Caring…for barns, flowering plants, and, most importantly, people, has been the mission and passion of longtime Decorah resident Marlene Fenstermann. Her husband Duane talked her out of her original passion, to be a missionary in the foreign mission fields, encouraging her instead to train as a nurse and join him on a lifelong journey.
On a cold, but sunny February day in 1937, when her parents were supposed to pick up the season’s baby chicks, Marlene Kay was born in the old Decorah Hospital. This same day, the Winneshiek Tuberculosis Group envisioned Winneshiek County Public Health Nursing Service (WCPHNS), where Marlene would work as Administrator 34 years later, in an office just across the hall from where she was born.
Marlene was at the head of WCPHNS as it grew from one nurse and one secretary to a group of often 20, including Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and support staff serving the needs of homebound patients in Winneshiek County. She also started a successful collaboration with the Luther College Nursing Program.
Her memoir, “My Journey in Public Health Nursing”, is a tribute to the dedicated nurses with whom she worked for 32 years and the widely varied needs of their patients – from prenatal care to terminal care and a myriad of physical and mental conditions in between birth and death. Journeys to patients’ homes often involved harsh weather, bad road conditions, and even personal danger. Marlene has kept her patients’ stories close to her heart.
She grew up on a farm in Ludlow Township of Allamakee County when extended families lived close together, sharing a church, a country school, farm chores, and the ups and downs of daily life. Experiencing the death of her two-year-old brother during farm chores was a shared sorrow for the family and an indelible memory for a little girl of eight.
Marlene’s education and work experiences took her around Iowa and to North Carolina, but she returned to Decorah when Duane was hired at Luther College as Acquisitions Librarian. She worked with the Iowa Barn Foundation for years to help save old barns around Iowa, loves flowers – especially daffodils – as they bloom in season, and enjoys photographing nature and the world around her. Some favorite photos are of the landmark Decorah Eastside School days before its demolition. I have read Marlene’s memoir and the tributes to her as she retired. My favorite: “She was blessed to be a blessing.”
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
“Join me in public health nursing,” from Dorothy Hastings, RN, my mentor.
Share a memory from public health nursing in Winneshiek County.
So many, such different needs. A long impactful memory is of Michael Dawley who was severely injured, eventually quadriplegia, at North Winneshiek School in 1974. He ran into a folded up trampoline and it fell on him, knocking him unconscious and near death, but his mother never gave up on him. The WCPHNS cared for Micheal and helped his mother care for him at home for 30 years until mother and son went into a nursing home together. This experience epitomizes the reason for public health nursing care.
What food could you eat every day?
Dark chocolate… and is tea a food?
Who is a person who had a big impact on your childhood? Rev. Henry Johnson at rural Zalmona Presbyterian Church, a Dutch immigrant who knew at least seven languages and, thankfully, had us memorize many Bible verses.
On the road driving to and from Des Moines for meetings and conferences related to Public Health Care, I would notice the barns of Iowa’s farms, often in disrepair next to more modern structures. Working with the Iowa Barn Foundation to help families preserve their barns became another mission of mine. One of my favorites was a unique tin barn near Frankville that had a faucet in the loft.
What is an important lesson learned in your life?
Most people are basically good, and they all have a story to tell.
Tell us about some special memories.
– One night in 1964, when I was working at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, we literally took down the old segregation signs and labels in halls and rooms and changed the words to reflect the new integration policy.
– I love singing, and “How Great Thou Art” has been an oft requested solo for me. After a serious stroke several years ago, I requested “You are My Sunshine” when I “came around”. Those gathered knew then that I would return to a full life.
Laree Schouweiler is the kind of person who manages to turn strangers into friends within one conversation. But after she moved to Decorah from the Twin Cities in 2010 as a “trailing spouse” of a partner who accepted a job at Luther College, she was having trouble connecting in the community. She continued to travel north to see friends – and boost endorphins with a workout at her favorite yoga/cycling studio. She loved it so much, she decided to take the Sculpt Teacher Training program. Sculpt classes combine the physical principles of yoga, plus strength training and cardio, to provide a diverse and intense workout experience.
