Stracek and Leidenfrost represent Todd County seniors at State Fair
Rita Stracek, Browerville, and Frank Leidenfrost, Staples, are representing Todd County as Outstanding Senior Citizens at the Minnesota State Fair. They were named at the Todd County Fair in July.
The Minnesota Outstanding Senior Citizens will be named at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1. Winners are chosen for their outstanding commitment to community service since reaching the age of 65.
Frank Leidenfrost
If you live in the Staples area, you are bound to know Frank Liedenfrost.
“I am honored and pleased that they saw fit to honor me. There are a lot of people who are deserving. This is a humbling thing, too. I don’t do the things I do for recognition, but sometimes that happens anyway,” said Frank.
I didn’t know him before the interview, but he is the kind of man - the kind of person - who anyone would be happy to call a friend. He has a light, jovial spirit and an endearing way of making you feel welcome and cared for.
He and his wife Amy both taught at the Staples-Motley High School beginning in 1966, when they moved to Staples.
“I grew up in Little Falls and Amy grew up in Menahga, so Staples was like a half-way point to our hometowns for both of us,” he said.
Frank taught physical education and driver’s education and an “occasional health class.”
Amy started out teaching physical education and later went into business education.
Frank also coached the school’s football team for several years.
“This has been a good community. It’s been good to us so we give back when we can,” said Frank.
Some of the ways that he gives back is through the Lions Club. He explained that there are actually two Lions Clubs in town and that both he and Amy have been very active in them since 1969, when Frank first joined.
Their service to the Lions Clubs has included each being district governors at some point as they were both involved with the organization at the district level as well as locally.
With 76 clubs in the district, it was a busy position.
“We did a lot of traveling. But there were fun parts to it, also,” he said with a broad smile.
For example, when he was installed as district governor, the convention that year was in England, so he and Amy made the trip overseas.
When Amy was installed as district governor, the convention was in Australia.
“We wouldn’t have had those opportunities had we not been involved with the Lions,” said Frank.
He continues to be involved with the Lions and the Lions Club International Foundation.
Amy is involved with the Minnesota Diabetes Foundation through the Lions.
In addition to his service to the Lions Club, Frank, along with Amy help stock shelves at the area food shelf.
“We don’t go on distribution days. We don’t want people to feel we are judging anyone. We are glad we can do something,” he said.
He and Amy have also been volunteer drivers when needed for Meals on Wheels for the past two to three years.
Frank serves on the board at the Staples High Rise, an income based housing facility in Staples.
He and Amy both help out at their church by serving as ushers.
Frank additionally just finished a six year term of serving on the Moorhead State Alumni Board.
“Outside of that, that’s about all we do,” said Frank with a smile.
“We’re sometimes busier than we want to be, but we enjoy what we’re doing. It’s a good community and we’ve made good friends,” added Frank.
Amy quipped, “And it beats getting up in the morning and wondering what we are going to do!”
One of the many recognitions that Frank has received over the years is the Melvin Jones Fellow award in 1993 for dedicated humanitarian services. This was from the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
He can add to that the Outstanding Senior Citizen for Todd County title to his distinguished record.
Rita Stracek
“Since we are all blessed with special talents or gifts, I try to use them in a way to help other people and our community. Volunteering is a way of giving back to our community for all that has been given to us,” said Rita Stracek, who was surprised and felt very grateful for the honor.
“I am happy I can be involved,” she said.
She expressed her gratefulness to her husband Gary who was also selected as an outstanding senior citizen for Browerville along with Rita.
“One good thing about doing all this volunteer work is that you meet a lot of good people while doing it,” commented Gary Stracek.
She is also thankful to her family who have supported her in doing all the volunteer work she has done over the years.
One volunteer job that she is especially proud of is her work with the Todd County Historical Society Grants Committee.
“I have written and been able to secure grants for the society and museum through Legacy Funding, Todd-Wadena Electric Co-op and Minnesota Power,” she said.
Some of the things purchased with the grant funds include a new Microfilm reader to scan and read the microfilm of the five county newspapers from 1876-2012; a video camera to record oral histories.
Other grants helped pay for a new projector, computers and printers for the Todd County Museum.
