Nostalgia has always come easily to me. As a kid, I would spend hours in my grandparents’ closet, digging through albums and shoeboxes of old family photos, feeling deep sentimental longing for the people I’d never met and the years long gone. Even today, with enough years lived to feel a more personal nostalgia, I am ever aware of the links that connect us to the past, not just our own but those who came before us.
A sense of nostalgia binds the pages of this giving back, entertainment and wellness issue. I’m sure many of us have fond memories of winters growing up. For many children in the Valley today, The Miracle at Big Rock is likely to find its place in their own histories. Writer Kristie Smith connected with the owners of Big Rock Creek in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, to learn more about the history of the property and how they’re looking to build community through nature and festivities.
In Stillwater, chef Adam To and musician Caroline Smith begin a new era in a historic Main Street building. Their establishment, Howard’s Bar, has taken up the legacy of a bar that was once Whitey’s, John’s and Sonny’s. Take one step through the door, and it’s obvious that To and Smith are serious about honoring those who came before them.
And this wouldn’t be a proper winter issue in the Valley if we didn’t mention hockey. In Hudson Special Hockey Is Changing the Game, read a heartwarming story of two boys from Hudson, Wisconsin, whose mutual love of hockey created something bigger and more important than either would have imagined.
I hope these cold winter days hold something magical for you and yours. Have a story to share? Send me a message at zoe@localmedia.co.
-Zoe Yates