Laree Schouweiler / Photo courtesy DYC
“I had years of experience coaching youth and high school soccer, and I loved the well-rounded-ness of Sculpt classes,” she says. “Once certified, I brought the classes to the Driftless area. It wasn’t long that I was chasing down a yoga certification, this time a more in-depth 200-hour yoga training, layering that with cycling and several other adjacent certifications.”
Indeed, since there wasn’t a job suited to her specialties in Decorah, she decided to make one. She founded Reefuel, an indoor cycling and yoga studio, in 2013, Driftless Yoga Festival in 2019, and finally, in 2022, she founded her current business/calling: the Driftless Yoga Center.
Situated in a fun, urban-feeling studio on the third floor of the Impact Coffee building in downtown Decorah, Driftless Yoga Center (DYC) is an airy and welcoming space, emphasis on welcoming. DYC’s work follows three core principles, to be: equity driven, radically compassionate, and justice supporting in all they do.
The studio offers 12 yoga and strength classes per week, including sculpt, HIIT, vinyasa, and gentle yoga classes. They also host monthly special events like the DRI(ftless) TRI(athlon) – a 90-minute experience that begins with a guided run or walk around Decorah, meets back up for a HIIT segment, and ends with a yoga flow.
DYC is a Yoga Alliance School & Continuing Education Provider as well. This upcoming fall, the Center is hosting its first Sculpt Teacher Training Program, a 50-hour certification geared towards providing participants a foundation of knowledge to lead a safe, constructive, and well-rounded 60-minute Sculpt class.
Photo courtesy DYC
Read on to learn how Laree turned her years honing in on what work fills her cup into a space and business dedicated to helping others fill their own.
The Basics: Name: Laree Schouweiler Age: 41 Business: Driftless Yoga Center formerly, Reefuel Year Business Established: 2022 (Reefuel: 2013) Business address: 101 W Water Street Website: www.driftlessyoga.org
Tell us about the “leap” moment. When/how did you decide to jump in and become your own boss?
In 2013, I opened Reefuel – an indoor cycling and yoga studio. Its entire premise was to build community through yoga and cycling, centering on a welcoming environment, skipping the diet culture, and making movement fun! For seven years, I think Reefuel did just that! The space went from 10 weekly classes to over two dozen. Four instructors to 15. But the best part of the place was the people! Walking into a fitness class can be so nerve-wracking, but the community of folks always uplifted each other. It was such a unique experience for a movement studio, I felt like. There was so much support for each other in and out of the studio. During that time, Driftless Yoga Festival was born. An annual festival that intersected beautiful Northeast Iowa and yoga!
Then in 2020, the pandemic hit. The tragedies of that year took the wind right out of my sails. Plus, I was pregnant with our third child. Leaning into the yoga philosophical practice of ahimsa – radical compassion – I made the difficult decision to close the studio. I leaned heavily back into my family, my studies, and how to really leverage these teachings to make shifts for the greater good. I studied with activist and yoga teachers Michelle C. Johnson (Skill in Action) and Susanna Barkataki (Embrace Yoga’s Roots) and each experience educated me on the connection of yoga’s teachings to bettering the world, not just a movement!
A portion of proceeds from events and merchandise sales is redistributed back into organizations that help bring awareness to issues near and far. / Photo courtesy DYC
When Reefuel closed, I didn’t think I’d ever return to teaching publicly again, let alone open another studio. But if 2020 taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. I stepped back into organization with the Driftless Yoga Festival in 2021. It was an opportunity to bring forth a more radically compassionate event on the heels of completing a 300-hour yoga certification that was rooted in equity. Then, in the spring of 2022, I started to tip my toe into the teaching world again. There was a pull to get back out there. One May morning, I stepped into Impact Coffee and was approached by owner, Sean Brown, about seeing their recently vacant third floor. I didn’t think much of it in that minute – more of a, “Cool! I’ll check it out!” But when I walked in, I knew immediately this was next. The large north-facing windows beckoned me. It feels like you’re in an urban setting (which I still miss… occasionally). Knowing that cycling wasn’t going to be a part of this next step, Reefuel didn’t seem like an adequate name. So, I leaned into Driftless Yoga and Voila! The Driftless Yoga Center was born, with a vision of a more equitable movement space.
Can you tell us more about the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) work you do at the Driftless Yoga Center?
