The Northfield Historical Society announced on Friday that Sean Allen has been hired as interim executive director. Allen is currently a 
member of the Northfield City Council and according to a statement released by the Historical Society has more than 20 years of experience in leadership in a variety of successful non-profit organizations and foundations.
“I am excited to get to work,” Allen said in the statement. “I look forward to bringing my non-profit experience and my love of history together in this position.”
The Executive Director position has been vacant since former Executive Director Cathy Osterman resigned in October.
Furthermore, the statement confirmed the addition of historian Jeffrey Sauve as curator of the Northfield Historical Society’s collections and its museum. Sauve was an archivist at St. Olaf College prior to his retirement in 2019 and, the statement said, he is a gifted historic non-fiction storyteller. Sauve lives in Northfield and has degrees from the University of Minnesota-Morris and Hamline University.
NHS Board president Dan Neuger said in the statement, “The addition of Sean and Jeff to the staff of the Northfield Historical Society represents an inflection point for the organization. These two individuals will help the Board determine the direction of the organization while we continue to offer excellent service to the Northfield community.”
Allen has been named Interim Executive Director. There is no word yet from the Historical Society about the search for a permanent director.
Library ‘Oasis’ donations sought
The Friends of the Northfield Library have begun their capital campaign to raise money for the Library Oasis space being planned for the
NCRC building.
Director of Library Services Natalie Draper said the space is not very big, however it will have the same level of service that the community receives at the library’s main branch. It will not be staffed full-time, but there will be a self-serve checkout service, and it will be programmed in the same manner as the main branch. A book return is in place already for people to return something they have checked out from the main library. Draper said this spring they will install a locker that will offer 24-hour access for people wanting to put something on hold but are not able to pick it up during regular library hours. It will offer a children’s play area, seating for reading and working, and two computers for public access.
The NCRC building, she said, is a perfect spot to put in a satellite location for several reasons. As the home to several important non-profit organizations including the Community Action Center, Healthy Community Initiative, Head Start and Fifty North, it makes sense, she said, for the library to join those other locations there. It is also very close to many schools.
Her favorite feature of the new space is the patio that is being installed and will help the smaller space seem larger.
“I’m really excited about the patio, too. The patio’s being incorporated into the design of the interior space so that it kind of extends it to four seasons. It will have this nice big glass wall, kind of like the library has in the atrium, so there is sort of an echo of that. And it will have a mural that will extend the interior space through to the outdoor space. So maybe it will feel a bit bigger.”
The oasis will be in the link space between the CAC and the Head Start entrance. It will be phased in over the course of next year as the library is able to raise funds.
Draper said the fundraising is going well. The Friends of the Library have, so far raised 70% of their $30,000 goal for 2022. She said another $10,00 is needed to get things where they need to be.
Those interested in donating to the Library Oasis Fund can visit mynpl.org/oasis
Snowflake Ornament could bring $1000 to the finder
The Annual Winter Walk Snowflake Hunt began this morning with the reveal of the first clue. 
The event is sponsored by the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce as an official “Winter Walk” event. A 3” metal Christmas ornament in the shape of a snowflake has been hidden by Hunt Master Tim Freeland somewhere within the Northfield city limits on public property.
The first clue was revealed at 8:00 this morning. There will be up to four clues revealed, one per day, with the final clue on Thursday, the morning of Winter Walk.
If the ornament is not found by 5pm on Thursday, the hunt will officially end for the year. The location will then be revealed and there will be no winner named.
The winner must be at least 18 years old, although families are encouraged to work together in the hunt.
The snowflake will be located on public property somewhere in Northfield, and safety, Freeland said, is always his top priority when considering where to hide it.
“I hide it,” he said, “and I’m not putting it on railroad tracks. It’s not going to be on thin ice on the Cannon River by the dam. You think of where might it be? Boulevards and city roads? No, I wouldn’t do that either.”
No ladders nor any digging will be necessary to find the snowflake.
The clues this year have been written by veteran Twin Cities treasure hunter Jason Michaelson. Freeland, who also runs the Defeat of Jesse Fames Days Horseshoe Hunt said he and Michaelson talked about how to write them. He said there are two criteria that he likes to see in a good clue.
“The history. Defeat clues for the horseshoe hunt are definitely all about history. I do like to tie that in, although you weigh heavily to Christmas theme and so you’re using a lot of Christmas [ideas]. But naturally what we have in abundance here in this town is history. So, it is great to tie in history.”
Once the ornament is found, Freeland said, the winner must immediately notify him. He said the number to call, along with identifying information is on the ornament.
The clues will be revealed every morning at 8:00 on the KYMN Morning Show, as well as on our website at kymnradio.net and our social media pages. They will also be on the Northfield News website, and the Northfield Chamber of Commerce website.
The person who finds the snowflake will receive $1000 in Chamber Bucks.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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