American Faces #28

The world we live in can seem like a pretty bleak place when we turn on the T.V. or read random reports on our news feeds. But our world is made a whole lot more bearable by men like Lonny Evans. Lonny is the Director of Volunteers and Outreach for Loaves and Fishes in Minnesota. His eyes light up as he talks of the impact Loaves and Fishes is making in the lives of people all over our state. There is a passion for people in each careful word he speaks. You can hear it. He knows people are not just numbers to be fed and cared for, but people like you and me who sometimes need a bit of help. As we walked around he introduced me to several volunteers – the folks who provide needed groceries and supplies to the people at each site that Loaves and Fishes serves. Lonny's smile, and his heart for people, make you feel welcome the instant you shake his hand.

Outside of work, Lonny serves as Director of Operations for the Minnesota Wild Blind Hockey (MWBH) program. He sees his role at Loaves and Fishes, and MWBH, as the C.E.O.O. – the Chief Encourager of Others and Opportunities.

May we all strive to be a C.E.O.O. like Lonny Evans and make this world a better place.

American Faces #27

Rick is the friendly Floridian face for this American Faces installment. My family and I met Rick as he guided us in kayaks through the mangrove tunnels near Anna Maria Island, Florida. This guy who has lived his whole life in the Anna Maria area knows the mangroves tunnels like the veins on the back of his tan hands, which was evident as he adroitly lead on a winding and informative trip. He is wonderfully knowledgeable about the aquatic creatures that are plentiful below the water, the small crabs that call the mangroves home, and the birds that had their wings set on the coastal breeze above the bay as we kayaked. Men like Rick are gems. We were given more than just a tour as he talked about life and how much the mangroves mean to him. The gentle strokes of the kayak paddle as he guides people through the mangroves have been a salve of sorts for this man with a salt and pepper beard. Guiding visitors is not his first vocation, he is a 61 year old retired respiratory therapist.The sights and sounds he saw in his four decades in the healthcare industry with most of those years as a respiratory therapist were not always easy. I suppose one can say the saltwater has been good for his soul.

Slowing down and taking time to paddle gave my family and me time to experience the mangroves and the serenity they have to offer. It also gave us a time to meet Rick, a man who shared a bit of his life with us on a sunny day in Anna Maria, Florida.

If you are in the mood for a kayak tour in Florida check out this link: https://www.amipaddleboard.com/

American Faces # 26

One can often find Patty Voje painting a variety of subjects when she is not leading a team of creatives at Spot. Patty is a woman with a great vigor for life and the willing subject for #26 of my American Faces series. During the day, Patty can be found at the helm, as the owner of Spot, a creative shop & digital advertising agency in St. Paul, MN. In her free time, she is a wonderfully, talented painter in the alla prima style, a style in which oil paint is applied in layers while the paint is still wet. The strokes from her brushes bring to life country landscapes and cityscapes. All around the globe her florals, cats, dogs, and farm animals such as cows, which are the favorite of people can be found. Patty shared with me that she has been painting actively for 20 years (actively to Patty means almost daily). Painting is an outlet for her creativity away from her day to day job as an owner and creative at Spot. Patty has such a zeal for life even after a career in the graphic arts industry, it can be seen in every painting in her brownstone studio in St. Paul, MN. Her love for art is apparent in the paintings that surrounded us as I created the image of her. She also encourages others to push themselves to create and share their work on a daily basis. When the end of our time together was coming to a close I asked Patty if there was anything she wanted to share, she said, “If you are drawn to art give yourself permission to create.” May a zeal to create push each of us to make this world a better place one painting, one sculpture, one photograph, one amazing creative work at a time!

Patty’s artist website can be found at: https://www.patriciavoje.com/