafts. OSL also hosts artists of the

community and is an incubator for locally-

owned businesses such as 2nd-Gear.net,

Hairway 53, and Prairie Muffin Creations.

In-house sculptor, Lanny

Johnson during a demonstration

Another main purpose of Old

School Lives is to help strengthen

traditional family values. All our events

are family-friendly, and we strive to

maintain an environment where

families can come together to play,

work, and fellowship with one another.

Excitingly, 2013 marked the

beginning of plans and preparations

for the Life Center, a branch of our

Heart to Heart Ministry, set to be up

and running in 2014. The Life Center

will provide resources and support for

families in: marriages, parenting, social

services, health information, education

and other areas of life.

To encourage families in our

area, the Life Center will

provide a gift basket to local

families when their new baby

arrives!

In the spirit of community, we

at Old School Lives work to

establish relationships among and

across all ages. Our youth program

works to provide safe and fun

opportunities for youth to build

friendships with other community

members young and old.

Events like Knitting with

Miriam and card making classes

give community members the

chance to practice a craft while

enjoying the fellowship of other

community members!

Above: Community members participating in “Kitting with

Miriam”

Below: Some young adults and local youth donning their

ugly sweaters at the 2013 Christmas party.

Old

One of the ways Old School Lives works to promote healthy living is by providing opportunities and facilities for community members to achieve and maintain physical fitness. We offer a variety of fitness classes, such as boot camp and yoga, as well as regular memberships to our fitness center and weight room. In 2013 we had over 70 community members signed up for fitness center memberships and leading or participating in fitness classes throughout the year! Also, during the winter months, when thermometers dropped to frigid temps, many people used the building for walking, a free opportunity we offered so that people could remain active without having to endure the below zero weather.

During the 2013 Cotton Days, we hosted volleyball, basketball and wiffle ball tournaments. We had over 80 people participating in these games from morning until past 11:30 at night under the lights of the wiffle ball field!

In the early days of OSL, food

and nutrition needs became

obvious. In the summer of 2013 a

community Garden was planted

and harvested by local community

members. Also, members of the

local churches and groups gathered

to discuss how to meet the needs

of the community, body and soul,

realizing that with the closing of

our school there was a growing

need to gather together. Out of

that meeting has blossomed a 2nd

Saturday Community Meal.

Our first meal was served to

75 people in April 2013. The area

Seen here: Old School Lives volunteers dish

out the community meal at the Live Nativity.

Seen here: A local Musician and OSL volunteer,

Wynn Kinsley, plays a few tunes during the

2013 Cotton Days.

churches and groups rotate on a

monthly basis Preparing and

serving nutritious meals, even

offering “to-go” for shut ins,

family members working afternoon

shifts, and neighbors in need. The

meals are free and open to

everyone. -Sandy Bickford

In addition to the community meal, Old

School Lives’ Heart to Heart program also

runs a self-serve coffee shop. In addition to a

place to enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend,

this area acts as a resource to local community

members for free computer and internet access

as well as a meeting place for St. Louis

County, and community and church groups

throughout the area. Also, during our events

you’ll find local artists, musicians and

craftsmen doing demonstrations of their arts

and trades.

In 2013 United Taconite generously

donated computers to Old School Lives’ coffee

shop. They have seen much use from the

community members who would otherwise

not have had access to a computer or internet.

OSL Coffee Shop

2013 financials:

Donations, Grants, $44,023.21 , 41%

Special Events and Fundraisers,

$14,285.33 , 13%

Shops, Classes, Memberships and

Rents, $48,820.51 , 46%

2013 Income Sources

Building Upkeep (maintanence,

janitorial, licensing, insurane, etc),

$14,313.84 , 14%

Administrative (office, advertising,

bookkeeping, phone/internet etc), $10,779.08 , 10%

Heart to Heart Program,

$15,289.60 , 14%

Lifelong Learning and Arts,

$7,440.49 , 7% Youth Programing, $18,185.40 , 17%

Fit and Friendly, $229.00 , 0%

Special Events, $9,374.41 , 9%

Electric and Heat, $30,383.43 , 29%

Building and Program Expenses

Old School Lives would not be able to offer the services and community events we do without the gracious

donations of our supporters or the countless hours put in by our awesome volunteers. We would like to extend our

sincere gratitude to all of you who have kept our project alive through financial support and your hours of hard work.

We appreciate you greatly! In the event that we have missed you or incorrectly recorded your name, we offer our

apologies and gratitude to you as well, and we invite you to please contact us so that we can update our records!

2013 Financial Donors

Major Donors

$5,000 and up

John and Kathy Wood

CC Riders Snowmobile Club

$1000- $4999

Northern Mining Services, Inc.

Lakehead Constructors, Inc.

Lanny Johnson

Hope Church, Cotton

Craig and Ginger Kinsley

$500 - $999

Kelsey Community Church

Cotton Civic Club

Brothers Burn Mountain

Steve Andrews/ Mn Industries

$250 - $499

Clint and Ruth Kallberg

Andrea Simek

Cotton Community Church

($250-$499 Continued) Jake and Kate Crispo

Shannon Lane

United Refractories, Inc.

