Tag Archives: deep freeze dip

My Minnesota fashion statement

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I’ve never really been one to follow the fashion trends.

I prefer turtlenecks to those colorful silky scarves in winter, I’d rather wear jeans to work every day than have to dress up for the job and, if I knew I wouldn’t be razzed terribly at the office, I wouldn’t mind buying a pair of leg warmers again.

Yes, those knitted leg warmers were trendy when I was in about the fifth grade, but they’re making a comeback – and they really did keep my legs warm!

Knowing that I’ll be spending much of the afternoon outside on Saturday covering Winterfest activities and the Deep Freeze Dip in Worthington, I’ve been gathering up the warmest of my winter attire, and I can tell you right now, I won’t be making any fashion statements down by the lakeshore.

Right now, my plan is to wear two pairs of my favorite alpaca fiber socks (of different colors of course!) underneath my pair of clodhopper boots. The long underwear will be under the blue jeans and, if I dig out a pair of jeans I fit into a couple of years ago, I have enough extra room to put a third layer (maybe sweat pants) on as well (under the jeans, of course!)

The tops (plural) will be pretty easy – a long-sleeved turtleneck under a sweatshirt, under a sweater, under my winter parka. (It is only supposed to be about 7 degrees, after all!)

I bought new gloves tonight that had better keep my fingers warm. I liked them because they had grippers on the underside – perfect for holding a pencil to take notes. (Did you know pens freeze when the air is that cold? It’s happened to me before!)

Perhaps the most laughable item I will be wearing is my new bomber hat. (It was a birthday present, so no one can make fun of it!) In all honesty, it looks like a bunny rabbit gave up its life for my new hat. Sadly, the fur appears to be nothing more than decoration (although I think it will keep my ears warm). If necessary, I’ll also have a ski-mask along to cover up even more of my face.

Hmm, maybe I should just wear the ski mask anyway – it might serve as a good disguise. If no one recognizes me, I won’t have to endure teasing!

Then again, I’d rather be making a horrible wintertime fashion statement than don a swimsuit and jump in the lake!

If you can come for a little while – or stay for the afternoon – please join me at Chautauqua Park on the shore of Lake Okabena on Saturday afternoon and watch those crazy people take the Deep Freeze Dip. The dip starts at 3 p.m.

I promise I won’t make fun of your Minnesota wintertime fashion statement – if you don’t make fun of mine!

Big dippers and the Deep Freeze Dip

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Watching two self-proclaimed fat guys slip into a wetsuit — their chosen attire for this Saturday’s Deep Freeze Dip in Worthington’s Lake Okabena — can be likened to a gut-busting comedy routine … or at least that’s what I imagined after reading an e-mail from Luverne Area Chamber Director Jane Lanphere Tuesday morning.

Jane’s husband, Larry “Lumpy” Lanphere, is well-known in these parts for his years in the radio business. Come Saturday, he might become well-known for another reason. He and fellow radioman Dan Dobson have agreed (or more aptly been railroaded) to take the plunge into the frigid waters of our local lake.

Larry Lanphere and Dan Dobson

Do you know how cold it is going to be on Saturday?

Well, right now, the forecast is for a high of 5 to 10 degrees. As event organizer Chad Cummings says, it will be “cheek-chillin’ cold outside!”

I called Larry on Tuesday to get his side of the story on the wetsuit fitting, and tried to stop giggling long enough to concentrate on my typing.

“Holy buckets — Jane had to come in and help both of us get the top part on,” Larry described. “How the hell do (women) get girdles on?”

Well, I wasn’t about to answer that question … let’s just say Larry now has a new appreciation for the work some women go through to create a smoother, shapelier appearance!

Then Larry declared, “We can’t even hardly walk in these things — we look like idiots. We thought we looked pretty good until we looked in the mirror. Holy gosh, we have lumps all over the place! We look like beached walruses, I’ll tell ya!”

As I laughed uncontrollably, he explained how he and Dan are going to arrive dressed in their wetsuits (kindly donated for the cause by Donovan’s Hobby & Scuba Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.) for the dip. I don’t know … I think I’d be willing to donate a little more just to watch these guys struggle and squirm to get into their gear!

“For two fat old guys, it’s going to be trouble,” Larry confided.

It’s all worth it — taking pledges to take the dip and helping raise the remaining $50,000 needed to send southwest Minnesota (and northwest Iowa) World War II veterans on Honor Flight.

