“The first fact about a celebration, is that it is a way of affirming defiantly, and even flamboyantly, that it is a good thing to be alive.” - - G. K. Chesterton
Thank You!
Our Anniversary event would not be happening without the efforts of many people working behind (and at times in front of!) the scenes to make it possible. Our sincerest thanks to:
Event Lab
Susan Milteer
Susan & Richard Milteer
“Prepare To Be Inspired” is the motto of Event Lab Party and Events, planning award winning, memorable occasions for individuals and corporations since 1994. I might add, they certainly found that motto in Susan Milteer. She is a bundle of energy bursting with ideas for our special celebration. We are especially blessed, as Susan has been a dear friend since (ahem) all of our younger days. If anything, she’s gotten better!
Susan is married to Richard Milteer, a world renowned florist. We prohibited Richard from working on this event, as he outdid himself on our other family celebrations. It’s time he enjoyed one of them! As planning has progressed, however, it’s clear Richard has become an integral part of this event, defying our request to sit this one out! There is no end to his creativity and passion.
We must thank both Richard and Susan for their continued support and friendship. Their humor, grace, ambition and love make them priceless in our eyes.
Please visit Event Lab at: https://www.eventlab.net
Mount Olivet Lutheran Church
Pastor Kurt Kalland
Pastor Kurt Kalland
Associate Pastor, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church
Pastor Kalland has served as an associate pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church since 1992. Pastor Kalland is the Pastoral Adviser to the Pastoral Care Team and is happy to be known as the “Monsignor” of the Mount Olivet Motorheads group. He has been happily married to his wife, Dawn, for over 30 years, (they met at Cathedral of the Pines), and is blessed with two exceptional daughters as well as a son-in-law. Pastor Kalland remains active in the recovery community. In his free time, he enjoys cleaning automobiles, humor, shooting sports, playing outside and his work as a volunteer Chaplain for the Edina Police Department.
In July, 2011, Pastor Kalland married our son, Ben, to Paula Cree.
Please visit Mount Olivet Lutheran Church at: https://mtolivet.org
COLOURS
Cathleen Olson
Cathleen Olson
Cathleen Olson is the founder and Chief Marketing officer of COLOURS, an award-winning, full service marketing and communications firm based in the Twin Cities. COLOURS offers its clients a suite of traditional and on-line marketing services. Its core competencies are deep-seated in branding and naming for companies of all sizes.
Cathleen states, “Jim and Jene are very dear friends and I was happy to help with the design of the invitation and their Save the Date. This is a very special occasion with so much thought, detail, love and let’s not forget “fun”- characteristics they both hold dear in their marriage. Here is to many more years together!”
Please visit COLOURS at: http://www.coloursgraphics.com
Casa di Danza
Dale and Ann Pizzitola
Dale and Ann Pizzitola
We got to know Dale and Ann one wintery night in 1998 when we walked into a dance studio in Milwaukee and they agreed to be our instructors. They were young ballroom dance professionals then, making a name for themselves competing all over the world and earning many accolades for their performances. Dale is from a large Italian family in Chicago and Ann is from “The Range” in Minnesota, two places dear to our hearts.
Through the years, we have remained friends. We watched them grow as professionals, build a beautiful ballroom dance studio in Milwaukee and pursue their dream of promoting ballroom dancing throughout the Midwest. The best part . . . We watched them get married 5 years ago at their most touching, lovely wedding!
They have graciously agreed to give a one-hour ballroom dance lesson to kick off our celebration. (We’ve heard a rumor they may be planning something extra special for all of us later in the evening!)
Please take advantage of this opportunity to try out this great sport and pasttime. We encourage you to join us on the dance floor, sway to the music and sashay the evening away!
Please visit Casa di Danza at: https://www.casadidanza.com
The Lafayette Club
Brenda Rogers and Staff
Lafayette Club Staff & Support
The Lafayette County Club boasts a grand Spanish style clubhouse on 38 acres of Lake Minnetonka shoreline. Originally built in 1882 by railroad magnate, James J Hill, many notables have stayed here, including Ulysses S Grant and President Taft.
Fires claimed the original hotel. The current country club was built in 1925. The Lafayette Club continues to preserve it’s long standing history while providing elegant and comfortable surroundings for member and guests. This private club features the Crystal Ballroom with crystal chandeliers, 17 charming guest rooms, fine and casual dining, a golf course, pool and emerald grounds and gardens to enjoy.
Our team at The Lafayette Club is so personable and professional, the best of Minnesota Nice!
Contact:
Brenda Rogers, Catering Director
952-471-6411
eventplanning@lafayetteclub.comBonnie Paasch, Front Office Supervisor
952-471-8493
frontoffice@lafayetteclub.com
DJ Services by Paul Young
Paul Young
Paul Young
Since 1987, Disc Jockey Paul Young has provided music at over 4000 events. Over 300 5 star reviews can be found on websites including the Knot, the Bash, Bark, Weddingwire, and Thumbtack. His credentials include being mentioned in an article in Minnesota Bride Magazine as their recommendation for a "Name-Booked" DJ in the Fall/Winter 2002 issue. He was also featured in Minnesota Meeting and Events Magazine in the "Ask the Experts" column in 2005.
