Tuesday Group

The Tuesday Group presentation on June 24, 2025 was provided by Lee A. Pflannmuller and Gerald J. Niemi, who presented on their journey to create a comprehensive atlas of The Breeding Birds of Minnesota. Minnesota has a rich history of ornithological activity dating back to the 1850s. However, by the early 21st century, it was only one of six US States to not have a breeding bird atlas. This presentation will describe the speakers' journey from 2008 to 2024, and the culmination of their book Breeding Birds of Minnesota, published by the University of Minnesota Press. Their presentation included a review of the first breeding bird atlas from 2009-2013 and the synthesis of information on the history, ecology, and conservation of the 250 species of birds currently known to nest in the state. Lee Pfannmuller is retired from the role of Director of the Ecological and Water Resources Division at the Minnesota DNR. Gerald Niemi is an emeritus professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

The Tuesday Group program on June 17, 2025 featured a presentation by Ingrid Lyons and Becky Rom who provided updates on the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters. Ingrid Lyons is the executive director of Save the Boundary Waters. Since joining Save the Boundary Waters in 2015, Ingrid has worn many hats, from Arrowhead Regional Organizer to Development Director. She holds a degree in Environmental Studies from Carleton College, where she focused on Conservation and Development, and also earned her degree in Nonprofit Management and Governance from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Becky Rom is the national chair of Save the Boundary Waters. She is a retired attorney, is a third-generation resident of Ely. She is the daughter of Bill Rom, who has owned and operated Ely-based Canoe Country Outfitters for 30 years. Becky worked in the family business and learned at an early age the importance of this wild country.

The Tuesday Group program on June 10, 2025 featured a presentation by Kandace Creel Falcón, PhD. Artist Patronage in Western societies has taken many forms and served different cultural needs throughout history. This presentation will trace the impact of patronage throughout various times and places to make the case that supporting Guaranteed Income for artists is the patronage model necessary for robust and diverse artistic production in our current era. By investigating previous cultural patronage models and better understanding the impact of guaranteed income for artists of today, this lecture makes the case for guaranteed income as a tool for defeating the trope of the starving artist. Supporting artists via guaranteed income is a viable economic model that encourages healthy public/private investment and benefits society at large. Kandace Creel Falcón, PhD is a formerly tenured Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies who spends their days painting, writing about the joy of creative inquiry, and developing a more peaceful relationship with their nervous system. KCF maintains a research-informed studio practice in their home in the Erhard Hills of rural Otter Tail County. They are involved in community efforts across the region rooted by the power of narrative to shift the world toward the queer utopias we deserve. Visit their website at www.kjcfalcon.com.

This is one of our most beloved Tuesday Group traditions. In lieu of our regular programming wherein speakers present on a particular topic, we will hear from a handful of new Ely-area residents. We'll learn about how they came to select Ely as their new home, what they like to do for fun, and more.

The Tuesday Group presentation on May 27, 2025 was given by Julie Lucas, the Executive Director of MiningMinnesota. As the Executive Director of MiningMinnesota, Julie Lucas leads a coalition of community and industry leaders who advocate for responsible production of mineral resources in Minnesota. Julie previously served as the Environmental Manager of Hibbing Taconite Company and the Director of Water Resources for Twin Metals Minnesota. She attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) and has a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and an M.S. in Water Resources Science. Mining often evokes conflict—between industry and environment, progress and preservation, us and them. But the materials that shape our lives, from smartphones to solar panels, start in the ground. This talk explores how environmental stewardship and mining are not mutually exclusive, and how we, as consumers and citizens, are already part of this complex system. It’s not about defending mining, but about understanding it—so we can make more informed, ethical, and realistic choices for the future.