“These grant awards enable visitors or persons contacting the great staff at the museum to either research for genealogy or county history and serve as a legacy for future generations,” she said.
They’re presently working on installing a new security system from grant money from Minnesota Power.
“I enjoy researching and helping coordinate bus trips - always something educational and fun - for the Todd County Historical Society,” said Stracek.
A trip is planned in September which will include points of interest along the Mississippi River in both Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Todd County History Day was another project Stracek has helped with the last six years. It was held in various locations throughout the county showing different aspects of our county’s history.
“It’s a joint effort by the six historical societies of Todd County and the Great River Regional Library in Eagle Bend/Staples,” she said.
Past themes have included: the Hewitt School and Preserving Historic Buildings; Century Farms; Creameries; the Civil War and the involvement of Todd County; Country Schools and Historical Quilts across Todd County including the Riverside Ladies Aid 1938.
“Each event offered Todd County residents an opportunity to learn about our history. As chairperson for the group in 2015, I researched information about the women who comprised the 46 members of the Riverside Ladies Aid 1938 by contacting relatives or people who knew about these women to tell about their lives in the challenging days following the Depression,” she said.
“Thanks to the persons who rescued those beautiful blocks and assembled them into the beautiful quilt we have today displayed in the Todd County Museum in Long Prairie,” Stracek added.
She wrote a book about these early settler women which included pictures and stories and is available to read at the Todd County Museum.
That History Day was held at the Browerville Community Center and included displays of historic quilts from the six historical societies/museums with a story of each. A program was presented where people learned the history of the quilts, some over 100 years old and stories from the Riverside Ladies Aid 1938 relatives or friends who told about these women who so bravely lived through a challenging time period.
In the past year, Stracek and her husband have been trying to assist the Clarissa Community Museum organization in helping them reach their goal of adding on to the Clarissa Senior Center for their museum.
The original museum was condemned and torn down in 2014 and the artifacts are in storage until a new one can be built.
“It’s so important for a community to share this history whether it’s older residents or school children, so they can value the people who settled the area. Area residents are encouraged to support this cause so this history treasure can be shared in the future,” she said.
In addition to her work with the museums, she also finds great reward in working with the women of St. Mary’s Mission Group at St. Joseph’s in Clarissa to make quilts for the missions both locally for people in need or in the larger St. Cloud Diocese or even worldwide.
“We are so fortunate to give back to our community to help people in need,” said Stracek.
She also coordinates the Angel Tree Project at Christ the King Parish in Browerville.
“Each year, about a month before Christmas, I receive a list of items needed by less fortunate children and adults in our area. They are listed on an angel, placed on a Christmas tree for parishioners to take and purchase that gift. Last year we were able to help 52 persons have a better Christmas celebration from these gifts,” she said.
Stracek also co-chairs the Christ the King Parish Life Committee in which they plan social events to give people an opportunity to visit and share time with one another.
Presently, she also shares her time and talents by serving on the Lakewood Health System Patient Advisory Committee where suggestions are given on how to better serve Lakewood patients.
“From 2007 to 2013 I served on the Todd-Wadena Electric ‘Operation Roundup’ Board where we discuss and determine which non-profits, schools, etc. in the Todd-Wadena Electric Co-op area receives grants from this fund to pursue their goals,” she said.
“I used the opportunity to educate and lead the youth of our county by serving as an adult 4-H leader for 25 years. I was grateful for growing up in a 4-H family, helping our six children with their projects in 4-H and assisting county youth,” she said.
While serving as a leader, she had the opportunity to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. through the State 4-H Food and Nutrition Committee.
Rita is now working on a genealogy for Gary and her family so their children can have that as a legacy.
“I am very grateful for my husband Gary and our beautiful family that have given me the opportunity to use my gifts,” she said.
“What would our world be like without volunteers,” asked Stracek.
Frank Leidenfrost, left, of Staples, and Rita Stracek of Browerville are representing Todd County at the Minnesota State Fair as Outstanding Senior Citizens. Leidenfrost holds an award he received for his work with Lions Club International. Stracek holds a book she wrote about the Riverside Ladies Aid group and the quilts they created. (Staples World photos by Karin Nauber)