In a second phone call to Larry’s better half, Jane said Tuesday they now have 84 applications from World War II veterans wanting to take part on the third Honor Flight Southwest Minnesota.

“We really need 150 on the list in order to fly,” said Jane. Only 110 seats are available for veterans, but they like to have a list of back-ups to draw from. The dates for the next flight are April 29-30.

“This is the time to get those veterans from Rock, Nobles, Pipestone, Murray, Cottonwood and Jackson counties — and those applications from Iowa,” she said. Applications are available from Chamber of Commerce and Veterans Service Offices across southwest Minnesota.

A quick perusal of the list shows at least 30 of the 80 applicants are from the six counties of far southwest Minnesota, with the remainder coming from just beyond — Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Redwood and Kandiyohi counties, to name a few. Many of those veterans live in areas where the Honor Flight Network hasn’t yet, and may never, reach.

As the Daily Globe reporter on the inaugural Honor Flight Southwest Minnesota, I will say without hesitation that whatever we can do to support these heroes is well worth it — regardless of what their address is now. Traveling with them, hearing their stories and getting to know them — those were the greatest experiences I have ever had.

My money for the Deep Freeze Dip on Saturday is going to our Daily Globe dippers — copy editor Joe Froemming and sports reporter Daniel Kerwin.

Word has it that Larry needs a lot of help, though, so if you can spare some bills, he’ll gladly take them.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 59 jumpers on the Deep Freeze Dip list — including 10 from JBS who have already been guaranteed $250 a piece by the company. That’s $2,500 for Honor Flight and the jumpers are still out adding to their pledge cards!

Worthington’s District 518 and Adrian School District each have five dippers, with Worthington Christian School sponsoring two. Several local businesses are also sponsoring dippers, including GuidePoint, Hy-Vee and Worthington Taxi, to name a few.

So, come on out and watch the hilarity … it begins at 3 p.m. Saturday on the shores of Chautauqua Park in Worthington (free shuttles provided from Westminster Presbyterian Church parking lot). Cheer on the dippers, dig into your wallet and help us get the next flight of veterans to Washington, D.C., to see their memorials.

Co-worker takes one for the team

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My blog writing has dropped off considerably in the past couple of months … my apologies to my faithful Farm Bleat readers. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done and still have a little time for myself.

If you are a regular reader of the Daily Globe, you may have noticed the weekly features on the World War II veterans of Rock, Nobles, Murray and Pipestone counties … they are published each Thursday. It became a special project of mine in early December as we in the southwest corner of Minnesota began to raise $136,000 to send our heroes, free of charge, to see their World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Each week, I scroll through my list of names and numbers of veterans who have already applied for Southwest Minnesota Honor Flight and select a person to interview. I know nothing about any of them on the list, which is one of the exciting things about being a journalist.

Who has good stories to tell? Who fought in the big battles?

The truth is they all have good stories to tell … their stories … each one different from the next.

Pen and notebook in hand and audio recorder recording, I know sharing their stories with the world is the least I can do. For a little extra, I’m selling buttons for Southwest Minnesota Honor Flight to help pay their way.

But, I draw the line at taking the Deep Freeze Dip.

Last week, U.S. 104 Highway Patrol morning show personalities Matt Widboom and Chad Cummings tried to coax me into taking the dip. Oh sure, they pulled out all of the stops … calling me a celebrity in my hometown because I work for the newspaper, and telling me it was for a good cause (I already knew the latter, but I’ll never consider myself a celebrity, sorry guys!)

Trust me, no one wants to see me jump into a lake … especially me!

I had no second thoughts, however, about volunteering the co-worker who shares my little corner of the newsroom … Kari Lucin.

It was an obvious choice, really. She knows how to swim (I don’t), she owns a swimsuit (I don’t) and she is completely willing to jump into a freezing cold lake to raise money (I’m not). I will, however, be at Sunset Park on Lake Okabena by 1:30 p.m. Saturday, selling Southwest Minnesota Honor Flight buttons to help add to the fundraising efforts.

The buttons are $5 each (additional donations gladly accepted) and ALL of the money goes toward sending our veterans on a two-day excursion to see the World War II, Vietnam and Korean memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery this spring.

They gave so much for us … let’s give them something in return.

Oh, and if you plan to join in the festivities on Saturday, please cheer on Kari as she takes the dip … she’s taking one for the Daily Globe team!