She soon took a better-paying job as a secretary to the assistant controller for Minneapolis St. Louis (MSL) Railroad. Deciding she needed more excitement in her life, Velma enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943. She was sent to serve in a recruiting office in Denver, Colo., for three years, and has lived there ever since. It was in Denver that Velma met her husband, Charles Brooke. Together they raised four children: Robert, Norman, Fred and Elizabeth. Velma has many good memories of family weekend camping trips to Rocky Mountain National Park and to the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. Velma and Charles traveled worldwide, visiting Europe, Korea and Tahiti, and took many cruises in the Carribbean. They had been married 45 years at the time of his death in 1991 Velma presently enjoys her annual involvement in the Salvation Army summer camp near Estes Park, Colo. When she was 85 years old, her camp experiences inlcuded climbing a 25-foot pole and riding a zip line down the mountain. She also taken a number of river cruises. Her next cruise will be in April with son Fred on the Columbia River. While visiting this winter with her sister-in-law, Grace Comstock, in Coleraine, Velma remarked that she'd "forgotten how cold it gets in Northern Minnesota!"

Itasca alumni and area snowbirds met for a mini-reunion at The Villages, Florida on
January 19. Provost Mike Johnson, business instructor John Rothstein, Development
Director Mary Richie and Alumni Director Beth Anderson presented a campus and
alumni update.

Pictured at the mini-reunion are l-r, Joe and Luann Solien, Mary Richie, Bill and Janet
Hakala, Barb Willis, Jim and Corrine Shay, Shirley and Doug Gallop, Jeanne Ahlm,
Grace Gabrielsen, Rankin Ahlm, Jim Gabrielsen, Dick Willis, Lois, Dave and Judy
Maki, Ollie Young, John Rothstein, Bob Johns, Marie Christy, Mike Johnson, Chub
Christy and Beth Anderson

give students another opportunity to attend Itasca”, notes Dr. McMahon. the Itasca Community College Foundation's 2007 Annual Scholarship Fund Drive.

With this gift the McMahon endowed fund becomes one of the foundation's largest student scholarship funds. Accessible through the annual Itasca Community College on-line scholarship application process, McMahon scholarship applicants may be full or part time, first or second year, but must be residents of Itasca County, Hill City, Jacobson or Remer.

Dr. McMahon grew up in Grand Rapids, graduating from Grand Rapids High School in 1951. He attended Itasca Junior College and earned his bachelor degree from St. Thomas College, St. Paul, in 1955. After graduating from Marquette Medical School in Milwaukee, WI, Dr. McMahon served in the U.S. Navy and then completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Minnesota in 1967. He had a long and successful career in private practice in the Twin Cities including partnerships in Orthopedic Consultants, at one time the largest orthopedic specialty group in the United States, and Minnesota Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. McMahon studied total joint replacement surgery in England and Switzerland, and helped pioneer total joint replacement (primarily hip and knee) surgery in the United States. He also taught orthopedics at the University of Minnesota Orthopedic Residency Program. Dr. McMahon retired in 2003.

Mary Margaret (Reisinger) McMahon was born in Hibbing and graduated from Nashwauk High School in 1952. She graduated from the College of St. Scholastica in 1957 with a degree in medical records. The McMahons have six adult children and 15 grandchildren and their decision to endow a scholarship is based on their appreciation of their Northeastern Minnesota roots, their continued ties and interest in this area, and their belief in supporting the accessible, academic and career-related education that Itasca offers to learners.

The Itasca Community College Foundation manages over 50 endowed scholarships, all established to assist students in reaching their educational goals. If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.

College in 1956, and played football. In 1965, after nine years in construction, he began his long career with Blandin Paper Company, retiring
after 30 years in 1995. Clarence's concern for the challenges adults face in returning
to college to better their career opportunities, prompted his scholarship gift. A long time member of both the Itasca Vintage Car Club and the Loyal Order of the Moose, Clarence enjoys winters in Bullhead City, Arizona and summers in Northern Minnesota.

The Itasca Community College Foundation is pleased to manage over 50 endowed scholarships, all established to assist students reach their educational goals. If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.

attended Itasca Junior College in 1946 and 1947. Del married his high school sweetheart, Lila Ruotsala of Balsam, on August 23, 1946 within two weeks of returning home from World War II. Following Itasca, he attended the University of Minnesota.

In 1950 Del purchased his first business, the Country Bar and Grocery Store, Lawrence Lake. He and Lila worked side by side and created a thriving business which they sold in 1952. They operated Lengby Liquor Store, Lengby, MN, until 1956 when they sold it to move to Grand Rapids. While seeking information on homes in the Grand Rapids area, Del visited the real estate office of James Luthen. Soon he was learning the real estate business and enjoyed 3 successful years in real estate sales and management.

Having established a good working relationship with Jim Luthen, the pair visited a new farm store in Brainerd, MN in 1958 owned by Mr. General Mills. They were intrigued with the farm store concept and contacted Mid-States Distributing Company in St. Paul to develop an operating plan of their own. In 1959 they opened the first L& M Supply Store in Grand Rapids, a 24' x 60' building with 1,440 sq. ft.