At DYC, there are three pillars:
• In an effort to be equity-driven and remove financial barriers to access movement, a suggested $12/class is requested, but none will be turned away for lack of funds.
• DYC aims to be a radically compassionate space free of diet culture or gossip. Movement, yoga, and fitness belong to every BODY without judgment.
• Since 2022, DYC’s Karma Yoga Project has redistributed over $20,000+ back to organizations that uplift the underserved and under-resourced.
Reefuel was quiet about the philosophical yoga practices out of fear of making people uncomfortable. I hope Driftless Yoga Center is living these practices out loud. Vibrantly. Everyday. With every practice.
What do you mean when you say, “radically compassionate”?
In yoga philosophy, there are several pillars of ‘right action’ or ethical practices and one of those practices is ‘Ahimsa,’ meaning non-violence. To practice non-violence is more than just not causing physical harm. It can look like being inclusive in everything from language to accessibility to practice. In a world that is filled with so much division, practicing ahimsa can feel radical!
Driftless Yoga Center hosts monthly special events like the DRI(ftless) TRI(athlon) – a 90-minute experience that begins with a guided run or walk around Decorah, meets back up for a HIIT segment, and ends with a yoga flow. / Photo courtesy DYC
What’s the best thing about being your own boss?
I get to choose each day how to move the business forward, simultaneously prioritizing business and family. Sparks of creativity and inspiration get to be put right into action. It’s empowering to be able to have a choice each day.
How about the worst?
I have to live by those choices. Highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. Yoga helps me to balance the ride, but sometimes it gets hard not to get caught up in the rat race of capitalism! Also, I struggle with setting my own “work hours”. Days bleed into nights and I’m always thinking – what could I do better? What is next? Or should I throw it all away and start over?
Any mentors/role models you look to/have looked to?
My parents are entrepreneurs and they’ve always supported and inspired me. My mom’s taught me ‘The answer is always no if you don’t ask,’ so I operate from that optimistic lens. Oh, and ‘NO’ is just a starting point!
Occasionally, Driftless Yoga Center will host special classes outside, like this one on Washington Street in Decorah (just outside of Impact Coffee). / Photo courtesy DYC
What’s the one thing you wish you had known before you started?
Once you start your own business, you can’t go back, and the hyper fixation on the business is hard to separate. I love the studio, teaching, and building a compassionate community – so it is hard to turn off the ‘work brain’ even when I am “not working”!
How do you manage your life/work balance?
Ooooofffff, is there a work life balance? This one is so tricky for me because I LOVE WHAT I DO! With the Center, I have been trying to put in place stronger boundaries about when I am home with kiddos (no phones at meals and not working while home with them), but there always seem to be exceptions.
What keeps you inspired? Any quotes that keep you going?
“Nothing that celebrates humiliation or pain of another person builds connection.” – Dr. Brene Brown
Driftless Yoga Center is welcoming for all. / Photo courtesy DYC
Justice work at DYC!
Driftless Yoga Center donates portions of proceeds from events and merchandise sales to organizations that bring awareness to issues at large near and far.
Each October, as daytime temperatures dip and leaves slowly shift toward red and gold, Erin Ryan packs up the car for a day trip. But when she drives west from rural Decorah, she’s not looking for traditional fall favorites like pumpkin patches or apple orchards.
Erin hits the road in search of socks. Lots and lots of socks.
Erin Ryan with her Socktoberfest haul. / Photo courtesy Erin Ryan
The annual Fox River Sock Sale – or “Socktoberfest,” as it’s commonly known – draws an enthusiastic crowd to Osage, Iowa. Named for its original location on Wisconsin’s Fox River, Fox River Mills started knitting socks in 1900. Operations relocated to an existing Osage mill about 50 years ago. Today, around 170 employees craft socks sold by Fox River and other suppliers.
The company’s catalog includes premium socks made for hiking, running, skiing, and everyday wear. There are also specialized work socks, diabetic socks, socks for military professionals, and more. Fox River socks typically cost between $10 and $30 per pair. During Socktoberfest, individual pairs go for $1 to $3, and bigger multi-packs might sell for $5 or $10.
