West End News: May 14

When she grew up in Lutsen, Jenna Latz, daughter of Jeff and Anna Latz, was an active and well-known kid.  She was a good student, and outgoing athlete, active in the community and a friend to many.  In due course, she departed for college in Arizona and joined the ranks of people raised in the West End who return home for frequent and busy visits.
 
Last fall, Jenna Latz became Jenna Wagner when she married Jessman Wagner on her parents’ dock on Deeryard Lake.  All of this is a pretty standard biography for a West End kid who was raised by her village. 
 
Last Wednesday, Jenna took a dramatic step away from the ordinary when she donated one of her kidneys to a woman that she didn’t even know.
 
It all started last year when Jenna learned that a friend's mother, Sharon Scanlan, needed a kidney transplant and wasn’t a match with any of her immediate family members.  Sharon was in the unenviable situation of having to find a donated kidney when she matched less than 5% of the population.
 
Jenna immediately agreed to be tested, and after a long process of medical tests, was found to be Sharon’s perfect match.  Although it is quite possible to live with only one kidney, Jenna’s decision is not without serious risk.  The surgery, although considered routine, is still a very major operation with all the risks that go along with it.  As Jenna makes her way through the rest of her life, having only one kidney puts her at higher risk.
 
In spite of the risks, Jenna never hesitated in her resolve to help her friend’s mother.  All her medical expenses are covered by insurance, of course, but she will have to be off work for at least a month at no pay.  Jenna’s many friends, co-workers and classmates have generously stepped up to make sure that her decision doesn’t hurt her financially.
 
I’m sure I join the whole West End in feeling proud and honored to be part of a community that produced Jenna Wagner and helped to make her the extraordinary person that she is.  It really makes you think about what we can all do to make the world a better place.  Join me in sending good thoughts Jenna’s way to help her to a hasty and healthy recovery.
 
Schroeder resident Bill Christ will be presenting a fascinating topic at the May session of the Great Decisions/Foreign Policy Discussion Group which meets in Grand Marais.  Bill has an interesting background that ranges from international business to the ministry.  His topic is “Privacy in the Digital Age - International Cyber Security and Cyber Cold Warfare.” 
 
As the internet becomes a vital part of modern society, involved with nearly everything that we do, the issues of privacy and security are becoming more and more important.  Bill has been applying his considerable intellect to studying this issue for about six months.  It will be an interesting, important and stimulating discussion.
 
The Great Decisions group will be meeting at the Community Center in Grand Marais from 12:30 to 2 pm on Thursday, May 21st.  It is free and open to all.
 
WTIP’s popular Friday evening program, “The Roadhouse,” recently conducted an interview with Dr. Frank Ferraro, a psychology professor from Nebraska, about his experiments concerning the mental benefits of wilderness canoeing.
 
Essentially, his research shows that being in the wilderness makes you more creative and enhances your ability to focus mentally.  This feeling of renewal that we all feel when we spend time in the woods is well known, but it’s really interesting to see it backed by data and hear Dr. Ferraro’s theories about why it happens.
 
If you’re interested, go to WTIP’s website at wtip.org to hear the whole interview by Roadhouse host Dick Swanson. 
 
Dr. Ferraro was kind enough to say nice things about Sawbill and the BWCA Wilderness that we are lucky to have as part of our community.  It’s just another advantage to the wonderful life here in the West End.