As the legislative session wraps up it is important to take a moment and update you on the issues that impact the heart of the work we do at CURE. Despite the challenges of working through the session in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – we made some forward progress. This work requires coordination […]
End of MN Legislative Session Update 2020 Read More »
A shortened version of this op-ed piece was originally published in the Minnesota Reformer. Last week, some state senators on the Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee met to introduce a bill that revokes the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) authority to set standards for auto emissions. This specifically targets MPCA’s ability to adopt the
We want Clean Cars too! Read More »
In September, Governor Walz announced that Minnesota will adopt Clean Car Standards. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is now responsible for writing the rule to make this happen. Throughout late October and early November, MPCA travelled around Minnesota to hear from you and to answer your questions about a Clean Car Stand for Minnesota.
Clean Cars Minnesota | MPCA holds meetings & seeks comment Read More »
My name is Anne Borgendale. I’m CURE’s Communications Director and I invest in CURE. For the past 25 years CURE has been working in the heart of rural Minnesota. One area of that work is connecting people to nature. That might sound quaint; however, a canoe trip CURE sponsored the summer I was 17 years old
Some gifts don’t fit in a box Read More »
Your ABSENCE is requested at the 25th Celebration & No-Show Fundraiser Gala! This gathering will never take place, and you don’t have to give up a precious evening or weekend to attend one more event. That being said, WE NEED YOUR HELP, just not in person… so stay home, hang out in your backyard, and
Your ABSENCE is requested at the 25th Celebration & No-Show Fundraiser Gala! Read More »
Darby Nelson is a man as unique as his name, and that’s a good thing. In a recent interview with Darby, his wife and lifelong adventure partner, Geri, joked, “If he had been named Dave I don’t think I’d have married him!” Thankfully, his mother heard another mother calling down the streets of Tower, MN
Darby & Geri Nelson are CURE’s 2016 RiverKeepers Read More »
My name is Erik Hatlestad and I’m a Clean Up the River Environment (CURE) sustaining member, and on staff as the Energy Program Associate. I’ve always lived in Western Minnesota. I love it here. I love our communities and the landscapes that embrace us. Of all of the places in the world I could call home,
I Give to CURE…to Build Civic Leaders Across Rural Minnesota Read More »
My name is Katie Laughlin. I am CURE’s Communications & Program Associate and I am a sustaining member of CURE. If you’ll give me a moment of your time, I’d like to tell you a story… When I was ten, my family moved to a farm. I remember the grove in our backyard most clearly
I Give to CURE…to Build Communities of Environmental Stewards Read More »
The statement “the little engine that could” is often used when an unassuming individual takes on a large task with relentless determination. On an afternoon last spring, longtime CURE member, Jianhua ‘Chen’ Qian came into the office and offered to use his ‘pedal power’ to raise money for CURE outdoor programs. As an avid biker
CURE member volunteers to raise money for outdoor programs Read More »
From Paddling the Minnesota River to Pedaling from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River, Chen is biking to raise $5,000 for a new CURE program. Born in China, Jianhua Qian grew up in a time when people didn’t think about the environment and thus the air and rivers in and around Shanghai were very
CHEN pedals to raise money for new CURE program Read More »
Kelsey Olson (she/her) joined CURE in 2025 as its Director of Environmental Stewardship. As a skilled environmental naturalist, Kelsey’s work focuses broadly on environmental education and advocacy with a keen focus on rural land use and how that use impacts our environment and climate. Working Lands, how land is used to support agriculture and forestry, is a key focus of her work. She brings 15 years’ experience in public communication, environmental education, and rural community engagement – strong communication strategies are core in her work. This includes two terms of service with AmeriCorps in the VISTA program in Oregon and Maryland and a nearly 10-year career as a naturalist followed. She recently worked on communications and marketing for rural economic development.
Kelsey lives in New London, MN, with her young children, husband, dog, and two cats. They enjoy spending time together outside and finding small treasures in nature. Visits to Minneapolis often include visits to one of their favorite historical museums, the American Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, canning local produce, and making kombucha.
