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Sacred Heart smelt feed, The Little Theatre, ResQZone and multigenerational workforces on Compass

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Sacred Heart Fire Department all-you-can-eat smelt feed fundraiser
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Download a photo of of the smelt feed fundraiser

 

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — The April 2022 edition of Pioneer PBS’s public affairs program Compass features a trip to Sacred Heart for an annual smelt feed, a profile of the New London Little Theatre, a computer refurbishing program in Marshall and the resident care attendant at Brookside Senior Living in Montevideo. This program will air Thursday, April 14 10 at 9 p.m. and will be viewable online at www.pioneer.org/compass. People in Pioneer PBS's viewing area can livestream the episode at pioneer.org/live during the broadcast time. Viewers are encouraged to visit Compass on Facebook and YouTube to give feedback on the stories.

Every year, the Sacred Heart Fire Department hosts an all-you-can-eat smelt feed fundraiser. Native to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, “smelt entered the Great Lakes accidentally in 1912 when they escaped from an inland lake in Michigan where they had been stocked as forage fish,” according to the Minnesota DNR. The feed in Sacred Heart is a tradition for many in the area.  

Download a photo of Bethany Lacktorin at the Little Theatre

The next segment on Compass from Twin Cities PBS’s public affairs program Almanac. Kaomi Lee is Almanac’s greater Minnesota reporter. Lee recently visited New London to meet Bethany Lacktorin at the Little Theatre to learn about using the arts to bolster economic activity in small and rural communities.

Download photo of the ResQZone

The ResQZone was created to address two challenges: an identified need for affordable computers in Lyon County and an excess of electronic waste. Electronic waste, or e-waste, includes things like VCRs, DVDs, TVs and computers and Lyon County has been a collection point for e-waste since 2009. The ResQZone cleans and refurbishes recycled electronics and distributes them based on income-based needs. 

Download a photo of Joan Cushman at Brookside Senior Living in Montevideo.

 

At the beginning of COVID-19, Joan Cushman was hired to be the resident care attendant at Brookside Senior Living in Montevideo. When nonresidents weren't allowed inside the senior living facility, Cushman acted as the go-between. She delivered items that family members would drop off, helped sort mail, and provided a much welcomed ear for residents who wanted someone to talk to. Cushman, who is 80, is able to connect with Brookside residents, the average age of them is 87, on a different level than the younger staff. And now, there are five generations in the workforce, something that has never happened before. AARP has found that workplaces that have a multigenerational workforce are more productive, more efficient and have less turnover. Compass visited Brookside Senior Living to see Cushman at Work at talked with Susan Weinstock from AARP about the benefits of multigenerational workforces.

Viewers with story ideas and issues they would like to see discussed on Compass are encouraged to contact Pioneer PBS via email at yourtv@pioneer.org or call the station at 1-800-726-3178.

About Compass

Compass features current topics relevant to communities in Pioneer PBS's viewing area. Stories are digital-first, meaning they're available on Compass' Facebook and YouTube pages and website before being compiled into monthly broadcasts, which air the second Thursday of the month. 

Funding for Compass is provided in part by the Mcknight Foundation and the viewers of Pioneer PBS. 

About Pioneer PBS

Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org.