St. Croix Stories

Drew Spielman, Hudson Fire Chief

Drew Spielman has fond memories of his father's time as a firefighter in his hometown of Menomonie, Wis. He also remembers visiting his grandfather, who would also share about his time as a volunteer firefighter. With two generations of firefighters as role models, Drew knew his future was also in the world of firefighting. He attended school to earn a degree in fire protection and landed a job with the Green Bay Fire Department. But eventually, he felt the call back to Western Wisconsin to be closer to family. When the fire chief job opened up in Hudson, he applied and was hired — bringing him closer to home. Now three years into his role as the leader of the volunteer fire department, Chief Spielman has learned a lot about the local community and about the unique challenges that go along with being the chief of a group of volunteer firefighters. On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Chief Spielman shares more about his childhood dreams of becoming a firefighter, explains the ins and outs of a volunteer department like Hudson's, talks about discovering a passion for photography while serving as a firefighter in Green Bay, and much more. To learn about the Hudson Fire Department, visit hudsonfd.org [https://www.hudsonfd.org/]. Send a message to the host [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2260996/open_sms] Follow St. Croix Stories on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/stcroixstoriespodcast] and Instagram [https://instagram.com/stcroixstories], and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com [https://www.stcroixstories.com/].

Lindsey Moreland, Autism Advocate

Lindsey Moreland is an author, an artist, and a motivation speaker — all of which have helped her show that people with autism are capable of doing lots of amazing things. When Lindsey was diagnosed with autism at 28 months old, it changed her family's world. But her parents and sister have been her biggest support over the years, and the Morelands have teamed up to become autism advocates together [https://www.autismlm.com/]. That has included writing a book [https://www.autismlm.com/product/Autism-A-Family-Lives-Beyond-the-Label-The-Lindsey-Moreland-Story] about the impacts autism has had on their family, and speaking at galas and events. Lindsey has gone on to write several children's books in a series called "Little Lindsey [https://www.autismlm.com/product/Childrens-Book-Set-All-Four]," helping educate kids and their families about autism.  In addition to working at Target in Hudson, Lindsey is an accomplished artist [https://www.instagram.com/lindseymorelandartist/] and poet, who recently had some of her work selected in a competition. She shares about her superpowers she's gained from her autism on the latest episode of St. Croix Stories. Plus, she shares her views on the popular TV show "Love on the Spectrum," recalls what it was like when Target CEO Brian Cornell her her inspiring story, and more. Send a message to the host [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2260996/open_sms] Follow St. Croix Stories on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/stcroixstoriespodcast] and Instagram [https://instagram.com/stcroixstories], and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com [https://www.stcroixstories.com/].

Chris Mick, STEM Educator/Librarian

Like many kids, Chris Mick had dreams of being an astronaut. He started taking steps toward that goal, including making the drive from California to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. But some hurdles wound up ending his dream of going into space, including the fact that he grew to be too tall to be an astronaut. Despite that, Chris' love of space never wavered. Fast forward to today, and Chris has been educating the Hudson community about space for many years. He's a regular speaker at classrooms all throughout the Hudson area, sharing his passion for space with kids of all ages. He also has brought space programming to the Hudson Area Public Library, where he now works full-time as a librarian.  Chris' love of space has led to some amazing opportunities, including the chance to visit launch sites and the opportunity to interview Buzz Aldrin, Scott and Mark Kelly, and more. He's taken those experiences and brought them back to Hudson, where he's shared them with many others and helped spark curiosity about space for residents young and old. Chris' many years of service as a STEM educator ultimately earned him the Volunteer of the Year award from the Hudson Chamber, and he continues to get locals excited about space. Send a message to the host [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2260996/open_sms] Follow St. Croix Stories on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/stcroixstoriespodcast] and Instagram [https://instagram.com/stcroixstories], and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com [https://www.stcroixstories.com/].

Stephanie Johnson, The Garage Bikes + Brews

Is The Garage Bikes and Brews [https://garagebikesbrews.com/] a bike shop first, or a brewery first? If you ask co-owner Stephanie Johnson, the answer is: both. Stephanie is a River Falls native who married a fellow River Falls native, Matt. The duo co-own The Garage, which opened in 2020 and is set to celebrate its fifth anniversary. The space offers a unique vibe where visitors can enjoy a beer — brewed by Stephanie and Matt's son Ellis — while also watching bikes get fixed behind the bar.  On this episode of St. Croix Stories, Stephanie shares more about how a wrist injury eventually fueled her passion for cycling as an adult, which ultimately became a family business. She also talks about the challenges of opening The Garage during the pandemic, discusses the music scene hosted at The Garage, and shares her favorite places to ride her bike in the St. Croix Valley. The Garage is also participating in the Bluegrass, Bourbon & Brews Festival in River Falls as a host venue, and will be hosting many other musical acts throughout the summer. You can find a full list of events here [https://garagebikesbrews.com/events]. Send a message to the host [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2260996/open_sms] Follow St. Croix Stories on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/stcroixstoriespodcast] and Instagram [https://instagram.com/stcroixstories], and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com [https://www.stcroixstories.com/].

Mark Klapatch-Mathias, UWRF and Earth Fest

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly popular topic, and there's been growing support for sustainability efforts in the St. Croix Valley in particular — and in River Falls specifically, where Earth Fest [https://www.hopeforearth.org/earthfest] will be held for the fourth year in a row on April 26th. On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, we're joined by Mark Klapatch-Mathias, the sustainability coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (his alma mater) and the co-chair of Earth Fest. He share more about why sustainability is so important to him, what attendees can expect from Earth Fest this year, and how those listening can practice sustainability in their everyday lives. You can find more information about Earth Fest, including a full lineup for the day, at www.hopeforearth.org/earthfest [https://www.hopeforearth.org/earthfest]. Send a message to the host [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2260996/open_sms] Follow St. Croix Stories on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/stcroixstoriespodcast] and Instagram [https://instagram.com/stcroixstories], and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com [https://www.stcroixstories.com/].