Valley Senior Living’s ‘Oktoberfest’ celebrates all things German for a good cause – Obituary

GRAND FORKS – At a party with 300-some guests celebrating all things German, Myrna Schedel’s 87th birthday could be one of her most memorable.

“I’m 100% German,” the Bismarck woman said, speaking over the lively crowd and polka music at Valley Senior Living’s fourth annual Oktoberfest on Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Alerus Center.

Schedel is visiting family members here; they decided to bring her to the fundraising event to celebrate in true German style.

She is originally from New Leipzig, North Dakota, where “my grandpa and grandma spoke to us in German,” she said. Born in a hospital in Elgin, North Dakota, she is a 1956 graduate of New Leipzig High School.

About the Oktoberfest event, she said she really enjoyed “the music, the people, the food – all of it – it’s such a happy place to be. We’re lucky to celebrate like this. It’s been fun.”

Also, “the knoephla soup is very good,” Schedel added.

Another guest, Monica Musich, who also claims German heritage – “my maiden name is Schmidt” – agreed.

“The food was excellent, absolutely phenomenal,” Musich said. “And a nice variety. There’s something for everyone – even for those who are not meat-eaters.”

Musich, a Valley Senior Living Foundation Board member who has attended Oktoberfest every year, said the event “is growing – which I just love.

“And what a great cause,” she said. The fundraiser helps “(VSL) residents get out in the community. It warms my heart – and that might be me someday.”

Proceeds from the event are dedicated to Valley Senior Living’s Community Connections and Wishing Well programs. Funds are used to support residents who want to attend meetings and activities of the clubs and organizations they belong to; attend sporting events, concerts, theater productions, weddings, funerals and anniversary celebrations; and other excursions.

Sally Grosgebauer, VSL director of marketing, cited an example of a resident of the memory care unit who was granted a Wishing Well request. She was able to travel, aided by two care partners, to visit her nephew who had built a “barn-dominium,” an entertainment facility, in Pine City, Minnesota.

“She said, ‘I never really thought I’d be able to see what he’d done, and would only see it in pictures,’” Grosgebauer recounted. And the resident, a long-time Grand Forks Air Force Base elementary school teacher, was “so thankful for the opportunity” to spend time with her nephew.

Joe Bailey, VSL assistant life enrichment director, mentioned another resident, “a big country music fan,” who has been able to attend three country music concerts at the Alerus Center because of this program.

“It’s great,” said Bailey, who, along with Grosgebauer, was dressed to the hilt in traditional German garb.

In addition to knoephla soup, the buffet of German cuisine included bacon-wrapped beer brats and bites with cheese dip and stone-ground mustard, Berlin kartoffelsuppe, pork schnitzel and käsespäetzle, sauerbraten and German potato salad, perogies with peppers and onion, and raspberry custard kuchen.

The first 320 ticketholders received a free commemorative beer stein, with two fills of Oktoberfest brew.

Corey Mock of Grand Forks, who served as master of ceremonies, kept the festivities rollicking and rolling. In one of the games, the Last Person Standing – whereby the contestant holds a beer stein straight out as long as possible – when Mayor Brandon Bochenski succumbed, Mock explained, “Well, the mayor has the weight of the city on his back.”

Bob Christensen, 61, of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, won that contest. Janet Gadaire, a 49-year VSL employee, took second place.

Christensen noted that he was up against “a lot of young guys here.” Asked about his secret to winning, he said, “I drink a lot of beer – so, a lot of practice.”

His mother-in-law, Ginnie Schock, resides in a VSL facility.

Gadaire said in her work with Valley Senior Living, “the memory care unit is my favorite.”

Residents may not remember her, she said, “but they’ll remember what I put in their heart.”

The first sausage toss was sponsored by L&M Meats this year.

Matt Hodek and the Dakota Dutchmen, a polka band from Lankin, North Dakota, filled the ballroom with festive music, such as “Roll Out the Barrel, We’ll Have a Barrel of Fun” and other familiar tunes that enticed couples to the dance floor.

An online auction featured a wide variety of items from dozens of local businesses, organizations and individuals.

Valley Senior Living is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. Supported by Lutheran congregations, the organization opened its first facility – the Grand Forks Home for the Aged – for 40 people at 1023 Almonte Ave. on Oct. 15, 1924. That facility was destroyed in the Flood of ‘97.

Today, the VSL organization is governed by a board with representation from 25 area Lutheran churches. It operates three Grand Forks facilities where a caring environment is provided for about 550 residents.