Meet the county's "Outstanding" seniors

Oscar Eliason

2019 Male Carlton County

Outstanding Senior Citizen

Oscar Eliason has been involved in many volunteer activities in the Cromwell community since 1993 when he started his teaching career in at Cromwell High School. Oscar has been a volunteer driver for Volunteer Services for many years. He drives folks to their medical appointments, two or three times a week. He loves the opportunity to meet new (mostly elderly) people and enjoys helping them in more ways than just the driving. He gets to know them and can relate to many stories with them. He says everyone has a story to tell and he really takes an interest in them and their families.

Oscar has been a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Cromwell since 1963 so he knows the members and the community well. He has served on the church council, been a confirmation class mentor, helped with funerals (setting up chairs and help with parking cars) and has generally been available in any capacity he is asked to serve. He has even been in church plays. Oscar volunteers to help at Ruby’s Pantry from time to time.

Oscar has been involved in the Sheep division at the County Fair for as long as he has lived in our community, starting with showing sheep with his own children and more recently with his grandchildren. He has been an ardent supporter of the Carlton County Fair and even volunteers in the Little Red School every year as a retired educator of Carlton County.

Oscar has volunteered to mentor students at the Cromwell-Wright School since his retirement. He finds supporting and working with youth very interesting and rewarding. He has encouraged numerous kids to go out for sports even when they didn’t think they were any good at sports. Most of these kids have gone on to do well because of Oscar’s encouragement!

Oscar is also a member of the Carlton County Retired Educators. He has volunteered every year at the Little Red School House as a guide and welcome man as fair goers visit this old one-room school.

We are honored that Oscar Eliason has been chosen as this year’s Outstanding Senior Citizen of Carlton County for 2019 for his commitment to the community. His dedication to duty is unmatched. If he says he will do something, he does it and does it to the best of his ability. He is always willing to help. His passion is for people! The family he and his wife Carole raised are also an asset to our community. So, we are proud of this year’s Outstanding Senior Citizen: Oscar Eliason!

Barb Dahl

2019 Female Carlton County

Outstanding Senior Citizen

Barb Dahl has been involved in volunteer work most of her life and on Aug. 16, she was officially honored for her work in our community and Carlton County as the Outstanding Female Senior Citizen for 2019.

Barb has been active as a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church for the past 51 years. She has been a deacon and served on the church council. She makes the communion bread and serves communion with the pastor during church services. She is a member of the choir, worked in food service for 40 years and has kept up her Food Manager Certification from the State of Minnesota. She volunteers to make meals during special occasions that take place at the church. She helps with Bible School each summer and helps in the kitchen during funerals serving lunches and cleaning up. She has worked at church fundraisers such as church bazaars and rummage sales. She donates food and items for various events. Barb also provides lunch and serves coffee after church. She is a member of the Bethany/Bethlehem Memorial Committee, which goes to the Villa Vista and puts on a memorial service for residents who have died in the past few months. In December she helps with the luminary event at the care center. All of this provides a wonderful religious experience for those who attend the events.

Barb Dahl is the area site leader for Ruby’s Pantry, which takes place on the second Thursday of the month at the Cromwell Pavilion. She receives the information on food and products coming on the truck, sets up for the distribution, puts the coffee pot on and brings home-baked goodies for volunteers, oversees the distribution, purchases all supplies needed and helps with the cleanup. There are 150 to 200 participants at Ruby’s Pantry every month.

Barb also volunteers at the Cromwell Pavilion, Villa Vista Care Center, Dollars for Scholars, and the Cromwell Area Community Club. She has helped organize school reunions, and is a member of the Cromwell Young Old Timers. Barb was on the Carlton County Extension Board for nine years and has served on the Carlton County Water and Soil Board for the past 22 years and is currently chairperson for the past three years. She has served on the Big Sandy Watershed Board for 22 years and as chairperson for the past nine years. She is also on the Tamarack Watershed board and has been secretary for the past 12 years.

Barb and her husband, Tim, were chosen as Carlton County Farm Family of the Year in 2017 and grand marshals for the Cromwell Harvest Fest in 2018.

Barb worked at Fond du Lac

Ojibwe School for 12 years and retired at age 68. She took photos of the players, cut out articles and scores from local papers and put together scrapbooks for each player, which she gave to them upon their graduation.

Most recently, she has volunteered for the Carlton County Historical Society by going around the county taking photos of barns and collecting barn histories. These photos have been used in the barn calendars sold by the CCHS each year.

Barb Dahl is to be congratulated and really deserves this award. Thank you, Barb, for all you

contribute to our county.