Author Archives: David Clarke

VBF Board members Phil Peterson and Paul Beck

Phil Peterson

Phil Peterson moved to Northfield in 2008 after retiring from the Insurance industry. Phil immediately immersed himself in community activity. He completed training to be a Northfield Historical Society tour guide, a member of the “posse” with expertise talking about the James Gang Bank Robbery. Phil’s love for music and tenor voice has him singing in the Bethel Lutheran Church Choir, I Cantanti (community choir) and volunteering as a hospice musician playing guitar and singing for hospice patients. Phil also plays the euphonium in the Fifty North Band and the Northfield Community Band. Thanks Phil, for what you give to Northfield and for being a board member of the Vintage Band Festival!

Paul Beck

If you were a brass-playing middle schooler in Northfield Schools from 1989-2013 you most likely had private lessons from teacher and trombonist, Paul Beck. “Mr. Beck” had a stellar career as a public-school teacher in Northfield and continues to participate as a trombonist is local bands and ensembles, did a stint as conductor of the Northfield Community Band, and sings in the St. John’s Lutheran Church Choir. As a graduate of St Olaf College, his connection to Northfield goes back many years (his mom was an Ole too). Paul taught instrumental music in two other rural Minnesota towns before landing in Northfield. Thank you for your volunteer service to the Vintage Band Festival!

Jan Stevens and Lois Stratmoen, VBF volunteers extraordinaire

The next two profiles showcase two of the longest-serving Vintage Band Festival board members, Jan Stevens, our Fundraising Committee chair and Lois Stratmoen, our donor Correspondent.

Jan Stevens

VBF board member and chief fundraiser, Jan Stevens, is a person of action who leads by example. Since 1994 Jan has been involved with the Northfield Rotary Club, and specifically with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. Jan has been a champion advocate for Northfield and after retiring from the real estate world this is what she had to say about living here:

“Northfield has everything, 45 minutes to an international airport, 5 times a day bus

service to the metro area, one hour to the Mayo Clinic Hospitals, two outstanding

colleges that bookend the north side of Northfield, culture diverse activities that rival

anywhere, recreational activities for all ages, and church and bar music that rivals much

larger communities.”

That civic pride and keen sense of the arts brings us to her involvement with VBF. It was Jan’s generous gift that enabled the Vintage Band Festival Fund to be created in 2023. The fund is part of Northfield Shares and was established to allow the Vintage Band Festival to develop a more sustainable financial strategy. Jan’s passion for our community is contagious!

Lois Stratmoen

When was the last time you received a hand-written note in the mail? VBF board member and Donor Correspondent, Lois Stratmoen, is known for handwriting notes, not only to patrons of the Vintage Band Festival, but also to Northfield area youth who are featured in the Northfield News.

Lois and her husband Noel have been citizens of Northfield for more than 50 years. Her list of civic leadership roles is impressive to say the least. Here are a few: former chair of the Northfield Hospital Board, former church council president of Bethel Lutheran Church, Board of Directors/Northfield United Way, Northfield Arts Guild member and cast member in many Guild musical productions, and co-recipient of the 2003 Northfield Sertoma Service to Mankind Award. We are honored to have the wisdom and personal touch of Lois Stratmoen serving VBF!

Meet VBF members Joy Riggs and Dan Bergeson

Joy Riggs

The Vintage Band Festival Board is fortunate to have Northfield journalist and author, Joy Riggs, as our secretary and Grants Coordinator. Joy has been integral in securing many rounds of grant funding over the years and that has been a major reason for the longevity of the organization.

Joy is the author of “Crackerjack Bands and Hometown Boosters” (the story of a Minnesota Music Man). The non-fiction book is the story of Joy’s great-grandfather and his life passion of developing community bands in several Minnesota towns. His commitment to civic pride, community participation and belief in the power of music to transform lives, continues through Joy’s volunteerism and the mission of the Vintage Band Festival. Great-Grandpa would be proud. Thank-you Joy!

Dan Bergeson

Mr. Bergeson is a doer. The Vintage Band Festival and Board members are indebted to Dan for his stellar leadership as President of the Festival since 2017, but his connection to the organization goes back to the beginning of the festival in 2006. He retired in 2018 from a 30-year career at Carleton College as Director of Auxiliary Services. You can hear Dan play his trumpet in several local brass ensembles and he recently took up the violin and the accordion. If there was a local percussion ensemble, I believe Dan would be the first gung-ho new percussionist!