Strandlien and Trefz named Outstanding Senior Citizens
Lila Strandlien and Donald Trefz were named at the 2015 Outstanding Senior Citizens for Clearwater County. They will represent the county at the Minnesota State Fair this year. Outstanding seniors will be recognized for their service at the award ceremony at the State Fairgrounds on Senior Day September 3,2015.
Lila Strandlien
Lila always put others before herself. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Lila can inspire others to work and give of themselves so that all involved enjoy it so much and then everyone benefits. She is also a "Silent Servant." Many ‘Acts of Kindness’ are completed that only the recipients are aware of.
Lila wears many hats at Faith Lutheran Church. She is currently Council Chairperson. She was secretary of the last Call Committee to call the current Pastor. She has been the church treasurer when it was an unpaid position. Several years ago, Lila and her friend, Lil Sauer, were Cochairmen of the WELCA women’s group. They initiated the "Service Group" concept to encourage more members to be readers, ushers, greeters, etc. It continues to be a very effective tool. Lila currently is a dedicated Sunday School teacher for the older students. She leads a committee to pack Lutheran World Relief boxes, and also the Personal Care boxes for the Peoples Church in Bemidji. At the Fall Festival she is seen "making lefse’ off the grill.
16 years ago, Lila spearheaded the Community Christmas Day Dinner which serves more than 200 people in the community who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day. This is a Community project involving area churches, but is planned, prepared and served at Faith.
Lila is an exceptional Bible Study Leader in the Naomi Circle, and she has taught the Bethel Series Bible Study, and is still enrolled in the GIFTS program at the Northwest MN Synod. She has also been a voting delegate at the Northwest MN Synod Assembly. Lila’s faith calls her to serve by example seven days a week. She just joined the "Prayer Shawl" knitting and crocheting group at Faith to make shawls for community individuals who have been hospitalized or very ill.
Lila has been a Community Volunteer in a vast number of county-wide organizations or committees which are human kind in their objectives. Two of them include the County Food Shelf which supplements families and individuals with better nutrition and adequate food. She has been on the County Food Shelf for more than 15 years. Also the Hospital Board where the concern was to maintain a good health care facility with good doctors for rural Minnesota.
Lila is a "Mentor" to children, teens and all who meet her. She is an organizer and inspiration to all who have had the honor to know her. She still makes time for her family. Lila has been married to Norris for 64 years. They have five children, nine grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and four great, great grandchildren. They also took care of her parents for years.
Donald Trefz
Don V. Trefz started his farming career at Leonard; milking cows, caring for a ;small flock of sheep, and logging to supplement their farm income. The depression years would leave a lasting impression on Don’s long volunteer career in Clearwater County.
Don has been an aggressive business man for over 50 years. He was an enthusiastic member of the Bagley’s Civic and Commerce organization, promoting the growth of Bagley and its community activities. The tractor pulling contest at the County Fair was one of his special projects and it still draws entries from North Dakota and surrounding areas. Don still states tickets at the grandstand during the Clearwater County Fair as a member of the Rotary Club.
As a Charter Member of the Itasca Pioneer Farmers, Don would park his travel trailer at the site many weeks in advance to help prepare the grounds for the annual show. At 91 years of age, Don still sells tickets at the gate and welcomes visitors to the vent. In 2004, Don and Joyce Trefz were honored as the Pioneer Farmers King and Queen.
Don is a cancer survivor of thyroid cancer. He is dedicated to the Clearwater County "Relay for Life" annual event. He also sells daffodils during "Daffodil Day’s each spring.
Don and Joyce have been very active in the Lutheran Church their entire lives, first at Leonard now at Faith Lutheran church in Bagley since 1955. Don taught Sunday School for 20 years. He has served as a Deacon and a Trustee. Don has delivered Christmas Dinner to shut-ins during the 16 years the Community Christmas Day Dinner has been prepared at Faith. He ushers and they are greeters on a regular basis. He is very supportive of youth activities.
At age 60, Don became a Charter member of the Bagley Rotary Club which meets every Wednesday noon. This is where Don’s volunteer Leadership skills really shine. He helps at the annual Golf Tournament in June; sells roses for the annual Rose Sale in October; he rings the Salvation Army Red Kettle Bell in December. In his dedication to Rotary, Dan became a "Paul Harris Fellow" in 2001. This is the highest honor given to a Rotarian on the local level.
Volunteer Humanitarian, Don Trefz lives by the Rotary Motto of "Service Above Self." Don’s life reflects the Rotary 4-Way test by doing more than his share to keep Clearwater County moving forward whether it be a fund raiser, or being behind the scenes as an organizer.
His volunteer skills are based on these 4 Rotary Questions: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build goodwill and better friendship? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned" All Rotary Fund raiser profits are given to local projects and organizations.
Don is a true farmer at heart. He is still actively involved on the farm south of Bagley. He and Joyce received the Valley Farmer and Homemaker Award for Clearwater County in 2005. He has bene married to Joyce for 66 years. They have three children, five grandchildren and 5 greats.