Caring for our shared home, Minnesota, often begins with small acts of love. For some, it’s a Saturday spent planting trees or volunteering at a local park. For others, it’s a daily ritual of noticing what needs care and quietly taking action.
Ken embodies this spirit of stewardship in everything he does. For decades, he’s been caring for Minnesota’s natural spaces in ways both humble and heroic. Whether walking his neighborhood, driving to work, or visiting a park with his family, Ken’s eyes are always open for what needs tending. If he spots litter, he stops to pick it up. If a recycling bin is full of cans, he’ll sort them so they can be properly recycled. His car floor is often full of bottles and cans waiting for their next best use—not because it’s convenient, but because he believes every small act matters.
At home, Ken lives out stewardship as a daily practice. He’s a devoted composter, transforming food scraps into nutrient-rich soil for his garden. He’s mindful about consumption, repairing clothing instead of replacing it, recycling thoughtfully, and using what he has for as long as possible. “If I throw something away,” he often says, “where is ‘away’?” His question reminds us that nothing truly disappears, it just becomes someone else’s problem unless we care enough to take responsibility.
Ken’s quiet leadership echoes across Minnesota. So do the efforts of Deb Dukatz and Mark Lapakko, who have spent years caring for the Chain of Lakes in Minneapolis. Together, they collect trash from the lakes and surrounding areas, making the area cleaner, healthier, and more inviting for everyone. Their ongoing commitment has not only maintained a beloved community space but also inspired countless others to notice and care for their surroundings.
Stewardship is more than environmental action, it’s a way of connecting. When we care for the land, we also nurture our relationship with the community. Picking up litter, tending a garden, or taking care of a lake builds trust, gratitude, and shared pride. It reminds us that this place belongs to all of us, and that together we can keep it beautiful and thriving.
Ken, Deb, and Mark show us that stewardship doesn’t require grand gestures. It’s about attention, consistency, and compassion for the places we call home. Their examples invite us to look around our own communities and ask: What needs care today?
Because when we act with care, we do more than steward the environment, we build the connections that sustain us all.