Paul has the skills to read a crowd, give dance lessons, MC, judge the best song to follow what is playing, and overlap the ending of one track with the beginning of the next with precision that keeps the dance floor jumping. Paul brings some of the finest speakers and lighting equipment and operates it to keep the music at the perfect volume level and the lights mixed to the perfect colors. For any type of event, from ages 1 to 100, Paul is the expert at all styles.
Please visit DJ Services by Paul Young at: http://www.djpaulyoung.com
I Love Photography
Elaine Goepfert, CPP
Elaine Goepfert
Our photographer for this evening is Elaine Goepfert, principal and owner of the I Love Photography studio in the Twin Cities area. We are pleased to have her here to help record our once-in-a-lifetime event, the 50th Anniversary of our wedding.
Elaine has been professionally photographing important times in people’s lives for the last 16 years, the last 5 years full time from her studio in Hopkins, MN.
Please visit Elaine’s website at: https://www.ilovephotography.us/
Dale Mord
As the founder of Rogue Productions, Dale oversees the creative side of the business. His career in Video Production started in 2013 as a Camera Operator for "Fish Whispering" a fly fishing show that aired on NBC Sports Northwest. Dale studied and graduated at the University of Wisconsin - STOUT, he finds himself on campus often serving on the Advisory Board for the Video Production Program that STOUT offers. He also serves on the board for the Red Cedar Film Festival that is hosted very close to campus in Menomonie, WI.
His Passion isn't just the camera operation or the video, it's the success of the client. Client satisfaction means the world to the entire Rogue Productions team.
Although Rogue takes up most of his time, any free time is spent playing golf or enjoying a wide variety of outdoor activities.
Dale and his team will be video graphing this evening’s event. Please visit his website at: https://www.therogueminds.com
Kevin Osgood
Videography
Kevin Osgood
Kevin is the son-in-law of our good friends, Ray and Anja Segerman. Jim got to know Kevin up close and personal on a Boundary Waters Canoe Trip a few years ago!
Kevin enjoys getting his hands dirty. He loves the creative process. He is always asking "why?" — this is where a story begins to take shape.
The foundation of his directing career is built upon a strong sense of narrative, taking a holistic approach to production that is always at service of the final product. The unifying theme of Kevin's work is finding the beauty of the everyday, coupled with an emotional truth that he hopes connects with the viewer. It's ultimately that connection that determines the success of his work.
Kevin's work covers multiple genres — branded content, documentary, product, broadcast and corporate. He has created content for brands such as General Motors, Gillette, HP, Intel, Goldman Sachs, BMW, Windstream and American Express for agencies Kirschenbaum Bond Senecal, Red Peak, Leo Burnett, and Conde Nast. His recent work for Windstream's Locally Crafted documentary series has received widespread acclaim in The New York Times, Little Black Book and MediaPost and his work for BMW and American Express has been featured in Advertising in the Digital Age, Curated by RG/A.
We are honored that Kevin has agreed to edit the video of the special moments of our 50th Anniversary.
Please visit Kevin Osgood at: https://kevinosgood.com/work
AVEX
AVEX was founded in 2002 to raise the bar for service in the audio-visual technology industry. Again and again, we saw fallout from companies who overworked, underprepared, and undervalued their people. Even if the client-facing attitude was all smiles and thumbs up, there was often chaos behind the scenes as players grappled over self-interests and mismanaged partnerships. We wanted to do things differently.
Over the last 15 years, we have strategically grown our inventory of state of the art production equipment, service capabilities, and most importantly, our team of employees and valued partners who live out our mission and mindset. We value our people, and as a result, they work hard to deliver on the highest standards for customer service and value.
AVEX is here to assist in these challenging times with Video Streaming, Production, Graphics, and Content Development Services to get your message out to your audience. We have in-house studio locations that allow you to shoot and deliver your message from a polished studio. We also have remote sites that can host collaborative sessions via GoTo Meeting / Zoom and stream those to a larger audience. Finally, we have mobile streaming services. We can set up in tents, ballrooms, parking lots etc… and get your message where it needs to go!
Take a look at our website, www.goavex.com, to see all of the ways the AVEX can help you with your events, both live, and virtual!
Zaks Chocolate
Jim and Maureen Elitzak
Zaks Chocolate
Zak’s Chocolates is an award winning, small-batch, artisan craft chocolate maker located in Scottsdale, AZ. Owners of the family business, Jim and Maureen Elitzak have been featured in USAToday, and were on the cover of Chocolate Connoisseur Magazine.
Many of you know how Jim and I love chocolates. Both Jim & Maureen listened to us talk about our upcoming 50th wedding anniversary and together came up with a couple of special blend chocolates just for us! You will have the opportunity to savor Zak’s Chocolates the night of our anniversary celebration.
Please visit Zaks Chocolate at: https://zakschocolate.com