Caroline Wood is the new Birch Grove Foundation Executive Director

Caroline Wood is the new Birch Grove Foundation Executive Director. Retired from the Air Force, Caroline recently completed her master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Minnesota-Mankato and one week later accepted the position in Tofte at the Birch Grove Community Center. Caroline and her husband Russ have owned land in Schroeder since 2004, and have long wanted to live in Cook County.

A first look into Caroline Wood’s new office revealed a space in transition— boxes and papers and books and computers looking for a permanent home, but no Caroline.

“She’s in a meeting down the hall,” the kindly janitor told me who escorted me to the office.

“I can take you there, she said.

“No, I’ll wait here, outside in the hall,” I answered.

Then we heard a low muffle coming from inside. We walked in and looked around, trying to locate who or what had made the sound. Caroline Wood’s head popped up, a big smile on her face. She had been lying on the floor plugging in her computer and arranging the cords underneath her desk on our first peek.

The computer staff was on hiatus—permanently, but Wood didn’t seem to mind one bit.

After she got up and dusted herself off the retired Air Force air traffic controller shook my hand and we settled into the comfortable clutter and began to talk.

Wood graduated in May with a master’s degree in gerontology from University of Minnesota- Mankato. Not letting any dust settle around her feet, the next week she interviewed for the Birch Grove executive director position.

It was a job she dearly hoped she would get.

“My husband Russ (also an Air Force air traffic controller) and I are retired from the Navy. In 2004 we bought some property in Schroeder and have been dreaming of moving this direction for at least 10 years,” she said.

If ever a background fit a job description, Wood’s fits like a glove. She owned her own company in Mankato – Inspired Aging, LLC. Her Mankato business offered YogaFit, yoga therapy, Reiki (a Japanese stress reduction technique), aromatherapy, Aroma TOUCH, and pet therapy.

“Our recreational therapies were geared to support aging with dignity, wellbeing and grace at any age. I value comprehensive care and working with medical professionals to offer a holistic approach to care,” she said.

Wood has a fistful of certifications and licenses. She has written grants, been a Zumba instructor, a fitness instructor, and worked with Silver Sneakers for the YMCA. She has worked with dementia patients, addressing dementia-related behavior, and planned activities for daily living.

Russ and Caroline “own” three dogs, two Westies and one 150- pound English mastiff. The Westies are named Krystal and Heidi and Moose is a moose of a dog. They are trained as therapy dogs and can be used for recreational therapy for people with dementia.

Her goals for her job are simple, “My primary job is administrative. I would like to get familiar with all of our services and providers and then help fill in the gaps where I can. Meeting the needs of people in Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder is an important part of the reason that I’m here. I would like to do a good job, continue to improve programming and be of service to the community,” she said.

For now Wood is renting a house while her husband transitions out of his job in Mankato, the town he grew up in, and moves north to be with her. They don’t have a house built on their property yet, “but the driveway’s in,” she said cheerily.

A native of Ohio, Wood has traveled to 13 countries in her military career. She and Russ have been around the world, seen a lot of exotic sites, beautiful places, but there is no place they would rather be than living in Cook County, she said.

“I’m glad I’m here. I’m excited to learn more about my job and meet the people in the community. If people want to contact me, they can call me at 663-7977,” Wood said.