by Jennie K. Hanson 357-2385

A couple of  weeks ago, I was able to contact former Cromwell resident, Willis Mann.  Willis lost his hearing when he was around 10 years old and then his family moved closer to a school for the deaf.  This is an email I received from him and thought it would be of interest to some of the older residents in the area, and even if you didn’t know the Mann family, it is interesting to see what a man did with his disability and how he over came the hardships it presented.  We are very proud of you Willis and hope to see you at the All-School Reunion in 2011.

Willis Mann of Laurel, Maryland is a former Cromwell resident who was deafened in 1950 at the age of 10 after a bout with spinal meningitis.  As a result of his becoming deaf, his family left Cromwell for Duluth so that Willis could attend specialized classes for deaf children. After several years, Willis went on to regular classes and graduated from Denfeld High School in 1959.

For the next 3 years, he worked in Duluth as a mechanic and locksmith before matriculating to Gallaudet College in Washington, DC, today the world’s only liberal arts university exclusively for deaf people.  He graduated from Gallaudet with a bachelor’s degree in English, and immediately enrolled in the University of Maryland’s College of Education where he received his Master of Education degree in personnel services in 1969.

In 1970, Willis was hired as assistant executive director of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) located in Silver Spring, Maryland.  He managed various programs for the Association, including their biennial conventions and also did public relations work.  In 1971, the Association gave him the added responsibility of planning and organizing the VIIth (7th) World Congress of the Deaf which met in Washington in 1975 with 3000 delegates from 70 different countries.

After 7 years with the NAD, Willis was hired by the Foundation for Sacramento State University in Sacramento to become executive director for the new Northern California Center on Deafness (NorCal).  In this role, he was responsible for building up the agency from concept to fully operational status, eventually employing a staff of more than 20 people. NorCal provided specialized social services for deaf people in 23 counties of Northern California, an area of approximately 60,000 square miles.

In 1989, the east beckoned once again and Willis was hired by the State of Maryland to design and implement the Maryland Relay Service which would permit telephone conversation between persons who can hear and those who are deaf by means of special equipment and operators serving as intermediaries. Once established, this service grew very quickly and was soon handling over 500,000 calls per month.

After 14 years with the State of Maryland, Willis retired to what he thought would be an uneventful retirement, but that was not to be. He soon became involved in a special program in Howard County, Maryland that teaches children in public schools about various disabilities.  Willis served on the county’s Commission on Disability Issues for 12 years, and now sits on the county’s Animal Control Board, which adjudicates violations of county animal control laws.  Presently, Willis is also president of the Maryland Deaf Senior Citizens group, which has an active and growing membership of over 300 people, and he continues to remain active in other groups related to deafness and disability issues

Willis’s wife, Jackie, is a 26-year employee of Gallaudet University and they reside in Laurel.

The Bethlehem Lutheran Church is having a Meatloaf Supper with all the trimmings on Friday, October 9th from 4:30 – 6:30 PM.  Come and get filled up and then attend the Football Game at Cromwell Vs. Isle.

I just got called again to sub in Floodwood so have to get this news written and off to press.  I have been doing a lot more subbing than usual in September and October due to the Flu and Flu like symptoms of the teachers.  I sure hope they get well so I get a few days off, too.

Bob Schultz just returned from a 3 day Mystery trip in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  I hear that he sure travels light.  Enough said, ask him what I mean here.

The Lally’s have great news in their family.  First off, they are excited and busy with the planning of their daughter Megan’s wedding in January of 2010.  She will be marrying Brock Norman in a beautiful Christmas Wedding on January 2nd.  Then, they will also become Grandparents for the 1st time as Annie and Lee Knutson are expecting in May.  And the real “kicker” is that they are expecting TWINS!  Everyone is so excited for both Annie and Megan and only wish the best for both of them and their new lives to come.  Looks like the only traveling Lindsay will be doing after May is to the Knutson’s to help with the babies.

The Members of Thrivent financial for Lutherans will be holding their annual election on Sunday, October 18th.  You must be in church to vote.  This election is for all the Lutherans in Carlton County.

There will be an Excess Debt Service Levy Referendum on November 3rd at the school.  We have voted YES on this in the past and these monies have greatly contributed to the improvements in and around the school.  Please get out and Vote on November 3rd and keep our Tax dollars here!  Each area taxpayer was sent the packet of information recently or you can call the school is you have questions.

The Spring Break at school has been rescheduled to March 29-April 2, 2010 due to MCA Testing .  Please make a note of this on your calendars for 2010.

Don’t forget to use the library at the school.  There is Open Library after school on Monday-Thursdays from 3:30 – 5 PM.  Everyone is welcome to take part in this opportunity.

The 1st Annual Chill-O-Ween party will be held on October 30th at the Cromwell Pavilion from 5 – 9 PM.  See the Bus Bulletin for more information.

The Area Clothing Depot is giving away 3 sweaters and 2 coats per person, per visit during the whole month of October.

The Tri-Community Food Shelf will be moving to the Old Trolley in Cromwell in November and is putting out a request for 3 – 5 shopping carts.  They will be allowing participants to go around and pick out the food they will use instead of giving a box of food that is pre-picked.  If you know of any business that could share a few shopping carts, please let me know.

Oh, the Fire Hydrant from north of Wright was returned to its rightful owner and that owner wants to thank the person or persons who returned it.  Now, we just need the boat that was taken from Valley Lake, south of Webster’s, to be returned.

The Immaculate Catholic Church, in Cromwell, will be holding their Annual Turkey B-I-N-G-O on November 14th, 6 – 8 PM.

We finally got a call from our Exchange Son, Arsalan, from last year and he is doing well, but having a hard time adjusting to life back in Pakistan.  Things are so restricted there, but he is going to boarding school and doing well.   We sure miss all 3 boys and our home sure is quiet in the evenings, now.

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community.  The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.  Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with flours. Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.  Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.   The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.  May he rest in Peas!!

Don’t forget to sign up and go on the Arrowhead Mini-Bus this month.  The bus goes to Cloquet on October 15, and to Duluth on the 23rd.  Call Edna S. to sigh up at 357-2701.  If they don’t get enough riders, they may have to cancel the service.

This week’s Limerick:  The Twins won an important game,  The fans wish they keep doing the same,  But, if they lose in the clutch, we thank them so much,  We are just happy to Minnesota they came!!

Do you still have your Homer Hankies?  I do, someplace!!

Well, that all the news from Lake Enjoythecoloredleaves , Hello to my Twins Fan Friends and make it a great week!