People

Seventeen years after Mark Skipper’s first speech competition, he entered his second. Six months later he competed in the semifinals of the Toastmasters International Conference in Vancouver after winning his district, which includes most of Minnesota’s metro area and half of Ontario.

High-school-aged kids from Shriners Hospital for Children and Maple Grove Link Crew danced the night away at the Shriners prom in April.

For the Hitchcock family, it is a tradition to enter the various sweepstakes and giveaways at the Minnesota State Fair. When Mike Hitchcock received the call saying that his family actually won a barn, he didn’t believe it.

Many of us can get caught up in a tense episode of CSI or NCIS, but crime scenes are a reality of life. What the crime dramas don’t show is what happens after the medical examiners pack up and move out.

“Some tell me to take it easy—I say you might as well dig your grave then!” That’s the ethos that keeps Jonathan “Jonny” Hansen, 42, of Rogers motivated to keep up his grueling training schedule.

With the finish line in sight, Rogers resident Mary Graham couldn’t contain her excitement. Everything she had worked for during the past three months was finally within reach. She saw a sea of pink shirts cheering her on and noticed her friends in the crowd.

At 79 years of age, Ron Lucas has discovered a sport that allows him to be competitive and have fun too: Pickleball. Lucas was introduced to the game on an Arizona vacation in 2009.

Veronica Gagnelius

The uses for Jellyfeet are innumerable. The non-latex covering worn over the foot proves useful when donned in locker rooms, a yoga class, swimming pools, hotel rooms or at airport security, and can be worn outdoors, with socks or barefoot.

Fascinated by life sciences and the medtech industry, Teri Woodwick Sides immersed herself in learning everything she could about the field for more than 25 years.

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