$100 - $249

Michael B Achorn

Alan Nelson

Dianne Anderson

Mark and Loretta Bickford

Jesse Dermody

GPM

Jeff Koller

Donella Kubiak

Curt and Kim Larson

Lind Industrial Supply, Inc.

Linda Tuhkenin

Lowel Johnson

Mesabi Mechanical Engineering Contractors, Inc.

Pat Meyer

Peter and Leah Thorson

Peggy Ricci

Paavo Saukko

Whitefish Manufacturing Company

Katy Anderson

2013 Financial Donors Continued

Regular Donors

Up to $99

Amanda Anderson

Loretta Bodey

Jill Brotz

Curtis Bush

Bug Creek Soaps

Carlson

Tammy Collom

Kim Ercikson

Kory Frye

Hagolin

Patrick Hey

Josie Horbach

Archie Hostetler

Michelle Johnson

Michelle Keyport

Nancy Korpi

Kevin Kowarsch

Daniel Mark Lange

Christy Majchrzak

Mariah McKechnie

Annette Milsop

Olsen

Laurel Olson

Jesse Peterson

Rick and Tevia Schneider

Mark and Shawn Stokes

PJH Window

Riverside Chapel

John and Kath Wood

Kim Yordy

D Zilmen

In Kind Donations

Jasper Engineering

United Taconite

Cotton Civic Club

Total Tool

Sherwin Williams

Northland Foundation/ Valspar

Bruce Voight

Joanne Robich

Pete & Leah Thorson

Terry & Sandy Carlson

Wilbert Café

Hairway 53

2nd Gear

Kelsey Church

Cotton Community Church

Hope Church

St Peters Lutheran Church

Mike & Nancy Korpi

Jim & Sue Dedina

Doris Dedina

Dennis Dickson

Edwin & Loretta Jantzen

Kourtney & Bridget Kinsley

Madline Johnson

Shauna Dulinski

Allan & Sandra Nelson

Rick Messenbrink

It was a handful of us that felt we should see what could be done with the old Cotton school, but we have been amazed at the people who have caught the vision and have come in and continue to come in, to walk side by side with us in this place called Old School Lives. Our volunteers are amazing! Talented, so helpful, and most of all --- they are there! I’m so thankful for each one! We need you! We are also so thankful for all the nice things that are donated to Second Chances, it’s a wonderful way to help us keep the bills paid, and to help people get things they need at an affordable price. It would also not be possible to keep the store stocked with the very best if it were not for the faithful volunteers who come in and help sort, run the shop, and bring cheer to my day! -Ruth Kallberg

2013 Volunteers

Michael & Marge Achorn

Dianne Anderson

Katrina Anderson

Katy Anderson

Sandy Bickford

Dennis Bohlin

Jarred Bohlin

Dayne Chapin

Colleen Chapman

Jake & Kate Crispo

Sam & Terri Crispo

Jesse Dermody

Ryan Dermody

Kim Erickson

Tony Erickson

Debbie Feth

Andi Fiest

Joe & Ida Froehlingsdorf

Alicia George

James Griener

Dayton Hanson Jr.

Kathy Hiltunen

Jordan Hunt

Sharon Hunt

Tom & Ann Johns

Lanny & Sharon Johnson

Lowell & Pat Johnson

Clint & Ruth Kallberg

Greg Kick

Pam Kick

Rory Kick

Craig & Ginger Kinsley

Kourtney & Bridget Kinsley

Wynn Kinsley

Carol Peterson Korpi

McKenzie Kowarsch

Arrlette Krog

Donella Kubiak

Alyson Kuriatnyk

Roger & Sandy LaFlamme

James Lanhart

Jasmine Lanhart

Curt & Kim Larson

Peter Larson

Tom Larson

Nick LaRue

Debbie Leppala

Ashley Long

Isaak Long

Tanya Long

Carol Lukas

Bob Maki

Pat Meyer

Chase Miller

Lori Miller

Greg & Annette Millsop

Ernest Moberg

Marie Moberg

Keith Morrison

Kasey Myhre

Alishia Nelson

Miriam Overfors

Dale & Brenda Palo

Larry & Cathy Peterson

Steven Peterson

Justus Peterson

Norm & Sirley Peterson

Bev Petrusalek

Ray Privett

Gene & LouAnn Rands

Robert & Delores Randall

Peggy Ricci

Jo-Anne Robich

Frank & Nancy Rossell

Mark Schroeder

Amanda Semen

Zacharias Shears

Andrea & Robert Simek

Stephanie Simek

Bob & Sue Skafte

Elsa Stokes

Talitha Stokes

Joy Thomas

Frank & Jan Wendell

Gerry & Tonia Webber

Elaine Wick

Daniel Wood

John & Kathy Wood

Margie Wood

Matthew wood

Rosie Wood