L & M's mission from the very beginning has been to treat customers fairly - to treat them as you want to be treated - while also supporting employees. Since the 1960's L & M has offered an employee pension plan that includes a generous employer match. Following the opening of the first store in Grand Rapids in 1959, L & M has expanded to operate 7 stores located in Cloquet (1962), Virginia (1964) Hibbing (1966) Bemidji and Park Rapids (1985) and Detroit Lakes (2003) with 450,000 sq. ft. of warehouse and retail space.

Del has had a long and successful career, much of it as an entrepreneur in the emerging business field of cooperative buying groups and discount sales. His wife Lila and their four children contributed time and support through the many business moves and changes along the way. Sadly, Lila passed away June 20, 2007. Del continues to “coach” the current operators of L & M Supply including his son, Jim Luthen's son-in-law, his two grandsons and Jim Luthen's grandson-in-law. The organization is very appreciative of the many dedicated customers and employees it has had the pleasure to work with over the years. The Del and Lila Matteson/L & M Supply Entrepreneur Scholarship Award is established in an effort to help other individuals realize their dreams in the business world.

The Itasca Community College Foundation manages over 50 endowed scholarships, all established to assist students in reaching their educational goals. If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.

observing their education pathways, he realized providing scholarship funds with special consideration to full time and part time non-traditional students, was his priority.

Ken grew up in Cohasset and attended 1st through 9th grade at the local school. He attended Grand Rapids High School until January, 1951 when he left for active duty with the local National Guard unit that was federalized for the Korean War. Ken and Mary were married two years before he enrolled as a full-time student at Itasca in 1954. Ken graduated from Itasca in 1956, Bemidji State in 1958, and earned his Master of Science in Elementary Administration, also from Bemidji State, in 1967. Mary began her college education at Itasca by enrolling in an evening class in 1968 and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1972. Mary passed away in April, 1986.

Ken spent his professional career in elementary education, 10 years as a teacher in Benson, Deer River and Coleraine, MN and 23 years as an elementary principal in Waterloo, IA. He is retired and has four children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild. He and his wife Sara reside in San Antonio, Texas.

The Itasca Community College Foundation manages over 50 endowed scholarships, all established to assist students in reaching their educational goals. If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.

Peter grew up in Calumet, graduating from Greenway High School. Because of his parent's strong emphasis on education he began his post-secondary education at Itasca. He then moved on to the University of Minnesota where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

Peter has enjoyed a long and successful career as an accountant, beginning with the firm of Gunn, Gunn, & Gunn; Escondido School District; and Penn Elm Medical Group. For the last 40 years he has served as comptroller and accountant for Baker Enterprises, LLC in Escondido, CA. Additionally, he has operated a part-time accounting and tax practice since 1968.

As an appropriate way to pay tribute to his parents and to support his own belief in education, Peter established the Paul and Anna Santrach Scholarship. He initiated the endowed scholarship fund in 2004 with his donation and encouraged his family to participate as well. In thanks and appreciation for Peter's years of work excellence, Baker Enterprises LLC has also made generous contributions to this scholarship fund.

Peter and his wife Dolly, have eight children and thirteen grandchildren and reside in Escondido California.

schooling at St. Scholastica, Duluth (B.S. Nursing Ed., 1944), St. Mary’s School of Nursing, Duluth and St. Cloud Hospital School of Anesthesia. Betty enjoyed a rewarding 40 year career in health care, including 25 years as chief anesthesiologist
at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Brainerd.

Following retirement in 1983, Betty returned to Grand Rapids where she currently resides. Over the years she has traveled extensively in Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the U.K. and now appreciates spending time at home and at her cabin with family and friends.

The Itasca Community College Foundation is pleased to manage nearly 50 endowed scholarships; all established to assist students reach their educational goals. If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.

a typical enrollment of 10-12 students, through 8th grade. In order to attend high school, Ann moved to Grand Rapids and worked for her board and room. She graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1934 and headed to Minneapolis to attend business school. In 1939 Ann returned to Grand Rapids and began a long and rewarding career at the Itasca County Extension Office, connecting her work with her love of 4-H and agriculture.

Ann retired from the extension office in 1981 after 42 years of service. Ann enjoys sewing and her friends and neighbors at Colony Square in Grand Rapids. Ann recently celebrated two joint milestones - her 90th birthday and 25 years of retirement - and those events caused her to act on a long held idea of establishing a scholarship at Itasca Community College for a deserving student.

Ann’s scholarship is designed to be awarded to a deserving student pursuing an Associate in Arts degree or Practical Nursing diploma and is open to both incoming freshmen and returning sophomores.

If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.

Inn; Vice Chair - Kathy Pliska, Investment Manager, LaSalle Street Securities/First National Bank of Coleraine; Past Chair – Rick Salmela, Assistant Controller, Industrial Lubricant; Past Treasurer - Rob Alajoki, retired; Board chair - Heidi Chandler, Itasca County Assistant County Attorney.

Marty and husband John, have long supported scholarship development for deserving students and the board was pleased to honor their work with a matching gift. Marty recently retired as Itasca Community College Director of Development and Executive Director of the Itasca Community College Foundation.

“There is nothing the board could have done that would have pleased us more or would mean more to us than this! This gift will benefit so many ICC students and will continue to do so for many years to come,” said Marty.

The Licke Family Scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving ICC Applied Psychology student and was established in 2004 to encourage students from Deer River and Bigfork high schools to attend ICC and enter the field of psychology.

If you would like to learn more about scholarship and program opportunities through the Itasca Community College Foundation, please call Mary Richie at 218.327.4205.