“I love every single pair that I have. They’re high quality and they’re lovely,” says Erin, who first shopped the sock sale five years ago with her husband, Mike. “I took my kids for the first time last year, and I gave them each a bag and turned them loose. They had a heyday.”
Erin brought her kids along to the sock sale last year. “They had a heyday,” she says. / Photo courtesy Erin Ryan
Erin regularly uses her floating work holiday to attend the annual sale, where rows of tables are topped with stacks of socks sorted by category and size.
“It’s in a big building, and they have semitrailers backed up to it, and they are just full of socks. People are constantly putting new ones out, and it’s constantly packed,” she says.
Erin has picked up everything from cashmere socks to size-14 work socks to warm winter socks she’s gifted to various family members. While the deals are a highlight, she also loves what she calls the “weird and wild” nature of the event. As shoppers wander the sale, they might hear a keyboardist playing the theme song from the “Peanuts” animated television specials. They might chat with a clerk dressed in a sock monkey costume. Area craft and clothing vendors display their work in an adjacent building. On-site food trucks offer snacks for purchase.
“Just embrace the absolute silliness that it is,” Erin says. “For me, it’s like a town festival. Decorah has Nordic Fest. Lime Springs (Iowa) has Sweet Corn Days. Lanesboro (Minnesota) has Buffalo Bill Days. And then, there’s Socktoberfest.”
The Fox River Socks Socktoberfest sale is all set up, and waiting for customers. / Photo courtesy Fox River Mills
The company kept no official records from its first sock sale, but Fox River Mills CEO Bobby Warren believes it happened around 1989. Employees set up four tables in a tent outside the factory, and a good-sized crowd showed up despite some rainy weather. As the event grew, it moved into a former downtown hardware store and later filled a local gymnasium. About a decade ago, the sale landed in the spacious Cedar River Complex at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds.
A team of Fox River Mills employees spends much of the year deciding what to feature at the sock sale, and preparation really ramps up each June. Osage Rotary and Lions Club members are among the volunteers who pitch in over the sale weekend, restocking tables, tallying sock totals, and operating cash registers once doors officially open.
“On that first day, there’s a line of people outside the door and around the building waiting to get in. Later, the line to pay wraps around the inside a couple of times. It’s quite the event,” Warren says.
About 9,000 people – approaching triple the population of Osage – typically shop the weekend sale. Together, they purchase more than 100,000 pairs of socks. Fox River donates a portion of sale proceeds to the organizations that provide volunteers. Those dollars then support the nonprofits’ scholarship funds and community projects.
The end of the line is marked by a Fox River Mills sock monkey. / Photo courtesy Fox River Mills
The sale also raises money for Fox River’s Socks for Soldiers campaign. Friends and family members nominate active-duty military personnel for the program, and once participants are approved, shoppers can gift them tactical socks through a personalized registry. Fox River donates socks throughout the year, and many shoppers also give program donations during the sock sale.
In addition to supporting civic projects, sock sale events boost business across Osage.
“It brings foot traffic to Main Street. It fills up the hotels and restaurants. People come from surrounding states and make a weekend out of it. For some businesses, it’s their largest weekend of the year,” Warren says.
Company leaders appreciate the opportunity to give back in so many ways, he adds, and team members take pride in working for a purpose-driven organization.
“It goes beyond just getting a paycheck and showing up for work and making great products. This is something that’s been near and dear to our employees for a long time,” Warren says.
He offers first-time sock sale shoppers three simple pieces of advice.
First, bring a big bag or two from home. Most shoppers buy more socks than originally planned.
Second, don’t worry if you can’t arrive right when doors open. Socks get restocked several times each day.
And third, set aside enough time to make tough decisions.
“Be prepared to be overwhelmed by the number of choices. We see people who fill up a bag and then sit on the floor and start spreading out socks and making their decisions,” Warren says. “Be prepared to spend some time, and then take a break. Visit a food truck or go uptown to one of the restaurants… Make it an event.”
Remember that classic stuffed sock monkey with the big red smile? It all started with Nelson Knitting Mill’s Original Rockford Red Heel sock brand. Fox River acquired the brand when Nelson Knitting Mill closed in 1992. These days, the Iowa company sells wearable socks and mittens featuring the smiling monkey, along with socks for crafting and hand-made sock monkeys in several colors.