The Tuesday Group presentation on May 14, 2025 was give by our friend and neighbor, Joshua Forsman — a lifelong Ely local who’s turning passion into purpose through the power of play. As a professional board gamer, national chess player, and experienced educator, Joshua invites the community to explore a new way to learn, grow, and connect through his latest project: Xogos Gaming. With over 12 years of experience in educational and strategic games, Joshua has competed nationally in chess, and played and coached competitive games like Catan and Historical Conquest. He’s also participated in major tournaments for Backgammon, Splendor, and Ticket to Ride, gaining firsthand insight into the power of gamification — the process of learning through games. His work focuses on using game-based learning to build critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills in both youth and adults. Rooted in his identity as a fifth-generation Ely local with proud Finnish heritage, Joshua now introduces Xogos Gaming, a forward-thinking educational platform that blends on-screen learning with real-world experiences, emphasizing entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and the life-changing potential of gamified education. Xogos empowers learners to grow intellectually while developing character and making a difference in their communities. To celebrate the launch of Xogos, Zack Edwards, creator of Historical Conquest, joined live via Zoom to share exclusive insights and walk participants through the vision behind the platform. Whether you’re a student, teacher, parent, or game enthusiast, you’re invited to discover how learning through play—right here in Ely—can unlock new pathways for growth, connection, and purpose.

Rotary Youth Exchange: Ely meets the World was presented to the Tuesday Group on May 6, 2025 by Susan Polege. Our Ely Rotary club is proud to sponsor sophomore Tracy Thibodeaux outbound on an exchange to northern Italy, and will be welcoming a youth named Piotr from Poland inbound to Ely Memorial HS! These kinds of exchanges are incredibly valuable for participating communities, and this particular exchange will take place fall 2025- spring 2026. This presentation will included Susan’s international experience as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and other travels; Rotary Youth Exchange students and how they are supported; and Ely’s embrace of exchange students in past and future. Susan Polege is a boomerang Elyite and a Wisconsin dairy farm girl who first came to Ely to work at Voyageur Outward Bound School in 2005. Since then Peace Corps - Zambia and several US state locations have been her home between returns to Ely in 2011, 2014-16, and since 2023. You may have met Susan in prior times at the Pebble Spa, Wintergreen Northern Wear, Ely Folk School, or she is currently a banker at Frandsen Bank, with a side of spin instruction at HMS Functional Fitness and retail at Ely Outfitting Company. Susan Polege has stepped into the role of Youth Exchange Officer for the local Ely Rotary club and is helping to organize the exchange. Both Tracy & Piotr are excited for their upcoming experience.

The Tuesday Group presentation on April 29, 2025 was a facilitated discussion about water, featuring the Ely Folk School and the MN Humanities Center. This conversation is part of the We Are Water MN exhibit now at the Ely Area Community Hub. Learn about what the exhibit is and how it came to be before diving into reflection on and sharing about personal experiences with water. We all have connections to water, from the everyday and to the deeply personal! Presenter-facilitators include Lucy Soderstrom, Anna Heil, and Mary Prather. Lucy Soderstrom is the Executive Director of the Ely Folk School. Lucy first started volunteering for the Ely Folk School in November 2020. Since then Lucy has developed the Ely Folk School into a community focal point. She is proud that the EFS is a place for new residents, visitors, and lifelong Elyites alike. Lucy found a fulfilling community in Ely through the Ely Folk School and is always excited to help facilitate that experience for others. Her favorite water-based activity is floating. Anna Heil is the Program Director of the Ely Folk School, and is celebrating a year of employment there this May. Anna brings a passion for experiential learning and community building to EFS, and is always eager to learn from the experts and enthusiasts in our town. Anna's favorite water-based activity is night swimming.

Join us for a photographic journey through the daily lives of loons, and learn how the grassroots management project on Big Mantrap Lake is “Answering the Call of the Loon.” Our Tuesday Group speaker on April 22, 2025 was Steve Maanum from Park Rapids. Steve was a middle school teacher for 34 years and during that time he developed lessons that combined traditional inside learning with outside hands-on activities to help his 5th grade students make connections to their natural world. Some of those connections included accompanying researchers to black bear dens and bald eagle nests, assisting the DNR capture and band Canada geese, and sitting in blinds to observe and photograph prairie chickens booming. In his retirement Steve continues to help others make those nature connections through his writing, photography, workshops and presentations. In 2010 Carrol Henderson hired Steve to be the Greater Minnesota project coordinator for DNR’s statewide Digital Photography Bridge to Nature project. From 2010 – 2013 Steve planned and conducted many of the 114 teacher workshops and student photo safaris throughout the state. He has been a loon volunteer on Big Mantrap Lake since 2007 and has been given the unofficial title of Loon Educator and Outreach Coordinator. His presentation will take us on a photographic journey through the loon management project that Carrol Henderson has called, “The Gold Standard for Loon Conservation.”