Sharon Day champions and protects water in a unique way. Her commitment goes beyond the typical activities of promoting legislation or simply speaking up for issues. She is a lifelong activist whose mission is cultural and spiritual and whose efforts can lead to transformational change. Sharon is a water walker who is carrying forward […]
Sharon Day is CURE’s 2017 RiverKeeper Read More »
During the 2017 Minnesota legislative session, CURE and our partners fought hard to keep pollinator protections on the radar. Even though legislative leadership worked to kill the pollinator provisions early in the session, pollinators and pesticides stayed in the mix until the end. The Department of Ag, Governor Dayton, and countless citizens that made their
The Buzz on MN Pollinators 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 »
On the Friday of River History Weekend, CURE unveiled its Leadership Network at an event designed to explore the rural Millennial experience. About 50 people attended “Don’t Worry; We’ve Got This” – A Gathering of Rising Leaders, and after a panel of presentations, 36 participated in a World Cafe discussion about their experiences with leadership. Post by Ariel Herrod.
CURE’s Leadership Network Unveiled Read More »
CURE is planning a World Café as an integral part of our event “Don’t Worry; We’ve Got This” – A Gathering of Rising Leaders on Friday, May 2. We want to discuss the theme of leadership, especially in a rural context, and learn what beginning leaders need to become full-fledged community powerhouses. Post by Ariel Herrod, Watershed Sustainability Program Coordinator.
What’s Great About a World Café? Read More »
On a Monday evening, 10 Millennials and a Baby Boomer gathered in a church basement. It sounds like a bad joke, but the refurbished church basement was home to CURE staff Sarina Otaibi, and the Millennials and Baby Boomer had come together for a pretty serious focus group on transitional leadership and social change. Post by Sarina Otaibi & Ariel Herrod.
CURE Engages the Next Generation of Rural Leaders Read More »
As someone who has always been interested in politics and policy, and as someone who holds the late Senator Paul Wellstone in high regard, I had been waiting for years to have the opportunity to attend Camp Wellstone. So, when CURE offered the students of MPIRG at the University of Minnesota, Morris and me a chance to attend the training, I could barely contain my excitement. Blog post by Erik Hatlestad, MPIRG Morris Campus Organizer.
Western Minnesota Leadership Done the Wellstone Way 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 Minnesota Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, whether this is canning local produce, making kombucha, or other treats!
