The Minnesota Book of Skills: Presentation and Book Signing
Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$773
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient Type
Libraries
Status
Completed
Start Date
August 2012
End Date
January 2013
Activity Type
Education/Outreach/Engagement
Counties Affected
Martin
Project Overview
Chris Niskanene, author of The Minnesota Book of Skills, is the communications director for the Minnesota DNR and a former outdoors reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. His book is a playful yet practical guide of the skills required to be a true Minnesotan. The presentation was a 45-minute slideshow that told his year-long journey into learning all the skills in the book. He talked about Erik Simula, one of the last craftsmen who still makes birch bark canoes in Minnesota and Randy Schnobrich, a carpenter in Grand Marais who teaches a popular class in bulding your own coffin. He also delved into the culinary arts with chapters about canning green beans like your grandmother; how to make the perfect venison roast and the fabulous Tunnel of Fudge cake that in 1961 made Minnesota's Bundt pan famous.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Project Details: 2013 Fiscal Year
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota for 2011 Chapter 6, Article 4, Subdivision 4
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$773
Other Funds Leveraged
$150
Direct expenses
$923
Administration costs
$19
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)
Attendees will learn about the skills prevalent in Minnesota residents and their history and growth over the years. Attendees will share their own Minnesota skills with the author and each other.
Measurable Outcome(s)
10 people attended. All of the completed surveys responded that attendees had learned about the skills prevalent in Minnesota and how they've grown and changed over the years. All of the completed surveys responded that they shared with the author and among themselves some of their own Minnesota skills including pickling, canning, homemade wine making, fishing and others.
Source of Additional Funds
Chris Niskanen, Martin County Historical Society, Martin County Library
Project Manager
First Name
Dayle
Last Name
Zelenka
Organization Name
Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative
Street Address
1400 Madison Avenue, Suite 622
City
Mankato
State
MN
Zip Code
56002
Phone
(507)625-6169
Email
dzelen@tds.lib.mn.us
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