Stories From The Communities We Call Home
Across our footprint, people are showing up every day to make their communities stronger. A branch manager who knows everyone at the town fair. A dad who keeps the rink open. A coach who never left. A farm family growing something new.
Their stories are different, but the thread is the same: strong communities are built by people who invest in others. Through documentary films, photography, and authentic storytelling, Local Heart celebrates the people making a difference in the places they’re proud to call home.
Strong communities are built by people who invest in others.
Stories That Strengthen Our Communities
BIG LAKE, Minnesota
NBC’s Donna at Spud Fest
Donna Clarksean manages our Big Lake and Monticello branches, but around town she’s simply the person who remembers your kids’ names and knows which small business is about to open its doors. We spend a day with her at the 54th Annual SpudFest — parade route, corn dog stand, and a whole lot of neighbors stopping her mid-sentence to say hello.
Superior, Wisconsin
Lisa Russ & La Peinado
Lisa has grown La Peinado one chair at a time and turned it into a place where people come as much for the conversation as the cut. Her story reflects what it means to bet on yourself in a town that bets on you back, and how steady dedication can grow a small business into a community fixture.
Esko, Minnesota
John Feely, Esko’s Familiar Face
In this episode of Local Heart, we spend a day in Esko with John and Amy, the businesses they run, and the three kids they’re raising. Why Esko? As Amy puts it, “This is where you get time, and this is where you get space.” Why NBC? Well, you’ll have to check out the video for that.
Bagley, Minnesota
Sarah Schwegel & the Bagley Flyers
Sarah Schwegel has spent more than a decade as the head volleyball coach of the Bagley Flyers, and has been a teacher at Bagley High School for even longer. But those titles don’t reflect all that she does.
Morris, Minnesota
Matt Laubach & Katie Elvehjem, El Farms
In this episode of Local Heart, we spend a day with Matt and Katie and their kids on their changing farm. It started with one community meeting about regenerative agriculture, and now they’re selling the plow. They know now that the way it had always been done wasn’t the way they were going to do it.
From The Field
These photos come from the places where real moments happen. Rinks, festivals, farms, and front porches. They’re the people we met along the way and the everyday scenes that make our communities feel like home.
